World Citizen

Friday in Gulu

DISCLAIMER: I AM SORRY THAT THE BLOG HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED. I AM WRITING EVERYDAY AND WHEN I FIND THE INTERNET AGAIN. THEY WILL BE POSTED. AMAZING THINGS ARE HAPPENING. AND I AM VERY BUSY.

We work up this morning and had another talk from my new friend, Alike David. David talked this morning about the effect of war on children. It was another amazing talk and I learned a lot, I am taking copious notes so hopefully I can share them with you my students and my friends. David talked about being a world citizen and giving back to the world. As we walked and talked about David’s desire to study in either Britain or America we held hands. It is natural act for Ugandan men, and seemed natural.

After our talk, the group teachers had lunch in town, we were joined by Dani Bananas, Brian the soccer player from Starkville, and Catherine who are Group 1 teachers and have been here two weeks longer. I had dodo and eggs, which is kind of a spinach and egg dish. They are already comfortable here and showed us around some. We went into the market, which looks like a third world market, but they had little stands that sell everything. I bought a tin snips for 5,000 ugandan shillings and a blue plastic chair for 15,000 shillings. I got 161,000 shillings from my new $100 bills and 150,000 shillings for my old $100 bills.

I had to duck several times in the marketplace, and the people often laughed at my troubles. The Acholi are a good and friendly people. I then came home to start creating Hadley’s invention. I cut a hole out of the plastic chair, so some of the people who are uncomfortable here, would have a better experience in the pit latrine. The tin snips did not work that well, so I had to hop on a boda to go back to the market for a hack saw blade. My roommate Josh helped hold the chair as I hacksawed the middle out. I don’t think anyone has tried the L.C.I.C.W.C 2.1 (lazy chair invisible children water closet) yet, but maybe tonight.

Tonight, we had dinner with our teaching partners at the Roma Inn, my teaching partner is Nyeka Alfred who is teach Senior 3 math at Awere school. We had a great dinner that included chicken, beef, and fish. The waiters were trying very hard to make this a first class dinner, and in almost every way accomplished that. The toilet at the Roma Inn was the best I have seen in any place in Uganda. Both Head Teachers, my Head Teacher at Awere and the Head Teacher at Sam Baker school gave excellent talks about how Welcome and grateful they are for us being here. I looked at Amy and she started to tear up, and I had to look away. Hearing the pride and once again hearing a Ugandan talk about being a world citizen and making a difference was inspirational.

Oh I forgot to tell you when we got back the house was unerd attack by winged white ants, they are harmless and the acholi even cook them, but it is a little freaky and I am typing this in my dark room and they are dive bombing the light from the screen
So here is my final thought, if God brought Jesus into the world in a manger in Uganda. Maybe the next great Gandhi, Lincoln, or Mother Teresa might be in a classroom today somewhere in Uganda. It seems we should do our best to make sure that bright mind is not hid under a bushel.