One Week

Well it has been one week as of today. I had my first Ugandan meal, first English class on wednesday, first taste of a goat, watched a chicken named La Tormenta get murdered, plucked, and gutted. I went to Kampala with the team, watched our first shipment of necklaces take place. Ate at a wonderful mexican restaurant and also got to see a movie. I had my first Suubi meeting where I was introduced to all the ladies of Suubi, helped clasp and bundle, what seemed like 200 necklaces. I struggled with the internet here for two hours. For only one to two pages of loading and sending e-mails to take place. Every time, it never fails :)
Road in my first Matatuu, which is an eight person taxi that normally crams 18. Over all travel time estimated in this vehicle, 3 1/2 hrs. Our night guard George started a church in the Matumba District and he invited us to attend. O man, loved church! It was so awesome to see people clapping, singing, and dancing. Plus we were 45 min late to church because of our matatuu and they were nice enough to hold the service till we arrived. They welcomed us at the van once we arrived and walked in with us. Once we walked in people started to clap and sing. I truly felt blessed to be embrassed by all of them. It was so good to get a taste of what church looks like in Africa. I felt God there, and i think there was a point where i almost cried because I felt His spirit, it was beautiful.

anyways.....

I do miss home.
Been thinking about scott, my mom, and my brother Anthony.
miss my dad. It was one year since his death on thursday. I thought it would be hard for me being home. But God always takes care of us. Kate let me borrow her phone to call my brother. When the call failed she offered to walk with me to the internet at like 10 at night so i could write him. BLESSING :) It made me cry she is so nice. Rachel and Kate both gave me hugs before they left on their outings that day and were encouraging. Randy and I had a really good talk the night before about our dad's and how things are really hard when it comes to memories and them not being around anymore. I feel the longer i know these people the more i feel like they are family....and they are. :)


I got mad the other day. It's funny we were at the mall in Kampala and i decided to sit aside while randy and rachel were ordering coffee and icecream from a store. I was kinda running low on money for the day so sitting outside sounded like a nice alternative to eating. However right after i sat down a boy, around the age of 16, came up to me, well dressed and healthy looking, and started to tell me that he did not have a father. Right as he was about to pull out his hand asking for money I just stood up and walked away and said "I don't have any money, sorry." It was really rude of me and I was really surprised at my reaction. I went back into the store with everyone else and was just kinda ticked for a long time. I am so sick of people wanting money from me just cause I am white. I am tired of EVERYONE bumping up the cost of things cause they think they can squeeze more money out of me. I am sick of people thinking that I am better off then them. I wanted to lose my temper at the kid and tell him my dad died too. I wanted to tell him that not every white person you see has a picture perfect life. I wanted to tell him to back off and let me just have some me time. I wanted to do everything but look at things from his side of life. I did not want to try and put myself in his shoes and think to myself, "I wonder if this is because of how he was conditioned to think?"

well yeah got mad, told the others what had happened, and it took me a while to let it go. It actually took me to the ride home. Everyone was either sleeping or listening to music and Randy and I just started to talk about things here in Uganda and our trips to Europe in the past. He really helped me to look at the situation in a more diplomatic way. I won't forget the example he used because it was very humbling to hear and except, but so so SO true.

he said, "how many americans when driving in their car and stopped at a stoplight see a bum on the street, roll up there windows and look away till the light turns green again?" In my head i'm thinking most times ALL people that i know do that. So then he said," It's the same here. People see a white person and instead of being conditioned to look away and roll up their car windows, they smile and pull out their hands expecting money." BAM! (that was me getting hit in the face)
"It's something they learn here, and you should try to not take it personally."

i have to have grace
i have to be understanding
i can't let it put a bad taste in my mouth about the people here. cause we are all God's children and He loves us. maybe i can't pay attention to all of them, and maybe i won't give them money...but they are all people. i need to love no matter how used i feel. i need to love and know that i am blessed.