Tonight, I am hosting a special dinner for my 2 favorite "Americans" Okaali John and Odong Robert Oryema. We are going to a place run by a guy out of Chicago and are going to have pizza. The year is winding up by trying to reconnect with old friends until our paths cross again. This morning, several men were working at removing trash from the streets of Gulu. I started to take a wide berth, when the man from the top of the truck said, "Hi, John." It was Patrick Munduga, the head of Invisible Children's Schools 4 Schools program... in some way my boss. And then I remembered that he had talked about his church community was going to do service to the Gulu area, by spending a whole day picking up trash. Trash is sometimes burned and sometimes just thrown into the gutters to wash to the bottom of the city. These gutters can be nasty, and getting involved in picking up the worst of the city is truly a service. I think it is maybe the most humbling experience one can do.
So looking forward to a great dinner, have had cold beers, and right now an ice cold 500 mL Orange Fanta. You forget how much you miss cold drinks until you have one. Revisiting St. Jude's on Sunday before heading back for the final days at Popavissa.
Click on the title for the story of more wonderful Ugandans coming to America
John
Walk to Atanga SS
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
Weasel -- by Tim Hart
This has been another great summer meeting fantastic people. I think I have reached people as they have obviously reached me.
But you don't defeat 20 years of war, you don't defeat poverty, and you don't win all of the battles for children who have lived horrible lives.
Clicking on the title of this article will bring you to Tim's Story
to read a story about one young man named Weasel...
This story is a great story, it is interesting, it is real, and it shows the reality of a war torn region. It will still tear me up years from now. Although I have not met Weasel, I know him.
I actually liked that a student did not want to leave the exam room. I respect the passion in his make-up and his fight against his situation. I know after I read this story, it just makes me want to work harder-- do more. And I am going to need some committed young people to join me in this quest.
If the story is too tough, I have added funny pictures to the right.
John
But you don't defeat 20 years of war, you don't defeat poverty, and you don't win all of the battles for children who have lived horrible lives.
Clicking on the title of this article will bring you to Tim's Story
to read a story about one young man named Weasel...
This story is a great story, it is interesting, it is real, and it shows the reality of a war torn region. It will still tear me up years from now. Although I have not met Weasel, I know him.
I actually liked that a student did not want to leave the exam room. I respect the passion in his make-up and his fight against his situation. I know after I read this story, it just makes me want to work harder-- do more. And I am going to need some committed young people to join me in this quest.
If the story is too tough, I have added funny pictures to the right.
John
Good Dinner -- Short Post
Last Night we went across "the street" to our fellow teachers's house. We enjoyed a dinner of great chicken, potatoes, casaba -- kind of like potatoes--, sliced tomatoes, carrots, and of course, a big bowl of roasted white ants.
My knee has recovered nicely, so I am not limping through the school buildings. This blog is tough to write, as I am using Father's Italian computer which is just a bit different... We go back to Gulu in a couple of hours, then back to Pope Paul for just a few days...
Good pictures coming...
My knee has recovered nicely, so I am not limping through the school buildings. This blog is tough to write, as I am using Father's Italian computer which is just a bit different... We go back to Gulu in a couple of hours, then back to Pope Paul for just a few days...
Good pictures coming...
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Random (of course they are not random!!!) thoughts
The pig picture at left was taken, by me holding my computer open in a slight drizzle to capture a 250 lb. pig that suddenly was next to my house, I left my camera in Gulu...but I wanted this picture...
The best picture of the day, which I may get a chance to upload tomorrow is me next to a R.O.U.S.
A good night, with an impromptu exam review session for S.1. students....
Of course, I twisted my knee like 5 times in the last week or so, so I am walking around school grounds like I am 75 years old...
I may lose internet (mobile internet) in an hour, so there may only be blogs on the weekends soon.
John
The best picture of the day, which I may get a chance to upload tomorrow is me next to a R.O.U.S.
A good night, with an impromptu exam review session for S.1. students....
Of course, I twisted my knee like 5 times in the last week or so, so I am walking around school grounds like I am 75 years old...
I may lose internet (mobile internet) in an hour, so there may only be blogs on the weekends soon.
John
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Old Man Take a look at yourself.....
It started out pretty good, Kelley talked me into walking up to see the Priests mid-afternoon, we got lunch, although I have not been feeling right for a day or two. Then after lunch, when I saw Father Leonsyo's stash of bamboo. I asked him if I could have a small piece. He called his carpentry guy, and soon Patrick and I were cutting a 112 cm bamboo stick. I had tennis balls, I had bought in Gulu, and I was going to hit fungo (fly balls) to the students. Father asked how I played it, so I picked up a small piece of fruit, smaller than a golfball, and expected to hit it out of the yard. It did not happen, I think I missed 4 times in a row, how can I not hit fungo? On one of the misses, I twisted my knee (retwisted it actually).... so I was left with my pride and my knee hurting a bit.
But fungo went well, with me hitting tennis balls to Pope Paul students (about 4 of them) as about 55 people watched. Soon they had picked up another stick, not near as my bamboo custom made bat, and they tried. I walked to their side of the field to help them hit a ball by throwing it into the air. One of the studentts pantomimed golf, and asked if I knew that game. I said yes. He then said, "You should play that sport, sir, it is a good sport for fat men."
Got home for dinner, the students have organized study halls from 7-10 pm, most nights. I went into one of the Senior 3 rooms, and spent 2 hours teaching them mathematics.....
That is all, my internet solution may not work, but don't worry worst case, I will be in touch Friday morning for most of you.
John
But fungo went well, with me hitting tennis balls to Pope Paul students (about 4 of them) as about 55 people watched. Soon they had picked up another stick, not near as my bamboo custom made bat, and they tried. I walked to their side of the field to help them hit a ball by throwing it into the air. One of the studentts pantomimed golf, and asked if I knew that game. I said yes. He then said, "You should play that sport, sir, it is a good sport for fat men."
Got home for dinner, the students have organized study halls from 7-10 pm, most nights. I went into one of the Senior 3 rooms, and spent 2 hours teaching them mathematics.....
That is all, my internet solution may not work, but don't worry worst case, I will be in touch Friday morning for most of you.
John
China --- the New World Power
An interesting phenomenon is happening here..... Satellite TV....but not just Satellite TV, but China TV. The school, Pope Paul VI, did a good thing by getting satellite TV for the World Cup. They broadcast it so students could see it. It was a great opportunity for the students, and also a way to bring students and teachers together, but here is the fallout:
Most Northern Ugandans have not seen TV, they have some video huts that pop up occasionally, and you would pay a small fee to walk in the hut and watch, usually only Nigerian soap operas, English soccer, or Music videos.
So now, Ugandans are getting hit with TVs with hundreds of channels, and it is very tempting to watch. Teachers who have not seen this much TV before sit in the staff room and watch TV-- no matter what it is.
Since the World Cup is over, the school is no longer paying for the package, so they only get 3 channels--for free I think. They are all Chinese channels whose commercials paint China like a combination of Paris, Rome, Hawaii, and Disneyland complete with giant cartoon characters. The news is all produced by China, but often has english speaking Anglos delivering the news.
We just spent an hour watching three morning show hosts yuk it up talking about China. The one guy had a polo with the collar popped, a young attractive woman, and another guy.
So is China sneaking into the hearts and minds of the third world through free TV? We drink Chinese bottled water here (no problems), but many of the other goods are made in China and very cheaply made. Just ask any of us what we think about Chinese toilet paper after 6 weeks....
Students have started exams and school is winding down for the second term....looks like I will see many of you soon....with the Cardinals having a 6 game lead in the standings...
Got it,
John
Most Northern Ugandans have not seen TV, they have some video huts that pop up occasionally, and you would pay a small fee to walk in the hut and watch, usually only Nigerian soap operas, English soccer, or Music videos.
So now, Ugandans are getting hit with TVs with hundreds of channels, and it is very tempting to watch. Teachers who have not seen this much TV before sit in the staff room and watch TV-- no matter what it is.
Since the World Cup is over, the school is no longer paying for the package, so they only get 3 channels--for free I think. They are all Chinese channels whose commercials paint China like a combination of Paris, Rome, Hawaii, and Disneyland complete with giant cartoon characters. The news is all produced by China, but often has english speaking Anglos delivering the news.
We just spent an hour watching three morning show hosts yuk it up talking about China. The one guy had a polo with the collar popped, a young attractive woman, and another guy.
So is China sneaking into the hearts and minds of the third world through free TV? We drink Chinese bottled water here (no problems), but many of the other goods are made in China and very cheaply made. Just ask any of us what we think about Chinese toilet paper after 6 weeks....
Students have started exams and school is winding down for the second term....looks like I will see many of you soon....with the Cardinals having a 6 game lead in the standings...
Got it,
John
Monday, July 26, 2010
Shoes
My black shoes are split from mid-foot to almost the little toe, I am hoping they will last my final 8 days of teaching. Those shoes have been with me for all 4 years, I remember buying them at Shoe Carnival cheap in 2007, so I could just leave them behind. Somehow they have lasted. They marked up the dance floor at Tim and Terri's anniversary party, before I knew how bad they would leave marks. They started at Awere SS, and have been my school shoes at Gulu SS, and through the mud and dust at Atanga SS, to make their final appearance this year at Pope Paul VI. I tried to fix them a week ago, with a piece of gray duct tape, that I meticulously colored black with a Sharpie....only to see that method fail one short trip through the school grounds.
The black shoes are the Yin to the Yang of my Crocs, also 4 year veterans. The Crocs are so worn down that I slip on them constantly on any kind of wet surface. I took a big header when we were walking in the dark to Okot Jolly's house and the other teachers were quite amused. I had put myself as the favorite to fall first with odds of 3-1 much like Spain's World Cup odds. I bought another pair of Crocs for the trip, but I am such a slave to tradition that they got left behind.
So many of our students are working hard to reuse and recycle and not waste in America. If you want to really see recycling, come to a country much like Uganda. There is almost no trash, everything is reused. The plastic water bottles we give to students will soon be sold in town for 40 shillings to hold a small amount of gasoline or kerosene. The other day, a man had their mimeograph machine apart into several dozen pieces. He was taking a hack saw and cutting down one of the rollers to make it run smoother. I do not see a lot of people fixing things in America, but here almost everyone is handy in some way. The bicycle repairmen can probably fix the transmission on a Toyota, or at least get a few hundred more kilometers out of the vehicle. Students have sandals made out of old tires, and children play with a wide variety of once useful parts of something as toys.
Today, Kelley and I saw two little boys, maybe they were 4, work together to get water out of the well. The boy was not tall enough or strong enough to work the handle so instead of lifting it 3 feet, he went back and forth raising it an inch or two in a rapid motion. It would have been probably the 5 cutest pictures I have taken in Africa, but unfortunately neither one of us had a camera. As they walked away with their half-gallon containers, both boys raised them to their head, and started practicing how to carry the water.
Last night was movie night and we watched Millions. If you have never seen that movie rent it now. I have a copy that I somehow left behind, so I took 3 weeks here to slowly but surely download it on iTunes. Not much else, except think about you have the ability to reuse or overuse in your life, and try it. Some say that my black shoes look nice (by the way I am still looking for that some, so comment at the end if you believe that)....
John
Update: My friend Daneen Leidig (T/EX 2009) is trying to help a young man go to the University to help repair medical equipment. There may be only 3 people in the country who know how to repair medical equipment. A statistic I believe after the cord fiasco with little man, Samuel. Anyway I contributed, and if you would like the email or want to contact Daneen... Here is her email daneenleidig@gmail.com
The black shoes are the Yin to the Yang of my Crocs, also 4 year veterans. The Crocs are so worn down that I slip on them constantly on any kind of wet surface. I took a big header when we were walking in the dark to Okot Jolly's house and the other teachers were quite amused. I had put myself as the favorite to fall first with odds of 3-1 much like Spain's World Cup odds. I bought another pair of Crocs for the trip, but I am such a slave to tradition that they got left behind.
So many of our students are working hard to reuse and recycle and not waste in America. If you want to really see recycling, come to a country much like Uganda. There is almost no trash, everything is reused. The plastic water bottles we give to students will soon be sold in town for 40 shillings to hold a small amount of gasoline or kerosene. The other day, a man had their mimeograph machine apart into several dozen pieces. He was taking a hack saw and cutting down one of the rollers to make it run smoother. I do not see a lot of people fixing things in America, but here almost everyone is handy in some way. The bicycle repairmen can probably fix the transmission on a Toyota, or at least get a few hundred more kilometers out of the vehicle. Students have sandals made out of old tires, and children play with a wide variety of once useful parts of something as toys.
Today, Kelley and I saw two little boys, maybe they were 4, work together to get water out of the well. The boy was not tall enough or strong enough to work the handle so instead of lifting it 3 feet, he went back and forth raising it an inch or two in a rapid motion. It would have been probably the 5 cutest pictures I have taken in Africa, but unfortunately neither one of us had a camera. As they walked away with their half-gallon containers, both boys raised them to their head, and started practicing how to carry the water.
Last night was movie night and we watched Millions. If you have never seen that movie rent it now. I have a copy that I somehow left behind, so I took 3 weeks here to slowly but surely download it on iTunes. Not much else, except think about you have the ability to reuse or overuse in your life, and try it. Some say that my black shoes look nice (by the way I am still looking for that some, so comment at the end if you believe that)....
John
Update: My friend Daneen Leidig (T/EX 2009) is trying to help a young man go to the University to help repair medical equipment. There may be only 3 people in the country who know how to repair medical equipment. A statistic I believe after the cord fiasco with little man, Samuel. Anyway I contributed, and if you would like the email or want to contact Daneen... Here is her email daneenleidig@gmail.com
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Atanga SS Yes!!!!!!!!!!
After talking with Ocwa Alfred and Obonyo Sam, I knew I needed to visit Atanga SS---no matter what. To recap a little, there was some problems with the Head Teacher and the students felt that their one chance at an education was being compromised. So they reacted in the wrong way with violence. So the head teacher is gone, after recovering from the beating in the hospital, and the students and teachers are left to pick up the pieces. Some students took this opportunity to give up and leave school, some teachers are noticeably absent, but that I think just leaves the students and the teachers behind even more resolute to succeed.
At first, my visit looked in trouble. I was not able to convince our leaders about this trip. Since the bombing in Kampala, IC is being very, very cautious and travelling to Atanga in a non-IC vehicle was not allowed. But after the tragedy of last Sunday, I think everyone realised (bonus Ugandan spelling) that I was going.
As Group 1 left, I was able to give them my new traditional good-bye (John Magee and 5 little ones, saluting them behind a Ugandan flag). Next Group 2 left for Safari, and it was just me. Sunday (that is his name) soon came in a vehicle, we stopped on the way out of town to pick up a case of Fanta Orange for the students and we began the journey. It is always a 2 person operation in driving you somewhere, so Sunday had to do something (or maybe just did not relish 4 hours on an awful road) and he replaced himself with a guy named Bongo Man. Bongo Man was friendly and got in to the vehicle with a heavy shirt with the American flag printed on the pocket.
I was so anxious to get there, but a rib-shaker, butt crusing, head banging of a bump made me realise the uncertainty of any journey in Uganda. I cranked out a couple of Hail Marys and sure enough, five minutes later the vehicle came to a complete stop. The driver reached behind his seat, right at my feet, and reconnected a battery cable to the battery and we drove on. It had rained this morning so the road was in awful shape....sure enough the vehicle stopped again after a half hour....All in all, we stopped 5 times to reconnect the battery. Since the road was bad, a journey that takes 70 minutes (not counting my ride with the Norwegian refugee Council when they did it in 46) was pushing 2 hours. When I saw the familiar town center of Lakecokoyot, I was pumped. Waiting at the sign post of Atanga SS were 2 students, who waved and followed us into the school. I was hoping there was going to be students on a Saturday, but I did not know....Knowing there were 2 waiting at the gate, 500 meters from the school made me SMILE, SMILE, SMILE.
I had told Alfred and Sam, I was going to come, and they gave the message to the students. I was excited as we pulled in and started to walk towards the faculty lounge (a large Mango tree), we were soon being followed by 80 to 100 students. I beckoned them to join us, and soon I was sitting in a chair, and talking to so many of my old friends and familiar faces. It was weird, as I was telling them how happy I was to be back, every time I took a breath they applauded. Kwolyero Ronald, is now the head boy (YEAH!!!--think of my happiness when Emily Done and Haley Hunter won the Father Nerinckx Award) and he got up to speak.
I think Ronald was upset and disappointed with himself that he was not able to control the students more during the student uprising. I know he should not be; I am sure he did all he could, but boy do I know the feeling of wanting a Ugandan redo. He gave a very good speech. I responded to his words by telling him and the rest of the gatehered that I am so, so proud of my students when they graduate from Nerinx (pat yourself on the back '10ers and '09ers, etc.), but I cannot even imagine how proud they should be of themselves at Atanga. The students who pass the S.4. exams have overcome so much poverty, so much violence, and so much war--the fact that they kept their eyes on the prize and triumphed amidst other students not being able to continue is amazing.
I handed them a new soccer ball, and a new wiffle ball set....I then realized I also had on me, about 150 silly bands that I was going to save for small children, but these ones....These ones are MY students....so all of the silly bands were distributed. It was a short trip probably only staying for 90 minutes, but a really wonderful trip. The teachers invited me for some food, and it was good beef...The cost and difficulty in finding beef like that I know was an amazing and impossible task in Atanga. But they did it -- for me. And some people still wonder why I keep coming back. How can I not? I am constantly flabbergasted by the kindness and generosity of the Acholi people. Alfred even handed me 5000/= shillings on my way out of town to buy water.
So hopefully Jen, Michelle, Colleen, Kelley, and the others saw Lions and Hippos and wonderful scenes that cannot be replaced in their lifetime sitting on Mattresses on top of the vehicles. I hope they saw baby elephants, graceful giraffes, and hippos and crocodiles. For me, my animals came much smaller--colorful silly bands on a wonderful group of students: Students who have struggled so much just to learn and succeed, and their caring teachers who have not given up the fight. They need your prayers because the struggle continues of limited resources and limited funds, but they also deserve your admiration. I think my view sitting under a Mango tree was unrepeatable. At the end of a long, bumpy road in Northern Uganda are students of character, students of strength, students of humility, students of kindness....they are my students
John Magee
Teacher
Atanga SS
At first, my visit looked in trouble. I was not able to convince our leaders about this trip. Since the bombing in Kampala, IC is being very, very cautious and travelling to Atanga in a non-IC vehicle was not allowed. But after the tragedy of last Sunday, I think everyone realised (bonus Ugandan spelling) that I was going.
As Group 1 left, I was able to give them my new traditional good-bye (John Magee and 5 little ones, saluting them behind a Ugandan flag). Next Group 2 left for Safari, and it was just me. Sunday (that is his name) soon came in a vehicle, we stopped on the way out of town to pick up a case of Fanta Orange for the students and we began the journey. It is always a 2 person operation in driving you somewhere, so Sunday had to do something (or maybe just did not relish 4 hours on an awful road) and he replaced himself with a guy named Bongo Man. Bongo Man was friendly and got in to the vehicle with a heavy shirt with the American flag printed on the pocket.
I was so anxious to get there, but a rib-shaker, butt crusing, head banging of a bump made me realise the uncertainty of any journey in Uganda. I cranked out a couple of Hail Marys and sure enough, five minutes later the vehicle came to a complete stop. The driver reached behind his seat, right at my feet, and reconnected a battery cable to the battery and we drove on. It had rained this morning so the road was in awful shape....sure enough the vehicle stopped again after a half hour....All in all, we stopped 5 times to reconnect the battery. Since the road was bad, a journey that takes 70 minutes (not counting my ride with the Norwegian refugee Council when they did it in 46) was pushing 2 hours. When I saw the familiar town center of Lakecokoyot, I was pumped. Waiting at the sign post of Atanga SS were 2 students, who waved and followed us into the school. I was hoping there was going to be students on a Saturday, but I did not know....Knowing there were 2 waiting at the gate, 500 meters from the school made me SMILE, SMILE, SMILE.
I had told Alfred and Sam, I was going to come, and they gave the message to the students. I was excited as we pulled in and started to walk towards the faculty lounge (a large Mango tree), we were soon being followed by 80 to 100 students. I beckoned them to join us, and soon I was sitting in a chair, and talking to so many of my old friends and familiar faces. It was weird, as I was telling them how happy I was to be back, every time I took a breath they applauded. Kwolyero Ronald, is now the head boy (YEAH!!!--think of my happiness when Emily Done and Haley Hunter won the Father Nerinckx Award) and he got up to speak.
I think Ronald was upset and disappointed with himself that he was not able to control the students more during the student uprising. I know he should not be; I am sure he did all he could, but boy do I know the feeling of wanting a Ugandan redo. He gave a very good speech. I responded to his words by telling him and the rest of the gatehered that I am so, so proud of my students when they graduate from Nerinx (pat yourself on the back '10ers and '09ers, etc.), but I cannot even imagine how proud they should be of themselves at Atanga. The students who pass the S.4. exams have overcome so much poverty, so much violence, and so much war--the fact that they kept their eyes on the prize and triumphed amidst other students not being able to continue is amazing.
I handed them a new soccer ball, and a new wiffle ball set....I then realized I also had on me, about 150 silly bands that I was going to save for small children, but these ones....These ones are MY students....so all of the silly bands were distributed. It was a short trip probably only staying for 90 minutes, but a really wonderful trip. The teachers invited me for some food, and it was good beef...The cost and difficulty in finding beef like that I know was an amazing and impossible task in Atanga. But they did it -- for me. And some people still wonder why I keep coming back. How can I not? I am constantly flabbergasted by the kindness and generosity of the Acholi people. Alfred even handed me 5000/= shillings on my way out of town to buy water.
So hopefully Jen, Michelle, Colleen, Kelley, and the others saw Lions and Hippos and wonderful scenes that cannot be replaced in their lifetime sitting on Mattresses on top of the vehicles. I hope they saw baby elephants, graceful giraffes, and hippos and crocodiles. For me, my animals came much smaller--colorful silly bands on a wonderful group of students: Students who have struggled so much just to learn and succeed, and their caring teachers who have not given up the fight. They need your prayers because the struggle continues of limited resources and limited funds, but they also deserve your admiration. I think my view sitting under a Mango tree was unrepeatable. At the end of a long, bumpy road in Northern Uganda are students of character, students of strength, students of humility, students of kindness....they are my students
John Magee
Teacher
Atanga SS
Friday, July 23, 2010
Back of a Mitsubishi Truck and more adventures......
Thursday night ended with a spirited game of Uno with 5 Ugandans and 5 Americans... Eventually we ran out of cards, and so we played for about 30 minutes reshuffling discards. Father Leonsyo, told us all that he was a man of peace, right before playing a wild draw 4 on his Deacon. We finally gave up on the game, and walked home around midnight. It was a good time and a great dinner with both old and new friends. We had Kob (look it up, it is a kind of antelope I think), it tasted fantastic.
It was tough getting up for Mass at 6 am, but luckily I woke up at 5:22 and was awake enough to fumble sleeplessness and confusion when Colleen (Smiles) came into my room to grab the internet stick.. Colleen was getting up early to lesson plan and try to create something real special for her students and her class, she is such a fantastic presence here. Such a wonderfully goofy and kind person, who has probably cared about the world and others since she was 8. (She actually told me how she organized an anti-fur petition drive in the Second Grade and mailed it to the Ohio Attorney General). Mass was good, but just a little bit delayed (apparently the Uno game went to long...LOL)...
I then walked to school with Father Marten and Deacon James, we arrived in the middle of morning assembly. Father Marten had joked with the Pope Paul VI students about not walking with the Priests or they would be late. As I walked up to the assembly there was a student reading news from a page. It was hard for me to understand his accent until he said, "A Senior 2 Girl had an extreme gas problem. When asked to comment a fly responded, "I thought she was already dead." It apparently is something the students do....they have fake news, the students loved it, and were laughing uproariously on more than one occasion.
Deacon James gave a great speech about starting now in secondary school to pursue your dreams. It was well done, and I believe was well received by the students. Then the headmaster, gave another good speech, and its tone was to get the job done. I then realized that the assembly was past 8 and I was worried about missing my ride with Father Leonsyo.
Found Kelley and we walked to the parish together. Since Kelley and Father were doing something productive, and I was just hitching a ride, I hopped in the back of the truck. First I had to throw all the sugar cane that was left behind out....so it was just me, my new bag, and an old tire.... Soon it was off down a bumpy rode, and me holding on the to top of the metal framework. It was a bumpy, bumpy ride, and I had to keep switching positions to make myself comfortable. I counted I was airborne (meaning my butt off the ground) 18 times including the rare double air. Father had a tarp over the front of the bed, so it was interesting when we went by people walking and cycling saw a big white man holding onto the truck dressed in a shirt and tie.
They waved and laughed and many of the small children enjoyed with pointing, laughing, and waving....Okay so Group 1 is leaving and I have to say good-bye...
so will finish later
It was tough getting up for Mass at 6 am, but luckily I woke up at 5:22 and was awake enough to fumble sleeplessness and confusion when Colleen (Smiles) came into my room to grab the internet stick.. Colleen was getting up early to lesson plan and try to create something real special for her students and her class, she is such a fantastic presence here. Such a wonderfully goofy and kind person, who has probably cared about the world and others since she was 8. (She actually told me how she organized an anti-fur petition drive in the Second Grade and mailed it to the Ohio Attorney General). Mass was good, but just a little bit delayed (apparently the Uno game went to long...LOL)...
I then walked to school with Father Marten and Deacon James, we arrived in the middle of morning assembly. Father Marten had joked with the Pope Paul VI students about not walking with the Priests or they would be late. As I walked up to the assembly there was a student reading news from a page. It was hard for me to understand his accent until he said, "A Senior 2 Girl had an extreme gas problem. When asked to comment a fly responded, "I thought she was already dead." It apparently is something the students do....they have fake news, the students loved it, and were laughing uproariously on more than one occasion.
Deacon James gave a great speech about starting now in secondary school to pursue your dreams. It was well done, and I believe was well received by the students. Then the headmaster, gave another good speech, and its tone was to get the job done. I then realized that the assembly was past 8 and I was worried about missing my ride with Father Leonsyo.
Found Kelley and we walked to the parish together. Since Kelley and Father were doing something productive, and I was just hitching a ride, I hopped in the back of the truck. First I had to throw all the sugar cane that was left behind out....so it was just me, my new bag, and an old tire.... Soon it was off down a bumpy rode, and me holding on the to top of the metal framework. It was a bumpy, bumpy ride, and I had to keep switching positions to make myself comfortable. I counted I was airborne (meaning my butt off the ground) 18 times including the rare double air. Father had a tarp over the front of the bed, so it was interesting when we went by people walking and cycling saw a big white man holding onto the truck dressed in a shirt and tie.
They waved and laughed and many of the small children enjoyed with pointing, laughing, and waving....Okay so Group 1 is leaving and I have to say good-bye...
so will finish later
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Acholi Secondary Sub Region Mock Math Examination WITH A NEW ENDING
A quick refresher on the Ugandan school system.... They have 7 primary grades where after they complete take the PLE exam. If they do not pass this exam, they are sent back to repeat P7 for another year. Most who flunk try a different school or drop out entirely. They then have 4 years of Secondary School, where at the end they take another test, that may or may not let them finish their secondary school education in P5 and P6. Got it... okay
Today, I proctored a 5 hour math examination in 2 parts to our Senior 4 classes. Senior 4 is in three streams, Red, White, and Green. Today, I spent most of my time with Senior 4 White. The Ugandan school system does not currently do to much for the bottom students, they are not particularly encouraging, and the students who struggle often find ways to ditch class. Since about 15 to 20 ditch every day from a stream of 63....it is easy to get lost. It is only at examination time, when the classes are full.
On the other hand, the tough love, and harshness for failure turn the top 1/3 of each section into pretty amazing students. The exam they take at the end of S4 will greatly affect their future, as Universities are not open to all, just the very elitc academically. There are copies of past exams that the students use to study that are hoarded by students. Getting a copy of a past UNEB test (which is legal, they sell books in the store with them) is like getting a Mickey Mantle rookie card.
They really want to succeed and their doggedness and determination is amazing. (Right now it is about 1100 pm and 2 cows are mooing right outside my window), I just wish I can find a way to take 4 or 5 of these marvelous students and put them into an American high school for a year. Their quest for knowledge, resources, and help in educating themselves would be sated in a more fully stocked school....
So occasionally, I get a comment that the education system in Uganda must lag substantially behind the American system. When I tell this specific group of people this, there is an almost, "Really, what math are the Ugandans learning?" You would be amazed at the problems these students tackle. There is some frustration on my part, because sometimes the way students are taught here is overly complicated in mathematics, and I fail to see the point....but still these students soldier on, they want to succeed, they want to do well... So that is what I want to tell you, the American education system is some years ahead of the Ugandan system. But the drive, determination, and diligence of the students of Ugandan students match or maybe exceed the drive of American students. I would say definitely succeed, but I have taught some wonderful students in my Nerinx classes the last few years, and I would put the drive of Meaghan or Mary or Emily or (you get the picture...I teach great kids) against the best of the Ugandans. What a wonderful life I lead that I get to compare great kids to great kids.
The word of Samuel's Death reached Father Tom Poth in Nicaragua and he shared these words.... I hope he does not mind me sharing them. Father Tom has a distinct link with my Ugandan travels, as he so wonderfully summarized what Invisible Children was about in a morning Mass in New York after last summer.
"Unfortunately there are too many sad stories and usually the children are the victims. John ..... is in a world so very different from what we all grew up with in STL. Living in a 3rd world is not always beautiful. But the faith and hope that people have is always amazing to me and many times very sobering…especially when I want to quit and return to the States..... Tell John we will celebrate mass for Samuel tomorrow here in Nicaragua."
Thanks Father Tom for more great words, and I do see the faith, hope and kindness of the people of the Acholi region in Uganda. But I am teacher so more often I see students who will do anything to learn.....And that is why I keep coming back.
John Magee
Today, I proctored a 5 hour math examination in 2 parts to our Senior 4 classes. Senior 4 is in three streams, Red, White, and Green. Today, I spent most of my time with Senior 4 White. The Ugandan school system does not currently do to much for the bottom students, they are not particularly encouraging, and the students who struggle often find ways to ditch class. Since about 15 to 20 ditch every day from a stream of 63....it is easy to get lost. It is only at examination time, when the classes are full.
On the other hand, the tough love, and harshness for failure turn the top 1/3 of each section into pretty amazing students. The exam they take at the end of S4 will greatly affect their future, as Universities are not open to all, just the very elitc academically. There are copies of past exams that the students use to study that are hoarded by students. Getting a copy of a past UNEB test (which is legal, they sell books in the store with them) is like getting a Mickey Mantle rookie card.
They really want to succeed and their doggedness and determination is amazing. (Right now it is about 1100 pm and 2 cows are mooing right outside my window), I just wish I can find a way to take 4 or 5 of these marvelous students and put them into an American high school for a year. Their quest for knowledge, resources, and help in educating themselves would be sated in a more fully stocked school....
So occasionally, I get a comment that the education system in Uganda must lag substantially behind the American system. When I tell this specific group of people this, there is an almost, "Really, what math are the Ugandans learning?" You would be amazed at the problems these students tackle. There is some frustration on my part, because sometimes the way students are taught here is overly complicated in mathematics, and I fail to see the point....but still these students soldier on, they want to succeed, they want to do well... So that is what I want to tell you, the American education system is some years ahead of the Ugandan system. But the drive, determination, and diligence of the students of Ugandan students match or maybe exceed the drive of American students. I would say definitely succeed, but I have taught some wonderful students in my Nerinx classes the last few years, and I would put the drive of Meaghan or Mary or Emily or (you get the picture...I teach great kids) against the best of the Ugandans. What a wonderful life I lead that I get to compare great kids to great kids.
The word of Samuel's Death reached Father Tom Poth in Nicaragua and he shared these words.... I hope he does not mind me sharing them. Father Tom has a distinct link with my Ugandan travels, as he so wonderfully summarized what Invisible Children was about in a morning Mass in New York after last summer.
"Unfortunately there are too many sad stories and usually the children are the victims. John ..... is in a world so very different from what we all grew up with in STL. Living in a 3rd world is not always beautiful. But the faith and hope that people have is always amazing to me and many times very sobering…especially when I want to quit and return to the States..... Tell John we will celebrate mass for Samuel tomorrow here in Nicaragua."
Thanks Father Tom for more great words, and I do see the faith, hope and kindness of the people of the Acholi region in Uganda. But I am teacher so more often I see students who will do anything to learn.....And that is why I keep coming back.
John Magee
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Mathematics-- A Night Game UPDATED
Pope Paul VI has a boys' dorm and a girls' dorm. Last might the girls spent most of the evening, praying and singing. They believed one of the girls in the dorm was set onto by a demon, or an evil spirit. I do not know if the student has some form of seizure disorder, post traumatic stress disease, or a mental health problem, but her fellow classmates were doing all they could to heal her.
But tonight was all about mathematics. Each night, the boarders and I think some from town, sit in the classrooms from after dinner to sometimes late at night (think 10 pm). I decided I was going to take advantage of this captive audience and review some mathematics. I think 2 of the teachers watching over the students were surprised when I showed up, but after understanding what I was trying to do, went out of their way to get me supplies.
I walked into Senior 4 Red (which consists of one third of the S.4. class). I started a problem about length of tangents and area of a triangle less a circle, and students poured into the class from the white and green sections. I think at the end, I had over 100 students asking questions and preparing for the math mock exam ( a practice test to get them ready for the real one in December0... It was an absolutely fantastic night... We discussed problems (the real S4 exam is cumulative over the first four years of their secondary schooling) that they did not know how to do and also some they were struggling with....
After awhile, students started writing problems on pieces of paper and giving them to me to do next. I kind of felt like I was a piano player at an Airport Hilton getting requests to play "Piano Man" or "Candle in the wind." The students are much quieter in this situation than Nerinx girls, but some of that is because of my American accent and American ways.
OH, I ALMOST FORGOT.....One of the problems was a Venn diagram problem similar to one we might attempt in the states. You have to find 3 different sets, and figure out how many are in the overlapping circles...and then maybe find out how many are in none of the sets. At Nerinx, I do this problem with soccer, field hockey, and theater for instance. The problem last night, said this.....In a church group of 125, 80 people are loving, 55 people are giving, 62 people are caring, 15 people are loving and caring, etc. We solved the problem the answer to none of these 3 would have been just as mathematically possible with any number in the neither set...even 0. So not only is the problem funny, but in the end we calculated and found in a church group of 125 people....20 people were not caring, loving, or giving.....too funny.....After calculating that number I commented that maybe those 20 need more church....The joke did not commmunicate well and not one of the 100 students laughed.... Oh well, 12 hours later I STILL THINK THE WHOLE PROBLEM IS FUNNY.
About two problems in, I saw a kid in the back of the room wearing a Mizzou Tigers sweatshirt.... I, of course, singled him out for praise. At the end, I told the students that "I love mathematics."
Truly I do.
still just a big tall math geek,
John
But tonight was all about mathematics. Each night, the boarders and I think some from town, sit in the classrooms from after dinner to sometimes late at night (think 10 pm). I decided I was going to take advantage of this captive audience and review some mathematics. I think 2 of the teachers watching over the students were surprised when I showed up, but after understanding what I was trying to do, went out of their way to get me supplies.
I walked into Senior 4 Red (which consists of one third of the S.4. class). I started a problem about length of tangents and area of a triangle less a circle, and students poured into the class from the white and green sections. I think at the end, I had over 100 students asking questions and preparing for the math mock exam ( a practice test to get them ready for the real one in December0... It was an absolutely fantastic night... We discussed problems (the real S4 exam is cumulative over the first four years of their secondary schooling) that they did not know how to do and also some they were struggling with....
After awhile, students started writing problems on pieces of paper and giving them to me to do next. I kind of felt like I was a piano player at an Airport Hilton getting requests to play "Piano Man" or "Candle in the wind." The students are much quieter in this situation than Nerinx girls, but some of that is because of my American accent and American ways.
OH, I ALMOST FORGOT.....One of the problems was a Venn diagram problem similar to one we might attempt in the states. You have to find 3 different sets, and figure out how many are in the overlapping circles...and then maybe find out how many are in none of the sets. At Nerinx, I do this problem with soccer, field hockey, and theater for instance. The problem last night, said this.....In a church group of 125, 80 people are loving, 55 people are giving, 62 people are caring, 15 people are loving and caring, etc. We solved the problem the answer to none of these 3 would have been just as mathematically possible with any number in the neither set...even 0. So not only is the problem funny, but in the end we calculated and found in a church group of 125 people....20 people were not caring, loving, or giving.....too funny.....After calculating that number I commented that maybe those 20 need more church....The joke did not commmunicate well and not one of the 100 students laughed.... Oh well, 12 hours later I STILL THINK THE WHOLE PROBLEM IS FUNNY.
About two problems in, I saw a kid in the back of the room wearing a Mizzou Tigers sweatshirt.... I, of course, singled him out for praise. At the end, I told the students that "I love mathematics."
Truly I do.
still just a big tall math geek,
John
Monday, July 19, 2010
Exchange Rates
Right now 2254 Ugandan Shilling = 1 U.S. Dollar
A smile from a Ugandan Child going to school = Gold, baby, Pure Gold...
Today on my walks through town, I smiled and talked to every kid I could find...As they would sometimes rush to shake my hand, today I rushed to them.
I took their smiles and their hand shakes, and their "How are yous?" and put them straight into my heart.....
There was a small child, the son of one of our staff kicking a soccer ball in the back yard. I called him over and just held him for a minute.
A smile from a Ugandan Child going to school = Gold, baby, Pure Gold...
Today on my walks through town, I smiled and talked to every kid I could find...As they would sometimes rush to shake my hand, today I rushed to them.
I took their smiles and their hand shakes, and their "How are yous?" and put them straight into my heart.....
There was a small child, the son of one of our staff kicking a soccer ball in the back yard. I called him over and just held him for a minute.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
The Hardest Post I Have Written in 4 years..... with a Coda
This is a tough story, but it is a true story. You need to be ready for these words. So take a minute, and decide...
So today, I got up a little late. We had a great night last night with the teachers playing cards across the road, playing spoons with bottle caps. A whole group wanted to play cards, and a couple of teachers did not know trick games, so we played spoons which I had just learned in Mississippi with my Nerinx people. It was an amazingly spirited game, with a great group of people.
I told myself that I was going to get up for 10 am Mass at Gulu High, one of my favorite Ugandan experiences. But when I woke up, I was lazy and although I pride myself on always making Mass, today I did not... (5 hours later, I would regret this decision).
So I went into town with a great group, Kelley and I, Joe and Pablo, and later Mandy, Andy, and Julie joined later. We were at Kope Cafe, and a good breakfast, during the breakfast the power came on, and I realized I could get a hair cut........
I know now I am rambling, but I know the end of this story....and I am not sure I am ready to go there.
So many errands later, I got home in time for Group 2's visit to St. Jude's Orphanage. An amazing place, run by a great woman named Filda, and some amazing "moms" who each watch 8 to 10 kids. We took an Invisible Children vehicle, and I was able to get out first, because I was in the passenger seat up front. A few kids I recognized came up and said hi. And then a little one was walking up warily, and I beckoned him to come join me. He grabbed my index finger and my pinky, and I picked him up, and spun him around. He laughed and giggled and just wanted more....so much joy....
Then I saw another kid kicking a soccer ball toward Danielle, yelling "Munu, Munu.. He ran to the netball (kind of like basketball) and took a shot at the rim. He missed so I picked him up and got him close to the rim, but he still was not close.... It was starting to be such a great day, of little kids laughing and so much luaghter.
Then we heard, people yelling and saying stuff like a kid has fallen, and a kid fell in a well. I now remember chasing Tim and Smiles to the back of a building. They were about 8 to 10 of the older girls, doubled over crying and wailing. I could not discern right away what was happening....but an older Ugandan man was trying to put a metal ladder in a hole... The hole was made of concrete and square, and I could clearly see that the ladder could not fit in the hole. I thought I looked in the hole, but my perception was tragically wrong. It looked to me like the whole was 20 inches deep, and the child who had fallen might have crawled away from the opening.
After watching the man try to put this ladder into the hole, 4 or 5 times. I had enough. I still thought the child might be down a tunnel somewhere, and I was thinking if he could see a hand, he would crawl to it. I pushed the man out of the way, and laid on my belly, and reached into the hole. To my surprise and horror I realized that what I thought was the bottom of the hole, was just a bunch of stagnant water, full of shit, and sewage. Now reaching into this putrid water, I realized, there might be a child in it. I reached further and felt what first felt like a water soaked bag of bread or trash. I was about to toss it away to get deeper, when I felt the leg of a child, as I realized this, the child start to slip away from my grasp, I reached with my other hand, and pulled the child from this sewage. We put him on the ground, he was unconscious, and we started with chest compressions. Sewage and bile, and food stuff started coming out of his mouth. I started screaming that I do not know what to do, surely one of us was better trained than I!
Colleen was there soon, and I had my hand down the child's mouth pulling gunk and garbage out. She told me I had to go deeper, and she reached further than I pulling out more. We continued with chest compressions, and Colleen starting screaming, "How long has this kid been here?" "How long has he been in there?" The Ugandans started taking off of his soiled clothes, and trying to wash him as we tried feebly at more CPR. Min was now here, and she told me I had to breath into his mouth, but he seemed so fragile that I was afraid, I was going to break this young body. So I started trying to blow or breathe into his mouth, and then I would have to spit into the well, as everything around his mouth was full of food or crap or sewage, it was hard to tell, but I kept thinking that this kid could make it. I pushed back his eyelid, but as I stared into his eye, I realized I had no idea what I was looking for. I tried to get a neck pulse, but did not feel a pulse, but kind of thought I was doing it wrong.
We then started screaming, we need to get this kid to a hospital. "Can we take him to a hospital?" There was so much confusion, no one really knew what to do...and there was no answer. We finally decided we were taking him to the hospital, and a young mother from the orphanage, Colleen, Min, and I along with the child jumped into the back of the Range Rover. I remember Min telling me, we had to keep trying to resuscitate him on the way to the hospital. So as our driver, Cristof, did a superb job of moving with haste down a bumpy road, the 3 of us, tried to resuscitate him.... More sewage, and stuff was coming out of him, so Colleen and Min took turns, trying to breathe life into our young friend. They took turns also spitting out shit,(and that might be literal), that they had inhaled. I held his foot, and said Hail Marys as fast as I could. Cristof was honking constantly, and I could see people and cars jumping out of our way.
We got to Lacor Hospital, and I thought great we are here, and we had a chance. We were screaming at people, where is the Emergency Room, but there really was not a response from dozens of people. I do not know why? Was this tragedy, a too often occurance, or did 3 white people running through the hospital just shock and confuse people. The mother who was caring the child, ran out of energy and steam 100 yards into her sprint, so Colleen doubled back, and started carrying the lifeless child. We finally found a place, and a doctor. The doctor worked on the the child on the end of a bed, that already contained 2 children getting treatment, with their mother. In this small room, there were probably 7 beds, 10 moms, and maybe 14 children.
The doctors worked to find the right equipment and the right tools. They intubated him, and worked to clear his air passage.. At one time, they were going to use another machine, but it needed power and did not have the right power cord. I remember thinking, are you kidding me? My first experience with a hospital in a developing country, was not a good one. Too many people and not enough medicine and staff, but this is just the way it is. And I have talked to wonderful people who do their best at these hospitals. And I am not blaming anyone, but the first person who crabs about our health care system when I get home, I might punch them...
We had left our house at 2:01 pm, probably got to the orphanage, at 2:15, and it was still around 3 at this time...As I look back, I am amazed at how much happened in such a short time. I did not really look at the woman from the orphanage who got in the vehicle with us, and as I looked at a room of crying, concerned women, I did not even know who was with us... I was troubled by this lack of understanding and compassion by myself.
I then saw a tall woman, dressed in her Sunday Best with a head wrap to match her dress. I looked into her face, and recognized her as Filda, who runs St. Jude's. She is such an amazing woman, and she always remembers me and greets me warmly, each year I see her. I introduced myself, and she looked barely aware that I was talking to her. The doctors continued to resuscitate and try different stuff. Filda overcome with grief dropped to her knees, I thought she was praying, so I knelt alongside her, grabbed her hand and started saying Hail Marys, Colleen was soon next to me, holding my hand, and Min was next to her. Somewhere in here, I remember thinking about not going to Mass, and thinking I did not have time for God this morning...what makes me think he has time for me now? (I know this is not a good thought, but it is the one I had.)
I had seen this seen so many times on TV, this kid was going to cough twice, and start crying and we would all hug each other. That is when I noticed, the Doctor hooked his stethoscope onto the bed frame, and did not do it without a real urgency, and I knew. They tried different things, but I already knew. I went to Filda, and asked his name. She said Samuel, and said he was 2 and a half. The doctors stopped their efforts and looked at us and said, "We are sorry." I looked at my phone, for some reason I had to know the time. Sweet Baby Samuel had passed at 3:06 p.m. Filda reached over to the blanket he was on, and very gently and very lovingly started folding the blanket around him. Min cried to me, "John we have to pray, we have to pray before they take him away!"....I stumbled out some words, and said a Hail Mary...I remember saying "Godspeed, Samuel, Godspeed...."
This day, hit all of us so, so hard. The 11 or so that were there at St. Jude's and the other teachers that soon heard the awful news. So many of these wonderful teachers and friend, hugged, cried, and talked to each other... It was an odd, yet I guess later when I look back... a very faithful experience. I can't look back yet, not right now.... I have the very real tactile memory, of realizing, in this muck and crap, I had hold of a child's leg....I have so many memories, and I have the absolute regret of not pushing that stupid ladder away sooner, and getting into that hole....When I talk to the others, I tell them he was there too long, and despite our efforts the story was over before we stared our efforts, but for me......I want that time back so, so badly....I want that 2 minutes or 40 seconds or whatever it was that I felt I could have acted sooner....It will take awhile, and do not worry, I have great friends alongside me.....but I want it all back,......I want one more chance to save little Samuel.
I have now slept for 4 hours, and woke up to revisit this terribly sad story. I realize the last couple of sentences are too self-centered and I do not like them. This is not my story after all it is all of ours (the teachers), but most important this is Samuel's story....And right now, I am just real sad, and I can feel tears in my eyes for my young friend who I never saw play, I never saw laugh, and I never grabbed his hand and swung him around.
"Godspeed, little man, Sweet Dreams, little man"..
So today, I got up a little late. We had a great night last night with the teachers playing cards across the road, playing spoons with bottle caps. A whole group wanted to play cards, and a couple of teachers did not know trick games, so we played spoons which I had just learned in Mississippi with my Nerinx people. It was an amazingly spirited game, with a great group of people.
I told myself that I was going to get up for 10 am Mass at Gulu High, one of my favorite Ugandan experiences. But when I woke up, I was lazy and although I pride myself on always making Mass, today I did not... (5 hours later, I would regret this decision).
So I went into town with a great group, Kelley and I, Joe and Pablo, and later Mandy, Andy, and Julie joined later. We were at Kope Cafe, and a good breakfast, during the breakfast the power came on, and I realized I could get a hair cut........
I know now I am rambling, but I know the end of this story....and I am not sure I am ready to go there.
So many errands later, I got home in time for Group 2's visit to St. Jude's Orphanage. An amazing place, run by a great woman named Filda, and some amazing "moms" who each watch 8 to 10 kids. We took an Invisible Children vehicle, and I was able to get out first, because I was in the passenger seat up front. A few kids I recognized came up and said hi. And then a little one was walking up warily, and I beckoned him to come join me. He grabbed my index finger and my pinky, and I picked him up, and spun him around. He laughed and giggled and just wanted more....so much joy....
Then I saw another kid kicking a soccer ball toward Danielle, yelling "Munu, Munu.. He ran to the netball (kind of like basketball) and took a shot at the rim. He missed so I picked him up and got him close to the rim, but he still was not close.... It was starting to be such a great day, of little kids laughing and so much luaghter.
Then we heard, people yelling and saying stuff like a kid has fallen, and a kid fell in a well. I now remember chasing Tim and Smiles to the back of a building. They were about 8 to 10 of the older girls, doubled over crying and wailing. I could not discern right away what was happening....but an older Ugandan man was trying to put a metal ladder in a hole... The hole was made of concrete and square, and I could clearly see that the ladder could not fit in the hole. I thought I looked in the hole, but my perception was tragically wrong. It looked to me like the whole was 20 inches deep, and the child who had fallen might have crawled away from the opening.
After watching the man try to put this ladder into the hole, 4 or 5 times. I had enough. I still thought the child might be down a tunnel somewhere, and I was thinking if he could see a hand, he would crawl to it. I pushed the man out of the way, and laid on my belly, and reached into the hole. To my surprise and horror I realized that what I thought was the bottom of the hole, was just a bunch of stagnant water, full of shit, and sewage. Now reaching into this putrid water, I realized, there might be a child in it. I reached further and felt what first felt like a water soaked bag of bread or trash. I was about to toss it away to get deeper, when I felt the leg of a child, as I realized this, the child start to slip away from my grasp, I reached with my other hand, and pulled the child from this sewage. We put him on the ground, he was unconscious, and we started with chest compressions. Sewage and bile, and food stuff started coming out of his mouth. I started screaming that I do not know what to do, surely one of us was better trained than I!
Colleen was there soon, and I had my hand down the child's mouth pulling gunk and garbage out. She told me I had to go deeper, and she reached further than I pulling out more. We continued with chest compressions, and Colleen starting screaming, "How long has this kid been here?" "How long has he been in there?" The Ugandans started taking off of his soiled clothes, and trying to wash him as we tried feebly at more CPR. Min was now here, and she told me I had to breath into his mouth, but he seemed so fragile that I was afraid, I was going to break this young body. So I started trying to blow or breathe into his mouth, and then I would have to spit into the well, as everything around his mouth was full of food or crap or sewage, it was hard to tell, but I kept thinking that this kid could make it. I pushed back his eyelid, but as I stared into his eye, I realized I had no idea what I was looking for. I tried to get a neck pulse, but did not feel a pulse, but kind of thought I was doing it wrong.
We then started screaming, we need to get this kid to a hospital. "Can we take him to a hospital?" There was so much confusion, no one really knew what to do...and there was no answer. We finally decided we were taking him to the hospital, and a young mother from the orphanage, Colleen, Min, and I along with the child jumped into the back of the Range Rover. I remember Min telling me, we had to keep trying to resuscitate him on the way to the hospital. So as our driver, Cristof, did a superb job of moving with haste down a bumpy road, the 3 of us, tried to resuscitate him.... More sewage, and stuff was coming out of him, so Colleen and Min took turns, trying to breathe life into our young friend. They took turns also spitting out shit,(and that might be literal), that they had inhaled. I held his foot, and said Hail Marys as fast as I could. Cristof was honking constantly, and I could see people and cars jumping out of our way.
We got to Lacor Hospital, and I thought great we are here, and we had a chance. We were screaming at people, where is the Emergency Room, but there really was not a response from dozens of people. I do not know why? Was this tragedy, a too often occurance, or did 3 white people running through the hospital just shock and confuse people. The mother who was caring the child, ran out of energy and steam 100 yards into her sprint, so Colleen doubled back, and started carrying the lifeless child. We finally found a place, and a doctor. The doctor worked on the the child on the end of a bed, that already contained 2 children getting treatment, with their mother. In this small room, there were probably 7 beds, 10 moms, and maybe 14 children.
The doctors worked to find the right equipment and the right tools. They intubated him, and worked to clear his air passage.. At one time, they were going to use another machine, but it needed power and did not have the right power cord. I remember thinking, are you kidding me? My first experience with a hospital in a developing country, was not a good one. Too many people and not enough medicine and staff, but this is just the way it is. And I have talked to wonderful people who do their best at these hospitals. And I am not blaming anyone, but the first person who crabs about our health care system when I get home, I might punch them...
We had left our house at 2:01 pm, probably got to the orphanage, at 2:15, and it was still around 3 at this time...As I look back, I am amazed at how much happened in such a short time. I did not really look at the woman from the orphanage who got in the vehicle with us, and as I looked at a room of crying, concerned women, I did not even know who was with us... I was troubled by this lack of understanding and compassion by myself.
I then saw a tall woman, dressed in her Sunday Best with a head wrap to match her dress. I looked into her face, and recognized her as Filda, who runs St. Jude's. She is such an amazing woman, and she always remembers me and greets me warmly, each year I see her. I introduced myself, and she looked barely aware that I was talking to her. The doctors continued to resuscitate and try different stuff. Filda overcome with grief dropped to her knees, I thought she was praying, so I knelt alongside her, grabbed her hand and started saying Hail Marys, Colleen was soon next to me, holding my hand, and Min was next to her. Somewhere in here, I remember thinking about not going to Mass, and thinking I did not have time for God this morning...what makes me think he has time for me now? (I know this is not a good thought, but it is the one I had.)
I had seen this seen so many times on TV, this kid was going to cough twice, and start crying and we would all hug each other. That is when I noticed, the Doctor hooked his stethoscope onto the bed frame, and did not do it without a real urgency, and I knew. They tried different things, but I already knew. I went to Filda, and asked his name. She said Samuel, and said he was 2 and a half. The doctors stopped their efforts and looked at us and said, "We are sorry." I looked at my phone, for some reason I had to know the time. Sweet Baby Samuel had passed at 3:06 p.m. Filda reached over to the blanket he was on, and very gently and very lovingly started folding the blanket around him. Min cried to me, "John we have to pray, we have to pray before they take him away!"....I stumbled out some words, and said a Hail Mary...I remember saying "Godspeed, Samuel, Godspeed...."
This day, hit all of us so, so hard. The 11 or so that were there at St. Jude's and the other teachers that soon heard the awful news. So many of these wonderful teachers and friend, hugged, cried, and talked to each other... It was an odd, yet I guess later when I look back... a very faithful experience. I can't look back yet, not right now.... I have the very real tactile memory, of realizing, in this muck and crap, I had hold of a child's leg....I have so many memories, and I have the absolute regret of not pushing that stupid ladder away sooner, and getting into that hole....When I talk to the others, I tell them he was there too long, and despite our efforts the story was over before we stared our efforts, but for me......I want that time back so, so badly....I want that 2 minutes or 40 seconds or whatever it was that I felt I could have acted sooner....It will take awhile, and do not worry, I have great friends alongside me.....but I want it all back,......I want one more chance to save little Samuel.
I have now slept for 4 hours, and woke up to revisit this terribly sad story. I realize the last couple of sentences are too self-centered and I do not like them. This is not my story after all it is all of ours (the teachers), but most important this is Samuel's story....And right now, I am just real sad, and I can feel tears in my eyes for my young friend who I never saw play, I never saw laugh, and I never grabbed his hand and swung him around.
"Godspeed, little man, Sweet Dreams, little man"..
Friday, July 16, 2010
1+1=3
It is amazing to talk to people. I mean really, really talk to people. I knew like 5 of these people before I got to this country, Americans at least--- each year the number of Ugandans I know grows.....
but I wish all of you, could journey into the unknown, meet total strangers, and talk about your dreams and your fears. It is an amazing experience.
We are staying close to home, more to not put extra worry into the IC hearts that have had a very tough week.. I really believe Gulu is safer now than at any time I have been here. So after dinner and talking with 30 people, Tim, Pablo, and I walked across the street to the Ethiopian restaurant for a beer or a water, but mostly just to trade stories. Tim is a bartender--restauranteur turned teacher from New York, who has a veteran's simplicity to the world. I feel when I am gone a week, I need a few minutes to check in with Tim to get a feel of what has happened since I have been gone. Pablo is one of those skinny guys who can do more on the dance floor than myself (which is definitely saying something), he has a good ear, and a good judge of people....He has a gentleness and a kindness that the women on this trip picked up quickly.
We were joined at the bar, Julie, Lisa, Lindsey, and Kristen.... Julie was a boarding school soccer player, who has a great sense of humor, and rocks those preppy plaid shorts. She played soccer in college, and I think the reason, I love her so much is that I could easily see her playing soccer at Nerinx (and let's face it Nerinx girls you are the best and my most favorite people in the world).... It was especially neat tonight when Julie stopped to praise Kristen in front of the whole group for doing amazing work at St. Jude's with the disable children there. When she recanted the story to our small group, she told us how the soccer playing at St. Jude's did not go well, as it was one against all, but then she stepped over and saw the amazing things Kristen was doing and got sucked into Kristen and her love and talent working with the disabled.
Lindsay and Lisa were with me last year, and their pragmatism, along with Lindsey's ever present smile, and Lisa putting her southern pragmatism into a well placed cutting remark, make me feel so comfortable when I come back to Gulu. Aaaaaahhh, a smart ass who does not put up with bullshit (now I am home....)
A great conversation with a special group of people....
As I walked home, I stopped by our porch between the two sections of our house to greet Mandy and Andy.....Yes, young ones, they are now a couple, and as my students would say, "are so cute together." Mandy is going with me tomorrow as a former hair stylist to see what a Ugandan haircut is about, and she is a sweetheart and a very caring person. Mandy has already taken chances and risks in her life to follow her own path and her own heart..and I admire her greatly for following her own voice. Andy has emerged as the clever, comedic voice of the first group (don't worry I am still funny, but not around during the week) PLUS the dude is kind of funny. We talked about concerns and worries of the week that led into a discussion of AMDG (Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam--for the greater glory of God) and a couple other wonderful topics. The interesting part was we were in front of a Kerosene lamp as the winged White Ants converged on us.... So as we were talking, sharing dreams and secrets, I would grab a white ant by the wing, and throw it to the ground (they might be the easiest bugs in the world to catch).. I am not normally a red wine drinker, but Mandy kept pouring, the conversation kept flowing, and some stupid ants kept interrupting only to be sent hurdling to the ground with a flick of the wrist. I cannot tell you how many great conversations I have had in the African night with amazing people...Each of them a bit different, but all of them here to share their diverse talents with the people of Northern Uganda. The conversation ended when my alarm went off at 11:59 pm, meaning it was time to call St. Louis.
A fairly amazing man had died, and I wanted to call St. Louis, and let his daughter Claudia know that I was thinking about her and her family. Earlier this morning when I went to Mass entirely in Lwo, I prayed for them. Even from Uganda, it is actually fairly simple to reach out to others and let them know they matter, and you are so happy to have them in your life.
As I walked inside, I ran into Kelley who has been away from Anaka and our little group as she travelled the country with Father Leonsyo. She told me that she wanted to share and talk about her last 3 days and we should plan some time tomorrow to do that.
So you see, I have come to Africa to have wonderful conversations with total strangers that become close friends almost instantly after one great conversation, and after listening, really listening to what they are saying.....but I can now tell you that these conversations could happen anywhere.... it takes an openness, it takes a certain amount of risk.....
but they could happen in Webster Groves or Shrewsbury as easily as Gulu and Anaka.
I am so, so grateful for the old friends that have sent me here, and the new friends who pour me red wine as the white ants attack....
Thanks to the old, thanks to the new, and thanks to those I have not yet met....
always your friend,
John
but I wish all of you, could journey into the unknown, meet total strangers, and talk about your dreams and your fears. It is an amazing experience.
We are staying close to home, more to not put extra worry into the IC hearts that have had a very tough week.. I really believe Gulu is safer now than at any time I have been here. So after dinner and talking with 30 people, Tim, Pablo, and I walked across the street to the Ethiopian restaurant for a beer or a water, but mostly just to trade stories. Tim is a bartender--restauranteur turned teacher from New York, who has a veteran's simplicity to the world. I feel when I am gone a week, I need a few minutes to check in with Tim to get a feel of what has happened since I have been gone. Pablo is one of those skinny guys who can do more on the dance floor than myself (which is definitely saying something), he has a good ear, and a good judge of people....He has a gentleness and a kindness that the women on this trip picked up quickly.
We were joined at the bar, Julie, Lisa, Lindsey, and Kristen.... Julie was a boarding school soccer player, who has a great sense of humor, and rocks those preppy plaid shorts. She played soccer in college, and I think the reason, I love her so much is that I could easily see her playing soccer at Nerinx (and let's face it Nerinx girls you are the best and my most favorite people in the world).... It was especially neat tonight when Julie stopped to praise Kristen in front of the whole group for doing amazing work at St. Jude's with the disable children there. When she recanted the story to our small group, she told us how the soccer playing at St. Jude's did not go well, as it was one against all, but then she stepped over and saw the amazing things Kristen was doing and got sucked into Kristen and her love and talent working with the disabled.
Lindsay and Lisa were with me last year, and their pragmatism, along with Lindsey's ever present smile, and Lisa putting her southern pragmatism into a well placed cutting remark, make me feel so comfortable when I come back to Gulu. Aaaaaahhh, a smart ass who does not put up with bullshit (now I am home....)
A great conversation with a special group of people....
As I walked home, I stopped by our porch between the two sections of our house to greet Mandy and Andy.....Yes, young ones, they are now a couple, and as my students would say, "are so cute together." Mandy is going with me tomorrow as a former hair stylist to see what a Ugandan haircut is about, and she is a sweetheart and a very caring person. Mandy has already taken chances and risks in her life to follow her own path and her own heart..and I admire her greatly for following her own voice. Andy has emerged as the clever, comedic voice of the first group (don't worry I am still funny, but not around during the week) PLUS the dude is kind of funny. We talked about concerns and worries of the week that led into a discussion of AMDG (Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam--for the greater glory of God) and a couple other wonderful topics. The interesting part was we were in front of a Kerosene lamp as the winged White Ants converged on us.... So as we were talking, sharing dreams and secrets, I would grab a white ant by the wing, and throw it to the ground (they might be the easiest bugs in the world to catch).. I am not normally a red wine drinker, but Mandy kept pouring, the conversation kept flowing, and some stupid ants kept interrupting only to be sent hurdling to the ground with a flick of the wrist. I cannot tell you how many great conversations I have had in the African night with amazing people...Each of them a bit different, but all of them here to share their diverse talents with the people of Northern Uganda. The conversation ended when my alarm went off at 11:59 pm, meaning it was time to call St. Louis.
A fairly amazing man had died, and I wanted to call St. Louis, and let his daughter Claudia know that I was thinking about her and her family. Earlier this morning when I went to Mass entirely in Lwo, I prayed for them. Even from Uganda, it is actually fairly simple to reach out to others and let them know they matter, and you are so happy to have them in your life.
As I walked inside, I ran into Kelley who has been away from Anaka and our little group as she travelled the country with Father Leonsyo. She told me that she wanted to share and talk about her last 3 days and we should plan some time tomorrow to do that.
So you see, I have come to Africa to have wonderful conversations with total strangers that become close friends almost instantly after one great conversation, and after listening, really listening to what they are saying.....but I can now tell you that these conversations could happen anywhere.... it takes an openness, it takes a certain amount of risk.....
but they could happen in Webster Groves or Shrewsbury as easily as Gulu and Anaka.
I am so, so grateful for the old friends that have sent me here, and the new friends who pour me red wine as the white ants attack....
Thanks to the old, thanks to the new, and thanks to those I have not yet met....
always your friend,
John
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Silly Bands and Silly Kids
Another small child walked into Mass this morning and knelt in the pew in front of me. He was wearing a school uniform shirt, a white shirt with a blue collar, and the same blue trim at the end of his short sleeves. He was also wearing faded Hulk sweatpants and like all youngsters here -- no shoes. His shirt was dirty, but then I was thinking how is an 8 year olds' shirt ever clean. They play everywhere, and everywhere has the red dust that flies up from the earth as little feet laugh and play on it. I would like to see that commercial from the 70s where housewives argue what is the toughest dirt to remove. It would be real funny I think to place in the middle of the middle class conversation, an Anakan mom who washes the dirty clothes of their children by hand .
I remember at Priory, we were encouraged to see Christ in all human beings, that was quite easy today, as my young friend smiled at me during the Sign of Peace, and then looked back several times in the next minute to smile again. It was almost as if he thought I might be a dream, and if he did not check up on me, I would be gone.
After Mass, I handed out 3 or 4 Silly Bands that I brought for just this occasion to the small children. I also hand them out to the 3 high school students that were with me. Mickey and Agnes (two young girls that I had met yesterday) and Dennis (whom I had met earlier when Father Leonsyo arrived home) and I walked to school together. They asked me about farming in America, (I really need a better answer for that question, it gets asked every year), they asked me about Sunday in America. I told them about our traditions of many who eat a big meal (breakfast) after Church on Sundays. I told them I loved breakfast and I loved food. I also told about family meals of 17 on Sundays. They asked me about this, and I told them, "My mom is the best cook in America, that is why I am so big, I always eat her food."
They laughed and asked where not my friends big too, because they would have eaten my mother's food also. I then told them how tall Erin and Kurt are...
John
I remember at Priory, we were encouraged to see Christ in all human beings, that was quite easy today, as my young friend smiled at me during the Sign of Peace, and then looked back several times in the next minute to smile again. It was almost as if he thought I might be a dream, and if he did not check up on me, I would be gone.
After Mass, I handed out 3 or 4 Silly Bands that I brought for just this occasion to the small children. I also hand them out to the 3 high school students that were with me. Mickey and Agnes (two young girls that I had met yesterday) and Dennis (whom I had met earlier when Father Leonsyo arrived home) and I walked to school together. They asked me about farming in America, (I really need a better answer for that question, it gets asked every year), they asked me about Sunday in America. I told them about our traditions of many who eat a big meal (breakfast) after Church on Sundays. I told them I loved breakfast and I loved food. I also told about family meals of 17 on Sundays. They asked me about this, and I told them, "My mom is the best cook in America, that is why I am so big, I always eat her food."
They laughed and asked where not my friends big too, because they would have eaten my mother's food also. I then told them how tall Erin and Kurt are...
John
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Random Thoughts
Made it to 6:30 am Mass this morning, I was planning on going every day, but yesterday our grill work was padlocked and the girls had the key in their room. I was kind of tired, so I cannot say I minded too much.....
Today, Mass was again in the dark, but the people are so dedicated and kind. Walked to school with two girls who go to Mass, it was a great walk and a great start to the day.
Saw the flag-raising ceremony today at the Morning Parade (assembly), it was kind of cool as they send the flags bundled to the top, then they yank the rope, and the flag unfurls at the top of the pole. They have an honor guard, who really understand their role. Today, one of the kids told the adults that they should not be addressing the students from the front of the flag stand, as you should never place your back to the flags.....
A couple of good classes, today, we lost our middle class, but then got in back (the timetable is not consistent...LOL), but we were able to get it back and worked hard to get the content to the students....
A couple of more one on one help sessions....and then home....
Brought the wiffle ball and bat up to the field behind the schools and we played wiffle ball for an hour....
Came home and was disappointed that my tennis racket shaped, battery powered bug zapper was not making loud zaps, as the bugs were killed. Mosquitoes are still winning....
John
Today, Mass was again in the dark, but the people are so dedicated and kind. Walked to school with two girls who go to Mass, it was a great walk and a great start to the day.
Saw the flag-raising ceremony today at the Morning Parade (assembly), it was kind of cool as they send the flags bundled to the top, then they yank the rope, and the flag unfurls at the top of the pole. They have an honor guard, who really understand their role. Today, one of the kids told the adults that they should not be addressing the students from the front of the flag stand, as you should never place your back to the flags.....
A couple of good classes, today, we lost our middle class, but then got in back (the timetable is not consistent...LOL), but we were able to get it back and worked hard to get the content to the students....
A couple of more one on one help sessions....and then home....
Brought the wiffle ball and bat up to the field behind the schools and we played wiffle ball for an hour....
Came home and was disappointed that my tennis racket shaped, battery powered bug zapper was not making loud zaps, as the bugs were killed. Mosquitoes are still winning....
John
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Tuesday at Pope Paul VI
Today was a day filled with promise, starting with a good lesson and ending with playing Frisbee with about 8 of the high school boys, and about 5 primary school kids. The one primary school kid, Jacob, was great as he shagged all errant throws back to me. I almost did not even bend over while playing Frisbee. It might have been a bad idea during dinner, as the students (the boarders) get served dinner on plastic plates. I looked once behind me, and there were 9 different dinner plates sailing through the air.
Today, Patrick Munduga (spelling) and Denielle from Invisible Children came up to ask the Head Teacher and the teachers how IC is doing, and what they can be doing better. After several exchanges of thank yous, (IC has done quite a bit at PoPaViSSA) and deserves the accolades with many new buildings. 2 school buildings last year, have turned into 10 this year. The head teacher asked for one more comment, and then told the gathering, we will let John give the final speech. The formality in the Ugandan class room is very specific, and there are many speeches at a faculty meeting like this.
This being Africa, I am starting to be ready for impromptu speeches....(SIDE NOTE: I HAVE JUST RETREATED TO THE SAFETY OF MY BED, AS THE MOSQUITOES WERE TAKING MORE BLOOD FROM ME THAN THE RED CROSS ALLOWS!!)
Here to the best of my recollection is that speech. "First of all, I want to thank everyone in this room for the kindness that has been extended to me and my fellow teachers over the last 24 hours. In a short time you have treated us like family and we appreciate your kindness.
Our colleague that died in the bombing, worked hard to spread the message of your students and your schools to American students. Because, he and his colleagues were so successful, we can see in the new buildings and the classrooms the real extent of their efforts.
Most of us in Invisible Children have joined this organization because we detest violence. It is not an answer, and not a solution. We are teachers, so we teach kindness, and love and understanding. And that is what we have seen from our Ugandan counterparts. You have shown us a great kindness and a great gentleness. Here, I speak for myself, but I think my fellow teachers will agree that this attack of violence does not weaken our resolve, but it strengthens us. I want to do even more now, because I do not want to live in a world, where violence wins. We are teachers and we will continue to do what we do best-- we will teach. We will teach kindness and love and understanding. It is knowledge of the world and others that breaks down hate, and in the end, I believe we will win.. This battle will not be won by soldiers it will be won by teachers.
I also want to say that when I see the Pope Paul VI students that they have the same determination and drive that American students have. They pursue...they pursue knowledge and dream about their future. So it is our duty, that we MUST not let this determination and drive be wasted. We must do our very best for these students. This is the path we have chosen, everyone in this room is a teacher, and we must continue on this path.
I am so impressed with these students, that I will end this way. In 2030, I expect to turn on the NBC Nightly News and hear that they have just elected a new president in Uganda and I will say, "Hey, I taught her when she was a student at Pope Paul VI in Anaka."
So today was a good day, I had two different help sessions with only a handful of students each time. I really felt I was helping those students with their mathematics.
John
Today, Patrick Munduga (spelling) and Denielle from Invisible Children came up to ask the Head Teacher and the teachers how IC is doing, and what they can be doing better. After several exchanges of thank yous, (IC has done quite a bit at PoPaViSSA) and deserves the accolades with many new buildings. 2 school buildings last year, have turned into 10 this year. The head teacher asked for one more comment, and then told the gathering, we will let John give the final speech. The formality in the Ugandan class room is very specific, and there are many speeches at a faculty meeting like this.
This being Africa, I am starting to be ready for impromptu speeches....(SIDE NOTE: I HAVE JUST RETREATED TO THE SAFETY OF MY BED, AS THE MOSQUITOES WERE TAKING MORE BLOOD FROM ME THAN THE RED CROSS ALLOWS!!)
Here to the best of my recollection is that speech. "First of all, I want to thank everyone in this room for the kindness that has been extended to me and my fellow teachers over the last 24 hours. In a short time you have treated us like family and we appreciate your kindness.
Our colleague that died in the bombing, worked hard to spread the message of your students and your schools to American students. Because, he and his colleagues were so successful, we can see in the new buildings and the classrooms the real extent of their efforts.
Most of us in Invisible Children have joined this organization because we detest violence. It is not an answer, and not a solution. We are teachers, so we teach kindness, and love and understanding. And that is what we have seen from our Ugandan counterparts. You have shown us a great kindness and a great gentleness. Here, I speak for myself, but I think my fellow teachers will agree that this attack of violence does not weaken our resolve, but it strengthens us. I want to do even more now, because I do not want to live in a world, where violence wins. We are teachers and we will continue to do what we do best-- we will teach. We will teach kindness and love and understanding. It is knowledge of the world and others that breaks down hate, and in the end, I believe we will win.. This battle will not be won by soldiers it will be won by teachers.
I also want to say that when I see the Pope Paul VI students that they have the same determination and drive that American students have. They pursue...they pursue knowledge and dream about their future. So it is our duty, that we MUST not let this determination and drive be wasted. We must do our very best for these students. This is the path we have chosen, everyone in this room is a teacher, and we must continue on this path.
I am so impressed with these students, that I will end this way. In 2030, I expect to turn on the NBC Nightly News and hear that they have just elected a new president in Uganda and I will say, "Hey, I taught her when she was a student at Pope Paul VI in Anaka."
So today was a good day, I had two different help sessions with only a handful of students each time. I really felt I was helping those students with their mathematics.
John
Monday, July 12, 2010
Answering Hate with Love, Answering Intolerance with Education.
This morning 2 bombs were set off in Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. I am in a remote village, 6 hours away, and all the teachers are safe and will continue to be safe. The gentleness and kindness we have received from the people in Anaka and Pope Paul VI school has been amazing. 64 people were killed in these bombings...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/11/AR2010071102834.html
Included in the deceased was a young man, Nate Henn, who I do not believe I had the pleasure of meeting. He was a dedicated roadie for Invisible Children. The roadies are amazing people who put their lives on hold for 3 months, 6 months, or sometimes more than a year to spread the word about how Americans and American high school students can help the students of northern Uganda. Becky Dale, Nerinx Hall alum, is one of those amazing people. I found out later today that Becky had known Nathan and they were friends and believers in the same dream.
Nate had made such good friends with Ugandans that he had met while touring America that he had come to Uganda early to reconnect with those friends. It was doing what friends do, watching the World Cup, that put Nate in the wrong place at the wrong time. It is also tragically ironic that Nate who worked hard to end the violence and hate in Northern Uganda was killed by a different group of violence and hate. If you want to read who Nate was....here is a link to the Invisible children site.
http://blog.invisiblechildren.com/2010/07/in-loving-memory-of-nate-oteka-henn/
I also ask your prayers for the other 60 plus people who died in this senseless act of violence. It may be easy when we see such destruction and mayhem that we give up or become pessimistic about our world.
I also ask your prayers for all those inside the Invisible Children organization, this is a tightly knit community, and my fellow teacher, Colleen Dougherty, knew Nate, and was close friends with his sister, and many of his friends. I have nicknamed Colleen, Sunshine and Smiles, because that is exactly who she is Sunshine and Smiles---she is a wonderful teacher that brings energy and love to everyone she encounters. I cannot tell you how many times she has made me smile or laugh. It is literally over 100 in a short two weeks. It saddens me that one so giving and loving is sad today.
.....
But today my day begin entirely different than the violence and mayhem of the city of Kampala. My day began with 8 villagers of Anaka in a small, beautiful church at 630 am Mass. The Mass was concelebrated by Father Leonsyo and Father Martin, my 2 new friends, and they were joined on the altar by Deacon James who will be ordained the day we leave Anaka. The Mass started a little late, as the World Cup did not end until after midnight here, and even the Priests are fans. LOL! A few minutes into the Mass, a small boy of about 6 came into church by himself. He dutifully blessed himself with Holy Water and found a space in the church. He, like most under the age of 13, had no shoes, and was clad in a simple shirt and shorts, his primary school uniform.
Mass was in Lwo, so it is sometimes hard to follow, but Father Leonsyo's voice, his peace, his calm, and his LOVE come out loud in any language. The other night, his cell phone rang as he was with Kelley Moneymaker and myself. "Can I Love this one he asked?", to Kelley and I. "To answer, and to listen is to LOVE, is it not?" He said.
Today, I will pray some more and pray a lot. And I will pray that the world will see the future in the 3 generations I saw today. I do not know who each of you will identify with the small boy, Colleen who so much wants to give good to the world, or the gentle Love of a Parish priest. But one or maybe all of those three will continue the work of Nate Henn, and I remain convinced that LOVE in the end will triumph.
How can it not?
John
p.s. Do not worry about me, I will see you all in August. and know that I love each of you so, so much. I am a teacher, and I am here teaching.....
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/11/AR2010071102834.html
Included in the deceased was a young man, Nate Henn, who I do not believe I had the pleasure of meeting. He was a dedicated roadie for Invisible Children. The roadies are amazing people who put their lives on hold for 3 months, 6 months, or sometimes more than a year to spread the word about how Americans and American high school students can help the students of northern Uganda. Becky Dale, Nerinx Hall alum, is one of those amazing people. I found out later today that Becky had known Nathan and they were friends and believers in the same dream.
Nate had made such good friends with Ugandans that he had met while touring America that he had come to Uganda early to reconnect with those friends. It was doing what friends do, watching the World Cup, that put Nate in the wrong place at the wrong time. It is also tragically ironic that Nate who worked hard to end the violence and hate in Northern Uganda was killed by a different group of violence and hate. If you want to read who Nate was....here is a link to the Invisible children site.
http://blog.invisiblechildren.com/2010/07/in-loving-memory-of-nate-oteka-henn/
I also ask your prayers for the other 60 plus people who died in this senseless act of violence. It may be easy when we see such destruction and mayhem that we give up or become pessimistic about our world.
I also ask your prayers for all those inside the Invisible Children organization, this is a tightly knit community, and my fellow teacher, Colleen Dougherty, knew Nate, and was close friends with his sister, and many of his friends. I have nicknamed Colleen, Sunshine and Smiles, because that is exactly who she is Sunshine and Smiles---she is a wonderful teacher that brings energy and love to everyone she encounters. I cannot tell you how many times she has made me smile or laugh. It is literally over 100 in a short two weeks. It saddens me that one so giving and loving is sad today.
.....
But today my day begin entirely different than the violence and mayhem of the city of Kampala. My day began with 8 villagers of Anaka in a small, beautiful church at 630 am Mass. The Mass was concelebrated by Father Leonsyo and Father Martin, my 2 new friends, and they were joined on the altar by Deacon James who will be ordained the day we leave Anaka. The Mass started a little late, as the World Cup did not end until after midnight here, and even the Priests are fans. LOL! A few minutes into the Mass, a small boy of about 6 came into church by himself. He dutifully blessed himself with Holy Water and found a space in the church. He, like most under the age of 13, had no shoes, and was clad in a simple shirt and shorts, his primary school uniform.
Mass was in Lwo, so it is sometimes hard to follow, but Father Leonsyo's voice, his peace, his calm, and his LOVE come out loud in any language. The other night, his cell phone rang as he was with Kelley Moneymaker and myself. "Can I Love this one he asked?", to Kelley and I. "To answer, and to listen is to LOVE, is it not?" He said.
Today, I will pray some more and pray a lot. And I will pray that the world will see the future in the 3 generations I saw today. I do not know who each of you will identify with the small boy, Colleen who so much wants to give good to the world, or the gentle Love of a Parish priest. But one or maybe all of those three will continue the work of Nate Henn, and I remain convinced that LOVE in the end will triumph.
How can it not?
John
p.s. Do not worry about me, I will see you all in August. and know that I love each of you so, so much. I am a teacher, and I am here teaching.....
Friday, July 9, 2010
2 Shining Stars....
Some of you may remember how disappointed I was when I heard that due to a student strike that we were not going to be sending teachers to Atanga SS. Today, we had a conference of all the schools, specifically to talk about KOBS. KOBS is an emotional literacy class that all Invisible Children schools are in various stages of implementing. When the speaker of the seminar showed a slide that showed a not insignificant percentage of the students surveyed had seen houses set afire with people in them, then maybe something else has to happen in the lives of these students before we can teach them how to simplify the square root of 8.
The KOBS program seems to be a step in the right direction. I believe any student cannot learn without feeling good about themselves, and understanding how truly remarkable they are. The KOBS program works to get traumatized students understanding what has happened in their lives and how to understand and manage the pain, but still move on.
Later in the day, when I saw Jacob from the Rough Cut on the street, he again turned his Reds cap backwards, so the big C was not obvious. If so much can happen in Jacob's life to move him in such a powerful direction, and he is such a smiling and happy young man, then there is hope for all of the students affected by the conflict.
-----
In the early morning beginning of the conference, I was greeted by two warm handshakes and two familiar voices. Ocwa Alfred Jackson and Obonyo Sam had come down to the conference from Atanga. They were crushed and terribly disappointed that Atanga was not getting American teachers this year. They had both worked so hard for their students and both worked so hard to suppport Invisible that I feel in some way, I have let them down. In the wave of the violence at the school, and thinking of the safety concerns for our teachers. I think the decision not to send to Atanga SS this year was probably the correct one.....Yet from their voices I heard two men talk about their school, imploring me that the school was never shut down...that there were working hard to make sure that students were continuing to study throughout all the chaos.
I am not sure what exactly has happened at Atanga, or at least I am not going to share it on record, but the bottom line is this...maybe one man let the school down.
What would you do, as a young student who saw your one shot at a future drift away due to the actions of an adult who should know better. Reacting with violence is never the answer, but then again what happens to a dream destroyed? what happens to a dream deferred?
And through it all, these two teachers Sam and Alfred were doing their very best for their students. Making sure that the school did not close, and making sure students who showed up were given instruction, were given knowledge, study sessions for their placement exams continued......
And what about the students who did not participate in the violence, who just want to move forward and conquer each year, and each subject in stride, what happens to them? I know some of my words here might be confusing to you, and I will have to fill in more details when I get home.....but it is amazing how many good people here are doing their very best to triumph through all these adversities and obstacles......
The bottom line is that there are no Teacher Exchange Teachers at Atanga SS, this year and this hurts everyone. The students and teachers of Atanga, who are doing amazing work, the American teachers that did not get a chance to see Atanga SS, and my two friends Alfred and Sam who care so much....
I have decided I am skipping the Safari to visit the teachers and students at Atanga SS....Hopefully, I can let them all know that they are not forgotten and there is still hope....
The KOBS program seems to be a step in the right direction. I believe any student cannot learn without feeling good about themselves, and understanding how truly remarkable they are. The KOBS program works to get traumatized students understanding what has happened in their lives and how to understand and manage the pain, but still move on.
Later in the day, when I saw Jacob from the Rough Cut on the street, he again turned his Reds cap backwards, so the big C was not obvious. If so much can happen in Jacob's life to move him in such a powerful direction, and he is such a smiling and happy young man, then there is hope for all of the students affected by the conflict.
-----
In the early morning beginning of the conference, I was greeted by two warm handshakes and two familiar voices. Ocwa Alfred Jackson and Obonyo Sam had come down to the conference from Atanga. They were crushed and terribly disappointed that Atanga was not getting American teachers this year. They had both worked so hard for their students and both worked so hard to suppport Invisible that I feel in some way, I have let them down. In the wave of the violence at the school, and thinking of the safety concerns for our teachers. I think the decision not to send to Atanga SS this year was probably the correct one.....Yet from their voices I heard two men talk about their school, imploring me that the school was never shut down...that there were working hard to make sure that students were continuing to study throughout all the chaos.
I am not sure what exactly has happened at Atanga, or at least I am not going to share it on record, but the bottom line is this...maybe one man let the school down.
What would you do, as a young student who saw your one shot at a future drift away due to the actions of an adult who should know better. Reacting with violence is never the answer, but then again what happens to a dream destroyed? what happens to a dream deferred?
And through it all, these two teachers Sam and Alfred were doing their very best for their students. Making sure that the school did not close, and making sure students who showed up were given instruction, were given knowledge, study sessions for their placement exams continued......
And what about the students who did not participate in the violence, who just want to move forward and conquer each year, and each subject in stride, what happens to them? I know some of my words here might be confusing to you, and I will have to fill in more details when I get home.....but it is amazing how many good people here are doing their very best to triumph through all these adversities and obstacles......
The bottom line is that there are no Teacher Exchange Teachers at Atanga SS, this year and this hurts everyone. The students and teachers of Atanga, who are doing amazing work, the American teachers that did not get a chance to see Atanga SS, and my two friends Alfred and Sam who care so much....
I have decided I am skipping the Safari to visit the teachers and students at Atanga SS....Hopefully, I can let them all know that they are not forgotten and there is still hope....
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Mass, God, and god
Kelley and I got up at 6 am to walk up for Mass with Father Leonsyo. It was wonderful, we walked through the dark to get to Mass, and saw small children with remnants of down coats to ward off the morning chill.
Mass was entirely in Lwo, and there were all generations there, and music was provided by the small home made harp. I have pictures, but right now very little battery time left. So I will flush this out later.
After Mass, we went to Morning Parade (Assembly) where the students stand and listen to the several teachers talk about how the school and their school life could be better. I looked at a few things in the staff room, came home to a broken toilet where I had to implement a flushing system, then lit an old Post-Dispatch on fire to cover the smell...
Our wash was done, but it still was a little damp, so I start rehanging it on the line. I was soon greeted by the sound on the other side of our house of about 60 students slashing the grass by hand. This was not punishment, but rather a way to welcome the Americans, but I would much rather see tall grass and students in classes. As the student teacher was calling students names to stop, because he felt they were working, a small feisty student questioned his authority. The student teacher replied, "I am God." The student replied, "You are god with a small g."
I am going to have to get to know this student. His impatience with the task at hand, and his feistiness, makes me believe that there is a lot there.....
John
Mass was entirely in Lwo, and there were all generations there, and music was provided by the small home made harp. I have pictures, but right now very little battery time left. So I will flush this out later.
After Mass, we went to Morning Parade (Assembly) where the students stand and listen to the several teachers talk about how the school and their school life could be better. I looked at a few things in the staff room, came home to a broken toilet where I had to implement a flushing system, then lit an old Post-Dispatch on fire to cover the smell...
Our wash was done, but it still was a little damp, so I start rehanging it on the line. I was soon greeted by the sound on the other side of our house of about 60 students slashing the grass by hand. This was not punishment, but rather a way to welcome the Americans, but I would much rather see tall grass and students in classes. As the student teacher was calling students names to stop, because he felt they were working, a small feisty student questioned his authority. The student teacher replied, "I am God." The student replied, "You are god with a small g."
I am going to have to get to know this student. His impatience with the task at hand, and his feistiness, makes me believe that there is a lot there.....
John
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Father Leonsyo
A real significant reason, I came back this year was to visit the village of Anaka. I had heard such amazing stories about the parish Priests that the 5 teachers had stayed with last year. Kelley had even told me more as we prepared to become teachers at Pope Paul VI in Anaka.
Both priests were out of town, so we did not get to meet them until.....
Kelley was antsy all night, as she could not wait until her friend from last year, Father Leonsyo would be returning to Anaka from Gulu via Italy for 3 months. She kept checking her phone for messages and the time, and after dinner questioned how long the drive from Gulu to Anaka would take.
Finally, I suggested we just walk up to the parish anyway. The start was interesting as I had not walked to the Church in the dark yet. Kelley, the warrior, plowed ahead, and I was just keeping up, doing my best to pay attention in case I had to find my way back for some reason. As we walked, we past about 20 students and villagers, while we had the latest in lights and headlamps all of the locals managed this path with ease in the dark.
We got to the parish center, and soon found Father Leonsyo sitting on a chair in the dark with a large group of people around him. Of course, we were given the chairs right next to Father Leonsyo. I accepted, but wondered how this could be right. Why should I be seated next to the Priest, when so many had known him for so much longer, and had made a special trip to greet him home, after his extended stay in Italy.
Immediately, in front of me, I could see that there was a group of children probably 30 or 40, almost all less than 10... smiling at the Priest. It was amazing just to sit in this gathering. In that moment, I was in a place of such grace. After I made some waving, greeting hand gestures at the boys, one young man of about 5 years old, came up from the third row, approached me and shook my hand. The boy showed great courage, while the other young boys stared at the large white man. I felt so blessed to be in this gentle, quiet place with the people of Anaka.
I will write more about Father Leonsyo later, but I will end with his words, "Isn't that what Love is, to be humble to others, to put others before you."
Today I sat amongst Saints,
John
Both priests were out of town, so we did not get to meet them until.....
Kelley was antsy all night, as she could not wait until her friend from last year, Father Leonsyo would be returning to Anaka from Gulu via Italy for 3 months. She kept checking her phone for messages and the time, and after dinner questioned how long the drive from Gulu to Anaka would take.
Finally, I suggested we just walk up to the parish anyway. The start was interesting as I had not walked to the Church in the dark yet. Kelley, the warrior, plowed ahead, and I was just keeping up, doing my best to pay attention in case I had to find my way back for some reason. As we walked, we past about 20 students and villagers, while we had the latest in lights and headlamps all of the locals managed this path with ease in the dark.
We got to the parish center, and soon found Father Leonsyo sitting on a chair in the dark with a large group of people around him. Of course, we were given the chairs right next to Father Leonsyo. I accepted, but wondered how this could be right. Why should I be seated next to the Priest, when so many had known him for so much longer, and had made a special trip to greet him home, after his extended stay in Italy.
Immediately, in front of me, I could see that there was a group of children probably 30 or 40, almost all less than 10... smiling at the Priest. It was amazing just to sit in this gathering. In that moment, I was in a place of such grace. After I made some waving, greeting hand gestures at the boys, one young man of about 5 years old, came up from the third row, approached me and shook my hand. The boy showed great courage, while the other young boys stared at the large white man. I felt so blessed to be in this gentle, quiet place with the people of Anaka.
I will write more about Father Leonsyo later, but I will end with his words, "Isn't that what Love is, to be humble to others, to put others before you."
Today I sat amongst Saints,
John
There is a Chicken in My Goal--UPDATED
Kelley, Colleen, and I took a long walk after school through town. We saw the parish, but Kelley's friends the priests are both away. We saw a beautiful, little church where I am hoping to go Mass next week. We walked into town, and searched the market for yarn for Colleen's school project. She finally found rope, as yarn was not there. We then hurried back for the big Football match between the students and the faculty. There was no reason to hurry as the big match scheduled for 4:00 pm did not start until after 5:30 T.I.A. (This Is Africa). The match was being taken a little more seriously then I thought as the faculty start handing out uniforms. There were several jokes that I would be the keeper, but I kept saying probably not. Since wash day had not happened, I showed up for the game in a Nerinx polo, shorts with a belt, and my D Wade converse basketball shoes.
We walked through town, this time joined by several students that Kelley had taught last year, by the time we got to the pitch, we were being followed by about 30 people. And I got the unfortunate news that I was the starting keeper. This year, I made a couple of saves, got the ball a couple of times, and once fell over on a somewhat routine ball back to me...(the D Wades let me done---or I probably should have had spikes)....There was soon going to be a breakaway, but Colleen's teacher Geoffrey tackled the student from behind. PENALTY SHOT! I was ready as the young kids behind me, started to laugh at my focus for the shot...Oh I forgot by this time the game had grown to about 1100 of different people with many small children.
The shot was off. I quickly tried to be the hero, by flinging my left arm at the incoming ball, but only got 1/2 a forearm on the ball. I made contact, but not enough to stop the ball. The half ended with a few more chances, but at half time the score was 1-1. I felt vindicated from my last pathetic performance as a keeper 3 years ago. And I got the good news, there would be a substitute for me in the second half.
During one of the big chances, I was getting ready for the save as the yellow clad students made an attack on my goal. As I steadied myself and checked my position in the goal, I noticed a chicken was strutting around by the left goal post. So I thought sure the chicken would mess me up, I quickly chased the chicken out of my goal, as the attack came towards me.
Many of the children laughed at the large white man chasing a chicken as the game progressed. We left the game 2 minutes early as we had to get back for dinner, but we travelled down a path, with 2 little girls, clad in torn blue jumpers, laughing and hugging 12 feet ahead of us.
Another student told us, she thought the white teachers had come from Heaven to help this town. I wish I had pictures as we walked with a group of 400 back to town, all of them a little curious about the 3 white teachers.
At 9:30....I am rushing as almost no time left on battery.....
We were going to watch the World Cup inside as they broadcast it outside with a projector.... The screen was not there, so we moved the 27 inch TV outside, the teachers sat on chairs (maybe 20) as 300 students crowded into every space inside and around us. Okay, I am typing this late at night, after Kelley and I got back from seeing Father Leonsyo. I am underneath my mosquito net with a flashlight in my mouth. But I needed to add that at half time, the teachers start flipping channel for so many this month is the first they have seen of satellite tv. At half-time of the World Cup, we watched in order: the closing credits of Monsters, Inc., 3 and a half minutes of Wuthering Heights (some British version ???), then Pit Bulls and Parolees for a good 8 minutes....Just kind of funny as everyone was enthralled with something they had not seen before.
Not a bad full day in the little town of Anaka.
We walked through town, this time joined by several students that Kelley had taught last year, by the time we got to the pitch, we were being followed by about 30 people. And I got the unfortunate news that I was the starting keeper. This year, I made a couple of saves, got the ball a couple of times, and once fell over on a somewhat routine ball back to me...(the D Wades let me done---or I probably should have had spikes)....There was soon going to be a breakaway, but Colleen's teacher Geoffrey tackled the student from behind. PENALTY SHOT! I was ready as the young kids behind me, started to laugh at my focus for the shot...Oh I forgot by this time the game had grown to about 1100 of different people with many small children.
The shot was off. I quickly tried to be the hero, by flinging my left arm at the incoming ball, but only got 1/2 a forearm on the ball. I made contact, but not enough to stop the ball. The half ended with a few more chances, but at half time the score was 1-1. I felt vindicated from my last pathetic performance as a keeper 3 years ago. And I got the good news, there would be a substitute for me in the second half.
During one of the big chances, I was getting ready for the save as the yellow clad students made an attack on my goal. As I steadied myself and checked my position in the goal, I noticed a chicken was strutting around by the left goal post. So I thought sure the chicken would mess me up, I quickly chased the chicken out of my goal, as the attack came towards me.
Many of the children laughed at the large white man chasing a chicken as the game progressed. We left the game 2 minutes early as we had to get back for dinner, but we travelled down a path, with 2 little girls, clad in torn blue jumpers, laughing and hugging 12 feet ahead of us.
Another student told us, she thought the white teachers had come from Heaven to help this town. I wish I had pictures as we walked with a group of 400 back to town, all of them a little curious about the 3 white teachers.
At 9:30....I am rushing as almost no time left on battery.....
We were going to watch the World Cup inside as they broadcast it outside with a projector.... The screen was not there, so we moved the 27 inch TV outside, the teachers sat on chairs (maybe 20) as 300 students crowded into every space inside and around us. Okay, I am typing this late at night, after Kelley and I got back from seeing Father Leonsyo. I am underneath my mosquito net with a flashlight in my mouth. But I needed to add that at half time, the teachers start flipping channel for so many this month is the first they have seen of satellite tv. At half-time of the World Cup, we watched in order: the closing credits of Monsters, Inc., 3 and a half minutes of Wuthering Heights (some British version ???), then Pit Bulls and Parolees for a good 8 minutes....Just kind of funny as everyone was enthralled with something they had not seen before.
Not a bad full day in the little town of Anaka.
Monday, July 5, 2010
First Night in Anaka
Well, we have settled in for our first night at Atanga. We are actually in a 3 bedroom house with Jacob, from the Peace Corps, our new friend. Jacob and first worked at drilling a hole in his ceiling for his mosquito net. That actually failed and I jerryrigged, a screw from a lock assembly, duct taped to a string that I shoved through the hole that I had made. We assembled beds and Mosquito Nets and have started to call this home. Maureen, our cook, is working over a charcoal stove in the kitchen preparing us our first meal.
Kelley Moneymaker has been appointed Chairwoman of Money, I am the Chairmen of Fixing Things and Toilet Problems, Colleen Dougherty is Chairwomen of Sunshine and Smiles, and Min Dusanj has been appointed Chairwomen of World Culture and is also the Canadian Liasion Officer for our little community. The internet appears to work up here, so our new limitation is battery power, but hopefully we can prevail on the Priests in the village to hook us up with Faith, Communion, and a little 220 power.
The Scouts, cut bamboo for the girls' rooms to prop up their mosquito nets. I shared with them 3 silly bands-- a gorilla, a giraffe, and an elephant. About 15 different excited students helped us move in, and I think so many were excited to see us. My friend Odong Collins Otika has already stopped in to say Hi!....I have learned that the school fees at Pope Paul VI are a little more affordable than some of the schools in Gulu.
Hopefully we can begin tomorrow by making impact as teachers, all things look promising.
John....
A cou
Kelley Moneymaker has been appointed Chairwoman of Money, I am the Chairmen of Fixing Things and Toilet Problems, Colleen Dougherty is Chairwomen of Sunshine and Smiles, and Min Dusanj has been appointed Chairwomen of World Culture and is also the Canadian Liasion Officer for our little community. The internet appears to work up here, so our new limitation is battery power, but hopefully we can prevail on the Priests in the village to hook us up with Faith, Communion, and a little 220 power.
The Scouts, cut bamboo for the girls' rooms to prop up their mosquito nets. I shared with them 3 silly bands-- a gorilla, a giraffe, and an elephant. About 15 different excited students helped us move in, and I think so many were excited to see us. My friend Odong Collins Otika has already stopped in to say Hi!....I have learned that the school fees at Pope Paul VI are a little more affordable than some of the schools in Gulu.
Hopefully we can begin tomorrow by making impact as teachers, all things look promising.
John....
A cou
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Jacob, New York, and that Free Willie Song....
Half a world away, I sometimes find my mind racing in the middle of an activity.
Tonight, we had a party for the Teacher Exchange teachers and their partner teachers with a few selected extra guests.
I made it my mission to get ice, so we could have cold beer. It was a long process with 4 of us, Tim H., Kelley M., and Joe D. from Group 1 going to a store that sells refurbished refrigerators and freezers. I think to prove to new customers that his freezers work, he makes ice. Kelley and I had gone earlier in the day, and I thought I had talked my new friend Juma into selling me all the ice he had made today, but their was a local woman who took my first batch for some fish (I did not feel chilling beer was more honorable than her cause--so I demurred). When Kelley arrived, Juma said, "Your friend George is coming back with a bucket." Tim laughed quite a bit about me being George. Juma's freezers did not quite work well enough so we gathered large chunks of half done ice and headed back to the party.
Old friends Odong Robert, Okaali John, and Aliker David Martin showed up early, so I started out by talking and sharing great stories with them. A great picture of these 2 to the right. A good start....
now skip some time...
I am now dancing with new friends and old friends in the middle of the front yard of our rental house and my mind starts to race.
On March 1, 2007 Shona Clarkson introduced me to the story of the Invisible Children. If you have not seen "The Rough Cut" let me know and we can watch it when I get back. In the middle of that movie we see the incredible moving story of a young boy named Jacob whose life has been turned upside down by the conflict in Northern Uganda.
and now I am back....Jumping up and down and dancing with Jacob who had the most wonderful smile on his face, trying his best to dance higher than I am tall, and laughing all the way (tonight in this night, I can even forgive that he was wearing a Cincinnati Reds cap). His laughter, and his triumph in school is amazing. Jacob will be going to university next year is amazing.
So I guess that is what hope looks like... and it is amazing to see it....
A little while longer we heard Empire State of Mind ( by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys) and when Alicia sings New York...New York with such power and amazement...
My mind raced again to 6 Ugandan teachers landing at JFK and beginning such an adventure in January that would touch so many of our lives. When I saw Okaali, and Robert, and Alex dancing to that song....it was almost too much...How I am so blessed to have seen so much in the last four years...to see hard work overcome violence...to see the smile and dedication of dedicated teachers end so promisingly in the classroom of Jean Fry at Nerinx and Eric LaBoube at SLUH.... to see so many of my Ugandan friends with such big smiles.
Robert and John never stopped laughing or smiling the whole night.
and then the African DJ said no more songs, it was time to go, but made a mistake and actually cued up the beginning bars of that Free Willy song,....somehow he continued to make mistakes and we heard the song about 2 and a half times.. there are 22 of my students who went to Biloxi in 2006 who will ever be intertwined with that song in my head....That trip and those 22 will always have a special place in my heart.....
and so that must be it for now, as my computer shows that I have 7 minutes left, and the other 26 teachers have gone to bed....
me I am kind of wishing this night never ended, but tonight I have my i-pod and will crank up a few good songs before I go to sleep....
and so in the words of Okaali John, "Aaaaaaaaaah! tic. tic. tic. tic. tic.
Tonight, we had a party for the Teacher Exchange teachers and their partner teachers with a few selected extra guests.
I made it my mission to get ice, so we could have cold beer. It was a long process with 4 of us, Tim H., Kelley M., and Joe D. from Group 1 going to a store that sells refurbished refrigerators and freezers. I think to prove to new customers that his freezers work, he makes ice. Kelley and I had gone earlier in the day, and I thought I had talked my new friend Juma into selling me all the ice he had made today, but their was a local woman who took my first batch for some fish (I did not feel chilling beer was more honorable than her cause--so I demurred). When Kelley arrived, Juma said, "Your friend George is coming back with a bucket." Tim laughed quite a bit about me being George. Juma's freezers did not quite work well enough so we gathered large chunks of half done ice and headed back to the party.
Old friends Odong Robert, Okaali John, and Aliker David Martin showed up early, so I started out by talking and sharing great stories with them. A great picture of these 2 to the right. A good start....
now skip some time...
I am now dancing with new friends and old friends in the middle of the front yard of our rental house and my mind starts to race.
On March 1, 2007 Shona Clarkson introduced me to the story of the Invisible Children. If you have not seen "The Rough Cut" let me know and we can watch it when I get back. In the middle of that movie we see the incredible moving story of a young boy named Jacob whose life has been turned upside down by the conflict in Northern Uganda.
and now I am back....Jumping up and down and dancing with Jacob who had the most wonderful smile on his face, trying his best to dance higher than I am tall, and laughing all the way (tonight in this night, I can even forgive that he was wearing a Cincinnati Reds cap). His laughter, and his triumph in school is amazing. Jacob will be going to university next year is amazing.
So I guess that is what hope looks like... and it is amazing to see it....
A little while longer we heard Empire State of Mind ( by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys) and when Alicia sings New York...New York with such power and amazement...
My mind raced again to 6 Ugandan teachers landing at JFK and beginning such an adventure in January that would touch so many of our lives. When I saw Okaali, and Robert, and Alex dancing to that song....it was almost too much...How I am so blessed to have seen so much in the last four years...to see hard work overcome violence...to see the smile and dedication of dedicated teachers end so promisingly in the classroom of Jean Fry at Nerinx and Eric LaBoube at SLUH.... to see so many of my Ugandan friends with such big smiles.
Robert and John never stopped laughing or smiling the whole night.
and then the African DJ said no more songs, it was time to go, but made a mistake and actually cued up the beginning bars of that Free Willy song,....somehow he continued to make mistakes and we heard the song about 2 and a half times.. there are 22 of my students who went to Biloxi in 2006 who will ever be intertwined with that song in my head....That trip and those 22 will always have a special place in my heart.....
and so that must be it for now, as my computer shows that I have 7 minutes left, and the other 26 teachers have gone to bed....
me I am kind of wishing this night never ended, but tonight I have my i-pod and will crank up a few good songs before I go to sleep....
and so in the words of Okaali John, "Aaaaaaaaaah! tic. tic. tic. tic. tic.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Geoffrey Alii and Ashley
Geoffrey Alii is a wonderful teacher at Pabo SS. I say he is a wonderful man, because he has worked very hard over the last 3 years to become a better teacher. When this program, Invisible Children, started for him he was set in so many of his ways. He began to listen to some of what the Teacher Exchange is designed to do...To open up communication and learn from others. I have learned so much from my Ugandan friends, and yesterday Geoffrey told us what he had learned from Americans. He learned to be more open in his thoughts and his emotions. He talked about Americans always crying when they come to his school and embrace his students. He talked about a young American high school student, opening up a building that had been paid for by donations from maybe some of you. He talked about Justine crying when she thought about what she could do for the students of Pabo. Geoffrey talked about learning how to hug more, and he said Americans are always hugging each other. He talked about hugging his granddaughter, and how she welcomes these new hugs from her Grandpa.
Yesterday, I learned that a student Ashley Tapperson had died. Ashley had such a wonderful smile. She was quiet and a little shy in my class, so it was not every day that I saw that smile out of Ashley. But when I did it made my day. Ashley was a diver, coached wonderfully by her dad. Her dad is always smiling and playful when I see him, quick with a kind word and a warm handshake. I could see his smile in Ashley's smile. Ashley had the most wonderful notebook, I have ever seen. It was neat, it was organized, it often had color in it. It looked like it was made by Prentice-Hall to accompany a textbook. I told her she should be a professional note taker in college (the job exists to help some students who cannot take notes). Ashley was a flip thrower in soccer. If you have never seen that it is an amazing talent! Ashley was a wonderful young women who will be missed by many.
So I want all of you reading this to spend today, hugging everyone you know. Let's be those Americans today that Geoffrey spoke about. Let's live in the moment and hug: good friends and total strangers. Let's hug 2 year olds we know and hug the Ashleys we know in our life.
Thanks Ashley, I saw so much life and wonderful talent in you. I saw smiles and greatness. ... and in Uganda half a world away, I want to hug you one more time. So today I will hug Kelley, my friend and fellow teacher.
Yesterday, I learned that a student Ashley Tapperson had died. Ashley had such a wonderful smile. She was quiet and a little shy in my class, so it was not every day that I saw that smile out of Ashley. But when I did it made my day. Ashley was a diver, coached wonderfully by her dad. Her dad is always smiling and playful when I see him, quick with a kind word and a warm handshake. I could see his smile in Ashley's smile. Ashley had the most wonderful notebook, I have ever seen. It was neat, it was organized, it often had color in it. It looked like it was made by Prentice-Hall to accompany a textbook. I told her she should be a professional note taker in college (the job exists to help some students who cannot take notes). Ashley was a flip thrower in soccer. If you have never seen that it is an amazing talent! Ashley was a wonderful young women who will be missed by many.
So I want all of you reading this to spend today, hugging everyone you know. Let's be those Americans today that Geoffrey spoke about. Let's live in the moment and hug: good friends and total strangers. Let's hug 2 year olds we know and hug the Ashleys we know in our life.
Thanks Ashley, I saw so much life and wonderful talent in you. I saw smiles and greatness. ... and in Uganda half a world away, I want to hug you one more time. So today I will hug Kelley, my friend and fellow teacher.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)