Noah's Ark is a Tearfund partner in Uganda that helps children affected by civil conflict. Here Tearfund's TIM RABY reports on our partner's work in a country that is still crying out for reconciliation.
IN the shade provided by a tarpaulin draped over a wooden frame in the village of Koro, I listened as Prisca, a staff member of Noah's Ark, and the grandfather of Geoffrey Ongaya haggled over the conditions under which he would accept his grandson back into his home.
Since August 2007, Geoffrey has stayed at the Noah's Ark Centre in Gulu, northern Uganda.
Before that he was living on the streets, and before that he lived in a camp for people displaced by the conflict that started in the late 1980s.
It was from these camps that Uganda's 'night commuters' - most of them young children - would trek into the towns of northern Uganda that offered them better protection from the raids and abductions of the Lord's Resistance Army.
Secure
Northern Uganda is now much more secure than it was at the height of the conflict in 2006, when Noah's Ark hosted over 7,000 children a night, but, although not forced to 'commute' any more, children remain affected by the conflict.
When Geoffrey's mother remarried, she moved to Masindi, around a hundred miles from Gulu.
She was not able to put Geoffrey through school, however, so he returned to Gulu, looking for his father.
He had not been with his family for long when he was caught stealing from his grandfather, who promptly threw him out of his house.
Distrust
His grandfather had the responsibility for looking after many of his grandchildren and, given the poverty in which most families in northern Uganda live as a result of the conflict, no doubt felt that there were more deserving cases than Geoffrey.
When Geoffrey came to the streets, he was befriended by Noah's Ark.
Reluctantly, Geoffrey agreed to come to live in the centre and the long process of resettling him back to his family began.
Noah's Ark have learnt that reconciliation is the key to a successful resettlement, and have had to convince the local government that its policy of picking up street children and simply taking them home is unhelpful and even unproductive, as children often return to the streets with a greater distrust of authority.
Home visit
After a series of discussions with Geoffrey's father and grandfather and the local government's probation officer, Geoffrey's family held a meeting, the result of which was Geoffrey's visit to his home.
His grandfather agreed to take Geoffrey back in, as long as Geoffrey agreed to attend school or vocational training.
Noah's Ark will now discuss this suggestion with Geoffrey and with the headteacher of a local school to decide on the next steps.
he reconciliation of Geoffrey to his family is a symbol of the process currently underway in northern Uganda.
Grievances
For the last two years, the Ugandan Government and the LRA have being working through a peace process.
Both sides have grievances and the people of northern Uganda have been caught in the middle.
Many (including the International Criminal Court) want to see the perpetrators of the terrible crimes committed by the LRA during the conflict tried and sentenced to prison.
Others (including church leaders) regard reconciliation and forgiveness as the keys to bringing a just and sustainable end to the long conflict.
No tears
In a situation where perhaps 80-90 per cent of the LRA soldiers who committed these crimes were abducted themselves, distinguishing between victims and criminals is difficult.
At the end of the meeting in Koro, there were no tears and no hugs.
The process of reconciliation between Geoffrey and his family still has a long way to run, and, concerning the bigger picture, a final peace agreement has not yet been signed.
But progress is being made, and as long as there are those who are willing to pursue forgiveness and reconciliation for the sake of peace and justice, northern Uganda can still hope for a brighter future.
Noah's Ark is a Tearfund partner in Uganda that helps children affected by civil conflict. Here Tearfund's TIM RABY reports on our partner's work in a country that is still crying out for reconciliation.IN the shade provided by a tarpaulin draped over a wooden frame in the village of Koro, I listened as Prisca, a staff member of Noah's Ark, and the grandfather of Geoffrey Ongaya haggled over the conditions under which he would accept his grandson back into his home.
Since August 2007, Geoffrey has stayed at the Noah's Ark Centre in Gulu, northern Uganda.
Before that he was living on the streets, and before that he lived in a camp for people displaced by the conflict that started in the late 1980s.
It was from these camps that Uganda's 'night commuters' - most of them young children - would trek into the towns of northern Uganda that offered them better protection from the raids and abductions of the Lord's Resistance Army.
Secure
Northern Uganda is now much more secure than it was at the height of the conflict in 2006, when Noah's Ark hosted over 7,000 children a night, but, although not forced to 'commute' any more, children remain affected by the conflict.
When Geoffrey's mother remarried, she moved to Masindi, around a hundred miles from Gulu.
She was not able to put Geoffrey through school, however, so he returned to Gulu, looking for his father.
He had not been with his family for long when he was caught stealing from his grandfather, who promptly threw him out of his house.
Distrust
His grandfather had the responsibility for looking after many of his grandchildren and, given the poverty in which most families in northern Uganda live as a result of the conflict, no doubt felt that there were more deserving cases than Geoffrey.
When Geoffrey came to the streets, he was befriended by Noah's Ark.
Reluctantly, Geoffrey agreed to come to live in the centre and the long process of resettling him back to his family began.
Noah's Ark have learnt that reconciliation is the key to a successful resettlement, and have had to convince the local government that its policy of picking up street children and simply taking them home is unhelpful and even unproductive, as children often return to the streets with a greater distrust of authority.
Home visit
After a series of discussions with Geoffrey's father and grandfather and the local government's probation officer, Geoffrey's family held a meeting, the result of which was Geoffrey's visit to his home.
His grandfather agreed to take Geoffrey back in, as long as Geoffrey agreed to attend school or vocational training.
Noah's Ark will now discuss this suggestion with Geoffrey and with the headteacher of a local school to decide on the next steps.
The reconciliation of Geoffrey to his family is a symbol of the process currently underway in northern Uganda.
Grievances
For the last two years, the Ugandan Government and the LRA have being working through a peace process.
Both sides have grievances and the people of northern Uganda have been caught in the middle.
Many (including the International Criminal Court) want to see the perpetrators of the terrible crimes committed by the LRA during the conflict tried and sentenced to prison.
Others (including church leaders) regard reconciliation and forgiveness as the keys to bringing a just and sustainable end to the long conflict.
No tears
In a situation where perhaps 80-90 per cent of the LRA soldiers who committed these crimes were abducted themselves, distinguishing between victims and criminals is difficult.
At the end of the meeting in Koro, there were no tears and no hugs.
The process of reconciliation between Geoffrey and his family still has a long way to run, and, concerning the bigger picture, a final peace agreement has not yet been signed.
But progress is being made, and as long as there are those who are willing to pursue forgiveness and reconciliation for the sake of peace and justice, northern Uganda can still hope for a brighter future.