Time is Contagious

I just wanted to take a minute to respond to the #stopkony frenzy that is overtaking social media.

I am a strong supporter of Invisible Children. I have been for the past 5-ish years. I went on a big kick in high school and early college, and not that I lost interest after that, but it was just really difficult for me to stay active once I got to college, became a Young Life leader, and worked on relationships within one specific high school. I couldn’t stretch myself too thin.

Now, this is the year. #stopkony2012 is all over. The video has gone viral. I’ve shared it on facebook, even sent it to my not-so-technologically savvy mother who has the most tender heart of anyone I’ve ever known. I love the support I’ve seen from people who I, honestly, didn’t think would be active about such foreign affairs. My heart is full of joy for that aspect of this atrocious war.

I met with a friend for breakfast this morning who told me of her own troubles dealing with pain and hurt. My heart broke for her and her friends as well. When I got home, I sat at my computer to eat my Chick-Fil-A biscuit and check my twitter feed.

So. Much. Kony.

I was thankful.

Then I came across some blogs that were criticizing the way Invisible Children was going about running their non-profit organization. That they were using money they earned to pay for travel expenses or to shoot their awareness documentaries. Honestly, this led me to a lot of frustration. How do people expect a non-profit organization to travel to Uganda so frequently? How do they think the public will be influenced without some sort of media informing them of what is happening in the war zone, as well as what people like us are doing about it?

Ignorance is not bliss. Maybe for those of us who are unaware, but the children suffering and being tortured in our world are not experiencing the joy of life that Jesus desires for us.

So I encourage everyone who is watching the video to do their research as they see fit. But my plug is this:

I don’t care how we do it. I don’t care what organization does it. I don’t care who endorses it. I don’t care. But I do care for my brothers and sisters in Uganda. I do care about their freedom. I do want them to experience a full life of love, joy, education, family—all the things that I know because the Lord has provided it for me. It’s up to everyone who lives that sort of life to help those who don’t.

Allow your heart to break for these children. Allow a love that you don’t understand to overtake your heart and support them.

They need us.