We need reminidng now more than ever. Genocide, unfortunately, is not a phenomena of the past. So far an estimated 400,000 have been slaughtered and another 2 million have been made refugees in the horror that has engulfed the Darfur region of Sudan. For years non-Arab residents have been terrorized by a brutal militia (the "Janjaweed,") who burns, dismembers, rapes, and murders Darfur's villagers and destroys their land. On average, 10,000 people in Darfur are killed every month.

International pressure has been building against the atrocities in Darfur, but so far, the Sudanese government has done nothing to stem the slaughter. There are two reasons for this. First, the "Janjaweed" receive their military and political support from Sudan's government. They're actually accomplishing the pro-Arab government's dirty work for them. Second, international efforts to stem the crisis in Darfur have been hampered by China. The Chinese purchase about two thirds of Sudan's oil, the profits from which are used to buy arms and aircraft from China... kind of a "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" kind of deal. Sudan turns these weapons over to the Janjaweed, and, well... you know what happens next. So far, China has blocked every effort for UN intervention in Sudan, arguing that it cannot sanction interference in the internal politics of any sovereign state. Even a blind man can see that the real reason China refuses to allow intervention in the Sudan revolves around its own selfish interests rather than an honest dedication to political principles.

Some, like American actress Mia Farrow (you remember her... once married to Woody Allen, has 14 kids, Rosemary's Baby) have begun to publicly denounce China. She's been to Darfur twice and to refugee camps in neighboring countries three times. She's denounced China for "funding the first genocide of the third millenium." Farrow publicly called Steven Spielberg, hired by the Chinese as an "artistic adviser" to the opening and closing ceremonies of Beijing's 2008 Olympic Games, on the carpet. How could the man who had shown true horror in Schindler's List, help to glorify those bankrolling similar atrocities 60 years later? To his credit, Spielberg has taken the initiative to bring up Darfur in his communications with the Chinese. But the situation is still far from being resolved.

From now on, I'm going to do my part to show my commitment to justice for Darfur. I've never been to Africa, I've never looked into the eyes of a Sudanese child who's lost both parents to roving militia, I've never felt the heartbreak or shame of a Sudanese mother who can no longer feed her infant son or daughter because both of her breasts have been hacked off by a crude Janjaweed machete (Stay with me folks... this is absolutely serious), but every time I look into my wife's eyes, or the eyes of one of my girls, or the heart of the God who bled on Calvary for these broken people and rose to new life to give them hope, I can't help but get involved in the effort to stop this senseless tragedy.

In the next few weeks, I'll let you know what I will do. I pray you'll do your part as well.