ANIBAL ARCHILA

 

Journalists distinguish themselves and often become legendary for getting right in the middle of the action to report on the news.  Occasionally, this can cause them to become the news.  Several media personnel have lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan since these conflicts began.  Danger can often go with the territory.  While others are fleeing it, reporters must rush to it.  The case of Anibal Archila is particularly tragic as he was reporting the volcanic eruption of Pacaya on the outskirts of Guatemala City, Guatemala. Wikinews reports, "Fellow worker Vinicio Fuentes said that Archila couldn't escape from the rain of volcanic stones, but his cameraman and another group of local reporters could. Archila was found with several lava and rock injuries on his body. Archilla was lying in a fetal position, still holding his video camera" (http://enwikinews.org).  He died by being what his job called for him to be.

We may be inclined to think Archila foolish for putting himself in harm's way or to even think his death was in vain, but there is a principle to consider here.  He might have saved his life by running away from this breaking news story, but by doing so he would have been revoking and renouncing his very identity as a journalist.  It is sobering for me to consider that, though we have enjoyed religious freedom in our nation for a couple of centuries, the moral decline and political trends may make Christianity increasing unpopular in the coming years.  By being a Christian, we may find ourselves pressured by adversity and in a position to make a decision--either to revoke and renounce who we are or to rush to defend our Lord and His cause.  People may think us foolish and wasteful for putting our lives on the line, but we must make the difficult choice.  Even in this present hour, when physical death or injury is not so likely, we must have the courage to make the right decision.  Jesus said, "He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters" (Matt. 12:30).  Let us be willing, every day and by the choices and decisions we make, to take any risk for the One who gave everything for us.  

 

Neal Pollard