... i see... INVISIBLE ....people....

So I havent blogged in a while b/c-
1. I have been working 35-40 hours a week between the SORC and Firehouse.
2. Student workers are not allowed on the computer anymore at my campus job.
3. Its crunch time here at school-I have 9 days left of my freshman year.
4. And most importantly I have been completely consumed with spreading the word about The Invisible Children!!!!!!!

The invisible children organization has became a crusade of sorts for me in the last month. I saw a documentary made by three young guys that completely knocked me off of my feet. (EVERYONE NEEDS TO SEE THIS) sooo In the last month every minute I have spent online has been dedicated to raising awareness about the crisis in northern Uganda and getting people to attend the Global Commute! If you dont know:

Every night in Northern Uganda 10s of thousands of children leave their homes out of fear of abduction and walk miles into town to sleep. It is being called the WORST HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN THE WORLD due to the lack of attention!

The global commute is a worldwide event organized by the Invisible Children Inc. organization. The Night Commute which will take place on April 29th, 2006, will feature people from around the world converging on urban center in solidarity with displaced Ugandan children attempting to avoid capture by the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army), as is prominently displayed in the film ~Invisible Children~. The Global Night Commute will involve the trek of thousands of men, women, and children from around the world into major cities where they will mimic the nightly commute of the Ugandan children by marching in Mass from one-point to another and sleeping at their final destination for the entire night. The commute is scheduled to occur in most major cities in the United States. The goal of the movement is to raise awareness and ultimately end Africas longest running conflict by facilitating a change in the policies of the United States government in regard to the situation.

On April 29th Americans will close their eyes to open the worlds eyes to an unseen war. By lying down, we are joining the invisible children in northern Uganda, and demanding that our government put an end to the longest running war in Africa, and one of the worst crises in the world today.

FACTS:

• Northern Uganda called the worst humanitarian crisis in the world today because of the lack of attention
• 1.7 million people forcibly displaced
• AN estimated 20- 50,000 children abducted to fight as soldiers
• tens of thousands of children commuting nightly
• 130 people die per day in Northern Uganda due to violence
• On April 29th in over 130 cities across the country, thousands are lying down to demand that our government take a stand and put an end to child abduction, the need for night commuting, and war in northern Uganda.

We ask two things:

President George Bush and The United States Government should press the United Nations and Yoweri Museveni to do everything in their power to:

• End the conflict and protect the civilians in Northern Uganda
• Ensure adequate humanitarian assistance to the Invisible Children (in the internally Displaced camps and beyond)
  
  After I watched the documentary I was appalled, disgusted, hurt, and depressed- but it sparked something in me that I cant get rid of. I have become incredibly passionate about this mission in Uganda and would love to have the oppourtunity to go there one day- until then I am going to do what I can here to help them out. More than anything… I want people to know that there are invisible children everywhere and I believe that this thing wont stop in Uganda but will continue to impact people and change the world for years to come.
  I think I feel a connection to this thing because I have been to Africa and I have seen the suffering first hand. I guess that I am just really tired of thinking that my life is more import to God than theirs. I remember talking Tim Story about a month or two ago and telling him that I wanted to do more for “the least of these.” I know that God has given me a heart that aches for people in need but I but I didnt know what to do with that (with the place that I am in, in my life with school and work and stuff) I really feel like God answered my prayer through opening my eyes to the invisible children.
  This coming Saturday over 35,000 people around the world will commute with the invisible children into their cities. I am going to Knoxville with several other ETSU students. I encourage everyone who reads this blog will go to http://www.invisiblechildren.com/ and find out more about this cause… You can also buy the DVD, sign up for the commute, buy a bracelet or t-shirt and maybe help end a war.
  LATER!!!!!!