Who is a true friend?

From: Simply Truth - on Blogger.com

Topic posted by: Kerminator on 16, Dec 2010, 14:00 GMT

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Title: Abou Fatma a True Friend!
Post by: Kerminator on 16, Dec 2010, 14:00  GMT 

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  " In this world when you chance to come upon a true friend; from time to time consider it a Blessing!"    a True-ism  

  When you find such a friend, cherish them and learn to care!

     The Four Feathers is a 1902 adventure novel by British writer A.E.W. Mason that has inspired many films of the same title. We will consider the 2002 film version:

By 1884 over a quarter of the earth's surface had been conquered by the British Army. There was no greater honor for a young man than to fight for Queen and Country.
 Those that refused the call to arms brought shame and humiliation on their friends and families...

 Title Card: The Symbol of their disgrace was the white feather of cowardice... 


 This is a movie based upon the conflict in Sudan; between the British Army who are putting down a Islamic Jihad...

HISTORY

Sudan was a collection of small, independent kingdoms and principalities from the beginning of the Christian era until 1820-21, when Egypt conquered and unified the northern portion of the country; made it Islamic.  However, neither the Egyptian nor the Mahdist state (1883-1898) had any effective control of the southern predominate  region outside of a few garrisons. Christian Southern Sudan remained an area of fragmented tribes, subject to frequent attacks by Islamic slave raiders.

In 1881, a religious leader named Muhammad ibn Abdalla proclaimed himself the Mahdi, or the "expected one," and began a religious crusade to unify the tribes in western and central Sudan. 
His followers took on the name "Ansars" (the followers) which they continue to use today and are associated with the single largest political grouping, the Umma Party, led by a descendant of the Mahdi, Sadiq al Mahdi.

Taking advantage of dissatisfaction resulting from Ottoman-Egyptian exploitation and maladministration, the Mahdi led a nationalist revolt culminating in the fall of Khartoum in 1885.  Setting up a Caliphate until defeated by the British army...
The Mahdi died shortly thereafter, but his state survived until overwhelmed by an invading Anglo-Egyptian force under Lord Kitchener in 1898. While nominally administered jointly by Egypt and Britain, Britain exercised control, formulated policies, and supplied most of the top administrators.

Independence
In February 1953, the United Kingdom and Egypt concluded an agreement providing for Sudanese self-government and self-determination. The transitional period toward independence began with the inauguration of the first parliament in 1954. With the consent of the British and Egyptian Governments, Sudan achieved independence on January 1, 1956, under a provisional constitution. This constitution was silent on two crucial issues for southern leaders--the secular or Islamic character of the state and its federal or unitary structure. However, the Arab-led Khartoum government reneged on promises to southerners to create a federal system, which led to a mutiny by southern army officers that launched 17 years of civil war (1955-72).

***  This movie is based upon the latter 1880's in the Sudan   

 " The Four Fathers "   Produced - 2002...   

 Conversation after Abou Fatma {Black African} who after having rescued the British Officer: Harry Faversham from wandering alone across the desert in Sudan! 

 Abou Fatma: Are you a deserter?

Harry Faversham: Something like that. I was sent to fight and I ran away.
Abou Fatma: Why?

Harry Faversham: Why? I just... There are many reasons why. Mostly I was afraid.

Abou Fatma: [laughs] I found you half dead crossing the desert alone. And you say that you are afraid?

Harry Faversham: There's a different kind of fear.  
Why are you protecting me?

Abou Fatma: Because God put you in my pathway. I have no choice.

Harry Faversham: God? 

 For An Englishman... and a Christian?

   You must have done something terrible to offend Him. (Laughs}

Abou Fatma:  You laugh like an Englishman.

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 Abou Fatma goes on to help and protect Harry, even going to prison with him; always protecting him from the very face of death....  

Why because God placed Harry in his pathway of life! 

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**  Then later after the Regiment has returned to England, one of Harry's friends,  another Officer Jack (one who had given him a white feather) addresses the assembled Regiment and tells what the real meaning comradeship and the bond of friendship that exist among a band of brothers!


 Jack Durrance: Speaking of those who did not return: 

You may be lost, but you are not forgotten.

 For those who have traveled a far, to fight in foreign lands, know that the soldier's greatest comfort is to have his friends close at hand.  

In the heat of battle it ceases to be an idea for which we fight.  For the flag, or the Queen, or a country!  NO!   Rather we fight for the person on our left, and we fight for the person on our right.

Then when all armies are scattered and the empires and nations fall away, all that will remain is the memory of those precious moments that we spent sided by side, friends to the end!   
Commodity - Friends until the end!

 

These are some examples of true friendship!   

If you get yourself out of the picture; just maybe you can learn to become a true friend!

Have you stopped to see who God has placed upon your pathway of life?