Moment of Happy in Patongo

From Kampala, Uganda via email today:

Dear Friends,

I am so, so pleased to write this email to you all right now.  Today, Jared and I returned from a nearly week-long excursion to Patongo in remote, Northern Uganda.  We distributed 200 bikes to some of the most heroic kids I've ever seen.  And you can rest assured that your donations have significantly altered many lives.  These children... what can I say about these children? Looking at them, you may never guess what they've been through. Many have lost one parent; some have lost both. Some are former child soldiers; others have been orphaned by disease. But every single one of these kids continues to work hard to live, to thrive and to find joy amid challenging circumstances.  And though many of them were too shy or too stunned or too gentle to give us the bursting smiles you may expect, you'd look into their eyes and you knew what a bike meant to them.

We shipped the bikes to Patango from Kampala, after a morning-long session loading the truck at a large Kampala bike shop. Getting to Patango is no easy task: a 5-hour drive north along a tarmac-crumbling highway to Gulu, then another 5 hours out through the rural north country along a rambling dirt road to the camp. Along the way, you pass literally dozens of refugee camps, all peopled with folks forced from their daily lives and their home villages by the conflict. You'll pass markers to the slain and the husks of vehicles burned only a couple of years ago by the LRA. Thankfully, Northern Uganda is peaceful now–the rebels driven away and many of the refugees finally returning to their homes.  It is a good time to give, in this region which has seen so much pain.  And a bicycle is the sort of gift that helps a person lift himself from years of struggle.

The bikes were shipped in boxes, unassambled, to keep from breaking during the arduous journey (which was nearly twice as long--maybe 20 hours--for our gigantic cargo truck). Once in Patongo our team of bike mechanics from Gulu got to work, working tirelessly for two straight days to assemble the bikes. It was quite the scene at the school--200 crank shafts, 200 frames, 400 wheels, 400 tires and thousands of spokes littering the campus. On the evening of the 2nd, the first bikes were given away.  We gave away the first 100 before darkness fell, and then started up again early the next morning.

As we gave away each bike, we asked the child what he or she wanted to be when they grew up.  We got a host of answers, from "President of the Country" to "Pilot" to "Doctor."  But the most touching response of all came from the fellow who received the very last bike we gave away.  This bike was given to a young man of about 16 years.  He had lost his parents to the war and was now heading his household, caring for his younger siblings and still going to school.  We asked him what he wanted to be, and he said: Farmer.

This fellow had no illusions about his future–he just wanted to take care of his family.  And when we gave him his bike... well, that moment, and the look on his face, and the way he put his hand on the handlebars... you just knew.  You knew that this meant more to him that he could express--or we could possibly comprehend.

Every single child who received a bike this year was present at the MOMENT of HAPPY. So you all will receive a picture of your child.  Don't be surprised if your sponsored child is not smiling; these kids have been through a lot. But look into their eyes and I think you'll see something that transcends a smile--you'll see inexpressible gratitude for a vital gift.

Thank you all so much again for making this happen. It has been an unforgettable experience this year for Jared and me. Please know that you have changed a few lives with your donations. As remote as these camps are, the children there are often overlooked and under-served.  They are especially vulnerable--and especially appreciative of such a gift. 

We will be posting pictures from Patongo soon, so please check back here at the 88bikes blog, and look for gallery links on the website. 

We wish you all a New Year full of joy, courage and heroism. 

With deepest gratitude,

Dan, Jared and Nick
88bikes

Comments

[EnglishForDirtyForeigners]

Whilst not entirely related to the thread, let me tell you of the only place on the internets that will lie to you about English language, traditions, customs and stuffs.

Oh yes, we have many stuffs:
http://www.EnglishForDirtyForeigners.com

Come for the comedy, stay for the hilarity.

[Auto glass Coolidge azrizona]

Dan, Jared, and Mike,

Thank you so much for sharing that touching story. It sounds so priceless I wish I could have beeb apart of it. This is such a motivating story that it makes me want to become apart of something like this. I will have to look into it. Thank you again for being of service and doing the foot work to bring hope to those children. This stroy put a bright spot in my heart today. Thank you.