I remember once during my own secondary school days the total shock when we discovered that a girl in the year ahead had been killed in a car accident. The whole school went into slow motion and mourning as our illusion of youthful immortality was shattered.
Today, we have received news of our 7th student death in under 2 years. On this occasion, the terrible medical provision is not responsible. It is the other killer: next to the surface violence that flares up with so little provocation.
19 year old Gibrilla Conteh went back to see his parents in Waterloo for treatment for a minor ailment last Tuesday. On Sunday night, he was involved in a confrontation with a lad over we don’t know what and the boy ended up chasing after him and stabbing him. He will be buried tomorrow.
What can be said in the face of such a terrible futile loss of life? Again, for me the other sadness is the other students’ acceptance of his death. ‘It is a pity.’ is the strongest comment I have heard. Death and violence are so common. They are not brought to a standstill by their regular appearance.
For those of you who pray, please do so for our young people that they use their young lives well and are able to change something in this amazing but terrifying country.
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