Sara Groves - Just Showed Up For My Own Life

Reviewed by Lins Honeyman

This DVD documents the journey of American singer/songwriter Sara Groves as she seeks to make a difference beyond her own front door. The film begins by introducing Groves and her family in the context of the recent Hurricane Katrina disaster and preparing to visit Rwanda 10 years after the brutal genocide of countless Tutsi people. These threads are intertwined and, as a result, keep the proceedings vibrant. By her own admission, Groves has had to tackle a lot of fears and doubts in setting out on this road and it is very encouraging to see that she is no more than an ordinary person struggling to bring some of Jesus' compassion to the world. There are many moving and emotional points throughout the film - not least as a result of Groves' mission to deliver a tour bus full of diapers and baby food to desperate people who had lost everything through the devastation of Katrina - although she sensitively inserts her own delightful sense of humour in places to lighten things up where needed. Throughout, she affirms Mother Theresa's philosophy that "you can do no great things, just small things with great love" and the resultant overloading of the bus with baby products certainly proves this. In Rwanda itself, it is obvious that Groves is out of her comfort zone but her main aim is to see for herself what life is like a decade after the mass slaughters. Despite the language barrier, Groves connects with the Rwandan people in a way that is extremely poignant and she soon discovers that the fundamental things that are important to her are also important to her Rwandan sisters and brothers and the hope these people exude is breathtaking. Watching this, one can't help but imagine what it would have been like to have been caught up in the genocide and the most upsetting and desolate part of the documentary occurs with the visit to a genocide memorial site. Set out in a building are the bodies of hundreds of children to represent the hundreds of thousands of people killed in the slaughters and this, together with Groves' reaction, can only bring home the smallest fraction of the scale of the murder and bloodshed. This is a life changing film that will challenge you to assess your own attitude to life and to question whether you are making a difference. The success of this is partly down to Grove's humility and willingness to bare her heart by talking candidly about her failings and doubts whilst showing us that something can be done, no matter how small, about the atrocities in the world today. Amongst the special features are Nomad Vignettes - short edits taken from the main feature to be used in small group settings and the like. Also on offer is a live concert featuring Groves and her band with special guest Stephen Mason from Jars Of Clay. This itself showcases her talents as a singer/songwriter and is an excellent introduction to one of today's most intriguing artists.