Invisible Children

Psalm 82: 2-4:
2 "How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked?
3 Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.
4 Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. "

Two Sundays ago, our youth group and church were blessed with wonderful presentation by a former member of the group, Danielle Naven. She and a friend Madyson Lenihan (probably misspelled that name...) had gotten involved with program called Invisible Children. It is based on a video that three guys made as they traveled to Sudan (and eventually Uganda) with the desire to video tape the tragic war in North Central (well, Eastern-North-Central Africa). They were led to Northern Uganda. What they found was a terrible scene of thousands of homeless children, living in hiding from the rebel army (LRA- Lord's Resistance Army). The leader would kidnap children and train them to be child soldiers.
You can check out more information at invisiblechildren.com
The atrocities that occur in that country are far worse than I have seen in my life, and besides those who witnessed the Holocaust, I am sure the same would be true. Hundreds of thousands of men, women and children have lost their lives in the genocide that is going in in Sudan and Uganda.
How can we as a civilized nation sit idly by as this occurs. Many of us probably have not heard, or do not know the extent of the crisis that is going on. Why have we as a nation, as a people gone silent for so long. How can the most tragic event of our times gone unknown to the majority of the population?
I don't say this as an accusation. I have the same problem. It is far away, it doesn't affect me, and what can I do anyway? I have said all those things.
But, what if it was us? What if we weren't lucky enough to be born in this country, in our city and neighborhood? What if you had to sleep in a bus station for fear that you would be kidnapped and trained to be a child soldier? What if?
Yeah, its a pretty big what if... but we have become accustomed to the mentality that if it doesn't affect us or involve us, then who cares? Its not just a national thing, or a racial thing, or a economic thing, its a personal thing. We as a people, do not seek out for the welfare of others. We don't. I see it every day between school and church. Yeah, once a month I will get down and dirty, but we do it for the good feeling.
I am just as guilty. Yeah, you may get mad at me for saying this, maybe you do help others... but, is it a lifestyle of yours? Or just once a week, or maybe just to get the good name, or maybe it helps you in other ways.
What can we do as a people to improve the lives of others? I must challenge you, me and us to this. It cannot be a school thing, it cannot be a church thing, it cannot be a government thing. It has to start with you. It has to start with me. Global change, from our neighborhoods, to the cities in Africa, to all across the world, must start with in us. That's the only way anything will ever change.
Its an uphill battle, but hey, its one with an eternal reward. May God bless your journey and whatever that entails.