12 Hour Night Commute

This is a message from my friend, Doug. He does a lot of great work with World Vision and has an exciting fundraiser coming up. Following his trip to Uganda with World Vision he’s had a passion for the country that you can’t ignore. If you can partner with him in his efforts it would be a big encouragement to him and an important contribution to the work being done to help the people of Uganda.

12 Hour Night Commute

During the month of May, a group of World Vision volunteers will be rallying Canadians together to help the people of northern Uganda. As part of this special effort, I have organized a 12 Hour Night Commute and I would like your support. What’s a Night Commute and why do the people of northern Uganda desperately need your help? … read on …

Last year, I traveled with World Vision to northern Uganda where I worked in a Children of War Rehabilitation Centre; visited hospitals, camps for Internally Displaced People and a children’s shelter. It was a shocking view of life in a country that has been ravaged by a 19-year civil war that the world has forgotten. This is a brutal war, led by an extremist (Joseph Kony) and carried out by cruel bands of rebels (called the Lord’s Resistance Army – LRA) that roam throughout the northern part of Uganda murdering, raping, looting and committing unimaginable acts of brutality against innocent civilians – including children.

· 90% percent of Uganda’s northern population have been displaced from their homes and relocated into “temporary” camps … camps where people have now lived for the past 19 years. Places where schooling, medicine, sanitation, nutrition and even clean water are hard to find.

· To replenish their ranks, the LRA specifically target young children – they’ve abducted as many as 30,000 of them from their homes at ages as young as 6 and 7. The children are used as slaves – forced to carry heavy loads or else they are beaten and killed. Boys who survive the torture are trained to become child soldiers; girls are given to rebels as wives, they are raped repeatedly and bear children in the bush.

· In an effort to avoid night-time abduction, tens of thousands of children leave their homes every night at dusk and walk for hours to the nearest town. There these “Night Commuters” seek protection in overnight shelters, trading the threat of abduction for the insecurity of the streets.

To increase awareness about this terrible war, raise financial assistance for those who are suffering and find child sponsors for children in the north, I have organized a Night Commute here at home. In the 12 hours between Saturday, May 28^th at 6:00pm and Sunday, May 29^th at 6:00am I’ll be walking as many miles as I can (about 25 – 30 miles).

Through this event, I’m hoping to raise $100 for each mile I walk; but to do this I need your pledges and I need your help. I would like you (or a group you belong to) to pledge your financial support by sponsoring me $1.00 per mile (you can specify a maximum amount if you like). All of the donations will go towards World Vision’s relief efforts in northern Uganda.

As well, I would like to find sponsors for 12 war-children in Uganda – one for each hour I’ll be walking. Please let me know if you or someone you know may be interested in sponsoring one of these special children.

Please reply to this e-mail letting me know that you’ll pledge your support of $1/mile. Share this message with your family, friends, co-workers, groups and clubs. Encourage them to pledge their support, sponsor a child or participate in the Night Commute.

With your support, I know we can reach the target of $100/mile and 12 sponsored children. Without your support, I – like the children of northern Uganda – will be walking alone. Please help.

For more information on this event and last year’s trip to northern Uganda, visit my website www3.ns.sympatico.ca/transform. Tax receipts will be provided for all donations over $15.00.