Mostly Awesome, a Little Hard

Today (Wednesday) was basically an awesome day! It began in Gulu University Hospital, where we went to bring food to a mom from Tegot, the IDP camp where we work. This is actually the second time we’ve been to see her since I got here, but the first time my experience there was so horrendous that I’ve had to take a few days to process and not talk about it. I promise after the bad my day got much better!

The hospital is open-air and consists of a bunch of different buildings, each containing a separate ward. The mom, Mama Ochella, is in the TB ward (also has AIDS and malaria). It is absolutely horrendous. They have a trash heap right outside where they slowly burn the trash every few days. It is not a place of hope and has a stench that I will never forget. The hospital is different than what I’m accustomed to in many ways, a big one being that they only provide medical services. The patients must bring and cook their own food or have someone stay with them.

Mama Ochella’s family will not come to the hospital and she is too weak to cook for herself, so ECM staff and volunteers have been bringing food up there each day. Still she seems to be growing weaker. At this point we can only pray for healing and wisdom to know how to handle her care. It is so strange to have any part in an adult stranger’s healthcare, yet there really is no alternative. Please be praying for Mama Ochella and the 6 children she normally cares for!

Now moving on to brighter things: After visiting Mama Ochella, we went to see another mom from the camp who had just given birth to twins. When I say just, I mean within the last day. So, where do we find her? Washing clothes outside the ward. Because that’s what I’d be doing if I had just given birth to twins! The babies were absolutely tiny and totally adorable. She asked if we could give her a ride to camp and since we were going there, we agreed. Then, I told her I could carry any of her stuff for her and she hands me a kid. A precious, tiny newborn handed to a mzungu stranger. I was totally shocked, but of course completely thrilled too! When Mary, one of the Ugandan ECM staff, was helping us into the car, she informed me that the mother wanted me to name the child I was holding. My face was so shocked that everyone laughed!

It is customary in Uganda to have a traditional Acholi name and then a Christian or American second name. From what I can see, most go by their second names, particularly after beginning school. Twins are always named Opin and Ochem, or first and second, but I was to choose Opin’s second name. Mary informed me that it should be after my father or brother since it couldn’t be after me (both were boys). I told her my father’s name is David and my brother’s middle name is Michael. Still they wanted me to choose from those two options. So I chose Michael, since that’s actually after both my father and brother. Opin Michael was now the child I had in my arms. But more than that, the mom decided that the second child would be Ochem David, so really I got to name both babies!

As we rode back to camp, I snuggled the baby in my arms and prayed over him. He has a lot ahead of him and will be fighting an uphill battle from the beginning, but I am so thankful that I had the chance to be a part of his life. It’s so strange to me that you would ask a total stranger to name your children. I asked Chrissy about it later and she said that that is a really big honor to them. I feel really weird about it, but it is very humbling and certainly was a huge honor for me as well.

Lest this sound too much like a fairy tale, you should know that as I prayed I was also sweating. A lot. Ugandans wrap their babies in layers of blankets and don’t like wind on them for fear of sickness. So here I am with a child snuggled against my chest, three blankets on top of him, and the windows up and no air conditioning. In the midday African sun on a dirt road with potholes. Let’s just say that as much as I was thankful to be there, I was thankful for our trip to end too!

And moving on: two of the other Ugandan ECM staff, Pato and Christine, and myself went to speak with a man who had questions about becoming a Christian. It’s hard to tell exactly how old he was, but I would guess at least mid-50s. He has had a hard life. His family was greatly affected by the war, he still has injuries from the LRA, and he has a large number of children he supports. It was such an awesome opportunity though. We read some Scripture to him and answered some of his questions. We are planning to go back and meet with him tomorrow. He is going to think about what we said and have more questions to ask us.

In keeping with custom, his wife (or sister, I’m not actually sure which) gave me a chicken for coming to visit. Usually they just serve you a meal, but I guess she thought I looked like someone in need of a chicken! I let Pato have it because I’m not quite ready to launch into chicken slaughter yet. Plus it wasn’t an egg-laying chicken.

As we were waiting to leave camp, I made friends with some of the kids that I’ll be working with. A lot of them are shy toward mzungus, but break out the camera and that breaks down even the toughest defenses! This is little Gloria. She clung to me the whole time I was there, layed in my lap, and played with my hair. It’s cool to think that, unlike a normal mission trip, I’ll actually be here long enough to get to know these kids and build relationships with me. They’re a lot of fun!

That’s all I have time for now, but thanks to those of you who made it to the end. Sorry this was so extremely long!