definition time.
high = thinking about Uganda every day, but not obsessively
low = thinking about Uganda every day, obsessively
now that we've got that out of the way, I can speak more clearly.
I've been having a lot of lows recently. And lows are good, really. But at other times, they're just downright NOT good because it's hard to be productive when you're not focused.
Part of what contributed to a recent low was that I found out I MAY have the POSSIBILITY of going back next year. So really, it's not likely. But wanting to be optomistic, I'll give myself a 25% chance of it happening.
And last time I checked, 25% was a lot higher than 0%, which is what I was at a month ago. So I have a smidge of hope. And even if it doesn't work out, it's reminded me that I don't have to be in control for God to be working. There could be lots going on behind the scenes that I have NO idea about. And that's basically how God's been operating in my life the past couple of years - dropping things in my lap that had been a long time in the making but I had no idea about.
Oh my word. I miss Uganda. It's ridiculous how much I can miss a place that I was only at for 10 nights. I've been in the US of A for WELL OVER 5000 nights, and didn't miss it nearly as much as I am missing Uganda. Reason why = no clue. It's probs just a God-thing.
And how is it possible to think of Uganda every stinking day? I have been home for 123 days. That is a lot of thinking. I'm wondering if there's any way to get a credit on Uganda or something. Seriously.
Whoa! I've been home EXACTLY four months. Exactly four months ago I was "enjoying" the last 1.5 hours of the plane ride. Holy. Stankin'. Catfish.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
bullet-pointing my thoughts
- Still haven't changed my watch yet. Nope, not gonna do it.
- If there's one kid that melts my heart when I think about him, it's definitely Trevor. Even typing his name gets to me. He is such a sweet kid, oh my word. Head over heels.
- The fact that there were 474 pictures taken on the first day at the Redeemer House. What in the world? How did my battery last and my card not fill up? It's just wonderful.
- So excited about all the kids getting adopted!
- Honestly, Ugandans have such perfect eyes. How is that even possible?
Saturday, August 20, 2011
More thoughts.
I thought I was over the rough part of returning home – you know, the part where all you think about is the kids that you met, the poverty you saw, the overall work of God there, and you just want to go back ASAP before you get too used to living in the “same old” America. And I thought that was gone, for the most part. I of course want to go back – no question there, but I had stopped obsessing over the kids in my mind all the time (and things like that).
Whelp. It didn’t last long. I became facebook friends with some of the A Perfect Injustice aunties and it all came back. =) I looked through their pictures and the stories and faces that went along with it, and it was just BAD in a good way. Facebook is already addicting, it’s even worse when you get caught looking at pictures of kids you are in love with and miss so much – and you see pictures of them doing drugs.
It’s not pleasant, my friend.
Something I keep thinking about, is that it makes absolutely no sense for me to love Uganda. Honestly.
I love cold weather and summer is my least favorite season. Uganda is like a summer-wonderland. I used to think missionaries were kind of old-fashioned (no offense). I can’t stop thinking about missions/ministry. There was a time when I did not like idea of flying internationally and was more than content to stay in the good old USofA. I love flying, and now miss the excitement of international travel. And no fear of flying is going to keep me from going to Uganda. I don’t like trying new foods, AT ALL. Uganda … has new foods. And though I basically stuck with the basics and what I knew, I DID try some goat (!) and if/when I go back I will expand my variety. I like being clean. I really miss the dirty feet thing I had going over there. And laughing at how much dirt would still be on my feet and legs even after a shower. Comfort zone: I like to stay in it. Uganda: not in my comfort zone.
There’s more, I’m sure. Uganda = not really my style. But when God has you fall in love with something, you can’t help but not care about the non-important stuff because caring about that isn’t really worth it in the end. But being in Uganda was worth it, and I didn’t even THINK about most of that stuff because, disconcerting as it may be in the States, it’s just not a big deal when you’re over there. There’s more important stuff to think about.
Anyway, just some thoughts.
Whelp. It didn’t last long. I became facebook friends with some of the A Perfect Injustice aunties and it all came back. =) I looked through their pictures and the stories and faces that went along with it, and it was just BAD in a good way. Facebook is already addicting, it’s even worse when you get caught looking at pictures of kids you are in love with and miss so much – and you see pictures of them doing drugs.
It’s not pleasant, my friend.
Something I keep thinking about, is that it makes absolutely no sense for me to love Uganda. Honestly.
I love cold weather and summer is my least favorite season. Uganda is like a summer-wonderland. I used to think missionaries were kind of old-fashioned (no offense). I can’t stop thinking about missions/ministry. There was a time when I did not like idea of flying internationally and was more than content to stay in the good old USofA. I love flying, and now miss the excitement of international travel. And no fear of flying is going to keep me from going to Uganda. I don’t like trying new foods, AT ALL. Uganda … has new foods. And though I basically stuck with the basics and what I knew, I DID try some goat (!) and if/when I go back I will expand my variety. I like being clean. I really miss the dirty feet thing I had going over there. And laughing at how much dirt would still be on my feet and legs even after a shower. Comfort zone: I like to stay in it. Uganda: not in my comfort zone.
There’s more, I’m sure. Uganda = not really my style. But when God has you fall in love with something, you can’t help but not care about the non-important stuff because caring about that isn’t really worth it in the end. But being in Uganda was worth it, and I didn’t even THINK about most of that stuff because, disconcerting as it may be in the States, it’s just not a big deal when you’re over there. There’s more important stuff to think about.
Anyway, just some thoughts.
 |
| i throw my hands up in the air sometimes, saying eh-oh, gotta let go |
Memories
-After Jeb gave Akyram and Nicolaus their books, one boy came up to me and said, "Praise God!" Praise God, indeed.
-How welcoming the boys in the slum were. It wasn't awkward, strange or anything. They welcomed us and I felt like an old friend coming back. Those kids are amazing.
-How I had to remind myself, and still remind myself that those kids, in the orphanage and on the streets, HAD BAD PASTS. They seem so normal. The kids in the orphanage didn't act like they had been abandoned, starved, had parents killed by the Lord's Resistance Army, had HIV/AIDS, been abused or mistreated. It's only God that can cause a child with such a horrible background to be so loving and "normal".
-The boys on the streets were definitely a LOT rougher. I mean, yeah, they live on the streets and in pretty bad conditions. They huff jet fuel to get high and to help block out the hunger and cold at night so they can sleep. Lots of other stuff going on that I'm sure I don't know about. It's just a bad scenario. But even with the rough edges, it was so easy to be with them. To play games and learn from them. I forgot that they were street kids.
-Singing the Doxology in the middle of a Ugandan restaurant the day we were in the slums. I mean, a group of muzungus singing in a restaurant. Picture it. It's awesome.
-Driving down the streets outside of Jinja and hearing people yell "muzungus, money!" I wish we didn't stand out. I would have loved seeing everyone in their normal state, not gaping and yelling at us. Not everyone did, but a good number.
-learning the word "sugarcane", which is "ekikajjo". When you pronounce it correctly it sounds something like "Chicago". =)
-How welcoming the boys in the slum were. It wasn't awkward, strange or anything. They welcomed us and I felt like an old friend coming back. Those kids are amazing.
-How I had to remind myself, and still remind myself that those kids, in the orphanage and on the streets, HAD BAD PASTS. They seem so normal. The kids in the orphanage didn't act like they had been abandoned, starved, had parents killed by the Lord's Resistance Army, had HIV/AIDS, been abused or mistreated. It's only God that can cause a child with such a horrible background to be so loving and "normal".-The boys on the streets were definitely a LOT rougher. I mean, yeah, they live on the streets and in pretty bad conditions. They huff jet fuel to get high and to help block out the hunger and cold at night so they can sleep. Lots of other stuff going on that I'm sure I don't know about. It's just a bad scenario. But even with the rough edges, it was so easy to be with them. To play games and learn from them. I forgot that they were street kids.
-Singing the Doxology in the middle of a Ugandan restaurant the day we were in the slums. I mean, a group of muzungus singing in a restaurant. Picture it. It's awesome.
-Driving down the streets outside of Jinja and hearing people yell "muzungus, money!" I wish we didn't stand out. I would have loved seeing everyone in their normal state, not gaping and yelling at us. Not everyone did, but a good number.
-learning the word "sugarcane", which is "ekikajjo". When you pronounce it correctly it sounds something like "Chicago". =)
Monday, August 8, 2011
{by Richard Stearns}
"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink ..." --Matthew 25:35-36
Jesus' words are a powerful and inspiring reminder as I sit in my office browsing on news websites the stories and images of the staggering tragedy unfolding in the Horn of Africa.
Nearly 10 million people are "critically short of food," according to the United Nations, due to what UN officials say is the region's worst drought since I was born 60 years ago. Those 10 million people live in Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Djibouti and war-ravaged Somalia.
For some, the stories and images will be reminders of the Ethiopian famine. Twenty-five years ago, the images of bloated, dying children, images unlike any others seen before by millions of Americans, prompted a massive outpouring of donations and offers to help. That outpouring culminated in the "Live Aid," concerts in Philadelphia and London, the latter of which brought a group I had never heard of before to the world's attention -- U2.
For others, the name "Somalia" brings back the events of 1991-1994 when hundreds of thousands of Somalis were starving, prompting a U.S.-led peacekeeping force to intervene. That effort led to a military operation against Somali warlords and, regrettably, the deaths of 42 American soldiers.
I am reminded of two things.
First, the faces, the voices and the stories of people I've met in Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda. Kenya was the first nation I visited after joining World Vision in 1998, and where I learned one of the most important lessons of my life: Poverty is not an image, or a statistic; poverty has a face, a name and a story.
Second, I am reminded of the powerful and provocative quote from Josef Stalin: "A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic."
I fear that for many Americans -- Christians and people of other faiths or no faith -- will devote little time or attention, let alone resources, to the people suffering in the Horn of Africa. Rather they are preoccupied with "First World problems":
~~ How fluctuations in the stock market are affecting my 401(k) investments;
~~ Where to go on my next vacation;
~~ Whether to buy "name brand" or "store brand" items in the supermarket;
~~ Which diet and workout regimen will enable me to lose 10 pounds in a month; or
~~ The struggle over my next computer -- a notebook, a laptop, or the new iPad2?
Or worse, they are obsessed with finding out where Casey Anthony might be living, now that she's been released from jail after being acquitted of charges that she murdered her daughter, Caylee. Thousands of Americans followed Ms. Anthony's trial closely, and expressed outrage when she was found not guilty. They wanted justice for Caylee's death. Where's their outrage or sense of justice for the millions of children at-risk of dying in the Horn of Africa? Their lack of attention proves the late Soviet premier's admonition.
Many "First World" Americans have never met a person with "Third World problems":
~~ Whose income is $2 a day and who has never heard of a 401 (K);
~~ Whose only travel plans are traipsing by foot from Somalia into Kenya to a refugee camp;
~~ Whose primary source of drinking water is infested with animal feces, and has never been inside a supermarket;
~~ Who lost 10 pounds in the last week because of too little or even no food, and who has no use for a health club membership; or
~~ Who has no access to electricity, and does not need -- and maybe has not ever seen -- a computer.
I have the privilege of knowing people facing both First World and Third World problems. It is a privilege because, I believe, Jesus would consider it a privilege. He met with, ate meals alongside and learned from those His society considered its lowest and its outcasts -- prostitutes, tax-collectors, the poor and victims of injustice.
He would have been honored to meet and serve people like Hawo, a woman believed to be about 75-years-old who lives in Kalabeyr, a remote town in northern Somalia. Thanks to my World Vision colleagues working in the region, I know more about Hawo, than I ever will know -- or even want to know -- about Casey Anthony.
After the drought killed the more than 500 goats and sheep Hawo and her eight children lived on, they were forced to abandon their pastoral way of life and move to Kalabeyr. The nine of them live in a makeshift tukul, a small room within the compound of one of the town residents.
It is Hawo whom Mark Bowden, United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, might have been thinking of when he said recently: "Resources are woefully inadequate. We have an appeal that is at the moment only 40 per cent met. ... (W)e find ourselves as the humanitarian community in a position that we want and are able to do more, but just don't have the resources with which to do it."
Jesus' words about hunger and thirst, as quoted in Matthew, led me a few years ago to create an NIT version (New Irreverent Translation), one that Americans obsessed with "First World problems" might relate to:
"For I was hungry, while you had all you needed. I was thirsty, but you drank bottled water."
We did not create the desperate conditions of drought and famine threatening the lives of 10 million people in the Horn of Africa. But, as Christians, it is our responsibility to do something about it. It is our moral duty to help our neighbors in need -- here in the U.S. and elsewhere, and God commands us to help those we have the means to help. We cannot look at their situation -- on television, in newspapers or magazines, or on the Internet -- shrug our shoulders, and say, "Not my problem."
Written by Richard Stearns.
Jesus' words are a powerful and inspiring reminder as I sit in my office browsing on news websites the stories and images of the staggering tragedy unfolding in the Horn of Africa.
Nearly 10 million people are "critically short of food," according to the United Nations, due to what UN officials say is the region's worst drought since I was born 60 years ago. Those 10 million people live in Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Djibouti and war-ravaged Somalia.
For some, the stories and images will be reminders of the Ethiopian famine. Twenty-five years ago, the images of bloated, dying children, images unlike any others seen before by millions of Americans, prompted a massive outpouring of donations and offers to help. That outpouring culminated in the "Live Aid," concerts in Philadelphia and London, the latter of which brought a group I had never heard of before to the world's attention -- U2.
For others, the name "Somalia" brings back the events of 1991-1994 when hundreds of thousands of Somalis were starving, prompting a U.S.-led peacekeeping force to intervene. That effort led to a military operation against Somali warlords and, regrettably, the deaths of 42 American soldiers.
I am reminded of two things.
First, the faces, the voices and the stories of people I've met in Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda. Kenya was the first nation I visited after joining World Vision in 1998, and where I learned one of the most important lessons of my life: Poverty is not an image, or a statistic; poverty has a face, a name and a story.
Second, I am reminded of the powerful and provocative quote from Josef Stalin: "A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic."
I fear that for many Americans -- Christians and people of other faiths or no faith -- will devote little time or attention, let alone resources, to the people suffering in the Horn of Africa. Rather they are preoccupied with "First World problems":
~~ How fluctuations in the stock market are affecting my 401(k) investments;
~~ Where to go on my next vacation;
~~ Whether to buy "name brand" or "store brand" items in the supermarket;
~~ Which diet and workout regimen will enable me to lose 10 pounds in a month; or
~~ The struggle over my next computer -- a notebook, a laptop, or the new iPad2?
Or worse, they are obsessed with finding out where Casey Anthony might be living, now that she's been released from jail after being acquitted of charges that she murdered her daughter, Caylee. Thousands of Americans followed Ms. Anthony's trial closely, and expressed outrage when she was found not guilty. They wanted justice for Caylee's death. Where's their outrage or sense of justice for the millions of children at-risk of dying in the Horn of Africa? Their lack of attention proves the late Soviet premier's admonition.
Many "First World" Americans have never met a person with "Third World problems":
~~ Whose income is $2 a day and who has never heard of a 401 (K);
~~ Whose only travel plans are traipsing by foot from Somalia into Kenya to a refugee camp;
~~ Whose primary source of drinking water is infested with animal feces, and has never been inside a supermarket;
~~ Who lost 10 pounds in the last week because of too little or even no food, and who has no use for a health club membership; or
~~ Who has no access to electricity, and does not need -- and maybe has not ever seen -- a computer.
I have the privilege of knowing people facing both First World and Third World problems. It is a privilege because, I believe, Jesus would consider it a privilege. He met with, ate meals alongside and learned from those His society considered its lowest and its outcasts -- prostitutes, tax-collectors, the poor and victims of injustice.
He would have been honored to meet and serve people like Hawo, a woman believed to be about 75-years-old who lives in Kalabeyr, a remote town in northern Somalia. Thanks to my World Vision colleagues working in the region, I know more about Hawo, than I ever will know -- or even want to know -- about Casey Anthony.
After the drought killed the more than 500 goats and sheep Hawo and her eight children lived on, they were forced to abandon their pastoral way of life and move to Kalabeyr. The nine of them live in a makeshift tukul, a small room within the compound of one of the town residents.
It is Hawo whom Mark Bowden, United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, might have been thinking of when he said recently: "Resources are woefully inadequate. We have an appeal that is at the moment only 40 per cent met. ... (W)e find ourselves as the humanitarian community in a position that we want and are able to do more, but just don't have the resources with which to do it."
Jesus' words about hunger and thirst, as quoted in Matthew, led me a few years ago to create an NIT version (New Irreverent Translation), one that Americans obsessed with "First World problems" might relate to:
"For I was hungry, while you had all you needed. I was thirsty, but you drank bottled water."
We did not create the desperate conditions of drought and famine threatening the lives of 10 million people in the Horn of Africa. But, as Christians, it is our responsibility to do something about it. It is our moral duty to help our neighbors in need -- here in the U.S. and elsewhere, and God commands us to help those we have the means to help. We cannot look at their situation -- on television, in newspapers or magazines, or on the Internet -- shrug our shoulders, and say, "Not my problem."
Written by Richard Stearns.
Monday, July 18, 2011
processing the missing
It's funny. Like I said earlier, I didn't miss Uganda all that much when I first left. Not that I was glad to be gone, because given the choice I would have absolutely stayed, but I didn't think about it all the time. As time goes on I miss it more and more.
I don't have any doubt that God put Uganda on my heart almost two years ago for a reason, and allowed me to go there for a reason. I really think I will be going to back at some point because I have such a huge passion for it and God has just been opening up doors for me. And if I don't ever go back, that will be because God has something even better in store for me, so I will have no regrets about not returning.
Even with knowing that, though, I still miss it. I haven't changed the time on my watch yet so when I look at my clock, I know exactly what those kids are doing, and have a little math practice to figure out what time it is here. Part of me wants to still stick toilet paper and a water bottle in my purse when I go places. And all of me wants to have rice and chicken at every meal. Thankfully, my mom has been pretty accommodating to that and I've had plenty of rice since I've been home.
I'm slightly addicted to the pictures of the boys. I look at them all the time. I'm really excited to print off the pictures and make a huge photo album so that I don't have to go on the computer to look at them.
I don't know if I mentioned this in one of my journal entries, but I really love Kampala. And I am NOT a city person so I was not really looking forward to going there since Jinja was so nice and had less of a city feel. But when I got to know the street kids and just had an absolute BLAST with them I started liking it more. And now I just really miss it there sooo much. I could probably write the word "miss" like a gajillion times, but I won't - for my sanity and yours.
I really don't know how much I will continue to write on this blog. Maybe a lot, maybe not. But I'm really glad I made it so that you can read of my adventures and see some of the pictures, and I can put the pictures and stories together and look at them over and over and over and OVER.
I don't have any doubt that God put Uganda on my heart almost two years ago for a reason, and allowed me to go there for a reason. I really think I will be going to back at some point because I have such a huge passion for it and God has just been opening up doors for me. And if I don't ever go back, that will be because God has something even better in store for me, so I will have no regrets about not returning.
Even with knowing that, though, I still miss it. I haven't changed the time on my watch yet so when I look at my clock, I know exactly what those kids are doing, and have a little math practice to figure out what time it is here. Part of me wants to still stick toilet paper and a water bottle in my purse when I go places. And all of me wants to have rice and chicken at every meal. Thankfully, my mom has been pretty accommodating to that and I've had plenty of rice since I've been home.
I'm slightly addicted to the pictures of the boys. I look at them all the time. I'm really excited to print off the pictures and make a huge photo album so that I don't have to go on the computer to look at them.
I don't know if I mentioned this in one of my journal entries, but I really love Kampala. And I am NOT a city person so I was not really looking forward to going there since Jinja was so nice and had less of a city feel. But when I got to know the street kids and just had an absolute BLAST with them I started liking it more. And now I just really miss it there sooo much. I could probably write the word "miss" like a gajillion times, but I won't - for my sanity and yours.
I really don't know how much I will continue to write on this blog. Maybe a lot, maybe not. But I'm really glad I made it so that you can read of my adventures and see some of the pictures, and I can put the pictures and stories together and look at them over and over and over and OVER.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Home
I miss Uganda when I brush my teeth with normal water, don't eat rice and potatoes at every meal, don't have red dirt all over my feet, find toilet paper in the bathrooms, and eat junk food. My clothes don't smell like Africa. I eat at American times. I'm not doing doing the gangsta fist bump with Abdul or counting with Junior. I miss them. I don't want them to forget me as much as I don't want to forget them. I wish when I wash my face and body red dirt would get all over the towels. I wish I brought more home with me. I was learning to be comfortable there and loving the discomfort. I loved worshiping with them. They lyrics took on a whole new meaning when I looked at them from an African point of view. I felt like they really understood what they were singing and praising God for. I miss the genuine-ness of their faith. It's a lot harder to bring that back because it's not cultural here in the USA. I miss the Ugandan handshake. I miss the boys so much. I don't miss the lack of napkins and eating with fingers, but with time I would have adjusted to that, too.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
7/13-14 - Wednesday and Thursday
On Wednesday morning I woke up at 4a and closed up my suitcase, ate breakfast, and then then got picked up by Kate and Steven in the taxis. I was feeling surprisingly calm and not sad then. I don't know if it was just because I was so tired, or what. It was sad on the car ride to Entebbe because, ya know, it's the last ride in Uganda until who knows when. I definitely want to return, but since no plane tickets are reserved I have no idea how long it will be until I step foot on beautiful Ugandan soil again.
At the airport we went through security and chilled in a cafe and the boarding area until we finally got on our plane. The plane ride was nice! I was sitting next to Mrs. Gibbons and a guy from Gordon College who had been in Uganda for a month so it was really cool to talk to them. When we got into London we did all the security and fun stuff like that and then took a bus to our hotel. Those buses are not made for 14 people with luggage, let's just say. I'm sure they weren't sad when we got off. =)
After settling in at the hotel we took the bus to Heathrow and then took the tubes to the Piccadilly Circus stop and walked to a local pub. It was so cute, the pubs had so much character! And good food. And famous people! I didn't recognize him, but Andrew Garfield from the Social Network and the new Spiderman was there so Ryan was freaking out. Dinner was about 9p, which was 11p in Uganda. We were hungry. After eating, we walked around the more historical area, I guess (I don't know what to call it!) and saw all the old building with amazing architecture. We also saw Buckingham Palace and from a distance saw the London Eye, Big Ben, and a couple of those huge cathedrals. And I saw red telephone booths which made me super happy. SUPER happy. Also, there was a Uganda House shop thing by the tube station. Love. ♥
We got back on the tubes by midnight (which was 2a Uganda time, and I hadn't slept that much on the plane). It was jam-packed and full in there. No place to sit down so a bunch of us just sat down on the floor in the end of the car and basically fell asleep. Not necessarily sanitary, but we were exhausted. We were able to find some seats when the car cleared out so I fell asleep on the seats them. We got to Heathrow and it was completely empty! It was crazy. It was also 12:30 and we caught a red double decker bus to the hotel. It was really late and I was half asleep so I wasn't able to fully appreciate the amazingess of being on a double decker in London.
When we got to the hotel I crashed and woke up at 7:30. Impressive. I went back to bed and woke up an hour later and showered and packed and then went out to breakfast with some of the team. It was nice to walk around a little bit in the daylight and have a good non-airplane meal. And as good as the food in Uganda was, it was nice to have variety in London. We checked out of the room at noon and headed to the airport.
Nothing much exciting happened there. I went through security per usual and it was no big deal. I did some shopping (bought a London 2012 shirt and mug for 22pounds, kind of expensive, but I felt like buying those and I'm glad I did) and then went to the boarding gate. On the way there we saw yet another famous person. This time Ryan or whoever actually talked to them. It turned out to be Jeremih or something who doesn't necessarily sound like a real great guy but they were excited and got a picture with him because he's famous. And he was on our plane to Chi-town. IDK. Then when I was getting ready to board I was pulled over by security and told that I was nominated for a bag check. They made it sound like I won the lottery or something. So the checked my bag (but didn't do a really good job, I must say. Not that I had anything to hide, but the check wasn't very thorough) and gave me a pat down and let me go. And then we had a plane ride which was fine and not quite as exciting because I'd been on so many recently.
When we got there we went through customs and security. America is a lot harder to get into than Uganda or England, but having a USA passport made it fairly easy to get by. Mr. Bowman took us home in the bus and my family was there to meet me. We stopped at Gina's for italian ice and then went home, looked at souvenirs, told stories, stayed up until midnight and slept until noon, and that was it.
In London and the plane rides and when I was home at first I didn't feel homesick for Uganda at all because I was tired of all the traveling and just wanted to be home. But then when I was home .......
At the airport we went through security and chilled in a cafe and the boarding area until we finally got on our plane. The plane ride was nice! I was sitting next to Mrs. Gibbons and a guy from Gordon College who had been in Uganda for a month so it was really cool to talk to them. When we got into London we did all the security and fun stuff like that and then took a bus to our hotel. Those buses are not made for 14 people with luggage, let's just say. I'm sure they weren't sad when we got off. =)
 |
| Greg in Dave's skinny jeans. this was picture worthy. |
After settling in at the hotel we took the bus to Heathrow and then took the tubes to the Piccadilly Circus stop and walked to a local pub. It was so cute, the pubs had so much character! And good food. And famous people! I didn't recognize him, but Andrew Garfield from the Social Network and the new Spiderman was there so Ryan was freaking out. Dinner was about 9p, which was 11p in Uganda. We were hungry. After eating, we walked around the more historical area, I guess (I don't know what to call it!) and saw all the old building with amazing architecture. We also saw Buckingham Palace and from a distance saw the London Eye, Big Ben, and a couple of those huge cathedrals. And I saw red telephone booths which made me super happy. SUPER happy. Also, there was a Uganda House shop thing by the tube station. Love. ♥
We got back on the tubes by midnight (which was 2a Uganda time, and I hadn't slept that much on the plane). It was jam-packed and full in there. No place to sit down so a bunch of us just sat down on the floor in the end of the car and basically fell asleep. Not necessarily sanitary, but we were exhausted. We were able to find some seats when the car cleared out so I fell asleep on the seats them. We got to Heathrow and it was completely empty! It was crazy. It was also 12:30 and we caught a red double decker bus to the hotel. It was really late and I was half asleep so I wasn't able to fully appreciate the amazingess of being on a double decker in London.
When we got to the hotel I crashed and woke up at 7:30. Impressive. I went back to bed and woke up an hour later and showered and packed and then went out to breakfast with some of the team. It was nice to walk around a little bit in the daylight and have a good non-airplane meal. And as good as the food in Uganda was, it was nice to have variety in London. We checked out of the room at noon and headed to the airport.
Nothing much exciting happened there. I went through security per usual and it was no big deal. I did some shopping (bought a London 2012 shirt and mug for 22pounds, kind of expensive, but I felt like buying those and I'm glad I did) and then went to the boarding gate. On the way there we saw yet another famous person. This time Ryan or whoever actually talked to them. It turned out to be Jeremih or something who doesn't necessarily sound like a real great guy but they were excited and got a picture with him because he's famous. And he was on our plane to Chi-town. IDK. Then when I was getting ready to board I was pulled over by security and told that I was nominated for a bag check. They made it sound like I won the lottery or something. So the checked my bag (but didn't do a really good job, I must say. Not that I had anything to hide, but the check wasn't very thorough) and gave me a pat down and let me go. And then we had a plane ride which was fine and not quite as exciting because I'd been on so many recently.
When we got there we went through customs and security. America is a lot harder to get into than Uganda or England, but having a USA passport made it fairly easy to get by. Mr. Bowman took us home in the bus and my family was there to meet me. We stopped at Gina's for italian ice and then went home, looked at souvenirs, told stories, stayed up until midnight and slept until noon, and that was it.
In London and the plane rides and when I was home at first I didn't feel homesick for Uganda at all because I was tired of all the traveling and just wanted to be home. But then when I was home .......
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
7/12 - Tuesday
The last day, which was sad. =( We got picked up around 10 and the guys went to a slum called Kisenyi with some of the API staff and the girls went to the Hope House with Gina, Amanda, and Abby. It was a really precious time. All of the women are former prostitutes and are all HIV+. All of them have children except for the youngest, Annette, who was 18. We all went around and introduced ourselves and then the ladies shared as much about themselves as they were comfortable sharing. The first two shared that they were HIV+ and praised God that their children were negative! It was amazing! None of the other women shared about their HIV status and none of them directly said they used to be in prostitution, but hearing their stories was just incredible. I don't think there was a dry eye in the room. Some of us shared about ourselves. Mrs. Dodgson and Gibbons shared about themselves and it was very powerful. After all that, we prayed, sang, and I bought some jewelry for myself and some friends. Ruth wrote about this experience here and you can see some pictures as well. After we left we stopped to do a money exchange and some people bought tea and coffee.
We met the guys for lunch at Steers and there was a very present silence about the guys. The slum they went to was apparently about a thousand times worse than Kivulu and what they guys saw really shook them up. I'm anxious to read Andy's post about the experience. (Some photos are here, but they don't do the place full justice. It's just a glimpse.) Please look at those links, it's so powerful.
I don't know how to go on and continue talking about our day, because the prostitutes and slums are such serious issues, but I must.
For lunch I had a Hawaiian pizza which was delicious. We hung around outside the restaurant for a while (I don't know why) which bugged me because I wanted to see the boys. Honestly, I had such an unexpectedly great time with them yesterday and didn't know I would be able to see them again! How I love those boys. When we (finally) got there I just chilled with them and took lots of pictures on my nice camera. Oh, my heart. I miss them sooo badly. I did the gangster fist bump with Abdul and Junior had to make sure I remembered how to count in Lugandan. I hated leaving, the time with them was too short.
After saying our goodbyes we headed back to the Cottages and after hearing the older Abdul's (guy who helps run the street program) testimony we filled out a survey for API and then had an hour to chillax before our team meeting. Despite Kampala living up to it's reputation of having black-outs, I took a shower and then went down to the meeting. Everyone took time to share, so it was good to have the ability to hear people's hearts. I was trying not to cry because, well, Uganda has an uncanny ability to make me cry because I love it so much and did not want to leave. Our time there was too short. After the meeting I packed up and was in bed at 11:30. Crazy how it just ... ended.
One of the many sad things I saw were scadoodles of posters that read: Jobs in America, Jobs in Japan, Jobs in Denmark, Europe. Free Transportation and a number to call. There were hundreds of these all over Kampala. They were scams to get people ensnared in prostitution and other things. It was sickening to see.
We met the guys for lunch at Steers and there was a very present silence about the guys. The slum they went to was apparently about a thousand times worse than Kivulu and what they guys saw really shook them up. I'm anxious to read Andy's post about the experience. (Some photos are here, but they don't do the place full justice. It's just a glimpse.) Please look at those links, it's so powerful.
I don't know how to go on and continue talking about our day, because the prostitutes and slums are such serious issues, but I must.
For lunch I had a Hawaiian pizza which was delicious. We hung around outside the restaurant for a while (I don't know why) which bugged me because I wanted to see the boys. Honestly, I had such an unexpectedly great time with them yesterday and didn't know I would be able to see them again! How I love those boys. When we (finally) got there I just chilled with them and took lots of pictures on my nice camera. Oh, my heart. I miss them sooo badly. I did the gangster fist bump with Abdul and Junior had to make sure I remembered how to count in Lugandan. I hated leaving, the time with them was too short.
One of the many sad things I saw were scadoodles of posters that read: Jobs in America, Jobs in Japan, Jobs in Denmark, Europe. Free Transportation and a number to call. There were hundreds of these all over Kampala. They were scams to get people ensnared in prostitution and other things. It was sickening to see.
Monday, July 11, 2011
7/11 - Monday
Today was kind of a wonderful, long, amazing day. We got picked up around 10a, but because the taxis were on strike that day we took boda bodas (dangerous motorcycles)!! I rode with Mrs. Dodgson. The legal limit is one driver and one passenger, but no one follows traffic laws so we had two people on the boda boda. I was on the back and IT WAS AWESOME!!!! It was a little scary at first because I was in the back (and my leg burned on the muffler-thingy) and the road was super bumpy at first, but then I got used to it and it was fun! Our boda driver was racing with Andy and Joe's, of course we won. =) Mrs. Dodgson said, "I want to live" a few times, it was pretty funny because the driver just basically laughed and went a little faster.
When we got to the slums, it wasn't as I thought it would be, but as I was able to take it all in it was pretty horrible living conditions. When we got there we met the street kids and started to clean out the church and stuff, but I ended up not doing too much because I got distracted with hanging out with the boys and learning how to count in Lugandan. Amazing how something as simple as emu, bbiri, ssatu, nya, taano, mukaaga, musaanvu, munaana, mwenda, kumi can make such a big difference.
Meanwhile, the guys were putting up a basketball hoop for the kids. It's really great because it will give them something to do when the programs aren't going on instead of gambling and that sort of thing. Not good. After the hoop was up we went out for lunch. As we were walking through the slum Jonny told David to go in front and that he would hold up the back, and for everyone to stick together. Greg asked, "is it really that bad?" "Yeah." That made me perk up more. It was just a really rough area, and not a place I would want to be alone in. So many men there. Not a safe place.
After lunch we walked a ways (on a hugely full stomach, up hills. Almost needed someone to roll me. just kidding.) to get to a football pitch where we met up with the kids and played football. Except for the fact that I didn't , so I did face painting with the kids! It was really fun! One kid wanted the USA flag on his face, and pretty soon I had a lot of kids coming to me fore USA and Uganda color themed drawings. Especially Abdul, I did like two snakes, a heart, and a flower, and he already had three flags on his face. He's so cool. Lots of fun times. It's interesting, though. He's sixteen but I would have pegged him as thirteen, and there's a thirteen year old that I thought was ten. These guys just look younger than they are.
Aferwards we walked back to the slum and did part of the program for them and left shortly afterwards. We took bodas to the Kivulu Home. I was with Mrs. Dodgson again and this ride was a lot more scary. Or adventuresome, I guess. There was a lot more traffic because taxis were getting off strike. We were all over the place and went through red lights (which is normal, but still) and my leg got skimmed by something. And we were on a two lane road and on the middle line almost getting killed a lot. It was pretty awesome. I guess ignorance has its perks because there's a lot of things that I should have been worried about but didn't even think about. Craziness.
At the home we ate dinner and then I started getting jewelry from the boys. So sweet. A necklace and bracelet from Sadic, two bracelets from Drissa,
When we had our brief meeting that night, Jonny shared that when the boy mentioned here who talked to Mrs. Gibbons was being placed into a family (which didn't work out), the API staff checked up on him and found out that men were gambling on how much we could drink, and when he was drunk they handed him over to local prostitutes. I couldn't believe it. The whole evening I was playing with him and joking around and arm wrestling and making faces and having staring contests and he did not act like a kid who has gone through that kind of life. It's heartbreaking. I don't even know how to react to knowing about these injustices, much less to personally knowpeople children who were the target of these horrors. It's so hard. I. Don't. Want. To. Leave. This. Place.
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| not us on these bodas =) |
When we got to the slums, it wasn't as I thought it would be, but as I was able to take it all in it was pretty horrible living conditions. When we got there we met the street kids and started to clean out the church and stuff, but I ended up not doing too much because I got distracted with hanging out with the boys and learning how to count in Lugandan. Amazing how something as simple as emu, bbiri, ssatu, nya, taano, mukaaga, musaanvu, munaana, mwenda, kumi can make such a big difference.
Meanwhile, the guys were putting up a basketball hoop for the kids. It's really great because it will give them something to do when the programs aren't going on instead of gambling and that sort of thing. Not good. After the hoop was up we went out for lunch. As we were walking through the slum Jonny told David to go in front and that he would hold up the back, and for everyone to stick together. Greg asked, "is it really that bad?" "Yeah." That made me perk up more. It was just a really rough area, and not a place I would want to be alone in. So many men there. Not a safe place.
After lunch we walked a ways (on a hugely full stomach, up hills. Almost needed someone to roll me. just kidding.) to get to a football pitch where we met up with the kids and played football. Except for the fact that I didn't , so I did face painting with the kids! It was really fun! One kid wanted the USA flag on his face, and pretty soon I had a lot of kids coming to me fore USA and Uganda color themed drawings. Especially Abdul, I did like two snakes, a heart, and a flower, and he already had three flags on his face. He's so cool. Lots of fun times. It's interesting, though. He's sixteen but I would have pegged him as thirteen, and there's a thirteen year old that I thought was ten. These guys just look younger than they are.
Aferwards we walked back to the slum and did part of the program for them and left shortly afterwards. We took bodas to the Kivulu Home. I was with Mrs. Dodgson again and this ride was a lot more scary. Or adventuresome, I guess. There was a lot more traffic because taxis were getting off strike. We were all over the place and went through red lights (which is normal, but still) and my leg got skimmed by something. And we were on a two lane road and on the middle line almost getting killed a lot. It was pretty awesome. I guess ignorance has its perks because there's a lot of things that I should have been worried about but didn't even think about. Craziness.
At the home we ate dinner and then I started getting jewelry from the boys. So sweet. A necklace and bracelet from Sadic, two bracelets from Drissa,
"Are you coming back to Uganda?" "I don't know." I wanted to make a necklace for you, but because today was a school day I couldn't. Here are two bracelets. Can I put them on you?"and one from someone else. I gave my address and email to some of them and took pictures with them. We also did fire poi with them, but before that there was a dance party. I hafta say, these Ugandans can groove like no one else. Boy, can those guys rock it! And Abby and David did salsa dancing. It was awesome. Shortly afterwards we said our good-byes and came home in a taxi.
When we had our brief meeting that night, Jonny shared that when the boy mentioned here who talked to Mrs. Gibbons was being placed into a family (which didn't work out), the API staff checked up on him and found out that men were gambling on how much we could drink, and when he was drunk they handed him over to local prostitutes. I couldn't believe it. The whole evening I was playing with him and joking around and arm wrestling and making faces and having staring contests and he did not act like a kid who has gone through that kind of life. It's heartbreaking. I don't even know how to react to knowing about these injustices, much less to personally know
Sunday, July 10, 2011
7/10 - Sunday
Today was super long. We got picked up around 9:45a by Steven, Abby, Amanda, and Gina (some of the API staff) to go to the Watoto church. It was really big - there was a HUGE line of people waiting to get in, and security, too! The worship was really powerful, listening to people sing the words and understanding it in a different context was just amazing to listen to. These people know how to worship and love God in a way I can't, because they have such a different experience than I do. I don't really know how to explain it. But I cried during the service if that tells ya anything. (There was a lot of crying going on during this trip.)
Afterwards we went to Garden City for lunch. I had sweet and sour chicken, which was delicious. The Garden City was sort of an American mall type, which bugged me. I didn't go all the way to Uganda just to get more America! If you didn't know, I'm not a huge fan of the American culture/society and was quite glad to be gone from it for a few weeks. =/ Regardless.
Then we went to a craft market near the National Theatre. It was super awesome to do that! I learned how to bargain for myself and it was great! =) I ♥ it so much. (I hope I made you proud, Grandma!) I got a lot of gifts and stuff for family and friends, which was awesome. I got four scarves, one bracelet, one necklace, one purse, one painting, two picture frames, and two bottle openers for 101,000= (about $50). Not bad, I think. Wish I had gotten more, but we had to leave and I didn't have many more shillings.
We came back to the Cottages to change (except for me, because all my clothes were dirty) and went to the Grace boys home. The home has about 50 boys living that ... A LOT. It's a big building, but not super nice. The bedrooms hold about four to five triple decker bunk beds, have thing mattresses, and no mosquito nets. There is no silverware, which was hard for me to deal with. It's so hard to realize that people live like that, but then to realize that they came from the streets which was a LOT worse makes the situation all the more real.
We played football with them in Kivulu at a pitch. It was interesting because people would just walk through or drive their bodas, and there are lots of dogs and chickens and ducks and goats chillin. Yeah. And creepy guys with cheesy smiles that say "I want you." (The smiles, not the guys.) So creepy. Thankfully no other guys were weird and flirty like that. I also tried some grilled corn and it was delicious! So addicting. Then we went back to Grace home and did our program for the boys and had dinner. While serving it up I spilled boiling broth on myself. That was a bit painful, so I held it under the tap and then just held a glass bottle of mountain dew to cool it down. Ick ick ick ick ick. It BURNED!
After dinner Dave and Greg did the fire poi again which was sweet and then we left. The day was so long, but so good. Looking back, it's amazing how much we did in one day. I think a series of events happens over a course of like three days but as I'm going over my journal entries I find out it all happened in one day! So awesome that we were able to do so much in such a short amount of time.
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Then we went to a craft market near the National Theatre. It was super awesome to do that! I learned how to bargain for myself and it was great! =) I ♥ it so much. (I hope I made you proud, Grandma!) I got a lot of gifts and stuff for family and friends, which was awesome. I got four scarves, one bracelet, one necklace, one purse, one painting, two picture frames, and two bottle openers for 101,000= (about $50). Not bad, I think. Wish I had gotten more, but we had to leave and I didn't have many more shillings.
We came back to the Cottages to change (except for me, because all my clothes were dirty) and went to the Grace boys home. The home has about 50 boys living that ... A LOT. It's a big building, but not super nice. The bedrooms hold about four to five triple decker bunk beds, have thing mattresses, and no mosquito nets. There is no silverware, which was hard for me to deal with. It's so hard to realize that people live like that, but then to realize that they came from the streets which was a LOT worse makes the situation all the more real.
We played football with them in Kivulu at a pitch. It was interesting because people would just walk through or drive their bodas, and there are lots of dogs and chickens and ducks and goats chillin. Yeah. And creepy guys with cheesy smiles that say "I want you." (The smiles, not the guys.) So creepy. Thankfully no other guys were weird and flirty like that. I also tried some grilled corn and it was delicious! So addicting. Then we went back to Grace home and did our program for the boys and had dinner. While serving it up I spilled boiling broth on myself. That was a bit painful, so I held it under the tap and then just held a glass bottle of mountain dew to cool it down. Ick ick ick ick ick. It BURNED!
After dinner Dave and Greg did the fire poi again which was sweet and then we left. The day was so long, but so good. Looking back, it's amazing how much we did in one day. I think a series of events happens over a course of like three days but as I'm going over my journal entries I find out it all happened in one day! So awesome that we were able to do so much in such a short amount of time.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
7/9 - Saturday
**I blogged about today here, so this is basically copied from the Uganda team blog.
Yo! It’s Rebecca.
Personally, I’m starting to not mind being dirty. It’s actually kind of fun. Which is probably a good thing because in Kampala we have been getting super dirty. Especially yesterday. But since I’m talking about today I’ll just stick on that topic. We got picked up around 9:45ish by the API team and the boys. We went straight to their new land in Bombo and split into two groups to work. One group worked on the foundation for the kitchen building, and the other group went more into the bushy land to clear the weeds from the Casava garden/orchard area. I should tell you, these are not puny American weeds. This was serious weeding, like weeds and things that were as tall as we are and thick. (If you couldn’t tell, I was on this team.) Feel free to ask your students to weed when we get home and just tell them that it’s super easy compared to Uganda, but don’t tell them I told you to. =) We used the hoes (which I am a fan of) and slashers and it looked so much better when we were done and was super helpful to API. Afterwards we headed back to the main area and helped finish the foundation by placing rocks down over the cement slab.
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After a quick snack, we headed back into Kampala to the Kivulu Home where the boys live. It was super nice and fun to chill with them in their own setting. We had a delicious lunch (but more about how amazing the food is later) and then put on a program for them. Greg opened with two songs, and then we (Dave, Clara, Joe, Ryan, Hannah, and myself) put on a modern day version of the Good Samaritan. It was super fun. Then Mrs. Gibbons told the story of the lost sheep. Afterwards I heard that it was really powerful for the kids, which is wonderful. Then we closed with a few songs, one led by Sadic who is 14 and plays the guitar really well. It was a really great experience to worship with them and have some fun, too. Whenever we worship with the people here, it’s just an amazing experience.
Despues del program, we went to play football/soccer at a local field. It was Americans vs Ugandans, and Americans won 3-2. It was a super sweet game, though. Americans were bigger but the Ugandans we probably better, so it was all good. =) I didn’t play, but I watched and took pictures. The field was on a hill so we had a beautiful view of the city and I was able to confirm that African sunsets are basically amazing beyond words. After the game we went back to the house and left to come back to the guest housing.
On the more personal side, coming to Uganda is simply the most awesome thing I have ever been able to do. God has opened so many doors to get me/us here, and being able to interact with the kids who have such a genuine and inspiring faith has been an amazing experience. Also, with all the things that could have gone wrong, I’m so thankful to have had really good safety and health so far! If you could see the traffic, you’d know what I’d mean. And besides not having any protein for a few days and feeling crummy and realizing that protein really is good for you, I’ve been fabulously healthy and with no jet lag. Woo hoo! Speaking of food, this stuff is amazing. I think rice and potatoes and goat stew is my new thing. I just miss milk. Anyway. I guess all I have left to say is that there is so much I can’t say in one little blog post, and I hope what I did say made a little bit of sense. Sooo, yeah. =)
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Love you all! Thanks for your prayers.
Rebecca
Friday, July 8, 2011
7/8 - Friday
Today we woke up and at at 8:30a, and then got picked up around 9ish by the A Perfect Injustice team and the boys from the Kivulu home. I guess I should write down the different ministries so that I can mention groups of kids and remember who they are. API has a street kids ministry that meets in the Kivulu (that 'K' is pronounced like a 'ch') slum. They have sixteen boys that used to be in that program that live in the Kivulu Home. The home used to be in the slum, but they moved it out for safety reasons but kept the name. They are currently renting a home where the boys live but have bought a new property in Bombo where they will move. They are going to build a second home to house an addition sixteen boys. Another thing to say is that having the boys in the home is sort of the last step. Ideally they want to boys to be in homes of their own, but if it's not possible then they join the Kivulu home. The other program that API has is the Hope House which reaches out to former prostitutes, all of whom are HIV+.
{Oh! Before I get to the main stuff from the day, before we got picked up Ashley started washing our clothes in the shower with a bar of soap. Going rugged here, folks. I finished washing my stuff later, but seriously, it was ridiculous. Our bathroom flooded and we had clothes line hanging up all through our room. Classic. Should've gotten a pictures. But it took like umpteen days to dry so it was kind of a fail and I ended up paying for them to be washed and dried anyway.}
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{Oh! Before I get to the main stuff from the day, before we got picked up Ashley started washing our clothes in the shower with a bar of soap. Going rugged here, folks. I finished washing my stuff later, but seriously, it was ridiculous. Our bathroom flooded and we had clothes line hanging up all through our room. Classic. Should've gotten a pictures. But it took like umpteen days to dry so it was kind of a fail and I ended up paying for them to be washed and dried anyway.}
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We went over to their new property in Bombo to help with the work to get it open sooner. A couple of the boys had been there before, but a lot of them hadn't. It was fun to be able to be their with them and experience it together. Most people did brick tossing to get bricks from by the house to by the foundation of the toilet house, but I was leveling ground by the toilets. I had never done that before, so it was fun! (For the record, I am now a huge fan of hoes!) I worked with Mrs. Gibbons, and it was cool to talk with her. Relating to that, she told me about how one of the kids who was 13 had lost his parents. His dad had been killed by a taxi and his mom had been hung. Can you imagine that happening to such a young kid? I cannot fathom. But the amazing thing is, he seems so well cared for and counseled and loved and he just seems so happy. He's the entertainer, the funny one, the one who seems to make friends with everyone. I can't imagine having that disposition if I had had that background. It's all God.
We had a yummy lunch of takeout chicken and chips, and biscuits. After lunch we went back to work digging holes for banana trees. It was hard work, but the boys there are beastly and didn't leave a lot for me to do. After we finished with the holes we walked through the bushy area on the land to go to where the second house is going to be built. It was cool to walk around a bit and get to the off-the-beaten-path areas a bit. Afterwards we went back to the Cottages and I went swimming because we got back around 4:30 which was pretty decent. Then I basically just chilled out. It was good. Side note: I felt really good today! No health issues or anything ... woo hoo!
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| via followugandateam.wordpress.com |
We had a yummy lunch of takeout chicken and chips, and biscuits. After lunch we went back to work digging holes for banana trees. It was hard work, but the boys there are beastly and didn't leave a lot for me to do. After we finished with the holes we walked through the bushy area on the land to go to where the second house is going to be built. It was cool to walk around a bit and get to the off-the-beaten-path areas a bit. Afterwards we went back to the Cottages and I went swimming because we got back around 4:30 which was pretty decent. Then I basically just chilled out. It was good. Side note: I felt really good today! No health issues or anything ... woo hoo!
Thursday, July 7, 2011
7/7 - Thursday
Today has been a roller coaster of emotions. I didn't feel good this morning so I didn't eat much breakfast. I just popped a pill and rested until it was time to go. (I mostly packed last night because we left Jinja and came to Kampala today.) First we went to get our money exchanged. I did a $50 and a $20 and got 169,000= (shillings). Then we went to the source of the Nile. At this point I wasn't feeling well again, but went on the boat ride. It was pretty cool, and we saw a bunch of monkeys and birds and some 4-foot lizard things. Massive. There were lots of people fishing and stuff in these little tiny boats - if it were me I would have capsized in ten minutes ... no idea how they did it. (The Nile smelled and sounded like the Swamp exhibit at the Brookfield Zoo, if you want to go and experience it.)
After the Nile, we went shopping and I bought a plaque, a picture frame, and a candle holder for family. I paid a total of 44,000= for that (roughly $20). It was fun to walk around and see the different shops and all the cool stuff that was for sale. It was really sad though when a teenage-looking kid approached me and told me he was hungry and asked for food. I told him I didn't have anything for him, but it was really hard mentally. It's weird, in Chicago I just assume that everyone wants drug money and is out to get me, but I feel more like people in Uganda are legitimately hungry and in need. That's a wrong attitude to have towards the people in Chicago, because I'm sure many of them are legitimately in need, but, I don't know, it's something to wrestle with. What's the difference between beggars in Chi-town and beggars in Uganda, and why do I feel differently about them and what needs to change?
Afterwards we went out for lunch, though I was not very hungry. Then we walked through the market place, lost Joan and Dave, and reunited at the bus right when I was feeling severely dehydrated. I didn't drink a lot yesterday, which impacted me a lot. The market place is such a different experience. I don't really even know how to describe it. There's so much going on at once, so many people walking around, trying to sell things. So many goods. There's the meat section, the veggie section, and then lots of other goods. There's the chicken area. There's so much garbage and grossness all over the place. I can't imagine all the diseases in that area with the people, the bugs, the garbage, the food, the animals. It's such a different world.
We got back to the guest house and packed up. I popped another pill and rested until we left. The ride was uncomfortable because I was in the pullout seat and had trouble sleeping. We finally got to the Ta Cottages and I'm sharing a room with Ashley. We were in one room, but there wasn't electricity or running water or something and the room wasn't fully ready so they switched us over to another room. For dinner we met with the API staff and it was good to hear about them and what they do. I started to feel bad during dinner (chills, headache, general exhaustion) so came up to the room. I talked with Jeb who is awesome and figures the traveling and being in a different society helps with the ill feeling, along with not having enough vitamins, supplements, and PROTEIN. Ugh. I didn't bring any of that stuff so I'm using Ashley's peanut butter and other stuff. So glad for her. I'm going to hit the hay now and get a good nights rest and hopefully be able to work tomorrow. We'll see. I'm kinda nervous about it because I'm not feeling well and frankly I'm not a city person so being in the city and doing hard work and not feeling well is just not a good combo. We'll see.
After the Nile, we went shopping and I bought a plaque, a picture frame, and a candle holder for family. I paid a total of 44,000= for that (roughly $20). It was fun to walk around and see the different shops and all the cool stuff that was for sale. It was really sad though when a teenage-looking kid approached me and told me he was hungry and asked for food. I told him I didn't have anything for him, but it was really hard mentally. It's weird, in Chicago I just assume that everyone wants drug money and is out to get me, but I feel more like people in Uganda are legitimately hungry and in need. That's a wrong attitude to have towards the people in Chicago, because I'm sure many of them are legitimately in need, but, I don't know, it's something to wrestle with. What's the difference between beggars in Chi-town and beggars in Uganda, and why do I feel differently about them and what needs to change?
Afterwards we went out for lunch, though I was not very hungry. Then we walked through the market place, lost Joan and Dave, and reunited at the bus right when I was feeling severely dehydrated. I didn't drink a lot yesterday, which impacted me a lot. The market place is such a different experience. I don't really even know how to describe it. There's so much going on at once, so many people walking around, trying to sell things. So many goods. There's the meat section, the veggie section, and then lots of other goods. There's the chicken area. There's so much garbage and grossness all over the place. I can't imagine all the diseases in that area with the people, the bugs, the garbage, the food, the animals. It's such a different world.
 |
| random shot in Kampala .. not where we stayed |
We got back to the guest house and packed up. I popped another pill and rested until we left. The ride was uncomfortable because I was in the pullout seat and had trouble sleeping. We finally got to the Ta Cottages and I'm sharing a room with Ashley. We were in one room, but there wasn't electricity or running water or something and the room wasn't fully ready so they switched us over to another room. For dinner we met with the API staff and it was good to hear about them and what they do. I started to feel bad during dinner (chills, headache, general exhaustion) so came up to the room. I talked with Jeb who is awesome and figures the traveling and being in a different society helps with the ill feeling, along with not having enough vitamins, supplements, and PROTEIN. Ugh. I didn't bring any of that stuff so I'm using Ashley's peanut butter and other stuff. So glad for her. I'm going to hit the hay now and get a good nights rest and hopefully be able to work tomorrow. We'll see. I'm kinda nervous about it because I'm not feeling well and frankly I'm not a city person so being in the city and doing hard work and not feeling well is just not a good combo. We'll see.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
7/6 - Wednesday
Yesterday morning I got up, ate, showered, braided my hair, and all that jazz. The kids and a few vans came to pick us up at 11a. We headed to the Kingfisher Resort to go swimming with the kids. It was sooo nice! The kids loved it and it was super fun! There was a little pool with a slide down to another little pool, and then a tunnel to another bigger pool. It was really cool because yesterday the kids were able to bring us into their world with the murder of Charlie and Gertrude, and today we were able to bring them into our world with the pool experience. In Uganda, people don't spend a lot of money on leisure time, so this was totally new to them and oh-so-fun to do! I would take kids down the slides and try not to get splashed by them. I would take kids on my back and go into the deep area and walk around with them. We even created a whirlpool for them which was fun! So many memories for them. Mercy (lady who works there) even used Val's swimsuit and got in the water for a while! She had so much fun!
We had lunch there, but they ran out of pork and I didn't want fish, so I just got the chips. Kathy came as lunch was finishing so I stayed and visited with her. It was great to listen to her share about how she started Redeemer and hear her stories about the kids. I got to talk with her more in the van , which was awesome!
When we got back to Redeemer Dave did his fire poi thing which was sweet. I got some great pictures of it. Then we had dinner and said out goodbyes, which included giving the kids VBS shirts and telling them about the money raised for buying dinner tables. We were also there for their worship and prayer time. It. Was. AMAZING. Gloria led worship, and knowing her background made it all the more incredible. Then we said our goodbyes after taking a group picture and left.
It was really sad to leave, because I spent three of some of the greatest days with them. It's hard leaving if you don't know if they are ever going to see you again, but it's encouraging that all but six of the kids are spoken for. Eleven of them are probably going to be in the same community! How awesome is that?! And four brothers are going to be adopted together, Michael and Joanne are being adopted together, and Nicholas and Akyram are being adopted together! Love that people are stepping up and bringing home siblings TOGETHER. So encouraging.
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