Today on Kresta - April 30, 2010

Talking about the Things That Matter Most on April 30, 2010


4:00 – "If You Leave Us Here, We Will Die": How Genocide Was Stopped in East Timor
It was this week in 1999 that violence once again flared in East Timor – the end result of which would be a vote for independence and an end to Indonesian occupation later that year. Historian Geoffrey Robinson is here to examine the tumultuous events surrounding East Timor's 1999 attempt to gain independence from Indonesia. With expertise and an insider's perspective - a principal researcher for Amnesty International in the 1990s, Robinson joined the UN mission overseeing East Timor's independence referendum – Geoffrey offers rare insight into the country's internal turmoil. Particularly riveting are Robinson's descriptions of the days preceding the historic vote to separate from Indonesia: "dressed in their Sunday best, some East Timorese left home in the middle of the night to reach the polling station by dawn." The importance of that vote, in which "98.6 percent of those who had registered cast ballots," is hard to overstate. Despite the overwhelming brutality of the story, and a bleak assessment of actions from the UN and international community, Robinson manages to cap his detailed report with a hopeful note.

4:30 – A Twisted Faith: A Minister's Obsession and the Murder That Destroyed a Church
On December 26, 1997, near the affluent community of Bainbridge Island off the coast of Seattle, a house went up in flames. In it was the shy, beloved minister’s wife Dawn Hacheney. When the fire was extinguished, investigators found only her charred remains. Her husband Nick was visibly devastated by the loss. What investigators failed to note, however, was that Dawn’s lungs didn’t contain smoke. Was she dead before the fire began? So begins this true crime story that’s unlike any other. It investigates Nick Hacheney, a philandering minister who had been carrying on with several women in the months before and just after his wife’s death. He would be convicted for the murder five years to the day after the crime. One of the foremost names in true crime, author Gregg Olsen joins us to tell this gripping and truly unforgettable story of a man whose charisma and desire rocked an entire community.

5:00 – Catholic Scripture Study
Catholic Scripture Study (CSS) is an international Bible Study Program ideal for any parish or group looking for an inspiring Bible study that is completely faithful to the teachings of the Catholic Church. The study commentaries are written by leading Scripture scholars and authors, and each study contains references to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, papal encyclicals, and writings of the early Church Fathers and the saints. Additional resources are available to study leaders and students on the CSS Program Website, including an Ask the Author forum, as well as maps, pictures, and articles. The full-length program includes lectures on DVD that accompany each week's lesson. The lectures are given by Catholic priests. Best of all, because the program and Study Leader Kit provides all the tools, one need not be an experienced catechist to implement and lead a CSS class. Any lay person can establish this truly life-changing program in their parish or community. Additionally, CSS Program is the only Scripture study program with a team of dedicated volunteer Regional Directors who provide support to each study leader throughout the program. Steve Ray is here to discuss our life in the Srciptures.

5:40 – Amish Grace
On Oct. 2, 2005, a gunman entered a one-room Amish school in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania. In front of twenty-five horrified pupils, thirty-two-year-old Charles Roberts ordered the boys and the teacher to leave. After tying the legs of the ten remaining girls, Roberts opened fire on all of them, killing five and leaving the others critically wounded. He then shot himself as police stormed the building. His motivation? “I'm angry at God for taking my little daughter,” he told the children before the massacre. The blood was barely dry on the schoolhouse floor when Amish parents brought words of forgiveness to the family of the one who had slain their children. The outside world was incredulous that such forgiveness could be offered so quickly for such a heinous crime. We explore the many questions this story raises about the religious beliefs and habits that led the Amish to forgive so quickly. Donald Kraybill authored a book entitled Amish Grace which has now been made into a Lifetime movie. Actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley is our guest.

5:50 – Letters to God
Tyler Doherty is an extraordinary eight-year-old boy. Surrounded by a loving family and community, and armed with the courage of his faith, he faces his daily battle against cancer with bravery and grace. To Tyler, God is a friend, a teacher and the ultimate pen pal - Tyler's prayers take the form of letters, which he composes and mails on a daily basis. The letters find their way into the hands of Brady McDaniels, a beleaguered postman standing at a crossroads in his life. At first, he is confused and conflicted over what to do with the letters. Over time he begins to form a friendship with the Doherty family - getting to know not just Tyler but his tough, tender yet overwhelmed mom, stalwart grandmother and teen brother Ben - who are each trying to stand strong against the doubts that come with the chaotic turn their lives have taken. Moved by Tyler's courage, Brady realizes what he must do with the letters, a surprise decision that will transform his heart and uplift his newfound friends and community - in an exhilarating act of testament to the contagious effect of one boy's unwavering faith against the odds. We look at the film “Letters to God” with Producer / Director David Nixon.