By Anita Stetson, U.S. Operations Manager
After I told my husband, Tim, that I had been hired by THRIVEGulu and wasn’t just a contractor anymore, the first thing he asked me was, “When do you go to Uganda and meet the team?” The question made me pause… it was one thing to talk about the work that the team there does and listen to stories from my friends who had been there. It was another thing entirely to actually go to Africa (note: I hadn’t even been out of the country since 1996!). I knew that it was important for me to go to Gulu and meet my co-workers… and have them meet me so I wasn’t just a random person working halfway around the world. So, I picked a date… May 2018. Although I would be traveling to Gulu with my colleague, Mick (the ED of THRIVE), I decided I would ask my daughter Amelia to come so I would have a traveling companion for the journey home. She had just finished her first year in college and I thought Africa was a great choice for her first trip out of the US!
Before I left, the most common thing I heard from people who had been to Gulu was “you’re going to fall in love.” I really couldn’t imagine what they meant. I mean, yeah, Uganda is a different country and the culture is definitely different from New England, but in what way would I find it so compelling???
It didn’t take long to realize what was meant by “you’ll fall in love.” I will say that both of us actually had the same reaction to the beauty of the country while we traveled to Sipi Falls and through Murchison National Park…. It is amazingly beautiful. So many images of Africa are of the deserts. While deserts certainly have their own appeal, I was so surprised by how lush and green it was. It truly reminded me of Ireland! We were amazed at the bounty of fruit as roadside stands. We loved the many mango trees in the compound where we stayed… with ripe fruit dropping every few minutes. I have never tasted such sweet pineapple. It was wonderful to see giraffes and elephants roam and to stand a few feet away from the white rhinos Bella and Luna as they snacked on grass. We were both excited to stand on the equator.
In the end, falling in love with Gulu wasn’t about Uganda itself, but about the people. The community in and around Gulu has experienced suffering like I don’t even wish to imagine. However, both the wonderful staff at THRIVE and their friends and neighbors in the villages in Gulu have an amazing determination to thrive. They want to improve their own experiences as well as the lives of those around them. They care deeply about each other and this love comes through in everything that they do. Whether dancing and singing in celebration, sharing a meal in the gazebo, teaching people of all ages how to read and write, or simply having a brief conversation, that human connection was palpable. My daughter and I were welcomed wholly into this community and into this experience and I was both humbled and inspired by it. I am excited that I have the privilege of working for THRIVE and am so thankful for the opportunity to meet the amazing people who work in Gulu. APWOYO MATEK to you all!
