You Can Make a Difference

I am assuming that most of you have read or have now heard about Kony. This information has been something that I feel has set-off overnight. Oli and I watched the movie last night and we were speechless after it was over. I always knew that their were civil wars and turmoil going on in Africa, however it is a lot harder to watch it, then simply to read about it. 

This morning, when all the students were putting away their backpacks and getting ready for the day, one of my boys in the classroom came up to me and said, "Mrs. Geary, stop Kony". This took me aback for a moment. I asked him if he had watched the movie, and he explained that he had watched it last night. We were both discussing how morbid and "scary" it is that these children are having to face such trials. The other students started listening in on our discussion and came over to join. Some other students admitted that they as well had watched the movie, and they admitted that they were sad and scared for these children. One student even made the comment that she would take her own life had Kony asked her to kill her parents. This was very alarming for me. These are fifth graders. These are children who are around the same age as the children that are being captivated/kidnapped and forced into doing horrible things in Africa right now. My students are children that feel the pain that those other children are facing, and they want to help. I found this inspiring and a wonderful example for me. I explained to them that now what we need to do to help those children in Africa is to make Kony known/famous. We need others to realize how horrible this man is. 

This is how change comes about. It is easy to feel sympathy, however it takes true courage to act on that sympathy and do something about it. These children have that, and I want to follow in their footsteps. Here is my way of acting on it: making Kony known. If we make him known and show the government that we care about what is going on in Africa, this will help keep pushing the government into helping with what is going on over there. 

 I believe that anyone can make a difference, it is simply whether you choose to do so or not. 

 I have a gazillion things that I need to update about what we are doing in our lives (I really mean a gazillion), however I felt that this was important for my students that I followed in their footsteps. 

 Here is the movie. It is about thirty minutes long, and there are times where it can be a little intense, so I wouldn't suggest watching it with little children. 

  

 Love,
The Gearys