I turn and shield my body from the enormous cloud of dust created by the lumbering truck as it speeds past me on the Ugandan highway that I happen to be walking down. Through the tornado-like dirt storm I make out a large truck carrying absolutely hundreds of Africans. They stand in the back of the truck enduring the constant sun and dust and I wonder who was eating more dirt, me or them? Both of us were being beaten by the sun and heat and were using the dirt as a natural sunscreen and bug repellent. The mosquitoes carrying malaria couldn’t possibly chew through the layer of dirt we were all covered in.
The truck was on its way who knows where and I was setting out on my hour walk home from the local clinic that myself and 2 teammates had staffed all day. Three days ago 8 of us had been dropped in the bush near Gulu, Uganda and each day we set out to do God’s work.
It is amazing how we can fantasize about “Africa” and “the bush” and then one day we find ourselves there and it is completely different than in our daydreams. I should know this. I have been here before. Or so I thought.
Days in the bush consist of sun, bugs, dirt, and heat. Pretty much in that order.
Days in the bush also consist of God’s miraculous provision, excitement over His small mercies and HIS PEOPLE.
In no way do I claim to have even a working knowledge of the war or the Lord’s Resistence Army (LRA), the group that has been terrorizing much of Uganda the past 20 years, but I can speak to the things I have seen and the faces of people that I have met. Last week I was given a crash course in the history of Uganda and it’s people. I want to try and explain what I have learned, but I urge you to investigate on your own and please excuse any inconsistencies. Communication with the locals can be difficult, but I also feel that they are the people who can best share their stories.
During the 1980’s the LRA and its leader, Kony, attempted to overthrow the government of Uganda and their uprising became 20 years of terrorism for the people of this beautiful country. Kony was famous for his guerilla tactics and child soldiers; thousands of children were abducted from their homes and forced to become soldiers in his army. His methods were brutal and involved children killing their own families, constant rape, and continuous movement through the bush. They moved on foot throughout the night and were forced to carry water, food, and weapons far heavier than their little bodies. The physical torture does not compare to the brain washing and emotional terrorism that they suffered.
Many times the army struck schools and other community places where children gathered in order to have the greatest chance at abducting the most children. Most families lived in constant fear and many children faced killing their own families and burning their own homes once abducted.
The country has been at peace for the better part of two years, according to most people. A ceasefire was signed and things have been fairly peaceful as of late. Many today believe that the LRA is hiding in the Congo while re-stocking their weapons and plan of return one day. It is hard to discern if this is a product of the constant fear these people live under, or if there is some truth to it.
Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands fled from their villages all those years ago and sought safety in camps set up by the Government for Internally Displaced People (or IDP camps). The news does not do justice to the condition of the camps, but you can imagine what life is like in a place with thousands of people, no water, no food, no education and virtually no hope. Disease and death were a part of their daily lives, as was despair and hopelessness.
We were charged with working in this community and bring hope and light to a very dark place.
Stay tuned for Part II of the story to see how monumental a task this was…
