games
Permit me to begin with a brief historical account....
Israel, circa 1 500BC. King David is on the throne.
An army led by Abner meets another army led by Joab. (There's no indication that they planned to meet. They just happened upon each other at the pool of Gibeon.) The two groups sit down, facing each other from the opposite sides of the pool. Abner suggests to Joab, "Let's have a few of our warriors put on an exhibition of hand-to-hand combat." Joab agrees so twelve men from either side are chosen to fight each other. Twenty four men fight. Twelve men die. The story continues, "The two armies then began to fight each other and by the end of the day Abner's forces had been defeated." (2 Samuel 2.)
Interesting. Two bored armies meet by a pool. Their commanders come up with a game. Brilliant! Let's get a dozen of our best men to fight each other until one stands victorious and the other is sprawled out, dead in the dirt. Not satisfied with a few of their soldiers spilling blood, the leaders allow the situation to escalate into a full-scale battle. Brilliant! What a great idea! Let soldiers do what soldiers do. Two armies happen to face each other- let the slaughter begin.
There are two armies who have met each other at a border not far from here. They sit, facing each other from opposite sides of an ancient temple. Their Commanders sport with the soldiers. The leaders in Capital Cities let the game escalate to war. Sometimes it seems like it's just a bit of entertainment to them. Let soldiers do what soldiers do. Like it's no one's fault when 30 000 people flee. Nobody is to blame when homes and farms are destroyed, kid's schooling is interrupted and women can't sleep because they're afraid.
This week, our NGO in Phnom Penh has had the opportunity to partner with another organisation who is sending toys to kids who have been displaced by the recent conflict. They will also counsel the children to help them work through the trauma they've experienced. In Poipet we've been able to gather some of the 'leftovers' from the last soccer league and pass them on. We packed a sports bag with 8 soccer balls, 20 plastic cones, 2 rugby balls, a pump, 10 tennis balls, colouring books, 2 boxes of colouring pencils, 4 puppets and some additional colouring sheets. It was great to be able to give some good stuff that was first given to us. It's not a lot to share with 30 000 displaced people, but it's a start.
This is my kind of entertainment. Forget the sport of war. Let bored Generals learn rugby?
Israel, circa 1 500BC. King David is on the throne.
An army led by Abner meets another army led by Joab. (There's no indication that they planned to meet. They just happened upon each other at the pool of Gibeon.) The two groups sit down, facing each other from the opposite sides of the pool. Abner suggests to Joab, "Let's have a few of our warriors put on an exhibition of hand-to-hand combat." Joab agrees so twelve men from either side are chosen to fight each other. Twenty four men fight. Twelve men die. The story continues, "The two armies then began to fight each other and by the end of the day Abner's forces had been defeated." (2 Samuel 2.)
Interesting. Two bored armies meet by a pool. Their commanders come up with a game. Brilliant! Let's get a dozen of our best men to fight each other until one stands victorious and the other is sprawled out, dead in the dirt. Not satisfied with a few of their soldiers spilling blood, the leaders allow the situation to escalate into a full-scale battle. Brilliant! What a great idea! Let soldiers do what soldiers do. Two armies happen to face each other- let the slaughter begin.
There are two armies who have met each other at a border not far from here. They sit, facing each other from opposite sides of an ancient temple. Their Commanders sport with the soldiers. The leaders in Capital Cities let the game escalate to war. Sometimes it seems like it's just a bit of entertainment to them. Let soldiers do what soldiers do. Like it's no one's fault when 30 000 people flee. Nobody is to blame when homes and farms are destroyed, kid's schooling is interrupted and women can't sleep because they're afraid.
This week, our NGO in Phnom Penh has had the opportunity to partner with another organisation who is sending toys to kids who have been displaced by the recent conflict. They will also counsel the children to help them work through the trauma they've experienced. In Poipet we've been able to gather some of the 'leftovers' from the last soccer league and pass them on. We packed a sports bag with 8 soccer balls, 20 plastic cones, 2 rugby balls, a pump, 10 tennis balls, colouring books, 2 boxes of colouring pencils, 4 puppets and some additional colouring sheets. It was great to be able to give some good stuff that was first given to us. It's not a lot to share with 30 000 displaced people, but it's a start.
This is my kind of entertainment. Forget the sport of war. Let bored Generals learn rugby?
posted by pip @ 4:11 pm
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