Happy Birthday!

Today has been a good day on many counts. First of all, it is MaMa D'Andrea's birthday. I bought her a kilo of sugar yesterday and left it on her desk in the office. Of course, the poor ChildVoice van has been terribly ill the last few days so D'Andrea didn't make it to the office yesterday. Today she boda'd in, in the rain, and seemed pleasantly surprised by the sugar I'd left her. I know it doesn't sound like much of a gift, but staples are practical gifts and I knew she was running low. We also managed to convince her to take some time out of her day to let us take her to lunch and so it was me, Brianna and Dean (who are working on a project regarding the use of sports in reintegration), and D'Andrea all enjoying some Indian food and good conversation. That and the early morning rain has really made this a productive but low-key day.

Of course, the best part of today came when I spent a couple of hours with Monica and Eunice (my Acholi-Luo teachers and friends). I wasn't feeling very well and had come back to the hotel to take some ibuprofen for some body aches. I had about an hour before we were to meet D'Andrea for lunch, and so I sat in the lobby of Acholi Ber with Monica and Eunice to talk.

"Mickie!" Monica said, "Mickie you have gotten so skinny. You need to eat more. You must go back home fat so they know we fed you well!"

We all laughed. Then Monica said, "Mickie, teach us how to use your laptop!"

So, I pulled my computer out of my backpack and began going through the basics of how to use a computer. This is how you turn the computer on. This is how you create a word document. This is how you play music. Then I showed them that if I took the card from my camera out I could plug it into my computer and we could see pictures. Then I pulled up all of the pictures I have on my computer to show them my home, my family, my cats, my apartment, and my boyfriend.

Apio in Charleston Last Fall

I pulled up the pictures that I took of the trip that Denise and I took last Fall Break to Charleston, SC. When the picture of Denise on the beach came up Eunice said, "That is Apio!"

I smiled. "Yes, that is Apio. At home I call her Denise."

"Dennis?" Monica said.

"Yes," I said, "But here, Dennis sounds like the name of a boy, but everyone knows that Apio means she's a girl!" We all giggled and they both agreed that here Apio fit her very well. Apio means first born, female twin. Monica said that she was Acen--which is the second born, female twin.

Then Monica said, "You should also leave with a name. Like Aber [pronounced Ah-Bay which means 'good' or 'beautiful']. Because you are good!"

Eunice agreed, "That is a good name for you!"

"I will call you that from now on. Ok, Aber?" Monica said.

I was floored. Being given an Acholi name is like being christened. The name can't just come from a person you meet once or don't know very well. It symbolizes being taken in as family, being considered one of the community. I've been here only a little over a month. Sure, they adopted me out at Lukodi, but even there I've only been to visit a handful of times and wouldn't have felt comfortable accepting a name from there.

Eunice and Her Baby Boy Ryan

At first I wasn't sure if it was appropriate to be named so soon in my journey. But then, all along I have said that were I to receive a name the only people I would've been able to accept one from would have been Monica or Eunice. They work at Acholi Ber which means that I've spent every day with them since I got to Gulu. Monica asked me to be her American contact for her interviews with Invisible Children, and I agreed (of course!). Eunice brought her baby boy up to meet me and we spent time talking about raising babies in Gulu. I've taken lessons from them, I've talked about our different homes with them, we've discussed our lives. We have celebrated together, we have worried together, and we have become friends. It is fitting and appropriate that these two young women, my first friends in Acholi-land, would give me my name.

I'm really not sure what more I could've asked for from a foundation building trip. I believe that I am well set for my work to really get off the ground next year when I return. If we had any doubts about whether or not I should be coming back...whether or not I had an obligation to continue...rest assured. This is where my work will be for some time to come.

I guess today was my birthday too...