Giving what I can't afford...

Looking Back

2010-09-18T22:46:00.004-04:00

I just happened to look through this diary of being a Roadie with IC today. Realizing how IC has impacted my life now.

Simple things like not taking things too seriously, and rolling with the punches and taking things easy when something goes wrong. It's been so nice not having anything bother me. Too much, at least.

Then there are the big things. Like what I want to do with the rest of my life, the friends I made and still have, the love and idealism and commitment that I experienced last fall.

When I heard that Nate was killed in Kampala, I was devastated. Nate Henn is one of the best men I have ever met. He truly lived out the love and compassion that he has been taught from his parents, his friends, and his God. I will miss him dearly. But, in all that I have learned with IC, I know that I have the best guardian angel up there watching out for me and all us Roadies, past present and future.

I'm now a History major at George Mason University. I realized, through Okello Robinson, the boy I met at Awere Secondary in Gulu, that education is where we begin our journey as people. I can effectively make a difference in the lives of the students I will one day teach 11th grade history and 12th grade government to. I can be to them, what my teachers like Mr. Williams, Mr. Kuhn, Mr. Johnson, and Mrs. Reakes-Smith were to me. So thank you again Robinson. I am forever in your debt.

Here are some pictures I have recently come across from tour that you might enjoy. This is my last entry on this blog, as this part of my life, this chapter of Invisible Children is over. I look forward to the Roadies I get to work with as they come through, and the Roadies that may come out of my classes some day. Thanks for reading all this....

My teammate Sean and Me:

The MEND factory in Gulu:

St. Joseph's at Layibi Boy's Trade School in Gulu:

Team Gulu:

The no longer pending legislation that was signed into law by President Obama! Our goal was met!

Working with Becky Dale, Seth Williams and Margie Dillenburg in San Diego this past August on the new alumni association.

Wow.... Sorry.

2009-11-27T23:43:00.010-05:00

It seems to be a recurring theme: I just don't post very often do I? Haha!

I am safely in San Diego again. We had a wonderful tour. I should probably fill you in on all of Louisiana and the drive home!

After leaving Jackson MS, we drove to Shreveport LA for a screening at Centenary College. On our way there, we realized we didn't have a place to stay that night. Lauranne is a member of a website called "Couch Surfers" and so we found a guy on there named Michael Jarbo and gave him a call! (Sketchy right? Right...) Jarbo was one of the nicest folks ever! He took us in (he lives at the local Episcopalian Canterbury House and had seriously 6 couches. He showed us around Shreveport and took us to his friends' apartment for food and the most amazing salsa I have ever eaten. Seriously, the best! Way to go Brittany!

So the next day, we had 3 screenings at the same time in Ruston, LA, Shreveport, LA, and Alexandria, LA. Here is a look at our driving for that night:

View My Saved Places in a larger map

Total of 7 hours. It was crazy. So we had screenings all through the state, including Baton Rouge and New Orleans where we were able to meet up with former Roadies, go to a Saul Williams show, eat at Cafe Du Monde, look around New Orleans' French Quarter and all that good stuff!

After New Orleans, we set out for Houston, TX where Bethany's parents live. We met up with her friends and actually a good friend of mine who is interning with Chi Alpha at a college in Houston! It was need to see him! We only stayed in Houston for the night and left the next morning for Las Curces, New Mexico. 13 hours away. Craziness. We did make a stop in San Antonio to see the Alamo:

and the San Antonio River Walk (Sean almost pushed me in, that jerk!)

We made it to Las Cruces and spent a week doing screenings there and in El Paso, TX 30 minutes away, cleaning up for the Texas team. We even had time for a day at the White Sands National Monument (I felt like I was in the Transformers movie!)

After Las Cruces, we stayed a night in Albuquerque and had some fun in Santa Fe as we headed north toward Red River Mountain to meet Team Texas before our drive back to San Diego. We ended up getting sidetracked by 2 guys we met at a rest stop. The work for an organization called Earthship Biotecture, a company that builds self-sustaining, truly "green" buildings. They are built from recycled materials, have solar power ONLY, and have rain collection systems; these homes are totally off the grid and without bills (Except cable...). Invisible Children will soon be partnering with Earthship to build a school in Uganda that can be totally self sustained so that kids in areas far from the towns can still have the same opportunities as kids in the towns. Here is a picture of what these homes look like (and I guarantee that the inside is not what you would think!)

We made it north to Red River and had a great evening with Team Texas! We had pizza and shared a small hotel room together! It was so much fun and we had all sorts of stories to tell them and they had stories for us! We left the next morning for the Grand Canyon! First we met up with the New England team after driving back to Albuquerque. By the time we made it to Gallup, New Mexico, Gus the bus was only going about 20 miles an hour. Turns out his transmission was done, as was the onboard computer. So we sold him for parts. It was so sad to see him go. Thankfully, we were able to fit everything in the back of New England's van and set out with them and Team Texas to San Diego. We spent the night in a Walmart parking lot in Yuma, Arizona. We then arrived in San Diego where we unloaded all our stuff at the office, got checked in and relaxed! It was good to be back.

We had a Thanksgiving feast with all the Roadies and played RockBand into the night. Its good being together again.

Here are some other photos from the road!

Playing tetherball:

Driving in the M.U.L.E.:

in New Orleans:

White Sands with Gus:

El Paso, Texas:

Alex Montoya, one of our amazing contacts!

Yes, Las Cruces, NM has Autumn:

So we are in Jackson, MS...

2009-10-24T23:00:00.009-04:00

So since my last post, here are the cities we have been to:

Huntsville, Montgomery, Auburn, Oxford, Columbus, Gulport, Ocean Springs, Pascagoula and now Jackson. It has been really busy this past week with screenings, sleeping in the van 2 nights in a row, the van breaking down and tons of driving. We gave Bethany a few days off to hang out with her boyfriend, Teddy, who drove all the way from Houston, TX to pick her up. (And I must admit I was a little jealous. I would love to see Rachel! I miss her a lot!) We are now staying on 70 acres of land in a barn that has been converted into a house and has a pool, fireplace, tons of food, TVs with satellite, beds for each of us, a Gator to drive around the property, paddleboats, a hammock and 2 beautiful black labs. We have been recouping this weekend. We had a nice day off today to get some work done and to rest. It was super nice to be able to do that.

So we had some great screenings in the past couple of days. Really large ones but also smaller ones. They all have their benefits and their shortcomings. We have loved every single one!

We had an interesting experience in Gulfport. We didn't have a place to stay. So we slept in the van in a Walmart parking lot. This is me (in there somewhere) sleeping on top of the cardboard boxes in the trunk, which was surprisingly comfortable:

I have now lived life on the road! We had so much fun sleeping in the van and we had a movie party one night on the computer. I never want to do it again though. Haha! Let's get places to sleep in the future!

Also, our van broke down on Thursday as we were on our way to Columbus MS for a screening at a high school. We were stuck on the interstate. Beth was still with her boyfriend in New Orleans. Sean, Lauranne and I tried to push the van to the exit but it was uphill and would never have made it. So they hitchhiked into Pickens MS and these guys towed us:

And when I say towed, I mean one guy got his pickup truck (which wasn't street-legal, fyi), took a chain, attached one end to the chassis of the van, attached the other end to the hitch on the truck and pulled us into town while we steered. His shop was his front yard but he figured out the problem and we got everything fixed! They were awesome guys, joking with us while they drank and smoked and played dominoes! I can assure you I will never forget Pickens, Mississippi. Never.

So those are some of the crazy stories as of late. I have plenty more so if you wanna hear them, just keep checking my blog! I will try to post more often, but we are really busy.... Anyway, here are some pictures from recently:

Some photos from a photoshoot (sort of...):

Yes. We are floating.

Some former Roadies (and our best friends/family!)

Our table (the black cloth one) at Ole Miss right next to the LiNK (Liberty in North Korea) Nomads! (Never heard of LiNK? check it out here: LiNK Global)

Me and Brendon:

Our mechanics in Pickens

Gus is broken down on the highway:

Swimming in the freezing cold pool with Teddy!

Love y'all! Call me if you wanna chat! 703-470-2288.

Travis

Birmin'ham!

2009-10-15T16:23:00.005-04:00

So we are in B-ham... Today is our last day here and we are going to miss it! We have been staying with the Chaplin family, and they have been so nice to us, giving us free reign of their house! We had beds and showers and food on demand! It was really nice!

We just finished a screening at a high school called Vestavia Hills and it went swimmingly! Lots of kids showed up (try 600!) and they were really responsive to the film and such. (By the way, if you haven't seen the film yet, click here: THE RESCUE.)

We have been on the radio in Birmingham as well as on the local news, talking about the movement, about the tour and about our reasons for being here. There is a real buzz regarding the whole tour and the super awesome van certainly helps!

Here are some photos from the last few days!

This is our mission to the moon:

Making some sweatshirts with the new stencils!

Sleeping in the van:

How roadies eat: Stock up big time...

My shoe versus Sean and Sarah:

Sean and me. We are best buds!

Cleaning out the van (sort of):

Hanging out with Gus (our van):

Georgia

2009-10-05T13:36:00.005-04:00

So if you hadn't heard about the rains in the Atlanta area, read this: http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/09/21/southeast.floods/index.html

So with all the rain and flooding, we had some hurdles to jump. Cancelled/rescheduled screenings, closed roads, heavy rain, rough roads and being perpetually wet. We had an awesome time with the folks we stayed with, especially Jackie and her roomies, the Mirolli family, the Michael family, Jake, Whitney and Dana, and Brandon and Brian. People have been more than generous with their time and their money toward me and my team. We have had nothing but great responses from folks at the screenings, wanting to know what they can do to further the cause. So exciting.

I have never really experienced living in an area that was hit hard by a natural disaster. Never really seen emergency aid in action. Never seen people who lost everything to something as simple and necessary as rain. Never have I been affected by such a thing other that a little bit of leakage in my basement.

There was a huge response from people in the Atlanta area to help those around them. One story that we heard at church one day was of a woman with 5 children. She had lost her car to flood waters and her home was destroyed. Her husband had left her 2 weeks before the storms and he had cancelled her home insurance. She was literally left with nothing. When she went to a local restaurant that had advertised free food for folks who had damage and asked for food for her and her kids. As she was telling the store owner what happened, a man came up and said, "I'm sorry to have eavesdropped, but I heard what has happened. My father invested in Microsoft in the 80's and I now have more money than I know what to do with. My financial advisors have told me what should be done with the money, but none of those things seems right. Now I know why I have this money. This is right." And he promised to buy her and her kids a house and a car to GIVE them. So awesome. God's deliverance in a time of need. So crazy.

Anyway, that is my inspiring story for you. Here are some pictures from the past week!

Yes. The Deep South Roadies are superheros.

Too much work, too little sleep. This is 3am, outside of a Milledgeville, GA coffee shop, stealing their wireless internet.

Hanging out after a screening:

Replacing the fuses that we blew:

Hanging out in St. Simons, Georgia. Super cool sunset followed.

Okello Robinson

2009-10-01T09:33:00.003-04:00

While in Uganda, I had the opportunity to shadow a student named Okello Robinson. He was a Senior-6 in Awere Secondary school, so he is about to graduate. He is 19 and lives in a hostel near the Awere campus. We laughed and joked, listened to music on my iPod, walked through Gulu to see all sorts of things, were caught in a heavy downpour, then dried out minutes later. He introduced me to his friends and we all sat and ate lunch together in one of the classrooms.

He is just like me, a normal 19 year-old kid going to school with his friends. Except, he isn't.

Since the war in Northern Uganda took a nasty turn in the mid 90's, Awere had to move away from its original site, about 30 km from Gulu. The conflict has claimed thousands, if not millions of lives due to fighting, hunger, displacement, disease, etc. Okello Robinson had lost his mother to HIV/AIDS and his father was killed by rebels that stormed his town while Robinson was away at school. He has been living on his own in a youth hostel, not only going to school from 8am to 5pm and studying, but he has also been working to raise money for schools fees, for food and a place to stay. This is no normal student. This is a boy, who for 8 years, has been his own parents.

Here is what he said that changed my life: (and I quote)

"I sometime do not eat. That way I can have money for school fees. That is it."

This blew me away. I started thinking to myself, "Would I do the same thing?" and the answer is I don't think I would. I have taken my education for granted and to hear this from someone so committed to their education.

I also saw his relationships with his teachers and the headmaster of the school. They were awesome in helping him through whatever he needed help with.

And so my major will be changing when I get back to school. I would like to be able to share how all this changed my life and be encouraging to students like Robinson. I will be studying secondary education to be a World History or English/Film teacher.

Uganda changed my life. So totally worth it.

Also check out the Invisible Children blog about what Andrew Morgan (the IC Uganda communications officer) had to say about us being there. http://blog.invisiblechildren.com/?p=1589

This is the classroom that I was in with Okello Robinson.

Back from Uganda!

2009-09-21T18:07:00.006-04:00

So Uganda was awesome! This post is going to try and sum up the whole week and what we did and what I thought. This is going to be a long one so feel free to take it in parts. I will also be including some sweet pictures of things. Here we go.

So I was given the chance to be the person from the Deep South Team to head to Uganda for a week to get a better understanding of the programs that Invisible Children has there. I am not going to say it was ALL work, because we did have some fun!

This is our trip through Kampala as we headed to Gulu.

We toured through Owino Market in Kampala, which was an experience in itself. There were all sorts of people grabbing from the left and right telling you to come and check out their wares. We went on a game drive through one of the national parks in Uganda. Yes we really got this close to a giraffe! We rode on a boat on the Nile to see Murchison Falls, the most powerful waterfall in the entire world.

This waterfall channels the Nile, which is 49 meters wide at the top into a 6 meter gap. It is truly amazing.

This is me and one of my friends from the California-Pacific Team on the boat ride:

I will write about the programs and work events that we learned about big time! (Should be up in the next couple of days.)

Travis

Winding down or Winding up?

2009-09-05T11:01:00.002-04:00

The time has come. Today is my last day at the office. We have been booking screenings for the past 3 weeks and it is amazing to see how many people we are going to be sharing the story with. Last night we hit the 1000 mark! 1000 screenings of the Invisible Children film. The estimated count will be almost 300,000 people. 15 teams, 60 people, talking to 300,000. Freaking sweet!

But today is the last day that we are really going to be working on getting those screenings set. Next week is a lot of getting merchandise ready, packed in boxes, cleaning the house, accounting training, van repair, van maintenance training, and oh, TRAVIS IS GOING TO UGANDA! I leave early tomorrow morning to fly out to Kampala, Uganda with 11 other folks to tour the area that Invisible Children is running its programs. We will be there for 10 days.

I am getting really excited! I don't really know what to expect but I know I am going to have a blast! Who else get's to go to Uganda then be a Roadie? I can't wait.

I will not be able to access the internet as I will not have my computer, so it will be a while before I am able to post again.

I will make sure to take tons of photos and videos!

Here is a picture to make you laugh. This is my teammate Sean, getting work done!

Wow has it been a long time!

2009-08-29T16:49:00.003-04:00

I am so sorry for how long is has been since I posted anything of substance! By the end of this you will understand why.

So San Diego is going through a heat wave. It was 102 yesterday and is today is a little cooler at 99. At least I can easily dry my clothes outside! My team and I were walking through La Mesa (the area where out house is) to get to Subway for lunch and I was sweating within minutes! It's even a little humid! Other than that, the weather has been a steady 70-85 degrees. It should cool off tomorrow.

So, the question I have gotten from a lot of folks is, "How are you?" or "How's the work going?" That is a great place to start:

So the idea behind what my job description is, is to travel the country telling the story and raising awareness. This fall, we are bringing 3 things to the forefront of our screenings.

1) Have President Obama make a public statement committing the US to lead an international effort to arrest Joseph Kony before Christmas 2009, commit to signing into law the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act of 2009, and commit to the recovery and rehabilitaion of the LRA affected communities in Uganda, South Sudan, Central African Republic and the DR Congo.

2) The TRI Campaign: This is how Invisible Children is able to run all of it's programs both in the States and on the ground in Uganda.

3) The Schools4Schools campaign: Partners US schools with Ugandan Schools to provide money for new buildings, sanitation, dorms and scholarships.

So we have been calling people in out region at schools, colleges, churches, community centers, film centers and businesses to set up and advertise for presentations of our films. My region is Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. (If you live here and want a screening, call me at 703-470-2288. Seriously we are trying to tell as many people as possible). It has been a challenge talking to people I have never met but it has certainly paid off. It is going to be an awesome tour!

I am going to be flying out to Uganda on the 6th of Sept for 10 days. Invisible Children tries to send 1 person from each regional team to Uganda so that there is 1 person on every team who can speak with authority about the issues there. I am so excited that my team is allowing me to go! I can't wait. I will tell you about what we are going to be doing later.

That's all the news I have for now. I will post some pictures below. Adios!

This is the new image for the fall tour! Looks awesome!

The sunset from our house.

My teammate Bethany trying to hid from all the noise in the work room.

Brendan with one of the surfboards this guy from church loaned us. We took this 6 footer and three 7 1/2 footers on the buses and trolley. So fun!

Pacific Beach!

Update - 8/15/09

2009-08-15T23:28:00.002-04:00

So I have been at the house for about 2 and a half weeks now! Things are crazy messy when you are living with 60 people. Wow. I have also learned a lot of patience and how to find a little bit of quiet in all the din. NOISE-CANCELLING HEADPHONES! They are the best. A nice little sanctuary from everything else.
The office has been super busy every day with seminars about the conflict, how to give a speech and answer questions, how to schedule screenings, how to understand ourselves and what we are fighting for. It has been a real point of self-discovery. Really seeing how far I can push myself and how to overcome challenges.
I have met so many cool people that I have met since I have been here. And I am even more excited about going to Uganda than ever! I do have to go get a few shots this weekend but a few pricks for a trip of a lifetime is totally worth it.

Thanks for your support!
Travis

I'm going to Uganda!

2009-08-07T02:11:00.003-04:00

Hey everyone!

Looks like I am going to Uganda for 10 days in September, right before we all leave for the Fall Tour. 1 member from each roadie team is going to Uganda to get a handle on the programs and the work that IC has there, as well as get a perspective of the culture and the conflict so that each team is equipped with someone who knows what they are talking about.

This costs a lot of money. I have to raise another $1000 to be able to go because IC doesn't have the means to pay for us all. If you would be willing to donate that would be ever so wonderful and greatly appreciated. You can send me a check to:

Attn: Direct Support - Travis Hammill
Invisible Children Inc
1620 5th Ave Suite 400
San Diego CA 92101

You can also donate via paypal!

Everything that is donated is completely tax-deductible.

Thanks so much! If you have any questions, please give me a call at 703-470-2288 and I will try to talk with you about it as best I can!

Travis

The Office

2009-08-05T23:26:00.002-04:00

This is the gong: Every time we book a screening, we bang the gong.

This is our office space:

This is where we roadies work:

This is my team's work station! Hooray Deep South!

Intros and Pre-Training Training...

2009-08-05T03:17:00.003-04:00

The "Villa"

2009-08-04T14:26:00.001-04:00

Pictures from Today

2009-08-01T23:58:00.003-04:00

This is In-N-Out Burger. This picture is for you Josh Cowgill! :)

Sushi from the most amazing sushi place ever, The Fish Company. This is the Fried Shrimp and Avocado roll!

This is the street I used to live on!

My Old House!!!

Gone to California!

2009-07-31T15:16:00.002-04:00

I have arrived in the beautiful San Diego, CA. The Nierenhausens picked me up from the airport yesterday and are so kind as to provide a place for me to stay this weekend before I move into the Roadie house! I have some folks here in SD I will be visiting and can't wait to see all of them. Kenny and I are hanging out today in Coronado, so we will see what we are gonna do. Gotta get new guitar strings and some shampoo and a few other small things.

This is the address that I can be reached at but I am living in La Mesa.

Attn: Travis Hammill
Invisible Children INC
1620 5th Ave, Suite 400
San Diego, CA 92101

Goodbyes to Mom and Rachel were tough yesterday and I am already missing them! Love you two!

Also heard of a possibility to go to Uganda by raising some more money, so we will have to see!

Videos will come a bit later today!

Travis

The Phone Call

2009-07-24T04:23:00.002-04:00

Email: william.hammill@gmail.com

Twitter: @travishammill

Sir Ken Robinson - Creativity

Andrew Mwenda - African Aid

DEEP SOUTH - LOOK OUT!

2009-07-23T17:49:00.003-04:00

Hey everyone,

So today I got a call from the IC headquarters with my assignment. I am going to be travelling in the great states of Mississippi, Alabama, Missouri, and Louisiana! The team is called Deep South. I am so super stoked for it! I will be on a team with Sean Hines, Bethany Sommers and Lauranne Boyd! So excited.

Well I fly out in exactly one week and so I am starting to get all my stuff together. I will make sure to post a video of all the stuff that I will be packing and such. (Because I know you all want to see my underwear. :)

Please be praying for us as we are all (all 60 of us) heading out to San Diego in the next little bit. Also for the support raising that some are still working on!

I will make sure to keep the updates constant now that things are happening!

Travis

So True - I hope this is what I'm doing

2009-07-02T20:48:00.001-04:00

2009-06-27T23:24:00.001-04:00

The count is now actually 13 Senators and 60 Representatives as cosponsors for the Bill.

How It Ends Lobby Days - Effective Activism

2009-06-23T00:07:00.001-04:00

So here is what's going on...

2009-06-05T23:50:00.002-04:00

This week, I surpassed my required goal for money raising! yay! Still need a few bucks for plane tickets. So keep that money coming! haha!

I will be leaving from Baltimore Washington International Airport on the 30th of July. My flight leaves at 12:50. I will be heading up there with Rachel about 9am to make sure I don't miss it! Because that would be very, very bad. I have a 1 hour layover in Nashville and then on to San Diego where the Nierenhausens are going to pick me up. I will be staying with them for 2 nights and then August 1st is the day I move into the Roadie house! So exciting.

So I think that the moment I get out of the airport, I am going to have to make a stop for a burger at the best burger joint in the world. IN-N-OUT!!! mmmhmm!

So that's the plan for now. My last day to really visit with anyone is going to be the 27th because I have family time and some time with my beautiful girlfriend. :)

Hit me up if you are free!
Travis

I have fantastic news!

2009-05-21T14:30:00.001-04:00

Thank you Senator Feingold! I am very thankful for your attention to the Invisible Children of Uganda.

Please take a minute to read this release:

http://www.invisiblechildren.com/news&press/news/detail.php?pID=235739135

Thanks
Travis

Oh man!

2009-05-21T12:22:00.002-04:00

Well the money has started to come in! Thank you to everyone who has donated to the cause. I really appreciate it and it means so much! Thank you!!

I have my plane ticket, getting gear set, figuring out finances for when I am gone, and looking forward to it.

Thanks again to everyone!
Travis

The Rescue

2009-05-14T14:01:00.003-04:00

Well it has been awhile since I posted anything here. Just thought I'd go ahead and give an update on everything!

So I am all set to go except for the support raising. Letters have gone out but I am still short on cash. You would like to donate, I have a PayPal account that you can donate to! Just go to this website: http://helptravisbearoadie.blogger.com/ I bought my plane ticket last week and I will be flying out on the 30th of July to San Diego to visit with old friends, the Niernhausens. They are pretty awesome but they don't know that I am coming yet... haha!

Anyway, about 3 weeks ago, there was a worldwide event with Invisible Children called "The Rescue" where over 100,000 people in 100 cities in 10 countries abducted themselves into mock LRA camps. They waited there until there was media, political and celebrity attention. Washington DC was rescued in a matter of hours on that Saturday. Baltimore waited until Monday. Chicago held out until Thursday. Thursday! That's crazy! One whole week of waiting!

But the best part about the entire event was that Oprah rescued Chicago. She gave them almost 8 minutes of airtime and had everyone watching her show go to the website! It was awesome!!!

If you wanna watch it, here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2jFISVUXxc

I'll be posting more often now that the days are drawing near!

Travis

Raising Support!!!

2009-04-13T11:41:00.001-04:00

That time has finally come!!! I am raising support for Invisible Children and I would love for you to be a part of it!

http://helptravisbearoadie.blogspot.com/

Check it out!

Thanks and God bless!
Travis

I DID IT!!!

2008-11-27T01:42:00.003-05:00

Man do I have great news!

All the hard work paid off, applying to Invisible Children! I was accepted as a Roadie for the Fall 2009 semester! This is really exciting and I couldn't be happier! I want to thank everyone who was so encouraging and willing to listen and pray. I am sorry to those of you on whom I put the stress of possibility of my absence. I am sorry that I will be going away for a few months, but I promise I will be back when the internship is over.

If anyone would like to join me in being a Roadie, let me know so that I can hook you up with all the info you need to apply for the Fall!

Thanks for the prayers and support! Love you all!

Travis

PS.... because I have dedicated this blog to Invisible Children, I may not be on here often. Here is the link to my personal blog which I have just started:
http://waterbeneathhisfeet.blogspot.com

The Anticipation is Killing Me...

2008-11-11T01:32:00.005-05:00

2 weeks ago, I had an interview with the HR folks at Invisible Children. It was over an hour long and we talked about everything from the specifics of the internship, all the way through the nitty-gritty about me. It was great, and I thought that I impressed them! Last Wednesday, I was standing in line at 7-eleven getting dinner (don't ask, I'm in college, leave me alone...) when I received a call that said "Invisible Children HQ" on my phone. At this point I am about to crap my pants, thinking, "This is IT! I find out if I'm a Roadie or not!". They were just wanting to set up a second interview. Well alright! At least I made the second round! Round 2 was today! And I think I did really well, being me and answering the questions as best I could and as truthfully as I could. Now it's just a waiting game. They said they would call me before the 26th of November. today's the 11th. Crap.

But one of the encouragements I got just before the interview, minutes before the call from IC, was from a ver old friend of mine from California.

"You will do great! Rely on God for wisdom!! James 1:5 love you and will be praying for you."

James 1:5 reads "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." This was a passage that settled my fluttering heart as I was waiting for a phone call. It's amazing what God puts before you, the friends he gives you and the faithfulness that carries you through everytime.

My Application to Invisible Children

2008-11-03T21:20:00.002-05:00

Application for Roadie Position – Written Application
Spring of 2009

Who am I? That is a pretty open-ended question! I guess my name is a good place to start! My name is William Hammill but I go by my middle name, Travis. I like going by my middle name, because it is not a common name and you can't cook up stupid names like “Billy”. I am a military kid, my father was in the Navy, both of my grandfathers were in the army, 3 of my uncles are in the Navy and I have grown up in predominately military communities. I have a great love for travel, mostly because of all the places I have lived; Orlando, FL, Providence, RI, Virginia Beach, VA, Yakoska, Japan, Idaho Falls, ID, Tampa FL, Coronado, CA, and Fairfax, VA. Overall, I have seen most of the US. I haven't been to 3 states. My family is very well off and fortunate and I come from a comfortable background. I currently attend George Mason University and am studying for a degree in International Social Work. I play the acoustic and electric guitar, d'jimbe, and a little harmonica. I work 3 different jobs, 2 of them are paying. I am a sales associate at REI in Fairfax where I work with customers in the camping and climbing section. I also work at the Patriot Center, the concert/sport arena on Mason's campus as a technician for the stage when shows come through. My non-paying job is at my local church, Burke Community Church, where I am an assistant to the Youth Pastor and I lead worship during Wednesday night youth group. I love being outdoors, hiking, camping, climbing, napping, playing Ultimate, swimming, and just looking at the sky, and thankfully my friends love doing those things too. I think one of the most defining things about me is my personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I love God with all my heart and I try to live for him in all that I do. I attend a non-denominational evangelical church where we believe the Bible to be the sole word and work of God. I believe His Spirit is in me and he makes every new day bright and will carry me through the rough points in my life. Some people think of God as a crutch, something for the weak. If that is the case then God is my wheelchair, and feeding tube, and IV's and so on. I know that I am too weak to get through life with out His help and love. I'm glad to have Him as a crutch. "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalms 73:26 is one of my favorite verses.
In 2004, our youth group at Burke Community Church started a series called “The Go Project”. The idea was that we would, as a youth group, be committed to helping others in our community and reaching out to those in need. So we watched “Invisible Children: Rough Cut”. There are 3 movies that have made me cry: “Schindler's List”, “World Trade Center”, and “IC: Rough Cut”. When the movie was over, not a sound came from the usually noisy middle/high school crowd. No one moved for a good 5 minutes before people slowly walked out of the room and went home. Unfortunately I was not able to attend the Global Night Commute due to family issues. But everything I heard that happened that night was so encouraging. A few of my friends who were able to attend, talked about people asking what they were doing, talking to news reporters and 2 of them were on the next day's evening news! So our youth group raised some money (not a lot) to send to Invisible Children through a clothing sale of “The Go Project” t-shirts. Then came DisplaceMe. Our youth group had over 60 people attend (at the time there were only 75ish people in the group) in Washington DC. My group of friends and I raided the dumpsters out behind my work for cardboard and brought 2 van fulls of it to the Metro station in Springfield. I have never been stared at like that before. But we had the opportunity to talk with everyone in the section of the train about what we were doing! I have never been so encouraged by friends I had never met before. It was great to see so many people on the mall. And the message from Mrs. Bush. And to see the President's fleet of helicopters fly overhead. Then the Lobby Days came this past year and it was awesome to be able to speak with Representative Jimmy Duncan about Invisible Children. I have also been involved in the Schools for Schools program at Robinson Secondary School throughout my Senior year. Also, a friend of mine gave me the disc for the Vanguard, which I signed up for and have learned so much through. I have even implemented some of what I've learned from the Vanguard site in my Global Perspectives on Human Rights course at George Mason. I think that I am ready to make a more defining step in my life.
What would make me a good roadie? I know what to expect. Michelle Tobias, who was an East Coast Roadie this past spring, is a good friend of mine from high school and she gave me the lowdown on being a roadie. Over the course of my life I think that I have been conditioned to deal with the nomadic life. I like to camp and can deal with grime if we are required to stay someplace less that desirable. I have been making long car trips with the family, moving, going to visit relatives, and even a few road trips with friends here and there. I also know that raising the $1500 for the food stipend is not going to be a problem for me as our church is very supportive of these efforts. Also I like traveling as I stated earlier. I like people and work well with pretty much anyone. I like to talk a lot if you can't tell from my rambling in this paper. I have training in theater and public speaking after 5 years of high school and community theater, so I don't mind being in front of people. I am also a careful driver as I have not had a ticket or been in an accident before (kind of important!). I am sure that you get the “I care about Uganda” thing a lot as well. I don't want to be cliché and look like I'm trying to impress everyone. But I do care! I would be setting myself back an entire semester in school, leaving family and friends for something I believe is right. For too long I have been sitting on my butt, living a lifestyle that has no real threat. I have my basic needs met everyday. Food, water, warmth, a bed, medical care, spending money, a shower, fresh clothes everyday (whether I choose to wear them or not!), parents who care about me, and a guarantee that armed men are not going to abduct me. Then I have so much extra! So I figure if I can take that extra, and give it to someone who has nothing, we are both better off.
Brad Corrigan from Dispatch would be the best travel buddy because he cares about people. He has an organization called Love, Light and Melody works to help the poor in Central America. He could also serenade me as we drive along. He is a masterful song writer and activist who loves people, loves helping them, and loves God. If we had the chance, playing guitar together as we cross the country in the vans would be a blast!
I see this as not only a chance to help the people of Uganda and a time to get students and adults active in their communities for IC, but also a period of growth for me. Not just a time to learn how to deal with others in a crowded van (listen to the song “Superpowers” by Five Iron Frenzy. It's pretty much exactly what we are talking about here.) but as a time for my personal growth away from my parents and what I know as familiar. Also, since I am studying International Social Work, I also need to start making connections and figure out the companies I could be working for once I am out of school. I want to grow like I saw Michelle grow. She left a pretty high school girl and came back a person who would never be the same. Her face was always smiling, she never stopped talking about the adventures she and her crew had. I feel selfish saying this but I want a piece of that pie. I am looking to be fulfilled and find meaning in the short life that I have. I don't want to have the “I lived but all I got was this lousy t-shirt” mentality. I don't want to be another mark of the page of time. I want to have done something responsible and of meaning before my last breath. It doesn't need to be fame for what I do, I just want to make someone to not just live day to day but to experience life and all it has to offer. The most important reason for my application for a position as a roadie is a boy named Elijah. He lives in Gulu and I sponsor him and his family every month through Compassion International. I am doing this for him.
I want to declare a war on war. I want to take apathy captive. I want to give what I can't afford. Christ said “whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me”. I want to follow His words and do what is right to help the situation in Uganda and to get teens and young adults in the US involved in helping those who are in the middle of this crisis.

Invisible Children: Who They Are

2008-11-03T20:30:00.000-05:00