The “Invisible Children” Are Now “Visible”!

Do you know anything about the Invisible Children in our world?  My son’s girlfriend, Lindsay, just introduced them to me.  Let me explain…

Our family had a week’s holiday on the beach last month before our two oldest boys, Matt and JJ, went back to college, and our youngest daughter, Bryana, began her senior year in high school.  It is always our favorite time of the year together, because we purposefully have no agenda except surfing, eating, reading, napping, and sharing life.  This year our two boys invited their girlfriends to join us which was a wonderful addition to our experience.  Lindsay was one of them that joined us.

Lindsay has a passion for fashion design and is currently studying in the Institute For Fashion Design in Los Angeles.  Whenever I see her she always seems to have a variety of bracelets that she is wearing.  There was one I noticed during our time at the beach last month that caught my eye.  It was much different than any I had seen before.  She said it was made out of thin strips of reeds and handmade by hundreds of displaced children in Uganda that are now employed in the Invisible Children bracelet campaign.  I actually had no idea what she was talking about,  but I wanted to learn more.  So, we went to my computer and logged on to their website.

What began as just curiosity on my part has transformed into a passion of telling everyone I know to visit the website that let me know how I could make a small difference in the midst of a horrible tragedy.  The Invisible Children are the children that are kidnapped in Africa to form the child army that was highlighted in the movie, “Blood Diamond”.  Any of you that saw that movie had to be moved at the story that unfolded on the screen.  The fact is, it is a true story being acted out very day in Africa with children being the victims.

Invisible Children started out as film making project by three young men from Southern California in the Spring of 2003.  What they discovered was a story that disgusted and inspired them – where the children are both the weapons and the victims.  The film they produced,  “Invisible Children – Rough Cut” has now been seen by millions of people.  After viewing it, the overwhelming response is, “How can I help?”

There stated mission is, “The Invisible Children Organization improves the quality of life for war-affected children by providing access to quality education, enhanced learning environments, and innovative economic opportunities for their local communities.”

Check out their website and see if it doesn’t change something inside of you, too.  Let me know what you discover.  Until next time….