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In a war torn land of 20 years are children who have never known a "normal" life; waking up to a loving family, breakfast on the "stove" and the anticipation of what fun excitement the day could hold. Each day children (and what family they have left) have spend their lives surviving the conditions of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps that their government placed them in 10 years ago. For the past couple of decades, every evening and every morning, children commute to sleep in a safe location because they fear that they too will be abducted to fight and or become sex slaves in the rebel LRA (Lord's Resistance Army). These children have become known worldwide as “Night Commuters”(watch the video). The picture above is of one of the IDP camps we will be visiting.

As some of you know, last October I walked in GuluWalk which is a non-government organization (NGO) that exists to raise awareness for these “Night Commuters” of Northern Uganda. GuluWalk is a great little Canadian organization that is doing great things to effectively raise awareness (interesting projects) and help aid Northern Ugandan’s in helping themselves in and through these difficult times.

My Journey Back to Africa
Since last spring I have read Lt. Romeo Dallaire’s book Shake Hands with the Devil, Immaculee Illabagiza’s book Left to Tell and Ishmael Beah’s book A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier. All of these books are powerful true stories of real people amidst unimaginable real struggle. What can we say? Perhaps more than what Leonardo DiCaprio reminds his friend of in the movie, Blood Diamond, “TIA.” Also, Sometimes in April, The Last King of Scotland and Hotel Rwanda are movies that bring home the reality of “TIA.” (You’ll have to watch the movie. I’m not going to tell you what it means. In that way you’ll get a taste of why these children have become "Night Commuters.")

Reminiscing Africa
I’ve been to Africa before. I loved this continent even before I left for the D.R Congo 18 years ago and my romance for its red earth remains in my heart still. So, when a recent GuluWalk e-Newsletter came to my inbox advertising a tour with Canadian NGO, CPAR (Canadian Physicians for Aid & Relief) I knew within a few hours that I had to go. By Monday morning of that weekend I had my passport application signed and submitted and my cheque in the mail to hold my place with CPAR.

Will You Pray for me?

• Click here to request to be added to my “Destination Gulu Prayer Partners” list.
• Please indicate if you will pray daily, or every (fill in the blank) days.
• I leave Canada on August 15th and return to Calgary on September 9th. (Schedule below)
• As long as the current peace talks remain stable, I will be in Northern Uganda for two weeks touring the “on the ground” projects that CPAR has established including the ones that are most important to me (the rehabilitation centre for child soldiers and IDP camps).
• At the front end of my trip I’ll enjoy Birmingham, England and on the tail end Dubai, UAE.
• I encourage and welcome your feedback on this blog.
• Most importantly I hope you will click on my email link to let me know that you want to officially join my “Destination Gulu Prayer Partners.” You can also pray for my other Calgary team members whose names are Louise, Hilda and Kendra. I do not yet know who the other Canadian tour people are. CPAR is not a Christian organization.
• Also, the tour is not without its dangers. There are normal travel dangers associated with countries that suffer from tropical diseases etc but there is also the slight risk of war-type encounters. I’ve been assured that the Ugandan’s on the ground know where it’s safe and were it’s not safe and we’ll be with them. Knowing you’re praying, I trust, will grant me great peace should anything unexpected/challenging come up.

My Schedule

Aug 15: Depart Calgary for London
Aug 16: Two days with my best friend's Aunty Daisy in Birmingham, England
Aug 19: Meet up with my team and depart London
Aug 20: Arrive Kampala 7:45am. Afternoon tour of Kampala and orientation meeting/dinner with CPAR staff at CPAR compound.
Aug 21: Travel from Kampala to Loro. Brief meeting/lunch with Loro staff.
Afternoon field visits: Water & Sanitation and Food Security activities. Accommodation at Loro (Oyam) base camp.
Aug 22: Field visits: Model Farmers, Cooperative Tree Nursery and Community Water MDD (Music, Dance & Drama) Presentation. Dinner with Loro staff and accommodation at Loro base camp.
Aug 23:Travel from Loro to Lira.8:30 to 9:30am. Courtesy calls to local officials and meeting/lunch with Lira staff. Afternoon field visit: Alio IDP camp- Sexual/Reproductive Health activities. Accommodation at Lira Hotel.
Aug 24: Field Visits: Aromo and Awere IDP camps – Safe Motherhood and Emergency Water/Sanitation activities. Travel to Pader. Dinner and accommodation at Pader base camp.
Aug 25:Field visits: Mines Action and Peacebuilding activities. Dinner and accommodation at Pader base camp.
Aug 26:Travel from Pader to Gulu. This is a rest day so I'm hoping to be able to visit the Noah's Ark "north" ministry where "night commuters" can go and sleep in safety. That night is dinner with Gulu staff. Accommodation at hotel .
Aug 27:Courtesy calls to local officials. Visit to Gulu hospital and meeting with Youth Coalition for Peace (partially funded through GuluWalk -- this is the organization I walk with every October). Accommodation at hotel.
Aug 28:Field visits to learn about landmines and survivors assistance project and UNICEF/CPAR health project. Debriefing and dinner with Gulu staff.
Aug 29:Travel from Gulu to Murchison Falls.
Aug 30:Safari in Murchison Falls. (Morning Drive & Afternoon Boat)

Aug 31: Travel from Murchison Falls to Kampala.
Sept 1: Visit to TASO Mulago (The AIDS Support Organization)
Sept 2:Rest and Shopping / Tourist day in Kampala. Final meeting/debrief and dinner with CPAR staff. This is the day that I hope to get to Noah's Ark ministry in the south that is an orphange that takes in infants.
Sept 3: Depart Kampala 4:14 p.m.
Sept 4: Arrive Dubai, UAE 12:45 a.m. to visit friends
Sept 9: Depart Dubai, change planes in London and arrive home on the same date (not day)