Video produced by Eduardo Sanchez-Beltran
North Central College’s Chaplain Rev. Eric Doolittle led students in praying in memory of the 147 slain at Garissa University College. Doolittle was only expecting about ten people but was pleased that approximately 40 students showed up for the event.
It wasn’t just a meeting to pick up the signs. The idea started yesterday, when Dorthy Pleas suggested to Doolittle that they do something before they pick up the signs and it expanded into an event. Starting off the ceremony he thanked all of the students for being there and made it clear that it didn’t matter when you heard about the incident and that you shouldn’t feel guilty about not knowing. Many people were following the NCAA tournament and were focused on being with their families instead of following the news. This is pertaining to the fact that since the massacre happened on Easter Weekend.
A Kenyan flag was held casually while the group went through a moment of silence, a long 147 seconds only punctuated by occasional car horns. The weight of what has happened sinks in for some as some sniffling ensues.
LEV Graduate Rosa Movaa finally breaks the silence by reading the first name in an alphabetical list of the fallen victims. When they were about halfway through, Finance Graduate Duncan Makau took over and read the other half of the names. It too was lengthy and it was uncomfortable to hear the word “missing” after some of the names, realizing the kind of purgatory the families must have gone through in deciding whether or not to mourn them.
After the last name had been read Doolittle commented “147 doesn’t seem like a lot until you put into seconds and names.” He continued “I wish this were my first vigil.” Doolittle reveals that the first one he led for such an event was back in 2007 after the Virginia Tech shootings. “I hope and pray that it is the last.”
He makes it clear he wants students to make an impact. “I don’t want just Twitter activism,” Doolittle remarks. If they were willing to die for their education we should do something to honor that.
He suggested to students that they take a couple of the signs and put them where you pray. As an alternative he suggested that artists could do something with signs as well.
“If students want a more permanent memorial,” Doolittle said while looking directly at “NCC for Africa” member Movaa “it is up to the student organizations.” He suggested that such a memorial be something interactive.
