Year 3 Begins

So somewhere last night around 930 pm....I realized I was way behind schedule. Luckily , I have a true friend in Frank Hellwig, who helped me clean up my house and organize materials for packing. Frank and I worked diligently like I always do when I clean, (some of us were just born with the neatness gene).. I finally started packing around 1 am...I was delayed a little by two well wishers named Rusty and Rader. But eventually it was time to pack, I brought to my parents 130 lbs. worth of different sundry items, only 61.2 lbs. would make the cut. Which cost me $50 in St. Louis, but nothing at JFK, as I did my best to schmooze and tell the agent that most of my bag was going to end up with the children of Africa. New items this year, a wiffle ball and since I am at a camp, I brought along a portable shower (okay a five gallon black bag and a nozzle), but still it is something. Packing would have been easy but the Jane and Jack Magee house lost power about 2 am, right when I was hitting my stride. So this trip began with a real Africa moment, packing by candlelight, just like in Gulu. Unfortunately, there were many chairs in my way, before I found the candles and so Jesus and a couple of the saints were extolled to help my path through the darkness. Some might argue with my inflection when I yelled, "Jesus.", but I assure you it was a plaintive cry for help.

A couple of plain rides later I found myself arguing baseball with my friend from last year Matt. He is a Cubs fan so it is not really an argument. Soon Lisa and Sharon and Kate were here. Tammy, a sweet young women, with an amazing propensity to laugh at silly things, she has some Wisconsin ties, so I talked slower and dumbed down my vocabulary. Kate is much more trouble than Tammy, so I felt right at home as Matt and I were soon surrounded by intelligent, committed females.... much like Biloxi last week. Soon, less than a hour, I will be on a plane, with some great old friends, and some great new ones.

Although the challenges this year might be tougher, I am ready. I am ready because I have an amazing family and some really amazing friends, thanks for the shower fix Tim and Terri. But most of all, I am ready because I spent the first week of June with an incredible 62 young women. Who showed me that kindness can win, compassion and laughing are not mutually exclusive, who showed me that when we think of our world with hope and have the courage to ACT, lives can be changed. Maybe just a little bit, maybe a lot, but I will do more in Uganda this year, because it is impossible to leave Biloxi and our group and not feel the energy of the Class of 2009, 2010, and 2011 (shout out DePolo and Jole Blon). Any time, one of you old farts starts talking pessimistic or are blind to the possibilites of our world. Give me a call, because I have seen the future and you need to see it too.

You will enjoy it.


So now it is time for me to shift suddenly, an see the promise of an African nation, and the kindness they welcome me with, and the friendliness of each and every Acholi person I meet. Because I have been blessed to see the commonalities and the talents of young girls from Webster Groves, and soon will see the talents of our Atanga students. Young girls and boys that have had so much despair thrown in their paths, yet wake up every morning ready to work, ready to learn, ready to grow.

Humbled and Honored that I can be known as your son, your friend, your teacher, your brother,

John Magee