EDWARD & EDWIN MUTANGUHA FROM RWANDANS' HEARTS TO DARFUR

This is a tribute to two young men that I met through kismet September 20th - Edward and Edwin Mutanguha. They are from Rwanda, were born in exile and lived there for 7 years and now attend college ten or so minutes from my home in Rhode Island. Sometimes life smiles upon me and this is one of those times. As someone who lives by principles and conviction that the good in us must be nurtured and tended to like a garden – I find peace in how I live my life and what action I take to add to the good. These two young Rwandan young men have graced my life and given me rich blessings through seeing their goodness.

As the organizer of the Providence Dream for Darfur Torch Relay and Ceremony, I had the honor of getting to know and working together with Edward and Edwin. Almost all of our local and world media coverage was through what Edward and Edwin brought to the message of stopping genocide of the Darfuri people.

The following is an edited message that I sent to Edward today:

Edward, you and Edwin, turned out to be the most important spokesmen of our Torch Relay and Ceremony. Your voices, the message, your grace, your representation of the Dream for Darfur that you both brought to this event and the human rights cause to "live" is priceless and precious. Think about the media coverage that we have received and how much of it has been centered around you and Edwin, your personal experiences, how you each one, lent weight to our message - to the world. You have done this role with grace, elegance, with a quiet voice, but with voices of strength. I extend my gratitude for the work you have done for the Darfuri people and for the ending of genocide as the end product of our comprehensive efforts. You have my heartfelt gratitude that I feel in my soul. I acknowledge that I understand the importance of your voice and Edwin’s voice on the subject of humanity’s inhumanity to others. Genocide must stop with us and it only will - when we do what must be done to make the difference. Thank you. I needed to say this to you.

Your family surely is supremely proud of you and Edwin.

I know I am.

“We are visitors on this planet.
We are here for ninety or one hundred years
at the very most.
During that period,
we must try to do something good ,
something useful, with our lives.

If you contribute to other people’s happiness,
You will find the true goal, the true meaning of life.

H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama
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www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgprBjvDQsg'

"I Will Be Here"
Sung by Jeremy "Passion" Manongdo
San Francisco, CA


If we don't stop genocide, then who will?
Our leaders have not.

George Bush is now threatening to not fund the UN Peacekeepers for Darfur,
if he doesn't get his way with congress.
Congress has been rendering itself useless in regards to the Bush administration.
President Bush has proved over and over that he doesn't really care about justice, human rights and the Darfur people.

So we must be the champion of this cause.
Our leaders are not.

Exercise humanity.

www.savedarfur.org
www.dreamfordarfur.org
www.standnow.org