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