It's amazing to finally see it written down, typed out, and posted wherever we can find blank space: Saturday, May 5th, 2007. That's the date for The Sudan Freedom Walk in Chicago. Finally being able to confirm it's date isn't just an important step in solidifying our plans. It is also an amazing mental trumpet call - this thing is really going to happen.

Ready or not, in less than 4 month, this event will occur. Now the only question is, how much can we do together to ensure it will be as impactful as possible?

In late August 2006, I was sitting in my friend's apartment when my old friend Dave Bredhoff called me. I had just seen Dave two months earlier at a convention where he had won an award for his critical involvement in the original Sudan Freedom Walk. Dave told me he was leaving for Africa in one month to join the Peace Corps, but that he wanted to ensure the Freedom Walk would continue. He asked me to help spread it to Chicago.

At that time, I was inclined to say no. I really didn't know much about Sudan. Above that, I had just started a new job at a non-profit (a good deed enough, right?) that had me reeling on my heels, and was in the process of moving into a new apartment.

I can't imagine having missed out on this opportunity due to such mundane issues. But of course, it is always so easy to get caught up in the stress of everyday life. By the power of suggestion, we convince ourselves that we really already are doing all we can.

Obviously, though, I agreed to help Dave. Not only because I value his friendship and ideals, but because it only took a very brief exploration into Sudanese affairs to shrink the significance of my daily problems to inconsiderable sizes.

Now, 5 months later, I can't believe how far we've come, and how many people - with so little prodding - have jumped right on board. Sure, I wish we had 6 more months to plan as opposed to 3. But, the people of Sudan cannot wait. And, even with just 3 months, our team committed team will pull it off with the help of the amazing community of activists in Chicago.

Today, with the date officially set, it is as though what before existed in simply hypothetical terms just shot into reality like a meteorite. And I couldn't be more excited.