Day 9: Madeline Albright
The Honorable Madeleine Albright
The Albright Group LLC
1101 New York Avenue, NW
Suite 900
Washington, DC 20005
Dear Secretary Albright,
My name is Emmett Eldred. I am one of many youth and young adults from across the country who belong to an active, passionate movement with the Church of the Brethren to better reflect the love and teachings of Jesus in our everyday lives. I am writing to you as part of a series of over 1000 letters that I will send to public figures over the next year about the Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN), the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria.
As an influential leader in foreign affairs and global justice, you should be inspired and challenged by the story of the EYN. I’m sure you remember the 276 school girls from northern Nigeria who were kidnapped by Boko Haram. Roughly three-fourths of those girls belong to the EYN. In fact, few groups have suffered from the violence in Nigeria as much as the EYN.
What makes the story of the EYN pertinent to you and the issue of global justice is not just their suffering, but the courageous, inspiring manner in which they’ve responded to their suffering. The Church of the Brethren, including the EYN, is a historic peace church. The EYN has remained steadfast in their faithful allegiance to peace, even as they daily encounter the practical obstacles to its existence.
Despite bearing the force of hate, fear, and division, the EYN continues to respond with even greater love, courage, and community. They understand that they must be leaders in building human security by investing in the restoration of community, dignity, and dialogue. Their leadership has been as phenomenal as it has been inspiring, despite the great sacrifices that it entails.
These people fill me with hope, and I will never stop advocating for them.
I hope that you will learn more about the EYN, and you will include them in your decisions and thoughts on foreign affairs, global justice, human rights, and the allusive goal of peace. I truly believe that peace is possible in Nigeria, and moreover, only a peaceful approach to ending the violence there will lead to lasting change.
The greatest hope for peace in Nigeria is people like the EYN, but they need your help. Their situation continues to grow more dire. I urge you to keep the EYN and all Nigerian in your thoughts, prayers, and decisions. Be inspired by their story. Pay credit to their commitment and leadership by joining me in advocating for peaceful, nonmilitary, humanitarian aid for the EYN and Nigeria.
With thanks and the love of Christ,
Emmett Eldred
Carnegie Mellon University SMC# 2046
Pittsburgh, PA 15289
eeldred@andrew.cmu.edu
814-502-8349
Dunker Punks 