COURAGE IN GULU....

COURAGE IN GULU...


We visited Gulu today, finally arrived after a four hour journey! We went to our guest house which was amazing.  We drove through a little village with mud huts to be welcomed by big steel gates and a large brick fence surrounding two beautiful houses.  The fence had razor wire along the top of it.  It looks alarming, but it is only for our safety.  There is a guard that stands watch 24hours a day which is comforting to know while we are sleeping.






We visited Gulu Watoto village, the children came running up to us.  We joined them in a game of skipping which was lots of fun, I haven't done that for years!

Children living in the village just outside our guesthouse

This village sits on 100 acres.  It is still fairly new so no as much established yet as Bbirra or Subbi.  There are 8 clusters of houses.  Each cluster is made up of 8 houses too.  This village also has a school which includes all the building for wood works, mechanics, home ec and steel works.  This village is approximately 120 km away from the Sudan border, where the LRA, (Lords Resistance Army) used to have full reign.  The children in these homes have been the most effected by the war.  As each child comes into the village to live with a family they 




often need ongoing counselling for the transition because they have been so traumatised by there past.  Praise God the LRA do not have control in Uganda anymore.  Gulu is the location of The Invisible Children DVD in 2006, that some of you may of heard about. (http://www.invisiblechildren.com).

   The invisible children left this area everyday around 2pm and walked to the nearest village till about 7pm where they would sleep the night in large deserted buildings.  The war got so bad that everyone fled their villages and moved on.  When Watoto found this land for the village it was totally deserted and people did not want to come near it.  But the vision of Watoto was to not only help the children but to also portray a message of peace and encourage the people to come back to the village.  It is only now that people are starting to move back because Joseph Coney (The leader of the LRA) is not around anymore.  There is a man named Sam Childers who is an American now living in Sudan.  He is known as The Machine Gun Preacher.  I have just finished reading his book about his life and how he came to Africa.  I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in whats going on over here.  It is the story of Sam Childers, a former drug-dealing biker tough guy who found God and became a crusader for hundreds of Sudanese children who've been forced to become soldiers.  He has an incredible testimony of sacrifice, hardship and hope.  Taking back the abducted child soldiers and creating safe house for the children and families.   He is well known to the different Presidents here who have even given him a number of full time military to carry out his work because they all believe in him.  He is taking out the LRA one at a time and he makes no apology for carrying a gun as a christian!  He has vowed to continue his work until Joseph Coney himself is dead!  His story has become so well known now that they are not only making a reality tv program on him, they are also making a movie about his life starting next year....and...starring Gerard Butler, yes... the one from P.S I Love You!

The book written by Sam Childers

So its amazing that where we are has had such sadness and history of violence and killings, but now is working towards a productive and more safer future.  Tomorrow we are visiting the Living Hope Women.  These women have been vulnerable to or have HIV and have been ostracised from there communities.   Watoto, has helped them in becoming self sustainable making their own jewellery, bags, peanut butter, goats milk and much more.  We will have an opportunity to purchase some of their things tomorrow.  The buliding they are in is the one that the Invisble Children were sleeping in during the night time.




So I have named this post COURAGE because I think that the people here who have been through unthinkble circumstances, heart ache and loss have so much courage to keep facing each and every day.
What does COURAGE mean?

Mud Hut..they look cozy!

Strength of purpose, to do ones best and not to swerve from one's path.  Integrity _ to do battle with the forces of darkness fired up by truth and principle, and dependability to do the right thing.  It might mean having the imagination and vision to know what might happen if you do battle, and yet being driven by personal conviction to fight on.  It means putting oneself on the line and standing up for what is right and true.

SO... I will leave you with this quote to ponder...


"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel"
- Maya Angelou