Mama Chipa with Ruth, Chipa, Hendry, and Chilen.

In an earlier post I talked a little bit about first becoming friends with Mama Chipa. I've been wanting to see her again, but Katie writes that she and the kids have gone to Moroto, where the schools are better. (That's also where she and her husband are originally from.) Apparently she's also going because her husband is tired of her drunkeness and doesn't know what to do. I don't see how this could possibly help her or their marriage, but I pray God uses it for good like only he knows how... Anyway, it's upsetting news by itelf, but it will also be a big disappointment if I don't see them while i'm there! Still, there's usually a school holiday in May, so I'm hoping they'll return for a few weeks at least.

Also, I'm missing Chipa herself. My first summer in Karamoja, when I was in the big house by myself, she would stand on the porch sometimes and call through the screen, "Amanda, ejoka?" And when I'd say "ejoknooi" she ask again, and again...it was quite a game. Today, though, I've been mostly remembering the tea Martha had for a bunch of the women (tea with milk and sugar is ever popular for a treat) right before I left (in 2005). Mama Chipa had been in argument with one of the others, so neither of them came, but M.C sent Chipa, with her baby brother on her back. They both had malaria, so Amy held Achilla (Acile?) Benjamin and Chipa sat in my lap, both of us enjoying buttered bread with our tea. She was felt burning up from her fever, but still I think we were both glad she came. After all, it's not every day you have a tea party...


Joyce and Daudi

This is a picture from the ladies' tea; it's my favorite picture of Joyce and her son (who's named after Pastor David), but the color was very bad so I changed it to sepia.