DAY 20: June 6- Kacoma Village, Part 1

** Disclaimer: This is a very long entry. I wanted to be as detailed as possible (however for the sake of space, I did leave out some details). But it is still a very long entry. Also, I will be shortly leaving Jinja, and heading to Rwanda. I might or might not have internet for the rest of my trip.. we will just assume that I won’t, to be safe. I know that I am at least 3 days behind on my blog and I apologize. I hope to have the second day of my bonding experience up before I have to leave Uganda, but I make no promises. Thank you for staying true to the blog… Hopefully I will be back soon to finish the rest of the trip, but maybe I will have to wait until I’m back in the States in order to post the last 2 weeks. Thanks again! Sorry for any inconvenience! You all are great!

 

I woke up, and I was at peace. It was the day of our “village bonding,” and I was at peace. We weren’t going to leave until 10 am, and it was about 8 am when I got up. Almost too much time to think. As I sat in my room trying to think of all possible situations like using the bathroom, eating the food, talking to my family, etc.. I started to get nervous and anxious.. (I guess that sense of peace was a little more fleeting then I thought). When 10 am hit, we all gathered in our common room. As we sat and waited for all the missionaries to get there, I got more and more nervous.. because that is when I found out that in my travel group I was going to be the first one they dropped off and the last one they were going to pick up the next day.. Tom told me that he would probably be there by like 5 to 5:30 pm.. SAY WHAT?! It was like 10:15 am now.. and my village was only like 30 minutes away.. do the math.. that’s way more than 24 hours.. that’s about 30 hours.. oh boy.. this was going to be a long long long day.

So we got ready to go, I got in to the Matatu with 5 of the other students whose villages were in the same direction as ours. We waved to our friends and we were off.. for the adventure of a lifetime. Before I knew it.. our Matatu was already stopping. I guess I was being dropped off at the main road, and meeting Paul there. So after a little confusing about whether I was getting out or staying in the Matatu I finally got out and met Paul and John. It was slightly awkward just because I wasn’t ready for any of it. So that’s when I realized that although Paul might speak English very well, he was pretty soft spoken. (A slight difference from my personality… dot dot dot.. yah.. slight..)

So Paul and I started walking, and 5 steps onto the dirt road and I was greeted by a man. I said “hello,” and he countered by saying.. “you need to learn Lusoga.” So there it was.. the first 1 minute of me being left alone.. I was already being called out. So what did I do, I busted out my Lusoga. I said “how are you?” and he laughed and smiled. And that was the beginning a long day of Lusoga greeting and laughing responses. We walked about 20 minutes talking and passing people on the way as I smiled and waved, while people stared.. and for the most part smiled and waved back.

Finally, when I got to his home I realized he had one of the nicest places in the village. Plus hundreds of tall eucalyptus trees shaded his house.  He introduced me to his family. His wife Christine (that spoke no English), his daughter Martha, his son Michael, and little son Spencer (who was terrified of me.. It was like I was the devil to him.. not the normal reaction I get from kids, but maybe the first Mzungu he’s seen maybe?!). (also I think he had an older son, but he wasn’t there). After I put down my stuff in his home, he showed me the kitchen, which was in a separate little room that was detached from his home with some special ventilation thing for the smoke. He then showed me his poultry house.

Next, he got two chairs and we sat under the trees. And this was the first of many times that we would just sit. Sit. Sit. Sit. Sometimes not even talk. Just sit. But this time we talked. We talked about his church that was right next to his house. Its basically just a roof covered space (no walls), the education system in the village, and his vision for the church. (Just FYI: Paul is the church leader (aka Pastor) as well as one of the government leaders so basically he knows everyone in the village .. a rather large village might I add.. which made my trip all the more better…which you will find out later). After we talked he showed me the really nice water well that the missionaries’ Water Source Program brought to the village. It was all cemented and just sitting in front of the church. When it rains then the water is caught and goes into this system that filters the water so its clean water! Which is awesome. Then he showed me another water pump next to it that another organization came into build.. that just brings water from a stream (its not clean water, but its constant water, unlike the other pump that only works if there is rain). Then it was time for more sitting and then time for tea.

So we went inside (just the two of us) and his daughter brought us Chai Tea and warm g. nuts.. (yup… ground nuts. aka peanuts nuts). He brought out a bowl, a cup of water, and soap for me to wash my hands, prayed over the meal, and we ate/drank. Mostly in silence. It was really good tea, just awkward.. because in my head I kept on thinking that Tom had once said that in Africa people don’t really talk when they eat, so I wanted to be polite. But it was awkward because it was just the two of us..

So after we were finished, then it was time for some more good old sitting (slash me trying to play with his kids, you know slap bracelets and stickers). Then Paul came out and said we would go on a walk. He wanted to show me his mother’s home (his old home). We walked for about 15 minutes (always stopping to greet people.. so maybe it was longer then 15 mins.. yah Pauls really POP in the village so basically every home we were stopping so they could do their musically sounding 2 minute greeting process.. ask me what it sounds like when you see me). On the way he told me about sugar cane and other crops, about how he found God after training for 3 years to be a witch doctor, his calling to become a pastor, and other random things.

We got to his mom’s house but she wasn’t there so he decided to show me their land. I saw their fields and fields and acres and acres of land filled with Maize. It was absolutely beautiful… Now this was the image of the Lion King’s version of Africa I had imagined. I took some pictures (even Paul took some pictures.. yes he is probably the only Ugandan I met with a camera.. yah I know Baller Status). He even took a picture of me. Then we heard a storm approaching so we quickly started to walk back. On our way home it stated to rain so hard that we needed to take shelter. We stopped at a home that used to be one of the places that their church worshiped at before they got a building. So I tried speaking in Lusoga.. and that’s always fun and they always are surprised and laugh a lot. After sitting (while they are talking) for awhile, then it was time to leave. Did I mention that they always give visitors the best chair and treat them like royalty?.. cause they do.

When we got back we sat for a little, then it was time for lunch…?! Just the two of us again. It was probably around 2 maybe 2:30 pm.. (I could be totally wrong.. I didn’t know the time, we weren’t allowed to bring ipods or watches.. missionaries’ rules to make the experience more “real” although ever African has a cell phone and a radio).. I thought we already had lunch.. but I guess I was wrong. After eating the really good tasting cabbage, rice, and posho (millet mush) (that I had accidentally requested …cause I realize now that he asked me what my favorite dish was and I said rice and cabbage.. and guess what lunch was.. rice and cabbage!!!) But anyways it was really good. We even had forks this time, and did the whole washing of hands, and grace. Then it was time for sitting..again..

So I sat while Paul did his thing. Then he came out with these little God cartoon booklets and said that some people were expecting us and we were going to hand them out.. I wasn’t sure what that meant.. but I was up for anything. John (who is the other pastor of the church, under Paul) joined us. We stopped and talked to so many people. Paul knows everyone and their mother.. literally.

We stopped in a home with about 10 children. The older kids brought three chairs out as soon as they saw us. As we sat down (outside) the women and kids kneeled when they greeted (I guess this is their way of showing respect to the men/visitors.. yah.. it’s as awkward as you think it would be). But when the father came home, he saw us sitting and moved us inside. I started to hand out stickers to the kids cause I figured the adults were just going to talk Lusoga to each other.. but I guess they were actually waiting for me.. AWKWARD  MOMENT.. oops. There were 3 women and 2 men and Paul and John waiting for me… yah about that.. The women greeted me and I did my Lusoga thing. They laughed, then just talked in Lusoga to each other. At the end of all of it.. John prayed for the home. Then we were off to our next family.

More homes (I call them homes because they aren’t really houses more like multiple huts that make up a home… just like before.. chairs, greetings.. and sitting. Then we went to a home where the father was Christian but the wife and daughter were not. Paul had talk to them for awhile (especially the daughter). Before I knew it, Paul was telling me that the daughter had finally decided to accept Christ! I was like.. wait what?! That’s so awesome. He explained that for awhile she had been thinking about it, but finally today she decided to! He said that John was going to lead her in a confession prayer and then “you will pray for her.” Dot dot dot.. wait what?! “you” as in “we” will pray for her.. ?! I was so confused.. but no, he meant me. He wanted me to pray over this girl that I didn’t even know her name who had just accepted Christ… yah.. what?! I’m not qualified, you are the pastor! That’s what I was thinking.. but God and life doesn’t work like that.. so there it was. My first prayer of many.. So I prayed. Paul translated. And the father was eternally grateful to me. So I guess it’s a really big deal when visitors like pray over your house.. so that was pretty cool. Plus Praise God! She accepted Christ!

Then it was to the next place with Rachel and her family. Rachel was a student as well, who had been thinking of accepting Christ but not sure yet. But yet another miracle, her and two other boys decided today, finally, they would accept Christ as their Savior. So again John gave them the confession prayer.. and once again Paul turned to me to ask me to pray (well more like tell me to pray for them). Surprise Surprise.. not. So there it was praying again for people. I guess praying it isn’t the praying that is weird because I’ve prayed out loud many times, but more like .. I’m in Africa, I don’t speak the language, they just accepted Christ, they didn’t know me, there is a more qualified person sitting next to me, and it was just a surprise that he would ask me or trust me.. it’s just really random.

Then it was another goodbye, and a few more homes to say hello. But then it was time to walk back to Paul’s house. (I was kinda excited just to sit for once). So I sat for a little.. took a little break, tried to play with the kids again. But before I knew it.. Paul was coming out again with another stack of the handouts… a bigger one. He said “sorry, you must be very tired, but we have one more place to go. Or are you too tired?”.. well duh I was, but obviously I was going to go. So … we headed off again (for the 3^rd time in case you were counting).

We started walking and greeting. I was smiling and waving. People were staring at me.. same old same old. And before I knew it, I started recognizing where we were.. we were heading back towards the main road. I started to see more people, and then it was like town life again, but it wasn’t like a town.. just like a more populated area.. with electricity. I think its called a town center.. but its not like a town town like Jinja. As soon as people saw me they stared.. and I don’t mean like for a minute and I don’t mean like 10 people I mean 50 people and for the entire time I was there.. again.. this must be what it feels like to be an animal at the zoo, no privacy and just blank and confused stares. Loved it! Not. So Paul bought me a soda (which I didn’t want, but he said that I had to and I didn’t want to be rude.. it was mountain dew it’s only been here for 6 months.. he said it was the new soda.. yah I know.. it’s not. Also, it was terrible.. I mean just the fact that I don’t like soda and had not had any sodas but fanta and ginger ale for the last 6 years of my life.. it kinda made me sick.. but I had to). After I met some more people, chugged my Dew, we went off to see a pumping well he really wanted to show me. He said that people came from as far as 4 km to get water from there.. and it was down a steep hill.

When we got there, it was filled with at least 100 people. People were freaking out cause I was there.. laughing and staring.. and asking questions about me.. but its all good. So we walked down the slippery half destroyed stairs that had just been built a few years ago (can’t imagine what it was like before that).. to get a better view. I was blown away that children and women.. did this.. carried the jerry cans back up.. so dangerous.. and so far… and so impressive. After taking a few pictures, it was time to cross the road and get back to where we were.

Paul wanted to show me the neighboring town, but since it was getting dark, we couldn’t walk.. So he called one of his friends to borrow his motor bike. Ha ha ha. Sick! So we drove for awhile, by the time we got to the town (which he just drove thru) it was late and so many people were out. I wasn’t used to seeing Africa at night (we aren’t suppose to leave the Gately at night).. so it was cool to see a city that was kinda like Jinja but a lot smaller and more crowded. On our drive back it was getting really dark, but the moon looked absolutely beautiful. When we got back to the little town we were in before, Paul got his friend to drive us back to his house so we didn’t have to walk back in the dark.

The first thing we did was eat g. nuts and drink black tea (that was super sweet.. so I don’t know what was going on there, but it was good). He had also just bought some bread before we left the little town. So we ate some thin sliced white bread. After I we were finished, I decided to go to the latrine (bathroom).. it was outside.. it was a small hole.. in this brick building.. but it was all good.. I was getting better. When I came back I thought it was time for bed.. NOPE it was time for dinner!? I thought the g. nuts were dinner.. but I guess not. We had this soup with beef and then rice to put in it. It was good, salty, but good. But I couldn’t finish it.. which I know is rude.. so that kinda sucked.

Then I busted out some of my little paper cardboard animal cutouts to piece together for the kids. They got a kick out of it. Next, Paul was telling me it was time to take my bath. Yup… this was going to be interesting. So they showed me to this bricked off space that had 3 and a half walls. There was boiled warm water in a tub, they gave me soap.. and a towel.. and that’s it. So I left my shorts and sports bra on (just in case.. it really wasn’t that private), and I just kinda washed myself.. if you could call it that. I put my dirty clothes back on and went inside the house.

Paul said it was time for me to rest and showed me to the room over that had a bunkbed that I was to sleep on. (the top and there was a princess net! Yes!). So I hopped in bed (with all my clothes I was wearing) and started to look over my journal notes.. because at dinner Paul asked me if I felt comfortable sharing verses with a large group (aka. Speak at church tomorrow)… So I wanted to make sure I felt comfortable with what I was going to say.

Also, did I mention that he had a light in there.. the only solar powered light in the village. So that was sweet. Too bad he didn’t turn it off the entire night.. and um.. it was bright.. and I was on the top bunk.. so I’m not sure about that logic. Also the kids under me were kicking, and baby Spencer was crying..all night.. But at some point I did fall asleep so that was cool… it had been a long day.. and I was slightly nervous about tomorrow.. I mean.. speaking in his church and all.. NO PRESSURE OR ANYTHING MZUNGU. But yes.. that was day one.. overall a good day (maybe a little bit different than my typical Saturday, but still a good one and a very big eye opener day).