Sharing the Laughter

Some days are rough, long, and heartbreaking; but today was not one of those days. Pure happiness and delight were woven through out every minute of this day. I captured some of the moments to share with you because words just didn’t fit.

Green Carpets of Uganda

Family and friends have persistently inquired as to what tea fields look/smell like. So here I am, sharing my secret garden with you - what I have fondly termed as the green carpet of Uganda.
Fort Portal rests on the mountain side; and everywhere you look, the mountain seems to have hiccupped little rolling hills, each softly coated in rows upon rows of green tea. At three feet tall, the tea bushes are woven together; deceivingly giving the appearance of one monster of a bush. The leaves and small pods are plucked by machines and workers to be made into the tea that I drink at 0630 when I am mumbling about killing the neighbor’s rooster.
Narrow paths crisscross the fields. As I run down these paths, my shoulders brush gently along the bushes on either side. My feet fall soundlessly as the soft soil muffles each heavy step of my run. From afar, I am invisible from the waist down, as if wearing one endlessly flowing green skirt. My breathe catches as I trudge up another hill - the mountain air taunting my weak lungs. I inhale deeply and gag as three gnats fly straight up my nose. So much for smelling the tea fields.

Young, Girly Stella

Stella

Let me introduce you to my very girly and young Ugandan friend, Stella Amooti. We first began our friendship as we met every afternoon out in the field for language lessons. She was so patient with me as I tried to mimic her every word. Often she would roll in laughter at my pronunciation.

She lives in the village with her mom, brother, gramma, and girl cousin. Her mom, Akiki, is one of the biggest blessing in the world and I thank God so much for her. She brought Stella up strictly, consequently her English and grades in school are very good. She has done an amazing job at raising her children on her own.

Stella and I no longer do language lessons but that has not stopped her from making the trek over each evening to visit with me. We sometimes sit and listen music, go for walks, garden, or our latest thing is to cook the evening meal together. Most times we cook way too much food and it gives me an opportunity to send it home with her for her family.

I have begun to treasure our time together in the evenings as a time to just relax and giggle with her. God has really put her on my heart as I long to be the good role model she is looking for. Recently she met this guy and constantly seeks to use my phone to call him and speaks of her wishes for me to take her to the city to see him. I forget that she is a sixteen year old girl. I struggle to find the balance between being a confidant, a fun young friend, and a role model. Please pray for us as our friendship grows. Pray that I will give advice and guidance with caution and after much prayer.

City Bed Bugs vs Village Sticky Hands

I spent the past week in the city with American families who were evacuated from the village because of the Ebola epidemic. The week pasted slowly full of guilty pleasures of good food and real toilets. By the end of the long drive back, I sluggishly fell out of the car and twirled the knob on my door as if it were second nature. I waited for the wave of “you’re home finally” to wash over me but the musty air hung silent around my sun burned shoulders. I unpacked with care knowing that the bed bugs from the city bed were probably crawling all over my luggage. I awoke the next morning and with a heavy tread, made my way to the babies’ home. As I entered the gates, I heard my name being shouted, “katee, katee, katee”! It was like a symphony of angels singing welcome home. My feet seemed to fly as I raced to hug each little one with a passion I didn’t know I felt. I ached to weep as each child tried in one breath to tell me everything I had missed and ask if I had been lost for the past week. I just kept nodding, not understanding 75% of it, but it didn’t seem to faze them as their tiny sticky hands grasped every inch of me. Through out the day as I was stopped by a number of people, all asking if I had been lost for the past week, I was struck with the realization that I had genuinely missed the people. Fort Portal has become home.

Network of Love

Time and again my mouth falls open in a most unladylike manner, settling in this position as my brain struggles to grasp the unexpected gift of love. I began this blog as a way to share with friends back home in one felt swoop. And yet God has used it to encourage me to no ends. I have received countless emails from people who found it through someone who knew someone who knew me or even through googling “Uganda toilet paper” on the internet. (shout out to my new friend from Australia) Each email re-news my spirit as these complete strangers offer their support and prayers. Realizing that though perhaps to them it was just five short minutes out of their day which will never be re-visited, it made a world of difference to me.

A small act of kindness given to an unsuspecting victim could make a heap of difference.