IDP Camp

Well alot has happened in this week. I have been staying with Downie and Bobbie (my boss's daughter) in kampala. They work for Food For the Hungary International and so I got to see a little of what they do and have experienced city life in a third world country. My trip to Gulu got cancelled and it is probably just as well however FHI was driving up to Soroti where there is an IDP camp so I was able to tag along. We drove for about 4 hours and stayed the night in Kumi it was hot and had lots of mosquitos but I used my net anyway! The next morning Marc (the intern from Phillidelphia) and I got into a mutato which is a public taxi, I have been scared to drive in one but this was the only way to the IDP camp. So they crammed 21 people in a 14 person van and we were on our way. After an hour of driving in an uncomfortable position we had reached Soroti. Once in the town we had to take a bicycle boda boda another form of transport to the FHI office. Those who know me, know how I am with bicycles (haha) needless to say you had to sit sideways in a skirt on the back of this bicycle that took you through bumps, grass and anything else you could think of! I made it with only one little fall where he tipped me over, but I wasn't hurt and neither was he so I was on my way!

We arrived in the IDP camp and at first I couldn't tell much different from the other poverty that I have been seeing. This camp is where displaced people from the war have been put to live since they can not live at home anymore. Where I was is about 5 hours away from Gulu which is where most of the war took place. This goes to show why it is hard to believe that the rebels came down this far to make people leave their homes. The camp has 5,300 people living in tiny grass huts. This is a small camp the one up north has 35.000 people at it. However it was still sad and poverty was there. The hardest part for me was their water situation something that we all take for granted. There access to a bore hole was taken away and so they drink from a pond with minnows and algea all in it. That is the only water that is there. Food is scarce and that is sad as well. However the children were so happy to see us, we sang This little Light of Mine and just treated them like they were one of us. The sad part is that they have seen so many white people that have come in and looked and then just left and so they still don't have any hope for the future. The kids aren't in school and there is no medical help or treatment anywhere around. I also was told that one of the kids there had died that day and the local government provides a car for transport back to their village, but no gas or coffin. So the people who have literally nothing helped and supported the family and collect coins to help in anyway possible. It was a very hard thing to see knowing that I could not do anything to help and really due to political corruption no one really can. All these people want is to be able to go home and they can not even do that! Im glad I got to experience and see the need, but now what, all I can do is pray!