in the open space: God & culture

A long time issue for this blogger has been the plight of children in Uganda and the DRC who have been kidnapped and forced to be child soliders and sex slaves of Joseph Kony and the LRA --and now one episode in that history is coming to the big screen (hat tip Peter Chattaway via Arts & Faith forum ). Variety reports that Caspian Pictures has signed Uma Thurman to star as a nun who works to secure the release of over 100 girls kidnapped by the LRA from a Catholic boarding school in Uganda. The film is based on the non-fiction Stolen Angels , which I believe is about the 1996 Aboke abductions (of which Grace Akallo was one of the girls kidnapped). There's a lot of God-talk in this real life story, and I'm acutely curious to see if and how this translates to the big screen. (Image: by INetNate via Wikpedia )

From a Reuters report via Coalition for Darfur: Any attack on Ugandan rebels based in eastern Congo will be an invitation for the group to resume its war in northern Uganda, the fugitive Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) said on Wednesday. The LRA, whose leaders are wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court in The Hague, terrorised the north for 20 years. But they are now based in northeastern Congo and their representatives are in peace talks with the government. On Tuesday, Uganda began closing camps for the 1.7 million people uprooted by the conflict. But an agreement this week between Uganda and Congo to stamp out militias plaguing eastern Congo, including the LRA, has infuriated the rebels. "Any attack on our military positions ... shall be strictly treated as a declaration of war, resumption of war and above all an invitation to bring war back to Uganda," LRA spokesman Godfrey Ayoo told a news conference in Nairobi. Not sure what this is all about? You ...

Comicbook hero Phantom is taking on the Lord’s Resistance Army and coming to the aid of Uganda’s emperiled children as a result of a collaboration between Moonstone Books and supported-cause-of-this-blog Invisible Children , an org dedicated to publicizing and ending the plight of children in Northern Uganda , where a war waged by Joseph Kony’s LRA has displaced over one million Ugandans and kidnapped tens of thousands of children. IC—founded by three filmmakers in their 20s—produced a film of the same name in 2003 and has since created and spearheaded several large-scale, nation- and world-wide events to draw attention to and faciliate political action towards stopping the crisis. For more on the plight of Northern Ugandans (and how you can add your voice), you can start by visiting IC’s site , Wikipedia or see this blog’s posts —or just Google it . For more about the comic, see IC's blurb , CBR's Comic Wire or Moonstone's site . (Image: Moonstone Books )

Christianity Today just posted an interview with Grace Akallo from last October, when she addressed the Peace Within Reach gathering in Washington, D.C. Who is Grace Akallo? She was one of 139 teenage girls kidnapped from their Uganda school dorm by members of Josheph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army . As mentioned numerous times on this blog, Kony fuels his army by abducting children and forcing them to be soldiers, laborers and sex slaves. According to World Vision , more than 30,000 have been kidnapped since the war’s beginning in 1987, and more than 1.7 million people have been forced into displacement camps, where food and water are scarce and disease is plentiful. But children aren’t safe even in these camps. So, up to 50,000 leave their homes and the camps each night and walk miles to cities and towns to sleep on sidewalks or, if they are lucky, a shelter where they lay on concrete floors with thousands of other children. This nightly routine has earned them the name “n...

Invisible Children has started their national tour. Are they booked in your town? At your school? At your church? Find out here . If your town, school or church isn't listed, book them here . And find out more about IC here . And why this blog cares here . Make some noise. Speak for those who can't.

Invisible Children recently released a video urging people to support the Oct. 9-10 Northern Uganda Lobby Day (for which it is one of a dozen or so sponsors): For the past 20 years, the people of northern Uganda have been caught in a war between the rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and the Government of Uganda. More than 30,000 children have been abducted by the LRA and coerced into becoming child soldiers and sex slaves. 1.7 million people—eighty percent of the population—are displaced by the conflict, forced to live in squalid camps. The UN recently reported that 1,000 people die each week due to conditions in the camps. This situation cannot be tolerated. In 1994, just two weeks into the Rwandan genocide, human rights activist Alison Des Forges met with National Security Adviser Anthony Lake about the mass slaughter that was unfolding. When it was clear that the Clinton Administration had no intention of getting involved in the crisis, Des Forges, exasperated, asked Lake what s...

Those jaw-dropping-talented, justice-minded and wondrously-wacky folks at Invisible Children are at it again—this time with a call to all like souls who’d be interested in taking the story of Invisible Children in movie form to the US, UK and Land Down Under. Visit their web site for more info—and make sure to watch the video . If you’re interested in bringing Invisible Children to your area, call 619.631.0362 or e-mail 'em . So, what’s all this hoopla about? The children in Northern Uganda are being terrorized by rebel leader Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army. Kony fuels his army by abducting children and forcing them to be soldiers, laborers and sex slaves. According to World Vision , more than 30,000 have been kidnapped since the war’s beginning in 1987, and more than 1.7 million people have been forced into displacement camps, where food and water are scarce and disease is plentiful. But children aren’t safe even in these camps. So, up to 50,000 leave their homes and t...

Of great concern to this blog is the plight of children in northern Uganda . CNN International reports on recent Times and BBC stories about LRA leader Joseph Kony’s statements that he is willing to enter peace talks as well as his declaration that he is innocent of the crimes against humanity charges that have been levied against him in international court. While this blog hopes Kony is legit in his willingness to enter peace talks, we’re dubious about his claims of innocence—as are international human rights groups and other organizations whom, as the CNN report says, “charge the LRA has abducted some 30,000 children and forced them to become fighters, porters or concubines. Rights groups also accuse the LRA of killing thousands of civilians and forcing more than 1 million people to flee their homes. Many of the charges against the LRA have emerged from accounts of boys and girls who have managed to escape the force.” For more on this crisis (and how you can make a difference), se...

The plight of children in Northern Uganda is important to this blog. So, of note is World Vision’s follow up on the testimony of Ugandan Grace Akallo (an incredible young woman this blog has mentioned previously ) before Congress in Former Child Soldier Urges Action by Congress on Uganda War : A former child soldier, who testified before a House of Representatives committee on the dire needs of children in northern Uganda, says she got a sympathetic hearing but Congress needs to act on what it has learned. Grace Akallo , 26, testified before the House's African subcommittee on the plight of children abducted by the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and who are forced to fight against their will. She was acting as a spokesperson for World Vision. "Members of Congress agreed with me and other witnesses agreed with me. But agreement does not mean anything unless action is taken," she said after the hearing. In particular Akallo urged Congress to exert pressure on t...

Invisible Children has posted a FANTASTIC video about the Global Night Commute , a U.S.-wide event they sponsored last April. Head over there and see it —I’m telling you, these guys not only have passion for justice, they are also very, very talented. I thank God for them every time I see their work. What was the Global Night Commute ? On Saturday, April 29, roughly 80,000 people (one of which was Susan, who posted her report on this blog) camped in U.S. city streets to draw attention to Uganda’s “night commuters,” children who leave their villages each afternoon to walk miles to cities and towns to sleep in order to escape abduction. If you are unfamiliar with the crisis in Northern Uganda, see World Vision’s short synopsis . Essentially, rebel leader Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army terrorizes northern Uganda, fueling its forces by abducting children and forcing them to be soldiers, laborers and sex slaves. According to World Vision, more than 30,000 have been kidnapped since ...

If you drop in on this blog every so often, you know Darfur and northern Uganda are of concern. It is my firm belief that God’s ancient call for his people to speak up for those suffering injustice and unable to speak for themselves urgently applies to us today. We must not only cry out for justice but also act for the people trying to survive this very day in these two regions of Africa. Thankfully, the media has picked up on these humanitarian crises and is running articles about them often (including several well-done, moving pieces ). Recently, the NY Times ran Truce is talk, agony is real in Darfur war , which reports that attacks in Darfur continue even though a cease fire between the Sudan government and at least one major rebel group went into affect a couple of weeks ago. Last Sunday, the NY Times ran an op-ed that underscores this reality, pointing out that we have a small window of opportunity to bring peace to that region—and that window is shrinking. I’m not savvy enoug...

I first heard about Grace Akallo earlier this year, when I was working with our contemporary worship planning team in putting together a series on missions. I was already reeling from my newfound exposure to the horrible situation of children in Northern Uganda, who are terrorized by rebel leader Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army. Kony fuels his army by abducting children and forcing them to be soldiers, laborers and sex slaves. According to World Vision , more than 30,000 have been kidnapped since the war’s beginning in 1987, and more than 1.7 million people have been forced into displacement camps, where food and water are scarce and disease is plentiful. But children aren’t safe even in these camps. So, up to 50,000 leave their homes and the camps each night and walk miles to cities and towns to sleep on sidewalks or, if they are lucky, a shelter where they lay on concrete floors with thousands of other children. This nightly routine has earned them the name “night commuters.” (...

Susan Britton—who is one of the most incredible women walking this planet and a very dear friend—spent the night in downtown Sacramento with several hundred others to draw attention to Uganda’s “night commuters,” children who leave their villages each afternoon to walk miles to cities and towns to sleep in order to escape abduction. (If you are unfamiliar with the crisis in Northern Uganda, see World Vision’s short synopsis or see here .) The Global Night Commute , sponsored by Invisible Children , occurred in over 130 other cities across the nation as well. See GoogleNews and YahooNews for coverage in the press (mostly city-wide newspapers or television stations). Susan, who just turned 60, is a gifted novelist and former journalist and lives with the heart of Jesus. She gives me great hope and promise of what life can be like if you surrender yourself to God. Early this morning, she wrote about her experience in an e-mail: If I had to use one word to describe our demonstration it...

Invisible Children is reporting that there are currently over 53,000 people signed up to participate in the Global Night Commute . One of those is my friend, Susan Britton . She’ll be marching and sleeping with hundreds of others in Cesar Chavez Park in Sacramento, California--and, if all works right, she's planning on sharing her experience on this blog. (My city isn’t participating, so I’m living vicariously through her.) What is the Global Night Commute ? Tomorrow night (Saturday, April 29) thousands of people will camp in U.S. city streets to draw attention to Uganda’s “night communters,” children who leave their villages each afternoon to walk miles to cities and towns to sleep in order to escape abduction. If you are unfamiliar with the crisis in Northern Uganda, see World Vision’s short synopsis . Essentially, rebel leader Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army terrorizes northern Uganda, fueling its forces by abducting children and forcing them to be soldiers, laborers and s...

Invisible Children announced via e-mail today that they will be on the Oprah Winfrey Show tomorrow, Wednesday, April 26, to talk about the April 29 Global Night Commute (when thousands of Americans will camp in U.S. city streets to draw attention to Uganda’s “night communters,” children who leave their villages each afternoon to walk miles to cities and towns to sleep in order to escape abduction). According to their e-mail: Ten million viewers, who did not know about Invisible Children, will be hanging on her every word. Needless to say, we are BUSY preparing, and again completely ecstatic. If one percent of Oprah’s viewers were to join us - we will have over 100,000 (plus our 40,000) committed to commute on April 29th. And you KNOW how we dream big. Apparently, it was Invisible Children supporters that helped this happen: You can stop calling and writing her letters, and emails now. (We are blown away at how many of you wrote on our behalf- without our prompting. So were they.) N...

Here are few sound-bites (blog-bites?) from God-talk I've run across out there: 1. Invisible Children’s Global Night Commute (when thousands of Americans will camp in U.S. city streets to draw attention to Uganda’s “night communters,” children who leave their villages each afternoon to walk miles to cities and towns to sleep in order to escape abduction) is but a few days away (April 29)—and it's picking up momentum in the media . Kudos to Chuck Colson for drawing attention to it this week . (He also wrote a column last week about the genocide and violence occurring in Darfur, urging people to call or write their Senators and Congressmen; visit the link for more info.) 2. If you can’t attend the Global Night Commute , then consider signing World Vision’s online declaration “deploring the abuse of children forced by rebels to become soldiers, in northern Uganda. The signed declaration will be presented to the Bush administration, Congress and the United Nations.” They're...

I recently ordered and received one of Invisible Children’s bracelets . The bracelets are hand-made in Uganda to raise money for children suffering in the northern part of that country. Invisible Children uses the money raised to put children through school and create jobs in an unemployable war area. This particular bracelet is named after Innocent: “an academic, a soccer player, a dancer, a leader, a Night Commuter.” The other bracelets (each in a different color) represent different children, giving “a name and a face to one of the many effects of this 20-year-long war.” And this, in particular, is what I like about this organization—putting a face to the crisis. Too often, it’s easier to look at crises like these as “issues” rather than seeing the people in them. As Christians, however, it is imperative that we, like Jesus, see people and not just issues. Invisible Children helps us do that. If you are unfamiliar with the crisis in Northern Uganda, see World Vision’s short synop...

The slow pace at which the world is moving to stop the death and violence in Darfur and northern Uganda is utterly maddening. While world governments loiter (or, at best, slowly plod), men, women and children are being raped, killed and herded into refugee camps as a result of a bloodbath that world governments can stop—if they act. A recent NY Times op-ed ( Fiddling While Darfur Burns ) expresses this frustration well. It’s opening sets the tone for the short editorial: “It is enormously distressing to watch the sausage-making that passes for the world's attempt to do something about the carnage in Darfur.” The editorial exposes what’s holding things up (U.N. “dawdling” and “diplomatic cover to Sudan” by some Security Council members) as well as some of the things being accomplished (like the Bush administration’s push on the U.N. and an upcoming April 30 rally in Washington), but the last word is one of infuriating aggravation: “Rwanda should have taught us all something; it...

Here’s an update on significant news surrounding the crises in Darfur and northern Uganda. Regarding Uganda, a March 17 Reuters press release reports: The U.N., donors and the government have failed 1.6 million people uprooted by two decades of civil war in northern Uganda, but a new initiative provides a glimmer of hope, a U.N. aid official said on Friday. Dennis McNamara, the United Nations special adviser on internal displacement, said some members of the Security Council remained reluctant to put the conflict on its agenda. But he said meetings next week among the U.N., Uganda and donors would aim to forge a plan to end the suffering. "There is a very intense international effort, which has not happened before," McNamara told reporters in Kampala. He gave no further details. Northern Uganda's people live in scores of squalid camps, sheltering from fighting between government troops and rebels from the cult-like Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) -- notorious for kidnap...

The crises in northern Uganda and the Darfur region of Sudan are topics this blog visits frequently. In that vein, I’ve added two links to this page and encourage you to visit them. The first is Invisible Children , an organization moving powerfully at the grassroots level dedicated to publicizing the plight of and providing financial resources for children in northern Uganda. They’re doing this by documenting their true, untold stories in a creative and relevant way, moving people to action to end to the plight. Visit the sight to see how you can get involved. The second is Coalition for Darfur , a blog run by “a Southern conservative and a Northern liberal” and dedicated to raising awareness of this continuing genocide as well as raising money for Save the Children and Catholic Relief services . Coalition for Darfur tracks news coming out of and about Darfur at an incredible pace, saving bloggers like me the time and energy it takes to stay on top of it. Periodically, you will see l...