How do you convince desperate people ruled by violence, thievery, revenge and mystical beliefs that there is a better way to live our lives, and it involves laying down our differences, reconciliation, forgiveness? The peace initiative has found a formula that works. It involves a bull, a sleepover, and a whole lot of guts.
When bullets are flying, your vehicles are being torched, your security force are being shot up, things can look pretty desperate. You might even consider packing your bags. Unless you live in Kapedo. Here, the chance to create peace trumps whatever fears you may have. The peace committee came up with a different plan.
What if we slaughter a bull, invite our enemies to the feast, share our food, assure them of our good will and convince them that we are serious about putting aside our differences and living together in peace? We’ll place ourselves in the hands of our enemies, even sleep over for a couple of nights in enemy territory for the chance to change the way things are and stop the violence. What do you think?
They voted on it and decided that this was the plan. A feast out in the wilderness, talks of peace over two days. Sleep in the desert. In the end? The Pokots agreed. They would lay down their guns. They would stop the violence. The Turkanas could pass through their territory without risk. No vehicle attacks. No road blocks. Their promise has held.
Pretty cool. It really worked. A little much for the vegetarians in the crowd. Remember the power of a bull, a feast and a two night sleepover next time you run into an impasse with your church board. Sometimes just thinking about it is enough to change our perspectives and bring our squabbles to an end.
When bullets are flying, your vehicles are being torched, your security force are being shot up, things can look pretty desperate. You might even consider packing your bags. Unless you live in Kapedo. Here, the chance to create peace trumps whatever fears you may have. The peace committee came up with a different plan.
What if we slaughter a bull, invite our enemies to the feast, share our food, assure them of our good will and convince them that we are serious about putting aside our differences and living together in peace? We’ll place ourselves in the hands of our enemies, even sleep over for a couple of nights in enemy territory for the chance to change the way things are and stop the violence. What do you think?
They voted on it and decided that this was the plan. A feast out in the wilderness, talks of peace over two days. Sleep in the desert. In the end? The Pokots agreed. They would lay down their guns. They would stop the violence. The Turkanas could pass through their territory without risk. No vehicle attacks. No road blocks. Their promise has held.
Pretty cool. It really worked. A little much for the vegetarians in the crowd. Remember the power of a bull, a feast and a two night sleepover next time you run into an impasse with your church board. Sometimes just thinking about it is enough to change our perspectives and bring our squabbles to an end.