His eyes are so intense, staring back at me like a little warrior.
I wonder what he thinks when he looks at me so intently…
Does he wonder why I am here as much as I want to know his story?
Does he want to meet my family in the same way I want to know his sisters?
Is he curious about my white skin and curly hair
as much as I am intrigued by the dirt on his dark face?
I wonder what he’s thinking.
But the only words he speaks are with his eyes.
There comes a moment in each life experience where you must decide
if you will continue living as you always have or
if you will allow your experience to change you.
The responsibility that results from an exchanged glance
becomes an ethical responsibility.
When I look into his eyes, I realize I have no other choice but to tell his story.
I spent a week in northern Uganda where the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army) has rebelled against the government and has turned children into soldiers. I designed a master plan for an orphanage which focuses specifically on children who have seen and lived through the atrocities of war. Through counseling, community and unconditional love, these children’s lives are in the process of being transformed.
06.19.09
