White Out All Over The Place Some Random Spills of Travel and Existence

Together We’re Free

“For all of us to be free, none of us can be enslaved. We need God. We need each other. “ - Anonymous

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Invisible Children just released a new documentary called Together We’re Free.  It follows the course of IC’s most recent advocacy event, titled “The Rescue”.  (Watch the film online for free at http://www.livestream.com/invisiblechildren under the “On Demand” section of the website.)

The event encouraged international youth who truly believe in and value creativity, idealism and sacrifice to tangibly make a difference by “abducting themselves.”  These abductions represented the injustice that has been unleashed on east African children who’ve been taken from their families and forced to become soldiers in a rebel army known as the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army).

On Friday morning, I showed this film to the entire Invisible Children Uganda staff of 80, a unique group that is comprised of people from different regions, tribes and backgrounds from all over Uganda. At first, showing the new film seemed like a horrible and potentially damaging idea.  I was worried that the culture of each Ugandan individual would collide with footage of an American culture that they’ve never experienced firsthand. The staff perspectives would be limited and would affect their understanding of the IC supporters featured in the film.

My mind was like a remixed album that continually screeched, “What will they think?” “What will they think?” “What will they think?”

My fears and worries heightened as the projector and computer were prepared for the staff’s arrival. As each person entered the room I kept hoping and praying that the film would translate into a positive and inspiring group experience. My anxiety slowly dissolved as the sounds and images of the film filled the room and the staff fell silent.  There’s no turning back now, I thought.

Half way through the film, I caught myself peering around the room, trying desperately to read the faces of an expressionless crowd.  The film was showing scenes of IC supporters standing in the cold wind and rain in Chicago.  Surely they must be thinking that the youth of America are out of their minds.  What are they thinking? I wondered.

Only a few minutes later, the film reached the scene where Jason says, “I want to go home to my wife and child…they need to be rescued too.”  The entire staff erupted into laughter, and from that point I could hear chatter spreading through the room. Everyone was beginning to share their thoughts and questions with one another. However, when the film ended the room once again fell silent.

“Does anyone have any feedback?” asked Jolly.

No one spoke.  I scanned the room looking for someone who’d be brave enough to be the first to respond, but instead I found the face of an individual that I had completely overlooked. His expression breathed of disgust, guilt, and pain.

Finally, someone else broke the silence in the room.

“I think that this film really puts everything back into perspective. At times I find myself caught up in the day-to-day work, and I loose sight of how I’m part of something bigger than self.” –Program Manager

Then someone else spoke up.

“I’m kind of speechless. Watching this makes it worth the extra mile in my job as a mentor.” – Mentor

“I wish we could bring this motivation to the very students we’re mentoring.” – Mentor

As I sat listening, it took every inch of me to fight back tears. I couldn’t believe the words in the air and the spirit of the staff. The meeting had been a complete success and I was excited to ask each staff “What did you think?” But just before Jolly could close the meeting, the staff member with the expression of disgust stood up.

My heart dropped.

What happened next was undoubtedly mind baffling.

He spoke about how he’d been a soldier in the bush for 11 years with the LRA. He’d escaped some few years back and handed over all of his things to the government except his wife and two children.

“We didn’t go to the LRA intentionally, but were taken by force. My wife was given to me not from saying I love you, but given as a gift. I stopped in primary 5, but am trying to learn English from listening to English speaking people. In future, I will go back to school out of the interest of IC. I first heard of IC and came looking for a job, but the building was so nice and I told myself no these people inside have diplomas. For me, I only have two documents to show, my driving permit and Bible, but praise God I was given a job as a guard and now I protect everything of IC. The buildings, vehicles, people, what what…IC doesn’t have a fucking segregation…LRA, tribe, color, what what. No it’s not there. I like my job so much and I like you people…I want to say by next January, I’m going to traditionally marry my wife that was given to me in the bush. We had one child after coming out and am now having three children in total.”

My motions were paralyzed as everyone clapped, cheered and congratulated Mike.

As Jolly officially ended the meeting, a few of the staff showed Mike photos that they’d taken during his speech. I could see big eyes and smiles on many faces. I still didn’t know exactly what they were thinking but their expressions spoke louder than any answers I could have received to the question “What did you think?”

Watching a film about the youth of America raising the banner for child soldiers while in the room with a former child solider is a surreal situation.  It’s difficult to be submerged in two completely different paradigms and cultures at the same exact time.

The experience was made more surreal by the fact that I’ve had moving experiences with Invisible Children on both sides of the Atlantic:  I was one of the youth in America who raised the banner for child soldiers during “The Rescue” event, as well as someone on the interview panel that hired Mike as a guard in Uganda.

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Mike is free from the LRA, and now he’s together with us.

Together we’re free.

Mike with his wife and three children