Journey to Karamoja

Sunday evening after the talent gala at church we got home after 11pm.  We had to pack our things for the trip to Karamoja. For those new to what we do…Karamoja is VERY remote.  If you don’t bring it with you, you will most likely go without the entire time you are there.  I have been there many times now and know how to prepare so it was not too bad…jut hard squeezing everything into one backpack.

We decided to take the public bus system to get there because it’s the cheapest way to travel there.  The downfall is if you have your own transportation you can make it in about 9 hours.  On the bus if it goes according to schedule you should reach there in about 12 hours.  Much like the Greyhound bus lines in the USA you have to stop at each town to let people off and on.  The further out you go the more stops we seem to make because they just pick up people on the side of the road.

We had to leave our house at 2:30AM.  By the time I showered and laid down it was 30 minutes before we had to get up to leave…so I got NO sleep at all that night. Thankfully our landlord offered to take us to the bus depot so we didn't have to try and find a taxi at that hour.  The bus was scheduled to leave at 3…but as with all things in Uganda it didn't leave until later (4:23am to be exact).  Since the bus was empty when we got on we were able to sit in the row that had 2 seats together.  So Abdu and I could sit together.  I wish you all could see the faces when people get on the bus and see the mzungu “white person” on the bus. Some just stare.  Some smile.  Most just look shocked.  It’s pretty comical.  It doesn't matter if it is a child or an adult.  But to be honest that happens everywhere I go not just on the bus.

So, the bus left at 4:23am and we began the long trek to Matany, Karamoja.  The trip itself was fairly uneventful.  We both slept off and on.  Ok...so another bad part of the bus...no bathroom stops for Becky.  You learn to regulate your intake.  Abdu kept telling me to drink...I said "what goes in must come out. So, I'm good."  He laughed.  I'm just saying guys have it sooooooo easy!  They pull the bus over on the side of the road and your expected to go into the bushes and pee?  I don't think so!

This was my fourth trip to Karamoja by road.  I am always in awe of God’s creation and how a country can be so different.  You go through really lush green areas and the closer you get to Matany you can see how it gets dryer and dryer.  You can see mountains and desert at the same time.  It’s amazing to me.  I never get tired of looking out and seeing how beautiful it is.

The best part of being on these buses is everything you get to experience.  I fell asleep at one point and woke up because I heard like baby birds or something making cheeping noises.  It was a basin of some small chickens.  People get on with their chickens they bought at the market that will be supper at some point (or egg layers for all your animal lovers out there)…  We stopped at a place that had more potatoes then I have seen in one place.  And like 5 ladies got off the bus and went and bought these huge sacks full of the potatoes.  The sacks are the 50 lb sacks that they recycle.  I can’t imagine how much the potatoes weighed but the boys/men around had to help the ladies with them.

My dad asked me if I took pictures of everything and the reality is I don’t take many pictures because people don’t know what I’m going to use the pictures for.  I don’t think it’s appropriate to stand up in the bus and take a picture of everyone.  And the windows were too dirty to get good pictures out the window.  What I really wish I had were glasses with a camera built in because sometimes I want to take pictures but then decide not to because I don’t think the people around would be happy with me.

We reached Matany almost exactly 12 hours after leaving Kampala.  We were greeted by Pastor Simon Peter and two boys who are on our waiting list for a sponsor.  They escorted us to the guest house we always stay at.  We don’t really need escorts because I've been there enough I can find my way around easily now.  But we are always happy to see the welcoming faces in Matany. 

The best part is walking down the main road and kids shouting “Abdu”.   Abdu is a man of many talents.  He’s also a soccer coach.  He trains mostly girls now and if they are good they get scholarships to well performing school.  Soccer is competitive in Uganda and his girls are usually sought after by schools. Abdu’s first time to Matany was in April when the Ezekiel 37 Ministry team was there.  He organized a soccer tournament in 3 days and had 8 villages show up with a team and they trained and competed.  The kids out there remember him and kept calling his name as we went around.  Anyhow, this isn't about him!  Hahaha!

We settled into the guest house and Pastor Elijah came by after he got out of school to visit with us for a short time.  Pastors Elijah and Simon Peter are sponsored through Ezekiel 37 to attend school.  They are in their 40’s and have many children but they want to be educated so that they can understand the bible better and to show their children that education is important. 

We had some supper and then went to sleep for some much needed rest.

Stay tuned...