This past week has been a busy one for random Che Guevara sightings.
Ernesto or “Che”, as he is known throughout Latin America, was the Argentine, leftist guerilla who aided Fidel Castro in his revolution in Cuba in 1959. Despite his radical politics and penchant for violence, young people throughout Latin America find a certain amount of inspiration in a man who lived (and died) according to his ideals. For some reason, that kind of commitment seems to be rare in politicians in our part of the world.
Perhaps the reason Che was in the news so much is Friday marked the 40th anniversary of his death in Bolivia.
In late 1966, after failed attempts at inciting revolution in Africa, Che disguised himself as a bald business man and flew into La Paz. During the next several months he would lead a band of Cuban, Peruvian and, even, French guerillas in a failed attempt to bring the revolution to South America. He was ignored by the Bolivian Communist Party and betrayed by Fidel. Eventually, sick, wounded and with a malfunctioning rifle he was taken prisoner.
Even though it goes against popular leftist myth, it would seem the senior CIA agent present actually tried to save Che’s life. The U.S. government thought he would be more valuable as a prisoner than a martyr. Unfortunately, the next day Ernesto Guevara was executed by a drunken, army sergeant on the direct orders of the President of Bolivia.
The place where Che died has become a popular tourist site. People visit it with almost religious devotion. I have a feeling that Ernesto would have laughed at something so ironic.
52 Bolivian soldiers died in the campaign against Che and his international guerillas. None of their names are remembered by anyone but their families. That seems unfair… and sad. I am sure they had dreams, desires and passions just like Ernesto.
Che was also in the news this week because the sergeant who shot him was operated on in Santa Cruz, Bolivia on Monday. He had cataracts removed… by Cuban physicians who are in Bolivia at the request and invitation of the left-leaning Bolivian government. When asked, the doctors said they considered it an honor to help the elderly gentleman.
You can see it wasn’t a complete surprise when Ché came into my office on Friday morning.
Well, Che wasn’t actually feeling up to it, but his legacy in Latin America was certainly there.
Hector, the fellow in charge of our building construction on the Multiplication Center, sat with me to work through our weekly resolution of finances. As we went through the bills he calmly told me that his uncle had been executed two weeks ago by leftist guerillas in Colombia. Hector’s uncle refused to abandon his farm so he was forced to kneel down and they decapitated him.
Hector told me his mother responded by saying, “If they had been real men they would have shot him.” It is hard for most of us to imagine a world where being shot is considered a sign of respect.
The representative of the company that provides most of our building materials was also with us in the office. After listening to Hector he began to show real emotion. He finally calmed down enough to say, “During the war in Nicaragua I was on the government’s side. I cannot tell you about the times we went out to hunt Sandinista guerillas just to capture them and torture them. I am embarrassed about what I have done.”
It is difficult to have a man whose uncle has just been killed by leftists and a man who admits to having been on the other side of the equation of evil to both look at you with a hope that you can make some sense of what they are feeling.
Fortunately, I do not have to. God is the one that provides His own peace.
Peace is spoken of in three different ways in Scripture. In Romans 5:1 we find the concept of peace with God… a relationship which men can enter into by faith. The peace of God is promised to believers in Phil. 4:7. If we are willing to give Him our cares and anxieties we can be sure He will give us His peace. Finally, in Matthew 10:34 we are told that “peace with God” and “the peace of God” will not bring immediate peace on earth. Instead, conflicts between men will continue.
Che never found personal or political peace. He died as a result of the violence he encouraged. My prayer for my two friends is that they will find real peace in some of the tragedies they have experienced in this troubled world as we continue to converse together.
Ernesto or “Che”, as he is known throughout Latin America, was the Argentine, leftist guerilla who aided Fidel Castro in his revolution in Cuba in 1959. Despite his radical politics and penchant for violence, young people throughout Latin America find a certain amount of inspiration in a man who lived (and died) according to his ideals. For some reason, that kind of commitment seems to be rare in politicians in our part of the world.
Perhaps the reason Che was in the news so much is Friday marked the 40th anniversary of his death in Bolivia.
In late 1966, after failed attempts at inciting revolution in Africa, Che disguised himself as a bald business man and flew into La Paz. During the next several months he would lead a band of Cuban, Peruvian and, even, French guerillas in a failed attempt to bring the revolution to South America. He was ignored by the Bolivian Communist Party and betrayed by Fidel. Eventually, sick, wounded and with a malfunctioning rifle he was taken prisoner.
Even though it goes against popular leftist myth, it would seem the senior CIA agent present actually tried to save Che’s life. The U.S. government thought he would be more valuable as a prisoner than a martyr. Unfortunately, the next day Ernesto Guevara was executed by a drunken, army sergeant on the direct orders of the President of Bolivia.
The place where Che died has become a popular tourist site. People visit it with almost religious devotion. I have a feeling that Ernesto would have laughed at something so ironic.
52 Bolivian soldiers died in the campaign against Che and his international guerillas. None of their names are remembered by anyone but their families. That seems unfair… and sad. I am sure they had dreams, desires and passions just like Ernesto.
Che was also in the news this week because the sergeant who shot him was operated on in Santa Cruz, Bolivia on Monday. He had cataracts removed… by Cuban physicians who are in Bolivia at the request and invitation of the left-leaning Bolivian government. When asked, the doctors said they considered it an honor to help the elderly gentleman.
You can see it wasn’t a complete surprise when Ché came into my office on Friday morning.
Well, Che wasn’t actually feeling up to it, but his legacy in Latin America was certainly there.
Hector, the fellow in charge of our building construction on the Multiplication Center, sat with me to work through our weekly resolution of finances. As we went through the bills he calmly told me that his uncle had been executed two weeks ago by leftist guerillas in Colombia. Hector’s uncle refused to abandon his farm so he was forced to kneel down and they decapitated him.
Hector told me his mother responded by saying, “If they had been real men they would have shot him.” It is hard for most of us to imagine a world where being shot is considered a sign of respect.
The representative of the company that provides most of our building materials was also with us in the office. After listening to Hector he began to show real emotion. He finally calmed down enough to say, “During the war in Nicaragua I was on the government’s side. I cannot tell you about the times we went out to hunt Sandinista guerillas just to capture them and torture them. I am embarrassed about what I have done.”
It is difficult to have a man whose uncle has just been killed by leftists and a man who admits to having been on the other side of the equation of evil to both look at you with a hope that you can make some sense of what they are feeling.
Fortunately, I do not have to. God is the one that provides His own peace.
Peace is spoken of in three different ways in Scripture. In Romans 5:1 we find the concept of peace with God… a relationship which men can enter into by faith. The peace of God is promised to believers in Phil. 4:7. If we are willing to give Him our cares and anxieties we can be sure He will give us His peace. Finally, in Matthew 10:34 we are told that “peace with God” and “the peace of God” will not bring immediate peace on earth. Instead, conflicts between men will continue.
Che never found personal or political peace. He died as a result of the violence he encouraged. My prayer for my two friends is that they will find real peace in some of the tragedies they have experienced in this troubled world as we continue to converse together.
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