In the last couple of years, encouraged by an unending stream of celebrities, we finally began to respond to the horrific human catastrophe in Darfur. Apparently, the murders of as many as 500,000 people, countless rapes and some 2.5 million refugees was enough for even the US to pronouce the situation a "genocide." Now, the worst of it appears to be over, thank God.

Unfortunately, those numbers don't appear to create a "benchmark" for global response. At the very same time, and even as I write this, the situation on the ground is worse, much worse, in Congo. According to a report today in the Chicago Tribune, the violence, disease and starvation accompanying the ongoing revolts in Congo have caused some 4 million deaths in the last ten years. Again, virtually every village attack results in mass rape... now a standard tool used on the African continent to demoralize the conquered.

We have begun to make a difference in Darfur. It's time we focussed our time, talent and treasures on Congo. It's time we decided to stand up for the rights of all God's children when basic human rights are violated.