At camp with 4th Mercy Scouts – personal stories being made

What a great day! Just returned from a day at the National Campsite for Uganda Scouts, having spent it with the 4^th Mercy Scouts who are there on a 4-day camp. 

I arrived as they were learning more about both the national flag and the scouting flag, all of them proudly wearing their neckerchiefs and unofficial scout t-shirts (thanks to Marlwood School and 1^st Thornbury cubs for the donations), and following that I got a quick tour of the site as well as lots of excited stories about which trees have the monkeys, where the snakes live and how amazing it was to see Lake Victoria.

The tents looked very tidy, despite the fact that twice as many children are squeezed into each tent compared to the tents back home – 3 tents for 22 youngsters, which we would probably say were 3 – 4 person tents at best. But the scouts all said how comfortable the tents are, and how they like sleeping in with their friends, and I guess when you are used to sleeping on the hard floor at home, alongside all the other siblings as well as any parents, then actually being on a mat on a soft grassy floor, with friends around you probably isn’t so bad.

The main activity of the morning was ‘Challenge Valley’ which was essentially their version of ‘Tough-Mudder’. They all took part and had to complete a Blindfold trail following a piece of rope, then sliding down a muddy chute, going commando-style up a very muddy slope, through a tunnel, and under a network of ropes, before clambering through 4 or 5 tyres suspended from a metal pole. Not surprisingly they all ended up completely caked in mud, but the sense of achievement emanating from them all was beautiful to behold. Each of them overcame some sort of ‘I can’t do it’ moment, and all experienced the joy of being able to look back and know that they had found inner strength that they hadn’t before known.

After lunch – well actually it was after some serious hand-washing and then lunch – we all went down to Lake Victoria where they had the best time splashing about, throwing water over themselves and each other, and coming out somewhat cleaner than they went in. This was a new experience again – just being on the edge of a large expanse of water is something most of these children don’t experience, and to be able to bathe without first having had to go and fetch the water in a leaking jerrican or bucket from a standpipe was a definite treat.

The afternoon activity was a session at the swimming pool – another first for most of them. None of them knew how to swim, but they loved being in the water, using the few available floats to bob around if they could, do swimming arms whilst keeping feet on the bottom, and just enjoying the sensation of being immersed in clean fresh water. I was kept busy acting as a ‘swim teacher’ and giving them the chance to pretend to swim whilst I held on to their waist to prevent them going under. When it was time to get out, one of the lads showed me with great pride how he could bob under and hold his breath for a count of ten before coming up for air. This was the same lad who had been too nervous to get in at the start of the session unless I was there to lower him in – so great to see his massive smile when he resurfaced after his self-imposed submerging!

This evening they are having songs round the campfire, but I wasn’t able to stay for that – suffice to say I know they will be having a great time and making another special memory to add to the list of memories they have made this camp. 

These young people, for whom life is generally so lacking in much of what we take for granted, who have so few experiences to call their own, have this weekend gained their own stories. No more are they ‘just another kid from Acholi Quarters’, now they have special stories to tell when they get home. And of course, for the parents, life has suddenly got a bit wider than just Acholi Quarters – they now have children who have been camping, who have been in Lake Victoria, who have seen monkeys in the forest, who have got muddy, sat round a campfire, and eaten 3 meals a day for 4 days.

One of the lads told me that one of the things he loved about the camp was seeing Lake Victoria for himself – until then he’d just heard about it at school, now he had been in it.

Another said how he loved walking in the forest and seeing all the birds and plants and animals

One of the girls commented on the times spent singing songs together and hearing stories from scouts in other countries

Another just enjoyed being able to play with friends for the whole day and being able to run around in the fields and forest.

Today with the young scouts has been a very beautiful day – and a very humbling one too. Being part of their story-making experiences has been such an honour, and one I will never forget. Am forever grateful that this community are part of my story.

Acholi Quarters - an update

Many of you will know bits and bobs about Acholi Quarters - one of the places I visit each time I come to Uganda, and where I have been privileged over the years to be linked in with the lives of many. 

It’s a place of smiles and laughter, and a place where heartbreak and the enormity of the problems could easily overwhelm. But I’m grateful to have some wonderful friends there, and to have many memories of joyful times spent just hanging out with them and getting to know the community and understand the cultural realities more deeply.

Today I was back there for a catch up and what a lovely time it was.

I had the joy of seeing the 4^th Mercy Scout group go off on their first ever camp. This is a scout group that I was able to help set up a couple of years ago, and the youngsters love being part of a movement that is so much bigger than just Acholi Quarters. They have communicated with, and met, cubs and leaders from the UK, heard about scouts in different countries and know that they are linked to the wider world through this group. 

Today, they added a new story to their life journey – going on a coach to camp, sleeping out in tents, being away from home and Acholi Quarters (some for the first time), having green fields to run around in, having space to be themselves. It was fab to see them loading up the coach and setting off, and I’m looking forward to going out to the campsite on Saturday to be with them.

Also whilst at Acholi, I was able to get an update on two young people, not related at all, that I wrote about a few months back who were each homeless and without family to look after them. The lad, age 15, and the girl, age 12, were both spending the end of each day hoping that a kind family would let them sleep on their floor for the night. 

Harriet, who acts as informal social worker, fount of all local knowledge, and essentially is the person without whom we couldn’t manage, mentioned them to me, as she was getting increasingly concerned about the situation which was clearly unsustainable. 

Thankfully we were able to find a short-term solution by getting hold of mattresses and blankets and letting them sleep in the schoolroom at night, and Harriet would feed them and just look out for them, as well as caring for her own three children.

Today, Harriet brought me up to date – the two young people are still sleeping in the schoolroom, but Harriet has moved to a new ‘home’ (aka a one-room building) to be closer, and her oldest girl (age 16) is also sleeping in the schoolroom to ensure everyone ‘behaves themselves’. By being just next door, Harriet is better able to support all 5 of the children which are now in her care.

So, a good solution to that situation, and another confirmation, if ever I needed one, of just what a guardian angel Harriet is to so many – I just wish we could give her a little ‘guardian angel allowance’ to reduce the worry she permanently has about finding money for food.

My third happy conversation today was with Salago, a young widowed father of 3-yr old twins. He is currently unemployed, and the twins are with their grandparents up in the north of the country. But grandparents can’t cope, and the twins are missing their dad, so he is planning on bringing them down to Acholi Quarters.

The conversation today was around his dreams for the future. Basically, what he would love is to get some training in a trade that will then allow him to earn money and be able to take care of his family. Not a big dream and one that was very much focussed on equipping him to become independent – the right sort of dream!

As we chatted, Salago said that he would like to train to be a tailor and to get a qualification so that he can then set up his own workshop. He then said how he has already found the place where he’d like to train – a small enterprise that is run by two qualified tailors and that does on-the-job training for students. The student has to pay the training fee, and in return they can help in the workshop and get some small allowance for any work that they do.

So, Salago has signed up and is doing some work for them and will get started as a student. Thankfully I’ve got a donor who will cover the cost of the training fees so that any allowance Salago gets can go on rent, and daily provisions for himself and the twins. A very satisfactory outcome!

I came away from Acholi reflecting as always on the experiences of the day. Acholi Quarters to me is a true example of community at its best – where people look out for each other, put others first, join together in times of need, celebrate each other’s ups, and support through each other’s downs.

It’s a place where faith, hope and love are very much a part of everyday life. It’s a place where 1 Corinthians 13 is lived out so beautifully. It’s a place that I pray I will be able to go back to time and again – as it is a place that resets my perspective, restores my faith in humanity, and brings laughter and smiles and togetherness into the heart of all that is happening.