Going North

This week we had some people from Sudan stay with us, they are volunteers at an orphanage in southern Sudan and came through Jinja to visit and do some fun stuff like bungee jumping and rafting. There were three of them, two guys and one girl. It was refreshing to have them around because they are really theological, philosophical and passionate. We stayed up late with them talking and debating, which I loved because stuff like that gets me motivated and fired up. They were really great guests too, they definitely emulated Christ in their service because they cleaned our kitchen, they cooked us dinner and when they left they gave us a bunch of groceries to replenish anything they had used. I had never had better and/or more thoughtful guests. The second night they were there, they invited two twin boys over for dinner, whom they had met rafting earlier that day. The twins were from Israel and had saved up for a year to come to Africa to travel together. They will have traveled for almost a year when they are finished. They are going to several different countries within Africa with no schedule and no contacts wherever they reach. So, they just make friends wherever they go and always end up having a place to stay. It’s actually really neat to see how they were living their lives with such spontaneity and trust, not in the Lord because they are atheists, but I know it was God’s plan to bring them into a home full of believers for an evening. I must say that I admire how they are living, I would love to say that I could travel like that, but I think I’m too much of a coward.
Anyways, after they left, Courtney and I headed up to Gulu and Kitgum up in northern Uganda. This is where the majority of the Suubi women lived before the Rebels came. It was good to see their homeland and see how they used to do life before they were forced to flee south. Their villages are beautiful up there, so peaceful, so green, and so simple.
We were able to see one of the several IDP camps, which are camp areas that were formed by the government to protect the village people from the Rebels. There had been a mass flood of people leaving their homes and going into town to seek safety, but this caused a lot of chaos so the government arranged camps for them to stay at while the Rebels were a threat. They built thousands of mud huts very close together as a refuge for the northerners. However, this was not always a safe haven, because the Rebels still came at night and burned the huts, killed people, and abducted children. The fires spread really fast because the roofs are made of grass and the huts are so close together that even a slight breeze would cause the flames to jump to the neighboring hut. It was so sad to be there and imagine all the horror that had gone on even just two years ago. Right next to several of the huts were graves of family members that had been burned to death or mudered.
We met a really old man that had been in the IDP camp since the Rebels began their attacks 22 years ago. He was running from the Rebels with some of his family and friends and fell into a ditch dislocating his hip. He could not move, but he was hidden from the Rebels in that ditch while his friends and family were killed. He has been crippled ever since then and expressed the struggles of trying to get food being a crippled man. He was still quick to smile, however, he was very kind and gentle and exuded the wisdom and life experience only really old men can.
The next day, in Kitgum, we went around the village meeting people and seeing all that was around. We ate food that was prepared by a friend of a friend, they had cooked us peas, greens (I think it was spinach), and sogum, which is a plant they grind up really finely and make into a solid paste-like substance. It wasn’t until after we ate it all that we were warned of some major digestive problems from the sorgum (thanks for the prewarn huh?)
Later that night, a girl named Scovia took us to the only store in town, they gave us sodas (we had three each and felt like our stomachs might pop right then and there). They were very kind and very friendly, perhaps a little too much whiskey for some of them. They make their own alcohol in the villages and it smells like trash, poop, and sour beer all rolled into one. I almost vomit every time I smell it. Anyways, I whipped out my camcorder (thanks again Kelly and Willie!), and got them all to get up and dance for a while, it was the highlight of the trip to Gulu. We had fun that night!
We slept in Scovia’s hut with a gagillion spiders and perhaps some mice or rats, we heard something scuttling around, but it was pitch black and we couldn’t see a thing. We were wide-awake because of our 3 sodas and so we talked for a while and laughed about some of the strange things we had experienced on our trip. As we were talking, we heard a pig making noise outside the hut. We just laid there and listened as it was oinking, but then it started to scream, then it screamed even louder, by this time I was freaking out thinking perhaps a bigger animal was devouring it right outside our hut and we were going to be the next course. After what seemed like a couple minutes of screaming, we heard gargling and bubbly noises, like it was choking on it’s own blood or something (okay I’m sorry….I’m getting way too graphic). So, then the screaming stopped and we just laid there in complete silence, then started laughing hysterically, mostly comic relief I’m sure. Eventually we fell asleep, quite the miracle so thanks for that God! The next morning we asked Scovia what had happened and apparently one of the village people had slaughtered the pig, and yes, it was right outside our hut…. someone had a serious craving for a midnight snack.
So, then that morning we headed back to Jinja, a 12 hour bus ride with no pit stops. Court and I had to prepare our bodies by not eating or drinking anything until we got home. There are no bathrooms on the buses here like there are in America and no one is going to stop the bus for a mozungu to do her business. So, the bus was quite crammed, hot & dirty, and a girl puked next to us (she failed to puke out the window which was beyond me), which made Court and I want to puke, along with the sweaty smell of everyone else around us, including ourselves because we had not showered for the fourth day in a row. Also, three hours into the trip I had to go to the bathroom, but held it for the remainder of the trip, that’s 8 hours, I didn’t know my body was capable of such things, I was miserable but halfway impressed with myself. Anyways, we finally reached Jinja and headed straight for the showers and then the kitchen, a good end to a crazy time in up north.

schmorgisboard (can anyone really spell that word?)

There is one thing that’s been gnawing on me since I’ve been here (other than the fact I miss Randy like nuts), I suppose I’ll not keep it back… the good the bad and the ugly huh? So, lately I’ve felt a little taken advantage of because of the color of my skin. It’s crazy here in that respect because people assume that because you’re white, it means you have lots of money. So, when you go to the market to buy food or when you want to buy anything, you are automatically charged a higher price than if you were Ugandan because they assume you will pay more. Just today, for instance, we went to the source of the Nile and the gatekeeper told us that it would be 1000 shillings for Betty to enter and 5000 shillings for each of us white people. I was really mad actually, I felt like I was being taken advantage of and that I was forced into a stereotype I had not been a part of creating. There is so much more to that sentence than I even know. Ugandans assume that I am lazy and can't walk to town, they expect me to take a pikki or bota (bike) everywhere I go. We try to help them with their work and they laugh at us, literally. Who has come before me and shown these Ugandans that Americans cannot get down and dirty, that they cannot walk where they go, that they don't serve the poor, but instead give them money, that they are weak and lazy? Hmmm...as Dave would say, I think that says more about me than it does about them. I could expand so much more on this, but I’ll refrain.
Anyways, Betty was great because she talked sympathetically with the gatekeeper in his native language and got our prices down to 2500 each, which is half what he had originally asked us to pay.
Once we were in, however, it was beautiful and we had so much fun. There were children dancing for donations, they were really cute and so talented. There were shops all around and the view was amazing.
Yesterday was a good experience because we were able to help Clair, one of the women of Suubi, do her daily chores so she could sleep. Clair works all through the night at an orphanage and then cooks, cleans, and rolls beads all during the day. She has no time to sleep so she goes without sleeping for many days. So, yesterday we helped her get all of her stuff done before noon so she could sleep the rest of the day until she had to go to work. She was so shocked and appreciative and we all had so much fun working beside her and her children.
Then, later that day we did an art project with some of the Suubi women’s children. There were 17 altogether and they all showed up at the Suubi building in Daneeda where we had canvas’ for them, paint and brushes. We mixed the colors for them and they went to town painting their homes, their favorite places in Africa, and whatever else they wanted. We were all super impressed with their skills, I was put to shame that’s for sure.
A few days ago Court and I went to a town close by to visit a woman named Sylvia. Her husband died a year ago and he was good friends with Patrick, our night guard, which is how we found out about Sylvia. She is living with her mother, two sisters and her two children in a one room house. For money, she simply makes more food than needed for her and the 5 others and sells it to her neighbors. This is her only source of income, so she has a hard time getting food, much less anything else. Both of her kids are not in school because she cannot afford that either. We visited her because our hearts broke for her and we wanted to see how we could help. Patrick told us of her need and said if we had money, he would rather it go to her than to him, even though he struggles as well (the poor help the poor very well over here). We found out it’s only $36 for both of her kids to attend school for one term, so that should be an easy fix. However, her hardships were written all over her face, her entire demeanor was solemn and she seemed really depressed. Most Ugandans have endured more than any of us dare to imagine, yet they still greet you with a smile and exude boundless joy. With Sylvia, however, you could tell her joy had been suffocated by her trials. Court and I had never met a Ugandan so sad and visibly broken. We had actually just been talking about how people here are never depressed and then we met Sylvia. I pray that she finds joy again and that God fills her up with hope. It’s hard to see her live like she does knowing I will go home to sleep in nice room in a house with a kitchen and a living room and electricity and food in the cupboards. My heart wants to help everyone but I’m not capable of that so I’m trying to help the few, help them well and love them as much as possible (a little advice I got from the book I just read, Irresistible Revolution, words from Mother Teresa I believe).
Last night I couldn’t sleep because I was thinking about how I could change my life once I return to the States and how incredibly hard it’s going to be because I’ll be going back to the American culture and everyone there who are used to living the American culture. Not to knock on the American culture, but I truly feel that growing up there, I was blinded from a lot of reality that Jesus wishes us Americans would grasp. My heart believes I’m capable of living how Jesus has been teaching me to live here, but I doubt myself, I fear myself actually. I am fearful that I will get back and continue back in my normal routine. I hate that this is even a possibility for me, I need to be reminded of what God is doing in my heart here, even after I return. Okay, I’m going to stop blogging about returning to America because I still have quite a bit of time here and I want to soak it up. God is good and He has always been so faithful. I am trying to trust that what He is doing in my heart, He is trusting me with, hmmm…. He is changing my heart and trusting me that I obey and follow Him in those changes. Honoring and yet very scary!

Goat Tales

I have eaten well while in Jinja, some imitation American food, imitation Chinese food, authentic Ugandan food, and of lots of carbs. My favorite thing to eat that has been made for me, is goat. I've never tried it before Jinja, but its super tender and flavorful. We went to a village called Pallisa, where our friends Patrick and Daniel live. Patrick's wife prepared an amazing meal for us as we hung out under the mango tree with a few village children. Their land is full of great produce like mango trees, avocado trees, tea trees, jackfruit (i have yet to try), beans, and lots more. They have lots of land and sustain themselves on it. We ate dinner in a mud hut with a grass roof, a typical picture that you get when you think of Africa. It was one of my favorite days just spending the entire day with this family and really feeling a part of their family. No reason to leave, no hurry, just talking, laughing, and sharing meals together, it was truly amazing.
The first picture is of the hut I was talking about and the second picture is of Daniel's brother, John Mark and his friend Nic. John Mark is a born preacher, he talks bible verses all day long with full conviction, it's fun. He and Daniel are clever with each other and we all just laugh at them going back and forth with each other.
It's really beautiful to see what Americans may view as poverty (living in a grass hut) but Ugandans view as regular and even desired life. Most of the women we work with here in Jinja, long to go back North to their villages where they are from because they can get food for free because they grow it themselves. Life is easier for them in their homeland but the violence have brought them to Jinja where they are struggling daily.
Anyways, back to goats....When we left the village of Pallisa, Patrick gave the generous gift of giving us a goat to take home with us. So, for 3 hours back to Jinja, us 6 volunteers rode back in the van with a goat that peed and pooped all the way home, really good times.
The goat (which we refused to name because we would be consuming it the next couple of days), stayed at our volunteer house in the yard for a couple days before we brought them to Patrick's house. The boys slaughtered it and prepared it from the morning 'till lunch, then us girls came and partook of the deliciousness. I'm pretty proud of myself for eating it actually, especially after having seen it play with the dog at the compound for two days. I'm becoming a different girl over here huh?
Now I have to share a really cool story that happened in Walukaba while the boys were preparing the goat. Us girls went to Gertrude's house (a woman in Suubi living with Aids and in hard financial times because of rent, children, and her sickness). Courtney's Grandma had heard about Gertrude from Courtney's blog and decided to give some money for her children's school fees. So, I was lucky enough to be there when Courtney told her that her children's school fees were taken care of. Gertrude just stared at Courtney for about a minute in silence. Then her eyes turned red and welled up with tears as she squeeked out the words, "God bless you, truly God bless you." Then Gertrude brought her daughters into the room and told them of how God provided and the children dropped to their knees and cried, then all of us were crying and hugging each other. It was such a moving moment because the surprise of God's blessing on them was so beyond what they were even asking for from the Lord. I love how God goes above and beyond because she also sold a bunch of necklaces to another girl that payed for her rent right when it was due.
Giving is always a bigger gift for the one who gives than it is for the one who receives, so crazy that I'm still amazed by that. It's been so tender to actually see how God is using us to meet practical needs and we are able to directly see how these women are affected, see their faces, know their tears, and experience the Holy Spirit in the moment of the blessing. It's been amazing, amazing, amazing!!!!!!!!!!

Upside down America

My thoughts are flooded right now with how God has called us to live as His children. I walk outside the volunteer house each day and poverty is shoved in my face, there is no ignoring it because children beg, you see bone thin adults digging in the trash, people living in mud and grass homes the size of most of our bathrooms. Through the constant reminder of poverty here and reading that book and the conversations with others, God is turning my heart inside out to live as Jesus did when he walked the earth. How can I justify to myself that I have a two guest rooms in my home in Oklahoma and here in one tiny mud hut lives a mother with triplets and 2 other children, not to mention that her wall crumbled into her home last week and more mud had to be packed to replace it. How is it that I get 3 full meals a day, and snacks anytime I want and most of these people are overjoyed to receive one meal a day. I"ve been so meshed into American culture and greed that I ignore the needs of others and make sure my daily needs are met. I'm again being reminded of how selfish I am, something I will never be fully rid of and distaste with all of my heart. God provides for our needs, he did not invent poverty, we did. Our greed created other's poverty, there is plenty given us to end poverty but it's such an inconceivable thought for us to give up our savings, to give away or "emergency food" as if God isn't capable of providing in emergencies. It's inconceivable to think of giving away our 20 pairs of shoes and only keep the two pair (or if I"m honest, the one pair) that we actually need. I"m learning so much about my yucky heart and my ill intentions and motives. I'm excited that God is turning my American culture ideas of Christianity upside down, because Christianity is not american culture as it is seen so often, it is exactly how Jesus lived, and it doesn't matter that culture was different back in "Bible times," that's not a valid rationale because it's not the culture, it's what we are called to do no matter what culture we live in.
Anyways, the point is that I'm unable to ignore what God is asking of me in how I live my life because it is literally thrown in my face everyday. To become friends with the poor has ripped open my sheltered heart to see how it is to truly love and give of oneself. Our good friend Daisy is living in poverty here and is in Suubi(she is pictured with the big smile on her face). She has so little to give, but she gives it all because she loves those she is around. She teaches, she spends her hard earned money to buy food for even us... even us Americans she will spend her money on, and she knows we are not poor. It blows me away to see the generosity and selflessness of these women, they live the life of Jesus so much better than I do. I'm learning so much from them. God is so great and ironic like that, he took my idea of coming to help these women and turned into, "i'm going to change your world my dear Rachel, and you will never be the same again. These women live more like me than you ever have, learn from them and take these things back to your home and live them out and glorify me." That is what I'm learning here, I want to cry I"m so humbled.
I had to post the picture of Hamina. She is the sweetest little girl living in Walukaba, I love her so much. I would take her home with me if I could.

The other picture is of some of the huts in a village where Daisy lives. A lot of Uganda looks like this and many villages are a lot more poverty stricken than even that. Daisy took us around her village and told us a lot about her life, she speaks English really well and translates for us a lot for Suubi things that we do.

Dancing queen

This week I learned some Acholi, African dance!!!! I've been asking women to dance in their tribal dance style since I've been here and they say they will, but never actually do. However, this past Wednesday, they did a farewell dance for one of the girls that was leaving and they wanted us all to be there to watch (glorious!!). One of Mama Santa's daughters, Joyce, showed me a few steps before they performed. They do a lot of foot, hip and head movements. They dance to the sound of their own feet stomping, a drum, a whistle, and banging on half gourds. Eventually, after about 30 min., they dragged us in to dance with them, of course I was eager to jump in to join with the beat and laughter. I was so ready to dance and especially to dance Acholi style. They adorn you in necklaces and hip wraps and you take off your shoes and dance in the dirt in the village. I cannot tell you how free it was to be dancing with these women I've been praying over for so long. I had a great moment of just soaking in the reality of where I was and what I was doing. My heart felt revived and as if God was pouring down his joy right into my heart through each of these women of Suubi and the village of Walukaba. Everyone was sweating, but we were laughing and smiling and hugging each other in between dances. Laughter and dance transcended any language barrier or social awkwardness that would have been present otherwise, it was a beautiful thing to experience.

Also, this week we visited an Aids orphanage to help serve lunch, wash dishes and clothes, and hang out with the children. It was so fun to serve and have the normal volunteers and staff be able to take a chair and relax. I learned to wash clothes with my hands, which doesn't sound too challenging but the dirt here is red and stubborn so you have to scrub the dickens out of the clothes before they are clean from dirt and smell. I'm so impressed with the strength of the workers here because they do hard work like this all day long and still have energy to be joyful and interactive.
A lot of the children had the chicken pox and were covered head to toe in calimine lotion (literally). It was so neat to see how they were joyful amidst their illness and being covered in white lotion or having some other ailment to endure. The orphanage pays for their education, meals, medication, and everyday living. These kids are being given a chance to live well under their circumstances and they are flourishing in the orphanage, it's beautiful!

I've been in conflict lately because being here makes it really hard to imagine going home to do Real Estate. My heart feels like I am finally fulfilling what God has made me to fulfill and all I want to do is continue doing things like this, like being in Africa building relationships, serving, and helping the people in the villages. What a weird thought it is for me to go back to the business world of Real Estate, that's not me....is it? Since the 6th grade I felt a burning passion for Africa, why can't I follow that for the remainder of my years, whether it be here or in the states, but connected somehow and doing all that I possilby can.
As a group, the volunteer house has started to read a book called, "The Irresistable Revolution," and I'm only two chapters in but it's doing crazy things with my heart that I believe God started even before this trip. I'm excited to see where He is taking my heart.

Building the start of lifelong relationships!

Courtney and I started an English class for the Suubi women this past Wednesday. There were about 15 women that showed up and it was a little challenging to figure out a teaching style because they are all at different levels. Some women know how to speak English pretty well and there are a few that don’t know one word and I’m pretty sure a couple of them having learning disabilities. It’s really helpful to have Daisy there because she speaks both Acholi (Luo) and English, so she translates for the class. I’m not sure how we would teach without her because Courtney and I know maybe a few words in Acholi. I’m really praying that this class will help them out for practical life here because our hearts are to help them help themselves and knowing English will be a great tool for that purpose.
After English class and literacy class we usually visit a few of the women’s homes, which has been my favorite part so far. They are so welcoming and excited to have us in their homes. They are so hospitable and insist on giving you something as a sort of welcoming gift. We got sodas and a lot of necklaces; we were decked out by the time we went home that evening.
We spent quit a bit of time at Florence and Grace’s home. They work all day everyday on these necklaces, it’s very admirable how hard and long they work. Florence his the core definition of Suubi----HOPE!!!! She is so confident that the Lord will bring them out of poverty through the Suubi project. She is overjoyed by all it has done for her thus far and is truly hopeful of the future. We prayed with her before we left and it was so precious to hear her talking to the Lord. She overflowed in gratefulness and reverence and hope in her prayers. She is raw and beautiful and loves everybody. I have not taken a picture of her yet, but will get one up as soon as I get one.
Also, this week, Courtney and I went to Betty’s family’s little store/shack. The picture is of Betty’s family at the shack, which they call a Kiosk. We talked with them for a few hours and Jackson (Betty’s father), told us all about the Acholi tribe, how it came to be up ‘till now, it was really fascinating. Here, I was also given soda and rolex.
And perhaps the highlight of my week was meeting Diana and Rita, who own a shop on Main St. I approached them because of a man named Sam Bass who goes to my Church, Bridgeway back in Oklahoma. He was in Jinja just 3 or 4 weeks before me and led these sisters to the Lord this past January. I went to meet them and they were overjoyed. I happened to catch them right before lunch so they insisted I share their meal with them, which was amazing by the way. She has made matokay, which is warm bananas that taste like potatoes. She put onions, avocados and carrots in with the matokay and it was my favorite Ugandan meal thus far. We talked for a few hours, they are so easy to talk to and really cared about my life and they said, “make sure you go home to your Church and tell them what God has done through Sam Bass for us, we are changed people and our perspective is completely different now that we know God, we have a purpose and we love people so much better.” I was so encouraged by them and proud of my brother Sam who had followed God’s promptings, resulting in the salvation of these two women. Anyways, it’s Diana’s birthday today so I baked a dense and weird birthday cake for her and am praying that she likes it because it’s all I have. I can’t wait to hang out with them again!!!!