Ishmael Beah

Due to the lack of adequate information on my blogs, I thought it would only be fitting that I talk about something else today, such as Ishmael Beah's speech. I have to say that I was quite excited to hear him talk, and in the end, was extremely happy with how it went! 

For those of you who did not attend, Ishmael was formerly a child soldier in Sierra Leone. At age eleven, his life drastically changed; his entire immediate family was killed, and he was forced to become a soldier for the next three years of his life. Eventually, UNICEF rescued Ishmael, he moved to the states, and was adopted by a loving family. Now, he is a public speaker, author, and an advocate for children who suffer from war. 

Listening to Ishmael talk was a pleasure for several reasons. First, I not only found his story incredible, but also thought he was extremely genuine. Whenever he was telling a story or giving examples of something, he spoke from his heart. By doing this, the audience was inclined to listen and stay attentive. Also, I noticed that whenever Ishmael spoke, he did it with the theme of hope. He had and continues to have hope for his country and children of war. It was evident that he cares and is making every attempt he can in order to make changes-he is using the gifts God has given him to try and make a difference in this world. Not only did he say this, but it is also extremely evident through his work. This was encouraging to witness because this is how God wants us to use our gifts; we are called to share them and maximize them and while we do this, we bring glory to God, which is what I believe Ishmael is doing!

I also found it helpful that Ishmael did not concentrate on what his book was about. I liked this because I feel that after listening to him talk, I am more eager to read his book. For those who had already read it, I think they liked this as well because they were continuing to learn more about his life that was not included. One thing that I am a bit confused about is Ishmael's religion. At the end of his talk, he told the audience that he is very accepting of many religions and does not prefer one over the other. While this is fine, I find it hard to comprehend how one would go about this. If he believes in God, and yet follows Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and so forth, then wouldn't he have many conflicting views? I understand that he is open to learning about other religions, but I find it hard to see how one would practice all of these.

As you can see, I found todays January Series quite worthwhile. I learned what horrid things are happening to children soldiers and their families, saw the power of hope, and can see God at work in lives like Ishmael's. My hope is that Ishmael's message will continue to be heard and changes will occur within this world.