The Bridge

Beneath a half-built bridge near Lukodi flows a stream. (The bridge construction, now abandoned, a deserted relief effort.) Concurrently making use of this flowing stream were the following:

A woman filling jerry cans

A girl bathing

A teenaged boy drinking directly from the stream

Cattle drinking and cooling themselves from the 97-degree heat

Small children wading and splashing each other

Women washing clothes

Lukodi is one of the IDP camps being emptied. We were there to visit the home of a family resettling in a village nearby. We asked to see where their water comes from, and were escorted, by foot, roughly half or three-quarters of a mile away to arrive at the aforementioned stream. It was shocking. Clean water is not readily available in these areas, so one gets it where one can. I must admit, after walking and working in that scorching sun, I was feeling a powerful thirst coming on myself. I can see how in desperation, one would drink here. However, this water point was an amazing array of everything you’re not supposed to do to maintain a clean source. I’ve never seen anything quite like it and it’s hard to imagine this as a family’s main water source.

Lukodi was the site of an LRA massacre in 2004, in which 42 villagers, including 15 children, were killed. The family we visited will not sleep in their village home, but sleeps in the camp at night, as the children fear another attack. With the LRA far away in the Central African Republic, this is unlikely. I suspect post-traumatic-stress-disorder is working on their nerves, which is completely understandable, given what has happened here. Also, remaining in the camp is a false sense of security, as they are no longer protected by the army. The mental scars will take longer to heal than the physical ones.

The family treks about a mile round trip per day for water - three times per day. That’s three miles. Then they hike to and from the camp for sleeping and returning home in the morning. About another 1.5. Add in trips to the market with bags of homemade charcoal or firewood to sell to make a living. They walk about 5-6 miles per day as a matter of routine. And they walk fast. I could scarcely keep up as they walked, balancing full jerry cans on their heads, down the path.

This family is transitioning home. It is a return to tough conditions. I can see why the convenience of camp life, despite their crowded conditions, could be appealing on some levels. But families are determined to get back. Home is home.

Post by Jake