Back in 2004, I supported a nonprofit organization called Invisible Children. The mission was to support families in Africa, around Uganda, who were affected by a warlord named Joseph Kony who founded the Lord’s Resistance Army. He committed atrocities across central Africa including kidnapping children from villages for his army. Thus, Invisible Children. During his time, among kidnapping, he and his army would assault women in these villages. Leaving countless pregnant women assaulted and caring for children from Kony and those under his command.

These women were victimized because of the assault and victimized again because of the legacy Kony was leaving across Africa. And the children, not yet born, were already victims before they could even take their first breath of air.

In my travels around the world, I’ve had the opportunity to hear some stories of some amazing people. This one such trip took me to Northern Uganda this time. I had partnered with a local church and found myself riding with one of the pastors to a location for the project we were working on.

I didn’t want to occupy the entire conversation with this topic, nor bring up something as difficult as Kony, so I made sure I asked if it was OK to talk about this.

Unfortunately, because this was so long ago, much of the conversation has been forgotten. I do remember asking him what the church was doing about it all. He said, because of what happened with the women who were assaulted and the children who were born from that assault, much of their society had turned away from helping them.

Their church had stepped in to help these families, to help these women survive, to help these children have a chance. When I asked him, “Why?” his answer was simple and powerful. “Because no one else will.”

If we go back to when Jesus was performing his miracles, we see in Matthew 8, Jesus came down from the mountain and a man with leprosy called out to him to be healed.

Leprosy, a severe condition of the skin, was then considered a punishment of sin from God. People who were afflicted with this condition were often disowned by their family and had to live outside the cities and villages. They were considered cursed. Among the 61 defilements of ancient Jewish laws, leprosy was second only to a dead body in seriousness.

In the eyes of many people, even family members, those impacted by leprosy and Kony were cursed. But in Uganda, the love of this church stepped in to help. Much like Jesus did for the man with leprosy.

"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." – John 13:35

I encourage you to seek out ways to help others and share with them the love of Christ.

Written by Tim Miller, director of video production for Buckner International.