Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Invisible Children

The event I attended this week was the showing of the documentary "Invisible Children." This movie was about all the forgotten children living in the Uganda who have lives full of heartbreak and despair. Many children are abducted each day into the rebel army and are brain-washed into becoming killing machines. The children who have not yet been abducted do not feel safe sleeping in their own homes, and so they make the long trek each night to sanctuaries in the basements of hospitals. There they are packed in like goods, every inch covered with a human body. But, they would rather do this every day then have there be a chance of being abducted. The film was shot by 3 young men who went to Africa not knowing what to expect, and having their lives changed by it. They interviewed children and mothers; everyone had a different story to tell. Through this movie, the men hoped to spread the word about these invisible children and to bring in help from the viewers.
With community service being such a large part of Loyola College, I often hear stories about someone helping out their community or even those outside of their community. So, it is no wonder there is a Justice Club at Loyola who wants to aid the children of Uganda. The members of the group, along with the makers of "Invisible Children" hope to do as much as possible to help. This concept connects with the Baltimore Sun article "Serving Up Hope." The article tells the story of Galen and Bridget Sampson, a couple who opened a restaurant that hires former felons and drug users. The purpose is to help these men and women transition back into society without judging them. This is their way of giving back to their community, just as the filmmakers and Loyola students want to give their time and effort to the children in Uganda. In both instances, each person is selflessly helping those in serious need.
In the poem "End of April" by Phillis Levin, the speaker talks about someone no longer in their life and the absence of them breaks their heart. This same message was portrayed in the film many times. One particular example is when one of the filmmakers was interviewing a boy, Jacob, who had lost his brother to the rebel forces. The filmmaker asked him if he could see his brother one more time, what would he tell him. Jacob begins to speak, and then just breaks down in tears. It is evident from his raw emotion that the loss of his brother has given him such a heartbreak. The memory of his brother continues to live in his heart, but it gives him a great sense of sadness to think of him.

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