The point of no return

This weekend was a roller coaster of emotions. There were high highs and low lows. The weekend began Friday night. I had been invited  to  join  7 other crew members for a weekend away. We split the cost of an air b and b which made it very affordable  to spend a weekend at the beach in a town  a few hours from here.
The first leg of the journey was a bit of a low when we exited the port to find our transportation  waiting for us. It was a 6 seat vehicle for a total of 10 of us including our driver and tour guide and all of our luggage.
That began a long process of trying to obtain another vehicle. the next four hours were filled traffic jams, vehicle break downs, being separated from the other vehicle and worrying if they were left behind. Eventually we made it to our destination and it was all worth it. We stayed at a VERY nice beach house with a private courtyard and pool, right on the ocean. The next 36 hours were incredibly relaxing and a chance to be refreshed. We had wonderful food prepared for us by 2 local men and had a nice time bonding as crew members.

Sunday morning we departed early and stopped at another town along the way. The next four hours were spent touring the site of a former Portuguese slave station. It is estimated that over 2 million slave were forcefully process through here and sent to their future of suffering through this town. We had opportunity to tour the museum and walk where they walked. See relics that have been found. Items like the small pipe that would be traded for 5 slaves and the irons that were used to chain them together in  long lines as the march them from one station to another.

We saw the station were they would have their teeth check and the place where they were branded with hot irons. We saw the location of the dark rooms where they were chained in darkness to prepare them for the voyage over the sea and pit where they were tossed like rubbish if it was determined that they were not healthy enough or strong enough to make the voyage.

Through out the day my emotions were building. I could feel it but was determined I would be strong. My spirit was also in distress as we listened time and time again to the tour guide tell us of how voodoo ruled this culture then and how it does now. How snakes, twins and dwarf's are worshiped and  how human sacrifice was a large part of the history.

It was hot. the sun was high above us and we drove from one spot to another. each time you got out of the vehicle the hot air hit you like a wall. Each time we returned to the un-airconditioned care our snapping point inched a little closer. Finally we arrived at the sea. The 7th and last stop the slaves would make . A large archway has been built to memorialize what happened here.It is called the point of no return. Because once the slaves left this spot they never came back.

As I walked through the hot sand to stand beneath the arch, my heart broke. I thought of the people who were forced from this beach onto a boat and then onto a ship to never see their homes again. To never see their parents, their husband or wives, their children, their neighbors. I was overcome and wept. How could such evil be done. How could someone ever think it is okay to do that to another human being. It is beyond me. I prayed. a lot. For them, for me, for the world that we live in where this could happen. A world in which Evil is real, even celebrated and worshiped. My heart was heavy.

Nothing can every undo what occurred here, in other parts of Africa and on the shores of other countries. All the memorials can not change the part, but I do think it is important to remember. If we could only learn from it. If we could only turn away from the darkness and run into the light. That is my  hope. And that is what I will live for. So that one by one, be it here or at home, I may help someone know that there is a different answer. That there is light. John 8:12
That there is love. John 13:34 John 3:16
That there is compassion and there is forgiveness.Ephesians 4:32 My one comfort is that one day it will all be set right. One day my Lord and King will return. He will right every wrong and wipe every tear away. Revelation 21:4 Evil has already been defeated. He knows it, I know it. So I offer my pain and sadness to God and ask him to help me to be a light in a dark place, where ever  that is that I may be today.