The beginning of a new week

June 8
Hey everyone, I hope you are enjoying the blog so far.

Today has been an interesting day, and we have managed to do a lot of things on our own. We made it into town as I said before, we went to the book store, then the internet café, then the phone store, then for lunch, we met with Andrew Briefly, then the coffee shop, then home again. I’m pretty sure it’s the most we’ve accomplished in any one day.

We are trying to get a better internet situation, but one has not come about just yet. It would be expensive for us to by something for the computer, so we are looking into the library.

Dustin bought a coffee press and some fresh coffee and it is delicious! I’ll probably be bringing back a bunch.

June 9
Today we have spent the day at home. We have been working on the proposal all day trying to get it prepared and submitted by the end of the week. Papers, books, and notes are spread out all over the tables. The weather has been wonderful today. Sunny and I nice breeze, no threatening clouds.

I have already finished the book I bought. It was about the abduction of children by the Lord’s Resistance Army in the northern part of the country. Of course it was so sad and heartbreaking to hear the stories of the children that had been abducted, and the brutality they endured. It is the sort of thing that is hard for me to understand, especially after interacting with the children the bit that we have so far. They are so eager and happy.

For those that are maybe not aware of what I’m talking about: when the current president took power in 1986 there were a group of rebels, who eventually came to be know as the Lord’s Resistance Army that would go back and forth between Uganda and Sudan. They would attack villages and steal the children. Then the children would be forced to become part of the army and conduct ruthless acts of violence. Then these children would abduct other children and the cycle would begin again. The leader of the army was a man by the last name of Kony. He essentially thinks he is a prophet guided by the holy spirit. Thousands of children have been abducted over the course of the 20 yr period. Kony is still alive, but I think the resistance has lost almost all of its momentum.

Now the problem is rehabilitating all of the children that have been released. They have all been severely traumatized, the children as well as the adults, and the rates of post traumatic stress disorder are staggering. They need counseling in some form or fashion whether it is in a traditional way or in a clinical way.

If you want to learn more about it, look up the organization Invisible Children. I think the LRA also has a website, but be careful it’s full of propaganda. I haven’t looked at either myself, but I’m sure both would be informative.

Sometimes when I think of all the things that need to be done around the world, people, and especially children that need help, it becomes very overwhelming. I want to be able to help all of them. I know that I can’t help all of them, but I do feel partially responsible because I’m so able. In my mind withholding and being complacent is almost as bad as refusing. I suppose that I’m on my way to helping a lot of children at once, but it’s hard to allay this sense of urgency I get.

Anyway after feeling so heavy I took a nap and I feel much better. When I start to feel a little sad or homesick, that usually means that I haven’t slept enough. I’ve been pretty good about homesickness, but it would be nice if people could post some of the normal things that are going on at home.