Caring and Responsibilty

The other day at Rhino trek, 11 of us had a discussion with the question: Which 3 people living or dead have influenced you the most. I think an obvious choice is our parents, but for the sake lof the discussion I chose 3 people who have moved me Tao the man I am. They were Father Gregory Boyle (google his book if you have note read it)Phil Williams, and Mary Bryant ( she is the young woman who died in a car accident whose dream we follow each June when we do service at Back Bahy Mision in MS). Tonight I am in Anaka staying at the parish Keith Fathers Martin and Thomas and 3 fantastic colleagues. Today I met a young man who might answer the question of the 3 people with John Magee, John Magee, and John Magee. What do you do with this? I care about this young man deeply. He has been a part of 4 or 5 of my summers in Uganda. I knew him in Gulu and then when I arrived at Pope Paul VI in 2010, he was going to school here as an S4 student. This young man did his best to show me his ability inside and outside of class, but he struggled with the S4 mathematics. I would see him at night and sometimess we would walk to the village and sometimes I was not able to, because I had commitments to others or my school work. There were probably also a few times where I was just too lazy or too selfish to spend time with my young friend. Because of a cheaper ride home, my 2 day stay in Amaka is ending earlier. I had a wonderful day seeing and listening to a wonderful head teacher and at least 17 teaching colleagues from Popavissa. My partner Lawrence had this student's phone number and also new that he worked at the new and only Petrol station in Anaka. I called him and he greeted me with excitement and joy. I could feel the width of his smile through the phone. We both wanted to see each other and made plans for me to go to the gas station at 4. I found out later that he was working until dark, so the choice of 4 made me curious, but not for long. I walked out of Popavissa and made a left turn, a few minutes later I was at the main road and stopped for a moment at the sign for the school. I am so proud of this schol and I remember Kelly Moneymaker and I walking this road 2 years ago to get a picture next to this sign. But this post is not about that day, I made a right on the road and continued to the Petrol Station. It has one pump that dispenses gas, diesel,and kerosene. I walked onto the station from the road and saw this boy,this man from a distance. He looked very smart in his PPP logo shirt and coveralls. He turned and saw me and walked towards me with open arms. He might have broken my back with his hug, but we settled on the international guy half hug, hand shake. He was still grinning as he went inside the office and brought out a padded chair for me to sit on. He smiled at me again and grabbed my shoulder as I reached out to shake his hand again. He went into get another chair for himself when he Realized he could be closer to me if he sat. As he went inside, and old man with a weathered face, moved from sitting next to his broken down truck to a place right behind us. I am not sure if he understood what was happening, but he wanted a seat closer to the attendant and the large white man. As he settled into his own chair, a motorcycle approached. I was going to encourage him to take care of his customer, but he and the man quickly began talking in Lwo. I soon realized that this man had a camera with him and he was aiming his camera at the both of us. It was now apparent that my young friend had called a photographer from Anaka to take a picture of this momentous occasion. We took a picture in ur chairs, and then He instructed the photographer to find another scene where he could take another picture. As the photographer left he said to me, "I have been asking Almighty God for 2 years for Him To send you back to me.". He the told me that I was responsible for who he was. And everything good in his life had come from me........................What do you do with that?.......................I think the Petrol Station is a good place for him. I talked to him about being a good worker and always being kind and courteous to his customers. We took some more pictures and he went back to work. I walked to Pope Paul VI and entreated the real Pope Paul to look after this one. I found out later that the walk or transport to his family's village does not happen after dark, so he rents a small room in town, but it is expensive for him (about $10 a month). He came to the Parish after his shift and was greeted warmly by both Fathers. .......... I guess in the end that is what I have chosen to do. I will love. It might be from afar, and I might not seem him for a couple of years or maybe again. But I am choosing love. I think that is what Father Boyle would do, Phil would hug him and soon the two would be laughing like old friends, and Mary would put him to work in Mississippi. .... And after reading this post, my mother and father will pray for him at Mass in St. Louis....maybe the next time I answer the question about the three people-- I will say his name Odong Collins Otika, because maybe he has been the one who has made me my best.....