Hello Everyone,
The St. Kizito's Counselling Center dedication festivities were grand indeed. There must have been 700 people there. After mass clebrated by His Grace Archbishop John Baptist Odama, there were several hours of feasting and celebration, including native cultural singing and dancing. This convinced us beyond any doubt that "we got no rhythm". We were able to witness the slaughter of the bull. There is a team of professionals that perform this task for all large animal slaughtering in Gulu (Sr. Rosemary didn't tell me that). At any rate, the task was performed with simple tools - knife, machete, and axe - but was very respectful of the animal and humane. The entire job, from start until when the animal was cleaned, quartered, and ready to be hung in a cooler took 45 minutes. There was very little wasted. An interesting observation was that whereas these three men performed this task in a way that has been done for thousands of years, the head man, shirtless and wearing flip-flops, had a very expensive cell phone hanging off his belt! Times, they are a changing.
On Friday afternoon, we were able to visit an IDP (internally displaced persons) camp with the three American benefactors for the St. Kizito project. It was as emotional an experience as we've yet had in Uganda. No amount of reading or research can prepare one for exposure to that type of hopeless poverty. And yet the children laughed and laughed at our white skin and camera flashes. Please pray for those that have yet to move out of the camps.
Tonight is the 21st, our last evening in Gulu. We are already missing our freinds, and they are many, that we have made here. We decided we would take out for a celebration dinner the wonderful Sisters of the Sacred Heart from St. Monica's, who have shown us a level of hospitality and love that we will never forget. Tommorrow we will travel, likely by bus, to Kampala and the Children and Life Mission, an orphanage started by Fr. Hattie for the lost and forgotten street children of Kampala.
Can't wait to munch on some 'hoppers :-)
Hope is well with you. We will try to blog from Kampala or Amsterdam(we arrive there on the morning of the 24th). We can't wait to get home and give you all the unabridged version of our experiences here - the real story of Northern Uganda, so to speak.
Peace to all of you,
Monique and Stan
P.S. -Thank you all once again for your comments and prayers. You have our prayers in return.
The St. Kizito's Counselling Center dedication festivities were grand indeed. There must have been 700 people there. After mass clebrated by His Grace Archbishop John Baptist Odama, there were several hours of feasting and celebration, including native cultural singing and dancing. This convinced us beyond any doubt that "we got no rhythm". We were able to witness the slaughter of the bull. There is a team of professionals that perform this task for all large animal slaughtering in Gulu (Sr. Rosemary didn't tell me that). At any rate, the task was performed with simple tools - knife, machete, and axe - but was very respectful of the animal and humane. The entire job, from start until when the animal was cleaned, quartered, and ready to be hung in a cooler took 45 minutes. There was very little wasted. An interesting observation was that whereas these three men performed this task in a way that has been done for thousands of years, the head man, shirtless and wearing flip-flops, had a very expensive cell phone hanging off his belt! Times, they are a changing.
On Friday afternoon, we were able to visit an IDP (internally displaced persons) camp with the three American benefactors for the St. Kizito project. It was as emotional an experience as we've yet had in Uganda. No amount of reading or research can prepare one for exposure to that type of hopeless poverty. And yet the children laughed and laughed at our white skin and camera flashes. Please pray for those that have yet to move out of the camps.
Tonight is the 21st, our last evening in Gulu. We are already missing our freinds, and they are many, that we have made here. We decided we would take out for a celebration dinner the wonderful Sisters of the Sacred Heart from St. Monica's, who have shown us a level of hospitality and love that we will never forget. Tommorrow we will travel, likely by bus, to Kampala and the Children and Life Mission, an orphanage started by Fr. Hattie for the lost and forgotten street children of Kampala.
Can't wait to munch on some 'hoppers :-)
Hope is well with you. We will try to blog from Kampala or Amsterdam(we arrive there on the morning of the 24th). We can't wait to get home and give you all the unabridged version of our experiences here - the real story of Northern Uganda, so to speak.
Peace to all of you,
Monique and Stan
P.S. -Thank you all once again for your comments and prayers. You have our prayers in return.
4 comments:
Hi so happy too hear you are on your way home. Now that you have the new training and technique of slaughtering animals I have a few deer that may need your attention. I will give them some flowers that's fine but when they go after my tomatoes (that I have grown from SEED) well what more needs to be said? we will talk. Have a safe trip see you soon. peg
I can't believe you are on your way home! You have helped us all walk in your shoes without being bothered by the living conditions! I can't wait to see the pics and hear the unedited version of your trip. We are all still praying...you have been in the petitions weekly(maybe daily) here at Holy Spirit. Safe travel missionaries!
love
Pat
Hi Stan & Monique!
We have been reading your blog from time to time and thinking about you all month. It sounds as though you are experiencing something that will change you forever.
We miss you and can't wait to see you when you get back.
Rick & Carla
I wonder if your ears are ringing!! Guess where we went to lunch today? Renee, Donna, Sue and I......yep, Las Cazuelas!! Yumm! We felt really guilty without you there. Missed your laughter. We haven't went all month and decided we would today since we knew you were safe in Amsterdam. It was very beautiful, sunny, clear outside on the patio!! Can't wait to enjoy your stories out there soon! We miss you!!!!!!!
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