ELCA Documentary on Uganda, Forgiveness to Air on NBC Television

ELCA Documentary on Uganda, Forgiveness to Air on NBC Television

CHICAGO, Nov. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- NBC affiliate television stations will begin broadcasting "Uganda: Ready to Forgive" on Dec. 2. The 60-minute documentary about the faith and spirit of the Acholi people of Northern Uganda is a production of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

Through 20 years of war, death, rape, torture and child abduction, rebels known as the Lord's Resistance Army forced 2 million people into internally displaced person camps. Yet, the Acholi people are united in a belief that the only real solution is reconciliation and forgiveness.

"In this story, the Acholi people offer lessons of forgiveness that we can learn from," said Tim Frakes, writer and producer, Tim Frakes Productions, Lombard, Ill. "Most stories from Africa emphasize Western nations helping Africans," he said. "This is an example of Africans helping us."

The host of the program is Immaculee Ilibagiza, a survivor of the 1994 Rwandan genocide and author of "Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust."

"The Acholi people of Northern Uganda have been through so much, and to be able to capture this amazing story of forgiveness and reconciliation was truly a blessing," said Ava Odom Martin, director for public media, ELCA Communication Services.

"If the Acholi people can forgive the Lord's Resistance Army for the torture and massacre brought upon their community and get on with their lives, then hopefully someone else may be touched by their actions and find forgiveness for an injustice done to them," said Martin. "This is truly an African story of grace."

The ELCA is a member of the National Council of Churches USA, a founding partner of the Interfaith Broadcasting Commission (IBC). NBC's "Horizons of the Spirit" series provides four hours per year for documentaries produced by the IBC faith groups.

Martin said "Uganda: Ready to Forgive" will be available for broadcast on NBC affiliate stations through May 2, 2008. "Please contact your local NBC station for specific dates and times in your area," she said. This production was made possible in part through a grant from Faith and Values Media.

Information about the television program, "Uganda: Ready to Forgive," is at http://www.elca.org/readytoforgive/ on the ELCA Web site and http://www.frakesproductions.com/ on the Internet.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: ELCA

CONTACT: Frank Imhoff of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America,
+1-773-380-2955, frank.imhoff@elca.org

Web site:

http://www.elca.org/readytoforgive
http://www.frakesproductions.com/

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