Laying down for what they believe in

This post is from future Houstonist contributor Jack Collins.

Tomorrow night, more than a thousand Houstonians will stop talking the talk and start walking the walk — literally — when they participate in the Global Night Commute to support the international charity Invisible Children.

The name "invisible children" refers to the children of Uganda who live in fear of abduction by a rebel army. These children are completely desensitized, as they are sexually assaulted, forced to kill their families and siblings and numbed to the sight of death. Children as young as 5 are placed in a literal “kill or be killed” situation.

Here's where the Houstonians come into the picture: Every night, the poverty-stricken children of Uganda leave their homes and walk miles into town to lessen their chance of being abducted. Thousands of kids gather in buildings and sleep on the floors, shoulder to shoulder and head to foot. In 136 cities around the world Saturday, people will walk a mile or two and sleep outside in the Global Night Commute to show empathy and compassion for the Ugandan kids; more than 50,000 people have committed to participate in the U.S.

GNC Houston will take place at Rice University. Get there around 7 p.m. and park in the lot at University and Stockton. The walk will take place on streets around the Rice campus and will end at the Rice intramural fields, where commuters will lay down to show support for the cause. Be sure to bring a sleeping bag, pillow, flashlight, a picture of yourself, pens/markers, a snack and water. To be a part of GNC Houston, sign up online at invisiblechildren.com, and visit GNC Houston's MySpace page for more specific info.