IC In The News

Ash and I with our Africa hats

This Story appeared in the College Newspaper. It was written by a fellow classmate and member of the Student Action Diversity Commitee...

Invisible Children Documentary screens at RC by C. E'Jon Moore
"Can a story change the world?" This is the question raised by three young Americans who chose to embark on a journey to Uganda in the spring of 2003. It was an experience that would change their lives forever-an experience that would spark a movement thousands of miles away.
"What started out as a trip to document the civil war in Sudan took a divine turn when the filmmakers were stranded in Uganda…The filmmakers discovered a story of children being kidnapped nightly from their homes and forced to become child soldiers," explains their website.
Returning home, the three young filmmakers wondered what they could do with their footage. Thousands of miles away from the people they had chronicled…would they forget about the experience, or would they take action? They chose the latter. Not only would they splice together their film, they would begin showing the documentary to friends, family and anyone else with a heart to listen. The story of the Invisible Children had to be told.
Over several months, the filmmakers and a host of others, organized to create the Invisible Children National Tour, dubbed "Suburban Safari." Finding, begging, borrowing and renting seven RV's at little to no cost, the organization commissioned seven teams to travel the country telling the story. And people have heard that story. People like sophomores, Ashley Mackinnon and Courtney Jenko, who organized a screening of the film at the Rochester Church of Christ on March 15. Over 700 people attended.
"I first heard of this conflict when I was in Uganda this last summer...I felt I needed to find some way to be involved, so I got on the website and e-mailed Invisible Children. [They] responded back the next day asking if the school could host a screening and how we could get involved with the screening tour," comments Ashley.
During the screening, there were gasps of outrage from the audience. Faced with the cold reality of cruelty inflicted upon children is oftentimes a wake-up call for some.
"It's so easy for us here in the "land of the free" to forget that freedoms are being stripped away from others everyday. The children of Uganda can't even stay in their homes without fear of abduction….After watching the documentary many times, I am still hit by the strong sobs of Jacob as he cries out for his dead brother. He speaks of how he would rather be dead, because he has nothing to live for. Today Jacob is in school and smiling. Every time I turn on my computer his beaming face reassures me I am helping a good cause. I am also hit each time I watch the DVD by the request by one of the young boys to not forget him. I can't get those words out of my head. Sometimes I want to yell across the ocean, 'We haven't forgotten!'" says Courtney.
Rochester College and the Rochester Church of Christ will participate in a national event called the Global Night Commute on April 29, 2006 in Lansing, Mich. To participate in this event contact Sara Barton at 248.218.2048 or sbarton@rc.edu. To find out more about this great organization, log on to www.invisiblechildren.com.



This is the Mid-West Team L-R Darren, Sarah, Joseph, and Michelle