Whispers and screams from Eivind

Johnson and the midnight sun.

After three wonderful weeks at Hald, with 17. of May, the Norwegian constitution day as a highlight, I have spent this week at home in the north. The first days Oriokot Johnson from Mbale joined me. I showed him Senja and the midnight sun, and we went fishing. He got the first herring after 15 seconds. All in all we got six fish, enought for dinner the same day, and two more dinners of "fiskegrateng".

Tuesday we visited my old primary and lower secondary school, where we had lessons with all the students, divided into three groups. It was both funny and interesting. For the youngest children, the African animals were among the most popular topics, but for the oldest students, the world trade and the conditions for street children in Mbale were what engaged them.

Johnsons thought african foot dance and told the older kids his own story. For the youngest children he also performed and thought a song with interesting moves.

Johnson left for Arendal Wednesday morning, and the same day I displayed my photo exhibition at my parents work place. In the afternoon I moved the exhibition to my old high school. I took it down on Friday, and today I displayed it at the local grocery store.

The weather has been super, with mostly blue sky and relatively high temperatures.

Johnson fishing and rinsing the fish.

Teaching the primary school children the foot dance.

Visiting Husøya.

The exhibition at my old high school

I am home in Norway! I arrived at Værnes Airport late yesterday evening, and I am now in Trondheim. Today I am at the university using the Internet and meeting lots of friends and class mates. Being back is strange, but good. My grandma is preparing salmon for dinner today;)

Here are some photos from my last days in Africa:

Dan visited me at the youth centre on Saturday to say goodbye.

On Sunday he came again, and he brought his friend Samuel. On the photo they are sharing a chapati.

On Sunday Ronald (photo) and James helped me cleaning the apartment. Thank you boys!.

The view from the CRO youth centre. This place has been a good home for me and Thomas the last six months.

I took some of the boys out for the last supper on Sunday evening. Ronald, me, Ondong, Francis, Mukulu and Koba.

After the last supper, we met some of the boys living on the street. They wanted me to take photos. Dan and Samuel in front

They also wanted a photo with me. After the photo session, i bought them chapatis. Last supper also for the street boys.

The boys currently staying at the youth centre.

Tuesday we had half a day of debriefing at the Strømme Foundation office in Kampala. We could not find a taxi with free seats in the morning, so Anne got us a hitch with a pickup..

Debriefing. Andreas drawing a curve showing his stay in Dar es Salaam.

Today is my last day at CRO. I said my formal goodbyes yesterday, because we have important visitors from Strømme Foundation today. In the morning, I said goodbye to the staff after the morning devotion. Most of the staff had something to say to me, and it was quite overwhelming with many nice words. I also had to hold a speech, and it was a special moment.

The CRO choir performing for me.

In the lunch break, the CRO choir sang for me. I have heard them sing several times, but this time it was for me... "Eivind, you are leaving, we all wish you the Lord's blessings. We are sorry you're leaving us now, please remember to come back to us." The manager said some nice words, then one of the youth held a speech on behalf of the children. Dan, one of the boys living on the street, also wanted to give me a speech. It was very emotional, and I appreciated it very much.
Dan said he wanted to improve and get away from the street, so that he one day could visit me in Norway.

Of course I also had to say some words. It was not easy to know what to say. Many feelings, both happiness and sadness were controlling me. But it worked out somehow.

Me speaking to my friends.

Today I am saying some more personal goodbyes. Leaving work today will be really special, not knowing when I will return. I have had a great time here, and the children of CRO will always stay in my heart.

I am still staying in Mbale up to Monday morning, when I am leaving the youth centre, which has been my home for the last 6,5 months. Them I am going to Kampala to meet the other Act Nowers of East Africa for debriefing at the Strømme Foundation office. We are leaving Uganda at 05:10 Wednesday morning, heading for Entebbe, Amsterdam and eventually our destinations in Norway.

Looking forward to see you people at home again!

Hugs from Mbale.

Aubrey in conversation with some of the residents of the IDP-camp.

In Lira I met Aubrey, the American photographer who visited CRO some months ago. We met by accident, both sitting on the back of boda-bodas. She was heading for a camp for internally displaced persons (IDP-camp), and I joined her. The first camp we visited was abondoned. People had returned to their homes, as the situation has become more peaceful than it used to be. About five yeas ago, when the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) was terrorising the people of Northern Uganda, about fifteen IDP-camps were established inside and around Lira Town. They came there for protection. Now there are only two or three camps left in Lira.
An abandoned IDP-camp.

Erute IDP-Camp.

Okello telling me about his own situation

After seing the the abandoned camp, we went to visit another one, Erute Camp. Here I meet Okello, who has a wife, four kids, a hen and eight chickens. He has been living in the camp with his family for five years. He describes the conditions in the camp as good, eccept for the hunger and poverty. He used to live as a farmer in another end of Lira District. Now he goes to dig for some others, and gets some little money or food to provide for his family. The World Food Programme withdrew from the camp two years ago. Many of the residents has also left, and most of the people who are left there will probably return to their homes quite soon.

Another man tells me he goes to town every day to get small jobs to get some money for the family. He has also been in the camp for about five years, and he also used to be a farmer, as most Ugandans. He says there are about 3000 people left in the camp. He himself is planning to return to his home very soon.
Lots of children. Most of these children are "made in Erute". One of the men tells me producing children in these huts is a challenge. There is not much privacy.

More children.