Olinga - IDP Camp

Tuesday, March 9 and Wednesday, March 10.  II Corinthians 3:18b

The power went out in town this evening so I'm trying to write between flickers.

Left Gulu at 10am for a 2hr drive north/west to a satellite IDP camp(Olinga).  The main, (Pabbo)camp at one time held 61,000 people, the largest camp of all.  The road is unbelievable.  You know when you can humm over bumps and it makes your voice jiggle.  Well, that's what we did for 2 hours.  When we got to the camp - the kids came from everywhere - so excited to see us.  Today we have 2 groups - kids camp and the discipleship group.  While we were waiting for the adults to come - they were in the fields working - we wondered around the camp and looked around.  Not all the huts have people living in them anymore.  They are marked.  A = someone is living here.  B = getting ready to move.  C= no one here anymore - can be torn down.

In the near distance are some tall hills.  For some of these people - their village is near those hills and it was in those hills that 1000's were killed and the villagers are afraid to go back.

The kids camp set up and they had a drama, crafts - making bracelets, decorating little bags and also bandannas. They then played games with the kids.  They were so excited.

The discipleship group broke into 4 groups.  Elders, 40's, 30's and young adults.  We talked with them and answered questions - some very interesting.....  "I am interested in believing but I have 2 women - what would you suggest I do?"  "I'm only 15 and I want to have fun while I'm still young"  We had material with us to help answer these questions and we were also able to hand Acholi bibles to them on the 2nd day.  They were so thankful.  Currently they had one bible per 30 people.  There were only 4 bibles in this camp.

They had so many more questions - wish we could have spent more time with them.  Watoto - is planning on starting a discipleship program and they will be back to this camp soon.

An interesting thing happened both times we were there.  The witch doctor had a ritual she was doing.  We could hear music and they were in her hut.  She would start shortly after we got there and would go for about 1 hour - then stop.   

Notes:
Ann had a ride on the back of someones bike.
They eat white ants.  With salt, roll in a ball or make them into a paste.  It's interesting on how they catch them - I'll let you ask....
Men are able to marry 3 -4 wives.  It's not the normal practice - that is tribal.
Most huts have no door.  2 reasons .. the LRA would think nobody home or for a quick escape.
Goats are mainly for meat.

Our translators were the staff from Watoto.  They were awesome.  Florance, Francis, Joel, David (who learned Spanish from Claudia on the bus ride) and Benson.  They really relate to the people in the camps - they were a blessing to us!

Our work is done.  We wish we had more time here - there is so much to do and the people are so grateful of any kind of help they can get.  We are packing the bus tonight and leaving at 4:30 am.  Heading to a safari and chimp trekking.  We will be staying in the park for a night and then to Jinga, where I hope to fill you in then.