Every day, something new!

August 30, 2008
Gulu, Uganda

I make it my aim to go into new situations with the intent of having ‘no expectations’. Knowing that things are never in my control, I know better then to have expectations regarding how I think things will or should go…

I have been in Uganda for a little over two weeks now. On this return trip to Uganda, I must say first off… I miss Acen Brittany. Oh yes, I miss my research/investigator/companion partner, oh so very much! Wherever I go, still, even after two weeks of walking the same street day after day, I hear, ‘Apiypo, Apiyo Rebekah? Hello, you are welcome! Where is Acen? Acen Brittany, where?’

Acen and I received our African names as we were nearly inseparable when we lived here in Gulu together for a couple of months last year, April - June. Apiypo and Acen are names for female twins in the Luo language – Apiyo means the older of the twins and Acen is the younger of the twins. The name stuck – even after having been away for over 14 months – Brittany – they all love you, miss you and send their, ‘greetings’.

I have met many great people since arriving to Gulu, both locals as well as other staff members/interns with CVI.

D’Andrea, whom you have read about in my previous post, is from Alabama and is the Deputy director for CVI. D’Andrea is one of the hardest working, dedicated – faithful, compassionate, loving and practical women I have ever met. I have very much enjoyed connecting with her throughout the short time I have been here.

Lowna, from South Africa is the CVI staff member who oversees the Income Generating Projects for CVI, including teaching both the women in the CVI rehabilitation program as well as women from the village of Lukodi (where the Center is located) how to make homemade paper and then turn them into beautiful cards that will be sold as Christmas cards as a way to generate income for themselves. Lowna is a beautiful 27-year old woman, full of life – energetic, passionate, intelligent and a heckuvalot of fun!

Natalie arrived from America just a little over to weeks ago to work as an intern with CVI. She recently graduated with a Masters degree in Special Education. Natalie will be here until January 2009 working on developing individualized education plans for each woman and their child (ren), amongst many other things… Natalie has an incredible talent for technical writing, and a great analytical ability which is highly assistive in the many projects we are aiming to accomplish.

Kristin arrived from America as well just a little over two weeks ago. She has recently completed her Masters in Nutrition Science. She will be working on a variety of projects with the women both related to her degree as well as working on various projects as needed.
Jen, a 22-year old woman from America came to Uganda to spend a couple of months volunteering with the program, she has since been asked to stay on for an entire year to work as an assistant to D’Andrea. As this has been Jens dream – to live in Africa and work on behalf of a cause such as CVI, it was not even a question for her whether or not to take up on this opportunity.

These five women make up the core group of international volunteer/staff members is ie. ‘muzungu’s’, as we are called by local Ugandans.

My focus throughout the days remains to write up an unsolicited grant for USAID to submit in faith that they will be interested in receiving a complete grant proposal in which they will decide to fund CVI so that the program may be expanded as needed. Unfortunately these last four days I have been down and out with Malaria and have not been able to contribute my time to this cause.

Malaria – simply put, is absolutely miserable. Today I am feeling better after four days – thanks to the medication Coartem that I have been taking. This is my second time with Malaria – I contracted it last year while here in Gulu. I did not expect to be struck with Malaria so soon on this trip to Africa. I have taken my daily doses of Malaria medicine as instructed etc. Nevertheless, the reality, there is no absolute 100 percent preventative for this illness (at least that I am aware of). For now, I remain with a headache that provides a really odd metallic taste in my mouth, achy joints and a head cold – other then that, I am feeling better and ready to get back to work.

Those of you who had followed this blog last year are familiar with the history of the 22 year long civil war that had been fought here in Northern Uganda where over 65,000 children were abducted from their homes, schools, villages etc. and forced to become trained and operate as child soldiers. You are also familiar with the mission of ChildVoice International (CVI) and it’s intent to provide a safe haven for formerly abducted child-mothers and their children to receive spiritual, emotional/mental, physical, educational and vocational rehabilitation. For those of you who are not familiar, please take a moment to read through the article located at:

http://www.wartburg.edu/magazine/summer08/

Here you can read a detailed article written up that provides important background information about the war, as well as learn the story of Conrad Mandsager, founder/director of ChildVoice International – how he came to the decision to begin CVI, what the program currently consists of and where CVI is headed. This is a very informative article and well worth the time in reading.

I have remained in Gulu throughout this last week throughout this time of illness. On Monday I will be heading out to Lukodi (the village – approx. 30 minute drive from Gulu, where the CVI Center is located) to visit the woman as well as introduce to the CVI program, Dr. Robi Sonderegger, president/founder of Family Challenge in Australia. (www.familychallenge.com.au)

Dr. Robi Sonderegger, after assessing the traumatic situation of thousands of formerly abducted child soldiers who managed to escape back to their homes after acting as soldiers in the Lords Resistance Army during a visit to Uganda years ago, knew he must take action on behalf of these children. Dr. Robi was perplexed that there were no professional clinical services offering to help young escapees to deal with the trauma they had experienced. After only a few short weeks of rest in a rehabilitation camp, formerly abducted children are returned to their home villages or IDP camps—where surviving family members have fled. Unfortunately, these children run the risk of being re-abducted. Moreover, holding on to anger, bitterness, nightmares, deep hurt and resentment, post-traumatic stress becomes a real concern for the children, their families and the communities where they may or may not have been reintegrated. Without help to process and deal with their traumatic experiences, there is concern that these children may grow up to participate in the generation of hostility – as a cycle of violence continues.

In 2004 the Family Challenge Charitable Trust decided that it was time to stand up for these former abductees and be a voice for those who cannot speak out for themselves – offering tangible measures to end this cycle and return lost childhood to these children. Dr. Robi Sonderegger, the organizations founder, met with strategic aid agencies in Northern Uganda to discuss ways to provide effective trauma rehabilitation services for formerly abducted child soldiers. Since that time he has provided evidence based child trauma rehabilitation training for counselors, social workers, the center staff of WorldVision, Concerned Parents Association, Childcare International and Rachelle Center for Rehabilitation and Reintegration of formerly bducted children in Northern Uganda, to name a few.

Dr. Robi is currently in Gulu and I had a chance to meet him briefly last night. On Monday I and other CVI staff will have the chance to meet with him to overview his program materials to see if this counseling model may be a good fit for the women in the CVI Center. We will have the opportunity to take him out to Lukodi to view the program and meet the women and their children.

Dr. Robi’s EMPOWER Trauma Rehabilitation is an evidence-based, 13 session step by step program that helps educate and equip young people with practical strategies to combat the effects of trauma associated with war. To date hundreds of facilitators have been trained ultimately serving to benefit many thousand young war victims in Northern Uganda. With 100,000 copies of the program now in print, the objectives of EMPOWER are to rehabilitate as many x-child soldiers and refugees as possible now living in internally displaced person (IDP) camps spread throughout the war zone. Due to increasing demands for the program from Humanitarian Agencies working in Africa, Asia, Middle East, Eastern Europe, and the South Pacific, Family Challenge is dedicated to expanding EMPOWER trauma rehabilitation to people groups experiencing the effects of war and natural disaster throughout the world.

I will have the tremendous opportunity this upcoming Friday, Saturday and Sunday to attend a training on trauma and counseling put on by staff members trained in the Empower Trauma Rehabilitation counseling model. It will be hosted by an organization in Gulu called Favor of God Ministries. The training will include:

•An overview of trauma and its effects on the victim and their support system.
o Normal reactions to a traumatic event
o How a traumatic event can develop into Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

•An overview of the Brain
o How it works
o Its response to trauma

•Basic counseling skills and strategies for group dynamics
•An introduction to counseling those who have experienced both acute and chronic trauma
•A guide through the Empower program developed by Dr. Robi Sonderegger Ph.D.
•Self-care: tips and strategies to avoid burnout on the field

As counseling is the one thing above all else that I am most passionate about – I am very excited for this upcoming opportunity.

Despite my being sick, the challenges have been opportunities for growth and I continue to attempt to make the most of each minute that I have here in Uganda. God is in the midst of working in my life, encouraging, stretching and refining me. He continually provides opportunities for me to have to rely whole-heartedly on Him.

I am currently reading a book by Neil T. Anderson, Victory Over the Darkeness: Realizing the Power of Your Identity in Christ. This is an excellent book. Although I have read this book nearly 10 years ago – I believe that I could read this book 5 times a year and still learn from and solidify the foundational truths of who I am as a result of who He is in me.

Wow – the beauty of recognizing the Truth of God and the power of His resurrection – and the impact of this event in the lives of those who have chosen to accept Christ as their personal Savior. As children of God, we have inherited literally, life-giving blessings – freedom from bondage, victory over fear, guilt and shame etc. These are facts and these blessings are available for our taking, but until we begin living from these truths and practicing them in our daily lives we will never operate in the freedom, joy and power that is available to us. I am embracing learning more about my identity in Christ and enjoying the new level of relationship with him as a result. What else is there to live for then to know Him – in every way possible? What an honor…