My eyes started watering and nearly came to tears as I listened to a boy, about 16, pray this simple prayer. This was our last night in Gulu, Northern Uganda – a city still raw and set apart by its bloody history. The Lord’s Resistance Army or LRA is a rebel army formed in 1987 and has been led by Joseph Kony for most of its existence. The LRA claims its goal is to create a state based on the Ten Commandments but with a record of countless human rights violations including torture, enslavement (sexual and physical), and use of child soldiers, this goal is doubtful.
The locals say that for about two years there has been “relative peace” in Northern Uganda since a peace treaty was written but not yet signed by Kony and the LRA. Many fear that war will again erupt in Uganda as Kony is still free and fighting in the Sudan and Democratic Republic of the Congo. In the aftermath of this devastating war and uncertainty of a peaceful future there are many who are hopeful and some who have dedicated their lives to combating powerlessness, hopelessness, and constant fear instilled by Kony and restoring the lives of Ugandans.
This is us with Bishop Onono (center), leader of the Anglican Church in Northern Uganda, and Reverend Patrick (left) who hosted us while we were in Gulu. Bishop Onono played a big part in bringing peace to Uganda by meeting with Kony two years ago to discuss the peace treaty.
The Anglican Church in Northern Uganda practices what it preaches by sharing the love that Jesus taught by meeting people’s practical needs. We visited the Women’s Development Center (WDC) run by the Anglican Church for women impacted by the war. Some were abducted in their early teens and used as sex slaves by the LRA. After the war they had nothing: no education, job skills, or possessions… nothing but painful memories and several kids. The WDC teaches these young women to become tailors. Many of these young mothers were tending to one or more children in the classroom while taking their tests.
The Anglican Church in Northern Uganda practices what it preaches by sharing the love that Jesus taught by meeting people’s practical needs. We visited the Women’s Development Center (WDC) run by the Anglican Church for women impacted by the war. Some were abducted in their early teens and used as sex slaves by the LRA. After the war they had nothing: no education, job skills, or possessions… nothing but painful memories and several kids. The WDC teaches these young women to become tailors. Many of these young mothers were tending to one or more children in the classroom while taking their tests.
The church also runs a program to help those wounded in the war. We met a woman who stepped on a land mine and lost a leg and her unborn baby. As I watched her hobble away with her one homemade crutch I found myself wondering “How many painful miles is she going to drag herself through to the shack she calls home, the family she is unable to provide for, while trying to pick up the pieces of a life shattered by war?” The motto of this ministry emblazoned across the shirt of one of the staff members is “get up and walk!” Quite a tall order for those missing limbs but the message is that you can overcome your past and present disability. And the Church gives them the means and support to do so.
We spent most of our time at Gulu Community Vocational School, a school that teaches trades to those who were abducted, orphaned, or otherwise impacted by the war. Many of the students had their education interrupted for many years – some for 10 or more – until peace returned about two years ago. In addition to mandatory agriculture classes (Uganda’s backbone), students of either sex can choose to learn auto mechanics, carpentry, construction, tailoring, or masonry.
Everyone at the school was severely affected by the war. One student told us that he lost his two older brothers and one younger brother to the LRA. He told us the rebels would always attack at night. “At night we were running, running, always running.”
One student told us about a horrific experience: “When I was 8, the LRA came to our school. They forced us to watch as they killed five teachers in front of us.". What he described next is too horrible to print here. This same student was walking to Gulu with his father one day when the LRA ambushed them and killed his father in front of him.
Another student was abducted in his early teens and forced to fight and kill for the LRA. “They told us we had better pray that we find people to kill because ‘if you don’t kill someone every day or two, you are a government sympathizer and we will kill you.’” These stories of child soldiers are far too common in Uganda and many other places in Africa.
These are just a few examples of the terrible experiences these students have had to overcome. For more background google LRA and child soldiers.
Since these students had so much of their childhood stolen from them, we wanted to give them a fun, carefree experience. Over two days, we were able to take 54 of them to a pool at a local hotel in Gulu. It was the first time any of them had been to a pool and, for many, the first time swimming… at least trying to. Nelson, head of the tailoring department, counselor, and sports coordinator, was so grateful as he explained that experiences like this help the students forget their past so they can begin to move on, build relationships with each other, and get to escape the confines of school for a day.
Another noteworthy experience was going to Amuru, a settlement camp for people displaced by the war. The drive there was interesting. At the taxi park, we learned that the minibus that normally drives the route was not going that day but “luckily” there was a truck that was. Cars or busses here don’t leave at a specific time but only when they are “full”. In this case, after waiting 2 hours, “full” meant 5 goats, 2 chickens, a couple tires, many boxes, 19 people and everyone’s bags. With my legs crunched to my chest and feet buried far beneath me and losing circulation, I thought “this is going to be the longest 45 minutes (the ETA given by the driver) of my life.” 45 minutes turned into 2 hours as we slowed for the roughest parts of a very bumpy road, or stopped to tie the goats back on that had fallen and been dragged for 30 odd feet. If it were not for all the people suffering around me I think I would have felt more compassion for the goats getting thrown off the truck and dragged along by their necks.
At its peak 50,000 people lived in Amuru. The number is now less than half that because people are returning to their home villages. When we arrived a bell was rung telling the people to come to the big tree to meet the visitors. It was funny to watch the excitement of some children and the absolute terror of others as we are the first or some of the first “muzungas”, or white people, these children have ever seen. Some of the youngest ones burst into tears but most just wanted to touch our hands and stare at us as if we were from another planet (and sadly, being from the U.S. it almost felt like we were).
A group of about 30 adults told us some of main problems they face and the pastor and the leaders of the camp gave us a list for us to pray for: continued peace, orphans from the war, child mothers, people living with HIV or AIDS, school fees for children, health facilities and medical care, land mine survivors, and “child-headed families” (a telling phrase in the aftermath of war).
It was eye opening and inspiring to meet the students at the Women’s Development Center and Gulu Vocational School, the people at Amuru who have overcome so much, plus the teachers, staff, and Anglican clergy who dedicate their lives to building a better Uganda. The things I used to see as huge barriers in my life now seem small in comparison with the things these people have gone through.
It was eye opening and inspiring to meet the students at the Women’s Development Center and Gulu Vocational School, the people at Amuru who have overcome so much, plus the teachers, staff, and Anglican clergy who dedicate their lives to building a better Uganda. The things I used to see as huge barriers in my life now seem small in comparison with the things these people have gone through.
- David
