Games with the Children

Our strategy for playing games with the children was to return later in the afternoon when we could gather only those who were enrolled. Having experienced this kind of hopeful selectiveness before, I anticipated the impossibility of the exercise. You cannot play games with some and ignore the rest. It’s just not possible and our hearts break over excluding children from simply fun experiences.

Prior to going to the island I encouraged Vickie to prepare some strategic games and lessons for the children, but until she saw how the day went she really didn’t understand what I meant. Our evening of reflection about the visit resulted in the desire to prepare lessons for the mothers to help their children learn when school is not in session as well as lesson-based games for the children…all of them.

We can use the school house as a meeting place and include anyone who wishes to attend. We can bring games and toys to help the mothers and children learn together as well as plan to use the items available on the island. There’s no reason you can’t learn to count with kernels of maize, eggs, or stones. There’s no reason you can’t learn colors with wild passion fruit, tree leaves, and the sky.

We’re excitedly planning our next trip to visit with and teach these families with the hope that the mothers will continue the education of their children.

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Maude the Mzungu Chicken

Maude the Mzungu Chicken was chosen specifically because she was white like me. This chicken is the second to be received as a gift, second only to Gertrude the Christmas Chicken, and I must admit that I love the gift. Someday I’ll learn to catch, clean, cut, and prepare the free range beauties myself…NOT. Vickie was kind enough to handle that thing all the way home. She was quiet on the boat ride back to Bubembe…until the next morning.

Apparently Maude should be Manfred. Manfred crowed from the kitchen of Julius’ house, which then made all his chickens in the outdoor coop begin squawking. Oh Manfred, if you only knew…

A big thanks to Ann, Lobu’s wife, for preparing Manfred along with some rice and matoke for lunch. He was yummy!

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Visiting the Jajjas

We could scarcely come to Bubembe Island without visiting Vickie’s jajjas. Because there is no communication on the island, they were completely surprised and delighted to see us. They fussed over us for hours as we rested and chatted after having climbed the island to reach their hilltop retreat.

During the last visit I delivered a blanket to each of the two older jajjas (the eldest is in her 90s and she had been digging in the garden all day) and the younger went without. I promised on behalf of my sister to return with another blanket for her, although I’m sure she never expected that I actually would. Today, she was away and I could not visit with her but the middle jajja promised to deliver the treasure.

We exchanged gifts – we brought soap, rice, and sugar for them. Although nothing was expected, they gave me a hen and a pile of pineapples. They chose this particular hen because, they said, she was mzungu like me. I recorded the chase but cannot upload video from here. I’ll have to add it when I return to the states. Amusing.

Fresh pineapple, passion fruit, wild passion fruit (yuuuummm), and a meal of cassava and g-nut sauce. Wow! After tasting all these delicious foods, Vickie and I were ready for a nap. Rolling out a mat on the grassy ground, we snoozed for a short time.  The life of a missionary is such hard work.

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Two Dollies on Bubembe Island

As always I brought some dollies to Bubembe Island and as always children stand out as perfect recipients. This time, though, I didn’t make anyone cry. One little tot of maybe two years old was quite bold. She approached and retreated several times. Then she kept motioning and saying “jangu” (meaning, come or follow). She was telling all the other children to come and touch me just as she had.

After quite some time, and many failed attempts, she gave up on those children but she still stuck close by me. She wasn’t the cuddly type but more the bossy sort. Still, I couldn’t resist.

As I was delivering the children’s clothing to Vickie for distribution, an older girl spotted the dolly with a purple dress. She kept pointing and asking for that doll and I kept avoiding her. These dolls were meant for the young girls, right? I soon remembered how much I loved dolls until I was much older than her and finally relented. She was quite polite about her requests, she wasn’t grabby, she was simply sweet. The first time a dolly goes to an older girl is on Bubembe Island.

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Bubembe Children Need Education

During our visit we learned that the government brought two teachers to the island. These teachers serve two days each week and then return to the mainland. Pretty much all the children are in baby class, regardless of their age, because they’ve not had teachers on the island. The children are learning letters, numbers, colors, shapes, and other simple lessons. Only two of the children Vickie enrolled in her sponsorship program attend school as the others were sent home for not paying all of the school fees.

The cost of tuition is 7,000 UGX per term and there are three terms per year. The annual cost for parents to send their child to school is 21,000 UGX. Wait, I’ll change that to USD in a moment. In addition to the cost of tuition, children need requirements – pens, books, etc. I’m not sure exactly what requirements are needed for this school because the children are day scholars but I’ll make a guess…maybe 25,000 UGX annually.

Here’s the math 21,000 UGX for tuition and 25,000 UGX for requirements = 46,000 UGX. For the equivalent of about $25.00 USD a child on Bubembe Island can attend school two days each week for a whole year…$25.00. Can you imagine a community so poor that they cannot afford to send their child to school?

Julius, Vickie’s brother, says the people are fishermen and they do save up some little bits of money for education but when the fishing season is poor they dip into that savings to sustain themselves and then when the time comes for paying tuition the money is gone.

To finish this school year, the children need about $5.00 and for the whole 2012 school year they need $25.00…that’s $30.00 total through 2012 provided the government doesn’t make any changes. Do you want to help Vickie ensure these kids get the education they need?

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VKids Trust Uganda Update

Vickie is the young woman who longs to ensure the children of Bubembe Island receive an education. In January we visited the island together to enroll 10 children as eligible for sponsorship. While there are 50 or more children that need sponsors, Vickie felt that getting the first 10 was a priority before enrolling more.

We set sail to Kalangala Island where we met her brother, Julius, and his wife. Leaving our things at their home, where we would stay for the next three days, we set out on foot to explore the island. The next morning we hired a boat to take us to Bubembe Island, one of the 88 Ssese Islands, where the enrolled children live.

I tried hard to remain in the background so that Vickie would be seen as the leader of this project and not me. The people automatically attribute good things to the mzungu and forget how much one of their own people longs to help them. My brightness and the fact that I had a giant bag of goodies for them did not help.

The island church.

Thanks to Beaverdam Baptist Church, 20 Bibles were distributed on the island. When asked who reads English only three raised their hands. When distributing Bibles to those three, all of a sudden so many people read English. Thanks to my daughter for all the children’s clothes. I’m sure she’ll spot so many of them on these tiny bodies. Thanks to my momma for the candy, toys, and games. These were shared with all. And thanks again to Beaverdam Baptist Church for getting all these goodies here in the first place. Thanks to the rest of you for allowing me to participate in developing this very important ministry organized by a Ugandan woman.

The mom's were eager to receive a Bible,
even though many cannot read English.

How excited these mothers were to receive
a simple gift of soap (the blue bar).

All the clothing was distributed to everyone with children,
not just the enrolled families. Happy chaos.

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Principles in Practice

A warm visit with Kefa Sempangi, as usual, results in learning so much from his vast array of stories. This man has had so many life experiences – living through Idi Amin, living in exile in the U.S. for several years, serving as a member of Parliament during the post Amin reformation, operating the children’s home where Gabriel grew up, and so much more.

As he talked about the many development plans he’s been a part of he repeated two things several times. First, people don’t want to actually implement what you teach them to do. He described several scenarios where less than 20% of those being taught actually put into practice the principles they learned. Those that did apply the teachings were quite successful.

Second, Kefa responded to this lack of application by describing the people as having lost hope. I hadn’t intended the get-together to be a pitch for Surprised by Hope, but after he used the term hope several times I thought I might be missing a prompting by the Holy Spirit. I showed him my business card and described a little about Surprised by Hope: An East African Community Development Ministry. He suddenly got so animated and excited. He studied each word on the card and seemed to process them and then he said that this is exactly what the people need (among many other things, I’m sure).

We talked more about what hope would look like in the eyes of those being served, what might motivate them to act. Although he is sometimes discouraged by the lack of action on the part of participants, he was also encouraged that at least some would respond. Like the starfish story, the ministry and teaching makes a difference to those who do respond.

Kefa informally invited me to be part of some seminars and workshops he is preparing for next year and this is when I got excited. I pray there is some way we can work together so that I can continue to learn from this influential Ugandan leader.

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Microloans and Community Accountability

Accountability systems in Uganda are quite different than in the U.S. When we take a loan in the United States, we’re often required to provide collateral and we sign a legal agreement that gives us at least some sense of obligation to repay the loan. I realize things have changed a bit with the economy, but the institutions are still in place.

In Uganda, obtaining a loan is very difficult…let alone for people in far-away villages who wish to borrow the equivalent of about $50 USD. As a result a number of microloan organizations make borrowing money possible and Impact Uganda is just one of them. Given the recent work with Seed for the Lord and Jacaranda Creations related to microloans, I spent some time with friends in Jinja who manage microloans for that organization.

Several facets of their loan process impressed me. First, the accountability system in place networked many people together which helps ensure the loan would be repaid. For example, each borrower must have a cosigner…someone who will know if they do not make their payment and can encourage them if needed. Additionally, each borrower works inside a small group of microloan recipients who also encourage one another. The group’s credit rating is based on the whole group and one failing borrower hurts the whole group. That social pressure demands accountability.

The second facet of the loan process that impressed me was that regular training sessions are held over the course of several months. The training sessions deal with small business topics such as pricing, marketing, or capital asset management. These sessions are required for all loan recipients. Impact Uganda does not simply hand over the money and hope for the best, they train and equip the people of that community to succeed.

The final facet of the loan process that impressed me was that Impact Uganda establishes as savings account for each borrower. Every time a borrower attends a meeting he or she is required to make a savings deposit – an amount determined by the small accountability group. This savings account is used in two ways. First, the account is used as a small bit of insurance against loan default. Second, and more importantly, the account is used as a source of funding future loans. The long-term goal is to teach borrowers to draw from their savings and to repay that amount rather than to request a loan.

I loved seeing the investment in people and relationships, as well as the long-term exit strategy, interwoven into the Impact Uganda microloan program. Great ideas from very helpful friends.

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Creative Futures Workshop

The business planning workshop organized by Pastor Silva included all of the 30 Christian businesspeople who were invited. I was glad to see a fair representation of women among the group. During introductions I learned that some of the people were tailors, shop keepers, barbers, teachers, farmers, and more. The goal of the workshop was to teach new skills and to model a way for them to continue working together in my absence.

Pastor Silva, Thaddius, Leslie, Augustine, Joel
Not sure why but Ugandans seldome smile for photos.

We talked about asset-based business, using your business and personal assets to define the work that would bring income to your family. We talked about the fact that God created everything and that his economy is one of abundance, and thus there is no need to hide or hoard our assets. In fact, we learned that working together may produce an even greater return than working alone. A variety of exercises helped the individuals connect with one another from a business standpoint to see that there may be cooperative ways they can share resources or burdens for the good of all.

We also talked about creating long- and short-term goals and objectives based on the assets they discovered and their overall business planning. The exercises we used helped demonstrate how these objectives are connected to the success of the business. If you fail to plan, you can plan to fail. If you have no goals, you will most certainly never reach them.

Many people in the group said they came away with a new perspective about business and cooperation as well as about goal-setting. They said they had never looked at business in this strategic way before and that they felt like they gained some new skills to help them lift their businesses. They asked when I’d return with more teaching and when the group could meet again to continue developing their business skills with one another. I love that they accepted the possibility of continuing without me. My hope is never to create a dependence on me, but instead to demonstrate a model for them to use in my absence. Yahoo! They got it and they want it.

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Another Dolly in Paidha

Augustine, Joel, and I sat in the back row of the church and just as worship began a tiny tot slowly approached. Typically all they want is to shake my hand, which is just fine with me (even considering where these hands of often been). I got the sense that her bigger sister or pack of friends was teasing her thinking she would be too afraid to approach. Instead, this little one with her big eyes reached both arms up signaling that I should pick her up. Me and my little melted heart did just that (only to discover bare buns under that pretty red dress).

She sat quietly and examined my white skin and the relatively long blond hairs on my arms as well as my blue eyes so different from hers. A dolly was in store for this little doll. She was so pleased. As usual the first operating procedure was to check under the dress – bare buns just like hers. She played with the buttons and ribbons on this doll. Untying the ribbon she then directed me to re-tie…over and over again. She examined this doll until she began yawning, at which time she tucked the dolly in close to her and leaned into my chest. Sleepy baby.

I think the sermon that day was something about how miracles are for today and that we don’t need a pastor to ask God for them. My little miracle was sleeping contentedly on my lap. There’s something indescribable that happens for me when these girls come close. So sweet, so healing, so peaceful. After church I found this girl once more wrapped with fabric and carrying her doll on her back, just like the mommas do. She’s starting early in getting practice to care for her own babies. Thank you Jesus for my momma and for these moments of tenderness I so often need.

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Jane's Demons

Augustine inquired of Simon about a woman who was recently saved and then became demon possessed. Her family demanded she take a goat to a witch doctor to be cured…so she did. Women in villages are not as empowered to do their own will as they ought to be. Augustine and Simon determined to visit her soon and not to write her off because of having lost faith. Just then Jane arrived.

Jane said that she was demon possessed and that her family cursed her and told her to take a goat to the witch doctor to be cured. Jane was NOT the women Augustine was just inquiring about…but how funny that she should appear just then. She came to us for prayer and proceeded to describe her horrible visions or imaginings. She said it was sometimes difficult to tell the difference between what really happened and what she feared would happen.

Jane described her family as rejecting her and her fear of going home again. She said her husband and neighbors were troubling her as well and that she overheard them saying that someone should just chop her up with a panga (like a machete). We’ll never know if this was in Jane’s imagination or not, but she was absolutely afraid.

The three of us prayed for Jane. We demanded that the enemy leave her and that the spirit of fear would depart in Jesus’ name. We prayed for a sound mind and for strength and courage to call on Jesus when she felt the enemy interfering with her mind. The prayer time went on for several minutes and then the guys were preparing to send her home. But wait, I had this sense that we were sending her back to a place that may be causing the problems in the first place. I wasn’t talking about the people as much as the spirits dwelling in her home.

Once again we prayed for Jane. We prayed that the enemy would leave her home in Jesus’ name and that the home would be holy and safe and free from disturbance. At this Jane burst into tears – an unusual display of emotion for African women. Both Augustine and Simon escorted Jane home and prayed for her there as well. At least for tonight, Jane would be safe. We’ll visit with her again the next day and purify that house once more. In the name of Jesus let it be so!

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Two Dollies in Paidha

I caught a glimpse of a very unhappy toddler who was forcibly having her teeth brushed and face washed. I knew just the solution. I slowly approached with a dolly believing this would make things all better. Ha. When she saw me she screamed even louder. I think the scream was more like a high pitched squeal. Well, at least she wasn’t crying because of having her teeth brushed anymore.

During the evening, while waiting for supper and serving as the freak show at which all children were content to simply stare upon, another young girl would have nothing of getting closer to me. Her sister and the rest of the children teased by bringing her closer only to hear her scream louder. They kept on, over and over again. This pour tortured child.

I reached out to shake the hands of the many children around me and this young one saw they were none the worse for the wear. Eventually she reached her hand out to me as well. I held it softly for a short time and then she got afraid. I saw her examining the front and back of her hand as her sister took her away. She returned several times to touch the mondu (mzungu in the local Arua language). Through a long series of brief encounters and experiments on her part, she eventually ended up on my lap. She only stayed for a few seconds at first, but the duration extended the more she experimented.

I had just the prize to reward her courage. Augustine ran in to get a dolly and the camera. She and the rest of the crowd examined the two-faced doll. Sleepy baby and awake baby – the concept was interesting to the older children. At first the small girl wasn’t sure she wanted the doll. She held it away from her, perhaps to see if anything bad would happen. Eventually she ended up in my lap again at which time I tucked the dolly in close to her and squeezed her and that doll in a tight hug.

Quickly returning to her place on her sister’s back – the bear hug did it – she also applied the bear hug to her new charge. No, no other child would have the chance to examine this doll now. She was busy holding on for dear life. The next day at church the girl continued to hold this dolly so tight and no adult could pry it away from her for a proper examination. She peeked at me over her mother’s shoulder with great interest but was still a bit shy about touching me. That she still clung to the doll was sweet.

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Women's Ministry in Paidha

The church floor was sloped so that an amphitheater-type experience enabled everyone to see the preacher well. Women trickled into the building on Africa time. Three times as many filled the church shortly after we began. Praise and worship rang through the tiny town before beginning the ministry program. Women on the drums…awesome! My hope was to use the film NOOMA She as a starter to ministry but, as usual, the power failed us. The content of the accompanying study guide allowed for the ministry to continue.



Amen is the women who housed and fed me
while in Paidha. I love her Coca-Cola dress!



The film uses the imagery of an African mother fetching water from a far away source for her children every day and likens that work to the maternal impulse to care for her family. God is described as having created that impulse in his own image. He was described as compassionate and as representing a number of other somewhat female or motherly characteristics. We talked about how we tend to view God as a man, but learned that God is spirit and that God transcends or perhaps includes both male and female qualities. This realization led to the discussion that women are not “second-best” and that without her voice in the conversation something is lacking.

Women in Africa often have a sense of being less than valuable, perhaps because of an ingrained cultural history. Yet I see women working hard…I mean hard. They wake early and fetch water, dig in the garden, prepare meals, do laundry, and more every day of the week. Their hands and feet are rough and calloused from the hard work and I’m convinced the short lifespan in Uganda (54) is due at least in part to the hard work and the fact that these women have simply worn themselves out. Having been created by God in his image, we changed our paradigm so that we could see ourselves as valuable and worthwhile creations.

Following the time of ministry, Augustine pointed out that this is the first time a woman has ministered to the women in this town and that the women don’t tend to receive ministry…at all, let alone ministry tailored just for them. I am so thankful for the opportunity to meet with, worship with, and pray for these ladies. God is so good.

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The Lord is My Shepherd

While waiting for dinner, typically very delicious meals prepared by Amen, the lady in whose house I stayed in Paidha, the original 20 children plus a few extras gathered around to stare at this freak show again. Not long after, the children began demanding… “sing.” Once again, we went through the songs until I pulled Augustine in to sing a new song with me. He quickly learned the song from Psalm 23 and we sang it in rounds.

The Lord is my shepherd I’ll walk with him always

He leads by still waters I’ll walk with him always

Always, always, I’ll walk with him always

Always, always, I’ll walk with him always

We got pretty good at it and stopped. Then we heard this faint whispering of the song coming from two older girls who had been listening intently. Augustine and I each took a girl and began singing the song in rounds again. Two and two. The other children listened as we all sang. These girls were quite good. Mothers watched on too but they were not interested in learning the song.

Keep your eyes on the girl in the red shirt in the far left of the photo.
You'll see her again soon.

After we let these girls rest their voices, I taught the hand slapping game to one of the girls using Miss Suzie Had A Steamboat. Okay, after I went through the first time I realized this might not be exactly the song to teach. Luckily the song was long and complex so there’s no chance they’ll remember. However, they might find a way to use the hand slapping part to some of the songs they already know.

Again, a whisper of the Psalm 23 song came from behind me. It was Augustine, the song was stuck in his head. What a blessing music can be.

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Children's Worship

The number of children following me around Paidha multiplies. Where I stay, about 20 children rough and tumbled around me. When I sat under the shade tree, they came closer and eventually I shook the hands of each one, some two or three times. Not wanting to waste the opportunity but also wondering about the language barrier, I began to sing songs that had motions that went with the words.

If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands.

If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands.

If you’re happy and you know it then your life will surely show it,

If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands.

We added stomp your feet, say “amen,” and do all three. We also sang Head and Shoulders, Knees, and Toes and ended with “clap your hands and praise him.” Let’s see…we sang the Praise Ye the Lord song and we sang Jesus Loves Me…the children knew the chorus. After singing each song a dozen times the children just stood there and stared at me. Apparently I am entertainment enough just to look at.

While waiting for the women’s ministry to begin, about 100 children appeared and those who participated in singing this morning kept saying “sing.” So, sing we did. We went through the list of songs twice before I was called to begin ministry to the women. The mothers watched on and laughed to see the children being so engaged.

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Market Day in Paidha

Joel snuck up behind me as I was singing with the children. What a wonderful surprise. He and Augustine are nearly inseparable but this is the first time I’ve seen Joel in Paidha and it’s been at least two months since seeing him at all. After some time of catching up – particularly because Joel has found a woman he wishes to marry and I needed to hear the details – we set out to begin our program for the day.



Heading into the crowded market was a bit unnerving after having my wallet snatched in Kampala. Wall to wall women sat patiently on the ground with their matoke bananas and avocados. They waited for the truck drivers to pick their goods for purchase so they could be shipped into Kampala markets and made ready for sale.

Augustine and Innocent, a native Paidhan ministry helper, are not used to caring for mzungu in the same way Gabriel and Henry are, but I’d learned a few things from those two wise men. I asked Augustine and Innocent to sandwich me. Augustine led the way and Innocent followed behind me. They may not have been as alert as would have been helpful, but they at least deterred possible evildoers.



Deeper into the market, we passed through the stalls of meat. Raw meat hanging by rusty hooks or laying on dirty benches…the thought of vomiting entered my mind a few times. I am happy to avoid thinking of such things when enjoying the roasted meat served at meals.

After nearly being plowed over by a fast moving guy hauling some giant and heavy sack of something round, we examined the African pancake. They looked tempting and, well, I had to try one. Beyond nasty isn’t quite kind enough. A quick greeting to a pastor also working as a tailor, and we went on our way to visit the place Augustine, Joel, and Innocent call home.

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Arriving in Paidha

Mine was the second door from the left.

The seven hour ride to Paidha was uneventful. The roads were good, the driving speed was fast, the bus clean, comfortable, and half full…nothing like the ride to Karamoja. The conductor’s departing prayers and general kindness made the trip enjoyable, although I could have done without the very bad kung fu movie with Luganda voice-overs.

My tidy and comfortable room.

Augustine and I talked the whole time. We hadn’t seen one another for some time and we had much to catch up on. We arrived just before dark and Augustine dragged that heavy suitcase through the rocky paths toward the home where I would stay for the next three nights. There we were warmly welcomed by a Christian family who spoke neither English or Luganda. The ladies took my bags and ushered us to a living room where we chatted with Simon, an English-speaking ministry partner native to Paidha.

The open blue door was my pit
and the far right door was my bucket washroom.

Hot water was prepared for my bucket wash. When I opened the door to the stall after my bucket wash I found about 20 children waiting for me. I’m not exactly sure how much of a show they got given the cracks in the door between the boards. Hopefully they weren’t blinded. Rice and beef stew were waiting upon my return to the living room…yum (seriously, it was delicious). Augustine, Simon, and I talked some more; I didn’t realize how much I miss chatting with friends all night long.

The guys retired to their home leaving me with this family all by myself. I could have been tempted to feel scared, but I resisted that thought immediately upon sliding the giant bolt to the heavy metal door into place. The two room apartment was pitch black. No mosquitoes in Paidha (can you say “happy Leslie”), the temperatures were very cool for sleeping, and the internet works. Good night.

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A Man Got the Tar Beaten Out of Him

Augustine sent me ahead to get on the bus. While he waited patiently to get my bag loaded a tussle ensued outside my window, about 20 feet from my seat. A man was bloody in the face and mouth and sank to the ground where other men proceeded to kick and stomp on him. I prayed. The man rose up again with his blood stained face and the argument resumed.

Given that my wallet was just stolen and that I was feeling very unsafe, I wished like crazy that Augustine would hurry up and get on the bus and come sit next to me. When he finally did embark, he said he thought the guy getting beaten was a petty thief…the kind who probably stole my wallet. He said that when people like that get caught the crowd is very unkind to them. Why, then, did no one say anything when someone picked my wallet?

I wondered if this guy had my wallet too. A surge of revenge caught in my throat but died away quickly. Today I feel that social justice can be a good thing. I’ll repent later. I spent a short time on the bus next to Augustine feeling very unsettled. Smunched car, stolen wallet, a beating. Wait, was the enemy trying to keep me from ministering in Paidha? Was he trying to get me to be afraid of life in Uganda so that I would just give up and go home? Oh buddy…apparently he doesn’t know me very well. Tell me I can’t do something and watch the ferocity and determination rise up!

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Stolen Wallet

“I’m waiting for you outside ShopRite next to GapCo,” I told Augustine as he made his way to find me. I first met Augustine when he and Gabriel took me for a long training walk as I prepared for The 3-Day 60 mile Susan G. Komen walk. I last saw this friend at Lauren and Andy’s wedding and seeing his smiling face through the crowd was a joy.

He took the burden of dragging my suitcase, laden with gifts for the people of Paidha, through the dirty, rocky roads of Kampala while I shouldered my backpack. I make it a practice to zip the pack closed leaving the pulls on the lower side of the pack so that it’s more difficult to unzip. However, I’d not transferred my wallet, phone, and keys from the small pocket on the outside to the inside of the pack.

We hiked the streets toward the bus station. I followed Augustine closely…although I knew where I was and generally where I was headed. As we rounded the corner near the station, the crowed thickened (if that is even possible in an already jammed city) and I felt a small tussle on my pack. I attributed the tussle to the crowd but must admit the thought of thievery crossed my mind. Less than 30 seconds later we stepped into the bus office and I dropped my pack to the floor to get out the money for my bus ticket. My wallet was gone. It’s contents:

2 pictures of Rick and Tom with Micah and Lucah when they were babies

Nail file

List of phone numbers (sorry)

4 passport photos

My motorcycle permit

My cosmetology license

A few other papers I may not recall

150,000 UGX

$100.00 USD

Some odd KES

A phone card

My driver’s license

My Barclays ATM card

My personal Chase ATM card

My business Chase ATM card

Things NOT in my wallet:

My passport

My flash drive

My international driver’s license 

Would I still be able to go to Paidha without money? Augustine, such a sweet man, got on the phone with Lobu while I hauled out my computer and stuck the portable modem in the USB slot. Logging into Chase to get the instructions for cancelling my card, I found that a phone call was required. Praise the Lord twice – I still had my computer and I still had my phone. I got the message through, from what I could understand on this cross Atlantic call, and sent an email to my mom asking that she double check. Praise the Lord again for a really smart, really helpful momma.

Augustine was so sensitive to how I was feeling and asked if I wanted to go home or if I still wanted to go to Paidha. Press on (although I think I said something more like I can’t go if I don’t have any cash). Lobu wired money via MTN from Namulanda to Kampala (or wherever we wanted) for Augustine to pick up on my behalf. Praise the Lord again for the simplicity of getting money to Kampala and for Gabriel even having any money to send me and for so willingly sacrificing it for me. Ronnie called to check on my little broken heart too.

By now all the fixes were in place and the adrenaline shock was wearing off. Something akin to feeling stupid (which, for those of you who know me well, know this was the strongest of the variety of emotions), insecurity, vulnerability, and fear began to settle in. Augustine, in his infinite wisdom asked if he could pray for me. His soft sweet prayers were exactly what I needed. I cannot even express how blessed I am to have so many friends who love me.

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Smunched Car

A knock at the door and Ronnie says, “Gabriel has been knocked, can you come now?” Flashbacks. I grab my bag leaving my phone behind and run out the door with my head swirling. I finally have the presence of mind to ask if Gabriel is okay. Ronnie thinks he is okay as he leads me on foot to the boda stand at the top of my hill on the main road (Entebbe Road).

A boda takes the two of us to the Kawuku police station where I see a plethora of what we could call totaled cars. This is Uganda where nothing works the same way so I say a quick prayer that none of the bodies are inside. They’re not. I look around for my car or something that used to resemble my car and find in a far away spot Gabriel and Eddie in conversation with a taxi driver. Relief washes over me.

I didn’t understand the whole story of what happened but the back driver’s quarter was demolished. The guard on the taxi was pushed in and the front body was crushed in a few places. No one was hurt. Then Frank showed up. I started feeling sorry for the taxi driver. Lobu had Eddie, Ronnie, Me, and Frank with him now and the Taxi driver was all alone. Frank knew lots of the officers and began chatting with them all, which lightened the mood considerably.

From what I understand there were two options. Take Gabriel to court or to come to some agreement outside court. Frank’s relationship with so many officers swayed the taxi driver, it seems. I put Frank’s number in my phone. They finally reached some agreement and no one needs to go to court.

Gabriel and I have had an ongoing debate about the value of insurance. He sees no value. Today he asked, “What are you thinking?” as I watched on fearing the inevitable day when I would be the one who smunches the car. My reply was simple, “insurance.” He grinned. Insurance options are minimal here. Insurance agents are corrupt so that deters people from carrying anything more than the minimum required (which is akin to our registration).

Fixing the car will take two days and considerably less money by U.S. standards – a byproduct of not having insurance companies drive prices up. Still, the sacrifice to pay for repairs is considerable. Sigh.

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Tithing

The women of Konoweka were enthralled with the teaching about tithing. We first examined Scripture to learn that God created everything (Genesis 1:1; John 1:1-2; Job 41:11; and Psalm 50:9-12) and likened that with making bread or a cake. We thought about the idea that the grain of flour has no more ownership over the other elements in the cake as we do over the material things we own.

To understand why the tithe was instituted we studied the Old Testament (Genesis 4:1-26; Exodus 25:1-2; Exodus 30:11-12; Leviticus 1-7). We even looked at where the idea of 10% came from as many of the women were stuck on this element (Genesis 14:20; Genesis 28:22; Deuteronomy 14:22-23). Moving into the New Testament we examined the place of the heart (Matthew 6:1-4; Luke 21:1-4; 2 Corinthians 8:1-5; 2 Corinthians 8:12).

After looking at these Scriptures and finding themes, I asked the question about what differences they saw or what changes they saw in the way tithing was viewed. Galatians 3:24 says, “So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.” Such freedom we’re given.

This wasn’t the end of our studies, though. We looked at God’s promises as a result of our faithfulness (Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 14:28-29; Malachi 3:10; Proverbs 3:9-10; Luke 6:38; Luke 18:10-14; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7; Philippians 4:19). To be God’s treasured possession, to have barns filled, to reap bountifully…what wonderful promises.

Money issues are prevalent here, just as they are in the U.S. Mistrust as a result makes people question church leaders and how they manage the money that comes into that place of worship. We finished our teaching with a discussion about the ways their tithes are used in the church (Deuteronomy 26:12; Acts 4:34-35; 1 Corinthians 9:13-14; 1 Timothy 5:17-18). Using that money to help the weak is thematic in Scriptures and I worried that these ladies would see themselves as deserving of the tithe money the church collects.

I challenged the ladies with this question – Who are you in this picture? Are you the weak? Are you the one the church should be giving money to? We explored their position in Christ as well as their many gifts and talents to reveal that they are not weak but that they are strong in Christ. They help one another in their time of need and they rely on God to provide strength and wisdom but that they are NOT weak. A resounding cry of agreement was shouted out at the end of this exhortation.

In the end, we agreed that the Holy Spirit is our guide for giving, not the Law. We answered a number of questions about the technical aspects of tithing with the same answer – the Holy Spirit will guide you – and this is not a pass to avoid giving. We talked a bit about how to recognize the voice of the Spirit and prayed about being obedient. Please agree with me in prayer that these ladies would see themselves as something other than “the most needy” and that God would fulfill his promises to bless them for their faithfulness.

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A Dolly on Bubembe Island

While visiting Bubembe Island in January, one of the 84 Ssese Islands, Vickie and I registered 10 children for the VKids Trust Uganda child sponsorship program. One of those children was a young girl who was caught by surprise and began whaling when she saw me. A dolly ought to have made it all better. After some reassurances from her momma, this girl quieted but she was not to be willingly nearby me.

As we prepare to return to the island next week and spend more time with these children playing with and encouraging them, this girl kept coming to mind. I hadn’t originally posted about her and this dolly and I’m not sure why. However, these dolls have become a small but important part of my ministry on behalf of my mother and I wanted to be sure to include her.

When I finally found the photo, I found the name…Patience Kisakye. Sometimes it’s just creepy how God brings these things to our minds. Why did I hunger after this girl and her story? How funny that her names include Kisakye.

Bringing gifts to bless those we minister to, yet not to create a dependence, is valuable in establishing and maintaining open relationships. If you would like to be part of developing these ministry avenues, click on a link below to find out more.

Business Opportunity #1: VKids Trust Uganda

Business Opportunity #2: Ssese Island Honey

Business Opportunity #3: The Three Jajjas

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Stuck Truck

Sewer systems to manage rainwater are absent in Uganda. In their place are deep trenches, however unhelpful they are, alongside only some of the roads. Occasionally, given the propensity to drive four or five cars wide on a two-lane road, we’ll come across a truck or car tipped sideways with both tires inside that trench. Unfortunately we’re not always able to get a photos of that mishap because traffic pushes us along. This time, though, we came across a taxi hoping to navigate his way off Entebbe Road…with not-so-good results. Take a look.

This guy was trying to single-handedly return all four tires to the pavement.

Adding a second guy, well...I'm not sure what the results were.

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TTATCC Way Forward

Well organized is not an adjective used often to describe small businesses or ministries in Africa. Yet The Teachers Association to Cater to Children was exactly that. Alone was meticulous in detailing the Association’s mission and objectives, past successes, and future plans. While there is always room for improvement, I was impressed with his articulation of these plans.

Yet given that the association is so well organized, what could I possibly offer to help them? After a sweet prayer time followed by introductions that included education, experience, roles, and a tour, we gathered once more and I asked the million dollar question, “What is the way forward?” In other words, knowing that I was not bringing funding, how did they see our relationship developing (if at all)?

As usual, God had his plans. The members, other than Alone, had very little education but they some really great skills and ideas. They asked for honest feedback based on their current activities, business teaching along the line of entrepreneurship, and proposal development. I love that God uses each of us combined together to make a more far-reaching impact than we could ever have alone. We talked of some tentative plans, and assignment for me, and a few deadlines. Then, the members gifted me with a stalk of matoke bananas, maize, and pineapple.

I’ll share a proposal with Alone soon and he will meet with the group to refine based on their specific needs. I look forward to seeing how this relationship will develop over time and to getting to know the members on a more personal basis. Thank you, Lord, for opening doors as a result of the boldness of one man.

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Bujagali Falls and Bujagali Dam

Bujagali Falls is soon to be home of the Bujagali Dam. The newly constructed dam is supposed to meet the energy needs of the country, or at least improve them. Several groups are speaking out against the flooding of the Falls, particularly given that 95% of the population in Uganda doesn’t even have access to electricity.

http://www.internationalrivers.org/en/africa/bujagali-dam-uganda

http://www.uganda.co.ug/bujagali/

On a more personal note, a recent visit netted this sign and the realization that my comfy seat among the rocks where I could dangle my feet into the rushing waters was now flooded. Slowly, slowly the waters encroach. Within the next four months the falls will disappear. My only hope is that the four months is African time and not Mzungu time.

My first visit to Bujagali and the perfect resting place.

My most recent visit to Bujagali netted this sign.
Note that this water level is at the height
of my shoulders in the previous photo (sniffle).

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TTATCC Projects

Each community member is using his or her gifts and skills to contribute to the wellbeing of the children enrolled in school. As a result, a variety of projects speckle the beautiful landscape. Rearing goats, chickens, cows, and dogs begins with just one pregnant female. Can you imagine rearing dogs specifically for security purposes? Further, can you imagine returning to the times where you had to grow or rear all your own food?

Pineapple and matoke in perfect rows share a plot of land. Maize covers the rolling hills. The plantations are used to teach community members and children about agriculture so that they can become productive contributors. A few of those members have implemented what they learned in their own gardens and they use the expertise of TTATCC members to assist when needed.

Bricks come from the clay soil and when the proper number are made, a permanent school structure can be built for the children. Occasionally some bricks are sold so that they have food for the children, which sets back progress on the school.



Left to Right: Uncle, Father, Grandmother, Alex (in back, no relation),
Grandfather, Alone, Leslie



Three generations of family are intact in Buwenge. Some short time ago, Alone’s 96-year-old grandfather (to find a person – let alone a couple – of this age in Uganda is exceedingly rare) divided a small plot of land to his children and the eldest of those children. He then sold the rest of that land. As a result the family came together and donated the six gifted acres to the benefit of TTATCC and the children. This land is where the school and home will be built for the street children of Jinja.

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