A Recap

I guess I’ll do a day by day of my weekend -

Thursday
Did some work around the office and the boys from Poder (Ben and Luke) came for the long weekend.

Friday
Well I was able to post a blog in the 20 minutes that we had internet so you know the whole chicken story. Friday was also Uganda’s Independence Day. We didn’t have work and just relaxed and walked around town. Good day.

Saturday
Cammie and Noel had met this woman who volunteers at an orphanage. So Cammie and I (Noel was sick) thought it would be great to go check it out. It’s really an interesting place. First of all, the conditions are pretty deplorable. The people that work there are all extremely motivated and have the best intentions but there are just too many kids with too little money. The only room for the infants smells like the worst port-a-john you can imagine. There were kids all over. Sleeping on the floor, sitting by themselves and keeping themselves entertained. The staff was thrilled to have us and the kids were excited to have people to play with. Well, most were excited. There was this one boy who was completely terrified of all of us Munus (in Kitgum they call us white people “Munu” instead of “Mzungu”). We were also shocked by the complete lack of toys that the children had to play with. They had only one ball, and it was completely deflated. So…..

Sunday
We went to a church service that they actually have in our compound and then all five of us headed to town and bought a bunch of balls, some toys and biscuits (to win their love of course). They were thrilled. Except that one child who still shrieked every time we got within 10 feet of him. It was good though. They just got a well put in so for the first time they had clean water without having to walk a great distance! So we all celebrated that.

Monday
The guys left. And we went and got the girls for the center! I drove to a place called Padible Gem and we got 14 girls and 12 of their children! (we also had four staff and we all fit in one 15 passenger bus) They did some orientation stuff and then we gave them some basic things like towels, mosquito nets, soap, a mattress and other items.  They also learned some things, like how a flushable toilet works.

Tuesday
Was spent making files for the girls and then after they were assessed by the counselors I entered their histories into my computer. This was hard. I don’t even know these girls yet I was let into the most private parts of their lives. I felt like I was invading their privacy but it was my job. I can’t even imagine what these girls have been through though. 10 were formally abducted by the LRA, 10 others are victims of gender based violence, almost none of them got to stay in school longer that 3 or 4 years. And all of them have severe depression. I could go on and on and will tell you more later.

They have a lot of work to do. And fortunately I will be able to stay here with them for 4 days longer than expected!

Oh and there is this one child who is absolutely terrified of me (even more than the boy at the orphanage). I never knew I could instill so much fear by the mere pigment of my skin. I sat in front of him on the bus and he screamed every time I turned around. Now when I get anywhere close to him he freaks out. It’s funny though because I can’t easily communicate with the girls but we all understand and laugh together about his fear of white people. One girl, who I think speaks fair English but is usually intimidated to speak it, said “he fears you!”

Powerless.

The generator stopped working on Thursday (had it for 10 minutes on Friday) and then we just got power back today so sorry about no posts and I will be sure to sit down and write about the weekend!  We are also without gas (for the stove) and water.  It has been fun!  As for now, I'm busy with work!  The girls for the center arrived yesterday!  28 women and 26 children!