First of all, we've seen great success and extraordinary frustrations. Within two days of launching Kony 2012 online, we absolutely crushed our goal of 500000 views. In two weeks, something like 100 million people have viewed Kony 2012. It's uncommon now to come across someone who hasn't heard of Joseph Kony. Our mission was to make him famous, and it's working.
It was hard because the day that Kony 2012 went viral, we were at a really lightly attended screening. I just wanted to shout to the crowd outside that they were missing out on history being made. I wanted to tell them all that they needed to open their eyes and look around at the injustice in the world instead of focusing on their own lives. But even still, we had some amazing people. And after a lot of thought on this, I know that it isn't my place to lecture or judge. We are addressing something dark and something painful. Sometimes, people aren't ready to hear about it. Sometimes, people are devoted to fighting another area of the darkness. I can't make the call about where people are in their lives and hearts, although it was frustrating to me. Honestly, it was frustrating because I remember how long it took for me to care about acting on anything wrong in the world.
This sudden fame of course meant scathing criticism. It was hard to read and hard to hear that people were watching this film and throwing stones at Invisible Children instead of joining us to see Kony and the LRA stopped. It was extremely painful at moments. But then, there were all the people we were meeting that would ask questions, not attacking us, but just genuinely wanting to know. And it was amazing to watch people who began as skeptics change their hearts and support what we were doing.
We were met more and more with people who were supportive. The focus in the madness had somehow become about Invisible Children and not about stopping Kony. I think that this reaction came from a sense of shame. People had no idea this had been going on for 26 years. When it was shown to them, somewhere in their hearts, they felt shame that their fellow human beings were suffering and living in fear. The gut reaction was to lash out, to find someone who was at fault for something. At least, that is what I believe. But as the week passed, more people began to talk about issues of social justice and what it means to live in a world where we can help each other and be connected so easily. People started to talk about how this connection changes our responsibilities to each other. People began to care. This was a mountaintop moment.
I don't know much about what happened to Jason. I know that all of us at Invisible Children are hurting for him. The extreme stress and harsh criticisms took their toll on him, mentally, physically, emotionally. Who of us wouldn't have been affected? I do know that it has been incredible to have this community, this family, all reaching out to hold each other up, all fighting to move forward, all still willing to stop at nothing to see Joseph Kony brought to justice this year. My heart breaks to see Jason unwell. I'm praying for him and his recovery each day, and I ask that you would pray, too. This is a hard thing, but we are still on the side of what is right. This is a mission bigger than Jason, bigger than Invisible Children. This is about seeing justice and changing the mentality of the world. And it is working.
We have been calling contacts to just talk to them about any questions they are getting or any concerns they have. I was nervous to make these calls. The first contact I reached was amazing. He told me about how he has been involved with IC since seeing the Rough Cut in middle school. He told me how they are still excited to have us and how he believes in what we are doing. He told me they are praying for us all. Another contact told me that her club that is hosting the event held up posters saying different times IC didn't stop when things got hard and that IC wouldn't stop until Kony was captured. She told me there is a lot of support and positive responses. And the last contact I spoke to today said they all just want to see Jason take care of himself and get well. It was extremely powerful and encouraging to hear these people supporting and caring. It's incredible to see that not only IC employees, but also supporters across the country, are willing to show love and grace at this time.
My mom watched Kony 2012 when it came out. It was the first IC film she saw. I asked her what she thought, and she told me that she cried because there is so much evil in the world. I told her that there is so much good fighting the evil. I had forgotten that I believed that until she wrote it on my Facebook today. There really is so much good fighting the evil. Being on the road, it is so hard to remember that we are fighting a spiritual battle. This is so much bigger than the obvious pieces of the story. There is so much more at stake, so we have to risk so much more. As Invisible Children's CEO Ben Keesey says, "You can only succeed as far as you are willing to fail."
The world is a different place than it was two weeks ago. So much has happened. There have been mountaintops and valleys. We have seen darkness fighting to crush us. A couple of verses from 1 John have been on my heart in the last few hours.
"This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all." -1 John 1:5
"Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining." -1 John 2:8
God is light. Ultimately, He will defeat the darkness. Above all else, this is what matters. This is what is beautiful and what I cling to.
Even now, so much is beautiful. Keep praying. I can't predict what will come in the next seven weeks of my life. I don't pretend I'm not afraid. I do know that I cannot stop and will not give up. I can't say why anyone else on this tour is working for IC, but I know I'm here for the glory of God, to work on showing love to everyone I meet, and to help see justice served in this dark world.
Lastly: "Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what he has made crooked? When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future." -Ecclesiastes 6:13-14
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