Today I fell in love with Africa all over again. And its not because I got to raft the class 5 rapids of the Nile, the same river that Moses floated down or that our great God turned into blood. Or because I got to watch a couple F-22's show off with roles just above my head, see the sunset during a free river cruise home, or sit under the stars on the bank of the Nile talking to people I love. Today was incredible for so many reasons, but today I fell in love because of the life that I saw in this broken country.
We had an hour drive through remote red dirt road and mud hut villages to begin rafting and an hour and a half drive home following our trip, through different but similarly remote villages. All along the water-washed roads, lay small houses, most of which were falling apart. Outside of these humble homes, smaller than most master closets, were hundreds of naked or half naked African children. As we drove by, we were blinded by bright white smiles as the kids jumped up and down, waving violently and calling out greetings. I couldn't bring my eyes from the window because the thought of missing one of those sweet smiles was unthinkable. Every time we waved back it was clear that we were making each child's day. The joy exuding out of every ounce of their happy feet, double fisted waves, and gleeful grins was immeasurable. And that's when I fell in love with Africa all over again.
I have realized after two months on this broken continent that there are two ways to see it: condemning it through a lens of death, or admiring it through a lens of life.
I have seen babies holding babies, in torn ragged clothes, with bellies protruding from malnutrition. I have seen fathers, mothers, and children heartbroken and suffering from HIV. I have seen elementary children living on the streets, abandoned and stealing just to survive. I have seen the corruption of the police and government, that keep the poor exactly that: broke and broken. I have met a forgotten elderly, dying from the smoke in her house because she is too disabled to move outside to cook, with no one to help care for her. I have pitied families that live 10 deep in an 8 by 8 mud house. I have met Charles. I have walked with Norah. Yet if I were too describe or define Africa through only these things or situations, I would be sharing my experiences through a lens of death when in reality this is a country that should be defined by its overwhelming sense of life, despite the great despair and oppression.
I have seen life in so many ways. In the joy of the children, who are ecstatic even when they have absolutely nothing to call their own. In the 85 year old Jaja, down on her knees tearfully thanking us for sweeping her dirt yard. In a mother's refusal to give up the fight, even when her body is wasting away from disease. In the persistence of Norah, who works every day to help her mom feed her family at 15 and her courage to ask Sarah Mae for help with school fees. In Charles smile, as he sells bananas more than 60 hours a week as an 11 year old. I have seen people spend every shilling they have, to bless my team with a meal of appreciation.
Hope. Courage. Faithfulness. Trust. Generosity. Thankfulness. Persistence. Joy.
LIFE. This is Africa.
There is SOO much we can learn from the hungry children, sick fathers, and fighting mothers of Uganda; we just have to learn to look through a lens of life rather than one of death. What people lack here in possessions they make up for in character. Thats not to say there are not plenty of tangible needs that we can meet as westerners by serving the people here, but we need to get over ourselves. After two months, I am convinced there are so many more things we can learn about a fulfilled life from these beautiful people than we could ever teach them.
So lets keep sponsoring children who can't afford it to go to school. Let's keep fighting against AIDS, rebuilding mud houses, sharing our love at orphanages. But lets also take the time to open our eyes: I hope if you come to Africa , that through the brokenness what you see is the hope and life that these beautiful people have and share freely.
