One Step at a Time...

  A Ugandan beauty

 Some encouragement from one of my favorite devotionals, "Streams in the Desert."

 "This is the blessed life - not anxious to see far down the road nor overly concerned about the next step, not eager to choose the path nor weighted down with the heavy responsibilities of the future, but quietly following the Shepherd, one step at a time.

 "God is in every tomorrow,

Therefore I live for today,

Certain of finding at sunrise,

Guidance and strength for my way;

Power for each moment of weakness,

Hope for each moment of pain,

Comfort for every sorrow,

Sunshine and joy after rain."

Source: "Streams in the Desert," pages 32-33.

"Normals" in Uganda

Note: The following is meant to be a humorous piece, so please don't feel I am in any way "bashing" the Ugandan culture. It was also written more than a week ago, so the introductory paragraph is a bit outdated.

  As I ran to catch the boat to leave the island this morning, navigating puddles and squishy brown mud, I thought about how what I consider normal here in Uganda, would not be normal for those living in the U.S. So, I thought I would share a few "normals" with you. Enjoy!

 "Public transport" - This can mean cramming into a taxi (like a Volkswagen bus), which says "licensed for 14 passengers" on the side, but can really hold about 21 people, plus bags and maybe a couple of chickens. "Public transport" can also mean riding in a large wooden boat, packed with soda crates, bags of maize (a type of corn) or fish, maybe a live animal or two ( I have at different times ridden with a pig, goat, duck and chickens), luggage and a number of other passengers. It can also mean boarding a large bus and hurtling down a dirt road as you question whether or not the driver has ever had any training and pray you don't tip over in the ditch or crash into an oncoming vehicle, which may be in your "lane."

 "Public behavior" - It is perfectly normal to pick your nose and to openly breastfeed while in public. However, if you are a woman, you should not show your knees.

Our "toilet" - pit latrine.

  "Trips to the PL" - To use the pit latrine (an outside toilet - it is actually just a hole), it may mean putting on your skirt over your pjs, your raincoat if it is raining, grabbing a handful of toilet paper (which is kept in your bedroom, not the room that houses the toilet), perhaps taking an umbrella, putting on your sandals, going outside, greeting anyone you may encounter, and walking half a block to the toilet. It may also mean meeting various critters while you are in there. The other day I scared a lizard so bad that he fell down the hole. And, this morning a bat flew in and hung right over my head. I just tried to remember that he was probably more scared than I was. : )

        Ants climbing the wall - literally.

  "Ants" - It is quite normal to encounter little sugar ants pretty much anywhere - on your food (just brush them off), on your clothes (just brush them off), in your food (a little protein won't hurt anyone), attacking a crumb or small bit of food left on the table or that has fallen on the floor, and/or ones climbing your walls - literally.

A Ugandan rainstorm.

 "Rain" - Rain can stop almost anything in Uganda. It can delay chores, travel, meetings, etc. It may be just a sprinkle, but sounds so much worse on tin roofs. It is always a good excuse to stay inside and do quiet work. : )

 "Greetings" - It is very normal and expected to greet nearly everyone you meet on the island or the village, whether you know them or not. This also usually means stopping - stop walking, stop working, etc. - to talk to the person. As an American, I have to make myself think about this and stop. To rush by or not take the time to talk is very rude here. By the way, your greeting changes depending on the time of day. "Waszaotya" means "How are you?" in the morning. "Oliotya" is used in the afternoon or any time of day, and "Osveyotya" is used in the evening.

         Ugandan shillings.

 Paying in "1000s" - Ugandan currency is shillings. One U.S. dollar is equivalent to about 2000 Ugandan shillings, so it is not uncommon to pay in "hundreds" or "thousands" and to talk of "millions." It does make one feel rich. : )

 "Conveniences" - Having Internet, but not running water is normal on the island. Having a cell phone, but not a landline is normal. Having a fridge, but only one that can run when the sun is shining, is normal.

     Me riding a boda-boda - a motorcycle.

 "More on Travel" - Riding on the back of a motorcycle (a boda-boda) is normal. Riding without a helmet is also normal. Haggling with the driver over the price to get from here to there is normal.

Our bathhouse - boys on the left, girls on the right.

 "Bathing" - Normally, bathing on the island means filling my solar shower with rainwater from a collection tank several hours before I want to bathe and setting the shower in the sun. The bath house is an outdoor cement structure, with walls, but no roof or door.

Even Flex enjoys a good cup of Ugandan tea. : )

 "Teatime" - Having hot black tea in this hot climate is very normal. Uganda was once a British protectorate, so taking black tea and biscuits (cookies) is common. Teatime is more common in the mornings or after you have been traveling. And, it is normally served to guests who come to visit.

  Okay, so these are just a few of the "normals" I encounter every day. Perhaps I will come up with some others for a future blog post. : ) Thanks for reading!

Thirsty?

Sometimes you don’t truly value something until it is a scarcity. Or perhaps not recognize its worth until it is gone entirely.

 Heard the phrase, “Water, water everywhere, but nary a drop to drink”?

 The green, algea-covered water of Lake Victoria.

 I am living on an island on the second largest lake on the world. Yet, you couldn’t pay me enough money for me to drink straight from Lake Victoria. As you can see in the above photo, the water has a lot of algae, as well as many other bacteria and other “cooties” that can cause a plethora of diseases.

 I am very thankful for Duvon McGuire, the founder of New Life International, a Christian outreach organization. While as a missionary kid in Ecuador, Duvon became very ill when he drank contaminated water. Motivated by his own brush with death, he developed a water filtration system, using common table salt and a 12-volt battery to make chlorine, in his garage and eventually patented the machine and started New Life to share his design with the rest of the world, specifically those who do not have access to clean water. We have been using this particular system on the islands for about five years. We can take the filthy water and purify it enough for safe drinking water. Remarkable, huh?

The type of jerrican where we store our purified water - safe for drinking.

 For the last two weeks, the water and sanitation team of Shepherd’s Heart has been conducting follow-up meetings on various islands that have received these filtration systems. This remarkable machine costs several thousand dollars, yet they are freely shared with needy communities, but with several conditions. They must form an oversight committee, develop a safe place for the system to operate, take care of it, and formulate a way of collecting the water, purifying it and then redistributing it. Unfortunately, the team has encountered many camps or villages that seem unable to meet these conditions. Some have abused the equipment, using it for other purposes and damaging it.

 Other communities refuse to work together, saying they do not want to contribute to something that might benefit another – someone from a different tribe, language or country – people they dislike or even hate. Some sites have had their systems recently removed because they could not follow through with what was expected.

 We find it baffling how the people do not value such a gift enough to use it and benefit from it. While trying to “hurt” others by not helping them, they are actually harming themselves. So many people are sick and some die on the islands simply because they are drinking dirty water. But, clean water is within their grasp. So, why do they refuse such an essential gift?

 My primary conclusion to this question is that they are blinded by Satan. As we know, Satan’s only purposes are to steal, kill and destroy. He has long had a stronghold on this great continent and kept people under bondage in so many areas. He does not want them to succeed, nor even be healthy. He wants them forever under his cruel dominance.

 This week I have been memorizing John 6:35. “Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me shall not hunger and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.’” (Emphasis mine.)

 I find it amazing that we can find in Jesus the “water” to satisfy our spiritual thirst, not just for today or for a week or a month, but forever. He says when we “drink” of Him, we will never, ever thirst again. Incredible!! And, I can guarantee that He offers the purest, cleanest, most refreshing water anywhere!

 Yet why I don’t drink more often and deeply of Him? Why don’t I remain at the thirst-quenching pool of His Word? Why do I try to swallow what I think will satisfy my soul, when those things only leave me more parched than before I drank of them? Am I more concerned for my physical thirst than my spiritual thirst?

 So, what is the answer for me and the people of the islands? Jesus said “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31b-32)

 It is my prayer that the people of the islands will come to know the Living Water – Jesus – and will be set free.

 “Thus says the Lord: ‘In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you; I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages, saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’ to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.’ They shall feed along the ways; on all bare heights shall be their pasture; they shall not hunger or thirst, neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them, for he who has pity on them will lead them, and by springs of water will guide them.” – Isaiah 50:8-10 (Emphasis mine)



Note: According to New Life’s website, www.waterfortheworld.com, approximately 25,000 people die each day from waterborne diseases.

The Blessing of Friendship

The foursome - Amanda, Ruthie, Shanna and Katie

 I marvel at the miracle of friendship.

 It is amazing to me how two people, who begin as complete strangers, can through shared experiences, shared beliefs, shared thoughts and/or shared environments, find themselves transported into the realm of friendship, with hearts united.

  This week I saw two dear friends off as they returned to America. I have had the joy of their company for the last two months as they visited Uganda for different reasons. Katie arrived from South Carolina in late January to conduct her practicum in Uganda - a big step in earning her master's degree in public health this May.

 Katie with students from the Lingira Primary School.

 Katie doesn't know this, but when I first began communicating with her by e-mail, prior to her arrival, I pictured her as a shy, sophisticated blonde. Boy, was I wrong! Katie has dark, curly hair and is Italian, which means she is very expressive. : ) She is not shy and quiet, but very outgoing.

  Katie and I are actually opposite in a lot of ways. Yet, through conversations over coffee, washing dishes together, shopping together, sharing a room and other shared experiences, we moved from being strangers to being friends - almost without noticing. Katie is very personable, loving and loves quality time, including "tea time." : ) I enjoyed watching her learn more about God and His care and desires for her. She was certainly a blessing to me during her stay here!

 I know Shanna because we are both from Clatskanie and attended the same church at one time. She is 13 years younger than I and we really didn't see each other so often - until she came to Uganda. She came to minister and to observe missionaries to see if missions work might be in God's future plans for her.

 At first I had a hard time reading Shanna because she was so quiet and shy, but the longer she stayed, the more comfortable she became and the more I saw of her true personality. I so admire her spirit and perseverance, which shone through a number of challenges, including several health difficulties while she was here. Through her entire stay in Uganda, her main desire was to receive all that God had for her. And, because of her desire and thirst for God's best, I believe she received and learned much during her stay here.

Shanna with a few of her young island friends.

 
 Shanna also blessed and touched the lives of many while in Uganda - the young Muslim mother who recommitted her life to Christ, the young Muslim boy who claimed ownership of Shanna's hand whenever she was nearby, the secondary students who were blessed by her example and her sharing of God's Word with them, and those of us at SHIM, who enjoyed her smile, humor, wisdom and her artistic talent. (Thank you, Shanna, for the beautiful mural - her first ever!)

Shanna and her mural - to remind us that God is our refuge and fortress, based on Psalm 91.

 I marvel at the miracle of friendship and how God uses people in our lives - to bless us, to grow us, to challenge us, to cause us to look to Him.

 Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of friendship, and thank you for the blessing of Katie and Shanna. May you richly bless them as they return to the U.S. Uganda won't be the same because of them.

Counting Your Way Through the Day

For those who think I may have retired from the blogging business, let me assure you that I haven’t, but I have been “away” for a bit. : ) The pace of my work here in Uganda has picked up in the past few weeks and the days seem to be flying by. I can hardly believe it is March and I am nearing two months since my arrival.

I am becoming more and more accustomed to life here and definitely feeling at home. Sometimes I have to remind myself how blessed I am to be here, to be working where I am, with the people I am privileged to join. There are times, like this evening, when I need to stop and look around at the beauty surrounding me, in the foliage, the fauna, the sunsets, the sky and the people.

I want my experiences to remain fresh and new, like the dawning of each new day. I don’t want to take for granted the incredible privilege I have in being here. I don’t want to miss the small and large blessings that occur, on a daily basis.

Every day God showers us with His blessings, beginning with the rising of the sun at night, sustaining us through the day and closing out each day with a sunset as His closing signature. Whether you are in Uganda, in northwest Oregon, elsewhere in the U.S., or in another foreign country, there are blessings to be found. I believe as we approach God daily with a thankful heart, He will give us eyes to see His daily blessings.

Like the hymn says, “Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your blessings, see what God has done. Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your many blessings, see what God has done.”

What blessings can you count today?

Bugs!!

 An entomologist would have a ball in Uganda.

 Their favorite subjects of study are everywhere - in the air, the dirt, the water, your food, your bed, your sheets, your drinking water. You cannot escape from these...little critters. If you don't like bugs, don't come to Uganda. By the way, an entomologist is someone who studies insects.

  Of course, there are the mosquitos, infamous for being the carriers of malaria. Malaria, according to dictionary.com, is "An infectious disease characterized by cycles of chills, fever, and sweating, caused by a protozoan of the genus Plasmodium in red blood cells, which is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected female anopheles mosquito." Sounds fun, huh?

  Unfortunately, malaria is a major killer here in Uganda and many other African countries. According to some information I found on the Internet, malaria kills an estimated 320 people every day in Uganda. The sad thing is that this disease can be easily prevented, but such prevention is not common or widespread.

 Then there are the roaches, probably my least favorite of the bugs. I was introduced to them as an infant when we lived in the inner city of Houston, Texas and I think they left a bad impression on me then. I am getting braver, though, and can actually kill them myself, rather than calling for backup help. : )

  The lake flies are like big gnats and are harmless, but are still pests. We have them on the island. They come out in droves at night and are attracted to light. This becomes a major irritation if you are wearing a headlamp and they find your eyes, nose and ears. Their numbers ebb and flow according to how much moonlight there is. I don't entirely understand this concept, but it makes me thankful for when we see more of the moon. I have books at home which have pressed lake flies on some of the pages, "collected" during my first trip. : )

 If you leave any food out - uncovered, these little bitty sugar ants will find them. These tiny harmless creatures are really amazing - how quickly they find food, how they enlist others to help them, how they work together, and then how they transport their finds. Follow a trail of ants and you will find the piece of popcorn that fell on the floor last night or the grains of sugar that were accidentally left behind.

 There are other creepy crawly creatures, here too, but I am writing a blog post and not a book. : )

  I have never been much of a fan of bugs, but am learning to live with them. I was thinking about a spiritual application for this multi-legged subject and was reminded of sin. Sin can creep in and show up in the most unsuspecting places. It can sniff out where we might have left a crumb of temptation and can create a trail that will lead to no good. If you leave an opening, it will likely push its way in. But, prevention is definitely possible!

 Maintaining a close and consistent relationship with Jesus can help eradicate sin in our lives. As we allow the light of God's Word and His Spirit to flood our lives, it pushes out the darkness. Oops, changing analogies, but I think it goes along well. : ) 

  God says if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. (I John 1:9.) Also being open with others about our struggles and temptations, can help stomp out sin in our lives. Sin, like malaria, left untreated, can be deadly. But, eradication is definitely accessible and best of all, it's free of charge. Because Jesus already paid the painful and costly price on the cross, we can know freedom from sin. With His power, sin can be stomped out and eliminated. Praise the Lord for that!

 So, the next time you see a little critter, be reminded that we can indeed have victory over sin!

From Busia to Bujagali

 Hi My Faithful Followers,

  Sorry I haven't written in awhile, but I have not had consistent Internet or computer access. But, I received my new laptop this week!

With my new laptop, which my church, Westport Community, graciously purchased for me!

  The past week has been a busy one. Last Tuesday I came from the island and then on Wednesday joined a group of six SHIM members in traveling to the district of Busia, to a small village area, where we held a three-day youth seminar. Our theme verses were 2 Timothy 2:20-21.

 "Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work."

  We centered our messages around this theme and although we didn't coordinate our messages, God did. : )  I shared about Joseph and the journey God took him on to mold him into an honorable vessel. The youth seemed to receive and be encouraged by what we shared with them. We were graciously and warmly hosted in the home of the pastor and welcomed by those of the village and church.

The church where we held the youth seminar. As you can see, it is not yet completed.

  We were near the border with Kenya and at one point, saw some of its hills. The three of us girls on the team returned to Jinja Saturday afternoon, via a dusty, hot and crowded taxi. These particular taxis remind of a Volkswagen bus, except smaller. On the side they say, "Licensed to carry 14 passengers," though they often carry 18-20 people.

 This past week we welcomed Andy, Karina and David Smith. Everyone was so excited to have the SHIM family reunited again! : )

Everyone is amazed at how David has grown. Of course, he is a charmer with his sweet personality and three-toothed grin. : )

David Andrew Smith - almost 8 months old.

  On Wednesday, I and a friend, Katie from America, ventured to one of my favorite scenic spots in Uganda - Bujagali Falls. It is not far from Jinja and is a beautiful spot as the Nile River rushes down rocks on its journey to Lake Victoria. It is a favorite recreation spot for kayakers and whitewater rafters. I went here three times on my last trip and took so many pictures that my family became tired of them. : )

Me at Bujagali Falls

  I am now back on Lingira Island with most of the SHIM team and a couple of American visitors, including Katie from South Carolina who is doing a two-month internship to earn her master's degree in public health, and Shanna Sullivan, from my hometown of Oregon. Shanna will also be staying until March and has been doing a variety of things since she arrived at SHIM. We discovered her talent for mending and have been paying her for her work with "special food items" (like Rice Krispie treats) not normally found in Uganda. : )

 I am excited to begin my work with SHIM's child development program and will be dedicating my time in the coming months to better linking sponsors with their students and helping organize the program's other aspects.

 I wish you all could see the beauty of Uganda. Pictures don't do it justice, but I will close with this sunset photo, taken from the nearby camp of Kyoya. Blessings from Uganda!

Sunset on Lingira Island