It’s been quite a while.
It’s been quite a while since I’ve had anything excite me enough to put myself through writing a blog.
Haha.. feel loved! This is for you.
Let me begin by saying, unfortunately, I was not blessed with Mary Lee’s ability to put down in words exactly how/what I’m feeling. Bear with me, and when you get bored, tuck the page away and pull it out later. It’ll still be there.
I am working with the most pleasant people I think I have ever met. No exaggeration. I’ve always wondered what those kind of people looked like – “pleasant people.” Now I know. Walter, Brenda, and Christopher are archetypes. Brenda and Walter are the two social workers that handle the.. social.. issues here in Gulu, and Christopher is our driver. Gosh, they are SUCH joys. All are young 30somethings, and are so welcoming. The moment they met me they explained to me that I was part of the staff, and that that was how they were going to treat me. Brenda is constantly watching out for me, Walter is constantly picking on me (I return the favor – don’t worry), and Christopher NEVER. STOPS. LAUGHING. He finds joy in the lamest things hahaha.. He’s hilarious. He can make straight-faced guards laugh. All three of them try to include me in every conversation (even the ones they accidentally have in Acholi (their tribal tongue)), and both Brenda and Walter love being social workers. Those of you who know how my last year of schooling went, this is so Good for me. ALL this to say, I am not at all upset about spending the majority of my time with these three people. I work with them Tuesday-Thursday and may have other random times I’m partnered with them for meetings throughout the week. Watoto has bent over backwards to try and open every door I’ve asked them to. An example would be getting the opportunity to work with their trauma team for a two-week escapade (if I wish to stay the whole time). What happens here is a team of four or five men and women enter an IDP (internally displaced persons) camp and walk through a three-hour a day, two-week rehabilitation program for FAPs (formerly abducted persons) and WACs (war affected children). I. CANNOT. WAIT. I’ll also be joining their discipleship team, which follow up with the IDP camp two months after the trauma team does their thing. They call this two-week program “Empowerment.” And they do just that. Their desire coming in is to help these boys and girls move from a place of victimization to a place where they stand on the realization that through Christ they have been perfectly equipped for every good work, and that our God is a Father that has a heart to protect and heal. I am anticipating both of these experiences being some of the top highlights from this trip. Once again, all this to say, Watoto has been phenomenal. So phenomenal I might just end up writing a separate blog solely about them.
My time here is split between socially working Ugandans and helping out in the baby’s home (babes 0-2). The time I spend in the baby’s home has been great, but is incredibly exhausting, and has, without a doubt, served as the most effective form of birth control humanly possible. Was that dramatic enough? The upside: I have never “gotten” so many fat legs (Donna Papp) and butt cheeks before. I have no idea what the baby nannies think of me.
I am learning and experiencing and thinking about so much. I suppose a good place to begin would be similarities and differences between the ‘Ganda (Bella) and the States. Honestly I don’t think I have ever been in a country so far away that was so much like the States before. That may blow your mind (it did mine), but if you think about it the only real similarities between the UK and the States are skin color and amount of wealth. Here in Uganda they share the same traditions, humor, love, and joys with the States. It’s weird. One of the largest differences (besides men bathing in their yards), is how “okay” things are here. For instance, there is a piece of Watoto called Living Hope that provides women with job training so that they can be self-sufficient (It. Is. Awesome. Over 900 women being helped). As we approached the complex Walter was giving me the lowdown on what actually goes on there. I saw the women laying, what looked like, homemade paper out in the sun to dry so I asked Walter about it:
Me: “Walter, are they making their own paper?! How cool?!”
Walter: “Oh, no those are sanitary napkins.”
Me: “Those are what?”
Walter: “Sanitary napkins.”
Me: “Those are what?”
Walter: “Sanitary napkins.”
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the Living Hope ladies make sanitary napkins for women’s periods (plus dolls and headbands, but neither of those are particularly exciting). When Walter finished telling me about it, I told him that we don’t publicly speak about periods in the States (at least not in mixed company). He asked me why not and then continued on to tell me that periods are just a normal, everyday part of life here. He said, “Women here, if they are on their periods, will openly talk about it. Like if a woman were to take a boda-boda (motorcycle -- public transportation) and didn’t want to straddle the seat, she would just tell the driver, “I’m on my period; I want to sit sidesaddle.”
Needless to say, my jaw dropped.
Speaking of boda-bodas, go google image what one of those looks like. If the driver is wearing or carrying a helmet, just pretend that’s not in the photo. These are what we drive around town. Three of us can fit on one – two passengers and the driver. Today I accidentally got off the side with the exhaust pipe and burnt the bagoogoos out of my calf. Not a bad burn, just a big burn. It was dumb. I was embarrassed. I tried to play it off as I limped away. Haha.
Couple other randoms:
1. I work with Australians and a Welsh woman, and let’s just say, the Australians are complimenting my attempt at their accent (I won’t mention the fact that the Welsh woman can’t understand one word I attempt in hers).
2. I’m getting tanner…er, well… It might just be a layer of irremovable dirt. Regardless, I’m getting darker.
3. I was just informed that we’ve run out of water at the house and when I asked the next time we’ll have it, the response I received was, “The next time the good Lord provides it!” Gotta love the 'Ganda. Electricity and water are not always a given.
Alright. That's all I've got for now. I'm sure you're relieved.
Love you all.
Ps – Song title: Orphans, Kingdoms is by Brooke Fraser and has stayed on repeat in head since the moment I arrived in Gulu (I hear the word “orphan” about 0874567 times each day).
Pps – Happy early birthday to my baby sisters who won’t be babies come June 10th! Woot for the big 1-8!! Love you two so much.
love these little insights into daily life in 'Ganda. keep writing Paige! love you.
ReplyDeleteAs you might have imagined, I've liked that song for quite a while, so makes me smile to think of you appreciating it too.
ReplyDeleteJust spent the weekend with an American woman (she'll be returning end of the month) who has spent the last 15-20 years of her life in Uganda working with streetchildren and doing public health. Seems like everyone I know starts off in Africa in Uganda (okay, so maybe it being one of the few African countries where English is relatively common accounts for its popularity). Yup, you're one of the popular ones too!
Hope you're doing well Paige. If you plan on staying a long time, come visit us down in Mozambique where you can meet some of those 874,567 orphans being mentioned all the time.
Praying for ya.