TIA - This Is Africa!

I haven’t written in awhile and I feel like there is so much I want to share. Over the past two weeks a lot has happened.

I have made over 10 trips to the clinic with either sick kids or visiting those that that had been admitted overnight. First there was Angel, my little shadow, she had Malaria. After Angel there was Moses and Fidi, her cousin and sister. Moses had Malaria and is also severely underweight and malnourished. Fidi had to be de-wormed and had an infection on her scalp. Then there was Hasifah who had Malaria and a horrible allergic reaction to the medicine. A few days later I took Roger to the clinic in the morning for Malaria and later that night after Bible club I took his sister, Gift, to the clinic as well for Malaria. Yesterday I took Fidi back to the clinic for Malaria and due to the severity; she had to be admitted overnight.

Tuesday after I took Roger to the clinic I decided to bring my IPOD with when I went to Gift as a distraction for her as the doctor pricked her finger. I am happy to report that it worked. Gift was completely preoccupied when they drew blood. When we got home later I watched as each child was in utter amazement as they put on the headphones and music came out - they couldn’t believe it. They patiently shared and sang and danced as the songs came on. It may sound weird but it was so cool to see, I felt like I was in a different world. I can’t think of a child in America that hasn’t seen an IPOD and here were 5 kids having a blast over something we consider so common.

Also, over the past two weeks Bible club has started and it was been wonderful. Since there are so many girls, I split them up by age this week and had Bible Club 3 times this week. Holidays are coming up and many of the kids are going home to be with family but I am so excited for their return. I am confident that God is going to work in mighty ways through the Bible clubs. I think we will study women in the Bible when they return and then tackle the ever-so-fun topic of sex, boys and relationships. I know they are talking and thinking about it so it is time to take a look at it from a Biblical perspective. This particular topic is going to require a lot of preparation and even more prayer.

Now that I have written a book, I want to share a story. There is an expression we use here; This is Africa, or TIA. I said TIA probably 20 times this past Saturday. I was invited to the wedding introduction of two people that have quickly become my good friends here. Their wedding isn’t until next year but the introduction was Saturday. Here in Uganda, the wedding introduction is a very important tradition in which the bride-to-be is formally introducing her soon-to-be-husband to her family.

I had been told that we had a long journey ahead of us, as the introduction would take place in the western part of Uganda. The craziness started at 3 am on Saturday morning when I arrived at the school to meet everybody else that would be going as well.

I was told there would be around 13 of us going on this journey but upon arriving at the school, I noticed that there were a few more people coming. By the time we left and headed to the western part of Uganda, it was 4:30 am and there were 19 of us in a small, 15-passenger van. TIA. Nobody seemed to mind that for the next 9 hours we would be literally sitting on top of each other. While it was suppose to be a 9-hour trip, we arrived safely to the introduction a full 11 hours after we left.

At one point during our journey we stopped for a bite to eat. As we pulled over to the side of the road, people from all directions came up to the van, trying to sell us water, newspapers, bananas and meat on a stick. I opted for a few cookies – I know better than to get meat on a stick in a rural village in Uganda – that could have made for a very long journey. We also ate pineapple but since it was so sticky and dripping everywhere, I decided to open the window and hang my outside as we continued to drive. Please take a minute and try to picture that. I am in a small van with 18 other people, I have been literally sitting on top of one of the teachers from the school and now I am hanging my head out of the window as we drive down the road. Seriously I felt like I was in a movie. TIA.

The introduction itself was wonderful. I was dressed in a traditional, Ugandan dress and am convinced the children from the village had never seen a white person before. I truly felt like an alien – they were whispering, pointing and running everywhere to get their friends.

4 hours after the introduction started, it ended and without any hesitation we got back in our miniature van and headed home. This time we had 2 extra passengers to make it 20 adults and a 2-year old little girl. We drove for another 9 hours back, over the same road, with the same broken window that allowed a nice freezing cold wind to come into the van, and the same small seat that I shared with one of the teachers at the school. He didn’t know it but he quickly became my pillow. It’s funny that after you share a seat with somebody for 9 hours, you surprisingly feel a closeness to them. There is something about that experience that just brings you together.

I could write for another several paragraphs but will hold off for now and write more soon.

Things here continue to be great and I love being here. I posted a few pictures on facebook and hope to post more soon.

I will again leave you with a few prayer requests:

Health – staff members, students and small kids are falling sick left and right. Please pray that God would heal their bodies, bring them peace and keep us healthy.

Exams – the students are all taking exams right now and many of the high school students are stressed and exhausted. Some of them get up at 3 or 4 am to study and after dinner they continue for another few hours.

Holidays – a part from a few kids, all the students that live at the school will be going home this week and will not return until January – February for the next term. Please pray that God would keep them close to Him during this time and protect them. Each of these children are going home to different family situations, some of which are incredibly sad. Please pray for the kids that are staying at the school. These are our kids that truly have nobody to go home to or it is unsafe for them to return home. Pray that they would not feel abandoned or lonely during the next few months.

Personal – please pray that God would continue to keep me healthy and safe. Things are going so well but I am starting to feel a bit tired and rundown. Please pray that I would remain close to God and continue to rely on His strength and guidance.

More to come soon!