Blog #1: Invisible Children

Many people have heard of the Invisible Children organization. The story has been repeated multiple times of children being kidnapped and forced to fight in Northern Uganda. Unfortunately, to many people these are just stories of nameless, faceless children in a far away place. The reality never seems to sink. Tonight I watched again the documentary of these children. They are real, they have names, faces, families, friends. They are human beings in every sense, no different from us. And yet they are forced to live in conditions which I am sure would make hell on earth seem comfortable. Not only are the living conditions abominable, the sanitation disgusting, and the health risks enormous, but they must live in constant fear of rebel soldiers. The Lord's Resistance Army, or the LRA, is under the direction of a man named Joseph Koney. An evil man at best, he is responsible for the thousands of kidnappings and deaths that have spanned nearly two decades of war. Because of him and his army, children are in constant danger of being kidnapped, beaten, raped, tortured, and killed. These children are invisible to the world. People are uncomfortable discussing such atrocities, so they cast them aside. That is the wrong response. We must do more. We must take action to end such criminal atrocities. The Invisible Children organization is dedicated to ending the war in Uganda and returning child soldiers to their homes, providing education, work, healthcare, and a better life to those who currently are fighting or living in displacement camps. Such a cause must not go unnoticed. There is no partisanship, no true enemy to such a cause. Yet support is not strong enough because people lack the empathy to stand up. All that is required is time, communication, money, talents, whatever one is willing to give of. We must do our part to end the war in Uganda and save the lives of thousands who will otherwise perish. We are the last resort. It is our task, our duty, our responsibility to make sure these children are no longer overlooked. We must stand strong. I feel very strongly about this cause, because I cannot bear to look in the face of a child and see such pain, such terror, as I saw in the faces of these African children. The innocence of youth is fading, and for many Ugandan children, it will be lost forever if we do not act now.