Wounded but still shooting . . .

Well, the showdown did not end in our favor for this round. The depth and strength of the opposition to Jonah’s presence continues to amaze us. Here is what happened. Jonah arrived late last night. Scott had contacted the relevant people to arrange a hand-over this morning. But early in the morning we got wind of the fact that they were not going to cooperate. Jonah decided that he should go up to Bundibugyo to meet the Director himself, and found him consulting with the current in-charge of the unit. Not wanting to interrupt he then went to the hospital and saw patients until 2 pm, and came back to find the Director alone. They had cordial greetings, and then he told Jonah that he was very busy that day and could not come to Nyahuka, nor could he come the next day, or the next, in fact his schedule was completely booked until November 1. People who have been oppressed tend to become very adept at passive-aggressive resistance. According to my parenting book it is the absolute worst way to handle conflict, but in Africa it is common. There are people who do not want Jonah at Nyahuka. Since he has a letter of appointment, they are now going to delay his arrival as long as possible. This is a district which is desperate for doctors. But Jonah was told to go back home and wait two more weeks. We suspect that those who have been accessing the accounts for the health center have to clean up the books and want time to do that. Meanwhile we heard that one of the other scant few district doctors (posted at Bundibugyo Hospital) is leaving, one has already escaped to Kampala, and the one left behind is threatening to quit. The mismanagement of funds, the disregard for these professionals, threatens to leave us with no doctors at all. So Jonah will return to Kampala tomorrow. He knows what he’s in for, and it is clear that the only thing drawing him back to Bundibugyo is his commitment to our friendship. He is suffering, his family is suffering, and though he believes in the call of God the roadblocks are so tangible that I know he would throw up his hands in disgust and walk away except for the memory of our relationship. I think team works that way for all of us here. The glorious pronouncements of the Kingdom pale in the fire of opposition, but the commitment to the real flesh and blood friends whom we work along-side-of pulls us through. So both sides have retreated to recoup and reload, Jonah to moonlight two more weeks in Kampala, make a little money, see his family. The District office to doctor their records and spend funds and who knows what else. By high noon on Nov 1 we should be back for round two, or is it round two hundred.