In the states I dread the morning, I don’t like talking before I have had a cup of coffee in me. At night I find it hard to sleep because I’m worried about finances, or what I should do next in life, what I have to buy at the grocery store etc. I expected to be the same grump in the morning in Uganda and to carry some of the same stresses with me here. Meh! Wrong answer Trebeck! In Uganda I wake up at 0700 filled with excitement for the day, wondering what newness I might see. I go to bed and cannot fall asleep thinking about ways in which I could better help these children, how I can get to Jinja so I can buy them shoes and some new clothing, how I can buy items for the clinic. I am filled with so much joy and anticipation each day here. I am filled with excitement as I mull over ideas to help this wonderful group of loving people. The love of the people is immeasurable! Children constantly running up to you to be held, or allowing you to come close and scoop them up when they are crying so you can comfort them. Adults, smiling and waving asking, “How are you?” There is so much love and hope here. They are in poverty, they have seen loved ones murdered in recent wars, there is a large amount of suffering, yet they thank God every day for all they have. Their worship of God is incredible, their unshakeable faith contagious. I have always wanted to go to a black Baptist church to share in the joy the parishioners felt during their time of worship… today, I went to the a glimpse of a black Baptist church! I can only Imagine what Sunday, will be like!
Leah, Morgan and I were invited to a local village girl’s college graduation party. In my head I pictured people hanging around a brick stone hut and enjoying some food and company with their family and close friends. Wrong answer again Trebeck! Instead four white tents were set up in between a couple brick stone huts. Speakers and musical equipment were brought in on boda bodas. A generator was also delivered in this same manner. (The generator was needed because there is no electricity in the village.) It appeared as if the family spared no expense to celebrate their daughter’s achievement. Music blasted through the speakers as a way to let the village know it was time to attend the party. Hoards of people arrived, bringing throngs of children with them. The party opened with songs of praise to Jesus, the love of God palpable in this gathering. Speeches were made and love given to the graduate. We were honored by the speeches being translated to English out of respect for just the three of us. Villagers scolded or cuddled each other’s children. A group of toddlers surrounded us and spent the graduation holding our hands or climb on our laps. (The saying “it takes a village to raise a child” was something I had never truly grasped until arriving here and seeing how the community works together). The music blasted between speeches and it was all I could do not to get up and dance along. It was intoxicating. We were then invited into the family’s home to have a private meal with them before we returned to the party. It was a huge honor to be treated in this way. There were no utensils or napkins; we sat on hard wooden benches, passing plates to one another, scooping rice onto our plates using a shallow bowl as a ladle. We dug into the food with our fingertips (I had hand sanitizer don’t you worry). We washed our hands using a cup filled with water and a bar of soap, since there is also no running water in the village. When we went back outside we saw a line of children pressed tightly together as they waited anxiously to be served some food. Their torn clothing, lack of shoes, and dirty hands did not stop them from smiling and giggling. I couldn’t stop smiling myself, a child covered in red dirt sitting in my lap cuddled close, clapping along to the music, watching the joy everyone was sharing with one another over this village girl.
Love your neighbor as you love yourself!
Gypsy RN
