I'm Going Back!!!

I know that it has been a while since my last update. But now that I have news concerning Uganda, I thought an update was in order.

Since I have been home, I have moved to California and begun work as a live-in nanny for some of my close friends. This transition has proven to be much harder than I had anticipated, however I have experienced more of His amazing sweet grace and in the newness that is my life now, I have been given space to continue to process what I learned during my time in Uganda.

I am loving that I can embrace the weather that I enjoyed in Uganda by living in Sunny San Diego! I think living in Indy during this perpetual never ending winter, may possibly have done me in! I am not liking the fact that lessons learned during my time in Uganda are often times harder to put into practice here. I have allowed circumstances to dictate my emotions, I have stressed more and rested less, and at times I struggle with how to “be” during this seemingly never ending time of transition. The good news is that I am learning to be kind to myself and allowing His grace to ease my fears and questions.

News From Uganda:

MERCY AND NATHAN are now both HIV NEGATIVE!!!! This is an incredible answer to prayer. Many of you know that I became “mercy’s mommy” during my time there and truly fell in love with the sweet 2 year old. I don’t know all of the scientific reasons for this but apparently being so young, some kids are able to outgrow the virus and test differently as they get older. So much joy! Mercy is also in the process of being adopted by a family in the San Diego area!

NECKLACES: Due to the incredible efforts of my mom and students at Warren Central High School, $5000 has been raised through the sales of the paper necklaces. The money will be used for community loans, medicines, and Welcome Home operational costs.

GOING BACK: I will get to personally deliver the money this July when I travel back to my second home! I am going with a group of people from my old church in Knoxville, TN. We are going on a “fact-finding” trip and meeting with many community leaders and existing organizations to see the need and determine what self-sustaining efforts could be initiated to best support the people and the economy of Uganda. I am excited to introduce this new team to my friends and allow them to experience the beauty that exists across the ocean, on another continent, in another world.


New Blog:
I am starting a new blog: www.racheloblon.blogspot.com This blog will be about my transition, things that I am learning and the new happenings of my life for those of you who are interested. Thanks for your interest in my time in Uganda. Thank you for loving and praying for the people there. Thank you for allowing their stories to affect you and cause you to ask questions. It was truly a joy to share that time with you all.

I Am HOME!

I am home.
It feels good. It feels right. I have missed my family and friends. I have missed my bed. My time in Uganda was just right. As I attempt to sum up my experiences, I wanted to attempt to answer some of the questions that I have been asked since being back…

What was the craziest thing you ate?
Termites and Grasshoppers. My preference would definitely be the Grasshoppers. Very salty.

How was the food?
Excellent. I didn’t really miss American food (except for sushi). It was so good in fact that I actually gained weight in Africa. Yes, it is true…when you see me next, I will be a whole pound heavier…Big adjustment!

What are you not going to miss?
Doing laundry by hand. Breathing in dust. Being surrounded by such incredible need all the time. Being elevated to celebrity status simply because my skin was white.

What do you miss the most?
The people. They were truly some of the most gracious, loving, accepting, welcoming people I have ever met. I was constantly told to greet all the people I love back home and to tell you all that you are welcome…so: Greetings to you from Uganda. You are most welcome to come and visit anytime. They would love to have you! I miss the beautiful kids. I miss walking in the door and hearing “Mommy Rachel! Mommy Rachel!” and having 35 toddlers crawling all over me. I miss little Mercy and her sassy little 2 year old tantrums. I miss Zechariah (age 4) asking me to read him the Bible. (“Mommy Rachel…I want to read the Bible.”). I miss tickling William (the manager at Welcome Home). I miss tickling, dancing and laughing with the mommies. I miss learning with people of Victory Christian Center and having the honor of teaching them.
I miss the pace of life in Africa. I was incredibly busy while I was there and yet never felt hurried. I like that there you take time to greet people and that you make plans with the understanding that something might happen (no transport, rain, an obstinate cow) to change the plans and you just deal with it.
I will miss the weather. I got very spoiled with the high temperatures and sunshine every day. I have “enjoyed” my first snow fall of the season this past weekend…so much so that I actually got my car stuck in my driveway, how you ask? Oh, that would be because I refused to shovel it and foolishly thought that my little corolla could drive over a few inches of snow and ice! Yes…I miss the warm weather.

Are you wanting to go back?
Long Term? No. I know that I have been called here and that was affirmed and reaffirmed during my time in Uganda. To visit? Absolutely! I have found a home amongst the people of Jinja, Uganda and look forward to holding the babies and being with my sisters and brothers there again sometime soon.

What did you learn? What was your biggest take-away?
The biggest thing that I learned was to simply be. If I had wanted to, I had the opportunity to speak at a different church every Sunday, teach at multiple fellowships in the evenings, do 2-3 VBS programs during the day, and do hospital/prison ministry. While the opportunities were endless I was able to have peace with saying no, often times opting to hold a baby instead and coming to realize that it all is ministry. It all pleases the Lord as long as the heart is in the right place. Being upfront, speaking and teaching did not validate my time there, and while I was happy to do those things occasionally I was able to do them in healthy moderation. Often times, I found that the greater thing for me to do during my time there was to change diapers, do data entry, or read books to the kids. I loved the freedom that came with simply being.

My friend gifted me with the new Sara Groves CD when I got home. The lyrics to I Saw What I Saw do an amazing job of capturing my heart and feelings about my time in Uganda…

I saw what I saw and I can’t forget it
(A Grandma trying to raise 19 grandchildren being evicted from her home and having no where to go)
I heard what I heard and I can’t go back
(The songs of the village choirs, the kids singing and dancing. Their laughter.)
I know what I know and I can’t deny it
(There are people who need to know that they haven’t been forgotten, that someone sees their need and cares. There are people who need to know they are loved.)
Something along the road cut me to the soul

Your pain has changed me
(Telling Diana that Juliana had passed away. Holding her hand and crying with her.)
Your dream inspires
(William building a house for his family of 5 by selling paper necklaces.)
Your face a memory
(Watching Mercy’s eyes light up when I entered the room)
Your hope a fire
(Pastor Timothy having a vision for the Island schools, seeing something better for them and their future)
Your courage asks me what I’m afraid of and what I know of love
What I am made of
What I’m afraid of and what I know of love
And what I know of God

We’ve done what we’ve done and we can’t erase it
We are what we are and its more than enough
We have what we have but its no substitution
Something down the road cut me to the soul

I say what I say with no hesitation
(Africa does not need our sympathy or charity, She needs our support)
I have what I have but I’m giving it up
I do what I do with deep conviction
Something along the road cut me to the soul

I am humbled that the Lord continues to take the energy to teach me and show me new things. I am grateful that He isn’t through with me yet and allows me to go deeper and experience more. I am not content with the status quo, I do not want to hug the wall, I do not want my decisions to be motivated by fear…I want to live this life that He has given me. I want to be challenged with what I see and experience. I want more. I went to Africa to see Him in the faces of the people that I met. I saw Him as I held Juliana. I met Him in the hospital as I prayed for a man who had been paralyzed by a boda boda accident. I fed Him. I clothed Him. I visited Him. I cried with Him. I laughed with Him. I met Him in Uganda. This trip was absolutely everything that I needed it to be and more. The stories and lessons from my time in Uganda are endless. Months from now I am sure that new insights will come and new lessons will be learned. I am embracing this time of transition, this time of learning, this time of reflection. I am honored that I have had the opportunity to go and love and serve the people of Uganda. I am forever changed.

Two weeks from today I will be back home. Back in cold weather. Back to what has always been familiar. Back to the people that I have loved and missed. Back to what I have always known. Yet I know I am coming back different, changed. I am coming back to hopefully view the familiar through different eyes, to love more deeply, and to serve more freely. And while I am looking forward to coming home and to what’s next, I am aware of the time here passing quickly and am desperately trying to sit in these last moments and drink in all that Uganda is and has to offer.

I had an amazing weekend. It was Ashley’s birthday on Saturday so she and I went to lay out by our favorite pool and eat our favorite food here (Mexican!). We have gone to the Mexican restaurant quite a bit and after eating there again last night, the owner offered us a free meal on him next week as his thank you and farewell gift to us! (I know that my dad is incredibly proud right now…getting free things in Africa. I am my father’s daughter!). Afterwards we put on our African wear that a tailor made for us. I straightened and blow dried my hair, and put on make-up for the first time in almost 3 months! It was great. We then met up with our friends and had a great dinner complete with birthday cake and chocolate chip cookies.

Sunday was my last official Sunday at Victory Christian Center, the church that I have been attending and teaching at during my time here. Some of the youth were dancing in the back again during worship and Tiffany and I decided to join this time. And while I consider myself above average in the keeping rhythm department…there is something extra that God gave to Africans in the realm of being able to shake and move things that us white people didn’t even know existed, that leaves me looking like an amateur and laughing hysterically at myself while trying to keep up. It was fabulous.

It was family day for the church and about 180 of the 200 members showed up in the afternoon to travel by bus to a large campground to celebrate life together. It was supposed to be from 3-6 but the day of we learned that it would start at 1. True to African time, at 2:30 we left for the field. There are truly no words to capture how incredibly wonderful this day was. They dressed up some of my friends in gomezs, the traditional Ugandan wear for mothers, and they performed a few songs. I was dressed in a Ugandan t-shirt and a wrap skirt, given a bracelet and a small purse and sent outside where I was met with the church holding markers waiting to write all over my shirt telling me how much they loved me and would miss me. Later I too had the ‘privilege’ of wearing a Gomez and getting to sing and dance for the church. I was given cards, pictures, and a small coin purse. The pastor’s mom, Jaja Joy, gifted me with a large woven straw mat. It is absolutely beautiful, probably too big to get it home, but tears flowed as this elderly, joyful woman, who has blessed my life and taught me so much during my time here, stood in front of me with this gift telling me how much she loved me and how grateful she was to me for loving her people. I was humbled and honored by the people that have quickly become family during my time here in Uganda. Everything was a big deal and a reason to celebrate. They played tug-of-war and you would have thought that the winners had just won the World Cup by the way they screamed and yelled and ran around jumping and dancing! Two cakes were prepared for the church and everyone came around to count down from 5 for the cutting of the cake. I don’t think the tears stopped the entire time. The majority coming from pure joy. So much laughter. So much that could never be captured by a camera but will instead remain in my heart and mind as my own special blessing that I received from the beautiful people of VCC. That day I saw the Church being the Church in the way that Jesus intended all along. People from different tribes and tongues, all ages, laughing and loving each other, doing life together in such a way that displayed His beauty in incredible ways to all who were present. I think our Father was laughing and crying right along with us that day.

One of the interns that stays with us, John, was born and raised here in Jinja. It has been very interesting getting to know him and spending considerable amounts of time together. We were talking once about how it was very difficult for him and intense culture shock for him to be surrounded by Muzungus all the time. How out-of-place he felt because he didn’t get the jokes or understand what was being discussed. I find it fascinating that a man can feel so out-of-place in his own country and how us Muzungus were feeling the same thing being in a place that is not our home. He went to dinner with some of the girls last weekend and was incredibly offended and uncomfortable the entire time. Some of the girls had a beer and went outside to smoke. He told me later that you would never find a woman, especially a Christian woman, drinking or smoking in Uganda. We went to an Indian-owned restaurant. He informed me that you would never usually find him there. (There is a lot of animosity between the Ugandans and Indians because the Indians own most of the businesses and are very rich). The girls, if they had known, would have never drank or smoke in front of John. They love the Lord and are here serving Him, but in Uganda the Christians are very stuck and focused on the Don’ts. Christians Don’t Smoke, Don’t Drink, Don’t go Dancing, some would go as far to say Don’t Hold Hands with the opposite sex because that is consider a part of the act of sex. Pretty extreme. There is very little liberty experienced in Christ here yet. You are defined Christian by what you don’t do. It pains me that people here can look at one action and judge instantly if that person is born again. I guess that isn’t just an African problem. We have become so comfortable in what we don’t do that I wonder if we have enough time to focus on what we do Do as Christians. As I was sharing the Gospel at the hospital with a man, his question was simply, what are the rules that I have to follow? It is not human nature to delight in rules and restrictions, but instead in freedom. How I desperately long to be known as a Christian by what I do…and not just the going to church, reading my Bible, praying kind of doing…which are all incredibly important, but I want to do by loving with a radical love, I want to be known as a person who is so unattached to material things that there would be no hesitation to give to whoever had need, I want to serve in uncomfortable ways, I want to make friends with the unfriendly, I want to be an agent in turning mourning into dancing. I want to worship with all that I am. Those are the things that I want to people to notice and remember about me…not what I didn’t do.

I said it before and I will say it again, I am in love Uganda. I love this culture. I love the people. I love who I am here. Soon I will be leaving this place, but I hope and pray that this place will never leave me. I pray that I have been changed forever as a result of my time here.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This Thanksgiving was the first one that I have not spent with my family, the first one where there was no turkey consumed, and while it was different, my African Thanksgiving was a good one. I woke up and watched the 4 chickens, that we would later on consume that evening, get slaughtered. Interesting. While there was no watching of the Macy Thanksgiving Day Parade or sadly any Football, there was still an incredible feast. All the interns that have been staying at Arise Africa got together with the missionaries there for a great meal. We had Chicken Luambo (a traditional dish only served to the highest guests of honors, it consists of chicken/onions/tomatoes/carrots prepared in banana leaves), green beans, sweet potato casserole complete with jumbo pink marshmallows, mashed potatoes, rolls, corn dogs (voting this becomes a part of the traditional meal from now on, just because!), and of course CRANBERRY SAUCE (not as good as home, but it was there and it was tasty). For dessert we had apple pie, ice cream and mango crumble. All in all, even without the turkey, I was exhausted and full when the meal was over. True to tradition we all ate ‘til we were sick! It was a great day.

There are many times when I get frustrated over the preferential treatment that I and others receive simply because our skin color is white. However, this week, I am grateful for it. Nick and Tiffany were involved in an accident this week. Nick was driving and a boda boda driver (motorcycle) came right out in front of them without looking. Nick hit him and the man came up onto the hood of the car, cracking the windshield and then fell to the ground. The man quickly got up and was taken to the hospital where he was bandaged but then quickly took off (its speculated that he probably didn’t have a license and would get in big trouble if the police caught him.) If Nick would have been anything but white, he would have spent this entire week in jail. In Uganda you are guilty until proven innocent. If he had killed the man, even though it wasn’t his fault, and he was any color other than white, he would have been killed on the spot. Ugandan street justice. We will know hopefully by Monday if everything is resolved and if Nick is free from any further actions needing to be taken. It looks like everything is going to work out, but this particular instance, it paid to be Muzungu.

In the same breath, this week I have been very embarrassed about being white due to CHOGUM (Commonwealth Heads of Government). It is a huge conference going on in the capital city and the Queen of England and the royal family is here in Uganda. There are rumors that some will be coming to Jinja tomorrow, but no one really knows what is going on. At first glance, one would think that this kind of international attention would be great for the economy of Uganda. Many roads were repaired in anticipation of the queen’s coming and a general “clean-up” began happening all over the country. It wasn’t until this week that I became aware of what they were cleaning up. Many Ugandans make their livelihood by selling food on the street or with small kiosks (stores) that line the roads. Because of CHOGUM, they have been told that they cannot sell their food on the streets and many officials have come through and destroyed the kiosks without giving compensation to the owners, all because this sort of thing looks “trashy” and reflects poorly on Ugandan’s image. They are worried about the impression they will make on their foreign visitors. All Ugandans have to carry their I.D. on them at all times throughout CHOGUM. If found without it, they face immediate jail time. The things that Jinja are known for, Bujagali Falls and the Source of the Nile, are off limits to all Ugandans during this time. Only foreigners are allowed. In efforts to show-off Uganda, they have eliminated what makes Uganda, Uganda. They have put the locals out of business. Taxi drivers aren’t allowed in the main city because it would be too congested. The man who was born with polio, yet has created for himself a living by performing at Bujagali, is out of work this week on the off chance that some dignitary will come and visit. When talking to the locals, CHOGUM is viewed as a cuss word and the result of everyone being out of work, they blame that on the Whites. So the Queen won’t have to face the reality of how the local people live, the Ugandan government has cleared the locals out of the way. For the first time since I have been here, I was told to go home. I was actually told to go the ‘F’ home and while the woman was drunk at 2 in the afternoon, I get her sentiment.

What is so bad about the truth? What would be so awful about getting a glimpse of reality? Would it be too hard to see? Too difficult? And why would it be that way? Maybe because intrinsically we know that something is desperately wrong with the way we live in excess while others go without, and yet we don’t know how to change, or want to change, or think that any change would make any type of difference. So we put those who have nothing but their food stands to support themselves, out of work, so that we can feel better when we tour the country. Never seeing the truth and therefore not believing that there is really something terribly wrong with the place.

While Africa is filled with problems and trials and setbacks, there is a strength here that is unparalled to any other place that I have visited. They will find a way to make it. To survive. And while they desperately need help, they do not need our sympathy or our charity. They are a proud people and they have every right to be. They need to learn how to become self-sufficient. They need to learn business and trade that will generate income. They need help getting started, but then they need to be set free to make it theirs and to realize that they can make it on their own.

I am in love with this place, this people. I am taking from Africa way more than I could ever give her. While I was not lost in coming here, I have found myself becoming more of who I was intended to be all along. While I was not blind, I find myself seeing with different eyes. Africa was exactly what my soul had been craving and desiring. I wanted more than mere Christianity. I wanted to step out of the boat and see if I had the faith to walk on the water. I wanted to love people in a radical way. I wanted to go deeper than I have ever been before. I did. I have. And I did.

While Africa is and always will be special to me, there is nothing magical in and of this place alone. God met me here simply because I was ready to be met by Him. He showed me new things simply because I was finally at a place where I could see them.
There have been crazy days here but my life did not become crazy. There have been incredibly busy days and yet my soul never became rushed or frantic. It has taken almost three months, but my life has finally taken on a slower, more peaceful pace, and I am beyond grateful to Africa for that.

One More Month

One month from today I will be back in the United States. My time here is quickly coming to an end. Although it seems like time is flying by, at the same time I feel as though I have been here forever. In two short months I have found a home here in Jinja, Uganda. I have found a community that I love and a new way of doing things that brings a smile to my face and my heart. Don’t get me wrong, I will be ready to come home in a month, but I will also be forever grateful for the time that I have had here.

This past week we went back to the islands. I missed two days due to being sick. At first I thought it was an allergic reaction to a medicine I’m taking but realized instead that it was caused by some unknown insect bites that I got on Monday. There was some definite cause for worry as my body felt like I had the flu but I wasn’t sick. I was in intense ‘take your breath away’ pain for 7 hours straight. If I were at home I would have definitely gone to the doctor, but here the medical care is ‘interesting.’ Unless you have malaria, then it is a guessing game for the doctors to figure out what is ailing you. One of my friends went to the doctor knowing that she had bronchitis and wanting medicine, she left the doctor being diagnosed with cystic fibrosis! Oh Africa. :o)…Fortunately for me, I was able to take benadryl and began to feel better after a couple of days.

Last Sunday I went to the hospital with a group of 15 people to pray for the people there. It is hard to put into words what I saw and experienced. In Uganda there are few doctors and nurses. The need is great. Here, the patient’s families are the ones that are responsible for feeding and caring for them. If you don’t have family, you starve. If you don’t have some one getting the attention of the doctor on your behalf, chances are you will die. The family sleeps under or by the patient’s bed. Life is put on hold for everyone in hopes of getting the patient better again. I went to the Ninth Ward, which is the accident and burn unit. Most of the guys I prayed with and talked to were involved in boda boda accidents and had broken legs with rods sticking through the knees. I met a man named Joseph with some type of stomach ailment. He was there with his wife and told me of the 5 kids at home. He cried as he told me over and over again that he is the one responsible to take care of them but he can’t. He has been at the hospital for over a month now and has no idea how much longer he will be there. I prayed and shared the Gospel with 8 people…4 accepted Christ that day. I am hoping to go again to do some follow-up with them and hopefully give them a Bible in their own language.

The needs, the pain, the suffering are so evident at the hospital. So many of the practices are old-fashioned and compared to American medicine, would be seen as barbaric. We met a mom whose son’s leg was infected and causing severe problems. The decision was made to amputate, and with no anesthesia or even painkillers, they literally just cut the leg off. Women in need of c-sections have them without any pain medication at all. Women who have lost their babies in childbirth are left in the same hallway as women who have delivered healthy babies. They are doing the best they can at the hospital but its not good enough. The need is overwhelming. I felt very small as I moved amongst the hurting and the sick.

The police here are interesting. It is hard at times to know what they actually do. We asked some workers at the orphanage and they said that they check to see how many people you have in your car, others said that the police are only concerned with matters that affect government officials. Either way, there is a lot of corruption in the police force here in Uganda. A man was stabbed multiple times and was left to die outside of the orphanage’s gate. Esther went to the police with a worker and was told that there wasn’t anything they could do. The man was going to die anyway. Esther insisted that they come and take this man to the hospital. They replied that they needed money for petrol. Fortunately, Esther was insistent and they came and got the man…but all the while looking for a bribe to do what supposedly is their job. Nick was driving past the dam the other day and saw a body floating in the water. It had apparently been reported to the police an hour earlier but the police officers standing on either end of the dam had no idea that there was a body there. Crimes are often left unreported by Ugandans because the police usually accuse the one reporting the crime and put them in jail without trial.

On a positive note, the visits to the islands were once again incredible. I was able to purchase 25 bibles written in Lugandan and we distributed amongst the five islands we went to. We taught the story of Noah all week and taught the kids how to make rain using their hands, they loved it. I also taught the song “I am a Friend of God” and we danced around like crazy people. The students put so much time in preparing for our visits once again. We witnessed some incredible traditional dances and dramas and songs. There are no words to truly capture how warm and welcoming the people of Uganda are. After our first visit to Lwanika, apparently many of the orphans from the school went around saying that Mirembe (my Ugandan name) was their mommy. I have been embraced by the people here and it will be hard to leave. I hope to go back to the islands the week before I leave in order to say good-bye.

A mom of triplets, who were raised at Welcome Home and who have since been placed back in the home, came this past week needing another business loan. She successfully paid back her first loan and used it to open a small food stand. I was able to give her 150,000USH. She was incredibly appreciative. I love the concept of investing in the business loans…ideally the money will be continually reused to better the lives of Ugandans without giving handouts or charity. The people getting these loans are taught responsibility in having to pay them back and then are left with a sense of pride and accomplishment that can’t be given away but must be earned.

Bagaga Yhahaya, an 18yr old boy, came to Welcome Home looking for assistance for his family. His parents both died and he is currently responsible for 5 brothers and sisters ranging from 12 years to 2 ½ years. They were a Muslim family but when the father died they converted to Christianity. They were kicked out of their village, which was primarily Muslim and left with no one to help them and nowhere to go. I was able to give them money for food over the weekend and there are few organizations that are working to get this family some more help.

There is grandmother that a number of us are trying to help right now as well. She is looking after 20 grandchildren by herself. The oldest is 14 and the youngest is 1 ½. All of her children died of AIDS and she is left to care for the babies. The house that she was renting was sold and she was told that she had 2 weeks to find another place to live. Two days later we get a call that all of her stuff was being thrown out of the house and she had to leave that day. A few volunteers that are here from Canada went and moved the grandma and her family to temporary housing near the school where the children attend. There are a lot of people trying to help to find this woman land and work so that she can properly care for the children.

The need is immense. The workers and resources are few. Yet, everyday lives are being changed for the better. This has been a very hard, yet very rewarding two months in Uganda so far. I look forward to taking advantage of the time that I have left here to learn, to grow, and to continue to be changed.

***To view more pictures follow this link: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=67067&l=1dfda&id=826780108

Only A Shadow

There is a song by Misty Edwards called “Only a Shadow” that has spoken to me a lot these past few weeks. It plays off of Ps 23:4, “even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…” In the song it repeats the line… “Though I walk through the valley, its only a shadow, its only a shadow.” There is something about that concept that speaks straight to my heart especially during my time here in Africa.

A shadow is dark. Kids often fear their shadows. Often times it is looming and seemingly unending, yet with years comes perspective and as kids grow into adults the shadow loses its mystery and more importantly the fear that was once associated with it. But a shadow is still dark. A shadow is still seemingly unending…but it is only a shadow. No one knows when the shadow will end and be no more,, but the promise is that it is only a shadow.

Juliana’s passing was only a shadow. It was dark. It was hard. But it was only a shadow. Now, there is light. Her aunt Diana came by after the funeral to receive some pictures of Juliana that I had printed up for her. As she waited she shared her story with me. She is 22years old. She is herself an orphan, both parents dying when she was really young. At age 16 she got pregnant and now has a 5year old boy that she is raising on her own. She is 2 years away from completing her degree but has no money and no means to get money to finish her schooling. She asked if there was any work she could do at Welcome Home…the problem is that in order for her to make enough money to get back in school it would take years. So instead, I was able to give her a business loan. I told her that she needed to do the research and find out the cost of starting a small business in her village and to come back in a week with her proposal. A week passed, and there was Diana. She had written out a detailed proposal for opening a small cosmetic/beauty kiosk. She was given 500,000USH which is about $300. She was beyond grateful and beyond excited to get started. Her first payment is due in one month. There is light. Her family will never be the same. If this business succeeds not only will she have the means to keep her son in school, but she will eventually be able to complete her degree. The money will be paid back over a year and a half and then others will be able to use the money for similar loans. None of this would of happened if Juliana had not passed away, if the family had not come to Welcome Home. So Juliana’s story continues. Her short life was only a shadow, but now there is Light and with Light comes a bit of understanding.

We have been doing a lot of work at Welcome Home lately to return some of the children to their home villages. Many of the kids’ mothers died in childbirth and the fathers weren’t able to take care of them at the present time. Now there are 6 families who are ready and willing to take their children back and raise them themselves. We have given business loans to the families so they can start generating income. It has been a roller coaster of emotions for me as I have gone on the home visits with the kids. There is something beautiful about a child going home, about the entire community coming to welcome the child. However, the American in me struggles with picturing the kids in the villages. At Welcome Home they are given 3 meals a day, they have clothes, shoes, indoor plumbing, power, immediate access to health care and a bookshelf full of books and bins full of toys…they won’t have that in the village. Most will eat only one meal a day, they will be responsible for doing their own laundry, working in the fields, gathering water…it is almost as if childhood is taken from them and for the first time they are faced with responsibility. Most will still have the opportunity to be educated in the local schools, but then what? Chances are they will remain in the village their entire lives…Yet, I go out to the villages daily and see joy and community and love unparalleled and I don’t question the kids being there that I meet. I don’t pity them or wish I could take them away from their present circumstances. Who’s to say that life in America is better than life in an African village? Obviously the quick response is, of course it is…there is hope and future and opportunity. But is it better? Are more opportunities greater than the love of an entire extended community? Is the fast-paced culture of America better than a culture that strolls rather than sprints, a culture who finds it necessary to take time out for tea and for 5 minute hello’s and goodbyes’? The more I am here, the more I don’t see America as better, but simply different. Of course I think it would be great for all to have the means to be educated, to have good healthcare, to have electricity and indoor plumbing, and yet we don’t even have that in America. Life is different here, but even life is only a shadow.

Today I gave Christine 70,000USH (approx. $40) to have transport home to her village in Northern Uganda. She has cancer and she is dying. She has a place here in Jinja but she can’t take care of herself and has no one to help her. She knows she is dying and her only request was that she wouldn’t have to die by herself. She is going home to be with her family. Her shadow is dark and looming but this pain, this disease, is only a shadow and she saw some light today as she received the money necessary to go home.

Life, death, pain, suffering…all of it is only a shadow. And while the shadow itself is a place of grief and tears, fear and uncertainty…the promise is that it is only a shadow. The darkness is not permanent and that brings incredible light to my soul as I continue to serve here in Uganda.

Life in Africa

I have been here for almost 2 months now. Everyday holds new challenges and new adventures. I am still in love with this place and with the people. One of my favorite things right now is that I can’t walk anywhere around town without running into someone that I know. It may be other volunteers, people from the church, mommies from the orphanage, or shop owners that I have come to know by name, whoever it may be, I love that I am feeling more and more apart of the community here.

I have done my best to acclimate myself. I am “enjoying” doing my laundry by hand. I usually do it 2-3x/week. I scrub it out with detergent, rinse it, and then let it soak in hot water for the evening. In the morning I wring it out and hang it on the clothesline in my room. I could easily have some of the workers do my laundry here for a small fee, but there is just something about the “African” experience and doing laundry by hand that I find to be a necessary part of my time here :o)

I am loving the Ugandan cuisine. I ate termites! Interesting. They are called white ants and they are best fried. I’m not adventurous enough to eat them when they are still alive. Some say they taste like cracker jacks…they are liars…but I am glad that I tried them. I love the fresh fish, the beans and rice, and my all time favorite is the cabbage.

I have been using public transportation more and more. They call them boda bodas and they are motorcycles (some in better shape than others). As a female it is culturally appropriate for me to sit with my legs off to the side and to hang on to the back of the small seat. The cost is usually about 1000USH, which translates to approx $0.60. It is a quick and efficient way to get around town…scary at times on the busier roads, but an adventure nonetheless. The roads in general are best avoided, not practical, but still the best option. There are no laws here when it comes to driving and the roads. If there are laws and if they are broken, the police would have to chase the offender by foot as there are VERY limited police cars available. Most of the time it is an intense game of Chicken being played out before your eyes…there are 5 cars coming at you, all drivers looking drunk since they are constantly swerving to avoid the numerous potholes, and all you are aimed with is your turn signal to indicate to them that you are coming and they need to get over. Too many near misses to count.

Many of you know my “luck” with lawn mowing. I’m hoping that my time here in Africa will forever rid me of my complaints. Here they use machetes and goats to mow their lawns…I could potentially get into the whole goat thing but unfortunately in America we have Home Associations who would probably frown on such activity.

Power has become more and more unreliable these past few weeks. We are in the middle of rainy season, which translates into many severe storms. Some places have been without power for over 3 weeks now. Fortunately my guest house uses the same line as the hospital, so we are usually only without power for a few hours at a time.

This is a fairly efficient African country…compared to America it is considerably behind, but this isn’t America. In my mind, getting to the bank, paying utility bills, eating lunch, and checking internet, equals a very successful day. The problem is that often there is no rhyme or reason to how they do things. For instance, some came into the country and received a 3 month visa without any problem. We were only given a one month and had to go to immigration to get approved for two more months. I wrote out my request and was told to come back in a half hour, it was tea time. I’m sure if I were staying here long term that the lack of rhyme or reason would potentially become frustrating, but for now I just shrug my shoulders and laugh…After all, this is Africa.