Let Your Voice be Heard

Photo from Kony2012, © April 2012

This year in my eleventh grade Bible class, we have been studying the Minor Prophets and the Gospel of Matthew, among other books of the Bible. My students have taken what they have learned to heart and have sought to apply it and put it into action. One of my students, Chiara Siano, has taken the charge from Micah 6:8 concerning justice very serious. Micah 6:8 instructs us to, “do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Chiara loves Jesus and seeks to serve Him in obedience to scripture as she walks humbly with Him; she loves His mercy, and does justice in His name. Today Chiara came to me with the following post about the injustices done at the hands of Joseph Kony. She has challenged me, to get the word out by posting the following article “Let Your Voice be Heard.” 

I have taken Chiara’s challenge and have posted her article below. I have also taken the challenge and supported Kony 2012 at the request of another student Loic Frisch. Loic approached me back in March about getting the word out and supporting the cause, Loic is in my eleventh grade Bible class as well. Here was my response to his request: “Loic, I personally just took action to join you in this cause. This is my twitter and Facebook status right now: ‘Because I teach students who put their faith into action, I Just made a donation to Invisible Children for Kony 2012 http://t.co/2OW0r2Yh.’ Thanks for putting your faith into action! In Christ alone, Mr. Pruitt”

Chiara and Loic understand that they are learning about the scriptures and the life and teachings of Jesus, not just to know some information, but also to know Jesus, to grow in Him, and to deepen their relationships with Jesus. This relationship with Jesus has changed how they live their lives and they seek to make a difference for God’s kingdom work in this world. As Chiara and Loic serve the least of these, they serve Jesus. Just as Jesus says in Matthew 25:37-40, “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’”

May we answer the high calling of our Lord Jesus and serve His children well in justice, in mercy, and in humility. These youth have set the example and have laid down the challenge. May we see the opportunities to serve and seize them as they have and may we follow their good lead. 

Here is “Let Your Voice be Heard,” by Chiara Siano:

Photo of Uganda’s Invisible Children , from Afaceaface, © 2012

Let Your Voice be Heard
Guest post by Chiara Siano

If someone set out to make you famous, what would you say? If someone wanted to make your story known to the world and make you an internationally known person, would you like it? Well, Joseph Kony would. In a single breath, he would deny that opportunity. So, why does Kony not want the world to know about him? 

Who is Joseph Kony? He is a warlord, a Ugandan warlord, who, in the name of god, destroys and kills. Kony is the head leader of the LRA, otherwise known as the Lord's Resistant Army. This army, who claims to be of god, acts like they are of the devil. Since 1986, it is estimated that Joseph Kony has abducted at least 104,000 young children. To make sure that they have no means to return, they kill their families as well as their neighbors. Often, when killing, Kony hacks off body parts and burns the homes of civilians. Then, he turns the children he captures into child soldiers and sex slaves. The girls turn to prostitution, and boys to murder, for the rest of their lives. 

What would you do if someone abducted your child? What would you do if you were turned into a child soldier or a prostitute? What would you do if the village or city you grew up in was destroyed and burned? What would you do if you witnessed all these acts Joseph Kony had committed every day of your life? Jason Russel, the founder of Invisible Children (www.invisiblechildren.org), has placed himself in these children's shoes, in these parent's shoes, in these people's shoes. He refuses to sit by and let these children suffer. He, minute by minute, day by day, week by week, is working towards the arrest of the infamous warlord, Joseph Kony, by making him famous. He is a person as human and capable as you and me. He has made Kony famous. If he can do this, why can't we do something? Why can't we make a difference? Why can't we make our voices be heard? 

Well, we can! Tonight, an event sponsored by Invisible Children is occurring called Cover the Night. Tonight, hundreds of thousands of people are going to create awareness by covering walls of cities in posters, promoting awareness about Kony. Go to www.kony2012.com to learn more about this movement, to buy these awareness posters and share them with your friends, to donate to this cause. You can also contact your state representatives or senators and urge them to do something about this situation. Show that you care and someone will show these children that they care. 

Who knows, maybe solving this problem will lead to the collaboration of our world to solve all our other problems. Attempting to stop Kony is not just the end of a murderer's path, it is the beginning of these children’s' lives. This will spark our inspiration, our motivation, and our hope that we can and will make a difference. Share your voice! Be part of the solution! Show that you will not stand for this, and together, we will make a difference. Together, we will make it!