Monday, January 17, 2011
Karamajong Feast
The ceremony concluded with a pumping of the well by the most high government official in attendance, after which we were all invited to a special feast sponsored by the elders of the community. Goats are common livestock in Karamoja and having one for this feast was a great sacrifice for this small village. Little did Lauren know that the goat she watched get butchered would be on her plate later that day. She had a tough time choking down the goat meat in either roasted or skewered form. I, on the other hand, was surprised by the good flavor and tenderness of this meat. I’ve eaten goat a dozen or so times and it’s always good but this time the flavor was particularly good. The flies were also mightily attracted. I’m sure the photo doesn’t to the problem justice. Tasting a bit of goat was equally likely to result in a bit of fly too.
Karamoja Well Dedication
An anonymous donor sponsored a well for the Karamojongs living in Kokorio, one of the villages visited in September for a medical clinic. An official ceremony will be held in May when Laura, the founder of Mercy Uganda, is here. We held an unofficial ceremony this week so that the members of parliament responsible for this region and district could be present to witness the investment we’re making here and to verify our presence in support of Mercy Uganda’s international NGO status.
I was impressed by the resourcefulness of the Kokorio Karamojongs – when there are resources to be had – in that they’d already planted a few small crops near the well. This region is so dry that the fertile land often goes to waste for lack of rain. Even the aloe plants are all dried up. This well not only brings clean water to drink, but it also provides water for livestock and crops. What better way to spend $10,000!
Welcome to Kokorio
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| Notice all the Musivini t-shirts, incumbent presidential campaign to a group who would have no political views |
Getting to Kokorio was just a little different this time around. We had no rented taxi, no bus, and no car to get us to and from this place where no roads (and almost no paths) lead. I was enlisted to renew my boda driving skills and carry one of the four team members to Kokorio while Henry carried the other. Poor Gabriel, he drew the short straw. Alas the opportunity was snatched away by some good Samaritan who offered to drive us. Save my skin for another day.
Singing and dancing are an important part of the Ugandan welcoming custom and continue to make me smile. The women danced and sang. The children danced and sang. The elders joined at various points not at all afraid to make the crowd laugh.
Henry made several trips to this very remote, roadless location to deliver benches for our comfort. The almost five-hour ceremony rendered me thankful for all that effort. Officials from the church, from the government, and from the tribe were honored over and over again. The tendency to look at me when giving thanks and appreciation was somewhat uncomfortable. While I am a small part of Mercy Uganda, the work and organization of this effort was that of Ugandans, not Americans.Sunday, January 16, 2011
Second Trip to Karamoja
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| Building construction supports. |
Fourteen hours. That’s how long it takes to get to Matany in Karamoja via bus. Our last drive was shorter because we had rented our own vehicle. Gabriel, Lauren, and I left the house at a pitch black 4:00 a.m. to reach the bus station where Henry was waiting. We boarded the bus at 4:30 a.m. and tried to choose the optimal seats – front section (to minimize road bumps), window (to maximize air movement), right or the left (to stay out of the sun during the hottest part of the day). I believe these seats had not been cleaned for the entire life of the bus; however, it doesn’t take much to look a mess given the dust along the trail. Again I was disappointed to find my new tan wash down the drain.
The bus made regular stops along the way to allow passengers to purchase food or other trinkets from the many vendors who swarm the bus. Or perhaps the stop is made to allow vendors to earn their living off the passengers. Bitter green oranges, handmade baskets full of nicely ripe mangos, wooden tree branches poking through roasted chicken leg/thigh combinations, tubs filled with cold drinks (in many cases refilled from plastic bottles picked up along the road), a fan of multi-colored handkerchiefs, single serving packs of biscuits (hard, plain, cookies), Juicy Fruit gum, small school booklets, and bras. Right…bras. One guy ran off to find me an English-to-Luganda language book. Webale Sebo (thank you sir).
Henry and I scrunched ourselves into two seats next to one another and had the opportunity to talk about so many things Ugandan. I spend more time with Lauren and Gabriel so having one-on-one time with Henry was so appreciated. This very smart man offered many suggestions toward becoming self-sustaining in Uganda both for me and for the average Ugandan.
Henry is a very wise advisor and a great teacher…but his shoulder was not quite right for leaning my head on. Sleeping on the bus was nearly impossible given the heat, the small space, and the very rough roads. Just as we began to doze an Islamic man began preaching to the captives. If I were smart (and bold) I would have countered his preaching with a little Jesus talk. Of course very few would have understood my English. I think of all the stories I’ve heard about preaching in tongues only to find the local people understood the message perfectly. A missed opportunity on my part.
In between the wide open spaces, the sights and sounds were beautiful and slowly transformed along the way. The natural beauty of the landscape moved from lush greenery to brown shrubbery. The further north (toward the equator) we went the less water for vegetation. Homes were round rather than rectangular, made of clay mud and dry grass to keep out the rain (although it almost never rains here). People were a bit taller and much knobbier and thinner. Their clothing style started including fabric wraps and bead waste bands and necklaces. The language changed from Luganda to Karamojong (with some Kiswahili). Welcome to Karamoja, it is now 6:00 p.m.Tuesday, January 11, 2011
KOWH Business Teaching: Week 2
Materials, transport, booth rental, and labor are a few of the elements that go into product costs for the artisans at Konoweka Orphans and Widows Hut. The women were easily able to identify how they spent their money when preparing the handcrafts, but when we talked about how the costs related to the price they charge for their products they got this far-off look on their faces. They were all realizing a small problem…in some cases they weren’t charging prices that covered their costs let alone allowed for food, school fees, and other expenses.
Together we created a simple financial model to help guide the pricing of their products by addressing costs, profit, and price in a general sense. Each woman makes a different craft so one price won’t work for all, but the model remains the same. We added in the competition factor when it came to product pricing and I challenged the women to observe their competitors over the course of the next week and report back what they find.
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| These guys came for the business teaching, so they said. |
After realizing the cost of their products we talked about typical ways profit can be spent. First, tithing. I acknowledged how difficult it might sometimes be to tithe from the first fruits when the kids are hungry. But we agreed that God is much bigger than our simple hunger and that obedience to him was the first step in resolving the hunger issue. We actually spent a good deal of time on the topic. I never imagined how perfectly the widow and two mites story would so perfectly fit a situation in real life. On a side note, I realized how perfectly American the English Bible translations are. The widow gave “two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny,” which I converted into shillings.
Second, practical needs – food, school fees, shelter. This mode of spending made perfect sense to everyone involved. Finally, saving. Not surprisingly, I lost most of the women when we got to this topic. Rather than pressure them to save what they don’t have, I tried to paint a picture of the opportunities saving helps create. Still, to be honest, this was a tough topic to instill under the circumstances. We’ve all had times in our lives when we weren’t able to save. It’s not always a matter of discipline, but instead it’s a matter of portion.
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Luke 6:38).
KOWH Bible Study: Week 2
Two hours, two taxis, and two people walk up a long hill in the hot sun to the church where the women are waiting at two o’clock. The widows of Konoweka Orphans and Widows Hut studied the topic of prayer from Growing Strong with God in the Mom’s Ordinary Day Bible study series. We read Matthew 6:5-13 (I think, there’s no power and it’s dark so I can’t refer back to the notes) and studied the Lord’s Prayer in a line-by-line fashion.
The idea of small group anything is always fearsome to these ladies. They’ve been hurt and taken advantage of so much they don’t readily open up to others. Further, Ugandan culture dictates that women be seen and not heard. Yet we successfully modeled corporate prayer and worship, individual prayer and worship, and small group prayer and worship together. So many of the prayer requests were for things like food or “some small way” to get the startup money for any project we might suggest that would create income for the family. One lady asked how we can sell her mushrooms on the Konoweka website along with the handcrafts.
Betty – a very young, recent widow – came to me after the study and confirmed all that I’d learned about how widows are treated in Uganda. Her in-laws banished her and her son from the house where she lived with her husband. Now that he is dead, Betty is considered a liability and must be gone. What, she asked, is she supposed to do now? How can I even answer a question like that? I sometimes feel these ladies who are searching for some small hope are looking in the wrong place. I cannot solve all the world’s problems, but I know the one who already did. We prayed that each woman there would be surprised by hope. Please join us in believing God for his abundance to sweep over these women.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Itanda Falls
As so often happens, plans change at the last minute. A single phone call freed up the entire afternoon and you just learn to make the most of it. Did someone say Itanda (ee-ten-duh) Falls? An hour-long drive down a dust covered road led to these beautiful falls on the Nile River. This much larger version of Bujagali Falls offered several points at which to perch myself. The power of the rushing water is mesmerizing.
We learned that this day had been chosen to memorialize Hendrik Coezee, a skilled kayaker working with Eddie Bauer to investigate uncharted African waters. On December 9, 2010 Hendrik was eaten by crocodiles while exploring the Lukuga River in Congo. Read more about what happened in the article written by Canoe & Kayak Magazine. The final post on Hendrik’s The Great White Explorer blog included these prophetic last words: “I would never live a better day.”
Hendrik’s kayak was all that remained. While Canadian, American, and Ugandan onlookers waited, a memorial raft was set aflame as it floated over the rapids. The fire blazed and then fell apart as the power of the water pulled the raft downstream.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
The Source Cafe
The Source Café rests on plot 20 of Main Street in Jinja. The café is one of many Kibo Group projects. The group is dedicated to working with communities in East Africa to reach their full potential through healthy, sustainable projects. They’re a U.S. based business as mission group formed by 15 Americans with over 70 years of combined experience living in Africa.
Gabriel and I met Rick, his friend and mine, at the Café because I wanted to learn more about this organizational model. I noticed immediately, though, that Main Street was full of mzungu. Rick reminded us that Jinja is a tourist town resulting from its proximity to the source of the Nile River (the Café’s namesake), Bujagali Falls and Itanda Falls both of which are popular whitewater rafting and kayaking locations with Class V-VII rapids.
Gabriel and Rick grew up in the same children’s home, Africa Children’s Foundation founded by Kefa Sempangi. I met Rick when we passed through last September when visiting the source of the Nile River and Bujagali Falls for the first time. He’s been traveling in Europe much this past year and I was glad to have this few minutes with him to catch up. Facebook is a wonderful thing, our friendship deepened while we were both away so when we saw each other in person for only the second time it was like seeing an old friend.Friends of Friends
Robert in Uganda was connected to a Methodist church in Ireland that was connected to Heidi in Grand Rapids who is connected to Cornerstone University which is connected to me. Is that six degrees of separation? I think it’s only three. None-the-less I had the privilege of delivering gifts to Robert on Heidi’s behalf. Robert lives in Bugembe, a suburb of Jinja about three hours from home (Kawuku).
Waving us down at the Taxi stage, this dear man welcomed me with a hug even though we’ve never met before. I like him already. A short distance off the main road over the typical dusty, rutted pathways, Robert directed our car to his home. Unlike the typical Ugandan homes made of mud and sticks or local bricks, the solid steel window coverings and steel doors gave the home the more guarded sense you’d get when walking past a store that was closed and locked up for the night. Robert commented as we passed through the doorway leading to the back of the cinder block building that it was like entering a prison.
Close spaces were behind that door. The cement courtyard (using the term loosely) contained Robert’s extended family, resting in the midday heat, and the various small brick homes they occupied. From the parking area you would never know all this life went on behind those doors. Of the many in-laws surrounding his home, Robert’s only son of five children was there along with his wife, Monica.
They all greeted us and invited us into their clean, neat home. The small living room was furnished with a leopard print sofa, love seat, chair trio (something akin to Art Van style) and a dining table big enough for the seven family members plus one. Robert put his gift bags away immediately and I felt a little funny asking to take his picture as he opened the bags so I let the moment slip by. He did note that he was particularly excited about the Christian book as books are a very rare commodity in Uganda.
Robert is a theology student and his wife is a nursing student. We talked about how difficult it can be to maintain a home both physically and financially when you are a student let alone when both parents are students. Robert described his trade as a computer repair technician, although he is attending school full time at the moment. He and Gabriel connected because of their many common certificates related to construction.
Sadly our schedule for the day didn’t allow for a longer visit. Robert and Monica graciously invited us to return and stay with them for a few days, which I just might take them up on. A whole new batch of children screaming mzungu as I go by is rather enticing. I’d like to think I can turn that thrill into something God-based and constructive. I am so privileged to have met this family, to have a friend who will drive me all over kingdom come, and to have a friend who trusts me to be her hands and hearts in her precious relationships.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Research Design & Publication Workshop
The workshop was intentionally designed to draw participants through the design process for a personal research project. When the workshop was over, faculty had a very good draft outline of their personal or team research project that incorporated peer and facilitator (me) feedback. All the workshop materials were made available electronically so that participants could combine that information with scholarly books and articles to begin fleshing out the research project. We’ve tentatively scheduled a draft deadline for March and a final paper with complete research for June. I’ll return in June to work with the teams to evaluate their final work and to establish a plan for a December national conference, at which I will also be present, to present these papers and then help them start on the publishing process.
I absolutely loved watching the participants move from very loose and somewhat confusing ideas to very tight, solid, and viable research designs. With the utmost sincerity I can say that this was the most wonderful group of professionals I’ve had the honor to work with. Every teacher’s dream. I very much look forward to staying in touch and coaching them along the research and publishing processes.
In the end it was this teaching style that drew the most favorable comments. Dr. Kakembo challenged faculty to incorporate the style into their own teaching plans. Here are a few other comments. I have been blessed.
· The approach to the training workshop was fantastic. Please keep it up and may God bless you.
· Facilitator’s approach to teaching the research process was innovative and well received.
· The group participation was great.
· Ready (online) access of materials should enable us to follow up closely (most appreciated).
· Facilitator was able to connect with participants.
· Presentation structure was well organized.
Teaching Style in Uganda
The workshop was held in a small, quaint building called the President’s Hall attached to the main seminary building. A few people were there when I arrived to begin testing the AV equipment. I took the opportunity to introduce myself and to create an open atmosphere of conversation and communication in anticipation of the traditionally reserved approach taken by many Ugandans in formal situations.
The beautiful hall was lined with chairs, which participants were promptly asked to rearrange in favor of small group exercises and assignments. The term lecturer was frequently used to refer to the teachers, which signaled the teaching style traditionally employed by the university. I knew in advance that my teaching style would challenge the long-held paradigm, but pressed on despite that fact—not with an attitude of American superiority but with a hope of adding value to their workshop experience. Armed with adult learning theory principles, I explained and demonstrated the benefits of the teaching style employed in the workshop and the number of faculty who made favorable observations about the approach was surprisingly high.
A question and answer session was built into the program and I had my reservations. Ongoing interactive participation was the goal. Holding questions until the end might challenge faculty-students and me to remember the topic. As the sessions progressed there was no holding back. These participants were actively engaged in the material and questions flew whenever they arose. At times it was difficult to keep order – a real switch from the typical behaviors that I’ve observed in Uganda.
As I contemplated whether or not facilitating a workshop like this one fit into my ministry mission, I wondered in what way I was actually doing ministry work. Yet when evaluating the quality of education between the U.S. and Uganda, I could easily see the value of coming alongside these faculty members to offer a workshop that they could otherwise not afford. By offering such a workshop, these faculty members will become better teachers infused with better information and thus transfer this learning to their students. Faculty simply needed to be exposed to alternative methods and information. As a matter of fact, I believe U.S. institutions could use this kind of seminar as well. Educational support is definitely part of my ministry and even though these are adults, they’re no less in need than primary or secondary students – their needs are just different. I thank God for using my gifts in this unique way to serve in his Kingdom.
Uganda Christian University Workshop
Ronnie delivered me to the Clock Tower Post Office in Kampala where he cautiously and reservedly handed me over to someone he didn’t know. An hour and a half later Isaac and the driver delivered me to the Colline Hotel in Mukono where I enjoyed hot, deep-dish baths, a blanket on the bed at night, and pineapple for breakfast.
Hours of study, preparation, and practice were needed to develop and facilitate a workshop on research design and publication for Uganda Christian University faculty. During my October visit, Henry arranged an interview and I was consequently invited to address an identified problem in the university regarding faculty publication rates (the frequency at which faculty get articles published in respected academic journals). Collaboration with my UCU colleague, Isaac, over the next few months resulted in the participation of about 50 faculty members in the three-day workshop (the original estimate was 20 participants). Attendance rates remained around 50 for all three days of the workshop.
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| In the center is Dr. Leslie Mosher (in case you couldn't tell), to the right is Dr. John Senyonyi (Vice Chancellor), to the left is Dr. Frederick Kakembo (Associate Dean), to the left is Mr. Isaac Katono (Associate Dean) |
The workshop became of such importance to the higher-ups that they instituted their formal opening and closing ceremonies where high level officials made formal remarks. The Reverend Canon Dr. John M. Senyonyi, UCU Vice Chancellor, opened the ceremony and joined us for tea and photos. The VC is the most prominent chief executive and is deputy only to the chancellor who is typically a prominent public person who acts as a figurehead only. He was a very pleasant, kind, and unintimidating man to talk with.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Konoweka Orphans and Widows Hut Website
Typically the Konoweka Orphans and Widows Hut program will move from Bible study to business teaching to making handcrafts together. This week the handcrafts were left at home and we looked at the website designed with their photos and stories, and their handcrafts. Most of these women have no access to the internet or even really understand what it does – most don’t even have a Bible, which makes Bible study a challenge – so they were amazed to see themselves on the small computer screen.
Some women were disappointed not to find their stories on the site and eventually came to understand that we’re still working to develop the content and that when we get to the handcraft part of our time together we’ll get more photos, stories, and products to display.
Because many of the women do not understand the internet and how it’s used, I was very careful to emphasize that just because we have a website does not mean we have sales…that there is no promise of anything and that the website is just a tool. I’m not entirely confident the message was well understood but we’ll keep talking about all of the concepts we’re learning each week.
In the mean time, take a look at the site. Get to know the artisans and their personal stories along with the crafts they make to help pay their children’s school fees.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
KOWH Business Teaching: Week 1
Alongside the weekly Bible studies, I prepared six sessions of simple business teaching for the entrepreneurs of Konoweka Orphans and Widows Hut. Because these women are always working to earn money for their children, and because many of the women also make and sell handcrafts, they were very excited to learn business principles to help them improve their livelihood. With just a little help they made the connection between the Bible study and the business teaching and they seemed eager to learn more.
The first week’s teaching was on ethics: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, and care. When asked to define the words, most women struggled to understand. Together we learned about the meaning of these words, we found their principles in Scripture, and we applied their meaning to both personal and business life. One additional step was understanding how we teach our children these principles.
For example, we defined trustworthiness as being honest; not deceiving, cheating, or stealing; being reliable; doing the right thing; and being loyal. We looked at Matthew 22:16, “‘Teacher,’ they said, ‘we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are.” When the women were asked to given an example of someone they trusted the only answer they could give was God. We talked more deeply about why they could or could not trust the other women in the room. We talked about what happens when trust is broken and why it’s so difficult to regain trust. And among other things, we talked about their businesses and how their coworkers or customers would respond to trustworthiness – the benefits and seeming detriments to being trustworthy. We discussed God’s trustworthiness and that he would honor their trustworthiness even when it meant losing a sale.
Next week’s Bible study is about prayer and the business teaching is about finances and tithing. I’m told to expect double the number of women in attendance because they were so happy to receive the teaching they’ll be telling their friends.
KOWH Bible Study: Week 1
Growing Strong with God, from the Mom’s Ordinary Day Bible Study Series, is the second series that the women of Konoweka Orphans and Widows Hut will study together. Moms have so many responsibilities and expectations that we often feel guilty for not being perfect and accomplishing everything we ought. Moms in Uganda are no different. These moms don’t have husbands – thus the name Orphans and Widows – to provide support to the family and thus their burden is heavy.
Together we studied Psalm 51:1-10, which revealed the truth about the false guilt moms carry for failing to accomplish everything perfectly in any given day. The verses showed us that our sense of false guilt is a sin and that God promised to cleanse us from our sin. In small groups we studied Hebrews 10:1-18 and learned that the old law demanded blood sacrifice to cleansed us from our sin, but the new law – the blood of Christ – cleansed us once and for all. We prayed that the Holy Spirit would show us our false guilt and that we would accept the gift of Jesus’ blood to wash away that sense of inadequacy. Amen.
One thing I love about this Bible study series is that an activity for moms and children to do together is included. This week the activity happened to be making a bracelet. We talked about this bracelet and I tried to connect this bracelet with a business opportunity for those who make jewelry. I’ll be interested to see whether or not any of the women take the idea and bring an example to the group next week.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Kiniwataka
The long, narrow uphill path is lined with small wooden booth-shacks covered in presidential election bills. The route is filled with a cacophony of the senses. The sight of dirt and dust covers fruit that promises to be sweet and juicy just under the skin. The vendors beat their wears with a rag to lift the dust (before it settles again in much the same place). The smell of burning trash and exhaust fumes mixes with the smell of roasting pork and grilled maize. The vendors call out "mzungu" in an effort to create a sale. The sound of heavy traffic gives way to the sizzle of fresh chapatti.
David and I emerge from the long path to the shouts and waves of Getruide (probably an incorrect spelling of Gertrude, but this is the spelling I was given) who comes running at a full charge to embrace and welcome me. We’re invited to visit her home and so follow her through a maze of mud shacks so narrow that I have to turn sideways to pass through. She proudly sits on her three-legged stool where she cooks for her children to pose for a photo. Notice the condition of the plastic roofing tarp above her head. The small square of space, perhaps six foot square, is surrounded by other homes and as a result is highly vulnerable to the frequent and heavy rains. Remember that Getruide and all the other women who participate in the weekly Bible study together are widows and are doing the best they can with what they have.
An observer questions David as we return to the path. She sees Getruide’s cries of joy and our warm embrace and she wants a little of that for herself. She begs to be invited to the Bible study, but worries about leaving her small plot of dry ground and the earning potential she would lose by departing. Had I been on the ball I would have reminded her that God’s economy would more than make up the difference for her absence while seeking him. Maybe she’ll join us next week.Kampala to Kiniwataka
Brick and mortar buildings give way to wood and plastic shacks as the taxi leaves Kampala and enters one of its many boroughs. The transition is hardly noticeable because the population never dwindles and the traffic congestion is never relieved. As in America, the poorer people are pushed away from the city by the little expansion taking place in the city proper. Yet these people stay nearby hoping for the opportunity to sell their goods to the many people who work there. Without vehicles or money for transport, they rely on their feet to get them into and out of the city each day.
Over 1.5 million people live in Kampala—that’s six times the population of Grand Rapids in almost the same amount of physical land space. This huge population draws street vendors of every kind: fresh foods, processed foods, clothing, and air time. Many of these vendors sleep in their stalls at night. The bright red apples call to me from the distance. Just 12 feet separated me from those apples, which equated to crossing through even more lanes of people traffic to get them…another day maybe.
Near the taxi park the roads are jammed with more vans than the streets are wide. Taxis on either edge aren’t afraid to drive on the curb where a vender may be situated so as to shimmy their way into traffic sooner than later. Ten minutes, fifteen minutes, sweat trickles down my legs…finally the taxi moves. Forty-five minutes later the taxi is left behind in favor of walking the short distance to the church where the Bible study is held. Kiniwataka is a village just East of Kampala off Jinja road. Its situation proper is like that of a suburb to Grand Rapids city proper such as Burton Heights.
Monday, January 3, 2011
My New Desk
The snap of the tape measure retracting into its case. The scratch, scratch of the cut marks drawn on the plank with a pencil. The zip-zip-zip back-and-forth sound of the hand saw cutting the timber to size. Wood shavings littering the ground like snow in 85-degree weather.
Designed from scratch, Gabriel built me a desk and stool by hand and delivered it the second day after I arrived. This is the man who is also building his own house by hand. He seems to be a jack of most trades here in Uganda.
A comfortable place to work at the computer (we don’t have a kitchen table) is important for preparing the Bible study lessons, business teachings, and University workshop along with the ever-important blog posts, Facebook updates, and Skype chats. By virtue of the fact that I’ve got my own furniture in Lauren’s house, as well as my toothbrush, I think it can be concluded that I’ve officially moved in...and taken over the small space in this duplex.
Child Sponsorship: Bugiri
Three boys ate jackfruit and watched curiously from the roadside as we interviewed the first family about the school-age children and their needs. Visiting no fewer than seven homes, we collected information about more than a dozen children.
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Our hope is to find school sponsorship for all of these children. Less than $500 annually provides three semesters of education (a full year), requirements (books, uniforms, etc.), and a small savings for occasional needs such as malaria medicine, mosquito nets, or pocket money (used for lunch at school). If you find your heart being tugged by one of these children, let me know or contact Mercy Uganda to get more information and to offer the suprise of hope to their families.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Mzungu in Bugiri
Older children tend to hang around even after I shake their hands. These older children are treated to a lesson on doing the Electric Slide line dance. The effort occupies them and they forget about poking me in the rear and yanking my hair. Usually the older teen and early 20s girls make a real effort to join in. Lauren got a great video of this effort as we waited for our taxi to return us to Kampala, but the video won’t upload from Uganda so you’ll have to wait until I return to update this post.
This little one has a big belly. Often we wonder at whether or not these people can really be that hungry when their bellies look so full. Actually the bloating occurs from malnutrition. Not enough of the right nutrients in the body mean the muscles aren’t strong enough to hold the organs in place. Top that off with a good scare from the blue-eyed ghost and the poor boy didn’t have a chance when he finally noticed me.
Homes in Bugiri
I was struck by how similar these homes were to the ones found in Karamoja. One hut was used for sleeping, one for cooking and others that I was not entirely certain of their purpose. Each family group had several huts clustered together. Like rooms in a home each hut served a different purpose. The landscape was lush, thick, and green, unlike in Karamoja where the landscape struggled to resemble something green and was very scarce spare aloe plants. Unlike Karamoja too, no thorny fences were needed to keep out nighttime raiders. Further, Bugiri is a 3-hour drive from Kampala and Karamoja is a 12-hour drive. Remoteness adds a layer of sheltering from modern society.
The outdoor kitchen for a family of four. Four cups, four bowls, a water can, and a basin. Many families use their Ugandan utensils (fingers) to eat and thus silverware is a luxury. Each morning when I go for a walk, I see women straight legged bending at the waist to wash their breakfast dishes. Before they begin, though, water is hauled from a dirty pond or a well, depending on access. The families in Bugiri are no exception. Notice the thick greenery in the background. Bugiri is full of lush vegitation and the people in the area are good farmers.
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