Someday, the light will shine like a sun through my skin and they will say, "What have you done with your life?" And though there are moments I think I will remember, in the end, I will be proud to say, I was one of us.- Story People

Thankful

Life.

is.

good.

I'm sitting up on a Thursday night waiting for my laundry to finish. I can hear the dryer from my room and I'm anxiously awaiting the buzzer so I can fold it and sleep. I have been meaning to update my blog for weeks now... so I'm taking the opportunity to do just that. They let us know at the beginning, even before we arrived in San Diego that it would be hard to devote a whole lot of time to our personal lives. They were right. I've been so blessed by my friends and family who have all given me the freedom to truly live and immerse myself in this 4 month journey with Invisible Children. I've been able to call or email a number of people periodically throughout the time I've been on the road, but it's all been few and far between. Thank you for your patience and understanding, I can't wait to catch up in a few weeks.

(Ok, so it's Saturday now and I fell asleep Thursday night before I finished...here's the rest!)

What have I been up to? I have been meeting and talking to and getting to know new people all over the place. Not just 'any' people, but amazing people. People of all ages and in all different places in their lives who are compassionate and dedicated to REALLY being the change that needs to happen in this world. They don't just quote it on their facebook, these people are changing the world because they care and they have a willingness to give what they can to help people in need. My teammates and I all get thanked incessantly for the work we are doing...but for me personally, the thank you's are more deserved by the thousands of people, most of them not quite into their 20's yet, who are raising their voices against injustice. I'm blown away by the selfLESSness I see everyday. Amidst the dark reality of the LRA and their terror, there is a gleam of hope in the rising generation that Peace in Central East Africa is near. This I pray for. This I believe.

xx Rachel

A glimpse of the road as of late...

Borrowing a Post...

One of my friends and a fellow Roadie, Jessica {Who is on team Middle America and will be in MINNESOTA...home turf!} posted this on her blog the other day. A lot more happens in the in-betweens, but this really is perfectly true to a day in the life of a Roadie - so I thought I would borrow it and re-quote it for you here.

"my days.

coffee.drive.screen.drive.coffee.drive.screen.drive.sleep.drive…

end a war."

Rach xx

Team Midwest...is best.

We are nearly halfway through our 10 week tour!! I thought I'd {finally} introduce you to my team. I'm living in a van with 3 incredible people. It's crazy to think that we are all doing life together 24 hours a day, 7 days a week when just a couple of months ago we didn't know each other existed. It's so cool.

I get to share this experience with Susie, Alex, and Ocitti David. Susie is our awesome team leader, this is her second tour so she knows the in's and out's of life on the road. She lives in Los Angeles and is a true California girl. Alex is the little brother I never had. :) He's full of whit and keeps us all laughing...he lives in Kansas City. (Meh...) j/k Oteka!! David is our Ugandan Roadie. He is really cool and so great to have as a teammate. He is always happy and his life story has forever changed me. We are a family and together are on a journey of a lifetime, standing together to end a war and drastically change lives.

We are team Midwest. xo

places and faces

We've just completed our first full week of screenings! So great. We've been to colleges, High Schools, and one church. We've seriously met some of the coolest people already and it's amazing. I remember when I first considered applying and on the invisible children website there's a video about being a Roadie (You can find it a few posts back...). There's one comment in there from a past Roadie that's along the lines of 'You get to travel to a new place every day and meet the most epic people there...'

This is so true.

We're only a week in and I'm so inspired and humbled by the dedication I've seen to Invisible Children & our programs, because of the love and dedication to those in Northern Uganda and DR Congo and for them to see peace. It's so refreshing. It's one huge part of this job that makes the late nights and early mornings not so bad. So many more places to go and people to meet...can't wait.

3. 2. 1....Launch

Tour has launched. Surreal. I remember getting the call mid-December that I would be joining Invisible Children as a Roadie. After five weeks of training, booking, incredible new friendships, and each of our teams now complete with the arrival of our Ugandan teammates...our vans are packed and we are officially on the ROAD! On the morning of Wednesday, February 16th we loaded up our vans with our luggage and the last boxes of merchandise. The phrase "It's like Tetris with consequences" was quite accurate as we all tried to get everything into the back of our vans with a hint of organization. There were many hugs and tears as we said our goodbyes. We had to part ways, but as we did, each team in each van left with the same mission, the same goal, the same job, the same war to end. That we are all going to face similar challenges, triumphs, bumps in the road, and moments not to forget, makes our bond unique because we will inevitably come together at the end of these 10 weeks closer. This I've been told more than once from returning Roadies and after just a few days I'm already feeling it. It took us just over 3 days to travel from San Diego to our first stop in Southern Illinois. We caravanned with a handful of other teams, stopping at every state sign and gathering for a few last meals. Slowly, one by one our routes veered off in different directions and by now each team will have made it to their region. I'm so excited about the next 10 weeks...there will undoubtedly be many moments to share whether they be joyful, tearful, hopeful, wonderful. I'm looking forward to all of the ups, downs and inbetweens...I'll keep you posted.

Here is a video one of the incredible interns and my friend, Rachel, made the day of launch. It's beautiful...

My Dear Roadies from Rachel Ashley on Vimeo.

This video is the first in a series of three webisodes that show first hand what Joseph Kony and the LRA have been up to in DR Congo. The community has literally resorted to taking up arms to protect their children from abduction because the world has remained silent. Watch and see some ideas the local people have put forth to defend the population and welcome home the child soldiers. After watching, take action by funding the Protection Plan or by signing up for the 25 event at invisiblechildren.com.

This video is the second in a series of three webisodes that show first hand how Joseph Kony and the LRA have been terrorizing the DR Congo. Children abducted by the LRA experience symptoms of PTSD upon escape from the group. With such astounding levels of trauma, intensive care and rehabilitation are needed to successfully reintegrate these children into society. We are establishing the first and only rehabilitation center in the LRA affected regions of northeastern Congo. After watching, take action by funding the rehabilitation center or by signing up for the 25 event.

This video is the third in a series of three webisodes that show first hand what Joseph Kony and the LRA have been up to in DR Congo. Between December 14th and 17th 2009, the LRA carried out horrific attacks in the Makombo area killing more than 345 civilians and abducted 250, including 80 children. In response, we are expanding a High Frequency Radio Network that will connect towns to security forces and surrounding villages, limiting the LRA’s ability to fluidly move from town to town undeterred. Help expand the HF Radio Network in Congo and sign up for the 25 event.

Work, beaches, new friends...

Invisible Children Family.

Photos from the first 3 weeks.

More to come soon.

San Diego, CA.

January 2011.

Love.

Rachel.