Uganda Perspective

Zeroing in on Kony, Obo is the new Gulu

We haven’t heard much about the 100 U.S. special forces sent to Uganda last year to help catch Joseph Kony, the leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army- until yesterday when this article appeared on the Associated Press.

The article reiterates the problem with catching Kony lies in his ability to slip easily across the porous borders of Uganda, Congo, Sudan and the Central African Republic (C.A.R.).  Now, thanks to US technology and expertise, and enthusiastic, unprecedented cooperation between the various countries, the LRA is being tracked and the noose is tightening.

Activity is currently concentrated around the town of Obo in the C.A.R.  Conditions there today are much like they were in Gulu, Northern Uganda for decades as people were terrified by Kony’s roving marauders.  Farmers do not stray more than five kilometers from town.  People fear saying anything that might be heard by LRA spies.  US-led local troops apparently freed a group of people recently captured by Kony – so the man remains determined and dangerous.

There are huge resources behind the capture of Kony – more than $25 million in U.S. aid and millions more from other donor nations.  It boggles the mind to think that if Kony were not an issue, the investment of those funds into enterprises throughout the region would work to alleviate poverty.  The Youtube movement called Kony 2012 is having zero effect on the capture effort.

As for the marauding rebel himself, it is estimated he has between 150-300 followers still with him.  Even as small bands are captured, Kony stays on task.  “I can still be effective if I have only 10 men,” he says.  Here’s hoping he has zero men and ends up in prison by the end of the year.  What a waste.  Thanks to Ralph Cervantes for finding the AP story.

Gorillas Earn Uganda Top International Tourist Spot by Lonely Planet

Of all the places in the world, Lonely Planet chose Uganda as THE top tourist destination for 2012. 

It was mainly the attraction of seeing mountain gorillas in their native forests that caused the choice.  CHECK OUT THIS AMAZING VIDEO OF AN ENCOUNTER WITH WILD GORILLAS. But there were the other things as well – the national parks full of wildlife, the good hotels, improved roads, white water rafting on the Nile, climbing to the snowy peaks of the Rwenzori, the safe environment for trekkers and backpackers and the stability of the nation.  This is a major milestone for Uganda which was one of the world’s top tourist destinations before independence in 1960, a status that caused Winston Churchill to call Uganda “The Pearl of Africa.”

Most people following Lonely Planet will most likely spend their time in Uganda with professional tour companies or guides who are highly personable and knowledgeable.  The net experience will be good since the pros understand what it takes to give a pleasing tourist experience. People met along the way will enhance the experience because of course the Ugandan people are naturally welcoming and pleasant. 

But outside of the professional tours, eco-lodges and large urban hotels, I have to say there remains a huge void in hospitality service.  In the last three weeks, frequenting restaurants at all levels, I’ve regularly encountered laziness, resentment and downright stupidity among servers.  One restaurant owner argued with me that I needed to pay in full with my order because the place was often crowded and they couldn’t control people running away without paying.  We were the only people in the place.  One waitress showed me to a table and then pulled out a wet rag to wipe it down, flipping it my way.  While I waited for my table to dry, she came around and draped a table cloth over it and into my lap.  Eventually the coffee came.  Once it did, a guy came around swabbing the floor on his hands and knees, all of which contributed to a delightful breakfast experience.  Like, they couldn’t have been ready for clientele BEFORE the doors opened?

Everyone agrees there needs to be training of hospitality workers but who is to do it if even restaurant owners don’t understand the concept of service?  The owners are often foreign-born Middle-Eastern or Asian who treat their help like cattle and hide behind their cash drawers.  I find it ignorant and deplorable and, even with the immense leeway I give people in Uganda because it’s Uganda, how can people operate with such an innate lack of common sense about service?  Can’t they treat people as they would like to be treated?  A friendly smile, a warm welcome, someone who understands English in this English-speaking country and wishes me a good day… is it too much to ask?  Ask me next trip.

PS:  The next best locations named were Myanmar (Burma), the Ukraine and Jordan.

 

Palestine To Open Embassy in Kampala

See this news story from Uganda's New Vision on 1/8/12

I find this interesting for two reasons.  First,  Museveni seems tohave no problem welcoming a terrorist organization onto Embassy Row even though the al shabbab terrorists killed 80 of his citizens during the last World Cup Finals. Perhaps the Somalis are next.   And second, this is clearly another failure of the Obama foreign policy.  If we had a strong president, he would pressure our allies to shun Palestine as an aggressor nation to Israel just as we have – but then, I guess apparently he doesn’t have the clout or perhaps he doesn’t care or perhaps he doesn’t understand the strategic relationship the U.S. holds with Uganda.

In his defense, Museveni is good at “following the money.”  Mahmoud Abbas looks like a money player, doesn't he?  His Excellency welcomed the Aga Khan when he wanted to build a new hotel in Kampala.  He welcomed Moammar Gadaffi when he wanted to build a $2 billion mosque/university on Old Kampala Hill.  And now he’s welcoming Hamas.  Let’s just see how further abetting the Muslim agenda in Uganda will play out.

Meet Patrick, the Only Hope for Street Kids in Kabale

You read my piece on street kids in Kabale.  That was the problem.  Here is the solution.  His name is Patrick Tushabomwe and this man is dedicated to getting every street kid off the streets of Kabale.  Estimates are there are only 95 of them so the goal is achieveable but the work will not be easy.

On January 4, Patrick opened The Shepherd Centre in Kabale town, in a rented house, and in the presence of board members, supporters, government officials and clergy.  It was a great event, particularly because there are 14 young boys under his care. The facility offers housing, counseling, parenting.  The kids get to go to school.   It’s a good start.

Patrick’s heart was broken for street kids more than five years ago.  He started seeking them out just to let the kids know someone cared.  He provided soap and some food for them at Christmas.  He learned where they stay, how they live, and began to understand the family situations that would cause them to be tossed onto the streets.  Even while he underwent intense discipleship and evangelism training in the ABIDE program for Juna Amagara Ministries, he thought of the kids in Kabale.  Even while he earned his bachelor’s degree,  Patrick planned facilities for the kids. 

Eventually he found some backers from the U.S. who caught the passion and now Shepherd Centre can provide safe shelter, parental love and discipline AND reconciliation services for families.  None of this easy or cheap but great progress has been made.  The goal?  Zero street kids in Kabale.  However long it takes.  Whatever it takes.  That’s what Patrick says and I believe him.

To support to The Shepherd Centre, click HERE.  Check them out on Facebook HERE.

The Sad Case of Brian The Tough Guy

In Kabale Town, the lowest form of life is not vermin or the garbage storks or mangy stray dogs.  It is the street children, mostly boys, ranging in age from four to sixteen.  These are kids who may have one living parent but whose lives at home are so intolerable, they are forced to survive by their wits on the street.  Some parents are too poor to feed the child so they throw him out.  Some are alcoholic or mentally disturbed and cannot care for the child.  Some are so abusive, the child runs away.

Street kids sleep in abandoned or unoccupied buildings.  They eat from garbage piles.  They wear rags.  They rarely bathe. They must be wary and clever and sly.  They become inured to pain, both mentally and physically and, just to survive, they become tough.  Because they are completely feral, they are treated like wild animals.  People shoo them away.  The police beat them.  They are harassed.

It all became clear here one evening when a young boy named Brian was brought to a place called Shepherd Center, a haven for street boys.  The boy was filthy and weak and had a bloody bandage on his arm.  He was given some food and water and later, the bandage was cut away. It was discovered the boy had a double compound fracture of his left arm.  It appears he had been deliberately hit at high speed by a boda boda driver three days earlier.  But Brian never so much as whimpered.

Shepherd Centre people took him to the hospital and, after hours of searching for the one doctor who was supposed to be on duty, got an X-ray and then, nearly 12 hours later, the boy received treatment that just barely saved the arm.

 Poverty has many faces.  This is just one of them.

Graduation Day at 12 Years Old

It is a simple fact of life in Uganda that not all children go to high school.  It is something of a miracle that they go to primary school thanks to a program put into place in the mid-1990s called Universal Public Education.  Funded by a one billion dollar grant (1.7 trillion Uganda shillings), the program ensured schools would be built and staffed throughout the country.  That was done, yet today, there is a shortage of qualified teachers and class sizes are huge, up to 150 kids per class.

To go beyond primary school requires fees which are often not available, and qualified test scores from the students.  Even if parents can come up with the fees, with such large class sizes, the learning level is low and most children do not qualify.  Therefore, the end of Primary School is a celebration.  It is a day when parents say, “Yay, you made it!  Good luck; you’re on your own now– go tend the goats.”

Yet, in the hills of Kishanje Highlands in the far southwest corner of the country, something of a phenomenon occurs at the end of the term.  Kids in the New Times
Primary School kids almost ALL qualify for secondary school.  Why is this?  Classes are small, teachers are better than average and there are mentors to help kids with homework.  These kids can all realistically look forward to earning an “A” (advanced) level placement in secondary school (See Ritah in her new maroon A-sweater).  Many will go to university on a government scholarship. 

So here are the kids of Kishanje, proud to parade down the hill in their miniature caps and gowns.  Primary school is behind.  Now the hard work begins.

One Man's Safari into Brightest Africa - Read All About It

After more than seven years hard labor (well, three years hard labor and four years wondering how to put it together) I’ve just received copies of my new book on Uganda called They Call Me Mzee: One Man’s Safari into Brightest Africa.

Called “a remarkable story of discovery,” the book charts the cultural and spiritual ife of present-day Uganda.  Part memoir, part travelogue and part investigative report, the reader will learn about how the AIDS epidemic started in Uganda and spread throughout Africa.  And, how Uganda is still the only nation in Africa to have arrested the disease.  The report talks about the huge faith life of Ugandans, where it came from and what it means.  There is much discussion from a personal perspective about the plight of orphans and how ministries, the government and the church are dealing with the ever-growing problem.

Most importantly, it is my personal story of discovering a place where faith underlies all.  The people I meet, the visitors I take to Uganda and the lessons we have for each other are insightful, surprising.

Anyone who has been to Uganda, who is planning to go to Uganda or who supports the work in Uganda should read this book.  You will laugh, you will cry and you will learn something of Africa you have never seen anywhere.

Click here to order the book in paperback.  The Kindle version is due out in about 10 days.  $1.00 of ever sale goes to support the work of Juna Amagara Ministries in Uganda.

After you’ve read it, let me know what you think.  I answer all emails.  Enjoy.

Riding Motorcycles from Cape Town to Jerusalem: Are They Nuts?

On September 4, 2011, two young, well-educated California men will begin a journey in Cape Town South Africa that will take them more than 8,000 miles up the spine of Africa to Cairo and then on to  Jerusalem.   They’re doing it for the adventure.  They’re doing it on Honda XR 400 dirt bikes. They’re also doing it to raise funds to build the Juna Amagara New Times Primary School in Kishanje, Uganda.  The event is called RideAmagara: Africa 2011.  And you can learn more if you click HERE.

The riders are Nolan Gallagher, a small-town big-sky boy turned professional baseball player for the Seattle Mariners.  A graduate of Stanford University, Nolan has given up baseball and when he returns from Africa, he’ll be studying for a degree in physical therapy.  Stephen “Brownie” Brown is a missionary kid who’s lived all  over the world.  Also a graduate of Stanford, Stephen worked in corporate America after graduation but has decided, upon his return from Africa, to enter medical school.

Over approximately four months, the adventurers will cross borders into 12 countries: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopa, Sudan, Egypt and Israel.  Their only plan is to make it before Christmas.  There is no detailed road map.  Accommodations are the tents on their backs.  There is no support van.  I don’t think there’s room for extra fuel.  But they are equipped with Bibles.  And immortal youth.

What, are they nuts?

There are no Interstate highways on this route.  What about breakdowns?  What about spare parts?  What about hostile territory?  What about pirates?  What about those long lonely stretches of savannah where there are no people, only warthogs?  What about all the different languages?  What about the Sept/Oct rainy season?  What will they eat?  How will they protect themselves at night in a tent in the middle of nowhere?  What about border crossings with surly and professionally uncooperative bureaucrats? Did we mention men with spears?  Roaming bands of Arabic slavers?  Tsetse flies, boa constrictors, thorny bushes, roads rutted like canyons?

Only the riders know the answers to these questions.  And certainly they have thought about all of these things, right?

 Meanwhile, Nolan and Brownie are asking for people to support the humanitarian reason for this ride.  The goal?  Raise $200,000 to finish a primary school and dormitory that will serve the needs of more than 500 children.  As you’ll see on their website, the riders are seeking corporate sponsors, but also individuals who can pledge $ per mile traveled – or support for a rider – or just a donation.  This is a worthy goal, as children in Uganda crave education and need it to survive.  The best kept secret in Africa is… the solution to overpopulation AND poverty is education.  This school will play a major part in all those roles.  Currently operating in rented buildings, New Times students regularly rank in the top percentile of all students in   Uganda.  With improved facilities and dormitories, these Juna Amagara orphan children will blossom into outstandingly productive adults.

Nolan and Brownie are carrying a PocketFinder GPS locator so we can all follow them in real time.  They promise to post frequently on Facebook (assuming they can find a computer).  And hopefully they'll smile if they are on CNN.  They request prayers for the journey.  God willing, they'll make it to Jerusalem by Christmas.

 

The Answer to Overpopulation? Education!!!!

The various countries in Africa may have brain-numbing poverty and thin economies but that doesn’t stop the people from producing children.  In Uganda, children are everywhere.  Even in the most remote bit of countryside, stop a moment and a child will appear, then ten.  The primary schools are full of them – overfull actually often with 70 kids to a class.  Walk down any road and you’ll see children peering at you from behind a tree.  Bring out a digital camera and stand back, here come the kids.

The average family in Uganda has seven kids.  That means for every couple that has no children or one or two, there is a corresponding family that has nine or twelve or more.  And, even though by the standards of other African countries, the population per the square mile in Uganda is still low, the growth rate is alarming.  Officials wonder: how will we feed them all?  How will they support themselves?  The answer is, if things don’t change, they won’t.

So how can Uganda or any other third world country stop its overpopulation?  The answer is: education.  In working with Juna Amagara Ministries orphans, we have seen kids in schools build big dreams for their lives.  They want to be doctors, engineers, lawyers, ministers and professors.  And here, once  young people get that goal firmly in place, as long as they can stay in school, nothing will get in the 
way.  Thus, while most young people are busy becoming sexually active at age 16 or 17, the students on fire for their goals most likely won’t worry about sex and marriage until the mid-20s.  When those young people who are gainfully employed do get married, they will limit the family size to two or three.  “We love our children but we have other things to do with our lives,” one of them said to me recently. 

A recent Sunday at All Saints Cathedral in Kampala saw four services full of people.  Here was a sample of the growing middle class, educated moms and dads working hard every day, glad to have a family, but limited to maybe three kids.

Just having schools does not mean kids are getting an education.  If there are 70 kids in a  primary school classroom, those kids are not being taught to dream.  So it takes NGOs and others to tutor kids after school, set up private schools and generally pay attention to these bright, fertile minds to… give them a life vision beyond parenthood.  It can happen, but the fear is that the rate of child production will overtake the rate of child education.  This is the challenge of this century.  Are we up to it?  

Living To 100 – No Big Deal Up Country

Want to live a long life? 

Work hard, walk barefoot everywhere trudging up and down steep hills, carry your loads on your head,  eat organic vegetables, go to bed at sundown and rise at dawn, and laugh a lot.  That, at least would be the advice of people in Kishanje Village, Southeast Uganda where it is not unusual for people to live well into their nineties and often over 100 years of age.   

Modern westerners would think that living in a faraway, remote village in Africa would be detrimental to one’s health, but in fact, it is exactly the natural lifestyle that seems to be the secret to good health and long life.  Where we in the west are obsessed with health care – the latest drugs, regular visits to the doctor, vitamins and food supplements all designed to keep people feeling good and living long – the population in Kishanje, known here as "up country," does not think about health care.  Here, if you get sick, you’ll either get better or you don’t.  With a life of rigorous exercise – slinging a hoe in the garden for 12 hours a day – bodies are strong and in tone.  Working the earth to grow food is tonic for the soul.  Eating only fresh vegetables just taken from the earth and seldom accompanied by meat is the natural diet.   Thanking God for His blessings each and every day yields serenity.  Living in a village swirling with children keeps a vision of life around all day; the elders sharing village lore, history and life lessons with the young keeps the senior citizens vital.

This lesson from Uganda seems to be: simple life = long life; complex life = ???