Uganda |

A Christmas in Uganda

Twas the night before Christmas in our Uganda house,

And everyone is sweating including the mouse.

The heat’s quite oppressive in this holiday drought.

The fans would be turning but the electricity is out.

The children are sleeping, or pretending to be,

Dreaming of morning and the presents they’ll see.

I work on a bike, carefully tightening a spoke,

Even knowing as I do, in a week it’ll be broke.

Then I hear a great racket and jump up to see,

What wonder or miracle it might happen to be.

Could it be Santa with gifts in his sack?

No, it’s just our guard snoring, sleeping out back.

Then a bang and a rattle, something flies through the air.

I rub both my eyes not believing what’s there.

It’s a flying taxi van all decked out in lights,

Pulled by seven Marabou storks in red and green tights.

The sight is so appalling that I let out a scream,

And awaken myself from this yuletidish, nightmarish dream.

I drag out of bed and to the living room go,

Thinking, Christmas in Uganda is not what I used to know.

Our tree’s artificial, a white Christmas, only dreams.

And Santa’s sleigh’s been delayed at the post office it seems.

No fireplace for stockings so by the window they sway.

We play Christmas music and think of loved ones far away.

So many differences, Christmas doesn’t feel quite right,

And yet the core essentials are the same this holy night.

God’s love still abounds, and the victory’s still won.

Our hope is still found in the giving of His Son.

So let our hearts rejoice and our voices ring.

May we sing with the angels, for the coming of our King.

Wherever we may be over all this wide earth,

Let us cling to Christ our King and celebrate His birth.

(by Bob Peterson)

Africa Invades My Heart Forever

Before we moved to Uganda, I had no idea how cultures would collide in my heart! Perhaps I should say Africa invades my heart in just about every area of my life. It might surprise you the many ways. It surprises me!

I love music and now there are certain songs that immediately draw my heart to Africa. For instance, “Africa” by Toto will always tug deeply. And then there’s this song on You Tube that my daughter sent me this week during Christmas which sent my heart soaring for Africa called “12 Days of Christmas” by Straight No Chaser. It just sounds like a normal Christmas song you’ve heard before, but listen to it and see! Check out especially from 1:30 to the end HERE. It will draw you towards Africa also. One that might surprise you is “Feliz Navidad.” I will never listen to that song without remembering Africa again. During the Christmas season, it is easy to hear it playing in town on any given day in December especially.

I am not sure that I can ever listen to Kenny Rogers again without thoughts of Africa either. I have taken many night bus rides from Uganda to Kenya and back with Kenny Rogers’ songs blaring pretty much the whole way. Somehow it surprised me as I would have expected to hear Ugandan or Kenyan music instead. But I guess it shouldn’t surprise me that each of us have our own individual preferences. Easy Coach bus drivers apparently prefer country music.

Then there’s the desire to slow down and put people as priority. Africa, especially Uganda, has taught me so much on this plain. Hurrying and scurrying to and fro is difficult to do here. Instead of checking off items on my to do list, it is much easier to slow down. Stop and greet my friend and neighbor. Linger and visit a little while longer. The to do list can keep. I wish I would have learned this many, many years ago.

I discover many ways Africa has invaded my life whenever I go back to the states for a visit. Instead of walking/driving on the right side of the road, I find my tendency is to go left – even in the shopping aisles at the grocery store. It seems I am forever turning on my windshield wipers instead of the blinkers that I am reaching for when driving down the road. Responding to others in conversation with my eyebrows frequently before remembering that I am not in Africa anymore is also a recurrent response.

Shopping at Walmart or Costco is overwhelming nowadays. So many choices and flavors for just about everything. Who knew that my favorite Wheat Thins is now called “original” and mixed in the middle of umpteen different flavors. And then there’s cereal. Oh my, I can’t even talk about cereal … and it’s not just food. Can you imagine how many choices there are when shopping just for underwear? How does one decide quickly when there are so many options?

Storms that seem unequal to other places I have lived also welcomed me. Many storms are what I call “Africa dumps.” It’s not just rain, but it’s a huge downpour. It’s as if the heavens open up all at once and just “dump” its contents in a very short period of time. I will never forget the sounds of heavy rain and in the midst of it huge clatters of thunder coupled with lightening, all indicating the storm is overhead and not at a distance. One of my favorite parts of these storms is that they often came in the afternoon or in the middle of the night. If it was an afternoon rain, it wasn’t long afterwards that the sun would shine brightly. And in the night, the calm that followed afterwards lulled one to sleep peacefully.

During and sometimes afterwards, storms would bring power outages. Not that this was the only time for power outages, but at least one would know to expect an outage. I think that any time the power goes out in the states or a light-switch isn’t working, I will forever be reminded of when I lived in Africa. During our ten years here, I could never even begin to count the number of times the power has gone out or even the number of hours. I never even knew what load-shedding was or that it existed before living here. If there’s not enough power to go around, you basically share it on a scheduled usage basis. I also never worried about power surges, although we were always taught to use power protectors for all of our electronics.

Of course, there’s also the water. I never filtered my water or worried about drinking other people’s water. I freely drank from water fountains and the tap without a second thought. Now when I go back to the states, it doesn’t feel right to brush my teeth with tap water let alone drink water that hasn’t been at least filtered. Daily I was reminded here in Uganda that water is a precious commodity that not all enjoy freely and/or easily. It was a rare day that I could drive somewhere and not see people carrying water in jerry cans. Will I be able to go back to taking water for granted again? I hope not. Hopefully water will remind me to pray for my Ugandan neighbors and friends when I am back in the states.

Yes, for sure, Africa is forever in my heart. It’s not just the place, it’s the people. It’s their ways and their priceless lessons that are ingrained in me. May I never forget. May I forever be changed. May Africa never leave my heart and always remain within.

Take a Motorcycle Taxi?

Before I moved to Uganda, I had no idea how convenient motorcycle taxis could be. Here they are referred to as bodas or boda bodas. But after a decade of living here, not only have I seen them as handy transportation, but I have often relied on them during times when my car is either in the shop or busy with my husband.

When we go to the states for a visit and only have one vehicle, I find myself feeling impatient that I cannot just go to the nearest street corner and get going wherever I need to at that moment. You see, boda bodas are everywhere in the town that I live. We stay on the outskirts of town and yet, they are even here. You can hail one by merely nodding from a distance or raising your hand in the air. They are always on the look out for a new fare.

And it isn’t just their availability that make them so valuable. They are reasonable to hire. You can go across town for about 70 cents and then get back home for the same. If you are “tough,” you can get a fare for even less like the locals. But, for us, 70 cents suits us just fine and we don’t mind paying a bit more than my national neighbors. After all, it’s supporting local business.

Even more than their affordability is their resourcefulness. You see, you can take just about anything on a boda boda! Stacks and stacks of trays of eggs. Dozens of chickens. A goat. A cow! I have seen multiple people on one – six at once. Piles of charcoal bags. A huge fish with its tail dragging the ground. I have seen another motorcycle. Stacks and stacks of plastic chairs. A living room suite (couch and two chairs)! I have even seen them towing another motorcycle. It is truly amazing what one can get on a boda boda! I have posted several pictures here for you to see some examples.

It never ceases to amaze me the resourcefulness of the Ugandan people. They use what they have very well. And if it’s a boda boda for transportation that you have to use and can afford, then that is what is used to transport whatever the need! You see them rain or sunshine. Sure, less of them transport in the rain, but some even have umbrellas over themselves to protect from the rain and sun overhead.

Now, some of you safety gurus may be wondering if it’s safe. Well, very few actually have helmets let alone offer them to their passengers, although nowadays you can see some around. But it is not unusual to see one wipe out. It is also not unusual to have a close call yourself with one while driving your own vehicle. You see, boda bodas aren’t really regulated here, at least not in our town. It might surprise you to find how few actually carry a driver’s permit endorsed for motorcycle driving. One might even wonder how many have actually been given driving lessons.

Waiting at an intersection with traffic police in Kampala, a larger city.

Boda boda drivers dart in and around traffic. Part of their versatility is their ability to get through tight spaces in the midst of traffic jams. When other vehicles are sitting still, boda bodas can maneuver on through. It is not unusual to see people get out of a car they are riding in and hop on a boda boda to get to their appointments on time if traffic gets stuck. You can see boda bodas driving in between cars, down side walks, and yes, even going the wrong direction just to get where their fare has requested. They take short cuts to arrive at their destination quickly and get on to the next fare.

So you can imagine that safety is not of the utmost concern for most. Some times as you are driving down the road in your car, it feels like you are driving in the midst of a “sea of bodas.” They part as your vehicle approaches – or not. They are on both sides of you as you move forward. If you want to turn off, you need to look in both side-view mirrors and still look around, giving plenty of time with your blinker (called an indicator here) to show that you want to turn. Even then, there is no guarantee that the boda driver will see your turn signal. So it is really an art to be a part of the flow of traffic here and show with your vehicle what your intention is as you turn.

But one thing that puzzles me about boda boda traffic is that it seems like they don’t really have their own place on the road. You see, if they are driving down the road and a car approaches behind them, it is often assumed that they will “give way” by getting over to the side of the road in order to let the car pass on by. True, they often are not going as fast as the car that approached behind them, but sometimes they are. A car will beep its horn and not reduce its speed as it approaches, expecting the motorcycle to be on the side of the road by the time it reaches.

Another thing that might surprise you is that they often do not stop at intersections for traffic lights or stop signs. Many times it is just preferred to not stop, but other times, it is purely easier and more convenient. If you have a heavy and full load, to stop may mean it will be hard to get going again. I can understand why many choose to drive on through. It is a common sight though to see a boda driver proceed on through a stop sign or intersection without looking both directions. I am amazed at their apparent peripheral vision, but I have also seen many near crashes as a result of this practice.

So while the system of boda boda taxis may not appear to be perfect, they are certainly a vital part of the economy here in Uganda. They give many a way to earn money and offer a service unequaled to those requiring a lift. Take whatever you like or need. Expect the unexpected. Perhaps you would like to try a ride yourself? Just prepare yourself … and maybe bring your own helmet? You will be in for the ride of your life! Come, enjoy!

Uganda English … Uglish

Before we moved to Uganda, I didn’t realize a nation in Africa would call one of their main national languages “English.” I just didn’t know! But in Uganda, just about anyone who has been to school knows English, at least to some degree. And English is considered one of the national languages here.

It is not unusual to see Ugandans walking down the street speaking English to one another even though they may know another African language.
English is required in school here, especially after a few years of the primary grades. Secondary school students are supposed to only speak English to one another and all teaching is received in English. So it is easy to understand why everyone speaks English that has gone to school.

If there is a group gathering, there is often interpretation in English and not just because foreigners might be present. There are many, many languages in Uganda (in our area one of the primary ones is Luganda) but the common language throughout the country is still English with Swahili more prevalent in some areas. Where we live, Luganda is the more prevalent language. However, the deeper you are in the village, the less English you will find (same within the islands of Lake Victoria) as less people have completed secondary school education.

If someone has not gone to school (or perhaps only had a few years in primary school), they might not know English. But nowadays (especially the nearer they are to bigger towns and cities) one need not go too far before finding someone that does speak English here. As an American, this has made communicating easier for me overall. But here in Uganda, there is a special kind of English. It’s called Uglish.

But what is Uglish, you say? Well, it is a word coined for the English that Ugandans speak here. With a heavy British English history because of colonization by England, many British English words remain. But Uganda English is definitely not purely British English. Uglish is Uganda’s unique way to express itself in English. As unique as Uganda itself, some of its words are as well.

I may not know British English very well, but it has been fun to learn the “Uglish” spoken here. “Smart” doesn’t mean intelligent or witty; rather, “smart” can mean that you are “looking good!” When one is dressed up in their Sunday best, they are called “smart.” One doesn’t use “blinkers” on their vehicles here, but rather, “indicators.” Closing the “boot” of your car is actually what is referred to as closing the “trunk” here.

Some common sayings might include: “You are lost!” This means that they have not seen you for a long time. Speed bumps are called “speed humps.” A “bath room” is where you bathe. “Toilet” is for other business. When you move to a new place, you are “shifting.” And “well be back” means welcome back after an absence. And “chips” are French fries, not potato chips as we know them! (Those would be called “crisps.”) Or get this: “Extend a bit.” That means you need to move forward some. How about this one: “It’s paining me.” In other words, it hurts!

A “store” is not a shop or supermarket. Rather, it is a pantry or any place that you store your items really. “It’s over” or “It’s finished.” There is no more of whatever you are discussing. And, “I am about.” This means you are about to finish or about to reach, whichever the context refers to. Or get this one: “You are looking fat!” This one is actually a compliment here. You are healthy and looking well.

One of my memories involves the “You are looking fat” phrase. I was walking through the market and looking at a food stall. The lady was being quite pleasant and made the comment. I smiled and said, “Thank you.” Then she said started giggling. I looked at her inquisitively to which she replied, “You are with child.” I told her no and explained that I am already 50, and that I could not be pregnant. She just shook her head and continued to giggle under her breath. Later I learned that it is not the custom here to reveal that you are pregnant until you are about to pop! Surely the lady didn’t believe me when I said I was not pregnant … because she knew otherwise! It was only a matter of time … oh, my!

One of favorite Ugandan English (I mean Uglish) words is “rolex.” A rolex is definitely not known as a fancy, expensive watch in Uganda. Instead, a rolex is a rather scrumptious street food that you can purchase for way less than $1.00 at a small stand. It is a chapatti (a flat bread, thicker and oilier than a tortilla) with eggs and some vegetables. The eggs with small pieces of tomato, onion and sometimes other vegetables are prepared something like an omelet. Then the eggs are placed on top of the chapatti and it is rolled up. Rolled up … rolled eggs … thus, ROLEX!!! Actually rather tasty!

Oh, so much fun learning the different meanings of similar words! Uganda is full of treasures and pleasantries … an endless Uganda English dictionary to learn! So come visit Uganda and learn some Uglish! Uganda will not disappoint.

Wood … a Temporary Structure

Buildings built out of wood are temporary structures? What? Not in Oregon, the green state full of trees where I lived for the first 40 some years of my life! But in Uganda, there are termites here, there and everywhere. Building with wood can be an expensive choice here in the long run.

Structures built out of wood are temporary and often only last a few years. It is only a matter of time before the termites do their thing. You see, the termite population is huge here! You might think it is just a pile of dirt, but more likely, it is a termite mound.

More permanent structures are built out of red clay bricks with a layer of flat cement stucco over the top. It reminds me of the story in the Bible that talks about the wise man building his house. In Uganda, if one has the money, a firm cement foundation is poured. Houses here can take years to be built. You see, most people don’t borrow from the bank and then build it all at once. Instead, as the money is available, different stages of the house are built. When we first moved here, I wondered at all of the houses that looked like they had been started but then forgotten. I didn’t realize that this was actually just a house in progress. Now some were completely abandoned and all hope lost of finishing. But most of them were just a work in progress, it seems. It takes some real commitment and tenacity to finish a house here. Would that we would be so intentional about building our relationship with God and building a firm foundation.

After the house is completely built, a suitable section of cement veranda is then placed around the base of the house to help protect it from storms to prevent deterioration of the foundation. Houses that skip this step are in danger of not only corrosion from the surrounding soil conditions but also damage from storms. It is a layer of protection that is key to the survival of the foundation for a long future. Would that we put priorities in place to protect our relationship with God in such a way that it is preserved for all of our days.

If wood is used, it is often just thrown together without a foundation. Either sticks are used exclusively with mud thrown over them. Or sticks are used to frame it and wooden boards are nailed to the sticks. Then either grass or tin is placed on top for the roof, depending on the budget. But it is known that it will be a temporary structure and there is no reason to invest in a firm foundation. It is only a matter of time before either the termites eat through the wood or a storm knocks it down. Would that we choose the right materials to build our foundation with, the Word of God and not that of mere man whose words will pass away.

Yes, it reminds me that God calls us to cultivate our relationship with Him in much the same way. We should be building upon His foundation with purpose and resourcefulness. We need to put protections in place to preserve and continue nurturing/caring for it. When the storms come, that foundation will not waiver and the house will not fall. Instead our faith will give us hope and help us rely on Him Who truly builds the only foundation that will never fail. May each of us build our homes (and our hearts) on His foundation that withstands whatever comes our way!

Is that your real hair?

Before I moved to Uganda, I didn’t know that most of the women’s hair was not all theirs … let me explain. For some reason, it seems that Ugandan women’s hair (as a general rule, certainly not everyone) doesn’t grow very long like mine does. Because of this, it limits the hairstyles available to the ladies. Therefore, hair style changes are usually due to varying extensions that are plaited into their existing hair. Sometimes they are even attractive wigs. They look just like the real thing and are beautiful!!! They are worn for something like up to a month or two at a time and then removed or changed after a brief break.

The different looks though can fool you if you aren’t paying close attention! After all, you don’t want to not greet your friend just because you didn’t recognize her … (not that I have ever done that before …. tongue in cheek … oops!). Actually, it has been rather embarrassing when someone I have known in one context shows up in another context with a new hair-do. I must admit that there has been more than once that I didn’t recognize them in their new hair-do! Even driving down the road, I may pass someone before I realize it is someone I know …

It may seem like a simple thing to add extensions to your hair, but wait! It can take as much as eight hours for someone to plait in all of the extensions into your own hair!!! In fact, I read online that it takes an average of 5-8 hours to complete a new look. Imagine the commitment. But, oh, they are ever so beautiful! It’s no wonder they leave a particular style in as long as possible even though the average is only between 4-6 weeks at a time.

Not only is it an art and fashion statement on the part of the recipient, not just anyone can plait hair extensions well! While this has been done for centuries now in Africa, the hours it takes to transform a woman’s short hair into long braids is short of a miracle. Once the braid or weave is done, the braids can then be styled into a further fashion that literally transforms the look! For the look to be perfected, it requires some skill on the part of the beautician. While some hand down this skill from mother to daughter, most attend beauty school in Uganda to learn it well. The braids are tightly woven purposefully in order for the style to last.

No matter the budget, women seem to have a deep need to look good and this is one innovative way that is relatively inexpensive in Uganda to obtain it. From corn rows to extensions braided to perfection to wigs, It seems Uganda has again demonstrated its ingenuity to do well with what is available!

Now just think of the possibilities and versatility of adding extensions or wearing wigs that one can have. It could offer you similar options like changing your wardrobe! You don’t need to cut your hair into a new style. Just try a new one every month or two! Settle into one of your favorites or go back to a preferred one now and then. Have some fun! I can’t believe I haven’t already tried it myself! Ingenious.

Welcome!

Welcome! I am glad that you stopped by!!! My hope is that by reading this blog, you will be blessed through the tales, tidbits, trials and testimonies from our time living abroad as missionaries in the Pearl of Africa (Uganda) that God has taught me.

We have lived in Uganda nearly ten years now. Our eyes have been opened to new ways, new people, and a new culture. Through it all, God has been faithful to teach us regularly and we are still learning. While our perceptions may not always be perfect, they are our experiences. We will share some of these perceptions and lessons as I blog.

My husband and I have joined the Missionary Care movement after having been on this journey ourselves as missionaries in Uganda. This journey has taken us to countries like Ethiopia, Senegal, Zambia, Angola, Kenya, and South Africa, to name some. Our eyes have been opened, our perspectives widened, and our lives changed. Just as our hearts have been impacted, we hope to share some things with you that will inspire you to love more deeply, understand another culture, widen your worldview and be challenged to embrace what God has for you!

Traversing the continent of Africa has yielded many insights, but none for me as great as the Pearl of Africa, Uganda, where we have lived. As you get a glimpse of our life here, may you find the treasure of this place, its people and the passion.

Tag: Uganda