OVER THE TOP WITH TEARS [IN SOROTI]

 I wrote this as I left the Soroti, Uganda, area in January, 2004.  It isn't a truly poetic manner, but it truly is a "heart" manner.  Tears flowed, love grew immensely.  I truly want to be there again, see my dear ones.

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                       I’M OVER THE TOP WITH TEARS, LORD,
                             OVER THE TOP WITH TEARS.
                        AND I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

                      I CAN’T HANDLE THE PAIN ANY LONGER…
                               THE PAIN OF HEARING …

A TEARY YOUNG LADY:  MY HOUSE WAS BURNED BY REBELS AND I DO NOT HAVE MY PAPERS TO APPLY FOR WORK.  PLEASE GIVE ME TIME. I WILL BRING DOCUMENTS AS SOON AS I CAN.

ARROW OFFICER, CRYING:  PLEASE ENCOURAGE MY WIFE IN THE LORD.  SHE FEARS FOR MY SAFETY WHEN I AM FIGHTING REBELS IN THE BUSH.  COME TO MY HOUSE AND PRAY FOR US

AN ARROW MEDICAL OFFICER:  I HAVE A PRISON MINISTRY AND FIGHT FOR THE ARROW GROUP.  THE YOUTH ARE THE ONES IN PRISON AND ARE THE ONES DYING ON BOTH SIDES OF THE WAR.  I ASK GOD WHAT WE CAN DO FOR THE YOUTH.

A WORKER WITH CHRISTIAN CHILDREN’S FUND:  THE IDPs ARE BEING TOLD TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMES, AND AID WORKERS ARE BEING PULLED OUT OF THE CITY BECAUSE “THE WAR IS OVER”. BUT ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN HERE FOR 10 MINUTES CAN SEE THAT THIS IS JUST A LULL UNTIL THE DRY SEASON IS PAST AND FOOD IS AVAILABLE TO THE REBELS AGAIN.

PASTOR JOSEPH (BAPTIST) [WHILE SEEING ME CRY]: WHAT I
HATE IS GOING TO THE HOSPITALS AND WALKING THROUGH THE WARDS … THERE’S SO MUCH NEED, SO MUCH PAIN.

PastorJoseph Baptist and Nurse Pauline

NURSE PAULINE AND PASTOR JOSEPH ANGLICAN [LAUGHING WHILE WATCHING ME RANT AT THE OFFICE]:  WE ARE GOING TO MISS YOU SO MUCH WHEN YOU ARE GONE.  [THIS MAKES ME LAUGH AND CRY AT THE SAME TIME, BECAUSE I AM GOING TO MISS THEM TERRIBLY WHEN I AM GONE, TOO.]