Mysterious Ways

Mysterious ways

 

People have such mysterious ways of living life. I think of how my life differs so much than that of a boda-boda driver, a Saudi oil billionaire, or even my house girls and I wonder are our lives really that much different. I know that we have different goals, immediate needs, value systems, and wants but generally I think everyone is after the same thing, which is happiness. Happiness can be fulfillment through riches in material things, religion, relationship, or merely surviving. Happiness cannot be found in selfishness but only through making others happy. The realization of how diverse my life is compared to some of the people I am around can really set me back. I am not speaking some distorted caste system but of how our society shapes us. I am a product of a middle class, American, extremely religiously oriented, committed, diligent, loyal, and disciplined family. My life is different from a person who from a baby in his single mother’s arms who has been traumatized by war and abuse, begging on the side of the road in Kampala. Or from a person who as a child was abandoned now has risen from that and become a powerful business personality or a kid who from birth was wrapped in swaddling Gucci throws. Life is so different to so many people but we all measure life in the same way and that is happiness through love.

 

This week…

 

Ten things I never thought I would ever say but I did this week:

 

1. I need to go and buy oil sheen for my weave.
2. No, that is not a tan; it is dirt from my ride home.
3. Most Ugandan born-again pastors are crooks.
4. You mean you are taking your Ak-47 into the pizza shop?
5. So you have 4 wives, what is the sleeping situation?
6. My hair is making me tired.
7. Oh its okay, I will just use our salad bowl and bottled water to bathe.
8. So you are going to sue a gay person because it is illegal to be gay?
9. Oh my God, our gate guard is crossed eyed!
10. You are calling people from the Woodlands, sophisticated Rednecks?!!

 

Thursday Lesley and I woke up early and made the long trek into town. We first went to our office, a.k.a Padorama Café, the only place in Kampala with free net and it is totally undiscovered. After a few hours we went to Owino Market. That was intense. The main reason I went was to mosquito nets for every child because one of my babies got malaria and was in the hospital with a 105 degree temperature. We took boda-bodas to Owino and I went to pay and my money was counterfeit. The man would not take it. I was so upset and kept convincing him that it was in fact real money and finally he took it, probably just to get the loud muzungus away from him. Owino is a whole other world. There is Uganda the third world country and then there is Owino, which is like a sixteenth world country. It is the thieves hang out. I am going to paint a banner to post at the entry stating, “Welcome to Owino Market the home of thieves, Rastafarians who hate to be called thieves, and all of the clothes that NGO’s send over thinking they are being given to people in need, Have a great shop, hold on to your bag for dear life!” I bought the mosquito nets from this guy who had to run to some other market to get the nets, then to get the frames for the nets, and then again because he tried to cheat me 4 frames. The mosquito shopping took around an hour. Lesley and I were just sitting while other dealers in the Owino neighborhood were coming up to us asking, “What are you going to do about my meal”, “You are white give me money”, “You come here and buy from me”. After the major ordeal of buying the nets we made our way through the hot and dirty alley ways to the children’s clothing wing.. haha.. I got the kids some very cute clothes! So by this time I am carrying a HUGE shopper bag with 15 nets and frames and 45 pieces of clothing. I am sure I looked really funny because I rode with the bag on a boda-boda motorcycle through town to Moses’ office. When I got to the security check at the office building the guard did not want to let me in. She said that my bag was a disturbance to the lift. That lady has serious beef with me, every time I walk into that building she goes through every bag personally. When I ask her why she only searches me or if she is prejudice against white people she just says, “I have my reasons”. No good… Anyways,    we were exhausted from our stressful time at Owino so Lesley, Edgar, Emma, and I went to have a quick dinner at a coffee shop at the base of the office building. It was nice except for the fact that the waiter gave us one free cappuccino for us to share! HAHA…After that Emma and Edgar dropped Lesley and me off. The whole drive they were complaining about how far the drive was, how bumpy the road was, how the security was not tight, etc… I am sitting in my bed right now with the windows open and I can hear the TV so loud next door that I feel like there is a man sitting in the corner of my room shouting in Luganda, oh wait the phone just rang and he turned the tube down! Haha.. TIA baby. It is funny all of the sounds I hear sitting in my room, 7x a day starting really early is the Muslim imam, Sunday mornings and most nights is a born again church, a lot is a baby screaming that really sounds more like a demon escaping her body and entering 50 swine, there are all different radios and tv, and the best are the roosters. You know it is so annoying but I love it. It makes life so much more interesting! Friday was a great day; I went to the American Recreation Association and seriously worked out. Then went swimming and got mobster lobster status sun burn! Later I met Moses and we went to dinner with one of his friends and his sister. Since it was Lesley’s birthday Saturday, and we both had overly busy Saturday’s planned, we partied on Friday! It was the most fun I have had in a really long time. We met at a hotel and our group shifted to a Latino salsa joint, yes I went Salsa dancing in AFRICA! Haha.. it was so fun and goofy! I had an overload of energy from my 3 mile run so I was extremely hyper all night. After we danced for awhile we went home. Only to wake up very early to have a birthday breakfast at the best place in town, The Serena (bells and harmonious music plays behind that introduction)! It was wonderful! Lesley was so thrilled and that made everyone so happy. After bf I had to make my way to the taxi park, only to wait in jam for about two hours getting to the park. I finally got to the taxi sat down and fell asleep! It was so funny I fell asleep and my head fell on my neighbors shoulder. I was so embarrassed! That is too bad for a taxi! I went very far from Kampala. I went to this place called Kiwolo… actually it was about a 14km boda ride from the Kiwolo taxi stage, so it could have been a different town. I met Pastor Sam and we went to his home in New Hope Uganda. New Hope is a really awesome NGO that has been here since the 80’s. I was so amazed and inspired. I have new vision or have clarified idea of what is in my heart. I left in a crammed taxi, sitting next to this mzee who looks exactly like a 90 year old Emma. I fell asleep in the taxi again but luckily I was sitting near a window so I slept on the window! I came back very dirty and sleepy and met everyone at the office. From there Lesley and I ate at New York Kitchen for a final birthday date and then went home to sleep. Sunday morning we woke up and went to KPC! We were late but thankfully Emma had saved us a spot close to the front. It was an awesome service. After church we went to Lotus Cantina Mexicana and ate! Carlo and Darlene met up with us and we went to Bayimbry Music/Art festival. It was so amazing and it was totally free. There were some really sketchy things about it but all together I was really excited that they were promoting the arts in a place where it is not so much celebrated.  We stayed for several concerts, traditional dances, movies, and a silent disco. I actually didn’t go to the silent disco because I met with Moses and Edgar at a coffee shop. Later us girls and Moses went to my favorite spot in town Emin Pasha (http://www.eminpasha.com/ ) The second picture down, with the couches is where we sat and had all kinds of AMAZING deserts! Moses can really spoil us gals! Monday was a really weird day for me. I was in a dull mood and just really needed to be alone. I went to the American Recreation Association and ate breakfast then went swimming. I did something I am a little ashamed to say… I got a weave. Seriously! I got a relaxer a couple of weeks ago and it damaged my hair and the hair dresser said that extensions would be a great idea to let my hair rest. So my whole head is plated and I have long fake blond hair! Haha.. it still makes me laugh! It is really nice though, I think I will continue to do my hair like this, I never have to do anything except brush! Monday evening something really amazing happened, I was riding a boda boda home. Lesley was with me but on a different boda. I always pray before I get on one, for safety. This time the Holy Spirit told me to get off. It was in a bad area and I did not want to be bothered with the hassle of stopping my boda, Lesley’s boda, and finding another one so I just prayed the whole time. A few minutes later my boda stopped and said, “get off I am not taking you” and he got me another boda. He then paid the boda to take me home. He and the new boda driver spoke for a few seconds, I got on the new boda and we left. The new boda said, “That man was a thief”!!! Thank you Jesus for protection! Tuesday was a very hard day. I woke up at 6:30am because I had so much to do, I went into town and nothing was open until 10:30. Or the first place I needed to go. The whole day was ran on African time! The only good thing about the day was my lunch with Marion (an American who works for Moses) and Moses. The rest was junk… Going to buy groceries for the kids and imagine little ol’ me trying to tote 100kg’s of Maize flour for posho, 22kgs of sugar, 25 boxes of milk, huge box of water.. it was hard to do alone. I need some volunteers to come and live with me!!! Haha.. SERIOUSLY! I dropped everything off at the Joy House and then went home to crash! By the way Lesley and I did not have running water for the first part of the week. It was really bad I used bottled water, a sponge, and a salad bowl to bathe! Haha.. Wednesday was busy with things I was supposed to do like go to the American Embassy for an interview but then realized I had to have a workers permit to do that!!! Haha.. It’s all good, I got to see Sherry! My sister that I lived with in California who has been in the UK the whole time I have been here. We had breakfast with Emma and Edgar before Edgar had to leave to go to Dubai. I went to the office and made a few meetings and went and looked at apartments with Lesley, Emma, and a broker. After we caught lunch. Then I had do go and do some things ended up napping at a friends. I caught a boda back into town to meet Lesley and Emma for church. We actually did not end up going because our cell leader was not hosting it! So we ate! Haha.. in Africa you have to eat a lot. You can get really sick. The guys in my life can be on us girls for not eating at the right hours. I am used to just eating little things all day, not here, I have to eat big meals several times a day! So it is Thursday and I am sitting in a café watching futbol, drinking water, using free internet, chatting with an American journalist having a great day. I woke up late today, did laundry, and visited the Joy House, set up a trip I am taking my kids on to the Zoo in Entebbe, Ate a small lunch, and now I am hanging out.

Next week is busy, meeting with many NGO’s including a Watato Village tour Monday. I am going to New Hope Uganda later in the week, along with many others. I will be looking at land that was given to me. Looking for a home to shift the children to that is more suitable for the children. Also looking for an apartment to move into next week. Taking the children to the Zoo in Entebbe!!!

I want to say a special thanks to Edgar, a blog reader and friend who gave me money this week to buy new shoes for the children. Also thank you to everyone who is a support with prayer and finances. I could not do this without you! F.Y.I help me pray I am thinking about coming home in August but returning very soon to stay indefinitely in Uganda. I think that the Joy House management is not where I want it to be and there are many opportunities awaiting me here. I am trying to get a job at the American Embassy and if I get a job to support myself I am going to stay. God bless and keep in touch.