Photo courtesy Falling Whistles

The Democratic Republic of Congo is home to the world’s largest and most deadly war. During the past 10 years, roughly 6 million people have died, and nearly 1,500 people continue to lose their lives daily. Some of those lives are young boys, too small to carry guns. These boys carry whistles and are on the front lines of this bloody war.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZW9XaInFsU

Falling Whistles is a campaign for Peace in Congo. The group works to rehabilitate and advocate the children living within our worlds’s largest war.

From Falling Whistles:

Originally just a journal written about boys sent to the frontlines of war armed with only a whistle, readers forwarded it with the same kind of urgency in which it was written and demanded to know –
what can we do?

The Falling Whistles campaign launched with a simple response – make their weapon your voice and be a whistleblower for peace in Congo. Read the story and buy the whistle. Proceeds go to rehabilitate and advocate for war-affected children. Share their story and speak up for them.

Together, we’ll become the voice of a growing coalition for peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Last night, I went to an event to support Falling Whistles at the Lizard Lounge here in Portland. The response from our community was strong and passionate, and it got me thinking… I wholeheartedly believe in international mindfulness and I am humbled by the amazing people who make it their life’s work to take action on the global scale. But it was a good reminder to think about the importance of causes, about the time, energy and passion that goes into each and every one — even those closer to home.