INVISIBLE CHILDREN RALLY - Portland, Oregon
This past weekend the people of the United States came out in force protesting the atrocities in Uganda and Sudan. On Saturday evening, anywhere from 60,000 to possibly 100,000 mostly young people came out into the streets of their cities to sleep in central areas to show support for the kids that commute each night in Northern Uganda. Portland Oregon was one of the best organized cities, and up to 1800 showed up and about 1000 spent the night in Pioneer Square.
The crowd was filmed for 20 minutes (I'm guessing for a time lapse shot in the final version of Invisible Children movie)
Leisha Adams (the Lahash board treasurer) attended the rally). There were 3/4 of our board at the event and 3/7 of our Africa team there.
Many in the crowd stayed up all night (singing and debating and talking). I was with Karin Rosain and Laura Iatesta and her boyfriend Josh. I also chatted with fellow JBU'ers Casey and Abbe Schilerpoort, met Relevant writer Rebecca Mayer, was interviewed by a Don Miller camera crew, talked with a lady from the Portland Trib, met many of the leaders of the various groups that showed up, and we got a good 3 1/2 hours of sleep on the brick surface.
What did I take away from the experience? I have no idea how it will affect the war in Uganda. The protesters before the Iraq war didn't seem to make much of a dent on world affairs. But I think there are some other positives about the event.
1. The kids and adults in Uganda will see the film and know that we care about them.
2. It united thousands across the country for a moment to focus on the struggles our family faces in Africa.
3. It gave some much needed press coverage in the rotation of newspapers and tv channels.
4. Many people prayed for the region.
5. The Portland chapter organized into a leaders meeting and Erik Wecks now can connect with 30 concerned leaders of Portland by email.
6. There are many in the crowd that learned huge amounts of information by the excitement and the documentary about our neighbors in Uganda and Africa.
DARFUR RALLY - Portland, Oregon
So, after we woke up and packed up our sleeping bags in Pioneer Square, I went home and napped some, got in a service at Imago Dei Community, and then went to the Darfur rally (held at the same location as the Invisible Children event).
There were probably 2000 or so people at this event, which was much better organized with speeches and dance and stickers and signs.
I was pleasantly surprised to see a couple of friends speaking at the event, one of them was Sam Dilla, from Southern Sudan. He is part of the Sudanese Christian Fellowship here in Portland. He was encouraged that so many people took time out of their day to care about Sudan.
There was a huge gathering of Christians and Jews at the event, and it was so encouraging to see the Jewish community remembering the holocaust survivors in this manner by trying to lend their voices to the genocide in Darfur. Up to 400,000 people of Darfur have already died in the past few years.
Itafari founder and president Vicky Trabosh and her husband John attended the event. Vicky's been giving advice to the Lahash board, and just came from a speech at the United Nations commemorating the 11th year since the Rwandan genocide. She is headed to Rwanda early this month to connect with Rwandan humanitarian agencies.
This past weekend the people of the United States came out in force protesting the atrocities in Uganda and Sudan. On Saturday evening, anywhere from 60,000 to possibly 100,000 mostly young people came out into the streets of their cities to sleep in central areas to show support for the kids that commute each night in Northern Uganda. Portland Oregon was one of the best organized cities, and up to 1800 showed up and about 1000 spent the night in Pioneer Square.
The crowd was filmed for 20 minutes (I'm guessing for a time lapse shot in the final version of Invisible Children movie)
Leisha Adams (the Lahash board treasurer) attended the rally). There were 3/4 of our board at the event and 3/7 of our Africa team there. 
Many in the crowd stayed up all night (singing and debating and talking). I was with Karin Rosain and Laura Iatesta and her boyfriend Josh. I also chatted with fellow JBU'ers Casey and Abbe Schilerpoort, met Relevant writer Rebecca Mayer, was interviewed by a Don Miller camera crew, talked with a lady from the Portland Trib, met many of the leaders of the various groups that showed up, and we got a good 3 1/2 hours of sleep on the brick surface.What did I take away from the experience? I have no idea how it will affect the war in Uganda. The protesters before the Iraq war didn't seem to make much of a dent on world affairs. But I think there are some other positives about the event.
1. The kids and adults in Uganda will see the film and know that we care about them.
2. It united thousands across the country for a moment to focus on the struggles our family faces in Africa.
3. It gave some much needed press coverage in the rotation of newspapers and tv channels.
4. Many people prayed for the region.
5. The Portland chapter organized into a leaders meeting and Erik Wecks now can connect with 30 concerned leaders of Portland by email.
6. There are many in the crowd that learned huge amounts of information by the excitement and the documentary about our neighbors in Uganda and Africa.
DARFUR RALLY - Portland, Oregon
So, after we woke up and packed up our sleeping bags in Pioneer Square, I went home and napped some, got in a service at Imago Dei Community, and then went to the Darfur rally (held at the same location as the Invisible Children event).
There were probably 2000 or so people at this event, which was much better organized with speeches and dance and stickers and signs.
I was pleasantly surprised to see a couple of friends speaking at the event, one of them was Sam Dilla, from Southern Sudan. He is part of the Sudanese Christian Fellowship here in Portland. He was encouraged that so many people took time out of their day to care about Sudan.
There was a huge gathering of Christians and Jews at the event, and it was so encouraging to see the Jewish community remembering the holocaust survivors in this manner by trying to lend their voices to the genocide in Darfur. Up to 400,000 people of Darfur have already died in the past few years. 
Itafari founder and president Vicky Trabosh and her husband John attended the event. Vicky's been giving advice to the Lahash board, and just came from a speech at the United Nations commemorating the 11th year since the Rwandan genocide. She is headed to Rwanda early this month to connect with Rwandan humanitarian agencies.
posted by Dan Holcomb - Lahash at 2:28 PM
3 Comments:
Thank you for your wrap of the Darfur rally, i didn't know it was going on until it was over, so i apprieciate your feedback. i bet it was wonderful to see.
Nice picture of me. yikes. : )
The IC event was awesome, such a good experience just to be part of. It's encouraging to see and talk to so many people who are passionate about the cause of Uganda.
Hey Liz, you were at the IC event right? Thanks for your comments, I wish more of the IC participants had known about the Darfur event - it was cool to have both of them held within hours of each other!
Leisha - it was good seeing you there too! Hopefully the IC movement can continue with the steam of the passionate network they've created - I'm looking forward to what the three fellows do in the upcoming months...
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