Kennedy, Geoffrey, and Junie

After leaving Awere, I went into Longtic to post the last four posts. That is where you left me. I also had a great afternoon. First, I went through the market to look for batteries. I found amidst small soccer balls, shoe brushes, and assorted sundries I found
4 AAA batteries, labeled Tusker and written instructions in either Japanese or Chinese writing. I felt real good about finding my batteries, and they did work in my TI-83 so I am a full fledged math geek again. I decided to walk home, the boda drivers who usually hang out in groups of three or four at a corner would encourage me to ride with them. My response is “Amito wot a wot a” which means I want to walk. They just look at me and laugh. As I walk down the street I try to greet everyone. With either Hello, Apwoyo (which is kind of like aloha it means many things including thank you), Kopa Ngo (what’s up), or Kopa Di (what’s going on, I may have that one wrong.) If you ask any little kid, “How are you?”, the respond, “I am fine”. Some of the little ones like this so much, they then respond, “how are you?” and that cycle often repeats itself several times.

I ran into two 12 year olds on the last block before the IC house. After the normal greeting, these two approached me and asked me what my name was. We then talked for about five minutes. For you Chicago people, Kennedy was wearing a Naperville, Lisle Park District soccer jersey. I then asked them if they wanted to play basketball, so I went into the IC house and got my cheap rubber basketball, and in pumping it up. The needle poked through to the other side of the ball. I could see the disappointment on both boys faces as they thought the game might be over. Luckily I had brought two basketballs. The three of us, walked up to a big field where they had four hoops and two rims. We shot and I helped them with their shooting technique, more kids came over but there were very reticent to join our game. Eventually, Junie joined our game, he was a friend of Courtney and Kennedy. Then Tony joined who compared to the rest of the kids can play, he has a correct form jumper, and can drive the hoop. I had to work to block his shot. Including after he faked me once I spun as he went by me and blocked it with the back of my right hand (this last sentence is for Ed and Mike Barry). Tony is in Senior 4 at Awere, so I expect to see him again tomorrow. Eventually we played a game of 4 on 5. Not all of the kids understood how to play defense. My team won and the best part was the worst kid, who really did not understand the game made 2 of the 6 baskets. Oh, I almost forgot. If you don’t know when you are shooting in America and make a shot there is an expression “gimme my change” and the others have to give you the ball again. I taught these eight kids this expression, and would not give them the ball again until they said it. It was hilarious, especially since in Uganda ---change means changing money exactly, where balance is the amount back from a payment. Luckily I had to get back at 5 pm for dinner, because this out of shape old man was starting to get tired. Kennedy, Geoffrey, and Junie walked me back to IC and they were teach me Lwo on the way home. They pointed to a chicken and said “gweno” when they pointed out two goats, I told them their names were “Geoffrey” and “Kennedy”, they laughed Junie the most, but luckily a chicken wandered out from the high grass, and I got to say “There’s Junie” G and K then got to laugh the loudest. Geoffrey then asked if I would come back next year. We are cautioned not to make any commitments to the Acholi that we may not be able to keep. So I said, it is too soon to tell, and I don’t know, it may be difficult. Then Geoffrey looked at me and said, “Tonight I will pray that you come back again next year.”