FINALLY...I am in Gulu

October 15, 2009

Well, my first week in Gulu has been interesting, a blessing and super busy!! I truly want to get more updates and such up and at it for you all but I think the best will be for me to concentrate on getting out one good entry a week. The staff are off on Fridays and Sundays from work and the office so that gives me some time. 

The people of ECM are the most amazing, faithful, willing, persevering group of people I have ever worked with. They have gone through so much – and praise God it has grown them closer. As of today I have the privilege and honor to serve them as their District Director until the right Ugandan candidate comes along – so this is an interim basis. On the American side, Melissa and Sarah, both of whom I have great respect for and enjoy their presence, are young women who give their all to God. Their respect for Him to do whatever He asks and do it with humility is evident. They have had malaria more than once and have had to deal with such harsh issues…but you would never guess. They are anointed and have the Spirit of the LORD upon them! Melissa is definitely the adventurous one with her chickens and sorts and Sarah is so mature and wise beyond her years. Then there are the Ugandans Mary and Simon. I just met Mary this week and I feel like she has been along my side for awhile. She is our accounting person and is so organized and keeps awesome records that it just makes me smile! We almost have the same brain on that kind of thing. She loves the LORD and trusts Him with all. She is the mother to the children, even though she has one of her own. Her heart is willing in any task He asks of her. She just creates calmness and peace when you are in her presence. Simon I met back in December and my appreciation and respect for such a godly, willing man has grown exponentially. My spirit delights in being in the presence of a young man so in love with his Savior – he is a great example to the boys and the women in the office. We definitely will be looking to this 24 year old to lead as Christ has called him. Lastly, I did mention once I met the new National Director, Charles, earlier this week. He has been nothing but supportive, attentive to the issues I have come to him on and wise…and he hasn’t even started officially – he starts “officially” November 1!! Pray that God will use this man MIGHTILY!

In my new role I am quickly getting acquainted with officials in the community with great help from Simon. I met the Chairman (similar to a mayoral role) and Vice Chairman – both of whom apparently are my boss according to the Chairman!  They both are believers, love ECM and want us to not only focus on Tegot IDP Camp but in the inner city of Gulu – you know who’s heart skipped on that one!  Their support and encouragement delighted me and I walked out of the meeting pleased. Even when I see them outside of the office (we share the same building) they are excited and greet me. I also met Headmaster David from the Tegot IDP camp school. He recently came on the job about a month ago and truly enjoys the work we do at the camp. We do after school programming for the Sponsorship kids and tutoring. He, like the Chairman, would like us to do more and build off of the relationship we already have. We discussed the need for a library – all the school needs is 300,000 shillings (about $150) for a door and a lock! All doors in the school are open…only the office is locked so that creates a problem. He wants to start literacy programs for the children. Just think $150 for a door with a good lock and maybe the same for more book children have books and a library!! Hmmm….what can we do with that?  I also went with the staff to the Zion Project for their weekly evening program. What a great project – I am hoping to meet with the manager of the project, Mama Miriam, next week when she returns to town. There are many connections to be made and many opportunities! Pray that I have wisdom on how to move forward!

Praise God there is a vehicle for me to use here! I only need a vehicle for traveling to Tegot, otherwise everything is within walking distance. My hotel/home is down two blocks from the office and a block away from center Gulu. Apparently, US licenses are international and all I had to do was inform the government I was going to use my license and drive! PG! So I have been driving all over! Did I fail to mention that I have had to learn QUICKLY how to drive on the left side with the steering wheel on the right? Ya….interesting. Bu I learned quickly! Toss a little, I mean BIG, pot holes and I am professional! I was complemented on getting better…but not good. 

So I mentioned my home…well, it is a hotel. It is rather nice. I stayed here one night the first night I was in Gulu last December. The price includes a double bed, desk, running water, hot/cold water, electricity, guard, parking and breakfast. If I take into consideration what I would be paying at a house it comes up close to the same. I also feel safer being on my own…so that is an added plus. The location is ideal as well. If I can’t find anything I would be ok staying here…just need to find a better system for washing clothes. I do have to mention that I bargained a good deal for this place. I do not think the manager, Mark, expected me to be so good. My Ugandan co-workers were actually a little taken back; Simon actually calculated how much of a discount I got! It is a good deal AND I have made a new friend with Mark who helps me with many things.

Today though, was the day I have been waiting for 10 months. The return to Tegotatto IDP Camp. As I was driving there I was getting excited….but when I saw the hills of Atto I started to tear up with joy! Then we entered the camp. Oh GLORY! I was home. We first taught the children who were not sponsored and did not attend school. Let me just say it is so horrible that such potential gets wasted because no one can afford schooling for these children. They even look poor – dirty, sick, flies around, and clothing torn, if they even have any. They LOVE learning and are so well behaved and attentive. There were two children who I gravitated towards. One girl, maybe nine, had a baby on her back and had to walk around to keep him quiet. However, she was so smart – she knew how to write up to 34! That was huge considering the rest were just learning how to count to 10…she could count and write it!! Then there was a boy about the same age. He looked like one of my students from last year whom I had such a heart for. He started writing everything backwards – after some help he was writing perfect. His self-esteem was high and he moved from the back to the front of the group. I was so proud of him! But the real highlight of the time with the unschooled kids was seeing Winifred who I met last December. I saw her coming towards the church hut for the lesson. I walked to her and asked her if she was Winnie and told her I remembered her from last year. I had to take my glasses off for her to remember me. I’ve been praying for her almost daily when I see her picture. To see her in person made my heart full and I just grabbed and hugged her. She was so excited I remembered her!

After the unschooled kids, we went to the school to see the sponsored kids. These children, though from the same area and camp, looked completely different. They were clean, dressed, some had shoes (some still don’t like it!) and looked healthy. Sponsorship helps people!!! When I got out of the van I saw so many children I remembered and started calling them out by name and hugging them! They were so surprised I remembered them! There was Sarah, Scovia, Barbara, Sharon, Japre, Tabor Eric, Patrick, Brenda, Gloria…oh did their faces light up when I remembered them and called them out!! Patrick still loves hugs, Sharon still giggles non-stop and spreads joy everywhere, Gloria is shy and kind, Barbara is super studious, Japre shy yet boyish, Tabor Eric talkative and can sell ice to an Eskimo, Brenda is gentle as ever, Sarah is as mischievous yet sweet as all get out….just sitting with them, holding their hands, singing, dancing and being with them was amazing. It doesn’t matter that they are all speaking another language…somehow it is normal for me to be surrounded by this language of the Acholi and I know in my heart what they are saying. I don’t know the words but I know what they are talking about. It is weird but beautiful.

To be in Gulu still seems so surreal to me. I am actually here! I can hardly believe it. It seems so normal and wonderful and hard and perfect. I know there will be hard roads ahead but it is the road that God has placed me on. I am so humbled over and over that He has picked me to be a light to the Acholi…me…ME! It seems I just heard Him ask who He should send out for Himself and I, without hestitation, jumped and raised my hand and said “SEND ME!”

And so He has….