Hotel Rwanda

So the other night, Parker and I watched Hotel Rwanda. I am sure that most of you have seen it before, but Parker hadn't. In fact, we had it for about a month before we actually watched it. I just knew I would be sad after it, and I had to be in the right mood. Before I jump up onto my giant soap box, I want to tell a different story.

I just started working part time at the Boys and Girls Club in Mid-Vale. It's a summer gig, and so far, I can't get enough. I LOVE IT. Which for those of you who followed my blog during the dark months of my last job, welcome to the arrival of Bekah's happiness in the working world. Am I making near as much money as before???? NEVER! But, I love going to work each day. I have awesome people to talk with, awesome teens to work with, and awesome satisfaction knowing in a small way, I am making a positive difference.

NOW, let me tell you my story. I worked a teenage girls' sleepover last weekend. Besides the fact that the girls didn't go to sleep until 5:30am and had to be up at 8:00am, I would call it a success. I was pretty tired by about 5:00am, but I am glad for the bonding which occurred. Earlier in the day, I was talking with one of the teenagers. She is a nice girl, kind of loud, and pretty silly, but I really like her. I think maybe DRAMA is a good label for her. All day she had been putting me off when I would try to talk with her, and that was just fine. So imagine my surprise when around 4:00pm, I sat down on the couch next to her, and she turned to me and said, " I like a boy here at the club...but you can't tell anyone." How is that for opening up? She was really funny about it and kept saying she didn't know where these feelings were coming from while simultaneously swearing me to secrecy. I swore not to reveal this secret love...and with that promise, she decided to talk a bit more about "him."

Still not knowing who the boy was, I asked "What do you like about him?" Well, let me just preface this by saying that this girl is black, and she turned to me after I asked this question and said, "Well....no offense, but he's black." That was the number one trait folks, and I was A okay with that, but it made me laugh that she prefaced it with "no offense." As if, being white, I was pulling for all the other whities out there.

All chuckles aside, however, my mind was triggered back to this conversation later that weekend when I was watching Hotel Rwanda with Parker on the couch. I am sorry if I spoil any of the movie for those who haven't seen it...but it is based on a real life event...so history kind of spoiled it first. Essentially, there was a massive genocide taking place in Rwanda between the Tootsies and Hutus...both natives of Rwanda and only distinguished as such by the colonizers.

Anyway, there is this part of the movie where the real killing of the Tootsies by the Hutus has begun, and people of both Tootsie and Hutu background rush to the Hotel for safety....a hotel run by a Hutu man married to a Tootsie woman...a very good man named Paul Rusesabagina.

Anyway, after days of trying to shelter so many displaced people, Paul is practically crying when he sees the troops show up to protect, evacuate, and SAVE these people...his people. AND THEN MY HEART BREAKS. The troops are not there to protect his people...instead they take only the white people...the non-natives...and save them, leaving all the colored/black/native people to wage this awful genocide alone. At this part, my whole heart breaks open, and I feel guilty for a moment to have been born into such privilege. I feel guilty that the world looks on the outward appearance and not on the heart like the Lord does. I feel sad that a sweet teenage girl telling me about her innocent crush has already learned in her young life that skin color matters, that it makes her different, that it is an important distinction...perhaps THE most important distinction.

So where is the silver lining? Where is the blessed release from this depressing event in history? From this awful mistreatment of others? Well, I am not entirely sure how others find hope in light of these events without the atonement, because that is my answer. I suppose I fall back on the KNOWLEDGE that Heavenly Father's work is to bring to pass our happiness and joy, and that is for EVERY person, so I believe... in fact, I have to believe, that as unfair as the world often looks, feels, and is...every person is exactly where God intends them to be...where they have the greatest chance of finding REAL joy...perhaps not on Earth, but certainly for eternity.

And, I suppose it gives me a great deal of purpose, hoping that I have a chance to help bring a little of what will be to the here and now...THAT is a work worth doing.

One of my favorite quotes of all time is from a sweet little Indian man, he says, "EVERYBODY HAS 5.5 LITERS OF BLOOD." I agree...everybody is the same in some way, and it is focusing on those similarities, NOT THE DIFFERENCES that will bring the world and each of us happiness, joy, and peace. I know that is TRUTH.

Spring Cleaning and A BIG MOVE!

SO friends, CH-CH-Changes are a brewing in the Wightman household.

Way back in January, when we still thought we were going to Norway, Parker and I hopped on the waiting list for a two bedroom apartment because we thought we would be moving out, and we didn't really want to move back into a one bedroom. We have been married two years, and though we have loved all 483 square feet of our current apartment, 604 square feet sounds so much nicer.

Anyway, I have been slowly getting our life prepped and ready for the move. Hence the picture that I have included of Parker's tie collection. I went through his closet and decided to arrange them like a little store because honestly we had enough to open one. That is a queen sized bed under there! So, Parker had to pick...mean? Yes. Necessary? DOUBLE YES.

SO, for those of you who need to find us, the Wightman's are officially moving from 603 University Village, Salt Lake City, UT to 601 University Village. I know that you all think that sounds like a small move...and small it will hopefully be, but alas, it is BIG for us.

Also, here is a big and exciting GASP, we are totally painting this new apartment. I am so excited! I feel like I finally have an idea for decor that will reflect more of Parker and my colorful personality. So please stay tuned for more pics and exciting updates on our new 2 bedroom adventure.

Washington D.C.

So Parker and I went on an awesome trip. It was more than a month ago now, but all the same, here are your pics :-)

Parker and I got a private tour of the Capitol building. It was pretty awesome. Our tour guide was this awesome BYU student too, and that made it even more fun. If graduating in International Relations limited my options for work in Salt Lake City; it certainly made up for a lot of that in this vacation :-) I had so many awesome friends and connections out there that made our trip AWESOME.

I wish that I had thought to put make-up on this day since we ended up taking a ton of pictures, but alas, you all have the pleasure of seeing authentic me.

This is the Capitol's rotunda, it was so beautiful.

This is the Korean War Memorial. I thought it was so neat, probably my favorite of the bunch. Also, did Parker and I mention that we stayed with this really nice Jewish family while we were out there? Well we did. My greatest regret was setting off the house alarm at Six in the morning, the day we left. Whoops...we had good intentions, but at least this way, everyone got to say their final goodbyes.

This is in Ford's theatre. It is the booth where Lincoln was shot. The more I learn about that man, the more I like him, and wish that our last few presidents democrats and republicans a like had a bit more Lincoln-esqueness to them.

This was at the Air and Space Museum. I think this was Parker's favorite of the whole trip; he was kind of like the boy in a candy shop. I love that he loves space. I was really hungry and grumpy during this particular visit though, so I doubt that really showed through.

I love this quote. It was at the F. D. R. monument. I think that one of my blogs coming up will touch on this more, but all I can say is, AMEN.

This is the Jefferson Monument. In front of this monument, there is a huge lake pond thing, and you better believe that Parker and I with the assistance of my friend Jennifer paddle boated that pond with all our might :-)

Cute Jennifer! She was my roommate freshman year of college. LOVE HER.

Isn't he cute? I think so. Though this was probably his only cute moment during this particular venture. Parker's feet hurt, and he was less enthused than me about paddle boating.
Here Parker is "acting" excited because I asked him to. We are at Mt. Vernon, George Washington's home. I really want to read more about George Washington. He was kind of a romantic, and I am sure he was a great many other things that aren't always displayed so prominently on the history channel, but I left having so much respect for him and all the founders of our nation. They truly were AWESOME.

The house where we stayed was just down the street from the National Zoo. So we went for a look see. Notice the hype about the pandas in the top of the pictures...turns out the pandas didn't want to be seen the day we went...lame.

Chinatown had the best restaurants, namely OUR FAVORITE, Matchbox. It is a pizza and burger joint, but I promise it is nothing like what you have had before. It was SOOOOO good, we came back on the last day of our trip just to have it again.


Yes, these little mini burgers are divine. I can taste them now. If you go to Washington D.C. Matchbox is a MUST!