War Dance

My nervousness about traveling hasn't subsided much since my last post. It lies inside me and subconsciously affects how I think about my trip. Sure, I'm still expectant of amazing experiences, life-changing interactions, and having the time of my life, but I'm just not in a mindset yet where I'm 100% ready for this trip--I haven't had time to slow down and process everything. Sarah came into town for the weekend and we went to Blockbuster last night to find a movie to spend a chill Sunday evening with. The first movie I saw in the store was a documentary I have been dying to see-War Dance. We were sold. Much like the competition of Mad Hot Ballroom was to the children of inner city New York, War Dance chronicles a school from the northern war-torn region of Uganda as it travels to a national music and dance competition in Kampala, Uganda's capitol. The film centers around three teenagers, Nancy, Dominic, and Rose, who tell their stories of loss and horror amidst footage of their school's hope of winning the competition through countless hours of work and practice.

Nancy, a girl of fourteen with the most beautiful chocolate brown eyes I have ever seen, lost her father to the rebels. Her mom was also abducted but ended up at the same IDP camp two months after Nancy took her younger siblings there for protection. Dominic is the xylophone player of the group and his happiness about music and the competition is contagious. Taken into captivity and forced to be a child soldier for two months, he was lucky to be repatriated into his culture upon returning to the camp. His opening statements set the mood for the movie: "In our daily lives there must be music. In everything we do, if there is music, life becomes so good." Then there is Rose, a girl who, having seen the most horrific events of the war happen to her parents (things I can't even fathom seeing or dealing with), is the most skiddish and softspoken of the group. She lives with an aunt who takes advantage of having a healthy extra set of hands and is almost not allowed to go the competition.

The documentary helped me put everything in perspective. It let me see some of the Ugandan landscape. It showed me some of the country's people and their culture. The traditional songs, dances, and costumes highlighted throughout the movie sparked my excitement, as music and dance are my most favorite part about new cultures (with food being a close second). While I won't be spending any time in that region of Uganda or in IDP camps, there were quite a few young children and babies running around the camp. They looked precious and that got me thinking about the kids that await me at the orphange. What little personalities will I encounter there? Will they break into a huge bright white smile like Dominic did every time he played his xylophone? How will they touch my life? And speaking of life and putting things in perspective--the film made me think about how different the lives of those three students are to the 14-year olds I am working with at camp this week-- 14-year olds who are ultra-priveleged, who probably have never wanted for anything, who couldn't even begin to think about living in a refugee camp, or waiting in a UN food line. I'm ready for people who are thankful for what they have, who work with glad hands, and who enjoy the little pleasures of life. And I'm ready to include myself in that group. I need just as much a reminder about the little joys of life, of slowing down and not taking things for granted. When I think about those things I am ready to go. Tomorrow night my small group is meeting to pray for me and I'm looking forward to the peace and focus that that will give me as well. For now, it's time to start packing...