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Published: July 22nd 2008
Uganda
Ann & Ben. This remarkable woman and husband Trevor started TKL ten-years ago. They have become two of my heroes.Yesterday Ben and I returned to the Katanga Slum to conduct a coaches clinic. Ben made an excellent presentation on soccer coaching strategies. Ken asked me to talk about nutrition for athletes and coaches responsibility to serve the community. It's difficult to promote eating a balanced diet and hydration when the players are lucky to eat at all and are forced to consume contaminated water. We did, however, end up with a very spirited and valuable session.
tomorrow I will leave "The Pearl of Africa" and will be hanging with Big Ben by late afternoon. What I have found in Uganda is a people refusing to let years of oppression and corruption defeat them. In spite of all the atrocities, the vast majority struggle everyday to break the chains of poverty. Family, education, pride, and honor are the mainstays in this culture. Uganda is poised for greatness and financial independence. The soil is rich and the climate is perfect for a variety of crops. The average daytime temperature during my stay was 80 degrees with little or no humidity. Watermelon grows in abundance and some of the world's best coffee beans flourish and go un-harvested. Uganda has the capacity to
Gulu
Youth coaches eliminate hunger in Africa and still export large volume fruit and produce to Eastern Europe. Buildings and hotels are sprouting everywhere, there is a construction boom already in full swing. The streets are full of Asian, Indian, European, Aussie, and American business people, no doubt prospecting. Right now, $140,000.00 would buy me a beautiful three bedroom home in a plush suburb with swimming pool and a self-contained compound (standard estate style). Once the country eliminates all military conflict, Uganda is prime for greatness.
Several words and images remain in my mind. When I asked Kenneth what the speed limit is, he responded: "Your speed is determined by what is in front of you." While waiting for my bus to return from Gulu, Richard described what nights were like during the height of the LRA conflict: "One night we would hear gunfire from there," pointing to the north. "We would all run south. The next night it would come from that direction, and we would run in the opposite direction. It was the nights we would hear nothing we feared the most...we wouldn't know where the rebels would come from, and they always came!" A sign hanging over the carwash
Gulu
Just being kids of one of the foreign consulate compounds speaks volumes for Ugandans: "If God is on our side...then who is against us?"
This completes my Ugandan blog, I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have enjoyed completing it. I have much work to do when I return to the U.S.. I truly believe God lead me to this soil, these people, this human revolution. To my colleagues at The Kids League, thank you for embracing me and including me in your wonderful mission; you are all beautiful and remarkable individuals. To Carolyn Davis, thank you from the bottom of my heart for opening this door and providing the lantern for each step I took. For my children Daniella and Elando and my sweet, sweet Deirdre...the love and support you gave me since I first mentioned this journey has meant so much to me. I love you!
I leave you with some final images for this trip. There will be more, many more from future visits. This is only the beginning.
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kenneth Oringo
non-member comment
Go on Charlie
I will not stop thanking you for what you are doing.Charlie if every body was like you,the world would be very different (I mean good to live in).Please never give up.