Field time again

Had another visit to the field today. Went out to meet the leadership of one of the IDP camps in which we work. I’ll be going to the other camps on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday next week before heading back down south. Though I’m going to try to get a ride down with a generator from one of the other field offices that is going back for repairs so we’ll try to organize that. It’s interesting being out there. The amount of suffering is almost overwhelming but at the same time I’m reminded how much of life is a common human experience. Things are the same but so different. People still have their stores, their farm fields and their schools. Things really were not good in that camp as some of the huts have been burning and they don’t know why. Also some of the children are starting to show the stress of the years of conflict by becoming ‘possessed.’ The camp leaders aren’t sure what is actually going on but they think that it may be related to the stress of growing up in the middle of a war. Some of the people here have been living in IDP camps for twenty years. So if I was from here I would have been in an IDP camp since the age of two; my sister would have been born there.
As usual I was a bit a curiosity for the people there especially the kids. The country director was with us as well and he’s Ethiopian so he also stands out. There was a rather large group of kids that gathered around – they are too shy to come to me but will respond when I talk to them. I didn’t realize that at first but Robinah clued me in – I thought it was weird that they were all gathered around and staring but wouldn’t come any closer, one or two even ran away when I waved. Later as we were preparing to leave they came up to the car to say bye to us except one little boy was pretty scared of me or us though probably the weird looking girl who didn’t speak the language. The adults are another story. The people we are coming to meet are incredibly welcoming and warm – you shake hands with everyone when you meet them/enter the room/leaving, but often there are other people around who just look at us, though smiles are almost always returned.
I am working on learning a little of the language but it’s pretty hard. I can respond when someone greets me and I can sort of say thank you, but my cheat sheet should come in handy.
I managed to take some pictures on Gizaw’s camera which hopefully will be emailed to me and then I’ll work on posting them either actually on here or I’ll post them on facebook and post the link so if you aren’t on facebook you can access them. I’ll have to see which is easier. But I should be able to get them up soonish especially if they are emailed to me this weekend as Grace and Mercie went back down to Kampala for the weekend to see their families so it’s only me and Emma left living at base camp. Well me Emma, the rats, the cockroaches and the dogs……Since Emma seems to work a lot even though it’s not work time (wow that’s some crappy grammar there) meaning he tends to find things to do to fill time better than I do, I anticipate having a lot of time this weekend. Hopefully I’ll have power or else I’ll be really bored though I have a lot of laundry to do – it’s only pride that keeps me from getting one of the women out back to do my washing for me. Phil (one of the other YPs) told me I would be getting someone to clean my house, cook for me and do my laundry and I assured him I would be looking after myself so now I’m washing my clothes by hand in the backyard….