Those Too Painful To Remember

"Memories light the corners of my mind, misty water color memories of the way we were."


In 1973 Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman wrote the words to the Academy award winning song, "The Way We Were", sung by Barbra Streisand for the movie by the same name. In the song, Barbra sings about remembering the good things of the past and forgetting those things that are too painful. If only life were that simple. It seems as though we choose to remember the painful things.



February 14 will be a day to remember here. It will be the anniversary of the up rising which began just one year ago. On February 14, 2011 life on my little island changed. Large demonstrations in a "day of rage" across the small island state saw several injured and some dead. Protesters camped out for days at the Pearl Roundabout, which functioned as the center point of protests here. After a month, the government requested troops and police from the Gulf Cooperation Council, which arrived on 14 March, and a day later, the king declared martial law and a three-month state of emergency. The police crack down has been brutal and has not let up over this last year. Many of the people I so dearly love are being hurt by this.

In the past few weeks there have been many calls for the up rising to increase as we get closer to February 14th. As the people here remember... young men are ready to die for a cause. Children are saying they want to be a martyr. But is it the cause they should be dying for?

As February 14, 2012 approaches I want to ask all of my dear friends to remember too. Remember that there are lost people everywhere who need the truth. Remember that there are people on my island ready to die for something that could never save them. Remember those people I have told you about or who's picture you have seen.  Remember and pray. Pray for peace, pray for salvation, pray of an opportunity to hear the truth, Pray that they will stop fighting against the government and start seeking after God.

2 Chronicles 7:14 says, "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."