Disturbed

I'm ashamed to admit it, but I am totally ignorant of current events. I don't like to watch TV and the newspaper tends to be so one-sided, it's hard to find out the truth, so I don't bother. Of course, I hear about the BIG stuff that happens in our country, but I am clueless about the rest. I've got to pull my head out of the sand and pay attention because horrific things have been going on in the world while I haven't been paying attention.
With Jason going to Uganda I figured I should educate myself about the country and it's conflicts. Wow. I'm practically speechless, but I will try to put into words what I'm learning and feeling today. I found a book at Borders that is custom-made to what I needed to learn and to where Jason will be going. It's called "Girl Soldier" and it covers the history of Uganda as well as a personal story of a girl who was abducted from a private girls school and made into a soldier (and other unspeakable things) until her escape. I didn't live during the time of Hitler, but I am living during the reign of just as evil a man, Joseph Kony, who has taken over 30,000 children and turned them into brainwashed killers. The whole conflict has Satan written all over it. The Bible says that Satan "came to maim, kill and destroy" and that is exactly what has happened to the Acholi people of Gulu. Their entire way of life has been destroyed and 1.8 million people live in camps to be more protected from the rebels coming and stealing their children and killing the parents. The camps have not been able to protect the children because the government has not supplied enough soldiers to guard the 250 camps. Instead, disease, fires, hunger and 1000 deaths per week have become their way of life.
This is where my husband is going and I'm a bit more fearful of him going now that I know the physical dangers as well as the spiritual warfare involved. But I'm also more excited that he is going to such a place of incredible need. We cannot choose to live in fear and be helpless like the Acholi. We must choose love! I can't begin to imagine how this will affect him. Now I know better how to pray.
If you want to become more educated about the suffering in Uganda so that you can make a difference. I have scouted out some great information.
This link will take you to a photo journal slide show (not for small children to see)LA TIMES.
There's a documentary movie that was put out called Invisible Children, that is taking the world by storm. I haven't seen it yet, but I'm getting a copy if you'd like to borrow it or buy your own visit Invisible Chilren.
This link will take you to World Vision where you can sign a petition titled "No Child Soldiers". This declaration has 38,985 signatures and needs 100,000.Please sign this petition, it takes a few seconds!
More than anything, say a prayer right now for there to be peace and healing in Uganda. Peace talks have been underway for over a year, but are at a stand-still. Pray for the children who have been so badly abused and need help to be normal again. Our God is bigger than their pain and He can heal their land!!