Now

2:20 PM

I always knew that every moment in my life was preparing me for an opportunity that is to come. This is it.

Today we presented at a middle school. I love middle schoolers and think we should all be more like them, without the awkward hormone part. The students surprised us with 1000 dollars that they had raised in less than a week. Before even hearing Boni's story they loved him and gave him a standing ovation that was literally four minutes long, I counted. Right before we left I saw Boni speaking to a student. The teacher came up to me and let me know that Boni was talking to the bad boy of the school, the one that never listened to anyone. And there he was, fully engaged in conversation telling my teammate that he wanted to do something more with his life and suddenly the toughest boy on campus had tears welling up in his eyes.

This isn't about money, it's not about politics and it certainly is not about westerners going in to save Africa. To be honest, it's not even about invisible children. It's about people and the responsibility that we have to each other as humans beings. Even now, there are people who refuse to believe the holocaust happened. It's heavy, all of it, but our silence only weighs it down further.

Social media started the revolution and now social action has to see it through. If you don't feel comfortable giving money, if you don't know how you feel about the organization then by all means don't give your money but don't keep silent because history can't keep up with the power of the youth.

The world has never seen anything like this movement before, I hardly know how to handle it myself. How this small, humble organization overnight became the spotlight of the world is beyond me. It was no publicity stunt, simply people being moved by a video and passing it along to their friends. And now it has hit the eyes of over 50 million. It is being called the largest social media movement in the world. It has been the most insane roller coaster of a few days personally for me, full of some of the highest and lowest moments as I constantly am fighting and configuring what I stand for. So if I have been m.i.a, if I have not responded back to any text, message or phone call, if I have failed you at all while I have been on the road, I apologize. I have not had a single phone conversation with my parents in a month and I think I've probably worn the same pair of socks for 2 weeks. I'm simply trying to keep my head above water. Know that I hold your encouraging words close to me and I replay them in my heart when I lose drive.

A beautiful friend reminded me today of the prayer of St. Francis Assisi. If you don't know it, google it. Then tattoo it on the back of your hand. In this time of revolutionary change, I am making this my mantra.

If anybody is skeptical about invisible children feel free to send them here: http://s3.amazonaws.com/www.invisiblechildren.com/critiques.html

Also, our beautiful and wonderful country director Jolly Okot makes a statement here: http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DOQABpjCalJk%26feature%3Dshare&feature=share&v=OQABpjCalJk&gl=US

And if you just want to celebrate with me for a moment, embrace that kony 2012 just officially became the most viral video in the world. check this out: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/white-house-congratulates-kony-video-makers-055/2012/03/08/gIQAdRVazR_video.html

The intelligent Jedidiah Jenkins tweeted this today:
"controversy is the growing pains of a changing world"
So we will embrace the controversy and we will keep going because the world needs us and nobody can take away from you what you know is true.

You Might Also Like

0 comments