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!!!!!!!!!!