Life in Canada

I wanted to first apologize for not updating in so long.  I had intended to write frequently, but this tour has taken more of my free time than I can ever imagine.

When I signed up, I had no idea that our organization would get so much international attention.  Since it’s happened, it has been nothing short of wonderful.  It’s definitely taken a toll on the amount of sleep we get, but the amount of support and praise we’ve gotten in the past few weeks far overshadows the skepticism and criticism we may have encountered.  That being said, there’s reason now, more than ever, to continue advocating for the organization.

I’ve been through five provinces of Canada: Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Quebec, and Ontario.  I’ve met some of the greatest people of my life.  It’s humbling to meet some people that have dedicated their entire lives to social justice or humanitarian causes.  Even more so, it’s been humbling to have several dozen families take our team in, and let us sleep on their floors and spare beds, even if it’s just for a few hours.  The type of person that allows five complete strangers into their house to sleep already speaks volumes about the type of person that they are.  Rest assured, I’ve never woken up with someone watching me sleep or breathing over me.  Instead, I’ve been made homemade dinners, given bikes to go ride around town, had personal tours of cities, played games, and stayed up for hours getting to know some friends that I could not find a bad thing to say about if I tried.

As far as cities go, I’ve haven’t had much time to see them.  But we’ve had most Saturday’s off, and I’ve had some amazing times seeing Montreal, Ottawa, and Kingston.  We just got to Toronto, and I can’t wait to have a day off here.  In a few days, we’ll be visiting Niagara falls before our screening in the area.

Screenings have been some of the best opportunities of my life.  I’ve met so many people, from international high school students, to adults of all ages and backgrounds.  We’ve had people pull of the side of the road cause they recognized our van and wanted to say hi.  We’ve come across church signs and hotel signs that we’re changed to say Kony 2012.  The number of things I’ve seen has just affirmed for much how much good there is in the world.  Once you focus on that, you realize just how much it can overshadow any adversity you’ve encountered.

I can’t tell you all back home how much I miss all of you.  Even more so, I can’t tell you how much your support has meant on the road.  I will try to update a bit more often, because there’s no excuse not to let any of you know how I’m doing!  If any of you are heading up to Canada in the near future, I’d recommend the syrup and poutine (Freedom fries with Gravy), but I’d watch out for the 15% tax.

Tours about halfway over, and I have no regrets.  I can’t think of any other way I’d have wanted to spend 5 months of my life.

Much love,

Justin

“The ease at which people can criticize often reflects the ease of which they live their lives.”

"We demand perfection from institutions and organizations created and composed of imperfect individuals.  We hold them to a higher standard than which we are capable of living our own lives.  The effort to which we scrutinize should be proportional to the degree of imperfections that we encounter.  It should, at all times, be accompanied with praise that is proportional to the level and capacity of which that institution or organization contributes in a positive and respectable manner.  There is no nobility in criticism that is unaccompanied with an appropriate level of praise."

Second Update From San Diego

To the few people who are reading this, I'm truly sorry I haven't updated more recently.  This internship is much more than a 9-5.  It's a crazy concept to think that most people work to make money, and I tried to make money just so I could come here and work for free.  I can honestly say it's been worth it.  To date, this has been the most amazing job I have ever had, and I could not be more thankful for where I am in life.

Most of my day is spent trying to book schools and places of worship to allow us to come to them and tell our story for free.  It's actually much harder than you would think, as many people are skeptical of what we're about or what we're trying to do.  I completely understand, because if some stranger called me from across the country, and told me he was going to bring four other strangers in a van just so I could watch a video for free, I would think he was a little crazy myself.  It's a lot of work, but it's incredibly rewarding when you are finally given an opportunity to share your story in the future.

We also have a lot of training, so that we will be well-versed on the organization, the history of the LRA conflict in Central Africa, and any other ins and outs we need to know.  One of the best parts of working here is that I've met one of the founders, and the CEO, and other people who have been here for years, and all of them are amazing people.  They are all genuine about trying to bring about a peaceful resolution and sustainable problems to this area of the world.

I wish I could go into detail about all of the programs and advocacy that Invisible Children does. Their model is also incredible and humbling, as they truly value the input of the communities in which their programs are implemented, to ensure that their help is wanted, practical, and needed.  We are not westerners dictating how things should be run, but rather partners assisting communities in getting back on their feet.  And once this is accomplished, the goal is to remove ourselves from the area.  It promotes self-autonomy over reliance.

If I ever get some time, I would love to talk more about all the work that is going on here.

This week, I found out the name of my Ugandan teammate.  Connnie is 24, and recently graduated from university.  She is in the vast minority of females in her area to do so.  She has a great smile, and from what I hear, a great personality.  My team cannot wait to meet her, and she'll be here in less than two weeks! And in less than three weeks, we'll be hitting the road for Canada!

I'll be sure to try to update again within the next week.

Thank you everyone once again who supported me and made this possible.  I truly appreciate it.

What Invisible Children Is

First week in San Diego!

My first week as an Invisible Children intern is almost at an end, and I've finally gotten a chance to update how my experience has been so far.  I arrived in San Diego around noon on Monday, and after gathering my bags, I went outside to wait for my ride.  A giant 15-passenger Invisible Children van pulled up to the curb within ten minutes, and I got a chance to meet a few of my new roadie friends.

I got to the roadie house about twenty minutes later, which is a pretty huge house in La Mesa, CA, which is just a few miles east of San Diego.  There's a giant lemon tree in the front yard, which is the first time I realized lemons grew on trees.  About fifty of us live in the house, and it's like a mix between the craziest dorm and hostel.  I'm super pumped about sharing just one bathroom between 25 guys, and even more excited about the eight bunk beds pushed together in one room.  In all seriousness, it's amazing and it's been quite an experience.

Work has been great so far... I have this feeling that never again in my life will I have a job that I look forwards to this much.  I think some would suggest that perhaps I should consider a career change, but I know my conviction is still to become a Dr.  What I mean by saying I will never have a job again that I look forwards to this much everyday has more to do with the people.  I don't know of any other company or organization in the world that has this many employees with the similar upbeat, positive, and friendly attitude that I've found at IC.  It makes being at work, and working for a cause that can be frustrating and depressing that much easier.

I’ll continue to update more about my position and get more in-depth with what I am learning.  It’s just over a month until I hit the road!

-Justin

Fundraising Support Letter

Dear Friends and Family,

I have long been a proponent that actions speak louder than words.  After graduating from Drexel in September of 2011, I had decided to take a leap of faith and apply for a position with Invisible Children, a non-profit organization I have supported and advocated over the past six years.  I’m thrilled to share the news that after the longest and most intensive application process I have ever been through, I was selected as one of the handful of individuals that will be interning with the organization in the spring of 2012. I’m looking forwards to seeing the difference between simply supporting and actually being a part of something I believe is truly special.

What is Invisible Children? “Invisible Children uses film, creativity and social action to end the use of child soldiers in Joseph Kony's rebel war and restore LRA-affected communities in Central Africa to peace and prosperity.” Joseph Kony is a rebel leader, a self-proclaimed prophet, a terrorist, and a murderer, who has commanded the Lord’s Resistance Army for over two decades now.  Through intimidation, fear, and manipulation, he has forced mainly children to fight for him, and he is responsible for numerous crimes against humanity.  President Obama has recently sent over 100 U.S. troops to central Africa in hopes of capturing Kony, and to bring him to justice.  Invisible Children has been an active leader in protecting civilians, rehabbing former child soldiers, building communities and schools, and actively advocating and pushing for an end to the longest running war in Africa.

What will my job be?   After a month of intensive training in California, I will be joining three other similarly-minded individuals and one Ugandan individual (who has seen the war first-hand), and traveling around Ontario and Quebec in a van to speak in front of thousands of people at high schools, colleges, and places of worship.  I’ll be showing their documentary, selling merchandise, and raising awareness and support for Invisible Children across the Canada for ten weeks.   At the end of the day, I hope to educate the public on the difficulties and hardships faced halfway across the globe in Central Africa, and what they can do to help. 

Why I need your help:  Since Invisible Children is a non-profit, I will be volunteering free of pay for four months.  You may be asking why Invisible Children doesn’t pay for this? The answer is simply because we all feel that the money raised by Invisible Children should go directly to supporting their projects on the ground in Central Africa and the efforts to end the war.  However, they recognize that their interns will need help and support along the way, and you can make a tax-deductible donation to help me eat, travel, and survive on the road.  Any amount is greatly appreciated (even a dollar!), and any money left over will be automatically donated into the organization’s general fund. 

Donating Online: Since Invisible Children is a certified 501(C)(3) organization any support given is tax-deductible; however, all proceeds will still go directly toward supporting me as the recipient. You can make a tax-deductible donation online directly into my account with Invisible Children at  https://invisiblechildren.secure.force.com/pmtx/Donations_IC_DirectSupport?id=70170000000jklGAAQ

Donating Via Check: You can make donations in the form of a check payable to Invisible Children, Inc. but you must specify “Justin Peterson Direct Support” on the memo line. This allows the money to be tax deductible but credited directly to me.

Invisible Children, Inc: Direct Support
1620 Fifth Ave, Suite 400
San Diego, CA 92101

Regardless of whether you choose to donate, I want to thank you for taking the time to read this. My primary goal is to educate as many people as I can about the atrocities that have and continue to take place in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and surrounding countries, and if you’ve made it this far into the letter, then I’ve accomplished my job.  I look forwards to sharing my experience with all of you, and can be contacted if you have further questions.

Thanks for all of your support,

Justin Peterson

P.S. For more information on Invisible Children, watch one of their videos at http://invisiblechildren.com/videos