Today being a holiday was the big Nile Breweries Rugby Tournament. The boys school (Jinja S.S.) played in the first couple of games, and of course most of the boys were on the team. I was alittle bit worried, because already the boys have complained of so many injuries from playing rugby, but they were eager and invited me to come and watch. In the end it was only Ambrose and Patrick who ended up playing, and it was very fun to watch. Their team was MUCH smaller than most of the other teams, but even the bigger teams played ‘fair/gentle’, so thankfully, no one was hurt!
Alex and I and some of the boys stayed to watch a bunch of games, and then Alex and I went to get a Rollex (FIRST ONE since arriving! Delicious! J For those of you who don’t know/remember – a rollex is a chapatti with an ommlette inside of it, and then made into a wrap). Then we stopped to use the internet, and I headed off to meet with a lady I had met in Uganda on my last trip who had been here for a week and was leaving on Saturday. She was staying at a guest house in town, so I spent a couple of hours with her, and then walked back to the games. At this point there was a very large crowd, and loud music playing. The environment was exciting, and I watched the final couple of games with Alex, and a couple of mzungu girls that I knew from another project. The boys found us at some point and sat with us as well.
Probably the biggest moment of the day…that I still can’t get from my mind is that I saw Moses today. Moses is a boy who lived at The Sanctuary for over 2 years. He was one of the first boys that we helped. About a year ago he started acting out, not following the rules, curfew, doing chores, attending class, etc. so after many warnings and consequences, we had to ask him to leave. He has contacted me over the last couple of months, always telling me that he misses me, but asking for money. Today at first I could tell he was uncertain as to what to do, but when he finally saw that I was looking for him (he played on the boys teams – so I had already seen him), he came running to give me a hug. It was so difficult. He looks so different – more wild, carefree and yet hardened. We talked for a bit, and then I promised to meet him in Masese on Monday and got his number so that I could call him.
Walking away from him then, and even now when I think about it is very difficult. I know that he made his choices, and that maybe I cannot do something to help him, but I will always feel like he is one of my boys. Even though it has been so long, I continue to pray for him, and ask you to do the same. God and put Moses in a special place in my heart..I don’t know why, but I won’t stop praying.
Anyways, after the games, I went back home to find some of the younger boys who had been around the house all day. I went for a quick walk with them before it got dark and then came home.
George showed up tonite and so he and I and a bunch of boys sat around and talked for the rest of the night. It was a lovely evening relaxing on the front porch and enjoying learning from each other!
Sula Bulungi (good night)
No comments:
Post a Comment