Tuesday, July 15, 2008

This week

On normal days I get up around 6. I get ready. We heat up water with
our little stove and have oatmeal for breakfast. Trish and I usually
go together to the latrine because it is used by everyone in the White
House and we don't like to shut the door so one stands outside and
watches for people. (and holds the toilet paper) Then the 3 of us hop
on our bikes and head to school. It is about a 20 minute bike ride
usually. If it rains it takes a little longer because you have to
dodge puddles and such.
At school we all have different schedules but when we are not teaching
we are in the staff room. It is a lot different than the states
because the teachers just hang out in there even if they don't have
class because there really isn't anything to do in the camp. A lot of
the teachers just have a room in Pabo and go home on the weekends.
Even if they have a permanent place in the camp they still go to Gulu
for the weekend.
After school we go back to our place and sometimes go for walks and
such and then have dinner. Once it is dark we stay in.
So camp life is sort of not super eventful so I thought I would just
make one post with the highlights.
This past weekend was the first time I felt that family feeling with
this group. We were just sitting outside the house talking about Jesus
and it was so great. It was just a great reminder of what I am doing
here. One guy Matt said "thanks for the words" and it was really so
great to hear.
One night Ben was telling us about how he woke up in the middle of the
night and thought that he was blind because it was so dark. Just the
way that he told the story and how he went to the bathroom and tried
to turn on the light but there wasn't any power and he said click
click click. He said he thought I know I need to act fast. I almost
wet my pants.
I was hit with the blessing that God gives you just enough to get
through. I feel like I have been reminded that He is my strength and
my constant and I am not alone wherever I am. I am happy to rely on
Him and glad he makes it so that I need to.
John let us borrow a set of battery powered speakers. It has changed
camp life to have good music playing in the evening.
Monday was market day so the streets (mainly just the main one but the
back street was pretty crowded too) were filled with people from all
over selling all sorts of things. The down side to the whole thing was
that since there were so many people in town the local disco, which
happens to be right behind our place, played music all night (til 630
am). It sounded like the music was right in my room. Heinous!
I got to talk with harriet our cook about her life and about her
little girl jovanna. I got to hold her too. Harriet got pregnant while
she was in school and the father didn't want anything to do with the
baby since it was a girl. Harriet said that was fine because she was
going to take care of jovanna herself and she would do a great job.
She plans to go back to school too. She just has such a caring and
strong spirit. I hope to get to learn more about her the next two
weeks.
I met the head teacher from a school down the road. He told me that
his son (could be his nephew) married a British woman and lives in
England with her. Then he looked at me and said "why don't you marry
an acholi man?" Both Charles and I just busted out laughing.
Trisha and I have started somewhat of a tradition; we wash our hair on
Wednesday. It is really a process. We get a chair and a wash basin and
the tea kettle and take turns washing the other ones hair. It is kind
of an enjoyable experience to look up at the stars and have someone
wash your hair. Robert came out at one point and was laughing at us.
He said it was the White House salon.
Wednesday morning my coteacher Geoffry came by to try oatmeal. He
asked me what we do for breakfast and I told him we have oatmeal which
is like porridge. I told him he should come over and try it so he did.
When I handed it to him I told him he didn't have to finish it all if
he didn't like it but that I was happy that he tried it. He definitely
didn't like it. He said it was fine but he only ate like 2 bites and
then just sat there with it. After a little while I took it from him
and threw it away. It was kind of funny. He had to bring his own spoon
because we only have 3. He is somehow handicapped in one of his legs
so he rides a bike very interestingly. On the way to school he said my
tire was flat so we had to stop to get it filled and he paid for it
which was really nice. Then he said he needed to stop and by a few
things (breakfast) so I went ahead without him.
We have had a lot of rain and when it rains hard it gets into our
rooms. When we got home Thursday night matt found out that his camera
didn't work and that all his clothes were wet from the rain getting in
his room. Then he got soot on his pants. He had a rough week. Trish
bought him a warm beer (:
I have been opening my letters from home and they always make my
morning. The pictures are awesome and the notes almost make me cry.
Every time I am away I realize what amazing people I am constantly
surrounded by and I am so thankful. Then when I got to the IC house
in Gulu I had a letter from michelle. I cant tell you how much those
things mean to me. I cant believe that such amazing people are
thinking about and praying for me while I am gone.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm glad things are going well for you. Have you fallen many times this trip?

Darby

Kylie said...

Baby Jude misses you!