Behind the Scenes
Posted March 16, 2011
In every coverage those in search of a story look for the decisive or defining moment, whether it is something said or an image captured. In eastern Congo we had three, and when they happened we knew we had our story.
I was the writer and photographer for the coverage and my colleague was the videographer.
As we started, it quickly became apparent that our story had three parts: rebels-turned-Christians who had committed horrible atrocities; victims of such atrocities; and pastors who chose to share the truth of God’s Word in dangerous situations. The result, we knew, was rebels who had come to the Lord.
In order to tell the full story, we determined we had to see, talk with and document all three.
We had easy access to the pastors, but we had to push for interviews with rebel soldiers, and we got pushback. When we finally connected with some, my colleague and I both thought we weren’t getting anywhere because of their vague answers to our questions. Once more we had to push, but this time for details.
Finally one soldier said, “I murdered people, and I raped women, and I enjoyed it.”
There it was, our first decisive moment, and it was then I knew we had our story. One after another, each soldier divulged atrocities he had committed.
I contemplated the ramifications of photographing these eight men who had committed such heinous crimes against humanity. Some killed babies for the fun of it! Some confessed to rape and murder! What kind of light would our story shed on these men, I wondered, and what kind of judgment would our story bring on them?
Eventually one soldier stared into the lens of my camera. I saw his eyes and I knew I had “the image.” This was our second decisive moment.
I will never forget the look in his eyes, the utter terror I imagined they could evoke in an individual. “I am staring into the eyes of a killer,” I thought to myself. I had to remind myself, however, that all eight of these men had been forgiven by the grace of the Almighty God through His Son Jesus Christ. Yet, looking into those eyes was an eerie feeling. It still is.
Our search for a victim willing to tell a compelling story was as frustrating as finding our decisive moment with the rebels. We went to a church in a village on the edge of rebel territory, knowing it had been attacked by both rebel and government forces. It was there that we experienced our third “moment.”
As with the pastors and rebels, our early interviews were interesting, but not incredibly compelling. They would make good background materials, we decided, but were not the main story.
It wasn’t until an elderly woman quietly shared with us that she had been raped by rebel soldiers but had never shared her story before that we knew we had our story.
Now we had the full story – pastors, rebels and victims.
What the rebels did was horrible. What the victims had done to them was horrible. The only redeeming factor in the whole situation was the grace and mercy of God – on both sides.
I learned a lot from this coverage. I learned how nicely a story comes together when all the elements are there, when the elements of an outline are pushed until you get something. I learned the power of the decisive moment.
I also learned something about God – about the power and depth and breadth of His love and grace. They not only encompass rebels who committed heinous atrocities and victims who truly suffered, but they also encompass another – me.
Based in Africa, Charles Braddix is a writer and photographer for IMB.
6 Responses to “Behind the Scenes”
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What a fascinating and powerful story! Thanks so much for sharing!
Thanks, William, for your encouragement!
Powerful! Such courage on you all’s part. Thanks for sharing. Look forward to your next story. Be blessed, peace n luv
Raphael, we have a calling of God in our lives to search out, then tell, such stories. It is our honor and privilege to be able to share them. Thank you for your encouragement!
I don’t understand this statement:
“I will never forget the look in his eyes, the utter terror I imagined they could evoke in an individual. “I am staring into the eyes of a killer,” I thought to myself. I had to remind myself, however, that all eight of these men had been forgiven by the grace of the Almighty God through His Son Jesus Christ. Yet, looking into those eyes was an eerie feeling. It still is.”
Did the rebels confess Jesus and become Christians during the stare and your thoughts? Or, are you saying that they ‘could’ be forgiven by the grace of God?
Sam, these rebels had become believers through the ministry of the Baptist pastors in Goma. The interview was after their professions of faith. The fact that they had accepted Christ didn’t negate the crimes and the atrocities they had committed, however.