Sean Carasso is a Cool Guy...

About a year ago, Staci and I were talking about conflict in Sudan and other places, and I was asking all sorts of questions, because I didn't really know much about the issues over there. Staci started talking about watching a documentary that was done by some young folks about kids in Sudan who were being kidnapped by militant armies and made to fight. These kids were 5, 6, 7 years old. And, they were being trained to kill, maim, rape and plunder. The ones that hadn't been kidnapped yet were making a multiple mile trek into the city each night to sleep on concrete floors, packed in like sardines. All so they wouldn't run the risk of being kidnapped. This documentary, of course, is Invisible Children.

Staci brought over the DVD, two of them actually, and we watched it. I'm sure I looked like an idiot while I sat there, watching with a look of horror. I had no idea. How did I miss all this? What was I reading? And, when the show was over, I sat there, unable to really speak. I'm not sure if I was moved, shocked, angry or sad. I'm still not sure.

Staci and I talked a lot about it in the following months. I even took one of the DVD's and passed it along to my sister, who, in turn, passed it along to a friend, who passed it along to a friend. That was the point of Staci bringing two (she's a smart girl). Staci, meanwhile, showed some of her students the document

ary and they got organized, wanted to do something to help. It was hard not to watch it and not be motivated to do something. Anything.

I write all this because this past Monday, Staci, Kate and I were able to meet another such person as those who created Invisible Children. A guy who was actually involved with the original "protests". He grew up with the guys. He was there in the beginning. He was making a mark on the world, and he's only in his mid to late 20's.

His name is Sean Carasso.

The Warehouse Theatre folks, Shannon Robert and Paul Savas, contacted us about co-sponsoring an event where Sean could come in and tell his story. Sean is living a gipsy's life these day. Going from town to town to spread the word about his organization and the atrocities that are going on in The Congo. We agreed to help The Warehouse push this event. Why wouldn't we? They are some of our best friends and we love them!

Honestly, I didn't know what to expect. I was unprepared to see what I saw. The first thing that happened was

that Kate and I met Sean in the lobby and had a great conversation about Greenville Forward and what we do here. He was psyched. Really psyched. We both thought it was strange that someone from so far away would get so jazzed about our organization that is so centrally focused on our world in Greenville County. But, we found out later why. And, it all made sense.

Sean's story begins in The Congo, where he discovered that the smallest of boys, ones who couldn't carry guns, were made to carry whistles. These whistles were to be blown as the enemy army approached, in hopes of scaring them away. But, there was more to this strategy. These boys also served as a human shield. If the army shot them? They fall. Then they serve as barracades. As places to hide behind. As tools to continue to fight. 8 year old boys. 5 year old boys. Falling because they were forced to fight an enemy they didn't know. Forced to fight for a reason they didn't understand. As Sean puts i

n in his blog, "WITH FALLING WHISTLES, THEIR ONLY CHOICE IS TO FEIGN DEATH OR FACE IT."

Out of this, Falling Whistles was born. And, on Monday night, we were witness to Sean's experience, his vision, his mission. He told his story. To a small crowd at The Warehouse, he told his story and didn't ask us to join him. He just told his story. He didn't ask for a handout. A donati

on. A helping hand. He just told his story. And we listened.

When it was done, we asked what we could do...

Tell Someone.

Plain and simple.

Take some time to look at

the website. Watch the video. Be a whistle blower for peace. Continue the conversation.