The Things They Carry

The Things They Carry

It first struck me on the road to Gulu from Kampala. Any numerous objects as vast as your imagination could thing about were being carried. Often strapped to a bicycle or motorbike, but sometimes just carried. The women tie their infants to their backs, the child’s legs are straddling the mother’s back, and their head is just a little bit outside of the cloth. The amazing thing is that these kids are always asleep. Like being tied to your mother as she tends the field is the most comfortable place you could be. It was interesting that at St. Jude’s orphanage, one of the 8 year old girls insisted on having her doll tied to her back, so she could walk around and “play” with her doll. But imagine going to Home Depot and everything you buy, you have to strap to a bike or a motorbike. Sometimes, people probably have to make more than a half dozen trips to the exact same store. Today as the “basketball club” was leaving the playground, I saw an old man trying to tie firewood to his motorbike. The bike was starting to fall over due to unbalanced weight of the logs. I ran over to help him catch the bike and then held it as he tied the logs on. Without saying a word, he finally decided he would have to leave two logs behind, but still there was no room on the seat for him. I saw him take off down the road as he kind of sat on the gas tank with his load of firewood.

Also every day on the way to school there is a long line at the bore hole aka well. There are forty jerry cans lined up and there is an intricate system of who goes next, but there are always families lined up taking the water that is necessary for each house. And each family member carrying water back. Most of the women carry every thing on top of their head, amd seem real at ease with this system.

SORRY THIS ONE DOESN'T REALLY END. BUT MY NEW STUFF ABOVE IS BETTER BY ITSELF.

john