November 2nd

It's been a while, I know. How have you been? How much longer is your hair now? What have been moments of pure joy you have encounter? I've been missing you.

19 days are left here on the road. That means 51 days have already happened. Unreal? I know. We are at the point in tour where things become monotonous and tensions thicken among the group, but it's also the point where we realize that things are winding up, it's coming to a close.

It's also the point where we realize that we NEED this bill to pass. Every day I watch a documentary about children who have their childhood, their innocence, their right to peace ripped away from them. And every day I am reminded how small our world is - how close those children are to us. This bill has to pass in order for the war to end, but how? When there is such disconnect between my peers and even in my family, how can I convince a Congressman or woman that they need to sign their name onto this piece of legislation. When I can't even motivate my family member to watch a film that has impacted my life, is it possible for me to motivate someone of great influence to BE a great influence?

I think I can. That's why I am here. The power and possibility of personal connection is why I am here.

But we need your help. We can't do this alone, we never are able. I need your help and your voice and your desire for peace and prosperity.

Call your senator and tell them to sponsor this bill if they haven't yet. What do you have to lose? 1 minute of your time. What do you have to gain? A sense of accomplishment and, oh yeah, peace for an entire region of this world.

You can do this. We can do this!

Oh, Canada.

Canada: land of poutine and genuinely kind people.

We have encountered countless moments of sincere hospitality on this trip, but it hasn't been as deep or saturated as it has been here in the Great Maple state, as my mom likes to call it. For the last two days we have been in Yorkton, Saskatchewan spending time at the home of a young couple. They have welcomed us openly into their home, fed us yummy stews and soups, and let us raid their candy stash. They actually didn't even spend the night here as they were helping out some friends and babysitting their kids overnight while they went out of town on escape. They left us with the instructions : "eat whatever you want, do whatever you want." They are beautiful people.

They have brought wonderful conversation to the table along with the food and have told us "thank you" over and over again. This is where I get confused. Why are they thanking us? They have gone out of their way to host us and invite us. They are doing US the favor, not the other way around. We are intruding in on their lives to bring them a story that we believe is true and necessary of which I feel very strongly about. This is our call to action, yet they thank us for coming, time and time again.

It feels weird every single time to be thanked.

It truly is our pleasure.

Plus, we get to see things like this time and time again. We really should be thanking you.

Goodbye, St. Louis. Hello, Iowa.

St. Louis has treated us well, or I guess me in particular. Since last Thursday, this has been my leg of tour and goes through our stop on South Dakota on Saturday. It has been such a joyful time, meeting the contacts I have been working with over the phone and getting to know their schools and friends.

Back in San Diego, they told us that we would form a sense of protection and attachment over our new friends and they are so right. I have come to the point of stress in that I want their screenings to go perfectly for them and I want them to feel gratitude and immense appreciation from us. I want to spend every waking moment with them, getting to know their ins and outs, since I may never see them again.

It's a weird paradox. I hate that I have to move on and go to the next state, but if I don't then my other precious soon-to-be-friends won't get the attention they so deserve. I love spending quality time with my friends and it's frustrating having to leave so soon!

But, like I said, this time in St. Louis has been amazing. It may be a city I return to some day. It's big and expansive, but the people are Southern and hospitable, just like what I know.

Time To Breath

I'm tired.

And that doesn't even begin to explain the drain my body is feeling right now. But it's so worth it. You know it's worth it when the most macho guys in a student body are the ones most fired up about making difference and getting involved - so much so that they express sadness through emotion. You know it's worth it when 30 kids show up after school for a Schools For Schools club meeting on a Friday. You know it's worth it when you're in the cafeteria and a student you were talking to earlier waves you over to ask you some more questions.

This job is exhausting. To sum up the last several weeks, where do I even begin when my brain is so slow and mushy that I have trouble keeping my eyes open.

Uganda was incredible. The Acholi people are resilient and transforming with inspiration as the forge a new path after being forced down a painful and destructive road for so long. Their joy and overwhelming desire to raise up a new generation of peacemakers and leaders is phenomenal. I don't think I could ever get tired of being around that. I couldn't help but be stumped by the paradox of their joy with their oppressive struggle to survive the last 23 years.

These are some of the girls in the class that I went in. The girl second from the right is Proscovia (Prossy) and she was "my student." I did a day in the life of a student and she was the one I was partnered with. She is a beneficiary of the Invisible Children scholarship program, is 16, and hopes to go to university to become a business woman. She laughs a lot and is Miss Popularity on campus.

From left to right it is Vicky, Sheila, Prossy, and Alice. Aren't they cute and awkward?

Prossy and Alice.

We had a variety of experiences while we were there. By we I mean myself and the 11 other roadies who were able to go. Our group was phenomenal - super fun and easy going. I ended up getting to know and loving 11 of the roadies who I hadn't spent much time with while in San Diego. At the end of the post, I'll introduce you to one of them: "Baby Doll." So, back to one of the experiences - the food. When we ate at the intern house where we stayed Dorine, the cook, made us yummy food, but it wasn't very traditional.

When I ate at school with either my teacher or my student, I ate posha (ground maize thrown into water and cooked) and either beans, meat, or eggplant. I ate with my hands. It was messy. I didn't really like the posha, but the beans were so good, as was the eggplant.

Two days we went to restaraunts and ate Acholi food. It was delicious.

Another wonderful experience was a boat trip on the Nile River. It was serene and beautiful. We were able to see hippos, alligators, and monkeys. It made me feel so small to be on such a massive body of water in both a physical nature, but also an abstract one. This is a landmark of extensive proportions. It was humbling.

Last, I just want to share with you a picture that I really enjoy. This was taken after we had hiked up a giant rock face, guided by some boys who lived down the street. We were sweaty, hot, and filled with whatever you feel when you climb up a strenuous, giant mountain. This was our welcome back to the motatu (van) which was waiting to take us home. This is Uganda.

This is Catherine Cheng. She is now one of my favorite people and ultimate bus seat partner, even though she kept touching me while we road. She is a roadie on the NorCal team and no doubt rockin it.

I'll try to leave you with more pictures and videos in the next few weeks, but no promises. When I get time to breath, I sleep, but I want to value you, my reader and friend, and want you to know that I love you and miss you.

Best Night Ever

This has become a theme - "having the best night ever" here in San Diego. It's too much really. Too much.

The Working Title played just for us tonight. Just for the roadies and movement staff.

Backstory: When I was 16 my friends saw them play with Watashiwa. My friends Leah and Leslie told me in Spanish class and told me to check them out. Yes. I did. So I found out they were playing about 1.5 hours away and my brother met me at dirty, old Ace's Basement in Greensboro, NC to see them play. They played with Junior Varsity and Mae - we left after TWT played. Will stole a poster for me and I still have it. It had been on my wall until I moved into my last apartment. 5 years of poster hang-age. Thus the affinity began. I fell in love with the unique quality of his voice and their music in general - and seeing them play drove home the sincerity behind their music. You know, it's just that feeling you get.

Since then big Willy G and I have kept up with them - you could possibly credit it as being the catalyst which transformed us from being sister and brother to being friends.

TWT has transformed as a band including the members, but Joel has kept it alive and has done a damn good job of it.

I spoke with him after, it was awkward, I rattled off some incoherent sentences about how much I liked his music and then I shamefully walked away. Regardless, it was pretty rad. Willy G, I talked to him for you because I'm pretty sure you would have irrationally submerged me in frigid water again if I passed up the chance. You would have handled it much better though.

Man, if for some weird reason Joel Hamilton ever comes across this blog, that'll just be uncomfortable. Joel if you are reading this, welcome.

Then to top off the night, we made it to 1,000 screenings! Ahhh. Our attendance average per screening is 150 people, I think, so that makes almost 150,000 people we will be reaching and hopefully adding onto our movement of ending a war and rescuing children from a rebel group. It's glory ya'll. A good glory, not a selfish glory.

I crushed it in our Test Q & A today. I was a bundle of nerves all day because I knew it was coming up, but Margie gave me very positive feedback about my pitch, which set me sailing. I feel released to go to Uganda now. I can't wait.

In other news, my sister and brother-in-law are pregnant! Aunt Leah is stocking up on candies and games, so she can be the craziest, best aunt for that kid. That child will be overwhelmingly loved and adored by the people in his/her life. I already love it the most and it doesn't even have elbows yet. Let's be honest - at first I was a little selfish thinking about how babies basically demand attention and the dynamic of our grown-up family was going to change drastically, but I am so pumped now. I am going to move in with Sarah and Matt to help raise our child. Our child. Are you guys okay with this?

See you in two weeks, everyone. Catherine McDuffie, let's skype chat soon.

Well, it's that time again. That special time which comes along with the fact that I am working voluntarily for a non-profit organization.

Going to Uganda on Sunday (!!) isn't free on many levels and if you feel so inclined to give towards my educational venture, I would appreciate it. I believe that a lot of littles can make up something big. Perhaps that's why I have invested so much into an organization which has grown from just that mentality. It's grassroots through and through!

http://invisiblechildren.kintera.org/mysupport/leahgarrard

Surprises

Tonight was a blast. Today was frankly odd.

I wore my "Where's Waldo" shirt - red and white stripes, so I knew it was going to be a good/interesting day.

The day was long, as most days are at work, but it was good. The energy in the office was good and I had some good conversations with contacts, but only one contract ended up coming in. At about 3:00pm, my teammates and I ran straight into a wall. We were at our wits end. Iowa is making me crazy, Canada is making Cody crazy, Kaitlin's wacky contacts are making her crazy, and Zach is always crazy. We were laughing until we were crying because we just couldn't handle it anymore, so our regional manager, Adam, comes over and suggests for us to go outside and run around. We do. It was great.

Then tonight at about 5:oopm we are instructed to go grab dinner, bring it back, solve a riddle, and go to where the riddle indicates. It's Mt. Soledad and it was gorgeous, especially at sunset. We played running charades at the top and just enjoyed each other.

Then we go to Mission Beach. Our regional managers and the rest of the Movement staff are waiting there for us with a bonfire raging on the beach. We all gather around after mingling for a bit and sit around the fire.

Tom Shadyac is there. Tom is a good friend of Invisible Children's and is a big Hollywood director - he has directed Ace Ventura, Liar Liar, Patch Adams, and Bruce Almighty just to name a few. He spoke about truth and apathy and how to face what happens after this wonderful experience. He was real and honest and confronted a lot of the fears I am harboring for when I am finished with these five months. He is the type of man I would like to share a bottle of wine with or grab a cup of coffee with and just chat about how we are products of our environment. How we worry about bills and security and living up to expectations because that's what is dictated to us by society, our parents, our grandparents. He emboldened us to do what we do now, not to wait to accomplish those things or face those things, but be great now.

It was an interesting day to say the least. One I will remember, for sure.

This is a video my teammates and I are made to thank our students, teachers, youth pastors, principals, and friends for booking screenings! Enjoy :)

THANK YOU. from Cody Cassady on Vimeo.

The Plot Thickens

Well, folks, I have some news. Pretty exciting news. I will be traveling to Uganda for about 10 days as an educational venture to see and touch and smell and hug the programs of Invisible Children, as well as meet some of those who have been affected by the programs! It will be a short trip, perhaps seemingly irrational, but I think it will provide for me a legitimacy and validation of the entire semester I have sacrificed, including the glamour and income I could be receiving otherwise.

I feel like it's necessary for my ability to speak with confidence from stage. Although I know and understand the goodness of Invisible Children, I don't know if it has digested and fallen into my blood yet. I am a girl who has to see to believe - ask my parents. I continue to ask why or how until someone takes me to the river and shows me that trout swim upstream or lets me touch fire so I know that fire burns.

I have no doubt this trip is going to blow my mind. It's going to broaden my world view, perhaps even explode it and I have no doubt that I will fall in love with Uganda even more.

The city of Gulu, in the North, is where the headquarters of Invisible Children is and where we will fly into. As for my safety, the LRA isn't present in Uganda currently - they are residing in the bush of the Congo, as Congolese are the prime targets of their attacks and abductions right now. Invisible Children takes students to Uganda every year through their Schools for Schools program. The schools who raise the most money in 100 days of competition get to send a student to visit the kids which they have supported.

This is going to be a thrill, but for now, back to work. I still need to book those screenings. . .

So this happened yesterday. It was our movement director's birthday. We stayed up all night prior learning the dance. I'm on the far right, next to the blonde on the end, but kind of in the back. It was pretty baller - she was so surprised.

Busy, Busy, But Not Stopping

Let me introduce you to Salesforce. This is what I look at all day long. This is what my progress is judged by and this is where everything I need to know lies.

Oh goodness.

Deep exhale.

Today was exhausting and I'm learning the lesson of patience continually. Waiting on my contacts to call or email me back is tiring and not knowing who to call or what to explore next is draining. Waiting and waiting is what I did all day. I did speak with a few people and it was encouraging and I think I was encouraging.

I can already see what they said. I care about the students and teachers I have spoken with or have left messages with. They are precious, precious folks who are just as nervous and scared as I am, if not more. They aren't enraptured by this organization, breathing it and eating every single moment - being in constant remembrance by the community in which they live. Yet, they care and want to try and talk their administrators into letting them do all-school assemblies. I am so proud of the two girls I talked to today who are going to make it happen. They are going to bite the bullet and do the leg work to make the screening happen.

This is truly a grassroots effort. It requires everyone to be a part to make it happen.

I love it.

Catching Up

Well, it's been almost 2 weeks since I have been here and the craziness has continued. It's amazing, confusing, interesting, and complicated living with 59 other people. especially 59 other young adults who are experiencing a major life change in regards to this particular job as well as other internal identity issues going on. I've enjoyed it thus far, but it has had it's challenges.

Let's talk about the landscape and culture of California. It's beautiful out here, but very different from the east coast. As I flew in I immediately noticed the brown, stubbly hills which surround San Diego. The palm trees dot the horizon and the beach is beautiful. The weather is phenomenal with breezes floating in and out of the house - we don't have air conditioning, so it feels wonderful. I miss the lush green and wildflower bordered highways that I envision when I think of North Carolina. I miss the down home culture of North Carolina - girls wearing minimal make up and dirty clothes, guys rolling out of bed and going to a coffee shop. The differences are thick, but it may not be such a bad thing.

This is our house!

This is a van that we might be driving. What uuup.

It Has Begun!

Week one has commenced and it's been, in one word, crazy. It has been full of late nights, early mornings, long training sessions at the office, laughing until I cry, snacks, walks to the grocery store, and much, much more.

In four days my brain has been stretched and crammed with more than I ever thought I could possibly sustain and retain. We have been extensively lectured on the programs implemented on the ground in Northern Uganda, the history of the war, the expectations held of us, our required codes of conduct, and much, much more. There is always much, much more!

I have been thrown in full force, in driving the 15 passenger van. Since I will be one of the drivers for our tour this is necessary, very necessary. Actually, after Sabrina picked me up from the airport, she pulled over in a hotel parking lot and had me drive myself to the Roadie house for the first time. Welcome to San Diego! To say the least. So, I've driven to and from the office a couple of times with full van loads. I haven't had any accidents, per se, but I'm pretty sure I seriously cut off someone today - woops!

My teammates and I are still getting to know each other - it always takes a while to feel completely comfortable with people you just meet. But so far, so good! They seem to be genuine folks who really care about the Ugandans and their plight.

I'll try to get some pictures up soon of the people and places I am experiencing!