They're back in Billings!

Kris and Craig arrived at midnight, with about 30 of us from Rocky there to met 'em. It was nice because there weren't many other people waiting that late and we had the airport pretty much to ourselves! Anyway, it was SO good to see them. Lol, they looked a lot better after two days of travel than I did. I "just" saw them four months ago, compared to the ten months or so since everyone else (including their kids!) saw them, but it still seems such a long time. Katie posted on her blog that she is already missing them, but too bad - she can't have them back for 5 weeks. ;) But I'm glad they want to go back, too.

Elizabeth (one of the lab technicians) sent a letter with them for me (Craig gave it to me this morning), which totally made my day! Maybe I'll post some of it later.

A Karamojong butterfly...

Wildlife

I wasn't much of a naturalist when I was in Karamoja (no field guides to identify species, no notes about interesting plants or animals), and I didn't see much of the kind of animal we typically identify with Africa. But I did see lots of little things that are a pretty satisfying taste of the wild, after all.

For starters, there were reptiles. I didn't actually see a single live snake either time, except for the one in a tree before Sunday school last year (it was stoned down by the schoolboys, completely making their day). I would actually have liked to see the baby python that was found one day, and for some reason the thought of cobras and mambas doesn't scare me too much. But after Martha told me about puff adders, whose bite can literally kill you before you take two steps, my eyes were glued to the path whenever I walked anywhere. They're rare, though.

No luck with snakes, but you can't walk anywhere on a sunny day without tiny lizards rocketing by you. They were brown with a few narrow stripes down their back - I never saw more than that because they were too quick! There were also a couple chameleons. One I took a picture of changed color and held still, thinking we wouldn't notice them that way. Those were the coolest...

Then there were bugs. Biting ants on the cement floor of the Wrights' floor, huge black ants by the schoolhouse, many species of colorful butterflies, the baby scorpion that I woke up to on the inside of my mosquito netting one morning, a gorgeous silver beetle I brought home (dead) to my brother, and dung beetles which are rather fascinating to watch. Spiders I've already mentioned...ugh.

During preparations for the goat roast, someone came by selling baby bunnies. They were too cute. Of course we had to buy them; I think Rachel and I paid 1000 shillings each. (about $1 total - way too much.) They were so tiny they could fit in the palm of your hand. Sadly, they died a few days later. They were sickly anyway, but it can't have helped that I accidentally kicked their bucket home as I was getting into bed (at a sleepover at the Wrights) one night. I still hope it didn't give them a fatal heart attack.

There were also hedgehogs - the most unbelievably cute creatures, and I never expected to find them in Uganda of all places - and tiny bright-colored birds in blue, red, and yellow.

No monkeys, elephants, or giraffes, but a lot of variety just the same.

Goat races and school...

I found these Uganda-related pages today that you might enjoy:

Ascot goat races? (pictures)
Science projects in Uganda

I heard that part of the reason for the bright-colored uniforms is so people will send back any kids playing hookey. This made me wonder if the schoolboys in K'moja ever just roll up their bright orange shirts, hide them somewhere, and slip into a blanket and go off looking like anyone else...

What is "Mission"?

I just bought this book by John Stott about missions: Christian Mission in the Modern World. (Weird, mine has a different cover than the one I linked, and I just bought it from Amazon.) Usually I don't get very far in non-fiction books, but John Stott obviously knows how to write a completely readable theological work. ;)

Anyway, I've only finished the first chapter but already have a lot to think about... and be excited by. Here's an example; this is after comparing a couple views of evangelism and social action (social work as a sugar-coating for the gospel, or the gospel leading to "good works" as part of evangelism, or this):

Neither one [evangelism and social action] is a means to the other...For each is an end in itself. Both are expressions of unfeigned love.

The apostle John has helped me to grasp this by these words from his first letter: 'If any one has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or speech but in deed and in truth' (I John 3:17,18). Here love in action springs from a twofold situation, first 'seeing' a brother in need and secondly 'having' the wherewithal to meet the need. If I do not relate what I 'have' to what I 'see', I cannot claim to be indwelt by the love of God. Further, this principle applies whatever the nature of the seen need. I may see spiritual need (sin, guilt, lostness) and have the gospel knowledge to meet it. Or the need I see may be disease or ignorance or bad housing, and I may have the medical, educational, or social expertise to relieve it. To see need and to possess the remedy compels love to act, and whether the action will be evangelistic or social, or indeed polical, depends on what we 'see' and what we 'have'.

Of course, that does mean you always do just one or the other. But what I appreciate about this (as well as am challenged by!) is that Stott shows how "mission" doesn't exclude anyone, and if you have a job at the laundromat, you're not somehow less spiritual than a pastor who's involved in "full time ministry".

No easy way...

Here's a recent article about the disarmament in Karamoja, if you're interested. It's worth reading.

No government has succeeded in bringing peace to Karamoja.

I don't think they ever will, either. I love the Karamojong and I don't want them to become just like everyone else in Uganda and definitely not America. But I do believe the only hope for peace is through hearts being changed, not just guns taken away or food handed out.

What's a celebration without dancing?

After the last finger had been licked and last sip of Sun-Sip (juice) drunk, the singing started. Margaret, Josephine, Joyce, most of the older schoolboys, and many others did a very nice presentation in honor of Dave and Sunshine, who were heading back to the States for a year. (The goat roast was really for them.) Poor Margaret was shaking from stage fright, but she led the singing beautifully. They sang a lot of songs in English and some in Karamojong. But then the real excitement started...

The party started to break up right as the rain started; there was a mad dash for the side porch and to get the benches covered and tables in. On the porch someone started to sing, of course, and there was some sort of Karamojong mosh pit action going on, mostly with women from the compound and clinic.

(Quote from my journal, because I like block quotes. ;) )

The rain let up and most of us moved off the porch into the side yard, which was part brick and part mud. The real singing and dancing (or jumping to the most amazing heights) begin. My favorite dance was one Martha thinks is based on the traditional dances: one guy in the middle calling something out and doing a little arm flap thing like a chicken, with the circle of dancers around him "asking" the chorus...I don't know what else to call it, just picture holding up their hands and singing as if they're asking something passionately...and then half-marching, half-dancing around the circle. Usually the song would be about raiding, etc. This was about different things that we're tempted by - I think the chorus was demanding "why" of Satan and ultimately telling him off.

Truly, white men (or girls) can't jump compared to the Karamojong! But it was fun trying. Josephine laughed when she told me afterwards that the mzungus had been very entertaining!

Anyway, words fall completely short of describing this scene, and it was such a whirl that I can't even remember it very clearly myself, but it was definitely one of the coolest celebrations I've ever been a part of - I wish so much you could have seen it!

Anatomy of a Goat Roast

One of my very favorite things I did in Karamoja was attend a goat roast. We started in the morning chopping onions (I got to help with that, much to my eyes' dismay) and cabbage - Joyce was the supreme boss of the kitchen. The men slaughtered five goats in the back yard, which Rachel took pictures of for me, and then roasted them on a grate over a fire pit. When it was all ready several hours later, the missionaries dished up the food to a long line of Karamojong friends, most of whom were very eager for the juicy innards stew I was serving. I wasn't too bummed out that it was completely gone before my turn came to go through the line...

The goat had a nice tangy flavor, but was so stringy and chewy that it was hard to get much meat off. But the cabbage and rice was good, and rather fun to scoop up with your fingers. (There are no forks at goat roasts!) There were also a packet of "biscuits" apiece for dessert.

The highlight of the party came after the meal, but I'll post about that later...


Butchering a goat


Roasting the goat. (Kris's picture.)


It's a feast! (Kris's again...)

Rose cooking the innards


Hendry's not sure he likes it...

K'moja article

I just read this article about hunger and violence in Karamoja. There was at least a fairly abundant crop in southern Karamoja (the Nakapiripirit district mentioned in the article), but it sounds like other parts of Karamoja are again facing widespread hunger.

"Kire Ejok Akuj"

This is one of my favorite songs we sang in Karamoja, even though we sang it all the time. It was pretty much the easiest to learn as well as understand, therefore the only K'jong song I can say I have almost memorized. ;) Of course it isn't the same just reading it, because you don't get the tune or the clapping that accompanies it, but you might still appreciate the words. The title means "Truly, God is Good."

Kire ejok Akuj
Kire ejok Akuj
nooi nooi ejok Akuj
Kinakini akiyar (3x)
nooi nooi ejok Akuj
Kinakini amina (3x)
nooi nooi ejok Akuj
A-lle-luia a-lle-luia amen
Yesu
Kristo
ejok akuj

The title sounds to me like "Kir-ay-jok Akuj" - either I can't hear all the vowels or they just run them together when two words next to each other end and start with a vowel. I don't remember what "kinakini" means (it sounds like "Key-nak-a-nya" so maybe the "i" at the end is a misspelling?), but "amina" is love. The other verses are all good things too. "Nooi" is said like "noy," but with kind of a drawn out "oy" at the end.

Anyway, practically everywhere you went - to the village, Sunday school, even making dinner sometimes, this song came up. After about the 100th time in a month I can see why someone would get tired of it...lol, maybe I just like it because it's one of the songs I can clap to somehow okay. My rythym is pretty poor!

So there's just a taste of Karamojong, and maybe a taste of heaven, with people from every nation praising God... and now you're prepared if you ever go to Karamoja. :)

Africa & Medicine - The Constant Gardener

On Labor Day I went to The Constant Gardener (starring Rachel Weisz and Ralph Fiennes) with some friends. Although the movie is set mostly in Kenya, of course I could see lots of relation to Uganda, hence a reason to post about it here. Although I'll try to avoid giving away too much, be warned that there are some movie spoilers to follow...

Basically, the plot of TCG is that big drug companies are testing a treatment for TB on Kenyans; unfortunately, the treatment has some major flaws that the drug companies don't want to admit to, so they're pretending the deaths from the treatment never happened. Rachel Weisz begins uncovering this deception, which the drug companies don't like much. It doesn't sound particularly exciting, but this is one of the best thrillers I've seen in a while (although in a not very shoot-'em-up way).

The premise of the movie - that some greedy pharmaceutical companies are purposely testing an unready drug on unsuspecting Africans - is pretty disturbing. It's not just testing new medicines on people, though. What if one of the common malaria treatments they use at the clinic in Karamoja, for instance, wasn't the real thing, but someone just made a copy of the box and substituted other pills? You could make a lot of money doing that. It's a really scary thought; but thankfully, this hasn't happened (as far as I know). They *do* have very effective drugs for treating malaria, and they are the real thing!

My favorite scene in the movie (there were a lot I liked) was very un-thrillerish: a pregnant Rachel Weisz walking through a market in Nairobi, talking to a group of kids. The conversation went like this: KIDS: "How are you?"
RW: "I am fine, how are you?"
KIDS: (laughing) "How are you?"
RW: (enjoying it completely, too) "Fine, how are you?", etc.

Kids everywhere in Uganda seem to do that - if you're driving through a village, there's usually some kids along the road who wave and shout, "Mzungu! How are you?" In Karamoja, though, they tend to ask you in Karamojong. Kids: "Amanda, Ejoka?" Me: "Ejoknooi!" Kids: "Ejoka?" ,etc. Too much fun, completely. :)

One other thing, which ties in to the movie sort of. Have you heard U2's song "Miracle Drug"? The bridge at one point says...

Beneath the noise
Below the din
I hear a voice
It’s whispering
In science and in medicine
“I was a stranger
You took me in”

It's a really good reason to pray for and support good medical research. Millions of people die yearly from diseases like malaria, which every 20 years or so develops resistant strains to treatment, and which scientists still haven't found a vaccine for - although they're working on it! How can you love Christ in loving his sick and dying children? Comforting and caring for them, of course, but there's also the person in the lab trying again and again, experiment after experiment, to create a medicine that will save many lives. Thank God that there are people with skills to do that!

Warriors

Young warriors (someone else took this picture - John S?)

This was last year, before the disarmament - lots less AKs this year. Mary can do a great imitation of the way the warriors walk...a sort of springy step that looks as they have purpose and are incredibly cool. I occasionally ran into small groups of these young men, which was always a little intimidating. I think they'd be nice enough on an individual basis, but together they just had an air of reveling in their power, although not threatening me by any means. Or at least that was my impression. Kind of like any inner-city gang kids here, I guess. Anyway, a big incentive for cattle raiding in K'moja is getting some cows to pay for your wife (who you've probably already taken, but not officially paid for).

Women

Women dressed up for a celebration (oh...and a man)

There's no way around saying this: women do most of the work, at least all that doesn't involve cattle. When taken in marriage, they're often more or less raped. A lot fewer girls go to school than boys. Their husbands can take other wives. I'm not trying to victimize them, but I would not like the life of Karamojong woman.

Many that I met were good friends to me, though. I've already mentioned Rose and Joyce several times, who I admire a lot. But there's more who tried to teach me things, who translated patiently for me, who I saw work hard every day but didn't hear grumbling about their lives (at least to me). They've trusted Yesu Christo through many troubles - famine, sick children, not the best husbands. I'm sure they've stumbled many times, but still I want to be like them!

And I do want to be sure I don't give men a bad name; there are great guys like Sam, who started a bicycle repair business and is one of the nicest people I know, or Ben the askari (guard) who is always genuinely friendly.

Note: I've only spent a total of about 12 weeks in Karamoja so I'm not exactly an expert! These are all my own conclusions based on talking with different people or what I observed. So this ain't a genuine ethnographic report...

What?!

My posts haven't been about anything that interesting lately, so I wasn't going to write again until I actually had some news or a story, but this is too funny not to share: I found this "RARE Karamojong headdress" at an asking price of $750 on eBay!! That is too much, completely...

Running water...

I was thinking in the shower this morning how nice it is to have hot water - not to mention fresh running water, considering what's going on in New Orleans and other places devasted by the hurricane. But in Karamoja most of the time cold showers don't feel that bad - much better than staying dirty, anyway. :) Although there were several times when I wimped out and just couldn't stand the thought of freezing water.

Even when we occasionally ran out of running water (solar power doesn't work so well on stormy days), though, there were still pretty convenient ways of cleaning up. During one very rainy Saturday, Amy and some of the other girls and I ran outside for a shower under the rain gutter. It was the cleanest my hair had gotten in weeks thanks to all the water pressure! Craig snapped pictures of us from the safety of his doorway...


Rain-gutter shower

By the way, I changed the blog's name back to KaramojAmanda because I like that way better; I had "Amanda's Karamoja Trip Blog" up because I was too lazy to try to figure out meta tags for search engines, but that wasn't working anyway, so I dropped it...

The new anti-malarial...

I just came across this: apparently a certain type of fungus kills malaria-carrying mosquitos. It seems a little unhealthy to surround yourself with fungus, but malaria is a MUCH more serious health threat!

God provides in pretty weird ways sometimes (but in a good sense).