Tale of Wisdom from a Ugandan Youth

A tale of two villages of different ethnicities divided by a thick forest.  

This forest was their sole survival, from it came firewood, fruits and meat.  The differences between these two societies created conflict that resulted in one viewing the other as their enemy.

While the forest was their survival it was also haunted by a big snake. The time came when men and women from both villages who entered this forest to gather food never came back–the big snake was feasting on them. The cries of their loved ones reached the kings of both villages.   The king of the first village responded by saying, “The king of the second village will command his subjects and army to go to the forest and kill the snake.”   Meanwhile, the king of the second village said, “The king of the first village will kill the snake.”

“What is together bites the meat”

During all the time that the kings transferred  responsibility from one village to the other, the snake kept killing and growing bigger as people in both villages starved.

One day, the two kings had to put their differences aside. People from the two villages decided to work amicably to fight the snake. They gathered all the weapons they could and surrounded the snake from all directions leaving no room for escape. At last, the big snake was killed and the two villages feasted together and put all their differences in the past.

This story tells us of how we can do great things, solve great problems through team work and cooperation. It reminds me of a Ugandan proverb that says that says: “What is together bites the meat.”

CAF’s first patient in Uganda in 2003 was Bonney Amadoi (called Junior).   At age 13 he had lost both mother and father and was himself HIV positive.    He possessed many talents–including writing—and gained great wisdom and perspective from the challenges life handed him.