Deo Gracias

When we brought the American participants to Gulu 2 1/2 weeks ago, our only guy, Kris, and I went and got a soccer ball to go play with the kids on the field behind hotel Kakanyero. The first boy we encountered was named Deo Gracias (12 years old). Deo immediately offered to teach me how to play “futbol”. Soon our number went from about 5 to more than 20. Kris was able to play with some of the bigger and better kids before he proceeded to teach the smallest guys the hand slapping game and to make funny faces for the camera. Because my futbol skills are rusty (to say the least), Deo spent an hour giving me pointers and setting up drills where he proceeded to favor me so that I could develop my skills. The kids got a kick out of watching me make a fool of myself, although I must say I did improve relatively quickly (the fact that my competitors were half my size helped). Deo was an excellent teacher, very thoughtful and encouraging. Kris left the ball with Deo, we took a picture of the three of us and that was that. When we left I thought about Deo and how much leadership potential he has and it felt unfortunate that I was unable to do something to help him utilize this potential, a feeling of helplessness set in just as it does every time I meet someone that I know could go far, but whose circumstance hinders them (happens multiple times every day).

After a day in Apac and Lira districts I returned to Gulu this past weekend. On my first full day I was walking into hotel Kakanyero and a boy came up to me and just stood there. It took me a few seconds to realize that it was Deo. He didn’t say much else other than hi so I simply returned his greeting and went upstairs to get lunch. A few minutes later Deo appeared at my table and sat down looking at me. I felt slightly awkward, not knowing what to say. He shyly said that he wanted to bring me to see his home. On any other day I may have said no, I was a girl traveling by myself and I didn’t know this boy very well nor did I know what his family or home would be like. However, I had absolutely nothing else to do and had been feeling pretty lonely so I said yes and off we went. It turned out that he lived about a 1 minute walk down the street in what I felt was a pretty nice set-up. He proudly brought me inside to meet his elderly mother and his two older brothers Immanuel and Charles. They sat me down and started asking me all sorts of questions about America, my family, my life, what I was doing etc. I am so used to people asking me for things because I am white that I was definitely waiting for the underlying purpose in inviting me over. No motive other than curiosity and friendship was ever made apparent. I think that Deo was returning the gesture that Kris and I had shown him a few weeks before. I was also given my Acholi name “Akidi” meaning stone (it sounds like Katie when you say it).

It was nice to be in a home with a family and to feel more accepted into the Gulu community. It was comforting, especially after my first 2 days of traveling by myself and being unable to talk to my own family and friends. I went back to their home the next day to take pictures, a friend of theirs gave me a free boda ride (unheard of!) and later that day I took them with me to Abramz’s breakdance class. I loved spending time with the three boys, especially Deo, who I could tell felt proud and mature that I was HIS friend. It was hard saying goodbye to Deo, but refreshing to feel like I will never be an outsider in Gulu again, I have a family I know will look out for and take care of me while I am there. Yet another benefit of traveling alone…Deo was one of the little things that entered in to fill the empty space and time of traveling solo…one of the little things that makes a huge difference in the way you experience things.