World Vision Gulu

I am sitting in the boardroom of the World Vision Children of War Centre in Gulu. It is amazing...(I say that a lot). So confronting. So much - such an incredible amount of loss and wasted life. So many people broken. I came with only Zac and we met Paul and Grace, had devotions with the World Vision team, then looked at the way they undertake trauma counselling - using drawing, the oppotunity to talk, it is enough to make you just quietly step aside and cry. We met with about 12 of the former child soldiers. They were generally about 16-25 years old - and had been in the camps for an average of 10-12 years - with most abducted at 9-11 years old. Most of their life. Most carried bullets and shrapnel. What surprised me (but in hindsight is probably to be expected) is that they were so quiet and submissive.... They have been subjected to abuse torture, and being forced to submit submit submit..... They were all beautiful people (one was a Ugandan version of Brad Pitt - same facial expressions - but different color skin). Megan and Levi McGrath are celebrities here.... this is the area where Levi played soccer, this is where Megan's desk was.
Probably the most impacting few hours of the trip thus far....

This is only this morning - but it is on the back of a very busy week building and playing soccer at Watoto at the Village we are building. I have not blogged for awhile... The weeks has been great - hot - hard work - great to get to know the rest of the team and some of the locals. Lots of singing, sweating and laughing. The bulding we came to build is almost finished (our part anyway) which is satisfyling. We are a great group (lots of good tradespeople and all getting on very very well).