A lesson in humility

Karine sent us an amazing link from You Tube entitled I Need Africa More Than Africa Needs Me. Watch it. It's so true.

I was taught yet again how my western filters don't hold true in Africa when I met Bob.

Bob uses crutches to get around. He has very limited use of his legs. I first met him at Eva Ruf when he was in the computer lab talking to the man who runs the lab. I introduced myself, shook Bob's hand and thought nothing more than he is someone who comes and hangs out at the lab for something to do.

The first day that I offered my pro-d session on Reading Power, Bob came in late and sat down in one of the empty chairs. I thought that he had nothing else to do so he came and sat down to listen to what we were doing. At the end of the workshop, I gave out my email to the teachers so that they could contact me if they had any questions about the program. I couldn't figure out a way to give it out without giving it to Bob. We have to watch who we give our email to as there are lots of requests for help and money that come flooding into our inbox when we give out our email address to whomever asks for it. But I had to give it to the teachers so I thought I would just suck up the fact that Bob had it too. I would deal with that later.

Kath handed out the materials for Reading Power to the teachers at the workshop and I saw her talking to Bob as she got to his row and then giving him the resource package. I thought that if he could use it or knew someone who could use it then so much the better for him. It was only one set out of 60 so that was okay.

Did I ever think wrong.

As Kath and I sat outside having our lunch, Bob came and sat with us to thank us for the workshop. He then shared his story with us.

Bob developed polio when he was 2. He has never known any other way of getting around except with his crutches. Bob is a music and dance teacher in an orphans' school. He said that we could probably imagine that teaching dance would be difficult for him sometimes but he hires a professional dance teacher when the steps are more complex than he can manage. At the end of term, he travels around to put together year end performances in village schools to perform for their families. His school has over 400 students and 8 teachers.

Bob has a 2 year old daughter. His wife left him when their daughter, Linda, was 6 months old. He realized that he would not be able to raise her on his own so he searched for someone to help him care for her. He found a lady who is over 60 who agreed to care for her in her home as long as he paid for her care. So Linda now lives with this lady and he visits her every day on his way to work and on his way home.

Bob noticed that there were other children around who had no parents. He decided to take care of them as well. He now has 10 children living with this woman with his daughter. On his wage (the national yearly average wage is $232USD but I can guarantee that he doesn't get that), he cares for 11 children under the age of 6 and an elderly lady. He provides food, shelter, clothing and medical care for these kids. He hopes to be able to pay for their schooling because he knows how important it is for them to go to school.

Bob's village is 35 miles from the Eva Ruf Center. He walks 2 miles from the village to the main road. He then waits for a taxi bus to take him into town. The taxi bus doesn't move unless it is full so sometimes it can take over an hour to actually start moving toward Kampala. He then gets out of the taxi and walks up to the center. On average, the trip takes 3 hours each way.

Betty, the director of the center, had invited him to come to the workshops. He attended my Reading Power workshop and then attended Corey's computer class for the rest of the week. He left that workshop with a laptop as all the participants were given the laptop that they worked on so that they could continue the web design work that they had started.

On the last day that we were in Kampala, Bob arrived with gifts for Corey and me. He bought me a beautiful horn necklace that I am wearing in the photo. He bought Corey a traditional guitar/harp instrument. He was so grateful that we had come and given up so much to be there to instruct teachers in new programs.

I am now in email contact with Bob. His daughter has just fought a battle against malaria and now has infected eyes because of the dust. He is making sure that she has medical care so that she recovers fully. He asks for nothing. In his next email, he will tell me the story of his childhood which is what has motivated him to care for these children in his village. I will update this blog with those details. I think his story needs to be heard.

Bob taught me so much more than he can imagine. I need Africa more than Africa needs me.