Sunday, January 25, 2009
This weekend, our group was split up into groups of 5 to experience a rural home visit with our field assistants. My field assistant’s name is Paul. We actually learned later that he is known as Jimmy in his village, Mitch at church, and Paul in Kampala. So, he basically has 3 first names. Anyway, we began our travels on Friday at around 11 or so…our trek to Ilowya, the village, which was supposed to take 5 hours ended up being longer than expected. We took a very late lunch break at 4 in the afternoon. We stopped at a hotel restaurant, ordered right away, and waited for over an hour until we finally got our food. We had to eat quickly so that we wouldn’t be late for dinner at his family’s house. When we were driving on the way to his village we saw baboons. It was so cool! We watched the big and small baboons interact along the road…a mother was carrying her baby on her stomach. We threw bananas out the window so we could watch them eat. We took lots of pictures.
Finally, we arrived at the house and met Paul’s family. He has around 32 brothers and sisters, but not all of them were at home. His father has a couple wives. Everyone in his family was very kind. When we stepped out of the mutatu, his mother and sisters started screaming, ran to us, and greeted us with warm hugs. They were so happy for visitors. Once we unloaded the car, we got situated in our rooms. The girls, Suzy, Anna, Monika-Paul’s “sister,” and I stayed in a bedroom towards the back of the house. The 4 of us slept in the same bed…it was quite the crunch. Also, two other women slept on a floor mattress in our room. The guys, Wes and Eli, stayed with Paul in the room beside us.
Friday evening, Paul gave us a tour of his home and its surroundings. Behind the house were two huts, one for cooking and one was a house for the chickens and other animals, I think? They also have cows in the pasture behind. It got dark quickly and we went inside to talk with his father while we waited for dinner. There was no electricity. His father shared many interesting stories. Apparently, he was involved with the government and was highly wanted by rebels. The place where we stayed was battlegrounds during the war in the late 1980s. We had tea and bread with butter prior to our meal. At around 10 or so, dinner was served. We ate around lamplight. The women did not eat with us, as it is traditional that only the men eat and are served the food and the women who prepare the meal eat separately. Before we could eat our meal everyone washed their hands in a water basin. The meal included rice, meat, spaghetti stuff, millet bread, posho, and other food dishes I don’t remember. The same foods were prepared for all the meals except for breakfast. I liked the rice, spaghetti dishes, and fruits but did not care as much for the other things…but I tried every dish! Then, we went to bed. We used the latrines for brushing our teeth and going to the bathroom. Friday was a difficult sleeping night. Besides sharing a double bed with 4 other girls, the women talking, bats squeaking, rats’ pitter pattering on the floor, and pounding of rain on the tin roof kept me awake for most of the night. However, I was able to catch a couple zzz’s early in the morning.
We woke up early and got ready for the day. After breakfast, tea, bananas, and bread with butter, Paul gave us a tour of his community. We saw the huts that he and his brothers built, his old school, a woman digging for cassava, a barber shop, medical center, world vision center, um…and I think there were other places too. We pretty much saw everything in his village. It was a lot of fun…and a lot of walking. We went home to rest and eat lunch. We ate outside picnic style with his family. They had lots of fresh fruit-mangos, pineapple, jack fruit, apples, and oranges…all so good! I took a quick nap before heading to our next day event, the soccer game. Around 4 we left to go see his village and his neighboring village play a game of futbol as they call it here. I had a lot of fun…African soccer games are very different than American. These guys play barefoot or in sandals and use wooden sticks as goalie boxes. I began to take pictures during the game and all of these kids started crowding around me to see…I began to take pictures of them. The kids here always say, “Hey muzungu….” and always look at us with blank faces. People in the village aren’t used to seeing white people…we met a man around the age of 50 or so who has never seen a white person before. They are always so excited to see us.
Anyway, after I began taking pictures of the kids, they continued to follow me and ask for me to take their pictures…I’d take the photo, show it to them, and they would laugh with huge smiles on their face. Priceless moments…We left during half-time because it started to get dark and we didn’t want to go home and not be able to see. When we arrived home, we sat on the outside front porch and ate our tea and bread. Paul told us traditional riddles, proverbs, and stories that he was told as a child. We talked for a long time and I was beginning to get very tired. I feel asleep and wanted to go to bed…but had to stay up for dinner. Finally, around 10:30 dinner was served. Again, we washed our hands and shared the meal of rice, noodles, meat, and millet bread. After the meal, Paul had a prayer for us and a worship song for us to sing. This was my favorite part of the night. We, the visitors, sang a worship song we knew and then they, the hosts, sang and danced for us. It was awesome! They were screaming, clapping, and dancing to the beat of drums and singing. All of us enjoyed the entertainment and clapped along with them. We went to bed soon after that. Saturday night I slept like a rock because…I HAD EARPLUS, the best thing EVER!!! I love earplugs, they work wonders.
Sunday morning, I woke up early and got ready for church and packed up my things. Before breakfast, we slaughtered a chicken…this is an honor for all guests, to cut off a chicken’s head. Paul and Eli held the chicken so that Wes, the brave soul, could cut the neck. I wasn’t as grossed out as I thought I would be. After the chicken is dead, they stuck it in hot water so that the feathers are easier to remove. Then, the insides are removed and the chicken is skinned. This was our lunch for today. We had breakfast and sat in the living room until everyone was ready to leave for church. I loved this time of the day…Anna and Eli played the guitar and we all sang worship songs.
We went to Paul’s church and worshipped with his community. There were few families there, but the service was very good. The people welcomed us with open arms and expressed their love for God. There was lots of jumping, shouting, praying, dancing, and singing for two hours. They asked us to introduce ourselves and one of our songs…we sang “God of Wonders.” They really enjoyed our form of worship. After church we attend a funeral rite close by. The funeral rite was a celebration to honor and remember the person who died. However, the individual passed away 1 year ago…I believe that this was the last funeral rite ceremony for this person. During these celebrations, children and Adults come together to sit and talk in circles while sitting around a pot of millet beer with big, long straws. To fill up the pots, people continued to poor boiling water into the pot, there was a millet foam on top…it didn’t smell very good. We didn’t stay there for very long because we needed to get back for lunch. We ate with Paul’s family for the last time, took a family photo, and headed back to Kampala. It was a long bus ride…very, very bumpy, but we got home safe and sound.
Although I enjoyed this weekend very much, I was ready to get a shower and change into some clean clothes. However, after seeing and living in the rural village for a few days, I recognize the many blessings I have in my life. After seeing so much poverty this weekend, I almost feel guilty for everything I have. Children walk around the streets with dirt on their faces, holes in their shirts, and no pants to wear. It makes me question, why do I have the life I have and they theirs? It doesn’t seem fair or right. Yet, at the same time, I recognize that, despite the little that they have, they are filled with pure joy. And seeing these people filled with true happiness has made me recognize the many things I take for granted in my life and how much I need to be more appreciative for the many blessings I have.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Field Trip with a Cup of Joe on the Side...
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Today was FIELD TRIP DAY!!! Woohoo…brings me back to elementary school days. We were to leave at 8:00 but our bus got stuck in a traffic jam, so we got off to a late start. Finally, we arrived maybe around 9 something and our professor, Peter was waiting in our car. He’s so cute…mmmhmmm (he always does that). Anyway, our field trip today was to the Kasubi Tombs…where the King’s of Buganda, one of the regions in Uganda, are buried. It was so cool. Our tour guide was very intelligent and knew a lot of information about the history behind each king. First, he showed us the huts-but they really look like houses-that the kings’ wives live in. These wives may not actually be the king’s wife but are representations of them. When a king’s wife dies, she is replaced by another woman who is a descendent of the king or who is of the same clan. We saw some of the women working today. Then, we entered the largest hut in the WORLD!!! I never went inside a hut before but it was awesome. 4 kings are buried there. We sat on matted floor which the wives weaved, and learned about the traditions in regards of the kings. When a king died, people believed him to have disappeared into the forest…he left his spirit behind, but never technically died according to the people. Therefore, half of the hut, which was blocked off, was designated to the kings…they were buried in the forest. The tour guide did a great job explaining the information…I thoroughly enjoyed it. After we went to the gift shop, we had to run back to the bus because it was pouring rain.
After lunch-carrot soup, bread, and fruit J- a Joy, Jess, Jenny, Mindy, and I went to Café Pap…kind of like a Starbucks, so good and so cool! It was kind of like a taste from home…mmm, iced mocha was so good. They had cool designs on all of our coffees. Anyway, on our way over there…we got lost. The mutates can be very confusing because there are so many people everywhere as well as dozens of cars, etc. going every which way, you really have to be aware of your surroundings. Anyway, this was the first time we were finding the coffee shop on our own without any boys…I think we managed well. I was grossed out though…stepped in a puddle of rain/dirty water/urine on the way, ew! I got over it…once we got to the shop and ordered our food I went into the bathroom, stuck my foot up on the sink, and washed my foot and sandal with soap, water, and antibacterial hand gel…hopefully that got the job done. For the next hour and a half us group of girls had an awesome talk…I am really getting to know people a lot better and I am thankful for these opportunities. We headed home. After a while of walking we, once again, got lost. Thankfully, we talked to this old man who showed us the way and told us that he is thankful we are here with them and will be praying for us. Such a cute old man…Ugandans are so kind! We got home with some extra free time to work on the homework I didn’t do, had dinner, and then headed back into town for the inauguration of Obama, our new president! Basically, the whole group went together although we had to part ways in between. We had no idea how to get to the place we wanted to go, Magic Square or something like that? We followed the crowd and realized we were going the wrong way so we had to turn around and go against traffic…boy, were we booking it! Finally we got there in time and watched the inauguration. So cool! Ugandans are so happy for us and are proud for an African to be our president…they always said to us as we walked by, “Obama, Obama…yay!” After about an hour or more, we left the place and went into the city. Our group split up. I rode a mutatu with Peter and Sophie.. We went to Kabalagala, this would be my first night in town. We walked around for a bit and stopped in at this ice cream/burger place, pretty nice. Our other friends, Roanna, Jess, Jess, Joy, and Eli joined us as they saw us driving by in their mutatu. We had fun eating and talking.. Since home was not that far, we walked all the way home and our day was complete.
The city-close to Parliament is where we were- it is very different from Muyenga, especially at night…alongside the sidewalk homeless people sat with few blankets to keep them warm, selling something, sleeping, and looked so frail that they couldn’t move. Little children, boys and girls, would come up to me with hope and sadness in their eyes that said, “Give me money or something to eat…” It hurts my heart to see such brokenness. I think about these children, skin and bone, dirt on their hands and feet, bad hygiene all over their body and in their clothes, they have no home…no place to go. What am I to do? I want to give them money, but know that I shouldn’t…I wish I had food to give to them, but I have none. I fear for these little girls who wander the streets alone and who are surrounded by men who are cruel and abusive…I could not imagine living such a life. So many people are suffering from poverty and continue to pursue on. They struggle to make ends meet but work hard in efforts to provide for themselves and family. I knew that we lived in a broken world, but seeing it is heart wrenching and makes me ask the question, why…
Today was FIELD TRIP DAY!!! Woohoo…brings me back to elementary school days. We were to leave at 8:00 but our bus got stuck in a traffic jam, so we got off to a late start. Finally, we arrived maybe around 9 something and our professor, Peter was waiting in our car. He’s so cute…mmmhmmm (he always does that). Anyway, our field trip today was to the Kasubi Tombs…where the King’s of Buganda, one of the regions in Uganda, are buried. It was so cool. Our tour guide was very intelligent and knew a lot of information about the history behind each king. First, he showed us the huts-but they really look like houses-that the kings’ wives live in. These wives may not actually be the king’s wife but are representations of them. When a king’s wife dies, she is replaced by another woman who is a descendent of the king or who is of the same clan. We saw some of the women working today. Then, we entered the largest hut in the WORLD!!! I never went inside a hut before but it was awesome. 4 kings are buried there. We sat on matted floor which the wives weaved, and learned about the traditions in regards of the kings. When a king died, people believed him to have disappeared into the forest…he left his spirit behind, but never technically died according to the people. Therefore, half of the hut, which was blocked off, was designated to the kings…they were buried in the forest. The tour guide did a great job explaining the information…I thoroughly enjoyed it. After we went to the gift shop, we had to run back to the bus because it was pouring rain.
After lunch-carrot soup, bread, and fruit J- a Joy, Jess, Jenny, Mindy, and I went to Café Pap…kind of like a Starbucks, so good and so cool! It was kind of like a taste from home…mmm, iced mocha was so good. They had cool designs on all of our coffees. Anyway, on our way over there…we got lost. The mutates can be very confusing because there are so many people everywhere as well as dozens of cars, etc. going every which way, you really have to be aware of your surroundings. Anyway, this was the first time we were finding the coffee shop on our own without any boys…I think we managed well. I was grossed out though…stepped in a puddle of rain/dirty water/urine on the way, ew! I got over it…once we got to the shop and ordered our food I went into the bathroom, stuck my foot up on the sink, and washed my foot and sandal with soap, water, and antibacterial hand gel…hopefully that got the job done. For the next hour and a half us group of girls had an awesome talk…I am really getting to know people a lot better and I am thankful for these opportunities. We headed home. After a while of walking we, once again, got lost. Thankfully, we talked to this old man who showed us the way and told us that he is thankful we are here with them and will be praying for us. Such a cute old man…Ugandans are so kind! We got home with some extra free time to work on the homework I didn’t do, had dinner, and then headed back into town for the inauguration of Obama, our new president! Basically, the whole group went together although we had to part ways in between. We had no idea how to get to the place we wanted to go, Magic Square or something like that? We followed the crowd and realized we were going the wrong way so we had to turn around and go against traffic…boy, were we booking it! Finally we got there in time and watched the inauguration. So cool! Ugandans are so happy for us and are proud for an African to be our president…they always said to us as we walked by, “Obama, Obama…yay!” After about an hour or more, we left the place and went into the city. Our group split up. I rode a mutatu with Peter and Sophie.. We went to Kabalagala, this would be my first night in town. We walked around for a bit and stopped in at this ice cream/burger place, pretty nice. Our other friends, Roanna, Jess, Jess, Joy, and Eli joined us as they saw us driving by in their mutatu. We had fun eating and talking.. Since home was not that far, we walked all the way home and our day was complete.
The city-close to Parliament is where we were- it is very different from Muyenga, especially at night…alongside the sidewalk homeless people sat with few blankets to keep them warm, selling something, sleeping, and looked so frail that they couldn’t move. Little children, boys and girls, would come up to me with hope and sadness in their eyes that said, “Give me money or something to eat…” It hurts my heart to see such brokenness. I think about these children, skin and bone, dirt on their hands and feet, bad hygiene all over their body and in their clothes, they have no home…no place to go. What am I to do? I want to give them money, but know that I shouldn’t…I wish I had food to give to them, but I have none. I fear for these little girls who wander the streets alone and who are surrounded by men who are cruel and abusive…I could not imagine living such a life. So many people are suffering from poverty and continue to pursue on. They struggle to make ends meet but work hard in efforts to provide for themselves and family. I knew that we lived in a broken world, but seeing it is heart wrenching and makes me ask the question, why…
"He's Got the Whole World in His Hands..."
Sunday, January 18, 2009
This morning, I went to church with Paul, my field assistant or what we call our “hired friends.” Suzy, Wes, Eli, and Anna are also in my group. Paul was supposed to pick us up at 9:30 a.m., however, he came around 10…this is typical in the African culture. Time is not an issue. Anyway, we walked for a bit until we caught a taxi that drove us to Kibali Church Center Community, the name sounded something like that. It was a large church…we came at the end of the first service. We stayed for THREE HOURS!!! Quite a long time, but it was very interesting to see and I am glad I went. I was intrigued by the brothers who were dancing in the aisle, they were so cute. It was a young boy about the age of 8 or 9 and his little brother who was maybe 2 years old. They were singing, smiling, and jumping up and down together…they were fun to watch. Actually, the whole church was singing, shouting, and dancing with joy…the community truly had hearts for God.
Towards the beginning of the time we were there, and the end of the 1st service, we gave offering and tithes at the front. Members formed long lines for prayer and to give their offering, music was playing in the background. During this time, a young woman met with the pastor. He placed his hand on her head and began to pray. The woman began to convulse and started to scream and yell. She threw herself on the floor…she ran into a bunch of chairs. A couple of the men had to pick her up, as she could not get up herself, and led her up the stairs of the stage. They laid her down and held her to the floor…they continued to pray for her. My eyes were amazed…I just saw a demon being cast out of a person’s body!
After that incident, my mind was filled with lots of questions…Where does the demon go? How does someone get a demon? Does it cause physical pain?...the list continued. My mind was buzzing with questions and had no answers. Thankfully, when we returned home after church, Paul ate lunch with us and I was able to ask him all of my questions. Apparently, witch craft and demons are a familiar reality here in Uganda. Usually, it is the result of some type of bondage. An example he used was a woman who never married. That is looked down upon in their culture and creates many anxieties for women who struggle to find someone. Typically, Paul said, when demon’s are cast out of a person…they are cast into the wilderness as they need to be sent somewhere. When a demon is cast out of a person’s body, there is an empty space that needs to be filled. Demons could possibly reenter the body if it would not be sent somewhere else…therefore, the demon must be cast somewhere, such as in the wilderness, and the Holy Spirit fills the void.
Although casting out demons is not something I typically think about or see in the U.S., I think it remains there but perhaps in different ways. Everyone has their ups and downs; life is filled with good and bad times. Yet, it is the times when we are down where we become most vulnerable. If we do not rely on God and place our trust in Him, we may falter and provide opportunities for sin to take hold of our lives. Addictions, bondage, and or other forms of brokenness may allow our struggle to begin. I am not saying that Christians will not struggle…because struggle and joy is a part of life. Yet, if we walk with God beside us, He will give us strength to continue on. He is our Protector, Savior, and source of comfort...we can not do it alone. I think this is a good reminder to walk humbly and praise the Lord for who He has created us to be. Joy, happiness, compassion, and humility all come from the Lord…and no one else.
This morning, I went to church with Paul, my field assistant or what we call our “hired friends.” Suzy, Wes, Eli, and Anna are also in my group. Paul was supposed to pick us up at 9:30 a.m., however, he came around 10…this is typical in the African culture. Time is not an issue. Anyway, we walked for a bit until we caught a taxi that drove us to Kibali Church Center Community, the name sounded something like that. It was a large church…we came at the end of the first service. We stayed for THREE HOURS!!! Quite a long time, but it was very interesting to see and I am glad I went. I was intrigued by the brothers who were dancing in the aisle, they were so cute. It was a young boy about the age of 8 or 9 and his little brother who was maybe 2 years old. They were singing, smiling, and jumping up and down together…they were fun to watch. Actually, the whole church was singing, shouting, and dancing with joy…the community truly had hearts for God.
Towards the beginning of the time we were there, and the end of the 1st service, we gave offering and tithes at the front. Members formed long lines for prayer and to give their offering, music was playing in the background. During this time, a young woman met with the pastor. He placed his hand on her head and began to pray. The woman began to convulse and started to scream and yell. She threw herself on the floor…she ran into a bunch of chairs. A couple of the men had to pick her up, as she could not get up herself, and led her up the stairs of the stage. They laid her down and held her to the floor…they continued to pray for her. My eyes were amazed…I just saw a demon being cast out of a person’s body!
After that incident, my mind was filled with lots of questions…Where does the demon go? How does someone get a demon? Does it cause physical pain?...the list continued. My mind was buzzing with questions and had no answers. Thankfully, when we returned home after church, Paul ate lunch with us and I was able to ask him all of my questions. Apparently, witch craft and demons are a familiar reality here in Uganda. Usually, it is the result of some type of bondage. An example he used was a woman who never married. That is looked down upon in their culture and creates many anxieties for women who struggle to find someone. Typically, Paul said, when demon’s are cast out of a person…they are cast into the wilderness as they need to be sent somewhere. When a demon is cast out of a person’s body, there is an empty space that needs to be filled. Demons could possibly reenter the body if it would not be sent somewhere else…therefore, the demon must be cast somewhere, such as in the wilderness, and the Holy Spirit fills the void.
Although casting out demons is not something I typically think about or see in the U.S., I think it remains there but perhaps in different ways. Everyone has their ups and downs; life is filled with good and bad times. Yet, it is the times when we are down where we become most vulnerable. If we do not rely on God and place our trust in Him, we may falter and provide opportunities for sin to take hold of our lives. Addictions, bondage, and or other forms of brokenness may allow our struggle to begin. I am not saying that Christians will not struggle…because struggle and joy is a part of life. Yet, if we walk with God beside us, He will give us strength to continue on. He is our Protector, Savior, and source of comfort...we can not do it alone. I think this is a good reminder to walk humbly and praise the Lord for who He has created us to be. Joy, happiness, compassion, and humility all come from the Lord…and no one else.
Baby's Home and King's Palace
Friday, January 16, 2009
This morning I woke up, had devos, and ate the typical breakfast…scrambled eggs, sweet sweet pineapple, mmm…and coffee. We got the bus at 8. Today we only had one class with Peter…class with Susan was cancelled due to a conference she had to attend. So only 1 ½ hour class today, yay! Class was very interesting today…we learned about Uganda and the many nations/tribes within the country, clans, and family. Very interesting….next week we go on some fun field trips. After class was over, it was around 11 or so, Roanna, Jordan, Mitch, Tessa, Jenny, Mindy, Suzy, and I went to the babies home close by. It was awesome! For the first hour or so, we played with the little kids on their trucks and toys. I played with a boy who was bouncing on a large, squishy toy cow…I think? I pretended to steer him left and right as well as bump him up and down…he was laughing and smiling…so was I. All of the children were fun…there were so many! I noticed that numerous kids had warts or tumors on their bodies…sad to see children having to cope with such things. After play time, we had to gather all the kids for lunch…this was a task. I had 2 babies hand in hand, placed them behind a stroller to push as well as had 2 babies in the stroller. I helped steer…this was quite the challenge as other kids continued to run into the stroller and fit through doorways. We helped serve and feed the kids lunch…mashed up potatoes, beans, and rice mixture. I sat beside an adorable little girl named Flores…such a good baby…just sat there and ate. My pants got very dirty which mashed up food and slobber… After lunch the babies were to go potty and then we cleaned and dressed them for nap time. Two babies got in an argument and started to through the their toilet training seats filled with urine at each other…I was kind of grossed out but also felt for them in my heart. These children have no families to go back to, many had bodily malfunctions and were not receiving the nutrients necessary. The women working there are strong and I admire their love and care for so many children…I hope to visit again, sometime soon.
After the baby house, we got lunch at a close by restaurant/bar…I ate posho, which is mashed corn meal-very bland and sticky, and beans…you dip the posho in with the beans. It is pretty good, I must say. Then we traveled to the other side of town to the King’s Palace. We got a tour of everything surrounding his palace but were not allowed inside, that is just for the royal family. Our tour guide was very kind and told us the history behind the palace. Apparently, a man named Amin? killed all of the Ugandan kings and gained superiority. He took over the country, Buganda, and killed thousands of Bugandans out of jealousy for their fast developing community. Bugandans were taken from their homes and placed in a tunnel close to the palace…there, mostly men and some women and children, suffered and died from starvation. The tunnel had rooms in which people were placed…crammed. Down below was electrical water…if people went out of the room, they would fall into the water and die. No one survived that they know of…very sad story, very sad history. Uganda is a country of much death and sadness in the past. However, right now it is in the best condition of all its years.
Our guide walked with us down to where we caught a mutatu and, once again, we went through the typical…finding the taxi park, weaving our way around the crowd for a VERY long time, and finally catching a mutatu going to Muyenga, our home town…I’m sure we’ll get it faster as we practice more. Okay, gotta go but I will write down my next exploration experiences….soon to come!
This morning I woke up, had devos, and ate the typical breakfast…scrambled eggs, sweet sweet pineapple, mmm…and coffee. We got the bus at 8. Today we only had one class with Peter…class with Susan was cancelled due to a conference she had to attend. So only 1 ½ hour class today, yay! Class was very interesting today…we learned about Uganda and the many nations/tribes within the country, clans, and family. Very interesting….next week we go on some fun field trips. After class was over, it was around 11 or so, Roanna, Jordan, Mitch, Tessa, Jenny, Mindy, Suzy, and I went to the babies home close by. It was awesome! For the first hour or so, we played with the little kids on their trucks and toys. I played with a boy who was bouncing on a large, squishy toy cow…I think? I pretended to steer him left and right as well as bump him up and down…he was laughing and smiling…so was I. All of the children were fun…there were so many! I noticed that numerous kids had warts or tumors on their bodies…sad to see children having to cope with such things. After play time, we had to gather all the kids for lunch…this was a task. I had 2 babies hand in hand, placed them behind a stroller to push as well as had 2 babies in the stroller. I helped steer…this was quite the challenge as other kids continued to run into the stroller and fit through doorways. We helped serve and feed the kids lunch…mashed up potatoes, beans, and rice mixture. I sat beside an adorable little girl named Flores…such a good baby…just sat there and ate. My pants got very dirty which mashed up food and slobber… After lunch the babies were to go potty and then we cleaned and dressed them for nap time. Two babies got in an argument and started to through the their toilet training seats filled with urine at each other…I was kind of grossed out but also felt for them in my heart. These children have no families to go back to, many had bodily malfunctions and were not receiving the nutrients necessary. The women working there are strong and I admire their love and care for so many children…I hope to visit again, sometime soon.
After the baby house, we got lunch at a close by restaurant/bar…I ate posho, which is mashed corn meal-very bland and sticky, and beans…you dip the posho in with the beans. It is pretty good, I must say. Then we traveled to the other side of town to the King’s Palace. We got a tour of everything surrounding his palace but were not allowed inside, that is just for the royal family. Our tour guide was very kind and told us the history behind the palace. Apparently, a man named Amin? killed all of the Ugandan kings and gained superiority. He took over the country, Buganda, and killed thousands of Bugandans out of jealousy for their fast developing community. Bugandans were taken from their homes and placed in a tunnel close to the palace…there, mostly men and some women and children, suffered and died from starvation. The tunnel had rooms in which people were placed…crammed. Down below was electrical water…if people went out of the room, they would fall into the water and die. No one survived that they know of…very sad story, very sad history. Uganda is a country of much death and sadness in the past. However, right now it is in the best condition of all its years.
Our guide walked with us down to where we caught a mutatu and, once again, we went through the typical…finding the taxi park, weaving our way around the crowd for a VERY long time, and finally catching a mutatu going to Muyenga, our home town…I’m sure we’ll get it faster as we practice more. Okay, gotta go but I will write down my next exploration experiences….soon to come!
Exploring the City!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
This morning I woke up to loud singing and shouting…it was the military marking through the street with proud voices…I’m not exactly sure why. Today we had school again. It was more interesting today in both classes. For my last class, we had a guest speaker come talk to us….we were talking about oral literature and basically said riddles, Ugandan and American, the whole time. Pretty good day in classes except for my terrible stomach ache…it hurt earlier today when we were looking for lunch and came back during class…it keeps coming and going so I am resting now. Anyway, lunch is always fun…an adventure for sure! Today, I went with Jenny, Joy, Peter, and Eli to a restaurant for lunch…it was a pretty nice place. We were seated in a bamboo walled, thatched roof, cemented floor hut, kinda? Our waiter was very nice, very kind. We ordered drinks and were told that lunch would not be ready until 12:30….that is typical here, food is not always prepared when you arrive. So, we decided to take a trip to the cathedral up the road. Man, was that a hike…it was all hill and we were booking it so we’d make it back in time. We took lots of pics, very pretty building…that was when my stomach started to hurt. So, I spent most of my time in the squatty potty…first experience here! I had to pay 100 shillings to pee in a hole in the ground. It smelled, there was no toilet paper…thank goodness I brought my own, and the door didn’t lock. I was wearing my backpack and was careful not to let anything touch the walls or floor…so, overall it took awhile and I am determined to avoid those things as much as possible…I’m sure I’ll see it again though. Anyway, we went back to the lunch place and ate the staple food matooka, which is mashed green bananas, and cassava, which is kinda like a potato mixture…both were very bland and I didn’t care for either. I also had some chicken in a marinated broth…that tasted okay. Anyway, we arrived to class a little late due to our lunch situation…had class…and came home. Tonight we have our first Owning Poverty night, the devotional time, which I am looking forward to. Tomorrow we have no school and will spend the day exploring the city…I think we may go to the mosque, visit a baby’s home, and other fun things…we shall see what that day will hold.
So far, at moments, time flies by and other times it goes slow. Overall, I am glad I am here…I will have many adventures to share I’m sure. Okay, that is enough blabbing for today…I hope and can’t wait to hear from you all!
This morning I woke up to loud singing and shouting…it was the military marking through the street with proud voices…I’m not exactly sure why. Today we had school again. It was more interesting today in both classes. For my last class, we had a guest speaker come talk to us….we were talking about oral literature and basically said riddles, Ugandan and American, the whole time. Pretty good day in classes except for my terrible stomach ache…it hurt earlier today when we were looking for lunch and came back during class…it keeps coming and going so I am resting now. Anyway, lunch is always fun…an adventure for sure! Today, I went with Jenny, Joy, Peter, and Eli to a restaurant for lunch…it was a pretty nice place. We were seated in a bamboo walled, thatched roof, cemented floor hut, kinda? Our waiter was very nice, very kind. We ordered drinks and were told that lunch would not be ready until 12:30….that is typical here, food is not always prepared when you arrive. So, we decided to take a trip to the cathedral up the road. Man, was that a hike…it was all hill and we were booking it so we’d make it back in time. We took lots of pics, very pretty building…that was when my stomach started to hurt. So, I spent most of my time in the squatty potty…first experience here! I had to pay 100 shillings to pee in a hole in the ground. It smelled, there was no toilet paper…thank goodness I brought my own, and the door didn’t lock. I was wearing my backpack and was careful not to let anything touch the walls or floor…so, overall it took awhile and I am determined to avoid those things as much as possible…I’m sure I’ll see it again though. Anyway, we went back to the lunch place and ate the staple food matooka, which is mashed green bananas, and cassava, which is kinda like a potato mixture…both were very bland and I didn’t care for either. I also had some chicken in a marinated broth…that tasted okay. Anyway, we arrived to class a little late due to our lunch situation…had class…and came home. Tonight we have our first Owning Poverty night, the devotional time, which I am looking forward to. Tomorrow we have no school and will spend the day exploring the city…I think we may go to the mosque, visit a baby’s home, and other fun things…we shall see what that day will hold.
So far, at moments, time flies by and other times it goes slow. Overall, I am glad I am here…I will have many adventures to share I’m sure. Okay, that is enough blabbing for today…I hope and can’t wait to hear from you all!
New Days Bring New Experiences...
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Today was our first day of school. I had to get up early to eat breakfast at 7:30 this morning and leave for school at 8. Last night I could not sleep…haven’t slept well since I’ve been here. I always wake up early in the morning, like 4 or so. Anyway, this morning a dumb mosquito was buzzing around my ear…my mosquito net doesn’t fully cover my bed. So, to escape the pesky mosquito I hid under my covers…but I was already sweating. I stayed there for awhile til I could handle it no longer…I ended up getting up around 6:30. We arrived at school late, typical lifestyle here. My first professor, named Peter, taught our African religion and culture class. He was really nice but the whole time was lecture…3 hours of lecture filled with lots of confusing names, places, and trying to follow his accent was quite tiring…towards the end I couldn’t keep up. At 11:00 or so, we went to find lunch. After walking around for awhile, we went to the Shell where they have ice cream and lunch stuff. I had a thick tortilla thing…called a chapati or something like that, very goo!. Then we had to return to school for our next class, African Literature, with Professor Susan. I enjoyed discussion…but, again, zoned out towards the end. We had class til 3:30…2 ½ hours long. After class we went exploring in Kampala city…the center of town. Wes, Danielle, Mindy, Jenny, and I walked together throughout town…it was sooo busy! It had rained earlier today so we were walking in mushy gush…ya know, mud, trash, and probably some other little surprises if you know what I mean. Oh, this was interesting…on our way to market we passed this 9 year old boy preaching the gospel on the sidewalk. He had a lot of umph behind his speech….shouting words, using expressive actions and everything. He was very short as you could imagine and had to stand on the top curve of the sidewalk so people could see him. We were lost for awhile…trying to find the indoor market.
Finally we found it, but I didn’t like it at all. It was very crowded and the men were ridiculous…as we passed by they would touch our arms or grab our wrists and say, “Muzungo-that’s what they call white people-you have beautiful eyes….hello, my love….oh hey, how are you…” etc. I was so uncomfortable…tight spaces and upfront men. In the culture here, it is natural to touch or stroke a person’s arm, especially a muzungo’s arm. And I understand that, but in our culture that is not normal and, in my mind, kind of disrespectful. I guess it’s a matter of adapting to different cultures. The men may obviously say some, what I would consider, inappropriate comments…but I just give them the cold shoulder. It was just an interesting experience is all.
Today was our first day of school. I had to get up early to eat breakfast at 7:30 this morning and leave for school at 8. Last night I could not sleep…haven’t slept well since I’ve been here. I always wake up early in the morning, like 4 or so. Anyway, this morning a dumb mosquito was buzzing around my ear…my mosquito net doesn’t fully cover my bed. So, to escape the pesky mosquito I hid under my covers…but I was already sweating. I stayed there for awhile til I could handle it no longer…I ended up getting up around 6:30. We arrived at school late, typical lifestyle here. My first professor, named Peter, taught our African religion and culture class. He was really nice but the whole time was lecture…3 hours of lecture filled with lots of confusing names, places, and trying to follow his accent was quite tiring…towards the end I couldn’t keep up. At 11:00 or so, we went to find lunch. After walking around for awhile, we went to the Shell where they have ice cream and lunch stuff. I had a thick tortilla thing…called a chapati or something like that, very goo!. Then we had to return to school for our next class, African Literature, with Professor Susan. I enjoyed discussion…but, again, zoned out towards the end. We had class til 3:30…2 ½ hours long. After class we went exploring in Kampala city…the center of town. Wes, Danielle, Mindy, Jenny, and I walked together throughout town…it was sooo busy! It had rained earlier today so we were walking in mushy gush…ya know, mud, trash, and probably some other little surprises if you know what I mean. Oh, this was interesting…on our way to market we passed this 9 year old boy preaching the gospel on the sidewalk. He had a lot of umph behind his speech….shouting words, using expressive actions and everything. He was very short as you could imagine and had to stand on the top curve of the sidewalk so people could see him. We were lost for awhile…trying to find the indoor market.
Finally we found it, but I didn’t like it at all. It was very crowded and the men were ridiculous…as we passed by they would touch our arms or grab our wrists and say, “Muzungo-that’s what they call white people-you have beautiful eyes….hello, my love….oh hey, how are you…” etc. I was so uncomfortable…tight spaces and upfront men. In the culture here, it is natural to touch or stroke a person’s arm, especially a muzungo’s arm. And I understand that, but in our culture that is not normal and, in my mind, kind of disrespectful. I guess it’s a matter of adapting to different cultures. The men may obviously say some, what I would consider, inappropriate comments…but I just give them the cold shoulder. It was just an interesting experience is all.
And, My Trip Begins...
Monday, January 12, 2009
*Olliotia (this means “hello” in Luganda…but not sure if I spelled it right)
Uganda is a beautiful country that is filled with gorgeous, fresh green nature…our backyard is awesome…so big and the sunsets with colors of blazing orange. We are hot, all the time…it is probably about 90 degrees or higher. For me this year, winter = summer. By the end of the day, I feel sooo gross and need to take a shower.
The house is very nice. We have guards that stand by the gate and let us in. The house is very big…I live on the bottom floor with 5 other girls. Our room is of bunk beds and we have a bathroom with 3 showers, 3 sinks, and 1 toilet. The kitchen, dining area, and patio are on the bottom floor. Upstairs is where the other 6 girls and guys live as well as a comfy lounge and balcony. Our place is gorgeous, very clean, and good living. We have 1 cook, Grace, and 1 maid, Howa. They are native to the land and are very nice. I look forward to getting to know them. We also have a leader who lives at the house with us and is very fun.
Yesterday and today was a lot of orientation stuff. Today was exciting…we went to “the surgery” which is the doctors office to meet our doctor. He was a British man with an accent and an upfront honest person…definitely held nothing back. He made us laugh…and sometimes made us feel awkward, never knew what he was going to say. We also went into Kampala today. Our group was broken up into 4 smaller groups…we were all assigned Ugandan students who led us around and taught us how to use transportation…we call them “hired friends.” I was assigned to the group of Paul. He is very nice…Kampala is a crazy city. Boda bodas-motorcycles that are very dangerous, mutatus-buses, and cars go in all directions…plus, lots of crowded people walking around. We walked and used the mutatus to visit our school. I had to keep my hand over my bag so that nothing would be taken. Our school is very plain, but has a great view of the city. I took pictures J Then, we went to a next door ice cream place for a quick break…I got passion fruit juice, very good! We stayed there for a while because it began to pour down rain…we had to take cover. Anyway, after the rain stopped we caught a bus and drove home to a delicious meal.
Tomorrow we start our first day of classes beginning at 8:30 to 3:30 with a 2 hour break in between. I think during lunch and after school we will go exploring, I’m excited. Then, tomorrow night, we have a class where we can learn Luganda if we want, but it is not required. Also, every Wednesday night we will have worship/devotions together as a group. I like my group and am enjoying getting to know people. Life here is different but good. People are so different…this country is very poor and it is sometimes hard to see, but that is the reality here…as it is in much of the world.
*Olliotia (this means “hello” in Luganda…but not sure if I spelled it right)
Uganda is a beautiful country that is filled with gorgeous, fresh green nature…our backyard is awesome…so big and the sunsets with colors of blazing orange. We are hot, all the time…it is probably about 90 degrees or higher. For me this year, winter = summer. By the end of the day, I feel sooo gross and need to take a shower.
The house is very nice. We have guards that stand by the gate and let us in. The house is very big…I live on the bottom floor with 5 other girls. Our room is of bunk beds and we have a bathroom with 3 showers, 3 sinks, and 1 toilet. The kitchen, dining area, and patio are on the bottom floor. Upstairs is where the other 6 girls and guys live as well as a comfy lounge and balcony. Our place is gorgeous, very clean, and good living. We have 1 cook, Grace, and 1 maid, Howa. They are native to the land and are very nice. I look forward to getting to know them. We also have a leader who lives at the house with us and is very fun.
Yesterday and today was a lot of orientation stuff. Today was exciting…we went to “the surgery” which is the doctors office to meet our doctor. He was a British man with an accent and an upfront honest person…definitely held nothing back. He made us laugh…and sometimes made us feel awkward, never knew what he was going to say. We also went into Kampala today. Our group was broken up into 4 smaller groups…we were all assigned Ugandan students who led us around and taught us how to use transportation…we call them “hired friends.” I was assigned to the group of Paul. He is very nice…Kampala is a crazy city. Boda bodas-motorcycles that are very dangerous, mutatus-buses, and cars go in all directions…plus, lots of crowded people walking around. We walked and used the mutatus to visit our school. I had to keep my hand over my bag so that nothing would be taken. Our school is very plain, but has a great view of the city. I took pictures J Then, we went to a next door ice cream place for a quick break…I got passion fruit juice, very good! We stayed there for a while because it began to pour down rain…we had to take cover. Anyway, after the rain stopped we caught a bus and drove home to a delicious meal.
Tomorrow we start our first day of classes beginning at 8:30 to 3:30 with a 2 hour break in between. I think during lunch and after school we will go exploring, I’m excited. Then, tomorrow night, we have a class where we can learn Luganda if we want, but it is not required. Also, every Wednesday night we will have worship/devotions together as a group. I like my group and am enjoying getting to know people. Life here is different but good. People are so different…this country is very poor and it is sometimes hard to see, but that is the reality here…as it is in much of the world.
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