Since we’ve been in Africa there have been many funny and endearing
cultural differences we’ve encountered. When we first arrived in Busia
and started walking around I kept getting distracted by small voices
that sounded far away and I’d catch a word or two that sounded like
English. At first I ignored it because I figured it was just people
talking to each other along the street. Then I recognized that I was
hearing the same phrase each time and the one word that kept standing
out was a high pitched “”…you?”.” I started turning around to see who
was speaking and I noticed 4-5 small children staring at us from a few
yards away and then I’d hear another one of them say, “How are you?”
That has been the catch phrase of Africa. Everywhere we go we hear
adults and kids alike shouting out “”Muzungu!”” which essentially means
‘white person’.
stares and kids running up to us from all over the place. And now in
Uganda, honestly, it’s starting to get a little bit old. Africa is an
amazing place and we’ve seen so many come to the Lord and met some
amazing people. But there are many things that make life here extremely
difficult. I mentioned one of those things in my last blog. Other things
include waiting up to 3 hours for a taxi either to or from home,
cramming 24 people into a van meant for 15, eating the exact same meals
day after day, no matter where you go, everybody asking you if America’s
weather is like Uganda (“Well America’s a big place”), no privacy, and
the constant stares.
the team had gone out for door to door evangelism. Every time we go to
church we sit in chairs on the stage facing the congregation. This time
there were windows behind us and I turned in the middle of song to see
three or four faces crammed in the window staring at us and across from
the same phenomenon at the other window. I think I’m starting to
understand a little bit what movie stars feel like when they’re hounded
by paparazzi, or what animals at the zoo feel like with people walking
by and staring or pointing fingers. It really started getting to me and I
began longing for someplace private where I could shut the doors and
windows and feel normal.
Jesus said He would make us a city on a hill, the light of the world. I
know people looking at me because of my color doesn’t entirely fit that
example, but people are watching us no matter where we are. Kids are
watching their parents. We all watch our leaders. We have influence from
the smallest to the greatest of the things we do. Sometimes I don’t
want to be watched just because I don’t want to have to be “on”. I want
to do what I want to do. I don’t want to worry about what someone else
will think or say. Privacy is important and God knows I can’t wait to
get a little more of it, but until then, “I always feel like somebody’s
watching me” and that means that I don’t get to share God’s love just
when I feel like it. It’s become a full time job. And my next challenge
is learning how to be ok with that.
