War Dance

Saturday I saw the film War Dance. I'm really glad I saw it. I cried and smiled through parts of it. That night I had a really hard time sleeping. Its documentary film that tells a story of 3 kids in Northern Uganda who were former captives of the rebels. They tell their stories of being kidnapped and made into rebel soilders and what happened to their families. It also shows what life is like in the Alchoci(probably spelled wrong) tribe refugee camp and follows them on their way to and during the national school music competition. I got to watch it at the paramount theater downtown here in Abilene. I'm really glad I could watch it. It was only $6 ($5 adult with military discount). The kids in the movie had such a love for their families. Of course no one would want our families to be tortured or destroyed but kids like this remind me of what blessings we have in the time we do have with our families. Also, the forced commands by the rebels on the kids were so horrific and the mental, emotional and spiritual pains were so severe, to see them afterwards, humble and doing good with their lives leaves little excuse for those of us with so many comforts and luxeries. I don't ever want my kids or anyone else's kids to go through what those kids went through but I am so impressed with those kids. We grow up in a society where people like Hannah Montana is the hero of our youth. Fashion and sexuality, drugs, long internet chating and worshiping sports or anything other than God are glamourized beyond education, development of useful virtuous talent and progressing spirutually. Virtue is a word our youth don't hear and rarely come across if ever on the TV, radio or internet. I left the movie wanting to talk to someone about it or recommend it to someone. It did not have the loud heavy metal and sexual induindos, implied military/government hatred of Ironman. It did not praise perverted or crude humor like any Adam Sandler or other recent comedy. There were only about 20 people in the audience when I attended. All but maybe 3 were over 50 years old. I hope I remember the longsuffering and love of the people in the camp. I hope I remember the hardwork and diligence and focus of the kids and their teachers. I hope more people will remember the good those before them have left for them to embrace and prosper by. We will only make it in this world and in this life with values like hardwork, love, and virtue. Like the kids in northern Uganda, we will make it if we escape from those that want to destroy us spiritually and physically. They pray, they love their families and they work and keep going even after tradgedy and destruction.