Today is my last day in Gulu and I am saying goodbye with mixed feelings. I've seen what I needed to see here, for now, and learnt what I needed to learn. It's time to go, but the leaving is bittersweet. I will really miss this place and the people -the beating heart of Africa. I will also miss the quality of the teaching and the intimacy of worship I have enjoyed here. I worked my last shifts at the Babies Home during the week and had the privilege of welcoming some new babies into the nursery - wee Daniel, who's mother died giving birth to him, arrived at just 2 days old; fragile Prossy, who is battling malnutrition and a host of other medical problems, who is a year old and just lost her mother to TB...her limbs are like matchsticks and she is not far off the weight or size of newborn Daniel; and a set of beautiful triplet girls, with mother in tow, who are staying in the unit temporarily to try and support the mother's breastfeeding.
My morning will be spent packing all of my gear, once again, and my afternoon will be spent doing one last circuit of town and one last visit to the Home for a round of goodbyes and cuddles. We will be setting out for Kampala at a respectable 8 am tomorrow morning and will reach the main city 5-7 hours later, all going well. From there I'll have 5 days in Kampala, before flying out to Kenya for a week on the 2nd. On the 2nd I have a very early 3.30 am start, to ensure I am on my 7.50 am flight. Arriving in Nairobi, I will be picked up from the airport by a tour company and start my 5 day safari with a gruelling 10 hour drive to camp! I imagine that my eyes will be hanging out of my head by the time I reach my tent in the middle of the Masaai Mara. With roads being as they are, hopefully my stomach won't be hanging out as well. After touring the Mara, Amoboseli and Tsavo (east and west) national parks I'll be heading back to Nairobi for 2 very quiet days at a backpackers, before heading back to the airport for my 36 hour journey home (departing 9th, arriving in Welly on the evening of the 11th). Phew! Then I will look forward to 4 short days to recover from all that before heading back to work!
I will probably manage one more post before leaving Uganda, but am unlikely to have phone or Internet in Kenya unless I find a cafe on my travels... until I hit an international airport with wifi...I'm guessing Dubai.
Sunday, 24 November 2013
Sunday, 17 November 2013
Out and About - Part ll
After a record five day stretch without any power, the latter part of the week has been spent getting to know Gulu better. Friday was my day off, so I arranged for one of the Boda drivers to take us on a tour of local NGOS. Tony has been working to create relationships with many of the local NGOS because he is keen to show as many people as he can about all of the positive work being done here. Rather than taking us to see the standard tourist destinations, Tony took Hannah (my favorite Irish volunteer) and I off the tourist map and into Kirombe for an authentic taste of village life. We wound our way along some 'interesting' 'roads'...(think mud slip-and-slide meets roller coaster, meets goat track), piled 3-up on a Boda. The word "Mummy!" may have been uttered a few times by the pillions on the back, but it was also interspersed with lots of laughter and "oohs" and "ahhs" as we passed some really pretty scenery and stopped to hang out with the locals.
Our first NGO visit was at Invisible Children.(www.invisiblechildren.com). I'm sure the website can explain their operation better than I can, but basically this NGO was established by a bunch of people who went to south Sudan to make a documentary, but ended up noticing a huge body of children commuting into town and sleeping in bus parks each night, to avoid being abducted by the LRA. Now they have a comprehensive and very effective operation going, which outreaches into areas where the LRA are located and provides ways for child soldiers to defect and return to their families. They make use of radio to broadcast messages from families to soldiers on the ground. Radio is also used as an alert system from village to village, to warn that the LRA is nearby. Invisible Children also conducts air drops of thousands of flyers in LRA areas. The flyers are picked up by soldiers wishing to defect...they show them where and how and also contain information that helps to counter the indoctrination and psychological torment dished out by the LRA.
Once soldiers have defected there is a comprehensive rehabilitation programme in place to help them re-enter their communities successfully. Women abducted as soldier's wives, and their children, are also helped by this programme. Invisible Children offers scholarships, schools supporting schools, teacher exchange and training, village savings and loan schemes, water, sanitation and hygiene projects, literacy support and vocational projects, like 'Mend', to assist with the rehabilitation process. Amazing, targeted & relevant and effective work being done by these folk. After Invisible Children, we visited Remnant, Crochet Kids, 31 Bits and Mend, all of which were set up in quiet little compounds in the back blocks of Kirombe village.
Remnant is an organization that has imported screen printing equipment and designs a line of fashion items which are sold overseas. They specifically look after Congalese women who were dumped by LRA soldiers in Uganda during the conflicts. These women are more vulnerable because they have no family here, are women in a male dominated, poverty stricken, postwar society and...they don't speak the local language! In addition to providing them with work, Remnant also has a comprehensive rehabilitation programme to take care of the womens' physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing (along with their children). A few accidental purchases were made here - to support the cause, of course.
Crochet Kids is a similar operation, kick-started by a group of Christian college guys who used to crochet beanies for their friends. It is now a 150 women strong team of crocheting ladies - many of whom have babies sitting nearby - and a team who manage the production line in a small building within the compound. They continue to expand on a line of different fashion items like hats, beanies, headbands, purses etc that are marketed overseas. Each item bears the name of the woman who made it and their stories can be found online. A happy bunch of ladies who are desperately in need of an in-house childcare facility! 31 Bits is, again, similar and based on Psalm 31. They make beautiful paper beads from locally sourced, recycled paper and turn them into beautiful jewelery and embroidery items for the overseas market. Mend do similar with high end, designer purses which bear the name and story of their makers. All fantastic organisation's which are providing women with freedom in every aspect of their lives.
We finished off our tour by taking Tony out for lunch. We figured we owed him that, given that we took way longer than any of his previous clients, on account of the fact that we yakked with anyone and everyone we encountered! Lunch with Tony took a somewhat sombre turn, however, when we started asking him questions about his personal life. As it turns out, Tony was raised in a polygamist family. His father had numerous wives and he was one of 27 children. It was amazing and disturbing to learn about the reality of these families...the conflict and struggles that go on - wives and their extended families fighting each other for position, scheming to get their children ahead; children losing hope and committing suicide by insecticide, because Daddy chose to buy a younger son a bicycle, rather than an older son shoes so he was allowed to attend school. And then the struggle of these children on all levels to make their way as adults. Tony is still beset by struggles on every side. It is amazing to me that he still chooses to be honest, honorable and good, when it would be so much easier to take a different path. Throughout the tour, Tony's good standing within the whole community was plainly evident. A humble guy who makes every effort to develop relationships with others and find ways to promote their causes, rather than his own. Very humbling and tragic because I am certain his story is one among thousands here.
So that was Friday...my day off. Yesterday, after working a morning shift, we took another tour to Fort Patiko, situated some 45 minutes drive out of central Gulu. Another great drive through small trading posts and settlements, along rough roads, to arrive at the remnants of an old Arab slave-trading post and Samuel Baker's fort. What an amazing place, consisting of some mighty slabs of flat rock, piles of giant rocks which had caves underneath, and brick fortifications. The basic story of this place, (from what I could gather from Salvatore - the colorful tour guide at the fort), is that Arabs abducted thousands of Africans, brought them to this holding and sorting facility, killed off the old and weak ones and made the rest march back and forth with supplies, between Africa and Egypt and beyond! They also sold them off as slaves in various places. We were shown the various trenches, courtyards, jails, sleeping quarters and execution spots. The axe marks are still visible in the rock, to show where prisoners were beheaded. Samuel Baker was instrumental in putting a stop to it all, from what I can ascertain.
Aside from this macabre history, I couldn't help imagining the other history of the place which remained untold...This giant outcrop of rock, with its caves and flat sections, rising out of the prairies, could easily have been frequented by much earlier civilisations. The views and scenery were astounding - another taste of pure Africa - and it was my very first encounter with the 'sausage tree' a rather comical looking specimen, which had sausage like appendages hanging on strings from every branch...who knew? We retreated from our rock hopping and I had just enough time to hang out with some local children and make it back to the land rover before the violently dark, purple sky let forth it's issue. Perfect timing for us...not so much for the bus load of university students we left in our wake.
My time here is rapidly drawing to a close. I am conscious that I will be leaving Gulu in just over a week, Uganda in just over another week and Africa a mere week after that! Still wrapping my head around all of that, but in the meantime, it's back to work.
Our first NGO visit was at Invisible Children.(www.invisiblechildren.com). I'm sure the website can explain their operation better than I can, but basically this NGO was established by a bunch of people who went to south Sudan to make a documentary, but ended up noticing a huge body of children commuting into town and sleeping in bus parks each night, to avoid being abducted by the LRA. Now they have a comprehensive and very effective operation going, which outreaches into areas where the LRA are located and provides ways for child soldiers to defect and return to their families. They make use of radio to broadcast messages from families to soldiers on the ground. Radio is also used as an alert system from village to village, to warn that the LRA is nearby. Invisible Children also conducts air drops of thousands of flyers in LRA areas. The flyers are picked up by soldiers wishing to defect...they show them where and how and also contain information that helps to counter the indoctrination and psychological torment dished out by the LRA.
Once soldiers have defected there is a comprehensive rehabilitation programme in place to help them re-enter their communities successfully. Women abducted as soldier's wives, and their children, are also helped by this programme. Invisible Children offers scholarships, schools supporting schools, teacher exchange and training, village savings and loan schemes, water, sanitation and hygiene projects, literacy support and vocational projects, like 'Mend', to assist with the rehabilitation process. Amazing, targeted & relevant and effective work being done by these folk. After Invisible Children, we visited Remnant, Crochet Kids, 31 Bits and Mend, all of which were set up in quiet little compounds in the back blocks of Kirombe village.
Remnant is an organization that has imported screen printing equipment and designs a line of fashion items which are sold overseas. They specifically look after Congalese women who were dumped by LRA soldiers in Uganda during the conflicts. These women are more vulnerable because they have no family here, are women in a male dominated, poverty stricken, postwar society and...they don't speak the local language! In addition to providing them with work, Remnant also has a comprehensive rehabilitation programme to take care of the womens' physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing (along with their children). A few accidental purchases were made here - to support the cause, of course.
Crochet Kids is a similar operation, kick-started by a group of Christian college guys who used to crochet beanies for their friends. It is now a 150 women strong team of crocheting ladies - many of whom have babies sitting nearby - and a team who manage the production line in a small building within the compound. They continue to expand on a line of different fashion items like hats, beanies, headbands, purses etc that are marketed overseas. Each item bears the name of the woman who made it and their stories can be found online. A happy bunch of ladies who are desperately in need of an in-house childcare facility! 31 Bits is, again, similar and based on Psalm 31. They make beautiful paper beads from locally sourced, recycled paper and turn them into beautiful jewelery and embroidery items for the overseas market. Mend do similar with high end, designer purses which bear the name and story of their makers. All fantastic organisation's which are providing women with freedom in every aspect of their lives.
We finished off our tour by taking Tony out for lunch. We figured we owed him that, given that we took way longer than any of his previous clients, on account of the fact that we yakked with anyone and everyone we encountered! Lunch with Tony took a somewhat sombre turn, however, when we started asking him questions about his personal life. As it turns out, Tony was raised in a polygamist family. His father had numerous wives and he was one of 27 children. It was amazing and disturbing to learn about the reality of these families...the conflict and struggles that go on - wives and their extended families fighting each other for position, scheming to get their children ahead; children losing hope and committing suicide by insecticide, because Daddy chose to buy a younger son a bicycle, rather than an older son shoes so he was allowed to attend school. And then the struggle of these children on all levels to make their way as adults. Tony is still beset by struggles on every side. It is amazing to me that he still chooses to be honest, honorable and good, when it would be so much easier to take a different path. Throughout the tour, Tony's good standing within the whole community was plainly evident. A humble guy who makes every effort to develop relationships with others and find ways to promote their causes, rather than his own. Very humbling and tragic because I am certain his story is one among thousands here.
So that was Friday...my day off. Yesterday, after working a morning shift, we took another tour to Fort Patiko, situated some 45 minutes drive out of central Gulu. Another great drive through small trading posts and settlements, along rough roads, to arrive at the remnants of an old Arab slave-trading post and Samuel Baker's fort. What an amazing place, consisting of some mighty slabs of flat rock, piles of giant rocks which had caves underneath, and brick fortifications. The basic story of this place, (from what I could gather from Salvatore - the colorful tour guide at the fort), is that Arabs abducted thousands of Africans, brought them to this holding and sorting facility, killed off the old and weak ones and made the rest march back and forth with supplies, between Africa and Egypt and beyond! They also sold them off as slaves in various places. We were shown the various trenches, courtyards, jails, sleeping quarters and execution spots. The axe marks are still visible in the rock, to show where prisoners were beheaded. Samuel Baker was instrumental in putting a stop to it all, from what I can ascertain.
Aside from this macabre history, I couldn't help imagining the other history of the place which remained untold...This giant outcrop of rock, with its caves and flat sections, rising out of the prairies, could easily have been frequented by much earlier civilisations. The views and scenery were astounding - another taste of pure Africa - and it was my very first encounter with the 'sausage tree' a rather comical looking specimen, which had sausage like appendages hanging on strings from every branch...who knew? We retreated from our rock hopping and I had just enough time to hang out with some local children and make it back to the land rover before the violently dark, purple sky let forth it's issue. Perfect timing for us...not so much for the bus load of university students we left in our wake.
My time here is rapidly drawing to a close. I am conscious that I will be leaving Gulu in just over a week, Uganda in just over another week and Africa a mere week after that! Still wrapping my head around all of that, but in the meantime, it's back to work.
Saturday, 9 November 2013
On the Receiving End
A week in sunny Gulu has passed quickly. I am adjusting to the heat surprisingly well and have settled into the place quickly, with no qualms about navigating my way around the rustic township. The babies home in Gulu is well organized in many respects and while there will always be room for improvement, I feel there is less work for me to do here. Rather, it appears there is work to be done here in me. :/
Throughout my trip, God has been speaking to me about intimacy and intimate relationship. There is truly no place like the mission field for reminding you of your woundedness and self-limiting beliefs. I am being shown the full extent to which, through fear and mistrust, I keep everyone and everything at arms length - which, in turn, is preventing me from reaching my fullest potential and realising God's purpose for my life.
For example, I've never been much good at prayer and now I'm beginning to understand why...prayer IS intimate relationship. Open, trusting, surrendered communion and worship, with God. I've never felt at ease socially and feel particularly useless at building relationships. Well hello...!? I've also come to understand responsibility, even, as a form of intimacy. I have resisted putting myself alongside anything, standing for a worthy cause, making decisions that will make a mark on the world, or committing myself to anyone least my unworthiness be revealed. I've been keeping God at a distance for a long time too. I have realized that when I pray and fellowship with God, it's the Father, by his Spirit that I commune with. I don't have a sense that I'm talking with Jesus, as such, even though I know and believe that He and the Father and the Spirit are One. A personal relationship with Jesus requires intimacy, openness, vulnerability and trust. It means allowing him to see all my flaws and failings. What a terrifying thought! But He is calling me into this place.
Here in Gulu the ramparts are under constant assault. The teaching is both edifying and convicting, the people are so open and friendly, the environment is ripe with opportunities to network, sow, water and harvest. Hiding in my comfort zone just isn't cutting it. I am being called out, to meet new people, visit new places, give testimony, attend services, cell groups and devotions and form connections with various ministries. Perhaps the most devastating assault to the defences is the worship here. My heart has been laid bare by the angelic and haunting sound (sight, smell and feel) of hundreds of joyful voices lifted up in harmony, in multiple languages. Of bodies pressing and thronging to get into a church and give thanks and praise. It is both humbling and uplifting. I'll say it again, these folks command the presence of God. They worship with abandon and their prayers are attended by the Holiest of Holies. There really is no place to hide from God! He is determined to pour His love into me. Resistance is futile. Having said that, He is doing so with the tenderest touch - like one would give a bird with a broken wing.
In addition, and in no way a coincidence, the theme of the teachings this week has been around guarding your heart and understanding the spiritual power of your words. I am being called to speak only truth and love over myself and others. I've been reading some good books on transforming prayer and mastering love to help me in this regard; also on identifying what it is that we worship and where it is that we run to. Are there things I prioritize over God? Things I won't let go of? Places I run to for comfort that won't give me what I truly need?
At this point I should add that I'm not particularly enjoying being on the receiving end - not at all comfortable with not being the one who is giving the most. I'm realizing that giving is, potentially, another way of being in control, having power and keeping everyone at arms length. God seems to have other plans for me here. He is laying me low in terms of both energy and motivation to prove a point: that I am not worthy based on what I can give. I am worthy because He has made me worthy...still coming to terms with that wee gem...and left with another question:
Who am I when I'm not trying to be worthy? What work does God have for me once I'm done giving for my own edification?
Sunday, 3 November 2013
Gulu - The Real Deal
Okay...so the long trip to Gulu turned out to be just that, after a rather disorganized start, which is how things seem to happen in Africa. The plan can change suddenly and you just have to grin and get on with it. We were supposed to get picked up early, head into town to pick up more volunteers and then head north - leaving about 8.30 and arriving about 1.30pm. Instead, the town volunteers got picked up at 6am, then they came to get us about 8.30 and we went back into town again! So we didn't end up leaving town until about 10...which meant we didn't arrive in Gulu till just after 5pm. First impressions of Gulu: hot, rustic and very friendly. I feel like I'm in the real Africa now. And did I mention hot?
The following day was also spent in the van, touring around some of the major spots in Gulu. Our first mission was to make the drive out to Laminadera Children's Village, which is where Watoto babies go when they become old enough to be housed in families. This journey was the highlight of my trip so far, especially the part where we got lost in the back blocks of Africa. All of the roads out here are red clay. Some people pay good money to enjoy theme park rides. We got the best of them for free! The country is just stunning. As we passed small trading posts, people doing their washing and bathing in the streams, clusters of grass huts, animals of all descriptions and the most beautiful, wild flora and fauna, I found myself musing that I'd be quite happy to be left out there for the rest of my days.
We strayed far enough that when we stopped to ask for directions, the people eyed us with a wariness that suggested they hadn't seen white folk in a mighty long time. There was a fair amount of comedy involved in trying to ascertain where we were and how to get where we needed to be, given that our constituents spoke a mix of English and Lugandan, while the locals speak various hybrids of Acholi. We eventually worked out that we needed to go back a few trading posts and make a turn that we hadn't seen, which we did, finally arriving at the village. I should note at this point that I can see why they are collecting money for projects. The road into the village would have suited a large tractor better. Our driver did an admirable job to get us within walking distance.
As soon as the children saw us, they came flooding out of the classrooms and play areas, fighting to hold our hands. The girls crawled on their knees to try and keep up, which I found very disconcerting. The culture here is for women and children to bow down in the presence of men or those of supposedly higher status, until they are given permission to stand (don't get any ideas guys...). We looked around the school and then went to look at the children's homes...similar in set up to Suubi and Bbira, but still being developed. The place had such a peaceful country feel to it and also bordered the local community - an unusual juxtaposition of the traditional mud and grass hut clusters and red bricked homes. Again, I would have been happy to stay in this place long term.
Eventually we wound our way back into town, stopping in for a quick tour and meet & greet at the church. Then, after a quick bite, we went for a tour of Living Hope. This organization was set up to help women who were raped and traumatized by LRA soldiers during the war here. These women literally had nowhere to go, so Living Hope was established to give them a place to heal and rebuild. Currently, their operation includes a sewing room and peanut butter factory. They are also developing a shea butter factory. The women make items like aprons and bags, as well as peanut butter, which is sold through touring Watoto Children's Choirs and elsewhere. There is also a daycare Centre set up to provide for working women with children. The women are given extensive and ongoing counseling and discipleship. A very moving and humbling experience to meet the women there and see them at work.
Finally, we stopped in for what we though would be a quick tour of the Babies Home. This turned into a 2 hour orientation which was a little daunting given that we had been on the go for 2 days. And did I mention the heat? :p The home design is well thought out and there seems to be a higher level of organisation here. The home can cater for 70 odd children, but is currently housing about 40 odd, given a recent resettlement of children to the village. The pace here seems a little more laid back and the people are far more friendly than in the city. Despite all this I am still feeling a bit daunted by the prospect of having to start all over again, learning routines, meeting new people, finding ways to enrich the curriculum...all in only 3 weeks or so. I'm not sure how it manage to make much of a contribution, but I'll try.
What I have realized very quickly is that I have been brought here at a very auspicious time. I have just had the privilege of witnessing an event that has only happened 6 other times since before the birth of Christ (this being the 7th) - a full solar eclipse. Some other countries in the world may have been able to view partial eclipses depending on their location, but the place toted as the best viewing spot for the full show?: Gulu, Uganda. We watched this amazing spectacle from a hotel rooftop, in the middle of town. Oddly enough, later that evening we were hit by a proliferation of locusts, grasshoppers and other insects. They're still crawling around inside and outside of the house this morning, much to the delight of the local birds and cats.
It is also a matter of timing in respect to the people I am meeting here. Before I left home, my flatmate introduced me to a movie called Machine Gun Preacher. It's a movie about a self-confessed, biker hillbilly (Sam) who went to Southern Sudan and ended up fighting Muslim extremists to protect men, women and children who were being slaughtered, tortured and drafted into the LRA against their will. He now has an international ministry and is still hard at work in Sudan (and elsewhere). As 'luck' would have it, one of the bases for his ministry is here in Gulu. In fact, we had the pleasure of enjoying a meal here in our apartment with one of his right-hand men and one of the mothers who is looking after a house load of orphaned children here. It was a full house with 7 volunteers, Chris, Mamma Irene and 8 of her children, ranging in age from 3 and 20yrs.
It's so ironic to me, to be meeting these people. I have been saying to my colleagues that, whilst I have loved the Watoto experience, I still feel I am not operating at my highest potential. Though it would scare me near senseless, I have always said that I'd be in my element if someone dumped me in the middle of a refugee camp in southern Sudan. I have always had an interest in engaging with people from Arab cultures, have worked with refugees back home, learnt to speak some of the language etc. I've never understood the purpose of all that, but here in Gulu I feel I am closer than ever to being in the place God intended for me....who knows what will come of it. Maybe nothing, but it also seems far from coincidental.
However, please dont worry folks, I'm not planning on running off into the wilds of Africa just yet...The lion still has to find a heart! :) I'm the biggest coward I know and am still waging a constant war against the enemy, who sits on my shoulder day and night reminding me of all my flaws and failings. The battle rages on...but I press on in this place with a lot of hope and an ever constant desire to do what is right and good here.
The following day was also spent in the van, touring around some of the major spots in Gulu. Our first mission was to make the drive out to Laminadera Children's Village, which is where Watoto babies go when they become old enough to be housed in families. This journey was the highlight of my trip so far, especially the part where we got lost in the back blocks of Africa. All of the roads out here are red clay. Some people pay good money to enjoy theme park rides. We got the best of them for free! The country is just stunning. As we passed small trading posts, people doing their washing and bathing in the streams, clusters of grass huts, animals of all descriptions and the most beautiful, wild flora and fauna, I found myself musing that I'd be quite happy to be left out there for the rest of my days.
We strayed far enough that when we stopped to ask for directions, the people eyed us with a wariness that suggested they hadn't seen white folk in a mighty long time. There was a fair amount of comedy involved in trying to ascertain where we were and how to get where we needed to be, given that our constituents spoke a mix of English and Lugandan, while the locals speak various hybrids of Acholi. We eventually worked out that we needed to go back a few trading posts and make a turn that we hadn't seen, which we did, finally arriving at the village. I should note at this point that I can see why they are collecting money for projects. The road into the village would have suited a large tractor better. Our driver did an admirable job to get us within walking distance.
As soon as the children saw us, they came flooding out of the classrooms and play areas, fighting to hold our hands. The girls crawled on their knees to try and keep up, which I found very disconcerting. The culture here is for women and children to bow down in the presence of men or those of supposedly higher status, until they are given permission to stand (don't get any ideas guys...). We looked around the school and then went to look at the children's homes...similar in set up to Suubi and Bbira, but still being developed. The place had such a peaceful country feel to it and also bordered the local community - an unusual juxtaposition of the traditional mud and grass hut clusters and red bricked homes. Again, I would have been happy to stay in this place long term.
Eventually we wound our way back into town, stopping in for a quick tour and meet & greet at the church. Then, after a quick bite, we went for a tour of Living Hope. This organization was set up to help women who were raped and traumatized by LRA soldiers during the war here. These women literally had nowhere to go, so Living Hope was established to give them a place to heal and rebuild. Currently, their operation includes a sewing room and peanut butter factory. They are also developing a shea butter factory. The women make items like aprons and bags, as well as peanut butter, which is sold through touring Watoto Children's Choirs and elsewhere. There is also a daycare Centre set up to provide for working women with children. The women are given extensive and ongoing counseling and discipleship. A very moving and humbling experience to meet the women there and see them at work.
Finally, we stopped in for what we though would be a quick tour of the Babies Home. This turned into a 2 hour orientation which was a little daunting given that we had been on the go for 2 days. And did I mention the heat? :p The home design is well thought out and there seems to be a higher level of organisation here. The home can cater for 70 odd children, but is currently housing about 40 odd, given a recent resettlement of children to the village. The pace here seems a little more laid back and the people are far more friendly than in the city. Despite all this I am still feeling a bit daunted by the prospect of having to start all over again, learning routines, meeting new people, finding ways to enrich the curriculum...all in only 3 weeks or so. I'm not sure how it manage to make much of a contribution, but I'll try.
What I have realized very quickly is that I have been brought here at a very auspicious time. I have just had the privilege of witnessing an event that has only happened 6 other times since before the birth of Christ (this being the 7th) - a full solar eclipse. Some other countries in the world may have been able to view partial eclipses depending on their location, but the place toted as the best viewing spot for the full show?: Gulu, Uganda. We watched this amazing spectacle from a hotel rooftop, in the middle of town. Oddly enough, later that evening we were hit by a proliferation of locusts, grasshoppers and other insects. They're still crawling around inside and outside of the house this morning, much to the delight of the local birds and cats.
It is also a matter of timing in respect to the people I am meeting here. Before I left home, my flatmate introduced me to a movie called Machine Gun Preacher. It's a movie about a self-confessed, biker hillbilly (Sam) who went to Southern Sudan and ended up fighting Muslim extremists to protect men, women and children who were being slaughtered, tortured and drafted into the LRA against their will. He now has an international ministry and is still hard at work in Sudan (and elsewhere). As 'luck' would have it, one of the bases for his ministry is here in Gulu. In fact, we had the pleasure of enjoying a meal here in our apartment with one of his right-hand men and one of the mothers who is looking after a house load of orphaned children here. It was a full house with 7 volunteers, Chris, Mamma Irene and 8 of her children, ranging in age from 3 and 20yrs.
It's so ironic to me, to be meeting these people. I have been saying to my colleagues that, whilst I have loved the Watoto experience, I still feel I am not operating at my highest potential. Though it would scare me near senseless, I have always said that I'd be in my element if someone dumped me in the middle of a refugee camp in southern Sudan. I have always had an interest in engaging with people from Arab cultures, have worked with refugees back home, learnt to speak some of the language etc. I've never understood the purpose of all that, but here in Gulu I feel I am closer than ever to being in the place God intended for me....who knows what will come of it. Maybe nothing, but it also seems far from coincidental.
However, please dont worry folks, I'm not planning on running off into the wilds of Africa just yet...The lion still has to find a heart! :) I'm the biggest coward I know and am still waging a constant war against the enemy, who sits on my shoulder day and night reminding me of all my flaws and failings. The battle rages on...but I press on in this place with a lot of hope and an ever constant desire to do what is right and good here.
Friday, 25 October 2013
The Joy of Giving
Another week has flown past, kicked off by an amazing Church service, which really set the tone for the week. It was Miracle Offering week for all of the Watoto churches. People were encouraged to give over and above their usual offerings, for the upkeep and development of all the churches across Uganda. Each church has its own needs and projects - a toilet block, an entrance road, a children's church facility and so on. The challenge was to give extravagantly, trusting that God provides seed to the sower and rewards our giving with abundance. The church service was a riot of sound, colour, music and dance - all done with so much joy and celebration that I was moved to tears and thoroughly humbled. What a privilege to witness such joyful, grateful and lavish giving-back, to the source of all provision.
As my time at Suubi draws to a close, I have been taking every opportunity to continue my work here and spend time with the children and nannies. The sense of family has been wonderful as these relationships have continued to flourish beyond my expectation. It's going to be heart wrenching to say goodbye to all 'my' babies.In the spirit of giving, I went round each unit yesterday with my newly established ministry in chocolate! I gifted a sing-along songbook, with cd, to each babies unit - to support their efforts to engage positively with the children; I also shared my appreciation and encouragement to all of the nannies through words and chocolate. The nannies were delighted to receive a small treat for all their hard work. They were also really grateful to have their commitment and devotion recognized and acknowledged in some way.
I was surprised, moved and really humbled to be gifted a book of thanksgiving, which each nanny (and some others) from the current shift had written in, sharing their feedback and appreciation towards me. It's something I will treasure for all of my days - more so because I am the only volunteer to have received something like this, that I know of. It's a relief to know I have had some positive impact in the lives of the nannies and the children. I will be spending my last few days with the next shift of nannies and with the children, in a similar vein...as long as i can restrain myself from sampling the chocolate. Actually, the chocolate is pretty safe, but thanks to my fellow roomies, I seem to have developed a rather nasty Pringles addiction!
This week I felt moved to invest in some more teaching aids, for the remedial reading unit at the primary school here. Many children are still struggling with the basics, given their limited grasp of the English language, which is the medium of instruction here. I bought a set of 50 books, which teach phonics and literacy at 4 different reading levels. This unit is not resourced or supported all that well, so Jean (the sole teacher there) was really excited to receive them. I have also been led, in careful consideration, to contribute a sum of money to a recent Watoto graduate who feels called to establish a ministry in evangelistic media here. The money will go towards the equipment and supplies required to get his business up and running. He is one of the first generation of children, that started out in the babies homes as abandoned orphans, to leave Watoto villages and establish themselves as contributing members of society. Many of these young adults are stepping into professions as doctors, lawyers, teachers, managers, engineers and the like. Amazing, given their humble beginnings and a real testament to what Watoto achieves here. I believe he will do very well as he is a hard working, zealous and disciplined young man.
I will make my way back to Kampala, for our monthly volunteer's meeting, on Wednesday. From there it will be an overnight stay and an early start for the long trip to Gulu, on Thursday. I will then be working hard to establish new relationships with a whole new set of nannies and children, many of whom have experienced a lot of trauma through war. I will also have to acquaint myself with new routines and find my way around the village...by boda boda (motorbike taxi) this time! I also remain hopeful that my good run of health will continue in Gulu as it is far more remote and the services far more basic there. It's going to be a busy week!
As my time at Suubi draws to a close, I have been taking every opportunity to continue my work here and spend time with the children and nannies. The sense of family has been wonderful as these relationships have continued to flourish beyond my expectation. It's going to be heart wrenching to say goodbye to all 'my' babies.In the spirit of giving, I went round each unit yesterday with my newly established ministry in chocolate! I gifted a sing-along songbook, with cd, to each babies unit - to support their efforts to engage positively with the children; I also shared my appreciation and encouragement to all of the nannies through words and chocolate. The nannies were delighted to receive a small treat for all their hard work. They were also really grateful to have their commitment and devotion recognized and acknowledged in some way.
I was surprised, moved and really humbled to be gifted a book of thanksgiving, which each nanny (and some others) from the current shift had written in, sharing their feedback and appreciation towards me. It's something I will treasure for all of my days - more so because I am the only volunteer to have received something like this, that I know of. It's a relief to know I have had some positive impact in the lives of the nannies and the children. I will be spending my last few days with the next shift of nannies and with the children, in a similar vein...as long as i can restrain myself from sampling the chocolate. Actually, the chocolate is pretty safe, but thanks to my fellow roomies, I seem to have developed a rather nasty Pringles addiction!
This week I felt moved to invest in some more teaching aids, for the remedial reading unit at the primary school here. Many children are still struggling with the basics, given their limited grasp of the English language, which is the medium of instruction here. I bought a set of 50 books, which teach phonics and literacy at 4 different reading levels. This unit is not resourced or supported all that well, so Jean (the sole teacher there) was really excited to receive them. I have also been led, in careful consideration, to contribute a sum of money to a recent Watoto graduate who feels called to establish a ministry in evangelistic media here. The money will go towards the equipment and supplies required to get his business up and running. He is one of the first generation of children, that started out in the babies homes as abandoned orphans, to leave Watoto villages and establish themselves as contributing members of society. Many of these young adults are stepping into professions as doctors, lawyers, teachers, managers, engineers and the like. Amazing, given their humble beginnings and a real testament to what Watoto achieves here. I believe he will do very well as he is a hard working, zealous and disciplined young man.
I will make my way back to Kampala, for our monthly volunteer's meeting, on Wednesday. From there it will be an overnight stay and an early start for the long trip to Gulu, on Thursday. I will then be working hard to establish new relationships with a whole new set of nannies and children, many of whom have experienced a lot of trauma through war. I will also have to acquaint myself with new routines and find my way around the village...by boda boda (motorbike taxi) this time! I also remain hopeful that my good run of health will continue in Gulu as it is far more remote and the services far more basic there. It's going to be a busy week!
Friday, 18 October 2013
Challenges and Breakthroughs
It's been a week of challenges and breakthroughs. I've been working hard to try and achieve my brief - to organize activities for the children in the unit I have been working in, while here in Suubi. The girls in the other units have had some really good results. I think this is partly because there was more scope for improvement in their rooms. The children are older and were acting up more. The nannies seem to have realized that splitting the children into smaller groups and giving them something constructive to do, makes their lives a little more bearable. They have, therefore, been more receptive to the ideas of the volunteers. Not so in my unit. The babies unit is a different kettle of fish, admittedly, because of the relative mobility and development of the children. The nannies tend to spend the majority of their day camped in the centre of the room amid a writhing sea of babies. I guess they enjoy the social aspect of this grouping and it is possibly easier not to have to move around with 5 babies in tow. It has, therefore, been more difficult to convince these nannies that their babies would benefit from different learning experiences in varying locations.
Another challenge I have faced is working collaboratively with the unit head in the room. I have had to try and 'encourage' her to support my initiatives, without threatening her tight hold on the leadership of that room. I have struggled with a lot of her priorities and decisions for the children and nannies. I've had to quietly challenge incidences of blatant favoritism and hypocrisy, without stirring up wrath. This has proved at times to be very frustrating and discouraging. In terms of self-confidence, I have always been easily toppled, so it has been hard sometimes to find the will to face a new day in the unit, in the wake of the previous day's defeats. I have constantly had to remind myself that the battle is not mine to win, I'm just required to keep showing up and being of service.
Having said that, I feel some minor victories have been won this week. My approach in the unit has been to try and be as humble, helpful and supportive as possible. Some of the nannies have been ill during the week, so I have tried to help them more with their babies and provide the odd painkiller, or word of encouragement. With the unit head I have basically bowed and scraped and attended to the lowly tasks, spending long hours at the kitchen sink doing dishes, folding washing, cleaning floors, changing soiled nappies etc. During this time I have tried to act on opportunities for introducing activities, by asking her "would you like me to get some... or... for the children to play with? Would you like that inside, or on the grass outside? Can I polish your shoes for you at the same time?" And so on...
After a particularly difficult afternoon of resistance from the unit head and the nannies, I was invited the following morning to join one of their impromptu team meeting/pep talks. I was amazed to hear the unit head using all of the words I had been saying to her over the previous weeks, grilling the nannies about splitting into smaller groups in different areas, spending one on one time with their babies, engaging in different activities to help their development, talking with their babies etc. She then had an interactive session where she asked all of the nannies what their best and worst experiences were with Watoto, what they appreciated about their colleagues and work and what they would like to change. I was also invited to share my responses to these questions.
During this time of sharing, I was complimented on my commitment to the unit, my hard work, my loving approach to the babies and also for the way I introduced activities and helped out without telling everyone what to do. ??? Well blow me down with a feather! I'd never have guessed it. Did I mention my discovery that the word Suubi means 'hope'?... I was able to then turn around to every woman in that room and compliment and thank them individually for their unique strengths and abilities - providing very specific, positive feedback to each of the nannies. I also told the unit head that I thought she was a strong leader and that I could see God was at the forefront of everything she did. I really choked on those words and struggled to get them out, given my experiences and feelings towards her..but I managed to convey these thoughts sincerely and with a positive focus. I could see that all of them were very surprised by my words, surprised that I had noticed their efforts and talents individually.
From that moment on, my relationships with everyone in the unit have taken on a new life. I feel that the unit head and I have silently acknowledged each other's authority and implicitly agreed on a way of working more together. I am still acquiescent, but she is a whole lot more welcoming of my input and now asks me to provide the activities etc. As long as she is the one making the decisions, she is happy to make them, taking my ideas into account. Phew! Thank God for that! It's just a shame that it's taken so long to reach this point. I only have 2 more weeks here in Suubi. That very day of breakthrough, I received word that my posting for the final month of my stay will be in Gulu - a large town situated in the north of Uganda, about 7 hours drive from here.
It is now malaria season proper and Gulu is apparently hotter and more primitive; a rural, village setting with mud huts, thatched rooves and frequent and enduring power outages. Having said that, all of the volunteers I have spoken with are agreed that Gulu has been their favorite Watoto home. I'm pleased to be able to work in Gulu and see more of Uganda, before I head briefly to Kenya and then fly home. Time is flying past. By the time I leave Suubi, I'll be at the half way point in my journey. Progress has been made, however slow in coming, but there is so much more work to be done...enough for a lifetime, I think.
Another challenge I have faced is working collaboratively with the unit head in the room. I have had to try and 'encourage' her to support my initiatives, without threatening her tight hold on the leadership of that room. I have struggled with a lot of her priorities and decisions for the children and nannies. I've had to quietly challenge incidences of blatant favoritism and hypocrisy, without stirring up wrath. This has proved at times to be very frustrating and discouraging. In terms of self-confidence, I have always been easily toppled, so it has been hard sometimes to find the will to face a new day in the unit, in the wake of the previous day's defeats. I have constantly had to remind myself that the battle is not mine to win, I'm just required to keep showing up and being of service.
Having said that, I feel some minor victories have been won this week. My approach in the unit has been to try and be as humble, helpful and supportive as possible. Some of the nannies have been ill during the week, so I have tried to help them more with their babies and provide the odd painkiller, or word of encouragement. With the unit head I have basically bowed and scraped and attended to the lowly tasks, spending long hours at the kitchen sink doing dishes, folding washing, cleaning floors, changing soiled nappies etc. During this time I have tried to act on opportunities for introducing activities, by asking her "would you like me to get some... or... for the children to play with? Would you like that inside, or on the grass outside? Can I polish your shoes for you at the same time?" And so on...
After a particularly difficult afternoon of resistance from the unit head and the nannies, I was invited the following morning to join one of their impromptu team meeting/pep talks. I was amazed to hear the unit head using all of the words I had been saying to her over the previous weeks, grilling the nannies about splitting into smaller groups in different areas, spending one on one time with their babies, engaging in different activities to help their development, talking with their babies etc. She then had an interactive session where she asked all of the nannies what their best and worst experiences were with Watoto, what they appreciated about their colleagues and work and what they would like to change. I was also invited to share my responses to these questions.
During this time of sharing, I was complimented on my commitment to the unit, my hard work, my loving approach to the babies and also for the way I introduced activities and helped out without telling everyone what to do. ??? Well blow me down with a feather! I'd never have guessed it. Did I mention my discovery that the word Suubi means 'hope'?... I was able to then turn around to every woman in that room and compliment and thank them individually for their unique strengths and abilities - providing very specific, positive feedback to each of the nannies. I also told the unit head that I thought she was a strong leader and that I could see God was at the forefront of everything she did. I really choked on those words and struggled to get them out, given my experiences and feelings towards her..but I managed to convey these thoughts sincerely and with a positive focus. I could see that all of them were very surprised by my words, surprised that I had noticed their efforts and talents individually.
From that moment on, my relationships with everyone in the unit have taken on a new life. I feel that the unit head and I have silently acknowledged each other's authority and implicitly agreed on a way of working more together. I am still acquiescent, but she is a whole lot more welcoming of my input and now asks me to provide the activities etc. As long as she is the one making the decisions, she is happy to make them, taking my ideas into account. Phew! Thank God for that! It's just a shame that it's taken so long to reach this point. I only have 2 more weeks here in Suubi. That very day of breakthrough, I received word that my posting for the final month of my stay will be in Gulu - a large town situated in the north of Uganda, about 7 hours drive from here.
It is now malaria season proper and Gulu is apparently hotter and more primitive; a rural, village setting with mud huts, thatched rooves and frequent and enduring power outages. Having said that, all of the volunteers I have spoken with are agreed that Gulu has been their favorite Watoto home. I'm pleased to be able to work in Gulu and see more of Uganda, before I head briefly to Kenya and then fly home. Time is flying past. By the time I leave Suubi, I'll be at the half way point in my journey. Progress has been made, however slow in coming, but there is so much more work to be done...enough for a lifetime, I think.
Sunday, 13 October 2013
For Whom the Pig Squeals...
This morning I chose to take Jonah up the hill to church. The supervisor was both surprised and pleased with my choice. She told me that no she one had ever shown an interest in taking Jonah before. In his 1+ year of life had never left the Babies Homes or been to church and she was sure he would love it. Jonah is a cool wee guy. During the week when I set up a number of different music activities, Jonah was so enthusiastic about them that he refused to let go of his instruments. The nannies were forced to put him to bed with them and wait until he was asleep to retrieve them.
During the music sessions, Jonah showed a real interest in percussion and would nod his head and groove along to the beat. When he noticed me watching him play, he would raise his eyebrow, his mouth would turn up at one end in a wise old smile, then he would jerk his head up and give me the 'what's up homie' nod. We shared a lot of these moments during the week, so I wanted him to see all the instruments and see people singing and dancing in praise and worship, at the church - because here in Uganda, they really know how to groove! I am quite certain that Jonah will be on a worship team one day.
He was a little apprehensive about leaving everything he knew, to head up the hill with someone he barely knows, but Jonah went along with it. I made sure I arrived just as the youth service had finished, to minimise the chaos for Jonah and give him a chance to settle in and see all the instruments before church started. I also wanted to enter at a time with less people so that Jonah wouldn't feel conspicuous and have people gawking at him. Jonah was born with no legs. I carried him in a sling as we would any baby, to try and take the focus off that fact.
When the music started, I held Jonah facing forward, so that he could see everyone and so he was as free to move as he could be. Jonah watched everyone very carefully and then decided to join in with the praise and worship. It was a really magical moment to see the little guy nodding his head and moving his body in time to the music. He also held one hand up towards the heavens and pumped it, as we claimed the promises of God through song. Such a special moment for me to share with him. He soon wore himself out though and it was time to make our way back home, so he could rest and be in familiar surroundings again.
My working day was done not long after that, so I had my first hearty meal in a few days (my appetite has been non-existent for the last 3 days which, as you all know, is not like me at all!). We were sitting back relaxing and watching a movie in the apartment when I heard a hideous screaming sound. I ran out onto the balcony in time to see a poor sow being dragged by a rope, tied to her foot, and being hit on all sides by 3 men. :( She was overheating, tired and stressed to the point that she was gasping for breath, head drooping, drool coming out of her mouth and sides heaving. I couldn't bear to see her treated that way so this crazy Mzungu went running down to intervene.
The men let the rope go and sat back laughing to watch me. I had a cut up apple in my hand, which has always been enough to lure any pig I've ever known, but she was in such a distressed state she wasn't interested in eating. Instead she slumped against a wall in the hot sun, tried to dig into mud and hide, still gasping for breath. The men tipped water on her and I stood in such a way as to provide her with shade. They let her have a few minutes before coming back to whip her ears until she felt so tormented she got up. We all herded her over the road and up the bank, where she is now tied in the shade of a tree, enjoying a nice apple.
The nannies, security guards, men and children were all laughing at me. I can only imagine what they were thinking, but rather than beating a hasty retreat, I decided to wallow in my shame and talk with a couple of the nannies - explaining that I used to have a couple of pet pigs and a cow which always succumbed to the lure of an apple. They became a lot more friendly when they heard this and even more when they asked what happened to the animals and heard my reply. They laughed really hard when I casually replied: "oh...we ate them..."
This led to a large comparative discussion about farming practices in our respective countries...to our respective cultures...to our respective lives and families...to matters of the world and the spirit. One of the security guards was not Christian, according to the two nannies I spoke with, who were. He sat on the sideline listening to our conversation, with interest. Even more interest when I showed him photos of my beautiful daughter! Our discussion about different religions and beliefs covered a lot of ground and also gave us the opportunity to share our own beliefs and experiences.
I only ran down to save a pig, but I pray that I was also able to sow a seed or two that will produce a good crop in a future season. At the very least, it has allowed me to share time with two nannies that I will be working with in coming weeks, whom I had previously not had a chance to build a relationship with. All in all, a blessed day.
During the music sessions, Jonah showed a real interest in percussion and would nod his head and groove along to the beat. When he noticed me watching him play, he would raise his eyebrow, his mouth would turn up at one end in a wise old smile, then he would jerk his head up and give me the 'what's up homie' nod. We shared a lot of these moments during the week, so I wanted him to see all the instruments and see people singing and dancing in praise and worship, at the church - because here in Uganda, they really know how to groove! I am quite certain that Jonah will be on a worship team one day.
He was a little apprehensive about leaving everything he knew, to head up the hill with someone he barely knows, but Jonah went along with it. I made sure I arrived just as the youth service had finished, to minimise the chaos for Jonah and give him a chance to settle in and see all the instruments before church started. I also wanted to enter at a time with less people so that Jonah wouldn't feel conspicuous and have people gawking at him. Jonah was born with no legs. I carried him in a sling as we would any baby, to try and take the focus off that fact.
When the music started, I held Jonah facing forward, so that he could see everyone and so he was as free to move as he could be. Jonah watched everyone very carefully and then decided to join in with the praise and worship. It was a really magical moment to see the little guy nodding his head and moving his body in time to the music. He also held one hand up towards the heavens and pumped it, as we claimed the promises of God through song. Such a special moment for me to share with him. He soon wore himself out though and it was time to make our way back home, so he could rest and be in familiar surroundings again.
My working day was done not long after that, so I had my first hearty meal in a few days (my appetite has been non-existent for the last 3 days which, as you all know, is not like me at all!). We were sitting back relaxing and watching a movie in the apartment when I heard a hideous screaming sound. I ran out onto the balcony in time to see a poor sow being dragged by a rope, tied to her foot, and being hit on all sides by 3 men. :( She was overheating, tired and stressed to the point that she was gasping for breath, head drooping, drool coming out of her mouth and sides heaving. I couldn't bear to see her treated that way so this crazy Mzungu went running down to intervene.
The men let the rope go and sat back laughing to watch me. I had a cut up apple in my hand, which has always been enough to lure any pig I've ever known, but she was in such a distressed state she wasn't interested in eating. Instead she slumped against a wall in the hot sun, tried to dig into mud and hide, still gasping for breath. The men tipped water on her and I stood in such a way as to provide her with shade. They let her have a few minutes before coming back to whip her ears until she felt so tormented she got up. We all herded her over the road and up the bank, where she is now tied in the shade of a tree, enjoying a nice apple.
The nannies, security guards, men and children were all laughing at me. I can only imagine what they were thinking, but rather than beating a hasty retreat, I decided to wallow in my shame and talk with a couple of the nannies - explaining that I used to have a couple of pet pigs and a cow which always succumbed to the lure of an apple. They became a lot more friendly when they heard this and even more when they asked what happened to the animals and heard my reply. They laughed really hard when I casually replied: "oh...we ate them..."
This led to a large comparative discussion about farming practices in our respective countries...to our respective cultures...to our respective lives and families...to matters of the world and the spirit. One of the security guards was not Christian, according to the two nannies I spoke with, who were. He sat on the sideline listening to our conversation, with interest. Even more interest when I showed him photos of my beautiful daughter! Our discussion about different religions and beliefs covered a lot of ground and also gave us the opportunity to share our own beliefs and experiences.
I only ran down to save a pig, but I pray that I was also able to sow a seed or two that will produce a good crop in a future season. At the very least, it has allowed me to share time with two nannies that I will be working with in coming weeks, whom I had previously not had a chance to build a relationship with. All in all, a blessed day.
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