UgandaTeam Variety Show

Yesterday, we went to Mutungo Church of God and School here in Kampala. Our two drivers, Moses and Sande, live in the Mutungo suburb and are the chairmen of the church and school, respectively. It was such a special occasion for the team to be able to visit and help out at a place very special to our dear friends. These two men are phenomenal men of God, and it was such a privilege to watch their joy and appreciation. Many of us pitched in and acted as cement trucks, working to pour and finish a concrete slab in front of some of the school classrooms. Laura and Kelsey attended "Moses' Wisdom Academy" as he jokingly called it. They learned how to use a laser level to pound pegs (which were simply little bits of splintery wood we Americans would use for kindling) into a brick/dirt floor, prepping for a floor to be poured. Sue, Michaela and the interns spent the day entertaining and herding what seemed to be about 1,000 kids, but was actually only maybe 100. The whole day was full of hard work and lots of fun and laughter. The pasty white visitors made quite the entertainment for the local children.

The team's first Jja Jja visit on Monday, attended by Sunde from TAPP, Donna, Colleen, and Pastor Dave, was with Nora who had given birth to a little girl at the hospital earlier that day. The baby's birth at the hospital meant that she received care that would prevent her mother's HIV positive condition from being passed forward. She invited us to name the baby. The small group thought it best to suggest names and let the mother decide. She involved her mother in the decision. (The group learned afterward that her husband left Nora when he learned she was pregnant.) Several possibilities suggested were: Sarah, (the mother liked Abigail but already had a daughter by that name), Esther, Eve, and Mary. Ultimately, with help from the jja jja, Nora chose "Eve." What a surprise...and a blessing...and a responsibility...to choose or have a role in choosing the name that a little one will hear for all of her days! We rejoice in the choice of Eve, one who knew both the greatest intimacy with God and her beloved, and the deepest brokenness as well. In Kampala on Monday, June 2nd another little one was born facing tremendous challenges yet deeply loved, named in honor of "the mother of all the living," Eve.
Today, we spent our time at Kasubi School, once again, doing a great variety of things. The morning was fairly relaxed as we got the projects for the day and coming days explained and prepared. Some spent the day in the Children of Promise office helping by putting together letters and pictures to send to the sponsors. Let's just say the wording in letters going to the German sponsors gave Deb many laughs - you'll have to ask her for more specifics. Marvin courageously led a technology workshop. Flexibility is a common word we hear and tell ourselves here in Uganda, and Marvin had to quickly adjust some of his plans to meet the expectations of the attendees. The meeting point was somewhere in the middle. Another group moved bricks and worked on more concrete! Yay! That might not have been the word used by all :).

Two trips were taken for jja jja visits. Three were before lunch: Margerine, Jinnette, and Christine, and three after lunch: Teddi, Janet, and Mary. In the morning a small group of 5 took off on boda-bodas (terrifying exhilerating taxi-type motorcycles) to meet with the three women. Details follow to the best of our recollection. Margerine, age 65, shared that all of her children died of AIDS leaving her with 7 grandchildren to care for. Jinnette, age 70, had 6 grandchildren living with her. Christine, age 68, has 4 grandchildren and a beautiful jack-fruit tree. We visited with her under the shade of the tree before she sent us home with a large fruit that Greg enjoyed carrying home on the boda-boda. In the afternoon, another small group of 5 conquered their fears and checked their bucket lists by riding the boda-bodas for three more visits.Teddi, age 60, had 10 children - 6 who died of AIDS and 4 living. Janet, age 73, has 4 grandchildren living with her. Two of the grandchildren had health concerns. Her granddaughter suffered from ailments affecting her back and joints, while her grandson lives with significant physical disabilities. As a special education teacher, Laura immediately noticed that he would be in a severe/profound special education class in the states and would need special equipment to get around and live comfortably. It was very difficult to see this very loved and happy, smiling boy lying on the floor. It was beautiful to see him smile and respond to our touch and singing. Our third visit was with Mary, age 78, who has 8 grandchildren living with her. Needless to say, the conditions these women live in with so many to care for would be considered inadequate for people we know in the US. All of these jja jjas live with impairments of their own - most with leg problems and high blood pressure. As visitors, we were never allowed to give up our more comfortable seating to our gracious hosts, who ALWAYS sat on the floor before us. It is hard to find words to fully describe these experiences. Some words that more easily come to mind are: respect and admiration for the lives they live and love they give, joy to see their faces as they open their gifts of blanket, towel, food provisions, and goody-bags for the children, laughter when they wanted to play with the toys themselves and popped "sweeties" in their mouths, and gratitude for... so many things, but mostly their willingness to share their homes and lives with us.

It doesn't often get blogged about, but we wanted to mention that each night there is meaningful conversations and relationship building happening around the dinner table and during our evening devotions. This precious time may be less entertaining and more difficult to capture specifically in words, but should not be overlooked, as it is a vital part of this experience.

And last but not least, we, especially Sue and Michaela, want to wish their mother and grandmother, Clara, a big 90th Ugandan HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Love you lots and wish you much joy and a blessed day.

This blogging team will leave you with the words found in Pastor Markle's shared Dove chocolates: Engage, embrace, enjoy. Well said Dove. It is obviously getting late and your bloggers have drifted to bed one-by-one, leaving only the delirious...


Blogging team members:
Kelsey & Laura with special input from Michaela, Greg, and Pastor Dave