Sunsets & Security Escorts

Yesterday we travelled to Anaka which is the third largest IDP camp in Northern Uganda with a population of over 30,000 people. We participated in a program called ‘Solidarity Day’ with the CPA (Concerned Parents Association) and students from Gulu University. There were also radio personalities, local pop music artists, newspaper reporters, and photographers with us for the event. The goal was to show solidarity between the youth of the IDP camp, the youth of Gulu University, and the youth of America. We were greeted by a traditional processional and walked about a mile from the entrance of the camp to an enormous mango tree that thousands of people were sitting underneath. The program included speeches from many of the local government and camp leaders. We then divided into groups to spend part of the day as we would if we lived in an IDP camp.

The ladies were sent to pump water and cook – Jennie cooked fish and okra, Alyssa prepared some sort of ground grain paste, and Kellen won the prize as she prepared portio (a dense white cake) with white ants. They all were incredibly brave as they ate with the families they cooked with. Kimball and I went to the field to dig with the men of the camp and the male students from Gulu University. We tried to keep up with the local men to little avail. We were congratulated after about an hours worth of digging with our wooden hoe with some raw sugarcane. The rest of the afternoon we sat and listened to traditional and ‘pop’ Ugandan music. The day concluded with a football game between the students and the camp. They were only able to play one half as we needed to leave by 6:00pm for security reasons.

As we drove the hour and a half back to Gulu we witnessed the most amazing African sunset. But the tension that existed between that beauty and the reality that we needed to stay close to the armed security escort in front of us was almost too much. One stretch of the road we were on has been notorious for the rebels crossing. We passed several military checkpoints and due to the level of security were unable to take pictures for most of the way. As I sat and watched the sunset I was overwhelmed by the paradox of Uganda. It is a beautiful land with kind and generous people, but the reality of life here is there are thousands of lives in constant danger and a deep sense of loss by everyone for the children who are still ‘in the bush’.

This morning Kellen and Kimbal left with Holly to return to Lira. They will be spending the next week with Ben and Holly on a much deserved holiday. Jennie, Alyssa, and myself are travelling towards Kampala today to begin our journey home. It seems as if we have been travelling together for much longer than two weeks. We are all anticipating being home, but our experience here has impacted each of us significantly. Thank you for your prayers for our team, for this country, and for the hope of peace.

[Jared Mackey]