annie back in Africa

2007-06-20T06:01:00.000-07:00

”Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less”

- from the book ”purpiose driven life”

BACK IN NORWAY, 17.MAI AND END OF SCHOOLYEAR

2007-06-20T05:50:00.000-07:00

It has been a couple of months since I left Uganda the 25th of April. I find it strange to be back in Norway as well as good. Many challenges did that I longed to get “back home,” but as I’ve spent some time here I’ve started to long back to Africa. To mention a thing; the paste there – that sometimes is annoying – is also good in a way. Here in Norway many things are just stress and a hassle to get done. But we have to adjust and try to live the best we can, and make the most out of our stay wherever we are…

It was wonderful to meet all the people back at school in Mandal. We shared experiences, started and continued good friendships. Sadly the school-year is over and we have to continue our lives different places, but I will always remember the people at school and I appreciate the time we’ve had together. All the games we played, food we made and laughter shared. :) I also hope that we will still continue to stay in touch. So many good people gathered on one place is rare… :)

“Hurra – Hurra – Hurra – 17.mai er jammen bra – hurraaaaa…. “
Before ending school we had the opportunity to celebrate 17th of May together. This is Norway’s national day. This celebration was the best in many years for me. It was nice sharing the day together with all the internationals at school. Many Norwegians wear traditional clothes, we danced and played games. A memorable day! The world should be all about sharing and learning.
“Christina and Ragnhild, in traditional clothes, playing the national anthem on violins while the Norwegian flag is raised”

SURPRISE

2007-04-19T07:35:00.000-07:00

A friend of ours had his birthday yesterday. We learnt that he hadn’t celebrated even one of his birthdays in his life, so we arranged a surprise party for him. He was indeed very surprised. He said it took him several minutes to stop shaking… :)

Friends were invited and we had a really nice time all 14 of us. We had good food consisting of pumpkin soup, fruit salad, waffles and cake.

Off course we had to have candles on the cake. Can you guess how many years he became?
25 Years – Happy Birthday

THE LAST WEEK.

2007-04-19T07:23:00.000-07:00

Our last week is now about to end, and we have started to say good bye to people. Monday it was the prison. I played a lot with the two children whose mothers are prisoners. Finally the children are not afraid of me any more. It was so good to hear their laughter. I also played some ball with some of the girls there about my age.

Still in the prison I walked past one of the dorms and heard a baby cry… I opened the door… No mother was nearby so I ended up taking up the baby. The baby was so cute and tiny. I guessed it couldn’t be more that about a week. Where is the mother? A girl at the age of 20 came and it turned out that it was hers, so I gave it back to her. After words I learnt that the mother was put in prison because she had dumped her baby in a pit latrine. I could even read about it in on of the national newspapers that same day. I was shocked. What make you do such a thing? I just wanted to take the baby with me and give her all the love and care she might not be given… Some of the stories from the prison are so sad and unbelievable.

Children painting on our last day at BMC

Tuesday we went to BMC as usual. We did as usual and about 5 children were there enjoying drawing, painting etc. Now almost all the walls (in the room we were) are filled up with their work. One of the nurses told us that children actually were looking forward to come to BMC now, because of our work there. We’ll leave some materials for them, and I really hope that they can keep it going at least for a little while. The children there really deserve it.

Walls filled up with pictures at BMC…

Ruhandagazi closed for the term yesterday so we also went there to say goodbye to the children at Tuesday. It was a bit hard to see some of the faces as we told them that we had come for good byes. I don’t think we always can now how much impression/impact we can have in a persons’ life… But it’s also nice to know that we actually have made a difference by being there although it doesn’t always feels like it…

Yesterday we made food for the people at the office at West Ancole Diocese. We made them Norwegian rice porridge (“risengrynsgrøt”) and waffles. The waffles were a big success. :) At the picture you can see me making the porridge. We had no power in our house, so I had to make it on our kerosene cooker.

Katherine ready to serve

And some enjoying the food while working...

I must admit that I feel ready to go home to Norway now, but there are also some people I’m going to miss here. Thank you for making my stay better by being here…

QUEEN ELIZABETH

2007-04-19T07:08:00.000-07:00

A trip to a national park is almost a thing you’re obliged to do as you are in Africa. At least when you live only about an hour away from one… So when we had our visitors together with us, we went to Queen Elizabeth for one day. I don’t think that this park had the most variety of animals, but at least we saw some… Even though we didn’t see the lions that we really wanted, we saw hippos, warthogs and loads of elephants to mention some. Just want to share some of the pictures…

This hippo looked really mad… I actually was a bit afraid for it... Just look at his “face and gaze”…

On our way back home we “met” these ones… And we paid to get into the park… :)

Simi and Helga at a signpost for the park.

EASTER PARTY AT RUHANDAGAZI SCHOOL FOR DISABLED

2007-04-19T06:54:00.000-07:00

Children playing football, throwing ball, skipping rope and watching in books is just some of the things that happened as we arranged an Easter party at Ruhandagazi School for Disabled. The event took place Friday the 6th of April as the children were supposed to go home for Easter. Some children didn’t have the money for doing so, and it was mainly for those we planned to have the party.

As the afternoon and preparation went on we got a message from one of the teachers: “the more you delay, the more children it will be…” :) The word about us going to have a party spread to the neighbors and they also appeared. I think there were supposed to be 20-30 children, but I think it was more like 50. But we had fun!

2 girls from Norway visited us for the weekend, and also helped out with the party. Simi and Helga – former Act Nowers – which were in Kampala two years ago. Deborah (a girl from England that’s here for about 1,5-2months and shares the house with us) also helped out. We played with the children and gave them some food we had prepared. Many children had to share both plates and cups, since there was a lack of those. But I don’t think they minded.

It seemed that the children really enjoyed it and so did we.

BMC

2007-04-04T09:41:00.000-07:00

Picture by Kathrine

At BMC, (Bushenyi Medical Centre) a week ago, we made some figures out of modeling clay amongst other things. You can see the work done at the picture above. Other things we did were playing cards and paper folding. It was only 5 children, but when I can see that they’re enjoying it really makes it worth it! And I say only 5 children because yesterday they were 15 children. That is a record for our time at BMC.

Yesterday we had an Easter workshop together with the children. It was so fun. BEST TIME EVER! The children were so free. Before we have had to ask them if they want to do this or this, but yesterday they just went on doing whatever they wanted; painting, drawing freely, playing cards, paper folding and watching books. It was a wonderful chaos… :) And the children must have enjoyed as much as Kathrine and I did, because many stayed way past their examination/medication time… Children that don’t want to leave the Health Centre because they’re enjoying too much… How wonderful is that… :)

A wonderful chaos. We had a problem of space because we were so many, but that’s just fun.

I called it an Easter workshop… That’s because it was the last time before Easter and we painted on eggs which is kind of a tradition back in Norway. We also made waffles to them. This was something new for them, but it seemed that they liked it…

Painting on eggs

You can se the painted eggs hanging in front and some of the paintings and drawings of the children at the wall behind. Soon we’ll not have more space for all the nice pictures they produce… :)

KMI

2007-04-04T09:29:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday as we arrived at KMI (Kabwohe Management Institute), we were met by the students doing activities like skipping rope and a form of dodge ball (we go there each Wednesday to do sports together with them…). The aim of the game is, as I understood it, to manage to put all the bricks on top of each other before you get hit by the ball passing by two others. As you get hit someone else have a try. I didn’t give it a try – it looks like the ball is thrown pretty hard… But I had fun watching…

We played some netball together with them after words. It was not to hot that day so it was very nice to play. I’m still new at the game and do not know all the rules yet, but I enjoyed. This was the last time we saw most of these girls. We were mostly together with the ones in their graduating year… Their term ended last Friday, and the next aren’t starting until we’re on our way back to Norway.

TRIP TO GULU

2007-04-04T08:24:00.000-07:00

“Gulu, the largest town in the north of the country, is heavily militarized – it is the supply centre for the government’s war against the LRA. As long as the war continues, there is absolutely no reason for tourists to come here and plenty of reasons to stay away (…)”
(Description of the place by Lonely Planet Guide book, 2003)

Here some reasons why to go:

In an IDP(Internally Displaced People)-camp

Children at a health and activity centre

Children in an IDP-camp

Together with a friend of my family that have worked as a missionary in Uganda for the past 20 years Kathrine and I went to visit Gulu the 24th-25th of March. This is a place in the north that has been affected by a conflict that started in 1986 as President Yoweri Museveni took over the power by a military coop. The LRA (Lord Resistance Army) under the lead of Joseph Kony have fought their war up in north apparently as a way to overthrow the sitting President. LRA have had little success besides loosing the little support they had to begin with because of their way of acts. They have kidnapped a lot of children and trained them to be soldiers or/and sex-slaves. Children couldn’t feel safe, especially at night. Many of the children in the villages therefore went into the nearest towns to find a safe place to spend the night. Lacor hospital right outside Gulu town is one of the places they found a shelter. When the conflict was on its worse in 2003 it housed about 30 000 children.

Parts of an IDP-camp

Gulu is now a safe place to stay and have been for about three years. Our family friend started to work in the north, Gulu included, for three years ago. Then the fighting some kilometers outside town had just ceased. My first impression of Gulu is that it looks like a normal town with surrounding villages. But as I already knew it weren’t. The ”normal villages” – were mostly IDP-camps. People have lived here for too many years… The children have to bee taught how to play and how to work for food. Most of them have only experienced to get food from WFP (World Food Program)-trucks amongst others. Not one school sponsored by the government has been built in the north since the conflict first started. And here in the west, were I stay, you will find many new ones as well as many other advantages like a pretty nice road. A coincidence that the Presidents home place is here in the west… Sorry to say but I don’t think so…

My visit to Gulu included both a visit to “Karin Clinical Medical Centre” and an IDP-camp. At the clinic children met us with songs and dances. The clinic also functions as an activity-centre/day-centre for children. About 150 to 200 children come every day. Many of them are orphans or have just one parent left living. The daily life is hard and here they play and participate in different groups – counseling, music and drama ++.

Some of the children singing and dancing for us…

The children have gone through too much than I even can start to imagine – still I see many smiling faces… They will never forget things happened to them, but I hope they will have the opportunity to find out what a “normal” life is and live it themselves. If someone deserves a good life it is these children…

Some of the children watching the performances as we did…

In the IDP-camp Awer, we visited a church as well as being shown around the camp. It was about 20 000 that lived in this camp… In the beginning I felt I was kind of intruding in their lives, but learnt that they thought it was ok. Several were smiling at me, babbling in a language I didn’t understand and wanted me to take their picture… Some people are just amazing…

Okello James (from the left), Kibwoja Wilbam and Oyet David are taking a rest under a tree in the camp – listening to the radio…

Visit to an orphanage

2007-03-21T07:33:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago Kathrine and I went together with some friends to an orphanage. When we arrived we were welcomed with many happy faces and hugs from many at the same time. It was overwhelming because I had never been there before and still they welcomed me as an old friend. We had brought some flower seeds and the children got to plant them into containers. We wrote each of their names on a peace of tape and put it on their container. This way they can follow up their own flower.

Kathy watering the containers with flower seeds planted in, together with the children.

Angela read a book for them and the children also coloured some pictures. It seemed like they really enjoyed it.

I went to Kampala for a weekend to meet up with people and watch the movie “the last king of Scotland”. I felt that I couldn’t go back to Norway and say that I hadn’t watched the movie. After all it’s about the history of the country I’m in…

The other days we’ve followed the new work plan as told about earlier. The children are wonderful and it’s still interesting to go together with the health centre. Last time I got to weigh the pregnant woman that had come for check up. At BMC yesterday it was only two children, but the laughter to one of them while playing with a balloon really made it worth it. It’s not about how many but how/or if they enjoy! The days go by and before I know it we’ll be back in Norway and at Hald International Centre.

I would like to end this post by wishing all Hald students a good end of the stay. I look forward to meet all of you again.

Proverbs 4, 23; “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life”

2007-02-26T07:06:00.000-08:00

Health station
Kasaana

Children are screaming from inside and a “queue” of tired women, after a long walk, and their children are sitting outside under the trees. They’re all waiting for their turn to go into the small and dark room where the vaccination of the children is done.

“Just finished with their vaccines for this time:”

From the left: Kyosumire with her 6months old boy Muhereza Isaiah, Nshemereirwe with her 4months old daughter Beinomugyicha Innocent and Nurse Alice Kyomuhendo.

Every Thursday I go together with some of the staff from a health station out to their units in the villages. This last Thursday we went to a place called Kasaana. Every Thursday and Friday they go out to one of their units and help out with immunization, vaccination and pregnancy check-ups – just to name some of their work. Due to my lack of competence in this area I mainly observe the Thursdays I’m joining them, but I try to help out with things that I can, like putting medicine, brought with us, in the storage and weighing children. The last thing mentioned was something I was meant to do at Kasaana, but they were out of something that we needed to do it so I just watched while Nurse Alice Kyomuhendo did the vaccination of children.

“9 months old Nuwasiima Marcline is finishing her vaccination program this day. Good to have mother Kyawisiima Marcline to comfort while she get her last shot.
Community Health worker Edward Wakubariho(to the left) and health worker Maris Turyasinguv) are also doing a great job…”

It’s very interesting to see how they manage to do the work at the different units, and it’s a very important work that they do! So keep up the good work people. ;)

2007-02-24T05:24:00.000-08:00

SLUMBER – PARTY

Friday a week ago we had invited 9 girls from Compassion International to come and stay at our place for one night. They were picked up in the afternoon and as they arrived they got some food. Thanks to the chef at “Meats and More” (a restaurant in Bushenyi town) we didn’t have to make it ourselves… Beef-stew with rice and chapatti was on the menu… Later we served brownies and fruit-salad.

We spent the evening playing cards, watching a movie (a cartoon/animation) and dripping lights onto water making nice colour-patterns;

Early next morning I was awakened by the girls. It was around 6.30. I wanted to sleep a while longer but we had to take the girls back to Kyamuhunga for Compassion International. After serving them tea and an egg for breakfast we drove them there, borrowing cars from a friend. They had, after what we are told, a really nice time. This was something they were going to remember for a long time. It warms my heart to hear that. It’s very good if we can make a difference for some people…!

2007-02-09T05:14:00.000-08:00

Goats wandering around grazing in the “town” together with cows, and none of them seem too mind the traffic, passing by in tremendous speed, when passing the road. People shouting “mzungu how are you?” at you. Besides the traffic, animals, and maybe some generators running there’s no much other sounds besides some birds and rain pouring down now and then. I feel that everything is passing in slow paste… Taxi drivers are fighting over who should take you to Kiamhunga (a place where we attend Compassion International), and even fighting more (about the price) when they realize that the mzungu aren’t paying mzunguprice…

I’m back in Bushenyi, and I have been here for some weeks now. I’ve been away for Christmas holiday and Infield-course (a follow up course arranged by the school back home) (More about that below…)

Before the school started our working schedule looked like this:

Mondays: Work with the woman in prison (at the time - doing handcrafts with
the prisoners, mutual learning)/office work
Tuesdays: BMC (Bushenyi Medical Clinic) – being together with the
HIV/AIDS children while they wait for their medication. We bring
playing cards, books and thing to draw on and with. We usually also
show a movie…
Wednesdays: Compassion International
– an organization that organize different activities for orphans,
HIV/AIDS sick etc.
Thursdays: Office work/”field work” together with a health station.
-> Visiting the Dispensaries in the villages, seeing how they work
and help out if we can.
Fridays: Compassion International

I found the work interesting and varied. It was good to do something else than mainly office-work. We wanted to come here to meet people and help out if possible. Even though we helped with the paper-work at office, I feel more of a help when I’m out and meeting people…

-Together with some of the children at BMC-

I still struggle with the language, and it can be a problem sometimes, but one way or another you find other ways to communicate when needed. Like in the prison we can show each other how to do things without necessary explaining more… (Many of them speak little or no English) And I’ve had a nice time together with the ladies there.

The schools started this week. From next week we’re going to start with helping out at a computer-training school at Wednesdays and with teaching or similar at Fridays at the school for disadvantaged children. Compassion International is now only continuing on Saturdays, due to school.

I’m really looking forward to get started on this work. I think I’m going to learn a lot, and hopefully I can contribute something to the children, woman and youth that we’re going to work with. It’s going to be an exciting time.

CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY

-We spent much time traveling with bus and crossing borders during our vacation. This is some of the children at one of the border crossings…-

NORWEGIAN CHRISTMAS AND CRO!

“Pepperkaker, gløgg, melkesjokolade, Jul i Skomakergata, juleverksted, pinnekjøtt, surkål, grøt med mandel i…” This is some of the things we (Kathrine and I) enjoyed on our first days of our holiday – typical Norwegian Christmas traditions, food and candy… And where did we get all this? In Mbale!

The first days of our holiday we spent in Mbale visiting the CRO (Child Restoration Outreach) project and the two Act Nowers (AN) placed there.

-Thomas (AN) and his sister Kristin making “pepperkaker”-

I found it interesting to see what CRO is doing for many street children and help out with the Christmas-party they were holding for them. The work they do is so impressive and to see all the happy faces was amazing. I can’t imagine what they all have gone through, it’s too mind-blowing, and still they smile to you. It makes you think about what’s important in life. (You can read more about the CRO-project on the blogs for the ANs placed there – Eivind and Thomas)

-Children at CRO playing-

-Some of the children at CRO-

Coca Cola sponsored CRO with sodas and some other things for the party. From before I don’t have a very good impression of the Coca Cola Company, so I was a bit amazed over the fact that they actually sponsored CRO and even other projects. That’s very good! When Coca Cola came with a couple of trucks the children “suddenly” couldn’t sit still any longer (a function with speeches etc. was a part of the program for the party). I can understand that! ;)

-One of the Coca-Cola trucks-

ZANZIBAR

White beaches, restaurants, hotels and bungalows at the beach.
Spending some relaxing days at Zanzibar with some good friends is recommendable! My Christmas celebration was spent on the south-east coast at a place called Jambiani. I must admit that I didn’t really get the feeling that it was Christmas, but I really enjoyed the days spent there. Just relaxing and enjoying life… Christmas day I went snorkeling… ;)

-Sitting outside our accommodation right next to the beach-

Before leaving Zanzibar we spent some days in Stone-town as well. There the paste is a bit higher, than in north and south, but still calm with many small roads and market streets. I enjoyed walking around…

A NEW YEAR

When the New Year started I was in Nairobi. I celebrated it at a “FOCUS-camp” together with almost all the Norwegians placed in East-Africa. At the camp there were held meetings, Bible groups and seminars. New Years Eve were celebrated with a meeting and a party with some entertainment. Even the Norwegian “focus-people” entertained with a medley song. We had a countdown for the start of the new year, and reaching 0 people started clapping, shouting, lifting chairs, and running/jumping around in addition to congratulate each other. We then got biscuits and soda. And then it was all over… Hm… A new experience…

-Celebrating the New Year-

The celebration only lasted until about half past twelve when all went to bed. Well not all… nearly all the Norwegians (and a couple of others) stayed up two more hours in order to celebrate the Norwegian New Year… (Norway’s two hours behind…)

-Celebrating Norwegian New Year-

The other days in Nairobi I went to visit some of the places I remembered from my childhood. Places like The Norwegian Community School (NCS), Kenyatta Conference Centre, Horseman (a restaurant), Sarit Centre (shopping Centre), the railway museum, Uhuru Park (boating on the “lake”) and the giraffe Centre. It was fun visiting the places again even though I visited some of the places last time I went to Kenya, only a year ago. At NCS I met 5-6 people that either had been my teachers, or had been there while I went to school there as well. Most of them were also just on a visit. Funny how this things just happen… :o)

-From the top of Kenyatta Conference Centre-

-Railway museum-

-Giraffe Centre-

JINJA

Like last year, while traveling around, I went to Jinja for rafting. This time it was a lot more water. It looked scarier than last time, but that made it maybe even more fun. Sorry, I don’t have any pictures from it – but it was a bit difficult taking pictures while rafting… ;)

INFIELD-COURSE

After our vacation the infield course started. It was nice to meet all the Norwegians again (even though it wasn’t long since last time) and two of our teachers from Norway. We shared some experiences and encouraged each other. A really nice week!

One of the days we went on an excursion to Jinja - visiting the source of the Nile. Well… It is not the source, but it was believed to be for a long time, so…

-The source of the Nile???-

While we were in Jinja, some of us used our spare time on bungee jumping. 44m over the Nile from a platform… It didn’t look too high from the ground, but when we were up there… ai-ai-ai… I have for a long time wanted to do the bungee jump, but now that I had the chance I didn’t know if I dared… But I went out to where we were going to jump from, the security guys tied the bungee around my legs and I moved towards the edge…

-Standing at the edge-

When I stood there I thought: “I can’t do this… I’m not going to do this…” The man told me: “You have to jump now, or else you won’t jump.”

So I jumped…

I’m so happy that I can say that I jumped!
I can, together with the eleven others that jumped, recommend it!

-Enjoy and have fun! :o)-

LONG TIME, NO SEEN

2006-12-08T07:20:00.000-08:00

What has this girl been doing these past four weeks?

CHRISTMAS CARDS AND SCHOOL FUNCTIONS

When it comes to things done at work we, Kathrine and I, have visited schools for making Christmas cards, putting the cards in envelopes and attach on their nametags and stamps, and send them off to the Norwegian sponsors… This we used a couple of weeks to do. Our part, when at the schools, was mainly highlighting the names of those who handed in cards so we could see who was missing.

Pictures: Eager pupils making/drawing on cards and others (at the window) that wanted to see what was going

We have also participated in something called Scripture Union at schools, and filed more reports. More precise on the latter matter, trying to find the reg.nr. for the children handed in reports; the teachers/volunteers had forgot to put it on the reports… The work is quite time consuming. And I’m still not finished.

This last week we have participated at two school functions; last day of school. There are speeches and performances. The children are dancing, singing, and performing poems for the parents that have met up at the school. Unlike Norway on these functions, the children’s only participating is when they perform; otherwise they just sit outside or rehearse for their turn coming up. It might have something to do with space, but I found it a bit odd that they didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy their fellow pupils’ performances.

At Birimbi Model Primary School:

At Bushenyi Parents’ School:

BUSY WEEKENDS

The three past weekends we’ve been quite busy. First weekend we went to Kampala to meet up with some of the other Norwegians placed in the country. It was really nice to meet some of the others and share some experiences.

The 25th of November we arranged a Christmas party, together with a friend of ours, at a school for the disadvantaged. The party was held for those who boarder. They are about the ages of 6-15. We played with them, made food, and gave them some small presents; which included some candy, writing books, a couple of colour pencils and a card. I don’t know if it was the kids or us arranging it that had the best time… I really enjoyed the time there, and seeing all the happy/smiling faces really made me glad!

Jumping rope…

The blind boy is keeper on football. I actually think that he rescued this ball… I’m amazed over how well he functioned without any things to help him… And his smile; fantastic!

Hope and Elias were at great help with preparing the food. They made it all!

RWANDA HERE WE COME!

Last weekend we went to Kigali, Rwanda, together with the four placed in Kampala. They came and visited us here before we continued together to Kigali. Kigali was a really nice town. So clean, many nice buildings, and a nice private park.

From a church we visited. Showing some of the horrors from the genocide 1994

and a memorial. You keep hearing about the genocide, but to beIt was very interesting and touching to visit a church were the 10 000 that hid in were killed, where things had happened gave me a surreal feeling, but also (hopefully) some more knowledge and understanding. I really can’t believe that it could happen. That nobody stopped it. You know; all the soldiers that were put there to get out all the internationals (people from the west), could probably have put an end to it… So “why and how could this happen?” I, like many others, keep asking. I know that I will never really understand what has happened in this country, but with just the little I’ve understood about it I keep asking… WHY? HOW?

Picture shows marks from granade splinters...

We also had to have a look at the hotel where many hid out and rescued their lives during the genocide, thanks to a brave hotel director. You may know it from the movie; “Hotel Rwanda”

“When they said never again after holocaust, didn’t that include us?”

(I’ve tried to quote one of the “statements” I found inside the memorial.)

IT’S DECEMBER

We are now approaching Christmas very quickly. I’m really looking forward to it. Yes, it will be strange to celebrate it without my family, but I hope and think it will be a nice time here as well.

A song to contemplate on (I’m sorry I don’t have the name of the ones that have written the lyric);

“Do They See?”

1.
Is the face that I see in the mirror,
the one I want others to see?
Do I show in the way that I walk in my life,
the love that You’ve given to me.
My hearts desire’s to be like You,
In all that I do all I am

Chorus::
Do the see Jesus in me?
Do they recognize Your face?
Do I communicate Your love, and Your grace?
Do I reflect who You are,
in the way I choose to be?
Do they see Jesus in me?

2.
It’s amazing that You’d ever use me,
But use me the way You will.
Help me to hold the heart of compassion and grace,
a heart that Your spirit fills.
May I show forgiveness and mercy,
the same way You’ve shown in to me.

Chorus.
Do they see Jesus in me?
Do they recognize Your face?
Do I communicate Your love, and Your grace?
Do I reflect who You are,
in the way I choose to be?
Do they see Jesus in me?

Bridge:
I wanna show the world that You are;
the reason I live and breathe;
so You’ll be the one that they see,
when they see me.

Chorus
Do the see Jesus in me?
Do they recognize Your face?
Do I communicate Your love, and Your grace?
Do I reflect who You are,
in the way I choose to be?
Do they see Jesus in me?

“A small peace of Uganda”

REFUGEE CAMP, AND A BIT MORE!

2006-11-11T12:26:00.000-08:00

Three dirty and tired children placed in the back of a vehicle. Sitting close to each other, and staring a bit afraid on the mzungu that’s also sitting there. It looks like they are trying to comfort each other. There’s plenty of space, but the children, and three women together with matooke (banana for cooking) and a bag with some belongings, is squeezing themselves together in the very end of the vehicle. This is a refugee family that we (Kathrine and I) met while we visited a refugee camp.

It all started out with a visit of a friend of ours (Swiss), working with a local NGO, who told us that his boss was going for a meeting in the Nakiwaru refugee camp the next day. If we wanted to join in he could arrange it for us. Off course we wanted! So Friday 3.November we went. This refugee camp is, if I’m told correctly, the biggest one in Uganda. It inhabits between 20–30000 refugees from eight different countries; these are DRC (Congo), Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Eritrea. It took us about three hours from Bushenyi to reach it, whereas two of them were on a quite bumpy road.

The meeting was held by a representative from UNHCR for representatives from each of the zones the camp is divided into, in addition to some other people. It was mainly budgeting. Not so very interesting for us, but an honor to be allowed to join in. What stroke me was that it was talk about so little money (for them; much, but not enough)! During the brake Kathrine and I went down to the nearest trade centre/zone. Walking done the “street” we found ourselves surrounded by kids. I counted about five children holding only in one of my arms/hands. I keep wondering what the mothers of the children are thinking… Us mzungu’s coming there “gathering” a group of children…

Here’s a picture of Okoth Andrew (5years) and Steven Douglas (8mns) taken outside where the meeting was held (notice the WFP (World Food Program) tin-box…):

After the meeting one of the organizers for the camp gave us a tour around the camp. We drove in a car to different places. It’s quite strange; if I haven’t been told that this was refugees living there I wouldn’t have guest it. From media back home we imagin people living together more slums like, but it wasn’t like that at all. The different zones actually looked like a typical Ugandan village. And the camp stretches over a so big area that they almost live together with the nationals. But it must be said that people have been living there for an average of ten years, so you get really settled…

An overview of some of the houses:

And a close up:

At the end of the tour we were told that a new family had arrived from DRC. We were to pick them up at the base and bring them out to a receivement camp. This was more alike what you imagine a refugee camp is from back home; “ware houses” with half walls, where they slept, and ate. It turned out that this place lay almost an hour from base. A tour that was intended to take 1,5 hours forth and back, turned to be 4 hours. We experienced three flat tires. One before we let the refugees off, one in the camp (which was patched there) and one on the way back to base. We then had to be picked up by another car, and leave the one originally traveling in behind, because we didn’t have anything to fix it with there. We found ourselves standing on a national’s compound waiting for the car to pick us up. It was a really surrealistic feeling standing there, in the middle of nowhere with mud huts, a group of goats and some small bonfires surrounding us (the time had passed about nine in evening).

While they were fixing the tire in the recievement camp, we got the chance to interact with some of the refugees staying there. Kathrine immediately got contact with some of the kids and were dancing and singing together with them. I talked with some of the adults, trying to practice some of my French. Since most of them were from DRC they spoke little English, but French… It was fun trying… One thing that surprised me, I learnt as I was talking with one man, was that it didn’t seem like anyone of the ones working in the camp knew how to speak French. Off course there are many languages when you come from so many countries, but although… French is a big language worldwide… Language difficulties create some problems trying to communicate i.e. with a doctor, trying to tell how you feel…
One other thing was that although people are refugees, and has experienced so many things, they looked really happy. The ones we came with were smiling now and then, and I just thought “wow/amazing, how is it possible…”

Things we saw all over were tins with WFP stamps on, or USA… They were used for patching houses, making doors etc. It was a bit strange to see it with your own eyes.

Right: a gate
Under: One of the tents used by the doctors while their house were reedone (their accommodation, not hospital):

“A BIT MORE”

This last week we have been typing stories when there has been power (picture: me and some of the files that we shall write stories from) Other things we have done are visit a school for taking picture of some children for their reports (stories)… We've also done some waiting and some reading… That’s basically it…

This day we’ve spent at a farewell-gathering for our friend from Switzerland. He has been here for almost 6 months now and is finished with his exchange program. We’ve been enjoying some food, “played” volleyball, and I personally consumed several mapera (a fruit) from a tree standing where we played volleyball… It is a good fruit, but I think I enjoy it the most because I remember that I really loved it as a child…

I wanna end this section with a picture of som happy children from Uganda:

A small update...

2006-11-01T06:44:00.000-08:00

now we have started typing stories about the "friends at heart" children. There are about 2000 that we shall type.. Qite a lot, but we can't do anything without power.. Have finished with about 120 until now... But it's good to have something to do...

I managed to put out some pictures before it failed again.. So.. Hopefully some more soon...

when there nothing else to do I have good time to do some reading. I hope to finish all the bookreports that we are supposed to write before Christmas. But we'll see..

I'm still alive...

2006-10-24T03:32:00.000-07:00

A couple of boda-bodas passing through in a hurry, each one with a white girl on the "backseat". That's Kathrine and me.. The road is humpy, steep and curvy. The wind is blowng through my hair and I'm thinking: "I don't want to die..."
I must admit that I sent quite a few prayers up to God this last saturday. But it went well and I had a nice time. Our purpose for this trip was to visit a friend of ours at his house. It was qite far away into the countryside. Some of the roads we travelled on were just paths, and when we came to the house I was surprised to find a nice brickhouse. It's so strange that in "the middle of nowhere" this house stod...
We were warmly welcomed and shown the whole farm - at least it felt like that. The cows, goats, fields etc. But it was fun to spend the day another place and get to see how some people are living.
We spent the whole day there and was served lunch at their place. People are so friendly and sharing.. It never stop to amaze me...

We got sugarcane and g-nuts, it made me happy (childhoodmemories...) :) :

Sunday we were present at a meeting that lasted for four houres. Some of it was really interesting, but I kind of lost the consentration... I didn't feel that I could just go either.. Because we're white/honour gests there were some special seats for us... Lucky us... But I find the atmosphere and rythms nice. I like it... :)

At work monday, Kathrine and I joined the volunteer-training. The whole day passed by with this. It was a training for the volunteers at two "friends at heart" schools (the other 5 schools are being trained by this week as well..) I found the day long, but some interesting things were said, and I learned some new things...

On our spare time, which we still have a lot of, we've just done some domestic chores, been reading and some walking. We made our first meal on the charcoaloven last night (the power's gone - some problems with the line...). It was lovely to eat spaghetti and tomatosauce. Nice to have some varieties in eating. We haven't made food on this oven before quite frankly because we have been to lazy, thinking it would take to much time. But I found it quite nice and it didn't take the time I fared. I can acctually reccomend it.. (off course it's easier to make on an electric stove, but it's fun to have tried this as well...)

Kathrine cooking at the charcoaloven:

The food was really good:

I think that's all for now folks... =)

2006-10-19T08:24:00.000-07:00

Imagine a dusty brown-red mud road and all you can see around you is green fields, forests, banana and maize farms, and houses of mud or bricks with “metal roofs” that really needs a shine up. The sun is burning and in front of you a man is walking with a stick trying to guide his only cow. Or you can imagine a tarred road without any road markings, many humps and holes. Besides the road there are tracks for the people to walk on... As you drive you pass many small shops stuffed with different items. WELCOME TO AFRICA PEOPLE. Yes I’m back in Africa, more precise Bushenyi in the southwestern part of Uganda. (Hopefully I will get some fact about Uganda and Bushenyi on the blogg in a short time…)

This year I’m studying with Hald International Centre joining their Youth Exchange Program through Strømme Foundation. The course is called Act Now. I’m placed with West Ancole Diocese for my “fieldwork”. Mostly I’m going to help out in primary schools and manufacturing Christmas cards for sending home to those who have “friends at heart” here in Bushenyi.

I’ve now been in Uganda for about a week. My first “impression” of Uganda was: Finally back in Africa. It’s good to be back. All the small shops, crowded streets and crazy traffic; it makes me feel so alive.

traffic in Kampala:

The first days we, all the Act Nowers placed in East Africa, spent in Kampala. Our accommodation was at “Blue Mango”. It’s a really nice place. The rooms are simple but nice and the surroundings and “restaurant” is beautiful. A good place to spend the first days.

We used the days to get to know our partners and supervisors here in Africa. Visiting Strømme Foundation, see the town and do practical issues, like registering at the Norwegian embassy, get some Ugandan money etc.

And then we went off to our respectable places. Kathrine and I therefore went to Bushenyi. On our way we passed the equatorial line… On the picture you can see Kathrine and Didas.. And off course there were some souvenirshops as wel...

I found the place, Bushenyi, nice. It is not a big place, more like a village. If you have been to Africa and driven passed small places with shops on both sides of the highway then you know how Bushenyi is. But you can get quite a bit in the different shops, and if you miss something its not far to a bigger place, Ishaka, or town, Mbarara.
The bodaboda’s (motorcycle taxi) are in plenty and you can easily get one right outside our gate or other transport…(picture)

The nature here is fantastic(picture shows some of our wiew..), and our accommodation is good. We have our own apartment with a bedroom and bathroom each, a living room and a kitchen as well as another bathroom. This is “luxurious”. The power/electricity is on and off… It’s very nice when it’s on, but you get used to it been gone as well. It’s nice to have some good light then though, like from a paraffin lamp.

Our kitchen and my room while umpacking(off course no power):

At work (four days now) we have met with the bishop, had some language classes (ranjakole), and visited a couple of schools. It has been very good to have some language classes. I can’t say that I’ve learned much yet, but that’s only because I’ve haven’t been clever to memorize and try to practice. But I hope that in time I will be able to understand at least some of the language.

Kathrine and our language teacher Miriel:

We visited the two schools, Mirimbi model primary (p) school and Nkanga p. school, together with our supervisor and a reverend. We were treated like honor gests. All the pupils gathered together outside and we had to sit in front. I felt I was on display. We had brought new testaments that we gave to the teachers and the pupils. Kathrine and I sang a song for the pupils in Norwegian together with some moves. I think and hope that they enjoyed it.
We had the honor to eat lunch at one of the schools,Birimbi. Goat meet, matoke(bananas), posho(or ugali, like some will call it), beans, cabbage and several other things were served us. It tasted really good.
At the same school we visited some of the classes one by one. I even had the opportunity to be a teacher. It was in social studies primary 4 and was quite fun, but it had been good to have some time to prepare. They were doing some repetitions before the exams, and I asked them some questions – made on forehand by the teacher. The thing was that I didn’t now the answers to the questions (mainly about this district…) and couldn’t tell if the answer was right or wrong… So; very difficult, but it was fun trying… At the end of the day the children had a class were they where supposed to play, but it was raining so most of them stayed inside. They started to sing songs for me; really great singers and dancers.