Of The Greatest Importance

Hey guys!

So you're probably wondering what happened to "Blog of the Week" today. Well, I wanted to do something a little different. I, like so many of you, have been moved by the Kony2012 video going around. After I watched it I was so determined to help. But after following a few links, reading a few blog posts, and seeing a few fb status updates, I had my concerns.

But when I thought about it, I decided- Why WOULDN'T the KONY2012 project be a good one? Anything that can spread that quickly, move that many people to help, and serve so willingly MUST be good.

My first thought was to ask my good friend Katie about her opinion. She has been involved with Invisible Children for a long time, as well as with many other organizations. I knew that she would have correct, open, and good information on the matter. So here is Katie, to educate you on this project, to help us form our own opinions, and to make a difference.

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Hello there, lovely readers! My name is Katie. I am so excited that Gentri cared enough about this issue to give me a chance to talk to you today! I know this post is a little different but I sure hope it will still touch your hearts. This is about the thing that binds us all together, our humanity.

This is me.

Things you should know about me: I am kind of a barefoot hippie. Africa has my heart and soul. I lived in Uganda after college and worked with orphans with HIV/AIDS. I will do anything and everything for the people and causes I care about (if it means sleeping in the streets or involves children...bonus!) and I believe in the power of informed compassionate activism and advocacy. I believe organizations should work WITH the people they hope to serve. My biggest dream is to work as a Nurse Practitioner in conflict areas and be a mom. I also think that the combination of chocolate and peanut butter was divinely inspired and that you can find the answers to life's most important questions in the Harry Potter series.

I hope you don't mind but I am going to include a lot of links for two important reasons: 1) There are many people who have studied these issues for YEARS and have said it far better than I could. 2) I want to really encourage you to move beyond awareness to education and action. Information really is power.

History of the War: In My Words

It all started twenty-five years ago with a man named Joseph Kony and a battle no one wanted to fight. Kony claimed to be a spiritual leader with great power and the gift of prophescy. He began to plot against the government of Uganda. He formed a band of rebel fighters called the Lord's Resistance Army or LRA. To "recruit" soldiers for his movement, Kony began abducting children and forcing them to fight. To discourage them from escaping, Kony often forced them to kill, mutilate, and torture their friends and family members. In 2006, Kony left Uganda and began terrorizing not just one country but four (Southern Sudan, Central African Republic, DR Congo, and Uganda). Kony's numbers have declined drastically over the years, due to the awareness and lobbying done by organizations like Invisible Children, Resolve, and the Enough Project. However, the LRA's terror continues and whether there are currently 200 child soldiers or thousands, the issue is the same. The destruction of the human spirit is the same.

For a more complete and detailed history of the war go HERE or HERE.

My Connection to Invisible Children:

In college: I saw an Invisible Children (IC) movie for the first time. I researched the issue and planned on-campus events to share the movie and encouraged activism.

Like many of you, my initial interest came from a strong emotional response to such a terrible situation. I loved that IC made me believe that I could make a difference even as a young person and wanted us to move beyond awareness to action on behalf of these children.

 *Gentri Here* In interest of length, I've cut out Katie's credentials. Just know, She's been SUPER involved with IC and other organizations. She's even been on the Oprah show! (See the video HERE)

The Heart of the Matter:

I am not here to convince you that IC is perfect and I am SO glad people are asking questions. We should all do question where our money goes, whether an organizations solution to a problem best serves the people, and whether their tactics are appropriate. I am here to tell you, however, that I KNOW that without IC’s passion, empowerment of youth, and ability to engage people in compassionate action there would be no end in sight to this conflict. They have come closer to ending this war than any other group or initiative has.

The reason I was so excited to talk to you about this issue was not so I could defend IC or Kony 2012. They both have their flaws and they have both accomplished incredible feats. I want to talk to you about the children. The children who should never have had to share a sentence with the word soldier. I call many of these former child soldiers and call them friends. This isn’t about Africa. It is not about Invisible Children. Or Kony. This is about remembering that we are all connected and that we belong to each other. This is about standing up for what is right and caring about something that actually matters. This is not about the white man’s burden. It is not about SAVING Africa. It is about using the freedom, the resources, and the tools we have been blessed with to do something other than update our Facebook status or send a tweet. It is about using those things to lift our neighbor out of the gutter and set him on his feet again. The past few days have changed our world, we can no longer say that we don’t know about Kony and his child soldiers. That means that we no longer have the luxury of doing nothing. And the best part is, there is something we can ALL do. There is NOTHING that is impossible if we are united in purpose and love. Nothing. Not getting on Oprah, not the youth of the world getting a bill signed into law, not making a warlord more popular than Justin Bieber, and NOT ending a war.

This is a video that was made by an incredible organization called Human Rights Watch that shows that the people of Central and East Africa support the LRA Disarmament and Northerun Uganda Recovery Act and want the help it offers.

Are you interested but not sure what to do next? I got your back.

3 Ways to Get Involved Right NOW:

1) Attend lobby meetings with your local government reps to discuss the LRA and solutions to stop Kony. You can get involved at www.theresolve.org

2) Download the action toolkit at www.kony2012.com

3) Check out the links below and learn more about this complex issue and find an organization working on the cause that suits you.

4 Ways to Learn More Right NOW:

Invisible Children’s Critiques: Their official answers about many of the concerns that have been voiced over the past few days.

Resolve Policy Report: This is for those of you who are really adventurous and really curious. It is a long read but it is th best and most informative summary of the current situation on the ground. If this is something you are passionate about, it is a critical read.

The LRA Crisis Tracker: Download this amazing App for the iPhone or check out the website. This first of its kind app and website provide up-to-the-minute photo, video, and written accounts of abductions, murders, and other atrocities committed by the LRA. All of the information on the site has been gathered by organizations working on the ground in the affected countries.

The Voice Project: My amazing friend Brian Pappalardo helped to start this non-profit that is doing incredible work. The problems don't end when the child soldiers come home or defect from the LRA. They are often terrified that their families and communities won't accept them after all they have been forced to do. They don't have much in the bush but they do have radios. The Voice Project helps record songs and messages from families and others who are welcoming them home. Over 50% of those who have defected said it was because of these radio broadcasts!

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I truly hope that this inspired you to help. If not with Kony2012 then with another organization to better the world. We truly can make a difference. Please, if you were moved by this post today, please share it with your readers, friends, family, anyone. Get involved, spread the word, and make a difference. :)


P.S. Not sure what's going on with my fonts and spacing... Tried fixing it... Didn't work. haha!


EDIT
Katie sent me this video that addresses the concerns people have with Invisible Children and Kony2012. Take a look.