On to Gulu!
Trip Start
Jun 22, 2008
1
3
36
Trip End
Jul 31, 2008
Gulu,
Uganda
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
I was so cozy inside my mosquito net. Why did I have to wake up?! Wait, I'm in
a foreign place half way across the world working with amazing people. That's
inspiration enough to get my ass out of bed!
After a quick shower and change, I was ready for a new
adventure. It started with a mammoth size breakfast of beans, toast, eggs and
potatoes! Twice over! That's right
folks, they accidentally gave me two meals. I distributed the second meal like
Jesus feeding the 5,000 although there were no left- overs.
At 10 am we left for a local community center. This
community center was unreal. It was started by two industrious young man hoping
for a better Uganda. They would change the face of Uganda through the simple
gesture of love. This love would manifest itself in the form of art, dance,
music and fashion design. These were the talents of the founders.
Inside the center, I was bombarded by sensory overload (in a
good way). Artwork colored the walls while messages and mottos riddled the
borders. Messages of hope. Transfusions of love. Inspiration in the aesthetics.
I was overwhelmed with emotion. Hearing the founders share their heart for the
youth was both unique and admirable.
The center also afforded me with the opportunity to do some
shopping. J
The fashion designer hand stitched several bags which were ready for purchase
in the garage. Yes! An opportunity to purchase a stylish bag while also
supporting the local economy.
Babubuka Youth
I will show you the bag when I get home. J I was so impressed with the heart of these leaders. They
possessed little technology, minimal resources, and dwindling support. However,
they would not be deterred. They were fully committed to helping change their
community in a positive way.
We left the community center at around 11:30 and headed back
to the hostel. Lunch was served promptly at 12 pm. I had a vegetarian pizza.
Yummy! Oh, and did I mention yummy. It was SO good. I wanted to become a
vegetarian....three minutes later I had a plate of chicken. I was hungry. Oh
yeah, about the vegetarian thing- it was a fleeting thought.
One p.m. marked the time we would head for Gulu! Our final
destination! I was excited to learn that we would be passing over several
landmarks. Best of which was the Nile River! Ok so I have this notion that the
places I teach about in reality don't exist. Pyramids in Egypt, yeah right! The
Great Wall of China- merely an illusion. It's only when I actually see these
places in person that they truly come to life. The Nile River was no exception.
The force generated by the different cataracts left the Nile a powerful rush of
water that even gravity couldn't resist. And I saw it in person! I also learned
that we would be venturing into the rapids during week 5 on a white water
adventure. Yes! And yes, it does flow from South to North. J
Other than the Nile, our trip to Gulu included views of
serene forests, diverse species, and loving people.
Back to the beginning of civilization
We arrived in Gulu at around 7 pm. The Invisible Children
House was guarded, lying in the center of town. The house was cool enough. A
cozy living room, scattered bedrooms, and a decent size front lawn. It was
home. At least for a little while.
We met all the volunteers of the house while Boreen, the
house chef, cooked us dinner. Dinner consisted of potatoes, rice, tortillas and
beans. Needless to say, by the end of the meal I was ready to pass out! After
dinner we took a Safari to the house I would be staying at. Ok, so it wasn't a
Safari but we did take a big truck! One piece of advice: Always stand up when
driving on Ugandan roads. If not, don't be surprised if you aren't able to walk
the next morning!
So Christ the King is located in a gated compound. There are
two schools and a few churches scattered within the compound. I seriously felt
like we were taking a safari through the Wild Animal Park. However,
unfortunately it was too dark to see any animals.
We met our hosts right in front of Christ the King (our
lodge). They were absolutely WONDERFUL! There was this amazing nun named
Apolonia who greeted us. She showed us the accommodations for the next 6 weeks.
It was SO CUTE! There was this little dining room set up with tea and coffee.
On either side of the dining room were two sets of rooms. One for the boys, one
for the girls. I had the best bed! There was a pink mosquito net that wrapped
around a bunk bed lined with pink sheets. ANY QUESTIONS!!
It was here that I crashed for the night and looked forward
to an amazing adventure tomorrow.
