For Evaline, as for Jennifer, it was hard to find classes in the United States that could accommodate a teen learning at a second- or third-grade level. Now back in Uganda, Evaline was still struggling in school.
Sometimes classmates were nice; sometimes they made mean comments about Evaline's injury or were jealous of her time in the United States.
The impudence Jennifer picked up in the United States showed again on her first day of school, five days after we arrived. The 90 or so other students in her fourth-grade class immediately pulled out pens and paper and took notes when the teacher wrote on the chalkboard; Jennifer sat there as if the lessons didn't apply to her. She was also the only student with a bright red water bottle, brought from America, on her desk.
At home, she began lecturing her mother and Alice, who has a son. Jennifer felt that she now knew more than they did about how to take care of children.
When Jennifer's little brother had a stomachache, Regina gave him medication, confident it would make him feel better. It did. Yet Jennifer argued he must be taken to a hospital that had a laboratory for immediate tests.
(In the United States, Americans rich and poor were moved by Jennifer's plight and contributed to a fund to get her top-notch medical care. Because of the surgery and medications, when she felt ill she usually was taken to a doctor. Jennifer never understood that most Americans don't get such medical attention - and at no cost.)
Jennifer has opportunities now that few other children in northern Uganda will ever have. As I said goodbye, she seemed happy to see me go, yet reluctant to part with her last direct tie to America. Then without another glance, she walked away to continue her journey.
To see more photgraphs of Jennifer's journey back to Uganda, go to http://go.philly.com/journey
To read more about Jennifer's journey by Editorial Board member Carolyn Davis, go to http://go.philly.com/jennifer
Contact Carolyn Davis at cdavis@phillynews.com or 215-854-4214.
