Imagine having family a member detained against her will in a foreign country for six weeks. That is what is happening to the families of Laura Ling, Sacramento native and Current TV reporter, and Current TV editor Euna Lee, who were both arrested by North Korean officials on March 21.

Sacramento's residents and the journalists' supporters are being asked to attend a candlelight vigil at Del Campo High School from 7 to 8 p.m. The vigil is being organized in part by Brendon McShane Creamer, creator of a Facebook group dedicated to Ling and Lee, and in part by Del Campo staff, including English teacher Jim Jordan, who was Ling's honors English teacher during her junior year in Del Campo.

The goal of the vigil is to raise awareness of the journalists' situation.

Deepak and Gotham Chopra, close family friends of the Lings, wrote in an Intent.com blog that Laura Ling and Euna Lee were detained while reporting on a story near the Chinese-North Korean border. Though they are reportedly being held in a governmental guest house, there are also reports that they will soon be tried for very serious crimes which include allegedly crossing the border illegally, and espionage.

"It was just over seven years ago that former President George W. Bush identified North Korea infamously as a member of his ‘axis of evil.’ Whether or not that was fair to begin with, today -- depending on how North Korea proceeds with Laura Ling and Euna Lee -- they now have a chance to shed the ugly stigma of that label," wrote the Chopras.

"Most people don't know that two American journalists have been held for six weeks in North Korea. We have no idea what is happening behind the scenes, but we want our government officials to negotiate for their release," said Jordan.

Laura Ling and her older sister Lisa Ling both participated in Del Campo's newspaper, and were both high school journalists. Lisa Ling is a well known reporter who is perhaps most famous for being a host on The View, numerous CNN appearances, and her investigative reporting for The Oprah Winfrey Show.

In a message on the vigil's Facebook page, Lisa Ling said that she was not attending the vigil and she asked for people to "please understand that due to the extreme sensitivity of the case, it is vital for our families to stay quiet. Please know however, that when you are out there holding those candles, that we are there with you with fires lit in our hearts."

Sacramento's vigil was originally planned in conjunction with another outside the Current TV offices in San Francisco, but both have been consolidated to the Del Campo location due to the proximity of the Current TV offices to tomorrow's Giants-Dodgers game at AT&T Park.

According to Creamer, 2,000 people are expected, mostly the 1900 students of Del Campo, but also faculty, alumni, and the family and friends of the two women. He also said Mayor Kevin Johnson's Chief of Staff Kunal Merchant will try to be there.

Currently, Creamer’s Facebook group has 2700 people, but it is growing rapidly. Creamer mentioned that "there will be [a vigil] in San Francisco if needed. It's creating its own momentum right now."

"There are vigils going on around the world," said Creamer. "There are vigils going on in Africa, Asia, Europe and North America from what I've heard."

In addition to attending the vigil, "people need to write their legislators and people in Washington as well as the media, to help keep it in the public eye. These are true journalists telling hard stories, and they are telling dangerous stories, and we need to support them," said Jordan.

Del Campo High School is located at 4925 Dewey Drive in Fair Oaks.

*Images courtesy Facebook Group 'Detained In North Korea : Journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee, please help.'