.

SP Tunisia - Libya DART Response

2011-05-01T16:55:00.000-07:00

I recently had an opportunity to go on a disaster assistance response mission with Samaritan's Purse to the Tunisian Border with Libya. We were providing wet feeding to approximately 4500 refugees at Choucha Camp. The vast majority of the camp population were third country nationals (Sudanese, Somalis, Eritreans, Nigerians, Bangladeshis, etc) who had been migrant workers in Libya and fled after the conflict started.

BARBADOS!

2010-06-27T06:39:00.005-07:00

After 2 years without a vacation for Kristi and myself, we were able to take a trip to beautiful Barbados. It was a much needed time to relax, get a tan and eat great seafood. Our arrival coincided with a big western swell...this meant great surf all week long. We rented a little vehicle called a moke and drove all over the island getting lost and exploring the beaches.

Samaritan's Purse Haiti: Chapter 1

2010-06-22T19:07:00.008-07:00

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Eyeing Africa will now be figuratively eyeing Haiti...

Homeless and hungry many Haitians face their futures. We are doing our best to change that.

Au Revoir Karamoja

2010-04-29T15:37:00.005-07:00

After 14 months in the wilderness, I have emerged. Slightly smaller than before and a bit more confused. Karamoja has managed to intertwine its gritty nature into the far reaches of my heart. I will never forget the colorful people, barren landscapes, food grabbing and great friends. Kristi and I had an amazing time albeit it challenging at times. Up next is an eating tour of Pensacola and then on to Haiti where i will be managing another food program. Our plan is tentatively to come back for grad school in August at either Georgia Tech or UC Berkeley. Below are some pictures of my favorite places/people in Karamoja.

Camp Swahili slum in Moroto
Home...?
Ruco the Kjong version
Our local shell fuel station
Samaritan's Purse Office Moroto
Team Karamoja - Food Staff
The big house. WFP warehouses in Moroto full of food.
The drive home
Welcome to Moroto. This is the 1 mile strip of pavement in the entire region.

WFP Karamoja 2010

2010-04-01T03:37:00.003-07:00

This year the World Food Programme in Karamoja has made some significant changes to its programming. Last year, WFP/SP fed every single person outside of town centers in South Karamoja with a 70% ration. This year we will be feeding EVIs (extremely vulnerable individuals) with a 70% ration, FI (Food Insecure) with a 50% ration and Food For Work Individuals (Karamoja Productive Assets Programme / KPAP) with a 40% ration.
The shift in programming is two fold:
1. To build productive community assets through food for work programming which in turn will render communities more resilient to natural shocks.
2. Decrease dependency of food aid.

Samaritan's Purse will be implementing the actual distribution of food commodities throughout Southern Karamoja (Nakapiripirit and Moroto Districts) as well as implementing Food For Work activities in 4 sub counties. The new programming will be significantly more complicated but also significantly more beneficial to the long term development of Karamoja and its people.

Rains...finally...

2010-03-27T02:36:00.006-07:00

It's March in Karamoja and it seems that a 4 year drought might be broken. The ground which normally wrinkles into a cracked dry mosaic has been transformed into a velvet green wonderland. Fingers of life stretch out of the red ground in a performance reminiscent of a resurrection. Birds, butterflies and bees are reborn, rivers overflow, and clouds enshroud Mount Moroto. New life has been breathed into a barren existence. An existence which weeks before seemed to be hanging on the fringe of survival...on the fringe of the world's thoughts. There is a sense of hope...at least for now...

Random pictures of nothing in particular

DR Congo or my long lost love

2010-01-31T02:38:00.009-08:00

I recently had the opportunity to go to DR Congo with Samaritan’s Purse. The first few days we spent in Bunia, meeting with WFP (World Food Programme) about potentially starting distributions in NE Congo. From there we went to a village called Nyankunde where SP is helping to rebuild a hospital destroyed by the Ituri conflict sometime around 2002.

Here are some things I learned:

- 1. Congo is gold plated.

- 2. Taxing is a national sport –I was taxed for One Pass (a tax to improve the airport), Health ( a tax on your health ?!?) and road tax (enforced by local guys who take their own initiative to improve the roads)

- 3. The roads in Karamoja are good - After one week on Congolese roads, I will never again complain about the roads in Karamoja. The roads were terrible and I cannot imagine how it would be during the rainy season.

Below are some pictures from the trip. Most were taken at small river where men were panning for gold.

OVERDUE: Christmas

2010-01-23T20:21:00.006-08:00

It has been quite a while since I last posted and I have a back log of pictures…so here goes. I surprised my family in Germany with a Christmas visit…they had no idea I was coming. Europe greeted me with a frosty snow glaze and freezing temperatures…. A dramatic change from the dusty dry savanna plains of Karamoja. It was great time; relaxing and over-eating (I gained 10lbs in the 2 weeks I was back). Most afternoons, I would take a stroll with the fam through the farm fields until the sun set lazily behind the black forest. I think it was the first time in the last year that I did not think about work. Before coming to Germany, I did not realize the conscious and unconscious weight of work on my mind. Although Christmas was great, Kristi was unfortunately not with me as she had gone the US. I missed her terribly and coming back to Karamoja, I’ve really appreciated the fact that we work together and get to spend so much time together.

Samaritan's Purse / UNWFP Food Distribution Slide-show

2009-12-25T08:52:00.003-08:00

Here is a short slide-show about the food distributions we are running in Karamoja.

Kingdom Come, Part 2: Uganda

2009-12-24T07:50:00.000-08:00

We recently had a visit from Elevation Church (Charlotte, NC). They collected a lot of footage about the various programs we have running in Uganda. See it below
Kingdom Come, Part 2: Uganda

meanwhile in a galaxy far far away.....

2009-09-18T23:19:00.004-07:00

“Our lives are to be used and thus to be lived as fully as possible, and truly it seems that we are never so alive as when we concern ourselves with other people.” - Harry Chapin

6 1/2 months in Karamoja... it feels as if the time has passed through my fingers and im left with a hazy day dream of strange memories. I'm in a world that has so many questions and so few answers. I fear to search too deep, knowing full well that i may find answers lying asleep in the shadows of apathy. Can it be that a single person's action or inaction dictates the course of another person's being? Can it be that mankind is able to end hunger, stop poverty and heal the sick yet falls miserably short merely because of selfish ambition, indifference, sinful nature, etc etc...
Dwelling on the why leads down a dark path for which i have neither the courage nor the strength to go.

The what and the what....

2009-08-31T07:06:00.004-07:00

It seems my blogging drought has been corresponding to the actual drought here in Karamoja. hmmm... exhale....and back to work.

The Face of Akorro In Karamoja

2009-06-27T05:22:00.002-07:00

It has been quite a while since my last post but it seems work is getting the most of me these days. The food distributions continue to go forward and right now we are providing life saving food rations to nearly 540,000 people. April and May provided Karamoja with some hope of agricultural production as the rains came and numerous agencies including Samaritan's Purse provided inputs to the local farmers. June however greeted us with no rain and now the knee high crops are wilting in the face of what seems to be yet another drought (see All Africa - Karamoja Drought). The last month has also seen my physical health deteriorate due to a combination of malaria and a week long battle with food poisoning, however, it seems I am recovering and now I'm just trying to add weight to my scrawny 112lbs frame.

Rainy Daze

2009-05-16T04:27:00.006-07:00

The rains seemed to have officially arrived as every afternoon we are assaulted by a heavy down pour. Im praying that it continues for the sake of my garden and the hungry bellies in Karamoja.
Below are some pictures i snapped about a month ago. They were taken while registering households in the mountainous region of Tapac. These days office work has had me too busy to escape into the field.

Somewhere Between Amnesia and Dali's Persistence of Memory

2009-05-09T07:46:00.007-07:00

Emerging from some capsule void of time, change and memory, I feel I am awakening into a world once lost to me. Born into a sphere where my voice is silenced by the chasm of cultures and human capacity for understanding.

Mardi Gras 2009 or how I spent my second to last weekend in America

2009-02-24T20:23:00.006-08:00

This weekend we were in Louisiana visiting Kristi's family and it happened to be Mardi Gras time. On Sunday evening we went to New Orleans and attended the Bacchus parade. We found a nice little spot on St. Charles and 2nd from where we watched the floats, bands, cars and people go by. Being a mardi gras virgin, I was quite amazed at the scale of the parades (there are several throughout the weekend) and the mardi gras spirit of the locals. It was a very cool cultural experience to be a part of.
Here are the pictures, which at times look more like a riot scene with fire and cops everywhere than a happy parade.

My Pictures For Samaritan's Purse

2009-02-23T17:59:00.004-08:00

Samaritan's Purse recently used my pictures in a story they did about the HIV/AIDS testing program in Lira, Uganda. You can find the story by going here http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/articles/peace_of_mind/
click on the little tv with "play multimedia" on it to see the slideshow.

Picture of the Day: Rice Fields in Uganda

2009-02-16T14:06:00.001-08:00

Farmer showing off his rice fields close to Lira, Uganda

Uganda Revisited: Congolese Refugees

2009-02-06T13:35:00.009-08:00

As many of you might remember, during our stay in Uganda the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) flared up. I had the opportunity to join a Samaritan's Purse team on a needs assessment trip to Kisoro District where large numbers of refugees were coming across the border. The area was honestly one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen; a place of other-worldly ageless beauty where rolling green hills stretch as far as the eye can seen, lakes line the valley crevices and primeval trees reach far into the oceanic skies. We found a group of about 500 villagers living in temporary shacks just inside the Ugandan border. They told us that every day they would cross over the border to work in their gardens and then return at night. Their greatest needs were access to clean water and finding health care for their sick.
The majority of refugees were younger boys (ages 12-18) and many of them stated that the reason they left was because the rebel troops were recruiting child soldiers.
We also visited the UNHCR Refugee Camp called Nakivale. At the time of our visit approximately 13,000 refugees(primarily Congolese) were living here. One little girl about 8 years old that I met during our visit will forever stand out in my mind. The entire time we were there, she followed me around and kept telling me her story. She said she was living in the refugee camp by herself and the only living person left in her family was her grandmother. She had gotten separated from her during the trip to Uganda and desperately wanted us to help her find her.

Book Review: Waiting for the Barbarians by J.M. Coetzee

2009-02-05T07:59:00.004-08:00

Without giving away too much of the plot "Waiting for the Barbarians" describes the life of a magistrate living on the fringe of an empire. His peaceful life here is soon disturbed when the empire sends troops to the frontiers to fight the "barbarians". J.M. Coetzee who is the South African author never comes out and actually names the empire as South Africa but throughout the novel the allusions and similarities are undeniable. The magistrate experiences internal turmoil as he slowly comes to grips with the barbarity within his own "civilized" heritage.
He concludes that barbarity is less a result of external actors and more of internal fear; essentially that xenophobia reveals the barbarity within "civilized" society.
Overall, a very intriguing and thought provoking book that I highly recommend.

Eyeing Africa Photoblog

2009-02-03T10:46:00.001-08:00

I have a new daily photoblog at www.eyeingafrica.aminus3.com
I will continue to post on here but the other one will purely be for photography.

Book Review - From Poverty to Power by Duncan Green

2009-02-02T10:22:00.004-08:00

So I just recently finished reading From Poverty to Power by Duncan Green. Duncan Green is Head of Research for Oxfam and maintains a blog here
http://www.oxfamblogs.org/fp2p/
The book melds both academic thought and theory on development with concrete evidence and case studies. He takes a thorough look at the driving factors behind development, its discontents and what can be done to forge a way forward. His primary premise is that active citizens (empowered people who realize their rights and are able to claim them) partnered with an effective state (a state willing to listen to the people and who has their interests at hand) is what ultimately drives development. Overall it was a very interesting read and quite thought provoking.

Cure to AIDS discovered courtesy of His Excellency Professor Alhaji Dr. Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh

2009-01-29T10:46:00.002-08:00

The president of the Gambia claims to be able to cure AIDS. Watch this and decide for yourself?!?!
Also food for thought...
Jammeh graduated from Military Police Officers Basic Course Training at Fort McClellan, Ala., U.S in 1994, in July of the same year he successfully executed his coup. hmmm...

Pfizer tests experimental drugs on Africans leading to numerous deaths

2009-01-27T18:23:00.004-08:00

In 1996 during a bacterial meningitis outbreak in Nigeria, the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, illegally used a test drug on the local population. "Those reportedly treated by the company ended up with adverse effects like deafness, muteness, paralysis, brain damage, loss of sight, slurred speech and death." I find it interesting that pharmaceutical companies choose to test in Africa...why is that? Perhaps the developed world is too good for testing and thus opt to use Africans as their Guinea pigs. Today Pfizer settled out of court with the government of Nigeria in an attempt to further hide the truth of their inhumane testing practices.
Read more here
All Africa
Washington Post

My Zimbabwean soapbox or how the world watches another country collapse (the other being Somalia)

2009-01-22T15:38:00.007-08:00

Okay, so it is not often that I use this blog as soapbox for my views and opinions but I feel that the situation in Zimbabwe is an issue that people should be aware of.
So... consider this less of a opinionated imposition and more like a passionate rant. Current president Mugabe is an archaic freedom fighter turned kleptocratic murderous dictator. He has single-handedly transformed the "breadbasket of Africa" into a failed state marked by food insecurity, a feeble health care system, and daily human rights abuses.
A January 21st IRIN News Report states that "Forbes Asia, put the annual inflation rate at around 6.5 quindecillion novemdecillion percent - 65 followed by 107 zeros. "Prices double every 24.7 hours," The geniuses behind this financial demise also decided this month to release a 100 trillion Zimbabwean dollar note so that people no longer have to take a wheelbarrow full of money to the store in order to buy a loaf of bread. Thanks guys...
Despite all this, the question should be "is there hope for Zimbabwe?" Assuming the breadbasket collapse was not caused by global warming the answer is yes, but this change will not be achieved through sanctions or through the limp noodle governments in Southern Africa who have stood along and watched as Mugabe manhandled his own people. The biggest obstacle is no doubt Mugabe who has shown himself very resistant to change as he recently stated "Zimbabwe is mine- I will never surrender". So as the world turns Zimbabweans are starving, Cholera is breaking out all over their country, and their currency can be used as a toilet paper substitute. Thank you Mr. Mugabe.
Since this is a photoblog, I will post some pictures of trees for your enjoyment....

Guten Tag Deutschland

2009-01-18T10:11:00.008-08:00

After a wonderful Christmas with my folks in Germany, we are back in the states waiting for our contracts to come through (Deo Volente). My soul is itching to return and I feel quite like Marlow when he said, " It was not my strength that needed nursing, it was my imagination that wanted soothing." Nevertheless, we are enjoying time with family/friends, english tv, and drinking water from the faucet.

Here are some pics from our time in Euro.

an overnight bus ride to island dreams

2008-12-10T13:26:00.005-08:00

After 30 hours of flights, layovers and passing in between sleep, Kristi and I have awoken back in the USA. This feeling of awakening has become a recurring sensation as I return from Africa. There seems to be so little that separates these places and yet so much that divides it. I cringe with guilt as I pay 3 dollars for a cup of coffee knowing very well that it could have fed a Ugandan family for the entire day, not to mention that they were probably the ones who toiled the land to grow that coffee and sell it for 25 cents a pound. It can be so hard and yet so easy to justify our living standards especially when we are insulated by a society that is structured likewise. I recently read a study that revealed the world's richest 2% owns 50% of the world's wealth (yes middle class still qualifies us in that 2% category.) anyway...

Kristi and I had the opportunity to go on a little vacation to the island of Lamu in Kenya. We left Kampala on an overnight bus to Nairobi. Initially, we had hoped to get some sleep on the ride but pretty soon into it we realized that sleep would be futile as the bus transformed into a pot hole aiming trampoline that circulated old air, dust and disease. Arriving in Nairobi my legs buckled and bowed from our 16 hour deep tissue torture massage.
From Nairobi we were smart enough to take a plane the rest of the way. In Lamu, Kristi and I had a great time. We were able to spend some much need time with just each other; enjoying long walks on the beach and candle lit seafood dinners.
So here are some pictures from our vacation to Lamu where we spent enough money to feed two Ugandan families for an entire year.

Karamoja Drive By

2008-11-19T06:17:00.005-08:00

A couple of weeks ago we went to Karamoja for some needs assessment. Before leaving we heard all the rumors (some true, some not) from Ugandans such as, "oh that place is so very hot", "you should fear the Karamojong, the are very dangerous" and "don't look at their cattle."
Traditionally, every aspect of Karamojong life has revolved around their cattle. It is common knowledge among the Karamojong that all the cattle in the world belong to them and therefore they are entitled to anyones cattle. Frequently violence flares up as cattle raiders steal cattle from neigboring Karamojong and even ethnic groups beyond.
During one of our needs assessment, we asked what development projects would work well in Karamoja. One man stated that we should "start a piggery, because people can't run with pigs"

Kampala's Taxi Madness

2008-11-10T00:01:00.002-08:00

Here are some scenes from Kampala's taxi-park.

Melisha's House is Complete!

2008-10-26T05:54:00.007-07:00

Last weekend Kristi and I were able to go and check on Melisha's house. We are pleased to announce that the entire house is complete! As we arrived, we could see the joy spread across Melisha's face. She lifted her eyes and her hands to the heavens and started to pray out loud. Kristi, Damali (our coworker) and myself decided to take the 3 grandchildren to the market in order to buy them some much needed supplies. While we rode in a taxi to the market, I could see little Charles with his eyes glued outside the window. Harriet, the eldest, informed us that despite living in Kampala his whole life, Charles had never been to the market. Upon arrival, we had what looked like a children's fashion show as each one of the kids picked out their 5 favorite outfits and a pair of shoes. As a surprise, we bought the boys a bike and Harriet a doll. On the drive back we stopped at a furniture store to get a triple decker bunk bed and a regular bed for grandma. Neither the kids nor their grandmother had ever slept on a proper bed!
Round 5pm, while I was taking pictures of the house, little Charles came up to me and said something in Luganda. When I asked Damali to translate, she said he was ready to go to sleep in his new bed and not wake up...ever!
Seeing grandma rejoice in front of their house, the boys riding their bike around and Harriet playing with her doll, I realized how truly privileged we are in West and how often we take things for granted. I realized that many times we see only what we don't have and never take the time to see what we have been blessed with. How can we get to the point where happiness and joy are completely separate from material possessions and where to give is to gain?

Finally... thank you to everyone who has chosen to become involved in the life of this family. Your prayers and support have completely transformed their lives. You have not only become an answer to their prayers but given them a new hope.

"He is no fool, who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose" - Jim Elliot

Grandma Jaja

The family rejoicing in front of their new house
Charles eating fried chicken and drinking a coke
The family, the builders, Kristi and Damali
Charles and Ivan showing off their new bike
The kids on their bunk bed
The family
The house before

The house after!
Kristi and the kids in the taxi to the market
Me with the kids in the back of the truck
Celebration!

Final Farewell to Kamwenge

2008-10-24T07:06:00.006-07:00

Well... we actually left Kamwenge District almost a month ago but since I had left over pictures, here we go. The pictures were all taken during our time with the MET program. MET is a HIV education program that trains local youth leaders to mobilize their communities around topics related to HIV.

In other news...
Joseph Kony, cowardly front-man for the Lord's Resistance Army, is once again burning villages, abducting children and killing civilians. After a short period of peace, he has regrouped in the DRC to continue his campaign of terror. During the last month, more than a hundred kids have been aducted (between the ages of 10-15) and over 5000 civilians have fled into Uganda to seek safety. For more recent news articles see here BBC Article and here New Vision

Karamojong street kids, innocence lost and a stolen childhood

2008-10-13T04:48:00.010-07:00

Kristi and I recently returned from a short trip to Karamoja. Located in the North East corner, Karamoja has unjustly gotten the reputation as Uganda's problem child. The region has lagged behind in development efforts, and experiences regular violence as cattle raiders have gotten access to guns. In attempts to bring peace to the region the Government has enforced heavy handed disarmament plans often resulting in lootings, beatings and detentions. This has merely compounded problems and reinforced the feeling of distrust towards the government. A UNICEF representative recently reported that "Karamoja is the worst place to be a child, with highly elevated levels of early childhood mortality and morbidity. Health indicators are the worst in the country, decidedly worse than in LRA-affected [rebel Lord's Resistance Army] northern districts and the rest of the country." Maternal mortality rates are 50% higher than the other regions in Uganda. During the last 8 years HIV infection rates have doubled and primary school attendance is round 43%.

Walking through the streets of Kampala, you inevitably run into begging kids. Most of these have come from Karamoja in search of a better life but many are forced into begging either by their parents or because they have simply been abandoned. In 2007 when the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting took place, the Ugandan Government decided to respond by rounding up all the Karamojong and dumping them 40 km outside the city. (see this BBC article) Rather than address the problem, they merely tried to save face while the heads of state were visiting.

One evening while at a roadside cafe, Kristi and I observed as a little girl maybe 2 years old was forced to sit in the middle of the sidewalk with her hands stretched out above her head. As it reached 9 pm, the little girl's head started to bob up and down as she fell asleep. No sooner had her tiny hands sank into her lap and her eyes closed when her mother came running over to violently shake her awake. Dressed in her dirty rags, I saw how her sad eyes followed other little girls in pretty dresses as they passed by.
Here are some pictures of Kampala's forgotten faces... the ones that have had their childhoods stolen.

Construction has started!

2008-09-28T22:39:00.007-07:00

I was able to visit Melisha's house on Friday and was so excited to see that construction had already begun. The builders were almost finished with the walls and were planning on putting the roof up over the weekend.

Update on widow's story

2008-09-21T22:54:00.003-07:00

We were able to meet with the builders late last week and they did a thorough estimate for the costs involved in repairing Melisha's house. On Saturday we found a supplier and purchased the necessary materials, so that the builders can start construction today. I was able to take a few more pictures of the house which you can find below.

Melisha's roof
Kristi with Damali, Moses and two of the builders.
Side view of Melisha's house
Charles sitting on what was supposed to be the rest of the house

A Widow's Story

2008-09-17T02:30:00.005-07:00

I met Melisha for the first time today as we visited her in the slums of Kampala. Upon arrival, I stared across a sea of mud at a small structure which lay in ruins. I squished-squashed through the mud, and soon found her curious face peeking around the rubble. Melisha welcomed us with a warm smile, and immediately began to tell us her life story. She tells about how her daughter had started building the house they are living in, but passed away from AIDS before it reached completion. Since her death, Melisha and her three orphaned grandchildren have been living in the half completed 6ft by 6ft room. A dirty sheet with holes acts as a door, and looking up I see the corrugated tin roof stretching only over half the room. I am able to stare straight into her house and see that last night’s rain has turned her dirt floor into a muddy mess. To make matters worse, there is no bed, so she and the kids have to roll their bedding out on top of the wet ground. Because Melisha's husband passed away, she tries to take odd jobs such as digging in people’s gardens and washing their laundry to generate income. However, this barely provides enough money for one meal a day and certainly not enough to pay the children's school fees. Melisha informs us that both she and her six year old grandson Charles have tested positive for HIV. The story could end here and probably in a lot of cases does, but as we drove off in our comfortable SUV, to our warm dry home I was reminded of the verses in James which state “what good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?” Show me your faith without deeds and I will show you my faith by what I do.” So many times I feel completely paralyzed and incapable of helping the needs I see around, but here was an opportunity where I could act and make a difference. I could show the love of Christ in a real tangible way. Driving away I looked back through Melisha’s “front door” and saw her on her knees thanking God for our visit.

Kristi and I have decided to repair Melisha's house, if you would like more information, contact me at rucovdm@hotmail.com or Kristi at torik83@yahoo.com

Melisha and her six year old grand-son, Charles. They both have tested HIV positive.
Damali (our co-worker) and Melisha sitting in the "doorway" of the home

The road leading to Melisha's home

Telling Melisha about the new widow's support group SP hopes to start

Mount Zion, Rainy Crusades and Endless Horizons

2008-09-06T02:45:00.000-07:00

The last few weeks have been eventful as we have seen the ministry team battle the rainy season for rights to show the Jesus film outdoors, watched three little boys paddle away on a glass lake into infinity, and cotton clouds cover hilltop churches. I experienced a three orientation on proposal writing in Kampala and a three day disorientation as my body and mind struggled to settle back into an urban groove. Italian Gelato, a speedy internet and paved streets can sometimes be a tough adjustment.

A pastor who received ministry training in his living room with his family

Kids dancing in the rain on a stage during a rain delay at a Jesus film showing

Pastors training attended by over 80 ministers and church leaders
Preaching at a crusade
Hiding out during the rain intermission
3 boys taking a swim in Lake George
Pastor Robert taking notes
Curious little boy in our doorway
Child attending a crusade
HDR of the sunset in Ibanda

Local church where we held a training workshop

Random Picture Posting

2008-08-30T02:01:00.000-07:00

Had some extra time today so thought I would post some pictures that had not previously made it on here. This upcoming week we will be in the village of Mabaale where we will be working with the MET (mobilize, equip and train) team AKA HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention.

You are welcome Mr. Luke and Madam Carol

2008-08-27T06:27:00.000-07:00

So this is how we are greeted everywhere we go. For some reason the R in Ruco always becomes an L and the rest is just up to personal preference. Kristi inevitably becomes either Christine or Carol, which I guess Carol works since its her mother's name. I have no problem with this however, since I am often unable to catch their names either. We have been very busy the last few weeks as you can probably notice in our posting drought. We did have an awesome opportunity to go to Queen Elizabeth national park a few weekends ago and it was wonderful.

WATSAN in Ntara

2008-08-17T05:33:00.001-07:00

Wow, what a busy and fun last week we have had working with the WATSAN program. As you might well be wondering what WATSAN is, let me explain. WATSAN stands for WATer and SANitation. The program started here in Kamwenge in 2003 with the main purpose being to improve the general sanitation practices of people as well as creating safe water sources. SP goes about accomplishing this goal by first sending a team of educators into local villages. They call for a village meeting, where they sensitize the community by discussing current health problems, how sanitation/ their water source relates to those problems, and finally how SP will respond. The village elects a WATSAN Committee comprised of between 5-10 individuals. These individuals receive further training on disease, how it is spread and how they can safeguard their water source from harboring many of these diseases. Next, SP sends in a technical team to construct biosand water filters made completely from materials locally available. (Check out Samaritan Purse BioSand Filter and Biosand Filter.org for more info). SP requires interested beneficiaries to provide some of the materials as well as most of the labor. A technician will visit the beneficiaries 4 times after they have received their filter to make sure it is being used properly, to answer any questions and provide further training where necessary. SP has also implemented a rainwater harvesting project which has created several large tanks (20000 liter) for local schools as well as smaller jars (1000 liters) for families. These allow the beneficiaries a constant source of clean water for most of the year. Soo.... As you will see from the pictures, Kristi and I were able to get involved in all aspects of the program; from filter construction to community sensitization to follow up visitations.

Despite our busyness, we were able to take last weekend off and head to Kibale national park where we went for a "forest walk". The forest was so immense that I had the feeling of being visitor in an other-worldly place. As we were hiking around I kept thinking about the quote in "Heart of Darkness" where Marlow describes the forest this way; "Going up that river was like traveling back to the earliest beginnings of the world, when vegetation rioted on the earth and the big trees were kings. An empty stream, a great silence, an impenetrable forest. The air was warm, thick, heavy, sluggish. There was no joy in the brilliance of sunshine. The long stretches of the waterway ran on, deserted, into the gloom of overshadowed distances. "

Goats, Cows, and Pigs Oh My!

2008-08-06T01:18:00.000-07:00

Prior to this week I had never caught a chicken, given a cow a vaccination, built a fish pond, or restrained a goat, but after one week with the livestock team here in Kamwenge, I can say that I've done that and much more! It has been exciting and inspiring visiting with the various beneficiaries all over this district. I have heard numerous stories about how a few goats or some chickens have made significant impacts on livelihoods of so many people in the community. The staff here begin by providing a 2 week workshop on how SP's Livestock program functions and then follows with more practical information on how to properly care for the animals. The most motivated and needy individuals are determined. The selected individuals are required to build proper enclosers/pens for the animals using locally available materials. Upon completion of the structures, SP provides the individuals with the animals (either 1 cow, 3 goats, 1 pig or 10 chickens). They continue to monitor the beneficiaries on a weekly basis to ensure that the animals are well taken care of and have received all their immunizations. Within 2-3 years the beneficiaries are required to repay the animals which they were given and those animals are then given to the next beneficiary. The program has proven to be both succesful and sustainable with numerous families testifying to better food security, improved health and more disposable income.

Uganda- Week One

2008-07-27T07:02:00.000-07:00

We are safely here in Uganda! Our first few days were spent in the capital Kampala, a bustling city intertwined between 7 green hills. We were given a tour of the office, a overview of the programs currently running in Uganda, and introductions of all the staff. After recouping from jet lag we set off on the 6 hour journey into the Western Region. I cannot even begin to explain the way this other-worldly beauty of landscape mixes so intently with a poverty of vast proportions. It leaves your heart with a simultaneous sense of awe and twinge of pain. Passing village upon village we were greeted with open smiling faces. Faces not confined or defined by circumstances. We spent the rest of our week working alongside the livestock program and more specifically the fish farm projects. SP has assisted 19 families in the planning, building, and maintain of personal fish farms. The project helps to generate income for the families and serves as a protein supplement to their diets. The ponds are poly-culture which means they are stocked with multiple species (tilapia and catfish in this case) and often reach well over a 100ft on each side. As we visited from family to family I was overwhelmed by their stories. Each one sharing uniquely about the immense impact this project has had on their personal lives. One man was eager to tell me how he was finally able to afford a new roof after selling some of his fish at the market.

Sorry for the overload of pictures but this is honestly a fraction of the beauty which has passed through my lens in the last week.

Goodbye Basse!

2008-07-17T18:31:00.000-07:00

These are some pictures of our last day in Basse as we said goodbye to our awesome host family to whom we are eternally thankful for making our hut in the Gambia a home a away from home.

Photo Essay #2- Basse Car Park

2008-07-16T14:36:00.000-07:00

As most of you know we are currently back in the US of A, but only for 3 weeks. On July 19th we will be leaving for Uganda to serve with a Christian International Development/Disaster Relief Organization by the name of Samaritan's Purse.
During our last few weeks in Basse, I had the opportunity to interview a gentleman by the name of Omar Baldeh. Omar was very soft spoken and juggled each question I asked between a slight pause and his thousand yard stare. You can find Omar sitting under the bantaba on the outskirts of Basse, along the dusty red dirt road cutting through the bush to Senegal. Most likely he will be wearing his olive green haftan and a zebra stripped beanie, which stands as a statement of personal defiance against the 120 degree heat. Omar has spent his entire life here scratching out a living by taking passengers back and forth between Basse (The Gambia) and Velingara (Senegal); a distance of about 15 miles. His vehicle is an old 1970 something Peugot, which seems to be barely clinging on to life. It was no doubt sent over from France as scrap metal but somewhere along the way it was semi-resurrected. The fare for a one-way trip is 65 Dalasis ($3.20) and that includes all the adventures of having to disembark multiple times due to flat tires, a traffic jam behind 20 cows, and a push start each time the vehicle is turned off. The younger boys featured in the slideshow are Omar's apperantis (apprentices). When they aren't ridding on the roof, they act as luggage loaders, vehicle jump starters, and mechanics.

Photo Essay - Basse Motorcycle Workshop

2008-07-03T17:10:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Basse's Motorcycle Workshop. Here is where Basse's population brings their motorcycles for tune ups or repairs. Basse is somewhat unique in that a large portion of its population uses motorcycles as their primary means of transportation. I was recently able to interview a young apprentice or "apperanti" named Mohammadou Jallow. Mohammadou grew up in Basse along with most of his extended family. At the age of 16, due to lack of funds, he was forced to drop out of school and start working as a motorcycle mechanic's apprentice. For the last 3 years Mohammadou and 4 other apprentices have been working under the close supervision and tutelage of the master mechanic. Currently, he uses his salary to help his family pay for living costs and his siblings' school fees. His dream is to save up enough money and open his own motorcycle repair shop.

Mohammadou Jallow - Motorcycle Apprentice

Apprentices at the motorcycle workshop.

Mr. Jallow taking a break and brewing some attaya.

Mohammadou's close friend and fellow apprentice, Demba.

One month in Basse

2008-05-22T03:51:00.000-07:00

So after one month in Basse I decided I would brave the painfully slow internet connection and deadly 130 degree heat to make an attempt at posting some pictures. I have been doing some pictoral essays interviewing various people in the community, (Bike mechanics, Sept Plus Drivers, tailors, etc) which i will attempt to post next time we have a speedy connection. Without further delay, here are some pics from the local slaughter house, our first rains and a local musician.

Last days in Fula Kunda

2008-04-16T16:31:00.000-07:00

"I have walked through many lives, some of them my own, and I am not who I was,though some principle of being abides, from which I struggle not to stray. When I look behind, as I am compelled to lookbefore I can gather strengthto proceed on my journey, I see the milestones dwindlingtoward the horizonand the slow fires trailingfrom the abandoned camp-sites, over which scavenger angelswheel on heavy wings.Oh, I have made myself a tribeout of my true affections,and my tribe is scattered!How shall the heart be reconciledto its feast of losses?In a rising windthe manic dust of my friends,those who fell along the way,bitterly stings my face.Yet I turn, I turn,exulting somewhat,with my will intact to gowherever I need to go,and every stone on the roadprecious to me.In my darkest night,when the moon was coveredand I roamed through wreckage,a nimbus-clouded voice directed me:"Live in the layers, not on the litter."Though I lack the artto decipher it,no doubt the next chapterin my book of transformationsis already written.I am not done with my changes." Stanley Kunitz

Our last week in Kundong Fula Kunda. Next week we move to the dusty junction town of Basse in the far east.

Fula Kunda Week 5 & Tendaba

2008-04-15T14:00:00.001-07:00

Another day of life in the village. Journeying futher away from the known and deeper inward.

Fula Kunda week 4

2008-04-15T13:28:00.000-07:00

"Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half-light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams" - William Butler Yeates

It is interesting to me that a person must travel thousands of miles from home to realize the value of what he has left.

Week 3 in Tendaba

2008-04-14T15:53:00.000-07:00

Experience is not what happens to a man. It is what a man does with what happens to him.(Aldous Huxley)

This week we had the opportunity for some rest and relaxation at a camp called Tendaba. The camp is located right on the Gambian river and it was very refreshing to be able to spend some time here. Not only did we get to enjoy good food and cold drinks but there was also a pool.

Fula Kunda Week 2

2008-04-14T15:28:00.000-07:00

"Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself." Leo Tolstoy

This week our village experienced a scare from local bushfires. Well actually, i experienced the scare as huge flames rushed passed only 40 yards away from the thatch roofed houses. The villagers just calmly took to the woods and made sure the fire was not heading in our direction.

Fula Kunda Week 1

2008-04-14T15:02:00.000-07:00

"it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one's existence--that which makes its truth, its meaning--its subtle and penetrating essence. It is impossible. We live, as we dream--alone." - Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness

We were chosen to learn Pulaar which is spoken by the Fula people. They were and are to a large degree a cattle raising people living in the far flung open reaches of the Gambia and wider West Africa. Our training village for the next 2 months will be Fula Kunda on the South Bank of the River. The village consists of about 25 mud houses with thached roofs.

Helping to build a fence made of local materials for the village garden.

This is how a Gambia bed is made.
Who knew that cashews grew on a delicious fruit?
Gambian Zorro

Kombo

2008-04-13T10:55:00.000-07:00

Here are some more pictures of us exploring the surroundings in Kombo.

Street Market

Women waiting for the President to cure them of HIV/AIDS.

Street in Banjul

Initial Reaction

2008-04-13T10:50:00.000-07:00

This was our first week on the ground in The Gambia as Peace Corps Volunteers

Mission Statement

2008-04-13T10:18:00.000-07:00

The purpose of this blog is to serve as a visual essay of the 2 years that my wife and I will be spending in The Gambia. Often times I find myself at a lack of words to describe what I am experiencing and thus it is at such moments that a picture can tell more than I ever will. So I hope this fills the gaps left by words and portrays the vibrant way in which life collides with survival.