Testify

Emmanuel Jal, in the movie War Child, used the word "testify" a number of times.  He would be talking about sharing the story of his life, referring to growing up amid the war in Sudan and becoming a child soldier, and his next statement would always use the word "testify" to reiterate his point.  It's not a word we use regularly.  You hear it more when people talk about going to court and being a witness, not general life.  Within a Christian context, you hear the word "testimony" (and people begin to squirm right away!).

Just before I left South Africa, I encountered 2 women, probably homeless, who asked me to take their picture.  I told them that I was leaving the country soon and wouldn't be able to get them a print, but they still wanted me to take the picture.  Why?  In many countries, especially those with less media than we are used to, having your picture taken puts them into history, as it were.  Someone, somewhere has evidence that they were alive at a specific point in time.

Emmanuel's life testifies to the war in Sudan - he was a witness - but more than that, it was his life - it's his testimony.