Thoughts from Africa

Just thought I would shoot out an update. We have now been in Africa officially for a week! It seems like it has been much longer in both good and bad ways. Tonight we had Chicago style pizza and milkshakes. It was crazy good. We heard about it from a friend we met through Village of Hope (VOH), Heather. All week we have had omelets for breakfast with bananas and toast, beans and rice for lunch and chicken broth and rice for dinner. No joke. One night it was grilled chicken instead of the chicken and broth, which was also crazy good. No idea what it is like to decide between different types of food until you lose that power. Also another new thing about food and restaurants; they have a menu but you need to ask them what they have each time. One place offered pizza, grilled chicken, beans and rice of course but when we went to order, “We have one piece of chicken, 4 pieces of goat and lots of fish.” We decided to go elsewhere. We got to London last week with no problems besides lack of sleep and gave ourselves a tour of the place. Couple of things stood out. One, Big Ben is amazing. Never been a sightseer, but Big Ben is worth the time. Two, London is super crowded and the streets are crazy. Three mind the gap.
Friday 8-20-10
We arrived in Entebbe with no problems and found all of our luggage, which was a big prayer answered and met Charles, Shama and Azunta for our 6 hour trip to Gulu. It was about 8 am when we left the airport. We picked up more friends, Mike and his lovely wife Janelle and promptly got a flat tire. After changing that with nobody ever getting out of the car we were on our way to meet Rose in Kampala. Driving is nuts and ask me more about it when I get back. We arrive in Kampala and meet Rose who treats us to Mr. Tasty’s, the food that makes you go hmmm. (no joke that is the actual slogan) We go to Shoprite, and get some money exchanged and head out. Oh ya, its about 1 pm now and are about 30 minutes from the airport. We begin to learn about African time. Shama gets dropped off right outside of Kampala but not before telling us that she was in the building that got bombed in Kampala watching the game. Crazy story, also ask about it when I get back. We make another pit stop at the land in Macindy and pick up some workers to bring to Gulu. On the way to Gulu we stop at a mobile market. You literally park the car and people flood your windows trying to sell you fresh food trying to get you to give them money. This is a wild experience when you have no money and are going on about 4 hours of sleep over 48 hours. One woman walked up with her baby of about 2 and was getting the baby to ask for money. We finally arrive in Gulu at 7pm that night American time and get into our Hotel. The place is great with running water, a shower and electricity. We cash it there with the information that tomorrow is a rest day.
Saturday 8-21-10
We wake up the next morning and check out the market with Julie. Julie is unbelievable and a pure joy to be around. That day she teaches us to wash clothes by hand. This is going to be a fun four months. That night at dinner Brynn shares her testimony, which is super cool to finally hear all of the pieces. We also meet one of the presidential candidates for the upcoming elections in February and get to talk to him for a while. We get to bed that night and will be going to an IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camp tomorrow after church.
Sunday 8-22-10
Horrible night of sleep. Realize that I forgot one of the pieces that is nice but not crucial for doing the recording. Awesome. Go to church feeling really down in the dumps and leave church recharged. God is so good. The camp is an amazing experience as they do about a half hour dance for us while we do a little presentation as well. After that we get about an hour to play with the kids. This is very good but very hard. Without going into detail, lots of kids are sick, some kids are mentally handicapped, some 7 year olds are taking care of 1 year olds and there is about 6 adults for about 50 kids. We get back to the Hotel Roma for bed. Wake up the next morning with a ride scheduled to pick us up at 10:30.
Monday 8-23-10
12:30pm the next morning we head out to the Safe house. It is a spot owned by VOH that houses about 20-30 kids regularly but with the government kicking them out it has about 6. The place has about a ten-foot high concrete wall around it with glass shards at the top jutting up. We sit down to eat lunch now and do some light setup work for painting the outside wall before heading out to another IDP camp. This camp has much younger kids at it but all the same issues as the last. We head back and get some food. Brynn and I talk more about the filming and decide to start tomorrow.
Tuesday 8-24-10
We get up at meet our ride at 9am and head out to the safe house. We begin painting and the kids at the safe house even help out. We have lunch there that Julie prepares for us. I share my testimony during lunch before we go to another IDP camp. Get some good stuff for the movie there before heading back to the hotel for the night. We all chill in the guys room and do some good bonding before bed.
Wednesday 8-25-10
Same drill… breakfast painting than a new IDP camp. This one has mostly older kids and they do about an hour and a half of dancing. Hard to meet kids there because they just always seem to be laughing at us but Brynn and I get some great footage for the film. Had a super hard time with the kids because they ask if they can have my water bottle. How do you who have everything tell someone who has nothing that they cant have one thing of yours? Its tough, let me tell ya. We eat and head to bed, but notice the Renovation audio is up so I take a listen to what is happening back in the Blaine side of things. Love just hearing Zach, David, Rachel, Joe and Josh’s voice. Makes me miss home a little.
Thursday 8-26-10
Well, wake up paint and than a camp… with one change. Brynn and I pull out her video editing program and spend a bunch of time importing and organizing clips and getting my sound to match up with it. This IDP camp is the best. Kids are super outgoing and we love them so much. I meet a kid named Innocent, who is disappointed when I forget his name so here is my way of remembering. We will be back there on Saturday so I have till than to remember. We feast on our pizza and milkshakes before heading back to the Hotel. Tom and I take an adventure and find a new power adapter because we only have one and lots of dead stuff. We get back and the charger for my computer is broken and not working. Awesome. We head out to bed and get set to do more of the same tomorrow.