Final Reflection

    1.     A stance the Catholic Church takes on a social justice issue that I think is powerful is summed up in the second CST: Call to Family, Community, and Participation. On our website we described this as meaning that “We are called to organize and interact in a communal sense, with the family at the center of this interaction. We have a duty to participate in these communities for the common good of all.” I find this as a powerful thing because Family is so important, but sometimes it gets taken for granted, especially for me. I’m blessed with an amazing family (some of which are pictured to the left)who all love and support me, and I still find it hard to return the feelings. Even now that I am moving on to college, and they won’t be with me every day it is still difficult for me to come together like we are called to do. I've learned that this is not just limited to blood related family; the church itself is also a family and community. One such example of where the church is a family is the church I attend: First Presbyterian Church San Mateo. Even though it is not a catholic church, this teaching is widely evident throughout. Our church is seen as a “church for the community” and everyone there is just filled with love for each other. I have grown up at this church and the people there are a family for me. A large part of the church supports mission work, like our Youth Group’s summer mission trip. Through this trip we go and see the injustice in the world. For example, two years ago we went to Vancouver, Canada and I witnessed real signs of injustice, alleyways were covered in needles, and there were also prostitutes and drug dealers. We weren't able to do anything for those people, but we did pray for them later. I find this stance of coming together as a community powerful, not only because of the support it generates, but because it is evident in other denominations other than Catholicism and can be seen throughout Christianity.

2.      We are lucky. We have an amazing school; live in an amazing area, with even more amazing people that surround us. There is no other way to describe it other than that we are fortunate. We could have been born into a third world country, or even a more troubled area of the United States, but we weren't  Thanks to this, we as a society have the responsibility to take care of those who are less fortunate than ourselves. Not just with simple service; we have to care. It is not enough to just throw our money into an issue, we have to put our heart into it as well, that is what will help the less fortunate. For me personally, I feel that I have been called into Camp Ministry.  I first thought about ministry the first time I went to camp.

Ever since the second grade I have been going to Christian camps through Mount Hermon. (Pictured on the right) I really looked up to the counselors and realized I wanted to be one too. I loved the idea of helping out middle and high school students through an important time in their lives. Seeing how much they affected me, made me want to have the same impact on other kids. Some of these kids come from homes where they might not know love, or know where their next meal is coming from. These are the kids I want to reach out to the most, to show them that they are cared for, no matter the circumstance.  

3.      I’ll be honest; at first glance I thought it was going to be difficult for me to answer this prompt. I had gone into this project already knowing a good amount about my topic, and how bad things were. I thought I would not be “rocked” like some people had been through Fright Week. What I quickly learned however was that everything I thought I had known was only superficial. I had the opportunity to watch two of Invisible Children’s movies; both had really powerful stories of children who had been affected by the LRA. This issue became real to me, more than just a Facebook like or viral video, I was able to connect to the kids and see their suffering. It made me realize what I had mentioned in the last paragraph. Through this process I learned that you need to put your heart into something for it to truly be meaningful. I learned this through the work of Jason Russell and the other founders of Invisible Children. They set out to find a story, and what they found was a cause, a cause they have been fighting for ever since. Sure it’s a great thing to have so many donations to a program or some cause. It’ll help the community, but it is not good enough. It made me think of our own H2O Project, and how as a community we were able to raise enough money to have a well built. It made me think about how we act after, and how we tend to forget about it until the next year. Through this project I have learned that it would be better to do the act of building a well, because when you put your heart into something, it becomes that much more meaningful and memorable.   

Challenge of Catholic Social Teaching

The social teaching that I find particularly difficult is "Life and Dignity of the Human Person." I have trouble with this teaching because it states that human life is sacred, but then continues to be against practices like In Vitro Fertilization because the "value " of human life is threatened. I can't see how the value of life is threatened by the creation of human life. For example, if a married couple really wants to have children but is physically unable because of past circumstance, and something like IVF gives them the opportunity to do that, they will value and love that child more than a married couple who unintentionally gets pregnant. This is especially difficult because for me personally, I wouldn't be alive if it weren't for IVF, so I cannot agree with something that is against how God put me on this earth. God would not have given humans the knowledge to do this if he didn't intend for life to be created this way. The value of human life is not decreased through this practice, I would argue that it is actually increased. If this teaching is against things like abortion, and giving people the right to life, it should not be against practices where life is created, no matter how it is done. How can a Church that is pro-life, be against new life being made? Just food for thought.

Interview Protocol

1. Invisible Children has been around since 2004 when the first video was released. How did you first hear about and get involved with Invisible Children?

2. Invisible Children uses many videos to capture the attention of the people, and uses stories of children to help their cause. What about Invisible Children really got to you?

3. How would you describe Invisible Children's effect on the communities in Uganda it has provided for?

4. For our project we learned about the Catholic Social Teachings. One of these is called “Rights and Responsibility”, in short it means that since we have the right to live, we also have the responsibility to give others the same chance to live out their lives. How do you see Invisible Children living out this teaching in terms of helping child soldiers?

5. Sydney told me you were able to get a screening of one of the Invisible Children videos at your school. What motivated you to do this? 

6. With something like this, you must have seen some adversity. Was it difficult to start all of this, and could you explain the process?

7. What kind of support did you receive from friends and family?

8. With such a powerful movement, others are bound to be interested in doing something similar. What would you say to someone who wanted to do the same thing you did? Would you recommend it?

2nd Book Blog

The book I am reading is They Fight like Soldiers, They Die like Children, by Romeo Dallaire.

Dallaire, Roméo, Jessica Dee. Humphreys, and Ishmael Beah. They Fight like Soldiers, They Die like Children: The Global Quest to Eradicate the Use of Child Soldiers. New York: Walker &, 2011. Print.

I have read pages 104-156

In the little extra I have read since my last post, I have learned even more and actually been able to make a connection to the CST. On page 155 "But nonetheless, we responsible and reasonable adults still seem far off the mark when dealing with rehabilitating war-affected children and child soldiers." I connected this to the teaching of Rights and Responsibilities, and that because these children have the right to live a normal life, the adults with the power to change things are responsible. We all have the power to help aid this situation, even if its in a small way. 

I also leaned about more dreadful stories of atrocities that child soldiers are brainwashed into doing. One of these came on page 141, It was about how a group of child soldiers captured a girl and killed everyone with her. They chopped off her hands so she could not vote for the president. "The first swipe didn't get through the bones, which I saw sticking out in all different shapes and sizes." A chilling story about Mariatu Kamara, who grew up in Sierra Leone, and now works for UNICEF. In this situation the boys had the power in the situation, they may have been brainwashed, or influenced to do it, but they still had the power.  

On page 152 Dallaire references a line from a song by Emmanuel Jal when discussing how ex-child soldiers are. "I'm in another war / This time / It's my soul that I'm fighting for." I looked further into Emmanuel Jal, who himself was a child soldier at some point, and is now a rapper-activist trying to help child soldiers. Looking to the future, I believe his music will be another good addition to my website, something to supplement, especially because it comes from an actual child soldier. 
 

1st Book Blog

The book I am reading is They Fight like Soldiers, They Die like Children, by Romeo Dallaire.

Dallaire, Roméo, Jessica Dee. Humphreys, and Ishmael Beah. They Fight like Soldiers, They Die like Children: The Global Quest to Eradicate the Use of Child Soldiers. New York: Walker &, 2011. Print.

I have read pages 104-145

This book has been very insightful to my project, Dallaire is very learned in the area of child soldiers. He spent years as a general and he also spent a lot of time researching and interviewing people. He references many real life stories, and also the works of other authors in his writings.

From the three chapters I am reading they have been about How child soldiers are made, and why they are chosen. There have been some really interesting points, and also some angering stories. There stories include detailed accounts for atrocities done by rebel groups in Africa, including the LRA. One of these detailed how some children are just taken from their families, who are then killed so the kids would have nothing to return to. In some cases the children themselves were forced to kill family, and even burn down their own village.

Through reading, I've learned that this book has been very helpful for my project because it is a supplemental resource, and gives another angle at the conflict than just the Invisible Children corporation. It is important to have this other angle because it gives my research a better backing, instead of it all being from one source.

Social Justice Project Proposal

The topic I chose was Child Soldiers in Northern Uganda, with a focus on the Invisible Children movement and all it has done. Invisible Children, Inc. is a non-profit organization founded in 2004 to bring awareness (mostly through videos and presentations) to the activities of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in Central Africa, and its leader, Joseph Kony. Specifically, the group seeks to put an end to all that the LRA does including taking and abuse of children, and forcing them to be soldiers. This falls is the system of war, with a population of Children, and the problem is the use of Child Soldiers. To get even more specific, I will discuss what happens to the children before, during, and after the time they are soldiers. I will do this through the telling of stories, provided by Invisible Children Inc.

In 2005 my sisters and I went to a Church camp called Thousand Pines. One of the nights we were there, there was a “Get informed” night. I chose to check out the Invisible Children presentation because I thought they had a cool t-shirt. Little did I know I would be moved in a way I hadn't before. They told us the story of a young boy in Northern Uganda, He had been taken from his family and brainwashed into being a soldier. This really got to me because I had never seen anything like that, I was immediately intrigued and wanted to know more. I bought a shirt that day and have supported the movement ever since. I also have a friend of mine who is even more into it, and is one of the people I plan on interviewing. She started a club at her school and even got someone to speak in front of the school. These factors have caused me to really want to delve in and actually research, and even tell other about the topic.

The book I chose is They Fight Like Soldiers, They Die Like Children by Romeo Dallaire. I chose this book because it provides a lot of general information about child soldiers and what happens to them. Since this book does not tell anything about the Invisible Children movement, I am going to supplement it with videos provide by Invisible Children Inc. The Invisible Children website has many videos that include information about the issue, and stories of victims that I will also purchase.

Dallaire, Roméo, Jessica Dee. Humphreys, and Ishmael Beah. They Fight like Soldiers, They Die like Children: The Global Quest to Eradicate the Use of Child Soldiers. New York: Walker &, 2011. Print.

http://shop.invisiblechildren.com/advocate-it/films/?p=1

My group consists of myself, Kenneth Ravelo, and Christian Ramien.  We chose each other as group members because we have all worked together multiple times in the past, and had worked well. We each bring our own individual strength’s to the table, and we balance each other out. Kenny brings a methodical and systematic process to the group, being a hard worker and can pump things out quickly. Christian brings a different approach, and way of thinking to the group which will be beneficial to our work. I will bring similar qualities to both, and try to keep us on task. With that in mind, our one downfall will be during group collaborations, where staying focused will be difficult but still doable. 

Thoughts on CST

The Catholic Social Teachings (CST) are seven basic principles that sum up the teachings of the Catholic Church. They embody all of the things that as a Catholic, or even just Christian, should know and live out. They may not be easy or simple, but they are extremely important. They empower us, and tell us how to live in the way Jesus called us- with love. The main ideas behind most of the teachings are how we should live with, and treat other people and God’s creation.

The principle that I resonate with the notes is “Call to Family, Community and Participation.” I resonate most with this because I have always felt called to participation, and love living in a community with other Christians. Our group came together on the thought that “Being an active participant in our community is something everyone is called to do and is vastly important.” I personally have been a very active participant in my church community. I am involved as a Student leader, and a youth leader. This has kept me very active in the community and has helped me grow as a person. Through teaching, and leading, I am also learning. Although it may not be a Catholic Church, it can still embody the teachings because I am still actively participating, just at a Presbyterian Church.

The principle that really challenges me the most is “Right to Life and the Dignity of the Human Person.” I find this as the most challenging to live a piece of this out because I sometimes find it hard to show everyone respect. Our group came together and agreed with the statement “Each person in our society deserves respect from other people.” In all honesty, it’s just plain hard to live this out. There will always be people in life that I don’t agree with, or even just plain like. That is what makes it hard to live out respecting others, especially when they don’t give the same respect to you.

The topic I am most interested in is Child Soldiers in Africa, with an emphasis on the Invisible Children movement. I would connect this to the teaching of “Fundamental Option for the Poor and Vulnerable.” I see this connection through the fact that the kids in Africa are poor and also vulnerable. This may see superficial, but it’s still true. These kids have less than us, and are vulnerable to their surroundings. That is why we have the responsibility of helping them, and why I would take the perspective of the Invisible Children movement because they have done something about it, and are working to help these vulnerable children.

I knew what topic I have wanted to choose for a long time, but it took me awhile to choose a connection to CST. I would be interested to see what my blog buddies think about the connection I made with the topic I am interested in, and the teaching. In other words, do you agree with the connection, does it make sense to have that connection? I ask this question because I was stuck between the topics of “Fundamental Option for the Poor and Vulnerable”, “Right to Life and the Dignity of the Human Person”, and “Rights and Responsibility.” That is why I am interested to see what connection my blog buddies would have made. 

https://docs.google.com/a/serrahs.com/document/d/1R3fjemF9UkUFyynNWnoDLkHrNKUZNFn1ICtVPH36Reo/edit