The people

We’ve been here nearly three weeks now and our days have started to become quite routine.
Prior to leaving home, Lorenda promised our grandson that she would get up at 5:30 every morning and read him a bedtime story via Face time. He has a children’s Bible and Lorenda has the same Bible so they can read together everyday. If we are lucky, our granddaughter hasn’t gone to bed yet and we can also connect with her at that time. Otherwise, we just talk with her on the weekends. Lorenda was finally over the jet lag and settled in enough to start fulfilling that promise this week.
After the Bible story, we get ready for the day and leave the apartment around 7:00 AM. Traffic is not too bad at that time of day so we get to our destinations in good time. Greg leaves work sometime between 4:00 and 5:00, picks Lorenda up and we usually arrive back at the apartment between 5:00 and 6:00 PM. Supper, dishes, a little down time and bed!
Even though our days are getting pretty routine, we don’t want this blog to be (we don’t want to lose you) so today we want to introduce you to some of the interesting people we have met.
Lorenda continues to work at the babies’ home and has met some very incredible people there. Two of the nannies she regularly works with are Acholi women and are two of the kindest, warmest, most genuine people on the planet. For some of you Acholi may be a new word so let us tell you a little about them. The Acholi people live in northern Uganda. Some of you may be familiar with the name Joseph Kony and his rebel group the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). For over 20 years this group attacked the Acholi people in northern Uganda- it is a horrible part of Uganda’s history, but God has prevailed.
Back to the two nannies…because of our interest in Uganda and its history, we have read many articles, books, viewed movies and documentaries about the Acholi people and the conflict in northern Uganda. However, all of that pales in comparison with the experience of sitting down with these women who are willing to share their hearts and their lives. Every single Acholi person has been affected by the conflict in northern Uganda in one way or another. One of the nannies described to Lorenda how her husband’s youngest brother was kidnapped by the LRA from the boarding school he attended. She described how this young man’s parents searched and searched for him for several months. As a parent, I can’t even imagine that. After a few months, another boy who was in captivity and managed to escape, confirmed to them that their son had been killed.
These women told story after story of the inhumane and often bizarre behaviour exhibited by the LRA. The stories that they relayed are not the kind that we have ever read in books or articles. They are the real and personal stories told by those who lived it.
After hearing all of these horrific stories, Lorenda asked about the big, huge smiles that Acholi people always have, even after all they have been through. The answer was a simple one, “That’s who we are!”
These women described Acholi people as strong, hard working people who love to sing and dance. One of the nannies described the deaths of two of her grandparents and her mother who literally were singing praises to the Lord right up until they took their last breaths. What powerful stories they were! The nannies also described Acholi people as loud (no wonder we love these people so much!) She described weddings in northern Uganda- as the bride walks down the aisle, people are hooting and hollering and cheering very loudly.
Resilience is also a word that is used frequently when discussing the Acholi people. After all the years of conflict in northern Uganda, these people still have their beautiful big smiles and still love to sing and dance!
The greatest part of all in this discussion came when the nannies described how the Acholi people have turned to the Lord. Throughout the conflict and since it has ended, churches have been popping up all over and people have been handing their lives over to the Lord. Many of you will recall a story Lorenda shared after our last trip- the story of a woman who had countless family members kidnapped, raped, murdered, disfigured. Yet this woman told Lorenda that the conflict had to happen so that God could be glorified. Basically, the same story was told by these two nannies. What incredible people they are- I wish you all could meet them!
Please pray for our Acholi friends and all the people of Uganda.