Amos

   I think Amos was one of the first children I met and actually talked to in 2007.  We had a remarkable discussion argument about chickens.  I was amazes at how many chickens wandered around the 4 or 5 huts and wondered how they would return to the right place for dinner—they were the chief guest as they say in Gulu or entree as we say in America.  Amos wanted me to see, “Do you not see the chicken has 2 eyes”: pointing to his own eyes with 2 fingers and then to me.  I was aghast, “But it is a chicken, a chicken!”  We did not answer the chicken question then, but soon many days as I ducked into a 3 ft. Gate on a 12 ft. Fence, Amos would be waiting with new questions and new thoughts.

    One day that summer I asked why Amos was not in school that day.  He told me that he had been sent home because he had not paid his school fees. Invisible Children had told us that first year that they were many children like this, and we should not pay school fees.  The reason being, a tall American stepping in as a Savior for one 3 month period was not a path for success for these students.  I eventually found a way to get Amos back in school that time, knowing that to truly care about any student there had to be some follow up.  Ams did not have a straight path in school, he moved to Kampala, the big city and some school official decided that Gulu education was inferior to the great Kampala moved him back a year or two,  7th Grades, think of this, what if I showed up in August and told you you were a 6th grader and not an 8th grade, would you have the strength to move forward, to battle, to triumph?  I think of Henry and Elise who handled every new challenge —I think maybe so.  Or maybe a Zack and a Mary who battled through mountains this year.  (my students be clear as I write this at 10 a.m. I used those 4 names I could have used Sarah and Louis or Ava and Dominic, there are so many good stories and……more to come).  Let’s just say the effort of Amos to continue his education despite the obstacles was and is outstanding.

     There is a wedding and a reception 100 yards from my room today, so I am listening to very loud Ugandan Praise music.  A nice background for the Amos story.  As I kept in touch with Amos over the years he finished his schooling and was working 6 days a week for a luxury hotel ironing sheets.  In class, I will tell you what he earned in those days.  Through his hard work and alacrity, he moved up to be a waiter at the Churchill Downs.  (In my first year with IC we had our welcoming dinner there where I met my first teaching partner, Nyeko Alfred.  I just realized two of the hardest working, kindest people I have met in my life are both named Alfred and are both from Africa.).  Amos told me last night he had an aunt who believed in him and wanted more from his so he began to go back to school at a Teacher’s college.

      I had told the hotel manager that I wanted to see him so I could settle up on my room.  As GEoffrey and I tried to organize electronics in my room. A tall man in a sport coat filled the room. The hotel manager?  And then he smiled, it was Amos. His smile quickly filled the space, the 10 feet between us, the six years I had not seen him.  The space between friends can end so quickly as both of us remembered who we were, our journey together, (and cue the Wicked soundtrack) because I knew Amos I was changed for good.

      last night was a great dinner between the five of us Julius, Geoffrey, Ronald, Amos and myself.  I apologize that I started this blog this year with my stories of my frustrations and hardships.  My journey to Gulu had some problems, but how selfish am I to realize in this table of 5, I had carried the lightest burden by far.  Amos is now a P4 teacher at Gulu Primary,  he has 2 streams in his school, they divided it up to make it easier to teach he has about 95 students in each section.  NINETY-FIVE.  I think his aunt and I can agree Amos is probably a good teacher now and will be a great teacher one day.  Amos and I talked quite a bit before the other arrived.  He proudly showed me the receipt for the school fees he had paid for his daughter, Vanessa.  I had found a piece of paper packing for my trip it was a letter from the headmaster at Kusibi Army school acknowledging that I had paid school fees for Orach Amos.  

          There are some that brag that they bought Apple at $11/share.  I bought a share in Orach Amos in 2007.  They got the leading innovator in technology whose ideas would change our lives,  I got to say my friend Amos is changing the lives of 190 students at Gulu Primary school.

  If I am smart enough to get the picture of Amos up, you will see.Also scroll down to the bottom to see the Amos I met in 2007.