Local support for an international cause
Courtney Smith | 5/6/08 | News

Over 200 people brought their lawn chairs and blankets and gathered together in Veterans Park on Saturday, April 25, to watch a free city wide showing of the documentary Invisible Children.

In 2003, three college students from San Diego went to Africa to find and film a story. They came back to America and put a documentary together of what they saw. The documentary portrays the devastating realities of the 22 year war in Uganda and the devastating reality of how it affects the children in Uganda.

Sam Lopez, a college student and supporter of the Invisible Children, rallied together 30 students who walked down Henderson from the intersection at Indiana to Veteran’s Park, on April 25, where the showing took place. The purpose of this was to raise attention to the unfortunate reality that night commuters, Ugandan children who flee to safe places every night in order to stay safe from the unfortunate realities of the war in Uganda, must face every night.

“I wanted to get people’s attention,” Lopez said. “I wondered what it would be like seeing a bunch of kids walking down the street.”

Mike Smee, who organized the event, saw the documentary and felt that he had to bring it to Porterville.

“It was too powerful not to,” Smee said.  

In order to allow people to take action, Smee and a group of individuals put together ways for others to get involved in helping the children of Uganda. In order to raise funds, bracelets, shirts, DVDs, and stickers were sold.

Through Compassion International, a Christian organization, people also had the opportunity to take action by sponsoring a child from Uganda. This organization allows others to get involved with helping the children in other countries by sponsoring a child and sending in a monthly gift that goes to helping the with issues in spiritual, economic, social and physical poverties

“I am blown away by the turnout,” Voni Ramage said, who headed up the sponsoring of children through Compassion International. “I am excited for what this is going to do.”

Voni felt that it was just a starting point and was encouraged after seeing that they had exceeded what they had hoped for.

After seeing the movie many felt called to action.

“I want to do something,” said Ryanna Marsh, who attended the viewing.

That night, approximately $1400 was made that night and 13 children were sponsored through Compassion International.

“It was really, really good,” Natalie Guerrero said, a senior at Granite Hills High School who felt that Americans should help out the children in Malawi after seeing Invisible Children. “It made me think. I have never thought about what happened in other countries before.”

Mike Smee is in the process of organizing a “Porterville Night Commute” that will take place on Friday, May 30.  It is an opportunity to continue to spread the understanding of the issues in Uganda and experience a taste of what the night commuters go through every night. People will have an opportunity to walk form the Porterville Nazarene church down to the park to spend the night.

For more information on Invisible Children or more information on how to get involved in their ministry, visit www.invisiblechildren.com.