March Madness!

I have almost adjusted to the constant staring from kids and even adults as my huge frame and white skin seem to draw vast amounts of attention to myself here in Pader. I also have become accustomed to the little toddlers crying hysterically at the sight of Terry or myself because of a myth that must have circulated through the various cliques of kindergarten class. These young children, mainly between the ages of 2 and 6, will make an extra effort to keep their distance from the mzungu's (whites) because if they were to touch one...hear this... our pale white skin would singe theirs! Riveting, I know.

On the weekend, Terry and I were invited to our colleague Richard's home to meet his family and enjoy a meal with them.  One of Richard's youngest seemed to be a member of this racist preschool faction and when we arrived the wailing erupted almost instantly. After about ten minutes of graciously extending my arm to him in a harmless manner he finally crossed the threshold of fear and strolled over to where I was seated. Tentative and scared, he slowly motioned his hand towards mine to touch my 'fiery' white epidermis. Upon contact he immediately pulled his finger away in a swift motion which now made me wonder if this myth was indeed true! Thankfully, and to my relief his finger showed no sear marks (Tell your friends lil' buddy!) and before long he was sitting on my lap playing with the blonde hair on my arms. He continued to rub his arm against mine over and over again, then immediately would look to see if any of the whiteness rubbed off on him. Despite popular toddler opinion, my skin was neither corrosive nor colour-producing/eliminating. We shared a wonderful meal of Posho and smoked Tilapia fish and many laughs that afternoon! 

Well, the rainy season has arrived and boy is it a wet one!  African rainstorms are incredibly theatrical and I love it! The leaves on the trees and brush have returned to a lush green colour and the red sand, now dampened, is remaining on the ground which leaves less of it in my hair at the end of the day. I received a handful of emails and text messages from people concerned that I might have been caught in the recent landslide. This disaster took place close to Mount Elgon in Eastern Uganda a number of miles from Pader. Over one hundred people including livestock were tragically killed (& aprx. 300 missing) that day including the mother of a man I met recently in town. His loss lead him to the local bar and eventually intoxication. Many others here are finding alcohol to be the only suitable way to deal with the pain of loss and sorrow of past tragedies, whether natural or man made. Oh Lord may they know that their hope, healing and restoration can only be found in You.

Recently, our staff has been involved in a project that although somewhat basic in nature has incredible significance in the grand scheme of restoring peace to the land. The word "refugee" describes a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster. The Acholi people have been tormented by Joseph Kony and his rebel army for the past 25 years forcing them to flee their ancestral homes to enter the congested, disease breeding, abysmal camps for the Internally Displaced (IDP camps). They immediately became refugees, but in their own land. For the Acholi people "home" represents the same things that it would for you or I... security, a dwelling place, dignity, future and sustainability. In 1986 when the predacious rebel movement commenced, the Ugandan government and international community decided to turn a blind eye rendering the Acholi people impotent and destined for a near-genocide experience. The 23 year long war is now over and a lot of people in the north do not even remember what home or peace looked like. Over the last week or so now we have been transporting these very people back to their ancestral homes and it is a beautiful thing to witness and be a part of. There is much still to be done in terms of rebuilding but returning home is the beginning of the long yet precious process of reclaiming the past and securing the future.

My friend and colleague Josephine and I have been traveling to a number of schools in the district to talk about the importance of staying in school as well as gathering the most vulnerable children in the villages together to provide uniforms and tuition fees for them to enroll in school. So far we have visited 4 schools and spoke to approximately 2000 children with the message of Christ and an inspirational talk about the value of education. In each of these four villages we have documented the names and ages of 166 children who either could not afford school enrollment fees, uniforms, schoolbooks or all three of these necessities. 166 children in only 4 small villages! We have about 7 more schools to visit this month and envision hundreds more vulnerable children coming forward. Having said this, there is the likelihood that the quantity of calculated needs will exceed our budgetary capabilities. I will keep you all posted.... 

Terry has been in correspondence with a teacher in Toronto who is quite adamant about creating a penpal-type program between a school in Pader and his own class. There is a chance to expand the cultural knowledge and global awareness of the children in Canada and to bring hope and healing and recognition to the children here who are feeling forgotten and overlooked as peace slowly returns to the region and international aid withdraws. We both strongly believe that there is an opportunity to create a program that connects schools in northern Uganda with schools in Canada. The potential for learning about each unique culture through this interaction is endless. Appreciation, respect and recognition would provide hope and incentive for the youth of Pader to reclaim their former dignity and independence and to look forward to the future with peace and confidence. It would also provide (*among other things) an interactive means for North American children to understand and appreciate the many things (at home and school) that they take for granted each day. Having said that, if there are any teachers reading this blog that may be interested in this opportunity, I have written up a proposal that talks more extensively about this program. If you would like to hear more about it please email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . I know that the 2009-10 school year is winding down in Canada, but we can plan ahead for September 2010 if possible for a starting date. 

Cross-Cultural Studies 101: Toronto to Pader  

There are a number of things that although are the cultural norm here are hard for us as Westerners to grasp as socially acceptable: 1.) Women not only breast feed in public (without a towel) but often initiate conversation while feeding. Making eye contact a precarious element.  2.) The word "fat" here is not a taboo word even if used to describe a woman. Whenever Terry or I hear a man call a woman fat, we cringe and anticipate a slap in retaliation. Meanwhile she is smiling (and maybe blushing... it's hard to tell) as though she just received a flattering remark. In Acholi culture, she did in fact receive a compliment, for being fat is often associated with a high social status. It essentially means you can afford to eat good food. 3.) Clothes are not considered a necessity or social norm and nakedness is embraced until the age of about 3 or 4. 4.) Rat is considered a delicacy and after two months here in the north Terry and I finally tried eating it. The wild rats are as big as an average size cat and are hunted deep in the bush with spears. The stench of this cooked creature would make an average person with a strong stomach heave. The taste unfortunately did nothing to compensate for the fetor as we both sat around the table laboriously masticating this rodent with faux smiles in hopes not to appear rude (A+ for attempted assimilation!). For those adventurous eaters out there, please learn vicariously through my experience: Don't eat rat, even if it is smothered in your favourite steak sauce. Well... maybe if it's BullsEye sweet & sticky bbq sauce. 5.) The phrase "Maybe" or "I'll see" is almost always interpreted by the Acholi as "I promise". Making it a nightmare for the passive, indifferent or less assertive individual. 6.) Picking ones nose and burping seems to be welcomed without fear of being inappropriate. So i belch and avidly pick away in hopes to avoid being culturally offensive to the Acholi people. 7.) Is more of a rule than a cross-cultural guideline... Always keep your mouth closed when riding a motor bike in Africa. Flying Insects, although considered a treat to many here in Pader, are never welcomed unexpectedly at 80 km/hr. 

I'm officially hitting the two month mark for my time in here in Uganda and I am thoroughly enjoying this experience. Sometime in the next month I must renew my visa and the easiest and least costly method is to leave the country and re-enter. So Terry and I are planning a short trip to Kigali, Rwanda in the next couple of weeks before April hits. We are both fascinated with Rwandan history and have read a number of books on the tragic genocide and are looking forward to this little adventure. 

God is so good and we are continuing to see His hand work mightily throughout every aspect of this journey. Thank you everyone for your constant prayers and encouragement over the last two months. I am forever grateful. 

I love you all, 

Curtis 

p.s. Another great book... "A Hunger for God" by John Piper. Good read for those seeking to understand the Biblical nature and purpose of fasting and prayer. 

p.p.s More pictures to come soon!