Story by Neethu Ramchandar
The non-profit organization, Invisible Children, returns to the University of Oregon, hosted by the U.O. Invisible Children group, April 14th, to discuss the war in Uganda, this time accompanied by Jacob, a rescued child solider.
Jacob hid in a shack with his brother during the daytime. Living in Northern Uganda among the Acholi people, the boys learned to fear the Lord’s Resistance Army early in life. Under the leadership of Joseph Kony, the 23-year long war has lasted much of their lives. Jacob was abducted when he was only 12.
“They said now you are a solider, do not try to escape,” said Jacob in the Rough Cut, an Invisible Children documentary. “If you try to escape, then we will find you and we will kill you.”
After escaping, Jacob and his brother carried only what they could wear. They walked from their straw hut throughout the night to various, scattered safe locations. At these bus stops, churches, or empty buildings thousands of children gathered in order to sleep just one more night in safety.
Jacob, having met the founders of Invisible Children in one of his temporary homes, explained exactly how far the L.R.A. is willing to stretch its atrocities. If a child was captured, they would be forced to fight for the L.R.A.. If the child resisted, they would be killed, raped, or mutilated. Following the motto “kill or be killed”,  Jacob’s oldest brother was killed while his younger siblings watched. In the Rough Cut, a documentary discussing the war, Jacob lets out his first tears in years when asked what he would say to his older brother if he could ever see him again.
No longer that little boy hiding in the shack, Jacob is traveling the Pacific Northwest with a group of five other Invisible Children members. During their visit to the U.O., they will show their newest documentary, discuss recent updates including activity in U.S. Congress regarding the war, and allow an opportunity for students to hear Jacob’s story and ask him questions about his life.
“This is a great opportunity for students and community members to take advantage of,” David Crownover, co-president of the U.O. Invisible Children program, said. “This is basically a once in a life time opportunity to meet people who used to be child soldiers.”
This screening is additionally important because of the support it has drawn from the Greek Community, Kayla Bowker, co-president of the group, said. The Invisible Children screening will be an all-Greek endorsed event.
“Because of the large influence of the Greek community, attendance at the screening is expected to be bigger than any previous Invisible Children events on campus,” Bowker said.

There will be two screenings at 7pm and 8:30 pm in Columbia 150 on Wednesday, April 14th. Learn more about the Invisible Children Spring 2010 tour here.