I am hot, I am sweaty, I smell, my clothing is dirty, I can feel the dirt on my skin and the itch of elephant grass lingers, the shower won’t work again but I am happy! Today is Saturday so all the kids were home during the day except grade 6 and 7 (they have school on Saturdays in addition to their week). We joined the boys picking elephant grass today, which is food for the cows. This involved a ride in the bed of a truck with little boys hopping around while the truck swayed too and fro on precariously skinny dirt roads filled with people and animals. No road is too skinny for these guys though! We trucked on even when the road became a footpath. To the left of the elephant grass field stood three small children outside their hut, in brown torn shirts that used to be white with no pants on. The baby’s belly looked to be about 9 months pregnant. (We have got to load up on de-wormer for the village kids when we go to Jinja on Tuesday!) Enoch took my hand and led me into the field with grass taller than me (which isn’t a huge feat) and instructed me about the process. The three “uncles” would cut the grass and then we would use old burlap bags to pick up the itchy grass and load the truck. At one point Ed boy grabs me, noticing I have two mosquito bites on my arm; the young boy instructs me about diseases and then begins to teach me how to make the itch stop. He spent about 5 minutes rubbing each bite with his thumbs, spreading the mosquito venom away from the source making sure I was okay. The children here are raised to watch out for one another and they extend this mentality in the small ways they make sure to take care of us muzingo’s. We struggle with our own protective instincts regarding them. It was hard for me not to hold tight to the boys as the truck rambled along the road again. I feared they would fall and get hurt, but these are not children what we are used to, some of them are as strong as adults and have no problem balancing while standing on a precarious drive, or carrying bundles of elephant grass that weigh more than I could carry.
I presented the children with new crayons and paper after lunch; they descended on these items like they were the best things since sliced bread. Ever responsible Victor kept everyone organized and made sure everyone got something to draw with. Many of the kids wrote notes telling us how much they love us. Derrick wrote he loved me because I brought him colors. It was incredible to realize just how special a few crayons and paper could be to these children. I tried to sneak away so I could go into the clinic but was not allowed as the children screamed “auntie Amy play with us!” The elders in Uganda are called aunties and uncles; Leah, Morgan and I are all called auntie by the children. Joseph taught me how to roll a tire using two sticks in a wheelbarrow type fashion, that little boy made it look so easy! Rolling that tire was a workout and a half! I love them all!
After the fun we had to clean the chapel where we were coloring and playing. Derrick helped me pick up the scraps of paper. He looked at my shoes and said, “those are nice shoes, I don’t have any shoes, I like your shoes”. I told him I was going to work on getting him and the others new shoes. He simply said thank you with his head bowed. We then went to Saturdays Sunday school. It was moving to see these children who have nothing and are broken from their pasts praise the lord with such vigor. The young 12 year-old girls leading the songs, the children with eyes shut or raised to the heaven and the young boys beating the drums. They humble me, I feel they are rich and I am poor.
Papa Isaac will be pleased with how hungry I am tonight. He has been praying to God that my stomach will stretch because he doesn’t like how little I eat. After today he will think his prayers have been answered. I am starved!
Always stay humble and kind
Gypsy RN
