THIS IS AFRICA

We arrived in the small town of Wobulenzi, Uganda about 20 days ago and we have been so blessed!!

Our living situation this month is incredible, I mean, compared to what we anticipated for Africa. We live in an actual house, and we even have our own room with a real bed. We live with our ministry contact, Pastor Moses Lucinda, and his wife Lovinca. The day we walked into the house for the first time, Lovinca greeted us with a warm smile and showed us around the house. The second she said, “You can just call me mom”, I knew it was going to be a good month.

               

Moses used to be a Muslim, but converted to Christianity in high school and was kicked out of his home as a result. He was living on the streets when a woman offered to take him in, feed him, and give him an education. These days, Moses and his wife have done the same for about a dozen children who need parents to help take care of them. There are about 5 children ages 12-18 living in the home that we live in, not to mention those that are grown and have since started their own families.

As Moses says, “It’s not about how big your pockets are, but how big your heart is”.

Our first day of ministry was visiting Hope Infant and Primary School in a nearby village. The children in this school come from extremely poor families, most of which cannot provide food for them. The school gives all the children one cup of porridge each day, which is like oatmeal, but even less appetizing. Most of the kids’ grandparents were all murdered in the civil war which overtook the area years ago, and many of their parents have died from AIDS.

                

                

I cannot describe the joy that I felt as soon as the car pulled up to this school and we stepped foot inside the first kindergarten classroom. My gaze was met by 30 or more black faces with beaming white teeth. We introduced ourselves and moved on to the next class, one by one, until we reached the oldest class, grade seven. We did the same introductions and every time the classed erupted with applause when Luke introduced me as his wife. The people here love it when they find out we are married, I’m not sure why. In this particular class, the teacher asked if any students had questions for us. One hand shot up in the back and a boy stood to his feet. He pointed at me, looked at Luke, and asked, “Where did you find this wife?”

Another thing that people find astonishing here in Africa is the fact that Luke and I have been married almost five years and have no children. Seriously, you should see the look on most people’s faces when they ask the name of our firstborn and we say we don’t have a firstborn. It’s like we committed some kind of crime!

                

We met some teenage girls who attend the high school across the road from our home, and one of the first days we had this same conversation about marriage and no kids. One of the girls asked us, “Why do you take so long to reproduce?” It’s become a long-standing joke within our team.

Our translator, Eva, told us that if two Ugandans were married for five years, they would have five children. As we do life in Africa, I’ve quickly begun to see she is absolutely right. Most families have at least five children, and many have more than ten. Some men have multiple wives, which means their children are even more numerous.

As we walk through our neighborhood, the local children shout, “Bye, Mzungu, Bye Mzungu” which means, “Bye, white”. It’s not an offensive thing, it’s just a way to say hello to us. We wave back with enthusiasm and they all giggle. Some of the kids will follow us or come grab our hands and walk for awhile. Most kids are barefoot and look like they’ve been wearing the same shirt for months, but their smile says a thousand things about how happy they are. They are very imaginative and make toys and games out of a plastic bottle and sticks. Sometimes I want to grab the babies who are sitting naked on the red dirt and bring them home for a bath and a meal. Most babies are naked because diapers are too expensive, and who wants to change their kids’ clothes five times a day?

One of my favorite things is seeing babies who are strapped to their mom’s backs with a tied cloth as their mother works or walks along the road. Women often wear brightly colored dresses with head wraps. Men always wear pants and long-sleeved shirts, even in the blazing heat.

                

Uganda is one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen. The dirt roads are burnt red and contrast against the deep green jungle and vegetation. The scenery in the country is breathtaking, with winding roads and rolling hills of green. The villages are filled with beautiful people with giant white smiles. The churches are filled with passionate, dancing worshippers who love Jesus.

Moses continually reminds us that we are free. When we have questions about the culture or what we should do or not do, he says, “In Africa, we are free. You are free.” There is freedom here, amongst extreme poverty and desperation. We love serving here and the people have welcomed us with incredible generosity and love.