Easter and our VISIBLE Children!

I just have to post about Easter. Yesterday, I came to church with all of my kids and felt so humbled and blessed by being able to sit and listen to the African Children's choir sing. The day before we had spent time with these incredible children out at their home (Mirembe House). We were so fortunate to hunt for Easter Eggs with them and play soccer. This particular choir is comprised of children from Northern Uganda. If any of you are familiar with the film INVISIBLE CHILDREN, you will understand that these boys have to travel every night away from their villages into hospitals, airports or shopping malls, to escape being kidnapped from terrorist rebels who like to steal little boys around the age of 7 or 8 or a little older and place an automatic rifle in their hand to be soldiers. They initiate them by forcing them to murder or maim their friends. They threaten the brutal death of their parents or younger siblings if they don't comply. Sometimes they follow through with the threats to remind the children never to disobey.

THis past year was one of the first times the MUSIC FOR LIFE coordinators were able to travel into Northern Uganda to audition children for the choir. Every other year it has been too dangerous. There was a brief time however this year that the rebels had moved further into the Sudan making it possible for these children to SING THEIR WAY TO SAFETY...and that is why I cried. I always marveled at the voices and ability of the African people to SING through so much of their struggles. They are amazing people. But when I think about the children still escaping every night and then think about these children auditioning to sing for LIFE...it boggles my mind. A golden opportunity toward safety through a song. So, the parents send their kids to these auditions (if the parents are still living) with a deep hope that these children will survive by way of singing. So, on the one hand there is sending your kids into the big city to sleep away from the potential kidnapping, on the other hand there is standing in front of a group of people to sing for an assured future to be educated and live in a safe house away from guns and terrorist further south in uganda. Then if they are fortunate enough they will be chosen and sing for the elite group that comes to America sings for President of the United States...meet celebrities in America, sing to sold out concerts, learn about Easter Egg hunts and sing on Easter in the church that bought a house for your whole choir.

So, the day before Easter I watched in awe as Grace served these children cupcakes, poured drinks for them and chatted with them. It was surreal. My Ethiopian once orphaned daughter touching these children who have also escaped near death. HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE LORD!!! I am just humbled...looking at them I see the story of Easter lived out. THey are renewed, uplifted, brought out of the suffering into a bright beautiful place. We cannot imagine the lost hope these children had once not long ago. To see how God has worked in their lives has to bring hope to all of us who complain about our stocks dropping or losing our jobs...but it really gives us perspective. Pain is relative and I don't want to diminsh the sufering here in the US too...but I choose to remember that no matter how much I can complain about my lack of work, concerns about being able to pay the bills, I still have running water, parents that have lived a long life, a roof over my head, food in the fridge and the ability to sleep at night not worrying that I will be scooped up into horror. Praise God! And I have a renewed commitment to pray nightly for the INVISIBLE CHILDREN!!!! Please join me...