The Shadows of Peace" Review

Yesterday I received my very own copy of the IRIN film The Shadows of Peace: Life after the LRA. If you have not yet viewed this extraordinary short film on the IRIN website, please take fifteen minutes to do so. The most emotionally impacting story for me was the story of Ida. She had been forced into sex slavery, becoming the "wife" of an LRA commander and bearing a child by him. Yet when she returned to her village, her people abandoned her. She was alone. Even her parents had left. As I watched this young woman collapse in tears, my heart broke for her. She said that life in the bush had been better than returning. I could not fathom it. After all the horrors she had faced, life was no better after the LRA than it had been before. Then I wondered... what could we do? How could we improve life for this young woman halfway around the world? How can we make a difference?

I would encourage you to pray about this situation, about this region of the world that has been through so much turmoil lately. Prayer is the Christian's most powerful weapon against the evil of this world. If you have the money, donate to one of the many reputable charities that are working in Africa to bring peace and restore the lives of its citizens. But first and foremost, please just pray.