Life in Lira

Well, it is hard to believe that we have been in Lira for 3 days now. For the past two days, we have been traveling to Bala Stock Farm, which is an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp. There are over 15 camps in the Lira area. To give you an idea of how many people are in these camps, Bala is one of the smaller ones. Yesterday we had about 500 children, today we had over 900 as the word spread that we were there, and tomorrow they are predicting that there will be even more children as they all bring more friends. I can't get over how beautiful the children are when they smile. Some of them, especially the little ones, are frightened of the "munus" (white people), but we are learning a few words of greeting in the Luo language and we have found some ways to communicate without words.
I look around at all of the children and wonder how they can live in the conditions in which they live. As a nurse, I see so many of the kids with medical issues that would be so easy to fix in the states, but they will never get the care that they need. Sometimes it is hard to know where to start, but I found a place today. As we were driving back to Bala after lunch we saw a boy on the side of the road with 2nd and 3rd degree burns covering his left forearm, and another one on his right leg, with the flies buzzing all around them. I was able to clean the wound and put some antibiotic cream on it (yes, mom, I did wear gloves), but it just wasn't enough to keep the flies away. Ben called CPA, and we were able to take him to a clinic where they could dress the wound and give him some extra supplies. It seems like we did so little for him, but as Ben was telling us last night, if we can help at least one person, then it is worth us being here.
There are many eye-opening experiences staying in Lira. It is striking to walk around the town and the only other two white faces I see are my two teammates that I am walking with. People everywhere stop and stare wherever we go, sometimes they just laugh at our “strange” ways. This morning, I rode the boda the wrong way. A boda is the main source of transportation, it is a bike with an extra seat over the back tire. The women sit with their legs to one side, but apparently, I had mine on the wrong side and the people in town thought this was hilarious. I asked the driver if I had embarrassed him and he said, “Well, yes.” The power here in Lira is on again off again, approximately every other day. The generators are on from dinner until the World Cup games are over, then the fans are off and the rooms just keep getting hotter until about 3am. Kellen and Kimbal are staying with Ben and Holly. Jennie, Jared and I are all staying in the Mango Tree Hotel in Downtown Lira. We all share the bathroom in Jennie’s room, and every day is a new adventure as we figure out which way will work to flush our toilet. Jared has broken the toilet twice, but Jennie still lets him use it.
To all our family and friends, we love you and appreciate your prayers. It is so fun reading your comments on our blog.
[Alyssa]