Documenting Struggle

Documentaries make me feel smarter than I am, and help me see things from a vantage point I would otherwise not consider. If done well, it provides more than just a rehearsal of events. It will dig to find new information and add to the conversation instead of only talking about what has already been said. Filmmaker Ken Dornstein did just that with his three-part documentary for Frontline last month.

Ken’s brother David died in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103. After more than two decades of pain, Ken knew he needed to find a way to bring some form of personal closure to his brother’s death. So he turns the most tragic part of his life into his next project. Ken makes investigative documentaries for a living. So he stepped in front of his camera to record what it looked like for him to seriously dig, journey, and wrestle to understand some of the biggest questions in his life.

For me, the best part of this documentary came weeks after the final installment aired. All of Ken’s investigating made a difference. Not just for himself, but for the authorities in charge of the still open case of the bombing. Ken found evidence creating context and shedding light on the events surrounding the bombing. The families of the other victims received new hope for answers and closure.

Without spiritualize Ken’s documented journey or my passion for such films, I am convinced there is something sacred about the struggle we have to understand and make sense out of the questions haunting us. I even believe, when documented, such struggles and travel have the power to move others. Sometimes, such stories last millennia and hold the power to unfold a larger story than once imagined.

Luke, took a journey and documented his findings. He wanted to create an account of what happened with Jesus, and let eyewitnesses testify to what they saw. His pursuit and work culminated with the Gospel of Luke and Acts. They are books often used in sermons and devotions. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say they get used by God to illuminate and refresh the hearts of those who read them.

I think God calls us to document and share our struggle to understand and believe. Our stories have the power to move and heal. How much are we willing to share our struggle to believe? Do you believe such vulnerability is worth the risk if it enriches and comforts fellow travelers? Are you searching for truths that others need to find as well? How amazing would it be if we began to see our personal search for faith and healing as a communal project? What would happen if we picked up our pen, keyboard, camera, or phone to find ways to write our truthful version of “Most excellent Theophilus, I want you to know what I have struggled to explore and believe.” (my paraphrase of Luke 1:1-4). Oh, to be childish enough to believe God actually brings strength and healing to others through our weakness and honesty.

Image Credit: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/uknews/6021650/Lockerbie-bomber-Al-Megrahi-and-the-Pan-Am-Flight-103-tragedy.html?image=2