The week started with a slightly tense flight to Kenya via Cairo. The airline had allotted a 1-hour transfer slot in Cairo, but when we took off from Heathrow 60 mins later than our departure time, I wasn’t sure that the connection would be made. However, knowing it was out of my hands, and that if I was stranded in Cairo then the airline would have to accommodate me, I lifted it to God in prayer and then let it go. I must admit I was quite surprised at how well I let it go – I’m certainly not always so successful on that front, but this time I managed it pretty well.
As it turned out, the pilot must have put his foot down, and we got to Cairo 20 mins before the Nairobi flight was due to depart. So, a quick run through the airport, combined with the knowledge that there were 15 others trying to make the same connection, some of whom couldn’t run as fast as me, and the assumption that the airline would prefer to hold the flight than have to accommodate 16 of us – it all turned out OK and I got to Nairobi on the planned day. Thank you God!
I then had a very welcome day of rest in Nairobi, which meant that I was able to sit in front of the TV and watch BBC coverage of the Queen’s Funeral. It was very special to share it with folks from Kenya who were staying at the same guesthouse, and to answer as best I could the many and varied questions about the different members of the royal family – who everyone was, who was related to who etc. I didn’t do quite so well on the explanations about the different bits of the armed forces, but BBC news website helped fill in the gaps!!
In the evening of that Monday, I met with Timothy, a staff member of the Kenya branch of Good News Jail Ministries, and we discussed the training that is being planned for me to deliver later in October. It was wonderful to chat with him, and to hear about their work, their challenges, and their vision, and to discuss the plans being made for the training. The passion that he has for transforming positively the lives of the prisoners was wonderful to hear, and I look forward to meeting with the rest of the team in due course.
Tuesday was a flight to Uganda and various bits of admin in town, plus time with Sophie and with Patience. And then Wednesday was the long drive up to Gulu, 336km north of Kampala.
I’ve been to Gulu several times before, always to work with the same wonderful organisation – I Live Again Uganda. This time was no different, and it was a joy to be back. My focus for this trip however is different to previous. Yes, I am still partly wearing my CRED and 360Life hats, but this visit has a key focus of carrying out the first set of interviews for my PhD.
First off I met with Benson Ocen, founder of ILA, and recorded his telling of the story behind the organisation. It was a privilege to hear him sharing his thoughts and reflections on this, including first hand memories of the trauma and horror of the conflict that ravaged northern Uganda.
Then I carried out two interviews with female staff members of ILA. Names to be with-held, but the focus for each interview was looking at how women, with lived experience of trauma caused by conflict, understand and make sense of the concept ‘wellbeing’. The interviews went so well – thoughtful, considered answers, that included reference to their personal experiences, and also touched on some of the different paradigms that underpin my research.
After almost 2 years of getting to this point of the research process, including jumping through copious bureaucratic hoops and form filling, it was so good to be finally carrying out the interviews and hearing so many gems of insight coming from them. Definitely had moments of excitement that it was all coming together at last, and I’m looking forward to the next three interviews next week.
I felt so humbled to be sitting with each of these ladies, reflecting on aspects of their life and the traumas that they’ve been through and come out the other side of. And so honoured that they were willing to open up, and divulge some of their past, in the hopes that, in some small way, their participation in this research will help other women in the future.
In a later blog I’ll share some of the pearls from the interviews, but for now I’m just thankful to God that it is all coming together.
The other special time was a trip out to a village deep in rural Gulu district to see Joel, Joseph and Benson carry out part of the ‘Empower’ programme that they deliver to villages and communities who are struggling with the aftermath of trauma. It was a privilege to sit under the mango tree with the village members, and see them so fully engaged with the programme, and clearly getting so much out of it. Testimonies abound on how much lives have been changed by this programme, and it was clear to me, as I watched the session taking place, and also seeing the conversations between villagers as they went home afterwards, that more lives were changed this past week.
Add in many hours of transcribing interviews, lovely conversations with ILA team over lunches, a visit to a new-to-me coffee shop, and to a swimming pool yesterday, both of which resulted in fab times of sharing with folks on the mission field, and a wonderful time of praise and worship at church this morning, and all in all it’s been a very good week.
Yes, a very sad start with the Funeral, and indeed I’ve been very touched by the various people who have come up to me and offered condolences at the death of the Queen. But overall, a very good start to this trip, and I thank God for all the doors opened, connections made, conversations had, tasks fulfilled, and prayers answered.
Looking forward to week number 2!!
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