kony 2012?

Alright, here it is. My two cents. I cannot keep it to myself anymore.

Many of you may have recently heard about Invisible Children and all of their efforts to try to stop a war criminal, Joseph Kony.  If you haven't heard of them before this week, surely you do now.  With a new documentary (watch it here) going viral (as of right now, over 68 million views on Youtube and 16 million on Vimeo) and everyone blowing up their FB newsfeed and Twitter (#kony2012, #wewillnotstop) it seems like it is everywhere.

Basically IC wants to put a stop to the horrific war crimes that Kony is facilitating. He & his army kidnap children, force the girls to be sex slaves & the boys to be soldiers and ultimately- killers. There are awful things that Kony & the Lords Resistance Army have done in Uganda and other regions in Africa, enough to make him #1 on the list of most wanted war criminals.  IC wants to make his name known so that America (and other countries) will help put a stop to it.

Such a wonderful movement to be a part of, right?  Well, no surprise here, not everyone thought so.  Articles against them started popping up everywhere (you can read a couple here and here), calling them out on their finances, exact details that were left out in the 29 minute film, amongst other things.  IC responds to each of those issues here.

Here's the thing. Yes, knowing where your money will go if you donate is important.  Yes, knowing how you standing up against Kony can make a difference is important.  And yes, knowing the details of the LRA and what they are doing is very important. I actually endorse people doing research and finding truth out for themselves.  BUT, what does it hurt those who don't agree with the movement if thousands of teens & young adults choose to be a part of it.  Is calling them stupid or slackers really necessary?

I've noticed that "young people" these days can be labeled lazy, unmotivated, and greedy.  Here is an organization who is taking those "lazy kids" and getting them excited about something & wanting to help bring change.  They are learning about global issues & political stand points that they may not have ever made an effort to be educated about otherwise.  I say, good for them! Find something that sparks a fire in your heart and do something outside of yourself to bring change to our world! When the nay sayers put their heads on their pillows at night, does it really matter if people all over the world are joining IC's efforts to bring an end to Kony? No. So I say to all of them- stop being negative and use your voice to bring a positive change to the world.  Does it have to be supporting Kony2012? Of course not.  But we are all destined to make a difference in this world, and we can bring change.

Am I going to "cover the night" with IC and plaster Kony2012 propaganda all over my social media sites?  Probably not. Am I against it? Absolutely not.  Do I support what they do?  110% yes!  I just do not feel led in that way.  My heart is pulled towards children in America, the ones who are abused & neglected, who do not have a mother or father to love them.  I want to see child abuse confronted and the cycle broken.  That's what my heart beats for.  And I am doing what I can now to stop that.  Part of it is being a part of an organization that offers summer camps to abused children. They receive a week of love and hope, and when shown those things they have a greater chance of breaking the abusive cycle in their own lives. Do we accept donations for this too?  You bet!  Every cause requires funds to pull it off.  We are all the body of Christ and He calls us to different areas for a reason.

What it boils down to is that there is evil in the world, and we can help stop it.  Whether it's a child getting beaten by their parent next door to where you live or a child being forced to be a killer in a country across the globe, there are issues that need to be tackled.  We should find what our hearts beat for and then DO something.

So I ask you, when all is said and done... what does your heart beat for and what are you doing to bring change??