-Rhino trip returns
This weekend we took a trip out to a Rhino sanctuary. I’m at the point in the trip where the novelty of it all is starting to wear off. We took a very long drive south to get to the inn. Every time we cross the Nile, I’m tempted to take a picture, but we’ve been told that the government troops will seize our cameras if we do. During the conflict, the bridge over the Nile was the most defensible point between the North and South. With the bridge defended, there was a great deal of apathy in the south in regards to what was going on in the north. On the way up to the bridge there is a family of baboons that likes to hang out. I got a few shots of them.
After a 3 ½ hour trip we arrived at the inn and had to wait another hour for food. I had set my expectations too high and I was disappointed. I’ve been trying to take a deep breath and relax with it. This morning when I was running a metaphor came to mind. I was running on the track and for some reason I was expecting a smooth surface. I rolled my ankle a bit. “If you expect a smooth road, you will be upset by a bumpy road.” I’m resetting my expectations.
The other thing I’ve been thinking about is that in some ways, you almost need to operate in a sort of “auto-pilot / go with the flow” kind of way. I want to be more intentional about my time in Africa. I had less than a month left and I want to make it count. This week we have testing at Gulu SS, so I will have some free time to do some things I’ve wanted to do. On Wednesday I will visit David’s home in Pabo. It is a long bike ride, but about a 40 minute boda ride. I’m looking forward to meeting him family and hanging out. We were going to hang out on Friday night, but I couldn’t find him at the bar we were meant to meet up at and there was this overly interested girl at the bar that I had to get away from. On Thursday, I’m going to hang out with Elena and Bryn when they follow their Visible Child mentors. These mentors are teachers who support all IC Visible Child scholarship recipients. On Friday and Saturday we have a teaching conference. It’s going to be a good week.
The Rhino’s were cool. They are huge and we got about 5 feet away from them. The guides told us that it they charge we should find a tree or a termite mound to climb. Honestly, I think the safari will be more interesting, but it was nice to relax and the inn. I went to be early and got up early. I’ve just finished the book of Numbers. I’ve never enjoyed it so much as this time through. The themes of social justice keep jumping out to me. There is such a contrast between the “Egyptian nation state / oppression” and God’s intention for community.
When we returned to the hotel we discovered that Big John’s computer had been stolen. Please pray for its return. He is a good guys and this is so unjust. He has a ton of school work save on it. We are all pretty irritated that the hotel is not secure. I guess I’m not expecting a bumpy road. We are going to find it though. It is only a matter of time before it shows up in a used computer shop. We are going to find it. Something like this really affects the way you experience a trip.
Normally, when I walk through the market it is easy for me to smile and greet people. This Sunday it was more difficult. On top of that, I was wearing shorts. Some women may have had the experience of a guy, not looking at their eyes while in conversation. Here in Gulu, legs are the object of scandal and lust. If a woman were to wear shorts, it would be a big deal. When guys are working out, it’s generally ok, but yesterday I wore short down to the market on a Sunday. Everyone would look at my hairy white legs before looking at my face. It was really awkward. That is the last time I’ll do that. I like to be able to just wave and smile. I stick out enough without showing off my sexy legs.
In the evening, I went over to the IC house to see Bryn and Elena. They had a fun day at Fort Patico hiking and playing. This weekend they had a fun time checking out the Gulu market. Elena is thinking about her role her. The kids are here mainly to observe. They are used to serving so this is a strange role for them to take. They want to serve and I think they will make a bigger difference than they know. The difficulty is that any good that is not sustainable can cause more harm than good. For example, a handout may solve an immediate issue, but create a lasting problem of dependence. Today I will see Goffrey. I hope that he has used the camera as a hook and not a fish, but I’m prepared for a bump in the road.
