Interview with Carl Wilkins, ADRA worker in Rwanda
January 29, 2008
Remember Carl Wilkins, the only US American to stay in Rwanda through the whole genocide? He worked for ADRA, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency, and the Seventh-day Adventist magazine just posted an interview with him on their website. You can find it by clicking here.
One perspective on Solidarity with Africa
January 28, 2008
There is danger inherent when privileged academicians attempt to speak for those who have been harmed the most by colonialism, imperialism, and globalization. Yet, Mark Taylor provides a framework for authentic advocacy from a position of relative privilege. His “four modes of authentic advocacy” include: 1) acknowledge the problem and the risk of objectification; 2) resist the exploitation of the subordinated in our own social location (practice what we preach); 3) realize that our own freedom and wholeness is at stake; and 4) embrace the mystical dimension at the heart of authentic advocacy (advocating for the subaltern ruptures and reorients our own sense of identity and reality).[1] Taking these warnings to heart, I will use them to frame my thoughts on the theology of solidarity between African Christian leaders and myself.
Many of the problems and conflicts within Uganda and Rwanda today are remnants of well meaning missionaries and colonialists. Hutu’s and Tutsi’s, Acholi’s and Bugandan’s are divisions created largely by outsiders who objectified indigenous populations and classified people to fit their own stratified societies. A post-colonial approach to solidarity must first recognize the inherent danger of translating the problems and inadequacies of our culture and imposing our ways of working, thoughts, values, and theologies upon people who have their own beliefs, histories, traditions, cultures, and values. We must lay aside every thought of superiority and suspend our judgments in order to open ourselves to authentically mutual relationships.
Second, we should pay particular attention to the similarities between the problems in Uganda, Rwanda, and other two-thirds world countries and the systemic problems that exist back home in our own country and communities. We should admit the corruption in our institutions (including our Churches), the persistent poverty in our backyards, the intolerance and hatred, the violence between racial and ethnic groups (the vestiges of the effects of divide and conquer in our own social location). We must be willing to speak truth to power from our own pulpits, and in our own social locations, before we ask African leaders to step forward and take similar risks in their contexts.
Thirdly, we should recognize that we are not only there to assist those who are less fortunate. Our problems are inextricably connected. We share one fragile earth and whatever befalls our brothers and sisters in Africa, affects us as well. Traveling through Africa I became deeply aware of my own human frailty. I am not sure that I could survive without the privileges of living in the relative safety and comfort of the United States. It is not enough for those of us in Berkeley to “go green” and consume less without also addressing how we can lift the tides so that all people on earth have food, water, shelter, and basic health care.
Lastly, I recognize how deeply transformed I am when I engage in relationships of mutuality. I was energized and inspired by the spirit of the people of Uganda and Rwanda. I fell in love with their music, dance, and prayers. I am humbled and brought low by the quality of African leaders and their willingness to sacrifice for their people. I am not the person I used to be. I cannot ignore the needs of the world. I will not be able to avoid preaching, teaching, and leading people to engage in international ministries of solidarity and mutual support. There is no turning my back, no easy way out, no way to grow but to build on the seeds of relationships that were planted. I pray that God will nurture these seeds and that many blessings will grow out of this experience.
[1] Mark Taylor, ‘Subalternity and Advocacy as Kairos for Theology’, in Opting for the Margins: Postmodernity and Liberation in Christian Theology, edited by Joerg Rieger, (New York: Oxford University Press, 2003), 34-37.
group photos
January 25, 2008
We’re home!
January 24, 2008
With lots of stories and photos (and hopefully no diseases) to share!
An interesting story about the violence in Kenya is over at the BBC (click here to read the article). It underscores that the violence is not at its root about ethnic or tribal factionalism, but that the ethnic labels are being USED to advance other political and economic agendas. Unfortunately, it fails to extend this observation to the Rwandan genocide, mentioning that violence as an example of tribalism, when really the ‘racial’ divisions were just as much exploited for political goals.
Our trip was affected by the Kenyan protests in two main ways: gas prices in Uganda and Rwanda (who import gas through the port at Mombasa, at least until they develop their own reserves) were very high; our return flight from Nairobi to Amsterdam was detoured through Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where we stopped to pick up new airline stewards since KLM is no longer housing its flight attendants overnight in Nairobi. Others on the trip were affected more, through family living in Kenya. But we are blessed that the greatest inconveniences we experienced were small loses of money and time - and not life.
Last Night In Uganda
January 17, 2008
Hello Again;
This will be brief, because I’m hoping Robyn will have a chance to post tomorrow while we all drive and she waits for her luxury, fancy-pants flight to Kigali. Yes, we’re driving to Rwanda tomorrow, our final stop of the journey before flying home. On the way down, we will cross the Equator, then cross the border, then brave 65km of windy mountain roads.
Today we took on a team of pre-teen soccer stars, the kids of Ugandan police living in the Kampala barracks. And just to keep the suspense from building too much, let me assure you that we Americans did not embarass ourselves too much, and only lost 3-2.
Yes, Pam, Cathy got registered at the Canadian consulate. And yes, Mum, I have gotten some pictures with me in them.
More later! And see you all fairly soon!
-Audrey
Back in Kampala!
January 16, 2008
Greetings loved ones (from Audrey again)! We are happy and healthy here in Kampala for our second visit. We are now at the St. Augustine’s Institute, where they tell us everyone thinks we are wonderful. Since we last blogged, we have visited Gulu in Northern Uganda, Kumi in the northeast, and Tororo on the border with Kenya. Then yesterday we drove in from Tororo.
We saw a lot of petroleum trucks on the highway from Kenya, where Uganda gets all its fuel - gas prices here are very high, around $2/litre, and the normal supply lines have been disrupted, so they are having to truck in a lot more. So we are experiencing some effects of the protests in Kenya next door.
One of the beautiful moments yesterday was seeing the Nile River, most of us for the first time. We watched a swimmer go over Bujagali Falls in just swim trunks; investors are hoping to dam the Falls for hydroelectric power, so our view of it may be even more precious. Then we saw the point that used to be Ripon Falls, now dammed over, which is the source of Nile.
We have met amazing people every day we have been here, and I will let someone else share a bit about some of those experiences….
From Catherine - I have found the people of Uganda to be extremely friendly. From the people we passed on the street, to the members of the organizations we have visited everyone has a similiar, friendly manner. We have been so well hosted and welcomed in every place we have been. I was especially moved by the welcome we received from the Acholi people in the IDP camp in Gulu. They performed traditional dance rituals for us which included drumming, percussion, dancing and ritual movements. It has been difficult to teach and practice these rituals in the camps and they were in danger of being lost. It was a precious gift to be able to witness these dances which were practiced and performed in honour of our coming.
From Christine - Yesterday, while in Tororo, we visted with a village of people suffering from HIV. The effects of this disease are devastating because it impacts all areas of their life: friendships are lost, family keeps their distance (some family members even turn the person’s children against them), hospitals are difficult to come by and are not even the most welcoming or caring place if they make it there, medicine is expensive and if they choose to medicate they, at some point, find themselves in the midst of poverty, without the strength to do the necessary daily chores of gathering water and food, and waiting to die. We witnessed one woman, Scovia, waiting for God to take her home. However, even in the midst of death, upon seeing visitors with so much life and love (that would be us) she found a smile that brightened the room- and fortunately, her family was there waiting with her. Being with Scovia was a difficult experience that most of us are still processing. However, I found, for myself, that it is actually easier for me to see people who are sick and impoverished face to face, rather than over a computer screen in all the mass emails that are sent. Somehow, being there in person, being able to shake their hands, look in their eyes, give them hugs, eases the pain I usually experience from afar.
ARRIVED!
January 9, 2008
Greetings, loved ones! We have arrived!
The PSR group is now in Kampala. We arrived last night into Entebbe airport around 9 pm, then got through customs in record time and headed to Lweza (in Kampala) where we spent the night. We spent the morning at our swanky conference center, then met a Foreign Affairs Office rep at the US embassy (we are all registered there, by the way). Now we are downtown Kampala, getting a taste of this bustling city. Tomorrow we will drive up to Gulu in the north, and we will swing southeast through the country from there, and then wind up back in Kampala before we head south to Rwanda.
It is warm but dry. We are all taking our meds and getting plenty of water, mom, so don’t worry! The time change is making many of us a little sleepy, but after 30+ hours in airplanes and airports, I think we are mostly just happy to be on the ground somewhere.
Keep tuned to this channel for more information on our whereabouts. We will try to post as often as we have regular email access (but I am not sure how often that will be).
We love you all lots!
-Audrey, on behalf of Aeri, David, Brooks, Cathy, Paige, Akiko, Phil, Joan, Robyn, Michelle, Nicole, Laura, Christine, Sonja, and our gracious hosts
Trip Info
January 5, 2008
We posted basic info about our trip - itinerary, flight info, and emergency contact details - over at the page accessible at the top or by clicking here.
No Ebola for us
January 1, 2008
Phil found this scary article about the Ebola outbreak in western Uganda, but we will not be traveling near there, and the CDC has not made any special recommendations about travel to Uganda. Worry warts like me be calmed!
