People often ask me about the food in Uganda…let me talk about it a bit….from my first misconceptions, to my new understanding and appreciation…
When I first arrived in Uganda, I thought the food was extremely boring. The main flavoring spice being salt…and the food being nearly the same from day to day…breakfast , lunch and supper!! Many starches like Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, Kassava , matooke(mashed green banana) and rice…which would make up most of the meal, if not the whole meal. My misconception at this time was that this was the food of Uganda…..that it was boring and not very healthy….but only that it filled your stomach.
In the time that has passed since that time (nearly a year and a half of Ugandan Experience)…I have come to know many wonderful things about the Ugandan diet…and what foods are available here.
For example…while stuck in the inevitable traffic jam of the city…you have the amazing opportunity of buy-buying fresh veggies at any small roadside stand or from vendors walking among traffic – carrots, green peas, passion fruit, tomatoes, purple eggplant, avocado, green beans, cabbage, eggplant, etc…everything guaranteed to be preservative-free, pesticide-free. chemical-free. Everything is Free of genetic modifications of any kind….all organic, garden-grown, fresh and full of the flavor of having it’s roots in the deep red earth of Africa right up until the very moment it is ready for eating…. If any of you have known the difference between a garden-grown tomatoes and a store-bought tomatoes…you will know exactly what I am talking about…and you will be able to imagine the rich flavors of these vegetables.
The reason much of the food ends up tasting bland when cooked, is that everything is boiled until one cannot tell what it was before it was cooked! Change the method of cooking only slightly and all flavor can be preserved!! Learning to cook on a charcoal stove has not been easy for me, mostly because of my nervousness and feeling out of my element…but it is a continual learning process, and I am learning!! Lighting the charcoal stove is my biggest challenge these days…and there are some local foods that I do not know how to prepare…but those will come with time J
For the meat eaters…free-range chicken is the order of the day…which blesses everyone with the joyful clucking of a hen running around, surrounded by a brood of peeping chicks, pecking the ground for nourishment with a large rooster roosted on the root of a large tree nearby marking time with his crowing in the morning, at noon and around 6pm. Fresh fish is available from vendors every evening fresh from Lake Victoria…Pigs are kept in small pens by families for extra income, as well as small goats which seem to be everywhere tethered and grazing…and of course cattle are plentiful and arrive daily form the cattle keepers in western Uganda.
If you don’t feel like cooking in the evening – you can’t order in Pizza, but around 6pm, there are numerous vendors in every neighborhood who begin preparing the evening food and snacks….chapati, samosas, donuts and chipss (french fries)…also fresh roasted chicken, beef, and pork available on a skewer to take away…the smell of BBQ fills the air!
If you prefer something fresh on a hot day… chose some fruit right off of the tree…fresh and tasty and possibly in your own yard!! If you do not grow it, someone else does. and you can find mangos, apples, pineapple(the sweetest I’ve ever had!!)Avocado, passion fruit, Yellow sweet banana, oranges and Papaya…..Unfortunately, our Papaya Tree has a parasite of some sort, and therefore might not make it through the dry season!
Another fresh favorite here is natural honey, golden and sweet – straight from the village where it is harvested from natural bee communities….just let the beeswax fragments to float to the top. Scoop it off and enjoy the pure, unadulterated goodness of all-natural honey. Here it is enjoyed by the spoonful and a liter of this liquid gold will not last long!!!
For the more adventurous eaters…there are several tasty insects for your snacking pleasure….you can eat them de-legged and de-winged and then roasted or fried…OR buy them LIVE wrapped in a banana leaf…and eat them by the handful – wings, legs, antennae and all…just pile them into your mouth like popcorn and enjoy!!! Crunchy and fresh!!
(the answer to your question is NO….i have not eaten any insects!!)
And so, to conclude…the food in Uganda is not boring…and in fact, can be almost exciting!! The aspect I appreciate the most is that most of the food is healthy and good for you.,,. Even the food that is fried in oil, is fried in pure corn oil and is the only source of fatty food available, and we all need a little of that!!! What I’ve come to know is a Uganda rich in delectable, savoury, sweet and tantalizing flavours….if you stay awhile, give it a chance, are willing to be open and a little adventurous!!!
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
"all the world's astage and all men and women are players" -Shakespeare
There are times here in Uganda that I come to wonder…what am I doing here? Not that I actually question the reason for my presence in Uganda, but I question my ability to adjust to the culture, new language and ways of the people. I find myself trying to impose my “Western Ideas” on certain situations and the outcome is rarely good. I try to communicate and fail, I attempt to give my opinion and it is the wrong one, I stand up for my rights only to find out that they haven’t been violated, I try to answer the question posed to me to the best of my ability only to find that I am giving too much information and should just keep quiet after a simple answer of least information possible.
I have become completely used to the fact that I am the only white face for miles, and that I will only see that face if I look in the mirror…I find myself thinking that I blend in, that I’m n different than anyone else…only to have the word “Mzungu!!!”(meaning “white person”) Ring out from the lips of nearly every man, woman and child who sees me….clearly I will never “blend in”. I can only hope that with time, the novelty of seeing me will fade, that people will get used to me and that they can accept me as part of the community instead of some sort of tourist attraction to call everyone’s attention to…
As a result of being so different from everyone else, and sticking our like a sore thumb…I can rarely just relax and feel free…because I am always on stage, with a full audience watching my every move, how I walk, talk, eat, drink and breathe. It can be exhausting at times and I am often so happy to come home to the familiarity of the HOME/OMUKA house and the comfort of my family who is more than used to me. Thank God for family. There is a peaceful atmosphere of acceptance and ease and it is nice to walk off stage to the safety behind the curtain J
Don’t get me wrong, most days all is well and I love the cries of local children calling my Ugandan nickname “Mzungu!! Mzungu!!” and waving and shrieking and cheering….but I’m talking about the days when it is just too much and I don’t have the energy to wave, smile and answer to every call as I walk down the dirt road to find a ride to town. Some days I just want to be a normal person running my errands and doing my things…
I may sound like a spoiled brat talking about this…but I tell you it is not easy to live your life on a stage, and this is a tiny little stage…it’s not like I’m a celebrity or anything! I cannot imagine that life…when I think of that life in front of all those cameras… I am thankful for the privacy my life does afford me. I am thankful for my place on the earth and for this amazing chance to live in another culture and learn new things, and expand my thinking…I am thankful for the love and acceptance of my family here in Uganda and the constant support, advice and assistance from my dear Husband.
Maybe with time I will assimilate to the point that people will see that, though I am not Ugandan, I belong here. Then maybe they will utter the general greeting of a neighbor, and continue with their work…and I will answer back and smile and continue on my way….I will not be the person they point at or stare at or call out to or talk about at supper that night…..just a passing neighbor….just like everyone else.
“You are an original. n individual, a masterpiece. Celebrate that; don’t let your uniqueness make you shy. Don’t be someone other than the wonder that you are.”
-Douglas Pagels
“live in the present, and make it so wonderful that it will be worth remembering.” -Ida Scott Taylor
I have become completely used to the fact that I am the only white face for miles, and that I will only see that face if I look in the mirror…I find myself thinking that I blend in, that I’m n different than anyone else…only to have the word “Mzungu!!!”(meaning “white person”) Ring out from the lips of nearly every man, woman and child who sees me….clearly I will never “blend in”. I can only hope that with time, the novelty of seeing me will fade, that people will get used to me and that they can accept me as part of the community instead of some sort of tourist attraction to call everyone’s attention to…
As a result of being so different from everyone else, and sticking our like a sore thumb…I can rarely just relax and feel free…because I am always on stage, with a full audience watching my every move, how I walk, talk, eat, drink and breathe. It can be exhausting at times and I am often so happy to come home to the familiarity of the HOME/OMUKA house and the comfort of my family who is more than used to me. Thank God for family. There is a peaceful atmosphere of acceptance and ease and it is nice to walk off stage to the safety behind the curtain J
Don’t get me wrong, most days all is well and I love the cries of local children calling my Ugandan nickname “Mzungu!! Mzungu!!” and waving and shrieking and cheering….but I’m talking about the days when it is just too much and I don’t have the energy to wave, smile and answer to every call as I walk down the dirt road to find a ride to town. Some days I just want to be a normal person running my errands and doing my things…
I may sound like a spoiled brat talking about this…but I tell you it is not easy to live your life on a stage, and this is a tiny little stage…it’s not like I’m a celebrity or anything! I cannot imagine that life…when I think of that life in front of all those cameras… I am thankful for the privacy my life does afford me. I am thankful for my place on the earth and for this amazing chance to live in another culture and learn new things, and expand my thinking…I am thankful for the love and acceptance of my family here in Uganda and the constant support, advice and assistance from my dear Husband.
Maybe with time I will assimilate to the point that people will see that, though I am not Ugandan, I belong here. Then maybe they will utter the general greeting of a neighbor, and continue with their work…and I will answer back and smile and continue on my way….I will not be the person they point at or stare at or call out to or talk about at supper that night…..just a passing neighbor….just like everyone else.
“You are an original. n individual, a masterpiece. Celebrate that; don’t let your uniqueness make you shy. Don’t be someone other than the wonder that you are.”
-Douglas Pagels
“live in the present, and make it so wonderful that it will be worth remembering.” -Ida Scott Taylor
"all the world's astage and all men and women are players" -Shakespeare
There are times here in Uganda that I come to wonder…what am I doing here? Not that I actually question the reason for my presence in Uganda, but I question my ability to adjust to the culture, new language and ways of the people. I find myself trying to impose my “Western Ideas” on certain situations and the outcome is rarely good. I try to communicate and fail, I attempt to give my opinion and it is the wrong one, I stand up for my rights only to find out that they haven’t been violated, I try to answer the question posed to me to the best of my ability only to find that I am giving too much information and should just keep quiet after a simple answer of least information possible.
I have become completely used to the fact that I am the only white face for miles, and that I will only see that face if I look in the mirror…I find myself thinking that I blend in, that I’m n different than anyone else…only to have the word “Mzungu!!!”(meaning “white person”) Ring out from the lips of nearly every man, woman and child who sees me….clearly I will never “blend in”. I can only hope that with time, the novelty of seeing me will fade, that people will get used to me and that they can accept me as part of the community instead of some sort of tourist attraction to call everyone’s attention to…
As a result of being so different from everyone else, and sticking our like a sore thumb…I can rarely just relax and feel free…because I am always on stage, with a full audience watching my every move, how I walk, talk, eat, drink and breathe. It can be exhausting at times and I am often so happy to come home to the familiarity of the HOME/OMUKA house and the comfort of my family who is more than used to me. Thank God for family. There is a peaceful atmosphere of acceptance and ease and it is nice to walk off stage to the safety behind the curtain J
Don’t get me wrong, most days all is well and I love the cries of local children calling my Ugandan nickname “Mzungu!! Mzungu!!” and waving and shrieking and cheering….but I’m talking about the days when it is just too much and I don’t have the energy to wave, smile and answer to every call as I walk down the dirt road to find a ride to town. Some days I just want to be a normal person running my errands and doing my things…
I may sound like a spoiled brat talking about this…but I tell you it is not easy to live your life on a stage, and this is a tiny little stage…it’s not like I’m a celebrity or anything! I cannot imagine that life…when I think of that life in front of all those cameras… I am thankful for the privacy my life does afford me. I am thankful for my place on the earth and for this amazing chance to live in another culture and learn new things, and expand my thinking…I am thankful for the love and acceptance of my family here in Uganda and the constant support, advice and assistance from my dear Husband.
Maybe with time I will assimilate to the point that people will see that, though I am not Ugandan, I belong here. Then maybe they will utter the general greeting of a neighbor, and continue with their work…and I will answer back and smile and continue on my way….I will not be the person they point at or stare at or call out to or talk about at supper that night…..just a passing neighbor….just like everyone else.
“You are an original. n individual, a masterpiece. Celebrate that; don’t let your uniqueness make you shy. Don’t be someone other than the wonder that you are.”
-Douglas Pagels
“live in the present, and make it so wonderful that it will be worth remembering.” -Ida Scott Taylor
I have become completely used to the fact that I am the only white face for miles, and that I will only see that face if I look in the mirror…I find myself thinking that I blend in, that I’m n different than anyone else…only to have the word “Mzungu!!!”(meaning “white person”) Ring out from the lips of nearly every man, woman and child who sees me….clearly I will never “blend in”. I can only hope that with time, the novelty of seeing me will fade, that people will get used to me and that they can accept me as part of the community instead of some sort of tourist attraction to call everyone’s attention to…
As a result of being so different from everyone else, and sticking our like a sore thumb…I can rarely just relax and feel free…because I am always on stage, with a full audience watching my every move, how I walk, talk, eat, drink and breathe. It can be exhausting at times and I am often so happy to come home to the familiarity of the HOME/OMUKA house and the comfort of my family who is more than used to me. Thank God for family. There is a peaceful atmosphere of acceptance and ease and it is nice to walk off stage to the safety behind the curtain J
Don’t get me wrong, most days all is well and I love the cries of local children calling my Ugandan nickname “Mzungu!! Mzungu!!” and waving and shrieking and cheering….but I’m talking about the days when it is just too much and I don’t have the energy to wave, smile and answer to every call as I walk down the dirt road to find a ride to town. Some days I just want to be a normal person running my errands and doing my things…
I may sound like a spoiled brat talking about this…but I tell you it is not easy to live your life on a stage, and this is a tiny little stage…it’s not like I’m a celebrity or anything! I cannot imagine that life…when I think of that life in front of all those cameras… I am thankful for the privacy my life does afford me. I am thankful for my place on the earth and for this amazing chance to live in another culture and learn new things, and expand my thinking…I am thankful for the love and acceptance of my family here in Uganda and the constant support, advice and assistance from my dear Husband.
Maybe with time I will assimilate to the point that people will see that, though I am not Ugandan, I belong here. Then maybe they will utter the general greeting of a neighbor, and continue with their work…and I will answer back and smile and continue on my way….I will not be the person they point at or stare at or call out to or talk about at supper that night…..just a passing neighbor….just like everyone else.
“You are an original. n individual, a masterpiece. Celebrate that; don’t let your uniqueness make you shy. Don’t be someone other than the wonder that you are.”
-Douglas Pagels
“live in the present, and make it so wonderful that it will be worth remembering.” -Ida Scott Taylor
Friday, October 17, 2008
"Learning to accept what is unthinkable changes you." -Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
A lady went into the hospital this week to deliver her twins. She delivered one healthy baby girl and then delivered a large black snake instead of a second twin. The father of the twins, fled from the hospital, the woman and the child and snake. The maternal grandmother urged the mother to please bring both the baby and snake home, saying this is common in that family. The mother chose to leave the snake at the hospital and went home with her baby girl. This story was sent out over the radio today.
Hearing this tale. My initial response was disbelief…but then disbelief just turned into horror. The crazy thing is that things like this happen in Africa…and no African is surprised. The reason given for such an occurrence is “witchcraft”. It is suspected that the mother may have been having trouble conceiving which would have been an issue threatening her marriage.. and went to a witch doctor for assistance.,.. the result is not necessarily what she wanted as she not only gave birth to a live snake…but also lost her husband in the process. Although she does have the child she so desperately wanted.
Many people here turn to witchcraft for assistance at some point in their lives. The result is never good as there is always an added piece to the bargain that was not anticipated….you get rich but die before you can enjoy it, curse your enemy but are haunted by his ghost, give birth to a healthy baby girl to save your marriage but also give birth to a snake that destroys it.
You might be reading this with some disbelief and skepticism…I don’t blame you…especially if you’ve never been to Africa. You should know that spiritual things exist…whether you believe in them or not…and evil things are real, whether you choose to believe it or not. God is also real whether you believe in Him or not… NONE of these things’ existence is dependant on whether you chose to believe they are real. They just are.
In the West, we have lost sight of the raw reality of all of these things…we don’t rely on God for our needs because we can take care of and provide for ourselves…we walk around in a society permeated with demonic symbols, horror films that glorify evil, and human beings that do unspeakable things to other human beings…and yet due to all of our distractions and self-involved patterns…we have distanced ourselves from the spiritual realm. We don’t really believe anyone can curse or bewitch us, we don’t believe that demons can influence our health, our lives…but neither do we believe in God as our provider, protector… our Father…and we have almost convinced ourselves not to believe in miracles….
I now live in a very different world. Here in Africa…demons and demi-gods are very real, they cause disabilities and incapacitate people…they are born from a woman as a snake…they cause animals to talk and fire to appear from nowhere to induce fear…curses or bewitching are also real and can cause constant failures, accidents, illness, blindness, lameness and stiffening of the entire body…
God is also very real in Africa, present and active and most importantly recognized. (In the West He is also very real, present and active, we only fail to recognize the work he does all around us and the ways he is constantly saving us) Miracles happen here, blind people see, those who were lame, walk. Demons and curses are cast out and lifted – freeing people to be successful, to be healthy, for stiffened bodies to become supple and agile. I have heard stories about people being raised from the dead, but even I remain a skeptic on that one. I believe God can do it…but it is difficult for my brain to logically accept.
I have no huge reason for writing about this here. Mostly I just needed to discuss it and talk about these things. It’s more of a getting things out on paper than anything else. No agenda or plan to convince anyone of what to believe or not to believe, That is for each person to decide for themselves in their own time. My only conclusion is that belief in something doesn’t make it real…someone can believe that snow doesn’t exist because they’ve never seen it with their own eyes…but that wouldn’t make it any less real, or beautiful or dangerous…
I think mostly we walk this world unaware…and when I hear stories like this one, of the snake born of a woman…I can’t blame anyone for wanting to remain in denial and disbelief…it is a less fearful place… it is safer and easier and carries less responsibility…but is it wise??
Sometimes wisdom is a choice.
"What I believe is alive...and open to growth." - Madeliene L'Engle
Hearing this tale. My initial response was disbelief…but then disbelief just turned into horror. The crazy thing is that things like this happen in Africa…and no African is surprised. The reason given for such an occurrence is “witchcraft”. It is suspected that the mother may have been having trouble conceiving which would have been an issue threatening her marriage.. and went to a witch doctor for assistance.,.. the result is not necessarily what she wanted as she not only gave birth to a live snake…but also lost her husband in the process. Although she does have the child she so desperately wanted.
Many people here turn to witchcraft for assistance at some point in their lives. The result is never good as there is always an added piece to the bargain that was not anticipated….you get rich but die before you can enjoy it, curse your enemy but are haunted by his ghost, give birth to a healthy baby girl to save your marriage but also give birth to a snake that destroys it.
You might be reading this with some disbelief and skepticism…I don’t blame you…especially if you’ve never been to Africa. You should know that spiritual things exist…whether you believe in them or not…and evil things are real, whether you choose to believe it or not. God is also real whether you believe in Him or not… NONE of these things’ existence is dependant on whether you chose to believe they are real. They just are.
In the West, we have lost sight of the raw reality of all of these things…we don’t rely on God for our needs because we can take care of and provide for ourselves…we walk around in a society permeated with demonic symbols, horror films that glorify evil, and human beings that do unspeakable things to other human beings…and yet due to all of our distractions and self-involved patterns…we have distanced ourselves from the spiritual realm. We don’t really believe anyone can curse or bewitch us, we don’t believe that demons can influence our health, our lives…but neither do we believe in God as our provider, protector… our Father…and we have almost convinced ourselves not to believe in miracles….
I now live in a very different world. Here in Africa…demons and demi-gods are very real, they cause disabilities and incapacitate people…they are born from a woman as a snake…they cause animals to talk and fire to appear from nowhere to induce fear…curses or bewitching are also real and can cause constant failures, accidents, illness, blindness, lameness and stiffening of the entire body…
God is also very real in Africa, present and active and most importantly recognized. (In the West He is also very real, present and active, we only fail to recognize the work he does all around us and the ways he is constantly saving us) Miracles happen here, blind people see, those who were lame, walk. Demons and curses are cast out and lifted – freeing people to be successful, to be healthy, for stiffened bodies to become supple and agile. I have heard stories about people being raised from the dead, but even I remain a skeptic on that one. I believe God can do it…but it is difficult for my brain to logically accept.
I have no huge reason for writing about this here. Mostly I just needed to discuss it and talk about these things. It’s more of a getting things out on paper than anything else. No agenda or plan to convince anyone of what to believe or not to believe, That is for each person to decide for themselves in their own time. My only conclusion is that belief in something doesn’t make it real…someone can believe that snow doesn’t exist because they’ve never seen it with their own eyes…but that wouldn’t make it any less real, or beautiful or dangerous…
I think mostly we walk this world unaware…and when I hear stories like this one, of the snake born of a woman…I can’t blame anyone for wanting to remain in denial and disbelief…it is a less fearful place… it is safer and easier and carries less responsibility…but is it wise??
Sometimes wisdom is a choice.
"What I believe is alive...and open to growth." - Madeliene L'Engle
Friday, October 3, 2008
Away from HOME
Away from HOME…
The busy-ness of all that we were doing to register the organization got the better of us – and we realized that we would never stop and rest if we stayed at HOME…so, we decided to take a bit of a Honeymoon after all. Neither of us had actually stopped to rest in over a year…so we felt it necessary in order to have to energy to continue our work here in Uganda.
Roger’s late Mother was originally from Rwanda, belonging to the Tutsi tribe. So we decided a small jaunt down into Rwanda would be a good idea. Roger had never been to Rwanda, and we wanted to go and see where his Mother had come from. We asked relatives for any connections that might be possible in Rwanda, or if anyone knew the name of the Village from which Roger’s Grandmother fled with her family….but the information has been lost. (Just after independence was granted in 1962, warring tribes –Hutu vs. Tutsi- and the resulting bloodshed lead tens of thousands of Tutsi to flee to Uganda)
We spent five nights in Rwanda. We found Rwanda to be beautiful and remarkably clean, however far too expensive for our budget! The people were friendly and welcoming and kind, and the country has an extremely high level of safety and security. We slept cheaply and ate cheaply, but splurged on nice places to swim and a two-day journey to Kibuye and Lake Kivu. It was here that we were able to visit the Genocide Memorial dedicated to Roger’s Mom’s Tribe. Kibuye was the hardest hit of all the prefectures during the killings in 1994, with about 90% of all of the Tutsi Population Murdered. Beside the displayed skulls of many of those slaughtered during the Genocide, it is written (translated):
“WE FAILED TO KNOW LOVE AND BROTHERHOOD”
Simple, but so powerful.
It was deeply moving and intense to walk those roads and see that countryside…knowing that it was not very long ago that those horrors took place there….not ancient history, but recent. Roger and I talked about the giant trees that we walked under enjoying their shade….wondering at the atrocities and terrors they had been silent, stoic witness to. The hatred and horror…. I mentioned to some people upon our return…and still feel the weight of, the guilt in my ignorance at that time. I was happily enjoying my second year of Bible college and passed that year unaware of what was going on in Rwanda. Most of the world remained oblivious and within three months one million people were butchered…can the International community find forgiveness for not stepping in and helping our fellow man? Is there redemption after turning a blind eye to such events? I don’t have that answer.
The place we found to enjoy swimming and sunshine was “Hotel Des Mille Collines” or more commonly known as HOTEL RWANDA. It was surreal to be enjoying the luxury and leisure of that beautiful swimming pool, at the same time aware of the fear experienced by those who took refuge there during the Genocide. There is no mention anywhere of any connection to the story depicted in the movie, as if people want to move on and leave their recent history behind them. The main reminder of the genocide in the capital City Kigali (where we spent most of our time), are the many Rwandans with missing limbs….the impeccably clean countryside, and the tight security.
Five days was all our budget could allow, and after the 12 hour bus ride back to Kampala, we were happy to be back HOME. The break was refreshing and it was nice to be away from work….and to truly have a bit of a vacation. We returned with new energy to continue our work, with joyful and thankful hearts.
“Deeper than our instinct to live is our longing to be alive. The latter is a struggle to survive; the former, a thirst for life. All of us have an intuitive connection between being alive and living free. We all long for freedom….our freedom must never be about us and us alone. Freedom is the gift of serving others out of love.”
-Erwin Raphael McManus
The busy-ness of all that we were doing to register the organization got the better of us – and we realized that we would never stop and rest if we stayed at HOME…so, we decided to take a bit of a Honeymoon after all. Neither of us had actually stopped to rest in over a year…so we felt it necessary in order to have to energy to continue our work here in Uganda.
Roger’s late Mother was originally from Rwanda, belonging to the Tutsi tribe. So we decided a small jaunt down into Rwanda would be a good idea. Roger had never been to Rwanda, and we wanted to go and see where his Mother had come from. We asked relatives for any connections that might be possible in Rwanda, or if anyone knew the name of the Village from which Roger’s Grandmother fled with her family….but the information has been lost. (Just after independence was granted in 1962, warring tribes –Hutu vs. Tutsi- and the resulting bloodshed lead tens of thousands of Tutsi to flee to Uganda)
We spent five nights in Rwanda. We found Rwanda to be beautiful and remarkably clean, however far too expensive for our budget! The people were friendly and welcoming and kind, and the country has an extremely high level of safety and security. We slept cheaply and ate cheaply, but splurged on nice places to swim and a two-day journey to Kibuye and Lake Kivu. It was here that we were able to visit the Genocide Memorial dedicated to Roger’s Mom’s Tribe. Kibuye was the hardest hit of all the prefectures during the killings in 1994, with about 90% of all of the Tutsi Population Murdered. Beside the displayed skulls of many of those slaughtered during the Genocide, it is written (translated):
“WE FAILED TO KNOW LOVE AND BROTHERHOOD”
Simple, but so powerful.
It was deeply moving and intense to walk those roads and see that countryside…knowing that it was not very long ago that those horrors took place there….not ancient history, but recent. Roger and I talked about the giant trees that we walked under enjoying their shade….wondering at the atrocities and terrors they had been silent, stoic witness to. The hatred and horror…. I mentioned to some people upon our return…and still feel the weight of, the guilt in my ignorance at that time. I was happily enjoying my second year of Bible college and passed that year unaware of what was going on in Rwanda. Most of the world remained oblivious and within three months one million people were butchered…can the International community find forgiveness for not stepping in and helping our fellow man? Is there redemption after turning a blind eye to such events? I don’t have that answer.
The place we found to enjoy swimming and sunshine was “Hotel Des Mille Collines” or more commonly known as HOTEL RWANDA. It was surreal to be enjoying the luxury and leisure of that beautiful swimming pool, at the same time aware of the fear experienced by those who took refuge there during the Genocide. There is no mention anywhere of any connection to the story depicted in the movie, as if people want to move on and leave their recent history behind them. The main reminder of the genocide in the capital City Kigali (where we spent most of our time), are the many Rwandans with missing limbs….the impeccably clean countryside, and the tight security.
Five days was all our budget could allow, and after the 12 hour bus ride back to Kampala, we were happy to be back HOME. The break was refreshing and it was nice to be away from work….and to truly have a bit of a vacation. We returned with new energy to continue our work, with joyful and thankful hearts.
“Deeper than our instinct to live is our longing to be alive. The latter is a struggle to survive; the former, a thirst for life. All of us have an intuitive connection between being alive and living free. We all long for freedom….our freedom must never be about us and us alone. Freedom is the gift of serving others out of love.”
-Erwin Raphael McManus
Sunday, August 31, 2008
It Begins...
It is time to begin this Journal….I have been in Uganda for just under one month, and this is the first chance I am having to sit down and pause…reflect…breathe.
It is amazing to me really, how natural and normal it feels to be here again. I had been worried that after a year back in the West, I would have trouble adjusting to life here in Uganda. But it has been a pleasant surprise to just enter the flow of life here without great effort, but with great familiarity.
I find that I have carried with me a lot of stress, anxieties about time and money and my addiction to lists and getting them all crossed off in good time…not all of these things are bad…only not a part of regular life here in Uganda…These are things that linger with me from my time in Canada, that I am trying to shrug off, not unlike that big old winter jacket I gladly left behind J These things will go with time, and I am praying that that old sense of patience and ease that I found here last year will return…and I can begin to feel more like myself again. For now let me just say that I am still missing the ease of a washer/dryer and the joy easy access to clean water…and water in general.
We have made the first application for a DEPENDANT’S PASS for me, which is the also the first step towards an eventual RESIDENT CARD. We went into Internal Affairs on Friday only to be told to return on Tuesday. Not unusual, and the lady was more than nice so we left feeling encouraged rather than discouraged. I have to say that our experience with Internal Affairs so far, has been mostly a positive one. As we say here, “the world is round – anything can happen!”
I spent the day today pouring over receipts and organizing our budget a bit….so many practical things to do now that the wedding is over and we are back to regular life, and responsibilities…no time for a honeymoon just now….maybe at a later date we will whisk each other away for a bit of a get-away …but for now, we have far too much to do! We get overwhelmed sometimes…and tend to jump beyond ourselves to dreams and ideas for the future of this organization…but are able to pull each other back to the realities before us and all that needs to get done before other things can happen. And so, we take note of ideas, and make some lists….which will be put somewhere for safe-keeping until it is the right time.
I realize as I sit at this keyboard, that I could write and write…but that I don’t want you all to get tired of reading, so let me leave it at that and just say that it is good to be home.
Home Sweet Home.
It is amazing to me really, how natural and normal it feels to be here again. I had been worried that after a year back in the West, I would have trouble adjusting to life here in Uganda. But it has been a pleasant surprise to just enter the flow of life here without great effort, but with great familiarity.
I find that I have carried with me a lot of stress, anxieties about time and money and my addiction to lists and getting them all crossed off in good time…not all of these things are bad…only not a part of regular life here in Uganda…These are things that linger with me from my time in Canada, that I am trying to shrug off, not unlike that big old winter jacket I gladly left behind J These things will go with time, and I am praying that that old sense of patience and ease that I found here last year will return…and I can begin to feel more like myself again. For now let me just say that I am still missing the ease of a washer/dryer and the joy easy access to clean water…and water in general.
We have made the first application for a DEPENDANT’S PASS for me, which is the also the first step towards an eventual RESIDENT CARD. We went into Internal Affairs on Friday only to be told to return on Tuesday. Not unusual, and the lady was more than nice so we left feeling encouraged rather than discouraged. I have to say that our experience with Internal Affairs so far, has been mostly a positive one. As we say here, “the world is round – anything can happen!”
I spent the day today pouring over receipts and organizing our budget a bit….so many practical things to do now that the wedding is over and we are back to regular life, and responsibilities…no time for a honeymoon just now….maybe at a later date we will whisk each other away for a bit of a get-away …but for now, we have far too much to do! We get overwhelmed sometimes…and tend to jump beyond ourselves to dreams and ideas for the future of this organization…but are able to pull each other back to the realities before us and all that needs to get done before other things can happen. And so, we take note of ideas, and make some lists….which will be put somewhere for safe-keeping until it is the right time.
I realize as I sit at this keyboard, that I could write and write…but that I don’t want you all to get tired of reading, so let me leave it at that and just say that it is good to be home.
Home Sweet Home.
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