the day to day life in Africa

Hello everyone!  So much has happened in the past few days and as much as I want to fill you in on every little detail, it is quite late and my thoughts are already of sleep (ok so it's only 9:30 but after getting up at 4:30 and needing to be up at 6, it feels like 2 am!).  Instead, I'll walk through a basic day at Another Hope and highlight the big events from each day.

Wednesday was our first day of walking the preschool children to their school, Little Stars.  Each morning, we wake at 6 am to get ready and help the children eat and get dressed before leaving around 7 o'clock.  The first day we were lead by one of the older children through the meandering clay paths to one of the main roads.  Everything in Uganda is so lush and green!  There are avocados, mango, and bananas growing everywhere and wherever you look, you cannot help but see a sea of green rolling hills with tall palm trees, corn, and flowers.  After we crossed the street (which was quite a feat! haha that rhymed :) ) we lead the children on the short remainder of the walk and prepared for home.  As we were about to head back down the main path, the older girl who was with us said "ok, you know the way now, I am going to school" and left us to walk back.  With only a slight wrong turn, we were able to make it back and without the children at our sides, the shouts of Mzungu were everywhere!

When we got back, all of the children had gone except for the youngest 5: two twin girls, a younger boy (unfortunately I can't remember the names of these three) and Whitney (3) and Mark (a year and three months) who are the two children I am responsible for taking care of.  Whitney has a big bubbly personality and Mark, who was brought here on Saturday after his imprisoned mother said she didn't want him, already follows me around and whenever I walk into a room, he starts crying until I pick him up (and cries whenever I put him down).  At noon, we went back to pick the kids up and then had a few hours of play time before our typical lunch of smushed bananas (which are nothing like bananas at home) and beans.  The food here takes a bit of getting used to but I am much more adjusted to it now than I was when I first got here.  In the afternoon, we had our volunteer orientation where we established what I will be responsible for while I'm here:  taking care of Mark and Whitney, walking the Little Stars to and from school, teaching evening Bible studies, and tutoring three of the older girls in math and English at night when they return from school.  It's been a bit difficult to jump in and start doing things because, unlike our lives in the US, there is little structure and no one will ask or expect you to do anything you don't seem comfortable doing so I haven't done a lot yet but things are much more natural now than they were in the beginning so I'm sure things will pick up soon.  Then we has a few hours of play time before evening prayer/ Bible study, dinner, and going to bed.

Thursday began much in the same way.  We took the Little Stars to and from school, helped the little ones, had some lunch, and then at around 3 in the afternoon, we drove back to Entebbe airport to pick up my bag.  It was so great to be able to drive through the city during the day.  There are shops and markets everywhere and there are always people walking about.  We were also able to drive past lake Victoria which wraps around Entebbe airport and is incredibly beautiful!  After picking up my bag, Francesca, Ruth, her fiance Daniel, and I were able to have some really great conversation.  We talked a lot about the political situation in Uganda, commenting on the increased police presence due to the recent elections and protests, and about the struggles that Ruth has faced in beginning and sustaining her ministry to the Children.  One of the main things we talked about was how difficult Ruth finds it to gain support b/c, when she travels to the US and other similar places, she shows pictures of the children's improvements rather than their poverty which in her words "isn't what the white people want to see."  She said that many other similar organizations will go out and take pictures of street children rather than show the children who are actually under their care b/c it is easier for them to raise support when the children look dirty and downtrodden.  It has been such a blessing to talk to and learn from her as she has already put so much of my life into perspective.

When we arrived, it was after 8 pm and quite dark.  As soon as I walked up, Mark started crying and followed me accross the porch with tears streaming down his face as I put my suitcase in my room.  As soon as I picked him up, he stopped crying and Ruth said, "see, you can't leave Uganda.  You have to tell your parents' you can't leave because he thinks you're his mom!"  All the power was off so we ate our beans and rice by torch light (flashlight) in our room as the kids all leaned their heads in through our door step and laughed and giggled at everything we did.

There was one other special thing about yesterday:  it marked the three month birthday of baby Emmy.  Ruth said that when they found her, she was one day old and had been placed in a bush by her mom, still covered in blood from childbirth.  Now, after being in the care of Ruth and all the other Aunties and Uncles, she is strong, healthy, and even laughs and smiles.  

This morning was quite an adventure.  The day began at 4:30 with me getting up, getting ready, and sitting on the porch reading a book while I waited for Ruth to arrive quite a while after my assigned time of 5 o'clock (b/c as she says, you know you are a Mzungu when you keep time).  When she arrived, I boarded the front seat of a pickup truck with her and the driver while the rest of those who were traveling with us climbed into the bed.  It was still pitch black outside (as it was only 5:30 in the morning) and Ruth talked me through the daily life of a child in Uganda.  She said that growing up, she would get up at 3 am to walk to the well to fetch water, prepare the plantains for the younger children who remained at home, and then begin the 2 hour walk to school so that she could arrive before the start time of 6:30 am.  Any children who were late, previously absent, or had bad grades would beaten on their legs and Ruth said she would often wet herself before she was beaten b/c she was so afraid.  There were many children along the sides of the road as we were driving who, like the children at Another Hope, would wake up long before sunrise to make a 1-2 (and some times even 3) hour walk to school.

About an hour and a half later we arrived at the farm and I had no idea what I was about to get myself into.  For the next 2 hours, Moses and I carried huge banana tree stalks into the field to be placed into holes that had been dug by the other children who came with us.  I was completely covered from head to toe in mud but fortunately didn't get a single mosquito bite!  After that we harvested corn and then drove to another field to harvest beans.  By the end of the morning I was covered in mud and sweat and all of my clothes were dotted with long black thistles that had been picked up from unwanted weeds.  It was an incredibly rewarding experience to work alongside the children and to see how they live on a day to day basis.  I take for granted so many things at home and food is definitely one of them.  One the way back, we stopped for African pancakes, which were small deep fried disks of sweet bananas, and fresh bottled water, which was one of the best tasting things I've had since I've been here!  Then after one police check, I quickly fell asleep until we arrived at Another Hope.

One of other things I take for granted at home: running water.  When I got back I quickly filled a bucket and went to the volunteers bathroom where I spashed water on myself as best as I could to get the mud off my body and dunked my head into the bucket in an attempt to wash my hair. The rest of the day carried on like usual with lunch, afternoon naps and tea, play time, evening prayer, and dinner, and tonight for dinner, I was able help capacho (I think that's what it's called) which is like a tortilla with onion and salt

Being here has been such a growing experience.  I've really enjoyed having Francesca here to talk to as she provides me with a perspective similar to the US while still helping me see things that are unique to how I grew up.  I guess that's what most of this has been for me, putting things into perspective.  The first few days, I was adjusting to the difference in hygiene standards, with children going the bathroom on the front porch and children sitting on the ground with no pants or underwear, as well as to the difference in food (which is still a bit of an adjustment) but it has helped me to see so many positive things about both here and home that I have never seen before.  For probably the first time in my life, after doing tons of travel and being away from home for months at a time, I am actually a bit homesick (which is a weird feeling) and I am beginning to see that home isn't so bad.  I've also learned so much about my own misconceptions of need.  The people here, while the may not have a lot, are such strong, intelligent, and happy people.  They are grateful for everything they have and they're not looking for handouts or to be "Westernized."  They truly value their education and all of the people they have in their lives.  I am slowly adjusting to being here and quickly falling in love with kids (especially Mark) and with more than 3 weeks still before me, I know that I still have a lot of learning and growing to do.

A few quick prayer requests:  I have already been doing much better but the general adjustment process has been a bit tougher than I had expected.  Please pray for continued protection of my health as one of the biggest things holding me back from being more affectionate with the kids has been my worry that I might get sick (which as never been a barrier for me before).  Also for good relations with my room mate, Francesca, and for God to give me a positive attitude, a heart of love, and to teach me so so so much.  I want to learn as much as I can, both about the people here and myself, and I want to be 100% open to whatever God has for me.

Thank you so much for reading!  Know that I am thinking of you all and love you with all my heart.  Tomorrow we head to the market, Sunday is church, and Monday is back to the wonderful daily grind. :)  It is such a blessing to be here and I am so incredibly grateful for this opportunity.

More to come soon!  God bless!