New pictures posted. Two from St. Jude's, one from the Nile.
Traffic in Uganda was the opposite, but it was not just driving on the left side of the road. (Although, driving on the left side of the road is also a misnomer as the Mutatus drove where ever they thought the road was less bumpy and traffic was not in their way). No, traffic is opposite, because they operate under the rule of big. If you are smaller than what is going to hit you, you had better get out of the way or you will be hit. Boda bodas got out of the way of cars and trucks, although some came pretty close! And pedestrians and bicycles definitely got out of the way of the boda bodas. In the vehicles I was riding in over the last 6 weeks, I came closer to hitting people, boda bodas, dogs, goats, and you name it. But interestingly after all these close calls, there was absolutely no road rage. No pedestrians ever shook their fist angrily or banged on the hood of the mutatu that missed them by centimeters. They would just look up realize they came close to being hit, and move on down the road.
The Acholi people have suffered a couple of decades of murder, torture, kidnapping, and other atrocities of the civil war, yet as you walk down any street or path. They are smiling, welcoming, and often laugh with you. As I carried on my exchanges of "How are you?", "I am fine" with the little kids. It was enjoyable to see the smiles on the adults as they walked down the same path hearing our conversations. There was a joy that just permeated the town and your dealings with people. (If you need a visual, go look at how happy Moses is with Karl. I wish I could have filmed the excitement I saw on Moses' face when he saw Karl.) I know our students who have gone to Biloxi or other service trips can really appreciate the joy that I am talking about. And it does not come from----I repeat it does not come from, the good White people going to help the poor. But instead it comes from the conversations we have when we realize we are all quite the same. And it is those conversations of two peers, who were strangers a minute ago, that I enjoy the most. Ask those who talked to the homeless or Junior or Papa Pres in Mississippi, those are nice moments of happiness.
We live in a world, where fear is sold each and every day. We must fear the mexicans who are amassing on our borders to steal our jobs, we must fear the turbanned terrorists who will any day now fly a plane into our house, we must fear all people that are different from ourselves. And by keeping Americans afraid, we keep them angry, and we keep them for actually pursuing answers through reading and conversations.
But unfortunately we do not have enough children to point out that the emperor has no clothes. Or we do not listen. The world is a wonderful place with amazing friendly people who love their children, dream about a better future, and cook and clean and sleep and laugh just like us. And these wonderful people that we have not met or have not talked to--are not our enemies. It is only in their dehumanization that we allow ourselves to promote war and bombings and hit squads and torture. We have seen many examples in the last 20 years of people deciding not to hate and to forgive and to build bridges and dialogues where none existed. In Northern Ireland, In South Africa, In Rwanda, and hopefully very soon in Northern Uganda this will happen.
When we are afraid our body produces adrenaline to help us survive as animals would survive. Fear is a survival tactic. When we get angry, our body produces norepinephrine. Its effect is like adrenaline, immediate and it makes us react---"our blood is boiling". The interesting thing is that our body cannot produce norepinephrine for more than 15 minutes or so. Adrenaline it can produce for ever almost. So when we see people who are perpetually angry, it is not anger really. It is their fear producing adrenaline that is masking itself in anger. This has been known for years to teachers, as the biggest bullies, are often the children with the most fear.
And fear is easy to get rid of. I am still teased by my family because I was afraid and refused to ride the Pinocchio ride at Disneyland. I saw a boat going into a whale's mouth!!!
This is funny to anyone with an intellect, who has acquired enough knowledge to know that you cannot be harmed by a plaster whale, but still quite frightening to the child. So instead of embracing the fear and letting it spread across America. The solution is quite simple--if you are in fear of something read a book, a newspaper or two. If you distrust a people or a group, find a way to meet them and talk to them. Joy and laughter are experiences people want to share. And if you have not shared a laugh with a total stranger for quite some time. Then that is your homework assignment tonight, class.
Often, I have no idea where this blog will end up when I start writing. I wanted to express the joy of the Acholi people I met, and how I did not see much anger when I was there (I also did not see many fat people, but that is a different story). I got online and did a little research and although it did not quite fit. I wanted to end with this excerpt from Yeats' Vacillation:
My fiftieth year had come and gone,
I sat, a solitary man,
In a crowded London shop,
An open book and empty cup
On the marble table-top.
While on the shop and street I gazed
My body of a sudden blazed;
And twenty minutes more or less
It seemed, so great my happiness,
That I was blessed and could bless.
I am blessed and I get my greatest happiness when I can bless. Let someone know how much their friendship means to you, how much you appreciate your hard work, or how you can see their talents that they might not yet see.
peace,
John
Walk to Atanga SS
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Why We Kneel--Reflections Part I
Well, I actually slept for 5 1/2 hours last night which is probably more sleep than I have had in the past 3 days combined. I have started to tell Africa stories first to my parents, then Shona and her parents, and then to my good friends Phil, Sarah, and Michele.
When the Africa students would come and talk to a teacher. They would walk to the table in the staff room and kneel in front of it until their were instructed to rise. While I was at Amos' school, he stayed kneeling during the entire conversation with the teacher while we were discussing his school fees.
It would be tough to imagine American students kneeling in front of teachers. I think it would appear too subservient or beneath them. But if we can remember why we kneel, then we can maybe start down a path we all want to take. We kneel to show humility, not subservience, and by kneeling these students immediately show a respectfulness and a courtesy for others. It is the opposite of ego, of boastfulness, of arrogance. It is saying not "me first", but no you first my friend. I really enjoy going through a buffet line last. It is a simple pleasure I get by saying, "No it is your turn first, my friend, my colleague, my brother." By being humble it allows communication to happen. It is saying I want to go more than halfway to meet you where you are, and I am on my knees and expressing your interests and your wants first.
Humility does not deny our self or our worth, but rather it affirms the worth of each and every human being we see or meet. And by affirming the value of others first, it triumphs us also. So we say, "Here I am my brother, meeting you down on my knees to listen before I speak, help before I ask favor, love before I am loved." It, our humility, is the ultimate risk, it is asking us to show love to show that we care before we know it will be reciprocated. And sometimes our humility is not met immediately with compassion or love, it can be met with derision or hate or indifference. And in these cases, we must be true to ourselves, we must understand that by kneeling, by being humble, we have truly gained. We have sacrificed ourselves and the needs of ourselves for others. We are truly then "Men and Women for Others."
I am sitting on a bed, typing this blog, and looking at my feet, which still bear some stains of the incredible red mud that is prevalent all over Africa. All of us in our travels, riding in dusty Mutatus joked about how dirty our feet were. Most of us, kind of gave up, on cleaning our feet, and just tried to keep the rest of our body clean. It is this setting, at 48 years old, looking at my still somewhat dirty feet, that I can really understand the incredible humility of Jesus' washing of the feet. And just as important, how enjoyable it must have felt, as an apostle, having your friend, your brother, wash your feet. To kneel before you, and be that humble--that is my goal. To be humble, is to live at peace, and borrowing this line from the website "twopaths.com"----"Humility dissipates anger and heals old wounds. Humility allows us to see the dignity and worth of all God's people. Humility distinguishes the wise leader from the arrogant power seeker." And kneeling on the concrete or the hard wood pews in the churches of Gulu, I tried my best on bad knees to say to my Acholi brothers and sisters. That I was not better than them. I was just a man who was born into abundance and great wealth in the United States. But the wealth, I am seeking on my knees with you, the Acholi, is a far better prize.
A couple of years ago in a visit to the Jesuit Volunteer house, I saw the following quote which I have, of course, used on a basketball t-shirt for my team.
"The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker."
Several of you have praised my efforts in going to Africa, and treat me now as the mighty hero. But I strive to think of my actions, not as the hero, but as one of many honest workers giving the tiniest push. I met so many people in Africa doing more, taking bigger risks than what I have accomplished in the last six weeks. And also if you think of me as a hero, of someone accomplishing a great task, than it is easier for you not to act. But if you consider my actions in their true context, of just one tiny push, then you can do something. You might not have the same talents or the same opportunities, but there is always something that each of us can do. When I tell people, we are going to end hunger and extreme poverty by 2025, I am occasionally met by the skeptic. They say things like that will never work or others have tried and failed and if you look at the enormity of that goal it seems impossible. But if you look at each of us giving one tiny push, and I have met many in Africa giving those tiny pushes, then all of a sudden we can see the world beginning to move little by little. And once we get it moving, you never know what WE can accomplish.
I found out that the quote actually starts this way. "I long to accomplish great and noble tasks, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble. The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker."
So there my friends is the simple answer, I will continue to strive to accomplish the humble tasks, and to do that I have to start at the beginning. Just like my Acholi students, I will begin on my knees.
peace,
john
btw, pizza and pictures this wednesday night at Nerinx 6:30 pm
When the Africa students would come and talk to a teacher. They would walk to the table in the staff room and kneel in front of it until their were instructed to rise. While I was at Amos' school, he stayed kneeling during the entire conversation with the teacher while we were discussing his school fees.
It would be tough to imagine American students kneeling in front of teachers. I think it would appear too subservient or beneath them. But if we can remember why we kneel, then we can maybe start down a path we all want to take. We kneel to show humility, not subservience, and by kneeling these students immediately show a respectfulness and a courtesy for others. It is the opposite of ego, of boastfulness, of arrogance. It is saying not "me first", but no you first my friend. I really enjoy going through a buffet line last. It is a simple pleasure I get by saying, "No it is your turn first, my friend, my colleague, my brother." By being humble it allows communication to happen. It is saying I want to go more than halfway to meet you where you are, and I am on my knees and expressing your interests and your wants first.
Humility does not deny our self or our worth, but rather it affirms the worth of each and every human being we see or meet. And by affirming the value of others first, it triumphs us also. So we say, "Here I am my brother, meeting you down on my knees to listen before I speak, help before I ask favor, love before I am loved." It, our humility, is the ultimate risk, it is asking us to show love to show that we care before we know it will be reciprocated. And sometimes our humility is not met immediately with compassion or love, it can be met with derision or hate or indifference. And in these cases, we must be true to ourselves, we must understand that by kneeling, by being humble, we have truly gained. We have sacrificed ourselves and the needs of ourselves for others. We are truly then "Men and Women for Others."
I am sitting on a bed, typing this blog, and looking at my feet, which still bear some stains of the incredible red mud that is prevalent all over Africa. All of us in our travels, riding in dusty Mutatus joked about how dirty our feet were. Most of us, kind of gave up, on cleaning our feet, and just tried to keep the rest of our body clean. It is this setting, at 48 years old, looking at my still somewhat dirty feet, that I can really understand the incredible humility of Jesus' washing of the feet. And just as important, how enjoyable it must have felt, as an apostle, having your friend, your brother, wash your feet. To kneel before you, and be that humble--that is my goal. To be humble, is to live at peace, and borrowing this line from the website "twopaths.com"----"Humility dissipates anger and heals old wounds. Humility allows us to see the dignity and worth of all God's people. Humility distinguishes the wise leader from the arrogant power seeker." And kneeling on the concrete or the hard wood pews in the churches of Gulu, I tried my best on bad knees to say to my Acholi brothers and sisters. That I was not better than them. I was just a man who was born into abundance and great wealth in the United States. But the wealth, I am seeking on my knees with you, the Acholi, is a far better prize.
A couple of years ago in a visit to the Jesuit Volunteer house, I saw the following quote which I have, of course, used on a basketball t-shirt for my team.
"The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker."
Several of you have praised my efforts in going to Africa, and treat me now as the mighty hero. But I strive to think of my actions, not as the hero, but as one of many honest workers giving the tiniest push. I met so many people in Africa doing more, taking bigger risks than what I have accomplished in the last six weeks. And also if you think of me as a hero, of someone accomplishing a great task, than it is easier for you not to act. But if you consider my actions in their true context, of just one tiny push, then you can do something. You might not have the same talents or the same opportunities, but there is always something that each of us can do. When I tell people, we are going to end hunger and extreme poverty by 2025, I am occasionally met by the skeptic. They say things like that will never work or others have tried and failed and if you look at the enormity of that goal it seems impossible. But if you look at each of us giving one tiny push, and I have met many in Africa giving those tiny pushes, then all of a sudden we can see the world beginning to move little by little. And once we get it moving, you never know what WE can accomplish.
I found out that the quote actually starts this way. "I long to accomplish great and noble tasks, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble. The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker."
So there my friends is the simple answer, I will continue to strive to accomplish the humble tasks, and to do that I have to start at the beginning. Just like my Acholi students, I will begin on my knees.
peace,
john
btw, pizza and pictures this wednesday night at Nerinx 6:30 pm
Friday, July 27, 2007
New Post Tomorrow
Sorry to disappoint all those who have read this daily.
So there will be a longer post tomorrow,
and a couple of reflections with some perspective will happen next week.
peace,
john
also many new pictures
So there will be a longer post tomorrow,
and a couple of reflections with some perspective will happen next week.
peace,
john
also many new pictures
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Nile was great
The raft trip on the Nile was great.
Our boat did not flip.
Tomorrow, I will be flying home.
See everyone soon.
Maybe next Wednesday night should be pizza and picture party at Nerinx.
peace,
john
Our boat did not flip.
Tomorrow, I will be flying home.
See everyone soon.
Maybe next Wednesday night should be pizza and picture party at Nerinx.
peace,
john
Sunday, July 22, 2007
great safari today, nile white water rafting tomorrow
probably will not be a long post until I get to new york on thursday the title says it all
I want to get off now to share my time with Trisha
peace,
john
I want to get off now to share my time with Trisha
peace,
john
Friday, July 20, 2007
Final Day at Awere--Thank You, Shona
Final Day at Awere
Well, it has ended, and I know of all the people I have met and all those that I have helped, and all of those that Invisible Children has helped—I know who was helped the most. His name is John Magee. There is an episode of SportsNight called “The Quality of Mercy at 29K” it is twenty-two minutes long and most of my older classes have scene it. But the actress Felicity Huffman comes barging into the office of Robert Guillame after she is talked into seeing “Lion King” because she thinks the theatre is not good and not worth anything. Her line is “Thank You, Isaac. Thank you for opening up my eyes to heretofore unspeakable beauty that I never would have scene. Thank You, Isaac and she runs on with sentence of more superlatives, and then another sentence of superlatives. Where Isaac stops her, and he says I know. And then she says Thank you Isaac.
So here is my homage to that scene. (Shona Clarkson is the student who brought the Invisible Children DVD into my classroom, and on the same day, the day of the deadline I applied for this program).
Thank You, Shona for opening my eyes to people and a culture I never would have met. Thank You for allowing me into the hearts of the most generous culture I have ever met in my life, the Acholi people. Thank You, Shona for getting me to take a risk I talk about a lot, but do not follow through as much as I should. Thank You, Shona for showing me the world is really as close as an e-mail and there is a world of new friends out there that want to meet us. Thank You, Shona for introducing me to my responsibility as an American, so many on this planet look up to us with admiration and respect. Shouldn’t we at least give them back a small fraction (say 7/1000). Thank You, for opening up my mind to the possibilities of wanting to come back to Gulu with students, and also to bring students of Gulu to St. Louis. Thank You, Shona.
Alanis Morrisette, said that when she wrote her song Thank You she wrote is as a prayer and if she could she often thinks about performing it on her knees. So when I say Thank You know that I am also thanking God for you, and will think a special thought for you tonight. Thank you, family for all of your support and kindness, and thanks Mary, Tom, and Katie for a wonderful camera where you will get to share so much of my experience. Thanks to Mike Barry and Cathy Barry for welcoming me into your house and for all the old and dear friends that contributed to this trip. Thank you Tim and Terri Gaffney for just be the everyday people that you are, and always welcoming strangers to your house like they have been friends for years. And all the people that came that day, and contributed so much I was and still am humbled by your generosity. Thanks to all my students, current and former, who inspire me each and every day to be a better teacher and man. Thanks to the 43 students and crew that went to Biloxi this year and of course the original crew last year. You started this summer out with a spirit of can-do and a wonderful sense of caring and sharing. Thanks to my professional colleagues, who I feel are so close right now with all of your special words of encouragement. And Thank You to all my friends who have touched my life, if you are proud of me and what I have done this summer you should know that I only took the best parts from each one of you to bring to Gulu to represent St. Louis and our village. I am known in parts of Gulu as the tallest man in the village. I also know that I am the most blessed.
Although this passage sounds like the end of a journey, those of you who know me know this is only the start. We can end hunger and extreme poverty by the year 2025. It will be accomplished in three simple and attainable ways. (1) There is an extraordinary group of people who are ready to disrupt their lives, use pit latrines, shower in cold water, and never miss the luxuries of home in order to change the world in the most remote spots of the world. I have met at least 50 of them here, and have scene the trucks of Action Hunger, Medicines Sans Frontieres, and many more here in Uganda. (2) For each one of those wonderful giving people here there are probably at least 100 people at home supporting them through gifts, resources, and prayers. There are also people buying bracelets, wristbands, mosquito nets, and supporting groups that will change the world, and (3) We live in the world’s only superpower who can change villages and thousands of lives with a wink or a nod, and it is time we understood and make our leaders understand that we have no task greater than helping those without learn how to learn, how to sustain, and how to save. We also need to contribute just a small fraction of our dollars to make sure this is working.
If my crusading before annoyed you---get ready because I will come back to America carrying the kindness and the dignity of the Acholi people with me. And in my heart I will hold the hearts of 800 Awere S.S. students.
Peace
John
p.s. I may write again about the beauty of the Nile or of seeing animals on safari, but I have already seen the smiles of the children of Gulu, and their words, “Mu nuu bye, Mu nuu bye, bye, bye, BYE, BYE, bye, bye…….The scream louder as you walk away, then all of sudden you hear a big laugh, and then you don’t hear them anymore as you are now too far away. I think God would have to make the Nile really, really, really special to beat that.
Well, it has ended, and I know of all the people I have met and all those that I have helped, and all of those that Invisible Children has helped—I know who was helped the most. His name is John Magee. There is an episode of SportsNight called “The Quality of Mercy at 29K” it is twenty-two minutes long and most of my older classes have scene it. But the actress Felicity Huffman comes barging into the office of Robert Guillame after she is talked into seeing “Lion King” because she thinks the theatre is not good and not worth anything. Her line is “Thank You, Isaac. Thank you for opening up my eyes to heretofore unspeakable beauty that I never would have scene. Thank You, Isaac and she runs on with sentence of more superlatives, and then another sentence of superlatives. Where Isaac stops her, and he says I know. And then she says Thank you Isaac.
So here is my homage to that scene. (Shona Clarkson is the student who brought the Invisible Children DVD into my classroom, and on the same day, the day of the deadline I applied for this program).
Thank You, Shona for opening my eyes to people and a culture I never would have met. Thank You for allowing me into the hearts of the most generous culture I have ever met in my life, the Acholi people. Thank You, Shona for getting me to take a risk I talk about a lot, but do not follow through as much as I should. Thank You, Shona for showing me the world is really as close as an e-mail and there is a world of new friends out there that want to meet us. Thank You, Shona for introducing me to my responsibility as an American, so many on this planet look up to us with admiration and respect. Shouldn’t we at least give them back a small fraction (say 7/1000). Thank You, for opening up my mind to the possibilities of wanting to come back to Gulu with students, and also to bring students of Gulu to St. Louis. Thank You, Shona.
Alanis Morrisette, said that when she wrote her song Thank You she wrote is as a prayer and if she could she often thinks about performing it on her knees. So when I say Thank You know that I am also thanking God for you, and will think a special thought for you tonight. Thank you, family for all of your support and kindness, and thanks Mary, Tom, and Katie for a wonderful camera where you will get to share so much of my experience. Thanks to Mike Barry and Cathy Barry for welcoming me into your house and for all the old and dear friends that contributed to this trip. Thank you Tim and Terri Gaffney for just be the everyday people that you are, and always welcoming strangers to your house like they have been friends for years. And all the people that came that day, and contributed so much I was and still am humbled by your generosity. Thanks to all my students, current and former, who inspire me each and every day to be a better teacher and man. Thanks to the 43 students and crew that went to Biloxi this year and of course the original crew last year. You started this summer out with a spirit of can-do and a wonderful sense of caring and sharing. Thanks to my professional colleagues, who I feel are so close right now with all of your special words of encouragement. And Thank You to all my friends who have touched my life, if you are proud of me and what I have done this summer you should know that I only took the best parts from each one of you to bring to Gulu to represent St. Louis and our village. I am known in parts of Gulu as the tallest man in the village. I also know that I am the most blessed.
Although this passage sounds like the end of a journey, those of you who know me know this is only the start. We can end hunger and extreme poverty by the year 2025. It will be accomplished in three simple and attainable ways. (1) There is an extraordinary group of people who are ready to disrupt their lives, use pit latrines, shower in cold water, and never miss the luxuries of home in order to change the world in the most remote spots of the world. I have met at least 50 of them here, and have scene the trucks of Action Hunger, Medicines Sans Frontieres, and many more here in Uganda. (2) For each one of those wonderful giving people here there are probably at least 100 people at home supporting them through gifts, resources, and prayers. There are also people buying bracelets, wristbands, mosquito nets, and supporting groups that will change the world, and (3) We live in the world’s only superpower who can change villages and thousands of lives with a wink or a nod, and it is time we understood and make our leaders understand that we have no task greater than helping those without learn how to learn, how to sustain, and how to save. We also need to contribute just a small fraction of our dollars to make sure this is working.
If my crusading before annoyed you---get ready because I will come back to America carrying the kindness and the dignity of the Acholi people with me. And in my heart I will hold the hearts of 800 Awere S.S. students.
Peace
John
p.s. I may write again about the beauty of the Nile or of seeing animals on safari, but I have already seen the smiles of the children of Gulu, and their words, “Mu nuu bye, Mu nuu bye, bye, bye, BYE, BYE, bye, bye…….The scream louder as you walk away, then all of sudden you hear a big laugh, and then you don’t hear them anymore as you are now too far away. I think God would have to make the Nile really, really, really special to beat that.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
The First of Good-byes
Good-bye
Tuesday afternoon, I was talking to Awere head teacher, Ottober Matthew Obol about ways we could continue the link between American and Gulu when I got back to America. He said a couple of interesting things, one he said we should find a way to get together and talk like family. Tonight, we got together and talked like family. Like a big Catholic family, where the beer and the laughter never subsided. We went to Hotel Roma, so the first time I met Matthew and Nyeko Alfred and the rest of the Awere teachers was at Hotel Roma, and we would also begin to say our good-byes there. Matthew had told me that when he found out Chris, an American who had worked for IC was leaving a week ago, he immediately hopped on his bicycle and pedaled to the office. He explained tonight that it was an Acholi custom that when guests leave they don’t slip away into the night, there is a celebration and a good-bye. You could still tell that Matthew was disappointed that he did not have a big celebration to say good-bye to Chris. But he was ready tonight.
He first told the waitress that she should take my order first because I was the chief guest. Since last Friday the bishop of Gulu was the chief guest and even though Matthew said his comment with humor, I was still touched. Eventually, we decided that ladies should go first. Trisha took a long time ordering and deciding between a lime fanta or a Fresca (which I don’t really think they have), I think she thought she could get a lime Fresca which intrigued her. Matthew, as she was ordering, stated more than once she could order any type of beverage. I knew then that in order to honor my friend Matthew, I would have to order a beer. The sacrifices I have had to make in this country!!!!! Matthew then turned it over to his Director of Studies. The Director of Studies, a young man who is always smiling and always welcoming then proceeded to list how tonight’s program would be run. He had an entire schedule of speeches and presentations written down, although there was only 14 of us. Oliki George talked first and welcomed every group of people, like we were welcoming dignitaries at a state dinner. It is kind of nice the formality that the Ugandans bring to many of the simplest of things, it is a vestige of their British Colonialism I think, but it is still a nice and polite way to do things. One of the Americans was scheduled to give a speech, and when that happened the other four pair of eyes looked to me. I hope that I was able to honor and give words to the hard work that Terry, Trisha, Wendy, and Adam have brought to Awere. I hope I represented us well. I relied on some favorite words, and began with the Shel Silverstein poem. If I was in America, I would be googling the poem and making sure of the correct words, but since I am in Africa, my recollection will have to do.
Listen to the Mustn’ts by Shel Silverstein
Listen to the Mustn’ts, Child
Listen to the Don’ts,
Listen to the Shouldn’ts, the Couldn’ts, and the Won’ts
Listen to them all and
Then Listen Closely to Me,
Anything is possible, Child,
Aything Can be.
I tried to tell the Ugandan teachers that no matter how many obstacles had been placed in front of their students. The worst obstacles and hindrances a child could imagine. Their students will still learning, still achieving, still wanting to do the best that they could. There are many people to salute, about the pride in the Awere students, but certainly the dedication and tireless effort of their faculty and their head teacher is a big contributor to their success.
Adam and I were the only men amongst the five teachers and during this ceremony, I think both of us could feel the emotion in the room, and tears welled in our eyes. I do not know about our distaff colleagues, but I think tonight was a special night for all of us. Who knew I could come half way around the world and meet such a good group of friends. I do not know yet, how I will honor Gulu and the people that I have met, but I can assure you that each and every day. I will have them on my person and in my hearts.
A few beverages followed with my four colleagues bringing criticism upon our own King of Beers. I told the Ugandan teachers that when you insult the brewery in my town, it is like a football team, it was like disparaging Manchester United. Immediately, one of the Ugandan teachers asked me what my problem with was Arsenal I quickly backtracked, because as of now, I do not have a dog in that fight.
We would have left an hour sooner, but one of the Colorado women was slow in finishing her beverage, so because of that we got stuck in a rainstorm. We waited out the storm by having a few more beverages, finally when it did not let up. Terry, Wendy, and I started back. It was pouring, we found a boda boda for Terry, but in this busy city it might have been the only one running. Wendy and I walked down the street laughing as we soon soaking wet, and one of my first steps was 18 inches into a huge puddle. We kept walking as I shouted “This is Africa” to a deserted Juba road. Soon after about 100 meters, there was a boda for Wendy. I then walked soaked to the skin, and I do not think I have ever been anywhere where my tie was that wet. It felt like I had 50 lbs. around my neck. Wendy took off into the rain, and I continued walking, soon Terry’s brave boda driver returned and we went motorbiking through the darkness and the rain on a cold Gulu night.
I have never been that happy.
Peace and still drying out,
john
Tuesday afternoon, I was talking to Awere head teacher, Ottober Matthew Obol about ways we could continue the link between American and Gulu when I got back to America. He said a couple of interesting things, one he said we should find a way to get together and talk like family. Tonight, we got together and talked like family. Like a big Catholic family, where the beer and the laughter never subsided. We went to Hotel Roma, so the first time I met Matthew and Nyeko Alfred and the rest of the Awere teachers was at Hotel Roma, and we would also begin to say our good-byes there. Matthew had told me that when he found out Chris, an American who had worked for IC was leaving a week ago, he immediately hopped on his bicycle and pedaled to the office. He explained tonight that it was an Acholi custom that when guests leave they don’t slip away into the night, there is a celebration and a good-bye. You could still tell that Matthew was disappointed that he did not have a big celebration to say good-bye to Chris. But he was ready tonight.
He first told the waitress that she should take my order first because I was the chief guest. Since last Friday the bishop of Gulu was the chief guest and even though Matthew said his comment with humor, I was still touched. Eventually, we decided that ladies should go first. Trisha took a long time ordering and deciding between a lime fanta or a Fresca (which I don’t really think they have), I think she thought she could get a lime Fresca which intrigued her. Matthew, as she was ordering, stated more than once she could order any type of beverage. I knew then that in order to honor my friend Matthew, I would have to order a beer. The sacrifices I have had to make in this country!!!!! Matthew then turned it over to his Director of Studies. The Director of Studies, a young man who is always smiling and always welcoming then proceeded to list how tonight’s program would be run. He had an entire schedule of speeches and presentations written down, although there was only 14 of us. Oliki George talked first and welcomed every group of people, like we were welcoming dignitaries at a state dinner. It is kind of nice the formality that the Ugandans bring to many of the simplest of things, it is a vestige of their British Colonialism I think, but it is still a nice and polite way to do things. One of the Americans was scheduled to give a speech, and when that happened the other four pair of eyes looked to me. I hope that I was able to honor and give words to the hard work that Terry, Trisha, Wendy, and Adam have brought to Awere. I hope I represented us well. I relied on some favorite words, and began with the Shel Silverstein poem. If I was in America, I would be googling the poem and making sure of the correct words, but since I am in Africa, my recollection will have to do.
Listen to the Mustn’ts by Shel Silverstein
Listen to the Mustn’ts, Child
Listen to the Don’ts,
Listen to the Shouldn’ts, the Couldn’ts, and the Won’ts
Listen to them all and
Then Listen Closely to Me,
Anything is possible, Child,
Aything Can be.
I tried to tell the Ugandan teachers that no matter how many obstacles had been placed in front of their students. The worst obstacles and hindrances a child could imagine. Their students will still learning, still achieving, still wanting to do the best that they could. There are many people to salute, about the pride in the Awere students, but certainly the dedication and tireless effort of their faculty and their head teacher is a big contributor to their success.
Adam and I were the only men amongst the five teachers and during this ceremony, I think both of us could feel the emotion in the room, and tears welled in our eyes. I do not know about our distaff colleagues, but I think tonight was a special night for all of us. Who knew I could come half way around the world and meet such a good group of friends. I do not know yet, how I will honor Gulu and the people that I have met, but I can assure you that each and every day. I will have them on my person and in my hearts.
A few beverages followed with my four colleagues bringing criticism upon our own King of Beers. I told the Ugandan teachers that when you insult the brewery in my town, it is like a football team, it was like disparaging Manchester United. Immediately, one of the Ugandan teachers asked me what my problem with was Arsenal I quickly backtracked, because as of now, I do not have a dog in that fight.
We would have left an hour sooner, but one of the Colorado women was slow in finishing her beverage, so because of that we got stuck in a rainstorm. We waited out the storm by having a few more beverages, finally when it did not let up. Terry, Wendy, and I started back. It was pouring, we found a boda boda for Terry, but in this busy city it might have been the only one running. Wendy and I walked down the street laughing as we soon soaking wet, and one of my first steps was 18 inches into a huge puddle. We kept walking as I shouted “This is Africa” to a deserted Juba road. Soon after about 100 meters, there was a boda for Wendy. I then walked soaked to the skin, and I do not think I have ever been anywhere where my tie was that wet. It felt like I had 50 lbs. around my neck. Wendy took off into the rain, and I continued walking, soon Terry’s brave boda driver returned and we went motorbiking through the darkness and the rain on a cold Gulu night.
I have never been that happy.
Peace and still drying out,
john
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