Last night I was scheduled to take an 11:00 bus to Madrid to visit my friend, Emma. Upon arrival at the Plaza de Armas Estacion de Autobuses, I headed downstairs to wait at platform 19. Two men were sitting behind me, one of them dressed in traditional African garb, carrying a guitar and wearing a WOMEX lanyard around his neck (Sevilla just hosted a world music festival....hence womex...not really sure where the 'x' comes from though). They were speaking in rapid french when the ticket vendor approached him and said that they accidentally overbooked the bus and that he would have to take the 12:00 bus instead. He got really worried, and since he couldn't speak spanish, I translated for him. Apparently he had a flight from Madrid to New York, connecting to South Carolina at 6 am, and couldn't miss it because he was scheduled to play at 7 the next night. Realizing that it didn't matter to me whether I arrived in Madrid at 5 am or 6 am, I offered him my ticket. He immediately started blessing me, thanking me nine ways to sunday, and gave me one of his cd's and a card with all of his information. We walked up to the ticket desk, and were going to switch tickets, when the vendor informed us that there would actually be room for both of us on the bus. As we walked back to wait for it, we got to talking...
He comes from Rwanda, and during the genocide, had a family friend kill his parents, 3 brothers and 1 sister. He turned to alcohol and wanted to kill himself for a while, but came to America, and quit, turning his life around. His name is Jean Paul Samptu, and plays traditional Rwandan music at concerts, festivals, schools, colleges and universities, and also speaks about his experience (he has forgiven the person who killed his family) at churches and schools. He is a winner of the Kora Award (the African grammy) and is truly an inspirational man. He began a childrens charity and tours all over the world promoting the travesty that is the Rwandan genocide, and ways to help those who are suffering. Puts your life in a bit of perspective, doesn't it?
I was absolutely blown away by his kindness and spirit (he literally didn't stop thanking me for 1/2 hour....and even offered to fly me to Rwanda next summer for a grandiose music festival held every other year) and can't believe the amount of courage it would take to forgive someone who killed your entire family. Its people like him that make me stop and realize that no matter how bad I think things might be going in my life, there's always someone who has gone through more. I think we can all learn an important lesson from this man, and he is someone I will never forget meeting.
Friday, October 26, 2007
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4 comments:
Al - I am reminded of the story that I have followed in the Boston Globe about a little girl (she was 3 years old at the time) who was sitting in her house watching television when she was shot by a stray bullet fired by a guy who was drunk and angry. She was hit in the spine and is now paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of her life. At a parole hearing for the perpetrator held this year, the little girl (who is now 6 years old I believe) testified that she forgave him. All of Boston weighed in on 1) how stunned they were at her capacity to forgive, and 2) how angry and non-forgiving they were towards this perpetrator (who by the way cried at the hearing when he listened to her testimony). It's a tough issue to wrap your head around. The fellow you describe is truly extraordinary. Stay in touch with him.
I also love you for "paying it forward" when you offered to switch tickets. You are wonderful. Love you. Dad
that is an absolutely wonderful story.
wow. that's amazing!! congratulations on being a person that can so easily put themselves out there, look at the rewards!
Why isn't this blog on nomadlife?
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