By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. -John 13:35
Alan and I participated in The Rescue, which was put on by the Invisible Children. The goal of the event was to raise awareness about the was in Uganda, and to demand from our government that they need to help. Here are the details, if you were wondering:
*The Rescue Event Summary On April 25th, 2009- the international community will unite to deliver the innocent from Kony’s reign and ensure he is brought to justice. Thousands of participants will gather in 100 cities across the world to symbolically abduc t themselves to free the abducted.
*Your abduction will begin on April 25th at 3pm when you leave your home and meet at a designated “abduction site”. Then you will march as a group, on foot, to the event location called the “LRA Camp” while carrying any supplies you will need for the night on your backs. This march will range from 1-3 miles depending on the city, and will be done in a single file line with all participants holding onto a rope.
*Once you’ve arrived at the LRA Camp, you will set up your “camp” and then wait to be “rescued”. A “successful” rescue requires two things. First, an approved media outlet from your area must show up and cover the event. Second, you and your city must arrange for the attendance of at least one pre-determined cultural or political leader. We are calling this person the “mogul” or “rescuer.” Depending on the size, scope and fervor you create in the next month for your specific event locale, the leaders invited to The Rescue may be a Congressional Representative, State Official, local Mayor or local business/media or community figure. The list of approved media outlets and moguls for each specific city is available on TheRescue.InvisibleChildren.com.
Okay, so there were hundreds of people there... but then it started to rain... and rain... and pour. At 3pm it was a beautiful 77 degrees, and by the time Alan and I headed home at 6pm it was 37 degrees!! THREE HOURS. A lot of people left with us, but I give props to those who stayed. What is crazy is that they still have not been rescued, and it has been 31 hours! We might go back tomorrow and see if we can help... we are supposed to reunite at our original meeting place.
It was a powerful experience, and I am ready to see Kony's child soldiers return to their homes, and to their families, so they can live a life of peace and not death. The war has been raging for 23 years, and for 90% of the soldiers, that is longer than they've been alive. As for the children who have not been abducted by the LRA and forced to kill... they live in fear that any night they could be snatched from their beds as well.
Get involved for the Invisible Children. Spread the word.
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