misc.

Hey! I’m sure for a long time I’ll be remembering things I forgot to write about.
We’ve been having a lot of problems with our car. The other day while driving on a narrow walking path in the bush, we got a flat tire. Now it’s dead. We don’t know what we’re going to do or how we’re going to afford to get to Tegot without the car. Anyway, the day the car broke down, I asked one of the sponsored kids’ mothers if I could help her cook. It seems like all we do is to eat, because eating is so central to African culture. The Acholi will feel ashamed and worried if they let you leave their house without eating. “We love you! Eat more!” my neighbors always say, no matter how full I am. There is no telling how many pounds (or kg, rather) of rice and beans I have ingested while being here. Anyway, the mother told me I could help her grind seeds to make a paste called odi. Imagine picking peanuts, roasting them on your own, and putting them on a stone surface to hand-grind them with a stone, just to make a plate of peanut butter. It was hard work, and provided a lot of laughs for the women. They appreciated my wanting to learn from them and said I should stay longer so they could teach me how to be a real Acholi woman. This does not appeal to me. I have definitely taken for granted the fact that I can buy food already made.. or at least already picked or killed. The feeling of wasting time is one of the worst ones in the world for me but a virtually foreign feeling to most Africans.
It’s good to be here, because I am learning the reality of missions in a third world country. I know I have long romanticized it, and I know many people who do too. Being here is not sexy. Being one of a few mzungus can make you feel alienated and withdrawn. So you constantly have to keep your head and remember your purpose here. And be sure of your purpose before coming.
Keep praying. I have a week b/w the time that I go with Invisible Children and I’m not sure how I will spend it. I need direction. Also, the other day I saw a man sitting on the street without fingers or toes. I often see people missing limbs who have to use crutches the rest of their lives. It makes me so angry at the LRA. We must keep praying for all of this. These people are our brothers and sisters. It’s so good that people are moving back home and there are no more camps. The health and morale have improved drastically. People are no longer in survival mode, so they can start to enjoy each other.
Other funny things: trying to get an Acholi to pronounce “euphemism.” Also, don’t call someone silly here, because that is a horrible insult. Stubborn is the right word.