July 14, 2011.

The first day in Koboko, my home in Uganda.

Venders Outside Bus

                Koboko! The bus ride here was so amazing. It was good to get out of the city and drive straight through the country. I love it all the more. The landscape was beautiful. There were a lot of hut houses. Basically they were the only houses, but some were made from brick or clay. I could not stop wondering at how much they have in those houses, and what they did not have like running water, electricity, air conditioner, a bed maybe? It’s difficult to wrap my mind around. The people we saw were happy to see us, especially the children. They would wave, shout, jump up and down, and sometimes even dance. They are so precious. When the bus would stop somewhere the children would wave non-stop, sometimes for five minutes or more, until we left. Also when we stopped people would come up to our bus selling things like corn, pineapple, mangos, passion fruit, little sesame seed patties, peanuts, and even whole chickens. It was very different. Come to think of it everything is different; huh, weird. All the women through the country would be wearing skirts. And the whole ten hour bus ride we only saw a couple of elderly people.

                The faces of the people here are being etched in my mind. One of the few elderly man we saw, I will not forget. He carried a cane as he struggled to walk down the street. It hurts to explain how much pain he looked like he was in, his eyes almost gazed over and gaunt legs slowly placing on in front of the other. When we were driving out of Kampala that morning, our truck stopped on the street and four little boys were reaching up to us asking for money. It was incredibly hard to look them in the eyes. But the glimpse I got, I will never forget.

                I love the weather here. When we arrived last night it was dark, but I could still see, the moon being so incredibly bright. I know it is the same moon as back home, but I’ve never seen it look so bright and beautiful. There are lot more sounds here, or should I say different sounds replacing the hustle and bustle of city noise. Birds, bugs, chicken, and other things I cannot identify. It’s so beautiful here.

                I am still praying that my heart would break for these people. I want to hurt when I think of any of them drinking the murky water we saw, or not having medicine. Most of all I want to hurt when I think of them not knowing God.

                Later Lu and I went to get water again and these two little boys from neighboring huts followed us all the way to the refuge. We played soccer with them for a while until we had to go eat. I felt so awful eating in front of them, because I don’t know their story.

                We take water for advantage. We only have to walk a quarter mile for the water we need, but some have to walk miles.

                I just took my clothes off of the line that I washed earlier today and they were…clean..AND….dry. For the first time in a couple of weeks they don’t smell like sulfur. Woot! We are all learning the privilege it is to have a washer and dryer. Then some people talk about how they cannot wait to go home and clean them for real. I always think of how most people in the world cannot ever do that. This is how their clothes will always stay. Hard to swallow.

Darlene brought us some skirts from town. We all had a party wrapping them around in a bunch of different ways. All of the skirts have different saying on them. Mine says “May God bless you for Being Patient”. Very fitting, because I am in need of learning some patience. It was completely a God moment, because I was in the process of picking another one then at the last minute choose this one.

                This morning we met the five staff members here (Sally, Moses, David, Denison, and Tom). They sang a song for us and I think I fell in love. They sing so boldly and the harmonies floated in beauty. I also love the way they laugh.

                Learned what a jerrycan (plastic container used to carry water) was. Felt stupid when they laughed, because we have no idea what it is. It’s like the equivalent to an iPod here.

                The politeness here, strikes me. All the kids we met shake your hand and even put their forehead against your hand. It was almost breathtaking to feel their gentles little foreheads against my hand. Before you talk to anyone in the morning you are expected to say goodmorning.