wednesday october 17th, 2007 UGANDA
Wednesday October 17, 2007
Lira, Uganda
Dear Friends,
I do apologize for you receiving these blogs so late in my journey. There isn’t any internet activity in my hotel room. The Pan-Afrique ended up growing on me. I know I’m saying that night on the eve of my extent here, but it’s the honest truth. Pan-Afrique isn’t so bad.
Today was filled with wondrous adventures once again. We didn’t get going until after 10am. Dale & Marika came to pick us up from the hotel. They had two of the volunteer workers with them to guide us through the day. We went to another district that’s a part of the diocese. This area was mostly farm workers.
Marika & Sarah decided to hop in our van and Dale with the two volunteer workers lead the way. So there we go. We waved goodbye to the pan-afrique and hello to the bumpy clay roads that will lead us to new destinations. We drove for about an hour out of town. We saw so much on the road. Many people say that Africa lacks this and that. But the one thing that Africa doesn’t lack is community. People are always out and about doing something. They aren’t doing it like we do. Their life is all day long at a pace that is labor some but they will always take time to say hello or sit/stand for a conversation. We have a lot to learn about community in North America. There were kids in school. There were people bathing on the side of the road. There were young men washing and repairing their bicycles. There were cows and goats roped to a tree on the side of the road. There were people walking by and all the village shops were open for business.
The first placed we stopped was in the local church near the farming village. Not only did the volunteer home base care workers and amaranth farmers come out to greet us so did many of their healthy patients that they’re now have recovered and are beginning to do the training too. So this was great and fabulous news. The reverend came out to greet us. Peter the leader of the whole group took some time out to introduce everyone and to interpret for both parties. Peter gave up his time to be with us but his family were in the middle of burying his granddaughter. You could tell that there were moments in the day where he just got ill thinking about it, but he also rejoiced in our being there.
After the meet and greet we went to the first Amaranth farm. Apparently Amaranth is indigenous to Mexico and is a substitute flour base type product. You take the seeds from the plant and mill it into some type of flower. You can’t cook it completely on its own but you can mix it with another type of flower. It’s supposed to be more of a complex carb with added natural minerals. We didn’t try any. Was hoping that we did. Oh and it also can be popped like popcorn.
The person that we visited wasn’t feeling well that day but his whole mini community came out and welcomed us. They put up a great big tarp and brought over every chair that they could find. It was the hottest day ever today and we sure did appreciate the shade. He sat and told us his story and how the amaranth has really benefited his whole family. He’s now on ARV’s and is beginning to feel better but had a bad spell for some time. We opened our visit with a word of prayer and then closed our evening with a word of prayer too. He then permitted us to walk around the amaranth and check out how productive the harvest will turn out. We congratulated him and then went to our next visit.
Our next visit was with Joel. Joel has HIV. He got diagnosed some time ago and continued to live a normal life. One day he got very very sick and went to the church to get prayed for. He thought about going to the clinic but he thought that he should get prayed for first. Unfortunately the pastor gave him the wrong advice. He told him that he didn’t need medicine he just needed more faith and he returned home. His condition got so bad that he began to lose function of his face and totally lost his speech. HIV can affect almost any part of your body if not treated with the proper ARV’s. A friend from the diocese heard about this, came and picked him up, and took him to the doctor. When we met him he had still been on his ARV treatment and he had most of his body movement back. He had to pick up his right hand with his left to greet us but he did have the strength to shake our hand. His speech was so slow too, but he was able to talk. His wife and mother said that he hadn’t been talking in some time just recently did he begin to reformulate his words.
Now I know we’re on a learning tour and we have to be very careful not to play the god in everyone’s life. But we do have to represent Jesus and continually be in Him. If we’re in Him that He just naturally comes forth. And in moments like these I think God calls our spiritual gifts to encourage His children. Now I’m not god. I’m not actually Jesus. But I’m His child. We’ve had a relationship. I understand parts of his infinite nature and want to bless the people I meet along the way. And I could feel the tug of the Holy Spirit stirring up the word of knowledge/prophetic gift in me again. It’s not a comfortable gift. Sometimes I hear of things that are so personal and sometimes things that aren’t right and it’s difficult to communicate them. But this time I didn’t want to leave him discouraged. God had put a halo around Joel and he didn’t want Joel to feel forgotten one moment longer….and the words just came….god just took over my lips….and the word of knowledge came. His aging mother was right next to him and agreed to everything that had come forth. His father was in the back not missing one moment of it. Joel had tears coming down his face. And the interpreter told me that he thanked god that I had come to visit and for God to bless me. I told Him it was God who deserves the glory. As we left he looked me in the eyes and shook my hand, and said thank you, thank you, thank you over and over again. His mom grabbed me and said thank you and that we will always be remembered. His aging father got up and thanked me, and his wife kneeled and thanked me. And it wasn’t me. It was god. God loves Joel so much that he wanted him to know that and restore the relationship they once had. Joel had a close walk with God and no matter what. No matter HIV or lack of speech God is so concerned with the condition of our hearts. God brought healing to Joel that day. It may not have been from HIV but God cured his broken heart.
If I had come to Uganda for just that, it was worth the trip. Not the photos. Not these blogs. Not the funky food. Not the great souvenirs. Not the gorgeous African rain. But that tonight Joel’s heart has been cured and he desired to have faith in His God once more. Our God. Our God who tells us that nothing, nothing can separate us from His love.
I got back to the car and spoke with Peter and he said that what he was really translating.
SHE KNOWS ME. SHE KNOWS ALL ABOUT ME. MY GOD DOES LOVE ME. AND HE DOES REMEMBER. THAT HE WILL BRING MORE OF HIS FRIENDS SO I CAN PRAY FOR THEM TOO.
I sat in the car and just cried. Cried. Cried. I could hear people around me thanking me for the word. I could hear others saying that it was too personal of a thing to do with so many people around. That it wasn’t appropriate. All I know is that I had to say what was on my heart. There wouldn’t have been any other time. I don’t care what the critics say; I cared about Joel at that moment.
We then went to lunch. Marika & Dale have stomachs of steel. They took us to the most off the wall joint I’ve ever seen. There were hardly any walls. There were no windows just one big door. And the menu is whatever the lady of the restaurant had been making. There were ant trails all around. Mosquitoes galore. There were flies landing every second, and lil buggies walking on the floor. I didn’t know if I could eat. I didn’t know if I could stomach it. I didn’t order anything at first but Peter approached me twice to get something to eat. The diocese were treating. So I got a bowl of white rice and pinto like beans on top. Oh and a nice cold fanta orange to wash it down. It turned out to be very good and my stomach survived it.
I think most of the time my stomachs been upset is because of the stuff we’ve been seeing. Then we take a break in the middle of it, and my body/mind is still trying to process all that I’ve seen. Uganda is a rough place.
We then stopped at another spot and visited a woman. She was ill and couldn’t walk because she had a huge sore on her foot. It actually looked like her foot was rotting away. We couldn’t tell if it was cancerous or if it was due to diabetes or if it was just a circulation thing. But it was infected. She said that she had gone to the doctors but that they didn’t know what it was. She had uncovered it for us to see and then covered it back up with the dirtiest hanky on the planet.
And I realized several things. That Africa could always use more doctors and nurses. They could also use dieticians/nutritionist. The African diet consists of sugar and carbs the rest is just kayle and goat. But for every portion of goat or kayle there are 4 carbs to a meal. Then you wash it down with a bottle of pop or some fresh passion fruit juice.
We came back to the offices of the diocese. Dale took off to take care of some business stuff. Marika ran home to take the fastest shower, I’ve seen anyone take. The volunteers at the diocese put out chairs for us to rest and we sat under the prettiest tree ever. We also took a group picture in the diocese yard. They have a lovely area. Lots of green, trees, plants, flowers.
I redeemed another photographers missed shot. She described how she was riding one day and came across these children playing way up in a tree. I saw them and snapped the shots away.
I TOLD YOU THAT MOMENT WOULD BE REDEEMED
The bishop of Lira greeted us along with Rev Jacob. We had a great meeting followed by a yummy dinner that Esther put together for us. We had potatoes/beef/coleslaw/bananas and passion fruit juice. She’s a great cook. We spent a great amount of time chit chatting and I ever got to know Mr. Tonny Fred who has 6 moms and 30 brothers/sisters. He’s 3o years old and is actively pursuing his walk with God. He asked me to keep him our prayers. He reminds me of a VFCer and would enjoy our services a lot. He has a passion for worship. I should have bought some of Josh Fox cd so they could sing his songs of worship throughout Uganda.
So now it’s the end of my journey in Uganda. We will be leaving at 5am to go on Safari and ride a ferry on the Nile. I’m so excited. There is also great promise of several elephant sites. I think I’ll cry when I see one. Elephants and I have a special connection. I love them the way I love a black lab or whisper my huskie.
Overall would I come back? You bet your socks. I had such a rough 24 hours here and I even knew then it was only because I was going to fall in love with it soon enough. And I did. I love Uganda. It’s a good place with lots of hope and promise. God is doing a new thing here.
I gave Dale and Marika a huge hug, and almost cried. They sure are incredible people. They have a remarkable calling. And God is blessing them in so many ways. Maybe one day again, I’ll return to see them. It’s in God’s hands. However, I promised them some DVD’s. Uganda TV isn’t all that great.
I’ve seen so much. I’ve heard so much, that I couldn’t even begin to formulate in a sentence my experiences so far here. I thank everyone who’s been reading my blogs and faithfully praying for me. I thank everyone who’s decided to take this journey with me.
I’m returning home on Saturday a new person.
Africa tends to do that.
I realize that I’ve been spending hours a day not talking. I’m just watching life here in Africa. And just sit in my matatus just admiring all the beauty that’s the Lords. It rained this evening at sunset. Have you ever seen that orange. The orange sky reflecting the orange dirt of Africa? It’s the most miraculous thing to witness.
I hope one day everyone could come to Africa. I keep thinking about the two churches I’m involved with and how I could see each leader using their gifts here. There is a need for the church in Africa. I realized that there are tons of NGO here. When we sit to have dinner about 5 other groups will pull in too. What is needed in Africa is more spiritual direction and discipleship. They need people to come and sit and read bible stories to those that can’t go to church. People to come and bring praise and worship. Someone to come and offer communion to those that are too weak to go to church. Something has to rise in God’s people here. It’s going to take the regenerative power of the Holy Ghost to answer the hopeful prayers of Uganda. Uganda may need this/that but it Uganda really needs faithful prayers.
I’ll write of my safari and Kampala next.
Love you.
Lira, Uganda
Dear Friends,
I do apologize for you receiving these blogs so late in my journey. There isn’t any internet activity in my hotel room. The Pan-Afrique ended up growing on me. I know I’m saying that night on the eve of my extent here, but it’s the honest truth. Pan-Afrique isn’t so bad.
Today was filled with wondrous adventures once again. We didn’t get going until after 10am. Dale & Marika came to pick us up from the hotel. They had two of the volunteer workers with them to guide us through the day. We went to another district that’s a part of the diocese. This area was mostly farm workers.
Marika & Sarah decided to hop in our van and Dale with the two volunteer workers lead the way. So there we go. We waved goodbye to the pan-afrique and hello to the bumpy clay roads that will lead us to new destinations. We drove for about an hour out of town. We saw so much on the road. Many people say that Africa lacks this and that. But the one thing that Africa doesn’t lack is community. People are always out and about doing something. They aren’t doing it like we do. Their life is all day long at a pace that is labor some but they will always take time to say hello or sit/stand for a conversation. We have a lot to learn about community in North America. There were kids in school. There were people bathing on the side of the road. There were young men washing and repairing their bicycles. There were cows and goats roped to a tree on the side of the road. There were people walking by and all the village shops were open for business.
The first placed we stopped was in the local church near the farming village. Not only did the volunteer home base care workers and amaranth farmers come out to greet us so did many of their healthy patients that they’re now have recovered and are beginning to do the training too. So this was great and fabulous news. The reverend came out to greet us. Peter the leader of the whole group took some time out to introduce everyone and to interpret for both parties. Peter gave up his time to be with us but his family were in the middle of burying his granddaughter. You could tell that there were moments in the day where he just got ill thinking about it, but he also rejoiced in our being there.
After the meet and greet we went to the first Amaranth farm. Apparently Amaranth is indigenous to Mexico and is a substitute flour base type product. You take the seeds from the plant and mill it into some type of flower. You can’t cook it completely on its own but you can mix it with another type of flower. It’s supposed to be more of a complex carb with added natural minerals. We didn’t try any. Was hoping that we did. Oh and it also can be popped like popcorn.
The person that we visited wasn’t feeling well that day but his whole mini community came out and welcomed us. They put up a great big tarp and brought over every chair that they could find. It was the hottest day ever today and we sure did appreciate the shade. He sat and told us his story and how the amaranth has really benefited his whole family. He’s now on ARV’s and is beginning to feel better but had a bad spell for some time. We opened our visit with a word of prayer and then closed our evening with a word of prayer too. He then permitted us to walk around the amaranth and check out how productive the harvest will turn out. We congratulated him and then went to our next visit.
Our next visit was with Joel. Joel has HIV. He got diagnosed some time ago and continued to live a normal life. One day he got very very sick and went to the church to get prayed for. He thought about going to the clinic but he thought that he should get prayed for first. Unfortunately the pastor gave him the wrong advice. He told him that he didn’t need medicine he just needed more faith and he returned home. His condition got so bad that he began to lose function of his face and totally lost his speech. HIV can affect almost any part of your body if not treated with the proper ARV’s. A friend from the diocese heard about this, came and picked him up, and took him to the doctor. When we met him he had still been on his ARV treatment and he had most of his body movement back. He had to pick up his right hand with his left to greet us but he did have the strength to shake our hand. His speech was so slow too, but he was able to talk. His wife and mother said that he hadn’t been talking in some time just recently did he begin to reformulate his words.
Now I know we’re on a learning tour and we have to be very careful not to play the god in everyone’s life. But we do have to represent Jesus and continually be in Him. If we’re in Him that He just naturally comes forth. And in moments like these I think God calls our spiritual gifts to encourage His children. Now I’m not god. I’m not actually Jesus. But I’m His child. We’ve had a relationship. I understand parts of his infinite nature and want to bless the people I meet along the way. And I could feel the tug of the Holy Spirit stirring up the word of knowledge/prophetic gift in me again. It’s not a comfortable gift. Sometimes I hear of things that are so personal and sometimes things that aren’t right and it’s difficult to communicate them. But this time I didn’t want to leave him discouraged. God had put a halo around Joel and he didn’t want Joel to feel forgotten one moment longer….and the words just came….god just took over my lips….and the word of knowledge came. His aging mother was right next to him and agreed to everything that had come forth. His father was in the back not missing one moment of it. Joel had tears coming down his face. And the interpreter told me that he thanked god that I had come to visit and for God to bless me. I told Him it was God who deserves the glory. As we left he looked me in the eyes and shook my hand, and said thank you, thank you, thank you over and over again. His mom grabbed me and said thank you and that we will always be remembered. His aging father got up and thanked me, and his wife kneeled and thanked me. And it wasn’t me. It was god. God loves Joel so much that he wanted him to know that and restore the relationship they once had. Joel had a close walk with God and no matter what. No matter HIV or lack of speech God is so concerned with the condition of our hearts. God brought healing to Joel that day. It may not have been from HIV but God cured his broken heart.
If I had come to Uganda for just that, it was worth the trip. Not the photos. Not these blogs. Not the funky food. Not the great souvenirs. Not the gorgeous African rain. But that tonight Joel’s heart has been cured and he desired to have faith in His God once more. Our God. Our God who tells us that nothing, nothing can separate us from His love.
I got back to the car and spoke with Peter and he said that what he was really translating.
SHE KNOWS ME. SHE KNOWS ALL ABOUT ME. MY GOD DOES LOVE ME. AND HE DOES REMEMBER. THAT HE WILL BRING MORE OF HIS FRIENDS SO I CAN PRAY FOR THEM TOO.
I sat in the car and just cried. Cried. Cried. I could hear people around me thanking me for the word. I could hear others saying that it was too personal of a thing to do with so many people around. That it wasn’t appropriate. All I know is that I had to say what was on my heart. There wouldn’t have been any other time. I don’t care what the critics say; I cared about Joel at that moment.
We then went to lunch. Marika & Dale have stomachs of steel. They took us to the most off the wall joint I’ve ever seen. There were hardly any walls. There were no windows just one big door. And the menu is whatever the lady of the restaurant had been making. There were ant trails all around. Mosquitoes galore. There were flies landing every second, and lil buggies walking on the floor. I didn’t know if I could eat. I didn’t know if I could stomach it. I didn’t order anything at first but Peter approached me twice to get something to eat. The diocese were treating. So I got a bowl of white rice and pinto like beans on top. Oh and a nice cold fanta orange to wash it down. It turned out to be very good and my stomach survived it.
I think most of the time my stomachs been upset is because of the stuff we’ve been seeing. Then we take a break in the middle of it, and my body/mind is still trying to process all that I’ve seen. Uganda is a rough place.
We then stopped at another spot and visited a woman. She was ill and couldn’t walk because she had a huge sore on her foot. It actually looked like her foot was rotting away. We couldn’t tell if it was cancerous or if it was due to diabetes or if it was just a circulation thing. But it was infected. She said that she had gone to the doctors but that they didn’t know what it was. She had uncovered it for us to see and then covered it back up with the dirtiest hanky on the planet.
And I realized several things. That Africa could always use more doctors and nurses. They could also use dieticians/nutritionist. The African diet consists of sugar and carbs the rest is just kayle and goat. But for every portion of goat or kayle there are 4 carbs to a meal. Then you wash it down with a bottle of pop or some fresh passion fruit juice.
We came back to the offices of the diocese. Dale took off to take care of some business stuff. Marika ran home to take the fastest shower, I’ve seen anyone take. The volunteers at the diocese put out chairs for us to rest and we sat under the prettiest tree ever. We also took a group picture in the diocese yard. They have a lovely area. Lots of green, trees, plants, flowers.
I redeemed another photographers missed shot. She described how she was riding one day and came across these children playing way up in a tree. I saw them and snapped the shots away.
I TOLD YOU THAT MOMENT WOULD BE REDEEMED
The bishop of Lira greeted us along with Rev Jacob. We had a great meeting followed by a yummy dinner that Esther put together for us. We had potatoes/beef/coleslaw/bananas and passion fruit juice. She’s a great cook. We spent a great amount of time chit chatting and I ever got to know Mr. Tonny Fred who has 6 moms and 30 brothers/sisters. He’s 3o years old and is actively pursuing his walk with God. He asked me to keep him our prayers. He reminds me of a VFCer and would enjoy our services a lot. He has a passion for worship. I should have bought some of Josh Fox cd so they could sing his songs of worship throughout Uganda.
So now it’s the end of my journey in Uganda. We will be leaving at 5am to go on Safari and ride a ferry on the Nile. I’m so excited. There is also great promise of several elephant sites. I think I’ll cry when I see one. Elephants and I have a special connection. I love them the way I love a black lab or whisper my huskie.
Overall would I come back? You bet your socks. I had such a rough 24 hours here and I even knew then it was only because I was going to fall in love with it soon enough. And I did. I love Uganda. It’s a good place with lots of hope and promise. God is doing a new thing here.
I gave Dale and Marika a huge hug, and almost cried. They sure are incredible people. They have a remarkable calling. And God is blessing them in so many ways. Maybe one day again, I’ll return to see them. It’s in God’s hands. However, I promised them some DVD’s. Uganda TV isn’t all that great.
I’ve seen so much. I’ve heard so much, that I couldn’t even begin to formulate in a sentence my experiences so far here. I thank everyone who’s been reading my blogs and faithfully praying for me. I thank everyone who’s decided to take this journey with me.
I’m returning home on Saturday a new person.
Africa tends to do that.
I realize that I’ve been spending hours a day not talking. I’m just watching life here in Africa. And just sit in my matatus just admiring all the beauty that’s the Lords. It rained this evening at sunset. Have you ever seen that orange. The orange sky reflecting the orange dirt of Africa? It’s the most miraculous thing to witness.
I hope one day everyone could come to Africa. I keep thinking about the two churches I’m involved with and how I could see each leader using their gifts here. There is a need for the church in Africa. I realized that there are tons of NGO here. When we sit to have dinner about 5 other groups will pull in too. What is needed in Africa is more spiritual direction and discipleship. They need people to come and sit and read bible stories to those that can’t go to church. People to come and bring praise and worship. Someone to come and offer communion to those that are too weak to go to church. Something has to rise in God’s people here. It’s going to take the regenerative power of the Holy Ghost to answer the hopeful prayers of Uganda. Uganda may need this/that but it Uganda really needs faithful prayers.
I’ll write of my safari and Kampala next.
Love you.
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