Injustices

I seem to have bad luck with security guards.  They are unreasonable people that are determined to demonstrate their limited power.   Being the stubborn, hard headed person that I am, I don't take to well to it being demonstrated on my kids.  (Read about my last run in here)

These kids have never had anyone defend them.  Like, literally never.  Tons of people have witnessed them being beat and have done nothing nor jumped in to help them.  One of the boys on the street was in the hospital for 2 days at the end of last week because some mechanics found him looking for plastic bottles near their workshop.  Their solution?  To get him, tie him up, and beat him almost to death just to show him they didn't want him there.  These boys have had more than their fair share of persecution.  More than their fair share of undeserved beatings.  And never, has anyone stood up for them.

They need to see that they are worth defending.  That someone loves them enough to fight for them.  It is not merely enough to say "I love you" or meet their basic needs.  Love is about action.  They need to visibly see what it is to love someone.  They haven't had the best role models of love in their life.  Almost every single person that has said that they loved them has hurt them immeasurably.

I want to be different.

I want them to see my love.

And sometimes that means I get myself in a lot of trouble.

Like yesterday.

I went to a local secondary school to see one of my boys perform.  The security let me in without barely saying anything.  They let maybe 10 of the boys in with hardly 2 words.  As we were sitting there waiting for the performance, some of the boys that were supposed to meet us came and said they wouldn't let them in.  So I went to get them and the security said nothing.

But then, as we were walking away they wanted to show off.  They just wanted to give us problems and because I wouldn't kneel down and beg them to let the boys enter, I got completely kicked out of the school with 5 of the boys that were trying to enter late.  I could have started shouting or refused to leave as the rest of my boys were still inside, but instead not wanting to cause a huge scene, I left peacefully.  I told them it was stupid and ridiculous, but I left.

I called someone inside and told them what happened.  He tried to come and fix it but everyone was unhelpful and I stayed kicked outside.  Everyone that came to find out what was wrong with me, got kicked out too.  Quickly, we were about 11 people outside, me and about 10 boys, but 2 of our visitors were still inside with 5 other boys.  The one came to see where I went and I told her the problem and told her they would all find us at home.  As we were getting ready to leave, I was telling one of the boys where to take her after they left, when the security guard got really hostile and tried to kick him out.  I tried to explain to him that he couldn't without our other visitor, but he was unreasonable and got a really big stick. And I went into psycho mama bear protective mode.

In an effort to stop one of my boys from being caned, I stepped between the boy and the security guard and told him he better not touch my kid.  Have I mentioned that men here don't like to be put in their place by women?  Especially white women?

Well...he shouldn't have tried to cane my kid.

So what happened next was pretty much out of control and best described as a royal rumble.  I shouted at him not to touch my kid, and since I was in the way, he was about to cane me instead.  He swung the stick and in an effort to prevent me from being hit with the really big stick, one of the boys pushed the security guard and got hit straight across his face with the stick (3 stitches later and a really puffy face and nose...).

It all happened really fast but I remember trying to take the stick from the security guard because he was about to hit me or one of the boys.  We struggled for a bit over the stick but he finally got it away from me and hit me seriously across my neck.  I'm pretty sure I was going for blood then (Who hits girls???  and children??? Apparently Ugandan men.) but one of the boys pulled me away.  Probably a good thing.

Did I mention that he had us trapped? And we couldn't get away from the lunatic security guards(they were 3 by the end of it) all swinging sticks at least 4 feet long and 2 inches wide.

Did I mention that in all 34 years of my life I don't think I have ever been in a single fight?  Not on the playground when I was younger.  Not in the neighbourhood.  Never.

If I was to be in a fight, there is no one on earth that I would rather fight for than these boys.

I will tell you how it all ended in the next post.

Don't worry we are all fine.  My neck just has a dull ache and miraculously no bruise.  I am sure that tomorrow it will be fine.  The one boy's face will be fine, but you could be praying it won't scar.  He doesn't want one more scar, especially on his face in the middle of his forehead.