Camera: FOUND
Bible: Still lost.
One down, one to go.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Kitgum and Lost Things
I went back to Kitgum again last weekend. A bunch of people wanted to come so it was great. Also, we were fortunate to leave early enough in the morning to miss the severe punishment of house/kampala arrest that the other half of our group had to deal with for the weekend due to someone breaking some rules.
So we got to Kitgum and had an amazing time. The girls were so excited to see us and I just embraced every minute of it knowing that it would be my last time in Kitgum for a while. We did the normal Kitgum stuff: danced/played drums, hung out with the girls, played with the little kids and did other Kitgum kinds of things.
It amazes me every time I go up there how attracted I am to the area.
We had two former Go-ed students come and talk to us about how after they finished school they moved back to Uganda and started a home for street children. It was motivating to realize that they actually followed their desire to come back.
I know God has me here and I'm just hoping I follow through with that call.
Another interesting thing about my life is that I lost two items that are extremely important to me:
1. My Bible - Which I can obviously replace but this one has all my highlights and quotes written in it from when I was a baby Christian that mean a lot to me. Baby Christian means my 16 year old self.
2. My camera which I spent almost a full paycheck on and am in love with. (Fortunately all my pictures are on my computer) But I spent a ton of time picking it out and obsessing over it because it was a hefty investment.
Gr.
Anyhow it's weird that I only have a day and a half here. I'm not ready to go.
So we got to Kitgum and had an amazing time. The girls were so excited to see us and I just embraced every minute of it knowing that it would be my last time in Kitgum for a while. We did the normal Kitgum stuff: danced/played drums, hung out with the girls, played with the little kids and did other Kitgum kinds of things.
It amazes me every time I go up there how attracted I am to the area.
We had two former Go-ed students come and talk to us about how after they finished school they moved back to Uganda and started a home for street children. It was motivating to realize that they actually followed their desire to come back.
I know God has me here and I'm just hoping I follow through with that call.
Another interesting thing about my life is that I lost two items that are extremely important to me:
1. My Bible - Which I can obviously replace but this one has all my highlights and quotes written in it from when I was a baby Christian that mean a lot to me. Baby Christian means my 16 year old self.
2. My camera which I spent almost a full paycheck on and am in love with. (Fortunately all my pictures are on my computer) But I spent a ton of time picking it out and obsessing over it because it was a hefty investment.
Gr.
Anyhow it's weird that I only have a day and a half here. I'm not ready to go.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Things I've been called
Wow two posts in one night. Crazy. Thought I'd write about some of the names I've been called by people here, specifically boda drivers and street vendors.
Hey/How are you/Hello_________ (fill in the blank)
Hey/How are you/Hello_________ (fill in the blank)
- Mzungu (most common)
- America
- Baby
- Mama
- Wife
- Sista
- Obama
- Obama's wife
- Customa
- Jennifer/Sarah/Kate/other very white names
"Baby girl when my eyes did contact with urs my heart was like hoocked up with joy and geuss what u did set my enortions in love because u're beautiful.My dear am wishing to khow more about u and fall heads over hills love with u.I promise u a bravely, faithfully and cheerfully love as i can.My dear... i khow that words don't matter cause it takes a second to say i love u but a lifetime to show it."
^^^Needless to say, I did not respond to this text, or go back to pick it up without a guy with me.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Have I mentioned....
Pollution
It's ridiculous. First of all, in the States we do quite a bit of stuff to help the environment even if you don't think we do, we have emission regulations, we recycle and we have garbage dumps. Now, we do all this while there are still debates about whether or not global warming is actually occurring.
Here, everybody believes in global warming, it's on the radio, in the newspapers and people talk about it. They talk about how it's because of global warming that the crops aren't doing well. In the newspaper they always bring up proof for the global warming that is occurring here in Africa. So with all this "there is global warming and it's going to kill us" you'd think they'd be concerned with their impact.
Not the case.
Ironically, the president of Uganda declared that Kampala should be dust free. Really? I highly doubt that's going to happen anytime soon. Anyhow, with them feeling all the effects of global warming, I don't think they're doing anything to clean the city.
Just my thoughts.
It's ridiculous. First of all, in the States we do quite a bit of stuff to help the environment even if you don't think we do, we have emission regulations, we recycle and we have garbage dumps. Now, we do all this while there are still debates about whether or not global warming is actually occurring.
Here, everybody believes in global warming, it's on the radio, in the newspapers and people talk about it. They talk about how it's because of global warming that the crops aren't doing well. In the newspaper they always bring up proof for the global warming that is occurring here in Africa. So with all this "there is global warming and it's going to kill us" you'd think they'd be concerned with their impact.
Not the case.
- Vehicles drive down the road with absolutely black exhaust trailing behind them.
- People burn a ton of charcoal to cook their food.
- Trash is not taken to a dump to be disposed of, it is instead burned. All of it. On the side of the roads, in fields and in our backyard.
- When people are in cars or even walking, they don't ever look for a trash can, anything that they have that they don't want they just throw it to the side of the road. Culturally there just isn't any pressure to keep the environment clean.
- And, nothing is recycled.
- The only thing that is good is that they use glass soda (pop for all my Pittsburghers) bottles that you take back to be reused when you want another.
Ironically, the president of Uganda declared that Kampala should be dust free. Really? I highly doubt that's going to happen anytime soon. Anyhow, with them feeling all the effects of global warming, I don't think they're doing anything to clean the city.
Just my thoughts.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Have I mentioned....
So I realized that there are some things that have become so normal to my daily life that I haven't talked about them here. So now I'm going to.
Street Kids
They are all over the place.
Just walking down the street, small children (I've seen some as young as 2) come up to you and put their little hands out and look at you with begging eyes. When you don't give them anything they walk right next to you still begging for a couple blocks before finally giving up. It's extremely sad and the thing is that giving them anything will just perpetuate the circumstances. We've been told "do not give the street kids any money" because it just encourages them to keep begging and not get help from the few organizations who have set up programs for them. But it's so hard. One dollar would feed them for two days yet it would also encourage them to stay out of schools and out of programs. It's a lose-lose situation.
The other things is that there is apparently a specific region in Uganda where parents are actually forced to sell one of their children or the children have to leave to try and find a better life. So they come to Kampala. They don't come by themselves though, I've heard, from reputable sources, that there is a man/group of people who get the kids, bring them to Kampala and force them to turn in the money they received at the end of the day. For this they might get a little bit of food and avoid a beating.
This horrendous cycle keeps the kids out of school and robs them of the innocence and childhood that they should have.
Street Kids
They are all over the place.
Just walking down the street, small children (I've seen some as young as 2) come up to you and put their little hands out and look at you with begging eyes. When you don't give them anything they walk right next to you still begging for a couple blocks before finally giving up. It's extremely sad and the thing is that giving them anything will just perpetuate the circumstances. We've been told "do not give the street kids any money" because it just encourages them to keep begging and not get help from the few organizations who have set up programs for them. But it's so hard. One dollar would feed them for two days yet it would also encourage them to stay out of schools and out of programs. It's a lose-lose situation.
The other things is that there is apparently a specific region in Uganda where parents are actually forced to sell one of their children or the children have to leave to try and find a better life. So they come to Kampala. They don't come by themselves though, I've heard, from reputable sources, that there is a man/group of people who get the kids, bring them to Kampala and force them to turn in the money they received at the end of the day. For this they might get a little bit of food and avoid a beating.
This horrendous cycle keeps the kids out of school and robs them of the innocence and childhood that they should have.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving!
So I'm living with a whole bunch of American's and with Thanksgiving being strictly American, we decided to celebrate at our house. Every student paired up and made something (I made cornbread stuffing) so we had a ton of food. We also had a ton of people, I think it totaled something like 30 people... students, staff, our cook and some families from America. Anyhow it was a good time.
My favorite part was the fact that I won a slap bet last night so I truly got to celebrate Slapsgiving today! (You would only get this if you watch how I met your mother).
I went to Kitgum last weekend! It was amazing to go back and see the girls. It was incredible to see the transformation, some girls that I only saw smile once or twice were laughing with the rest of the girls. So great.
The education fund I'm working on is getting approved in the higher levels of FH and seems to be going well. Everyone that's looked at it has said that it should be approved. So we'll see. One of the girls even wants to go to secondary school and then nursing school. I just have a lot of hope in this and how it could turn out for those girls. Again, will update as I learn more.
Andd we leave Uganda in two weeks from today. Insane. I can't believe it's so close to the end.
My favorite part was the fact that I won a slap bet last night so I truly got to celebrate Slapsgiving today! (You would only get this if you watch how I met your mother).
I went to Kitgum last weekend! It was amazing to go back and see the girls. It was incredible to see the transformation, some girls that I only saw smile once or twice were laughing with the rest of the girls. So great.
The education fund I'm working on is getting approved in the higher levels of FH and seems to be going well. Everyone that's looked at it has said that it should be approved. So we'll see. One of the girls even wants to go to secondary school and then nursing school. I just have a lot of hope in this and how it could turn out for those girls. Again, will update as I learn more.
Andd we leave Uganda in two weeks from today. Insane. I can't believe it's so close to the end.
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