Well, I'm both saddened and pleased to tell you that I am back from my trip to Uganda! What a life changing experience it has been for me! Upon my return I became pretty sick with some pretty nasty stuff (I won't share the details) but it involved a temperature of 102.3 and an inability to get out of the bed. I was absolutely convinced that it was the end of my life-pretty bad stuff. Anyway, with my sickness I returned to work having not really had time to process what exactly I witnessed in Uganda. I have been waking up early and spending my time in the morning mulling over just what I had seen, heard, and experienced there. In the few short hours I have had to mull it over I have compiled the beginnings of a list of the things I learned from Uganda. So, without further ado, here it is:
The things I have learned and processed about my time in Uganda in the last 7 days:
God is SO alive
During my time in Uganda, I can honestly say, I felt God's presence in the rooms, in the bus, in the weather, in the sky, in the boats, in the bathrooms, in the hotel...EVERYWHERE! Something about it just made me feel as though we were constantly enveloped in God's goodness, and love! As a team we hit rough patches that were just covered in God's perfect grace. There were so many times I was just brought to tears, for absolutely no reason, besides the fact that I just felt HIM! I can't really describe, or put it into words.
We talk too much
Ugandan people are really okay with silence, but that is where we, as Americans, feel uncomfortable. We fill the silence with our words and it might not always be appropriate. For example, while there I learned that most Ugandan's don't talk over a meal. They eat, enjoy their meals, clear the table, and then they talk and fellowship with each other. Four of us were able to enjoy a traditional lunch in Mama Winnie's home and all of us were trying to talk and strike up conversation with the children and the mums. We promptly realized that their answers, while polite and nice, were very short and it was right back to eating. We later asked why it was so quiet...and found out this "silence during meal time" norm. From that point onward, I found myself enjoying the silence. Spending time in it and soaking it in. You should try it sometime...it's pretty awkward at first, but it gets better.
They really love potatoes
I don't think I could eat another potato....seriously. Potatoes for breakfast lunch and dinner in multiple different forms. Irish potatoes, potato pie, fried potatoes, chips (or french fries), potato salads, etc. You get the picture--much like Bubba Gump Shrimp company-but potatoes.
White Yolk-Yellow Yolk
On day one I was served an omelet that appeared to be made of egg whites. It was quite delicious. Day two or three I saw a salad at dinner with hard boiled eggs cut into fourths on top. The yolks--white. Very puzzled by this, and slightly creeped out, I did some researching and question asking of our host. Come to find out-chicken's yolk colors are based on their diets. In Uganda it has something to do with free chickens vs. exotic chickens. Google told me it has something to do with white corn vs. yellow corn. Still puzzling, but pretty cool.
I really like American breakfast
We had the luxury of eating breakfasts in our hotel restaurants. Most mornings I was very excited about breakfast and went downstairs to find out we had been served "sausage". This sausage was actually a hot dog. This was typically served with baked beans and, you guessed it, POTATOES! I typically just stuck with a slice of bread and this delicious plum jam they have in Uganda! I also had the occasional white-yolk egg omelet too. Breakfast of champions :)
Long calls, short calls, and stretching in the bush
These are all ways to express your need to use the restroom without actually saying you gotta go. It also allows you to discuss how long said bathroom trip is going to be and how long your friends may have to wait for you. It kind of comes in handy actually. If you'd like to know the meanings, please ask! :)
Don't worry, be happy
Most every ill mood can be cured by changing the lyrics to "don't worry, be happy" and applying them to your current situation. Our host, Rogers, did an excellent job at turning our very occasional frowns upside down with this little ditty.
You eat it, you love it, and you say thank you
This is something that we were taught early on in our trip. Ugandan people love food, and love to feed others. Our lunches served on buffet were not self serve, and you get one of everything they have. Even if you are unsure what they put on your plate you are to eat it, love it, and say thank you, even if you didn't really love it.
You don't need money to be rich
The people of Uganda are not a very rich people in regards to money, but they have something so many American's do not--happiness and joy in all circumstances. They are rich with family, culture, and love. There is very little, that I could see, that could bring them down. Instead of complaining, they chose to praise God for their blessings. I'm hoping to adopt this a little more in my life. I've seen a touch of it this week. Before I left for my trip I would complain when my alarm went off at 5:30am to get up to go to work. Now I am springing out of bed, praising God for another day of life and a job to wake up for. It's the little things, people!
If it fits, it ships
If you can find a way to fit it, secure it, or balance it on a bike, boda boda, or a truck, you can drive with it down the street. See pictures:
Turn around, don't drown is not not a thing in Uganda
Large puddles, even ones with currents, covering the road so you cannot see the bottom are perfectly safe to drive through. It doesn't matter how deep it is, driving through WILL be attempted. No questions asked.
God is God, and I am me, and apart from Him I am nothing
I overcame so many fears on this trip. I was so nervous, so ill equipped, so unprepared for what we were doing, but the second I stopped to realize the He will complete my shortcomings, everything got so much better. I have never felt so close to God as I did while I was in Uganda. As said before, he is ALIVE and well there. BUT, there were so many times that I was so far out of my comfort zone, living in an uncomfortable place, that I allowed myself to truly feel what it's like to feel his comfort, presence and peace.
