Church Mission Society
Northern Uganda subsite
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to WorldPay. Also available Listen to an interview with the Bishop of Kitgum. |
Nowhere to lay Mary Lakot is Matron of the Child Night Care project. CMS funded a shelter for the project to provide a place to sleep for some of the thousands of ‘night commuters’. “I worship at Town Parish. I was asked to be matron in 1998, even though the shelter was not built then. I am the only matron. “I have five children of my own, aged 7–18. The seven-year-old sleeps here; the older ones are in Kampala with their uncle. I have been here in Kitgum for the last seven years. I moved from my village because my husband was killed, and I was worried about rebel activities. “At the moment I look after 500–600 people, this was the number at the last count in 2003. The number varies according to the closeness of the rebels. Some worship here, some don’t – but we don’t send them away according to that. They need refuge so we give it.” Robinson Oginga Odinga, Town Parish’s curate, described life on the church compound: “The area starts to fill up from 6.30–7.30pm, and people begin to disperse from 7am. People congregate here at the church compound for security. They think, or hope, that the rebels may fear churches.” Robinson explained that Oxfam have also put up a shelter on the church compound, as the need was so great. The CMS-funded shelter has three sections: for boys, for girls, and an office for Mary, the matron. “As many people as can fit sleep in the classrooms,” he said. Mary and her fellow mothers work hard to take care of the children that come. “The children completely without parents are shared out among families – Mothers’ Union members come to sleep and take care of a share of kids. In our clan the mothers take care of and talk to the children.” Simply getting on with things seems to be the only way forward. “I wish this place could be restored so at least the children could be taken back to their parents and homes,” said Mary, “but seeing as there is no peace this is the best we can do. “I worry because the children will grow in our hands, but what shall we do with them?”
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Stories Helen’s Testimony A cross-maker's story Story of the Kitgum cross Northern Uganda attracting glimmer of
political attention background information
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Church Mission Society, Partnership House, 157 Waterloo Rd, London SE1 8UU UK Tel. (+44) 20 7928 8681. Fax: (+44) 20 7401 3215. Registered Charity Number 220297 ©CMS 2003 |
