What's up Reddit! This is my first post so bare with me. Yesterday there was a post here that got tons of views... and then because of Reddit my gmail is basically ruined! I had THOUSANDS of emails... Literally.

I went from having this video made in Congo get like 3,000 views to then having well over 400,000 in a day! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ide5YjD6AhI

Here is the link of the Reddit http://www.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/19b76h/african_tribal_childrens_reaction_after_seeing_a/

Something you guys might not have known... My name is Justin "The Viking" Wren and I am a professional MMA/UFC fighting. I am about to go to Congo for a year with the goal of setting 1,000 slaves free! Here is the IndieGoGo Crowdfunding Campaign for more info :-) http://igg.me/at/FightForTheForgotten/x/2539743

Here are some pretty sweet photos with me and my family, the Pygmies

My Grandpa and Me http://i.imgur.com/Fs8Sa.jpg

My mom (Mid 40's) and brother (Mid 30's) http://i.imgur.com/hmzyR.jpg

My hut :-) http://i.imgur.com/B5iBP.jpg?1

Hardest point of my life... Burying a 1 & 1/2 year old innocent infant. http://i.imgur.com/XXMZB.jpg

Help me keep this rolling! I am going to launch into a journey into the the Jungle for a year to set 1,000 slaves free (minimum!). Please Share this! http://igg.me/at/FightForTheForgotten/x/2539743

Comments: 207 • Responses: 27  • Date: 

veertamizhan79 karma

love the video! Kids, always curious.

Efeosa104 karma

Best kids in the world... Full of love. Sad the living circumstances they are in.

TerminatioN133746 karma

What do you tell the people/kids when they ask what you do for a living? Is it hard explaining to them that you are a professional MMA fighter?

Efeosa84 karma

Well... They have never really asked. They just love to play and have fun and hang out... Except for the parents who are slaves and they are awesome people too... Especially the ones we have free'd now around 120. They are able to live life like they want.

bangtime41 karma

How often do people travel to these villages? I assume that the older members of the village have probably seen caucasians or other visitors before but just the thought of never seeing anything outside of your little village blows my mind.

Edit: Also, much respect for what you are doing over there. There are not enough good people in the world. Faith in Humanity restored (for the day at least)

Efeosa85 karma

Thanks brother! This village was definitely not one of the more remote villages... There were tribes deep in the jungle we went to that most only had leaves as clothes. Of the 9 Mbuti Pygmy tribes I had went to all 9 had never seen a white guy before... 2 or 3 had never even HEARD of a white guy and ran from me... and had to touch me to make sure I was real and that they wouldn't go through me! Pretty surreal. 85 km's deep in the forest... most by small small trails.

Efeosa61 karma

And it's a passion of mine. They are my family now, and I want to do what I can to be a benefit to them.

DeJrod39 karma

How do I get a marvellous beard like that?

Efeosa100 karma

You gotta be of viking descent...

That... Or descent of the yeti or sasquatch.

-Vanilla Gorilla

stinkymcgrunts37 karma

VIKINGS!!!!!

My Nordic genes commend you for your Nordic genes.

Efeosa32 karma

YESSS!

Gay4Moleman28 karma

What is the process of freeing a slave there?

Efeosa55 karma

I detailed some of it here... http://igg.me/at/FightForTheForgotten/x/2539743

We negotiate it with the slavemasters. We buy land. We place them on it. I honestly didn't know I was getting myself into the liberation biz... lol. But four of my best friends are Congolese and with the oldest university there. So local, highly respected people with HUGE hearts. The president of the university and the dean are the ones helping me.

Gay4Moleman14 karma

Amazing work friend, I am sure it has to wear on you. It makes me think of the end of Schindlers list when he realizes what he could have done to save more.

Efeosa22 karma

Thanks so much brother!

Efeosa20 karma

And yes... It REALLY wears on me!

Clemsonn23 karma

What made you decide to be a model human being?
How many good deeds do you do in a day?
How will you train for MMA while in the Congo?

Efeosa54 karma

You are funny bro! I am just a dude wanting to care for these people... They are my family.

Lugging 80 pound packs through the jungle will be great training... haha

little-miss-darkness21 karma

Who are they enslaved by? How are you able to free them?

Efeosa44 karma

The Rebels enslave them in the gold, diamonds, and coltan mines.

They are pushed out by wildlife and rainforest conservationist...

The illegal deforestation makes the animals they hunt flee FAR away when tree's you can drive a mack truck through make thunder as they fall in the forest...

So they have their land they settle on bought up from underneath them because they can't read or write and have never had an opportunity to have a job for pay. So they are slaves to the Bantu people.

10-12 hours of slave labor equals a bar of soap in pay. or maybe two small banana's... or A tiny bag of salt. or a minnow... Yes... Fish bait that their slave masters call "fish."

Efeosa20 karma

Oh and we don't free them from the rebels... Although one day maybe. Hopefully this year there will give me insight into it.

Efeosa20 karma

DOPE_AS_FUCK_COOK18 karma

How was it meeting Jimmy Kimmel?

Best of luck to you, if you ever need a good meal give me a shout.

Efeosa27 karma

HEAVYWEIGHTS LOVE GOOD MEALS!

stinkymcgrunts17 karma

I love that there are good people out there who are willing to take steps to improve lives of people they don't know. I don't really have a question, but wanted to say that I admire you (and your magnificent beard) and the ability to squeeze into that tiny little hut. Seeing the smiles of the kids in the video and the beautiful people you were helping makes me think that humanity is actually going to be ok.

Efeosa14 karma

Thanks so much bro! You really just encouraged me! If I could ask you for a favor... Please share this cause!

http://igg.me/at/FightForTheForgotten/x/2539743

stinkymcgrunts11 karma

Done deal and a small donation made...I wish I had more to give. Hopefully it can go to help some kids get a simple pill they need to keep them alive and smiling.

Efeosa18 karma

YOU ARE THE MAN!!!

GaylordSexton13 karma

How did you end up becoming a UFC fighter?

How did you end up going from a UFC professional to freeing slaves?

Efeosa32 karma

It was a goal since I was 13. Started wrestling at 15, National Champion wrestler by 17. Lived at The United States Olympic Education and Training Center for Greco Roman wrestling.

Debuted my pro fighting career at 19...

Filming Ultimate Fighter reality show at 21

it aired when I was 22...

I am on a win streak but am taking time off to go to the pygmies for a year. I have been two one month trips... This one year will be when we see 1,000 be set free.

blah4life12 karma

Much respect, man! Looking forward to seeing you in the UFC again someday!

Efeosa26 karma

Thanks bro! I am hoping to really make a push when I get back. Now I have an even bigger purpose to fight for :-) When I fight against a person I will be fighting for a people!

blah4life6 karma

Thank YOU! Your video made my day yesterday when I saw it. Very cool to hear you're a martial artist, and doing something so positive in your off time.

Efeosa11 karma

Thanks so much for that! You can help me cast the vision! That'd be a HUGE HELP!

I am going to launch into a journey into the the Jungle for a year to set 1,000 slaves free (minimum!). Please Share this! http://igg.me/at/FightForTheForgotten/x/2539743

The_MSPainter9 karma

What was your initial reaction when you discovered the sudden popularity?

Efeosa19 karma

I didn't know why! But I am thankful... I am hoping it will help my cause and my journey to the jungle for a year to see 1,000 Mbuti Slaves be set free! Woot woot!

http://igg.me/at/FightForTheForgotten/x/2539743

Veeks8 karma

Do you plan to go back to UFC, or are you going to stick with humanitarian work? What's your plan after this year?

Thanks for being awesome, and good luck with the indiegogo!

edit: you should add the link to the indiegogo in the description of the Youtube video!

Efeosa15 karma

Bro GREAT idea! THANKS SO SO MUCH!

Slankachu5 karma

What is one or some of your most memorable experiences from your time in Congo so far?

Efeosa9 karma

Good or bad?

Efeosa40 karma

Good: Being given my name... Efeosa: The man who loves us. I will admit. I cried.

Okay/Surreal: Waking up to a dream of sinking in quicksand. Almost like if you had a dream falling through the sky but sinking instead. I had this dream because I was waking up in the rain, sleeping on the dirt... Which turned to mud. Surprisingly... I woke up with a smile. It's a labor from love.

Almost worst.: Being inches away from stepping on a Black Mamba the Pygmies killed for me!

Worst... Having a one and a half year old die in my hands and burying him after.

lifeishowitis5 karma

What made you visit the pygmies in the first place? Did you go to the Congo for that purpose, or were you there visiting the friends you mentioned maybe and...?

I think it is great that you are going the route where you buy their freedom instead of getting the "higher up corrupt involved." What were your reasons for going this route? I would love to see a whole article on that, it reminds me of the work the Nature Conservancy does, except a million times better.

Efeosa14 karma

Doing some interviews on it today!

I went there for them, and was accepted as family. SOOO glad I did. Couldn't imagine doing anything better with my life.

blah4life5 karma

Forwarding to everyone I know. Be safe out there, m'man.

Efeosa9 karma

YOU ARE AWESOME!!!

white_headphones5 karma

Hey man! You definitely have an interesting story, glad to see someone so passionate and ready to leave home to help others. My question: How are you dealing with the language barrier? What dialect does the tribe speak?

P.S. I, too, live in Africa. There are a lot of the stares and giggles from children everywhere you go. Never changes!

Efeosa8 karma

I have four of my best friends that are Congolese and they go with me... And I am currently trying to learn the language :-)

SrJulioSchlongenburg5 karma

Good luck on hunting Kony!

Efeosa28 karma

I'll be avoiding rebels... However, if I see that one in particular I might give my life trying to take him out. LRA have EATEN my Pygmy family...