February 29, 2008 - Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

www.smumn.edu/cardinal Editorial February 29, 2008 7
War in Kenya hits close to home
BY TAMIKA ROBINSON
Cardinal Staff
Tribal violence between the
Kikuyu and the Luo has been taking
place in Kenya as a result of a
disputed recent presidential election.
Remembering that Saint
Mary’s University has a campus in
Nairobi, Kenya, made me ponder
the effects this war was having on
students there. In terms of our
country, this also made me ponder
the effects this war could
have on us as citizens and as students.
On Dec. 27, Kenyans headed
to the polls to cast votes that
would possibly remove their current
president and a Kikuyu, Mwai
Kibaki, from office and give residents
an opportunity to experience
change with presidential
candidate Raila Odinga, a Luo.
Though Kibaki is credited with the
recent economic growth Kenya
has experienced, he is also
accused of corruption and nepotism
with members of his own
tribe. Ultimately, Kibaki was
declared the winner of the election
leading to instant violence
between the two tribes. Since
December, more than 1,000 people
have died.
In the SMU Campus Notes posted
Jan. 18, Brother Paulos Welday
Mesmer and Father Michael
Kirwen, directors for the SMU programs
in Nairobi, reported that all
students, staff, and faculty were
safe. Though the campus is not
located within the vicinities of the
war, counseling is available to the
campus. On the Winona campus,
Dr. Jeffrey Highland, university
provost and vice president, has
been in direct communication
with the directors regarding the
political situation in Kenya. Though
their students, faculty and staff are
unharmed, “there have been
some impacts on the students at
Tangaza College, which is where
our programs reside,” Highland
said. “Our colleagues are looking
for some assistance.”
According to the U.S.
Department of State, Kenya is an
exporter of agricultural goods on
the International Trade Market.
The exportation of certain agricultural
products supplied by Kenya
may be negatively affected by
the war. This negative effect could
cause a shortage in food consumed
in our country and therefore
could cause a food shortage
or scarcity. So the real question is:
will you idly watch potential starvation
become a reality or will you
take a stand against this violence?
Dr. Highland stated that part of
SMU’s Lasallian mission is to be of
service to others. Though distance
may separate us, we all share a
commonality: education. Let us
continually pray for peace in
Kenya and use this time to educate
ourselves about the current
violent situation.
Questioning Catholicism:
How can I know there’s a God who cares?
BY TIM HEPNER
Guest Columnist
Let’s see if I can answer this question in 400 words.
Oh no, now I only have 383. Better get started:
Rather than look at the question in terms of “proving”
God like He’s some math problem, let’s look at a
more personal, but still objective, solution. If it’s true
that God (in the person of Christ) plunged himself into
the depths of my human experience, then the challenge
now is to simply go and meet Him there. “If you are
seeking God,” said John of the Cross, “you may be
sure of this: God is seeking you much more.” So the
answer I’m offering for the frustration, restlessness and
despair in our lives is an old one—namely prayer. But
it’s prayer like you may never have experienced it. It
requires silence, humility, honesty and persistence.
First, we need to realize how much noise we allow
into ourselves. This can be a barrier between us and
God, who wants to find us in the quiet, private, interior
of our lives. We’ve barely skimmed the surface of ourselves
and have yet to dive into the deep interior life
that He gave us. As deep as I am, I need to be humble.
Through humility, I admit that, if there is a God, He’s
bigger than I am and knows more than I do. If I can
find peace, it will involve admitting my littleness and
vulnerability before Him; a process that causes me to
sacrifice my comfort for fear, which in turn leads to
genuine peace. But I can’t pretend I’m someone else—
I have to be honest with God. If I’m angry or confused,
I have to admit it to Him before I can come to that
peace. Nothing will happen if I’m not genuine in
prayer.
Finally, I need to be persistent, like an annoying little
kid who will constantly pound away at a door until
someone opens. This involves committing a specific
time to quiet prayer every day and sticking to it, even if
it doesn’t feel like it’s doing anything. If I’m not persistent,
then I can’t say I truly want to know God.
This advice might not answer the question completely,
but it’s a start. There’s more to be said by more
knowledgeable people than me. But if you want to
know more, there’s always that beer—no one’s taken
me up on it yet.
Job search
From page 5
Yet, if many of you are like me, you
definitely do not have five or more
years of experience, let alone the usual
one to two years most employers
require.
One option to gain experience and
still be able to pay off your college
loans is to get a full-time paid internship
for the summer. I have found
some really great opportunities out
there, including some internships that
will pay me more than I make at my
current two jobs!
This is something for all of you
seniors to start thinking about. As you
begin the search, don’t limit yourself,
and don’t take an offer just because
you think it will eventually turn into a
good thing. Do what you think would
be best for you in the long run.