Watoto Church

I have to say not only have I fallen in love with Africa and the children here at the babies’ home, I have also fallen in love with Watoto church and its vision here in Africa. This is a church that is not just talking about what the gospel says, but is finding ways to walk it out in everyday life.  I love the way they are exhorting the members of the church to find ways to reach out to others. A country where so many people are living in conditions many of us would find unbearable, they truly are one of the happiest groups of people I have ever had the privilege of being with.  We are almost always greeted with a smile and a “Welcome! How are you?” when we come into a room. They are a people that are sincere in wanting to trust God and honour him as best as they can.

A few Sundays ago, we got to sit in the service where they launched the Fathers Heart Ministry here in Gulu, Uganda.  It’s a ministry that equip men in the church to be a father figure to children who have lost their parents either to aids, war or have been altogether abandoned. The way the men are rising up to this call really blesses my heart. They are not shying away from the responsibility of loving on kids who need a father figure, instead, they are eager to be a blessing to the community they serve. The influence this ministry is having is something you can tangibly see in the way the men respond to the children; even the male caretakers at the babies’ home are always looking for opportunities to let the children know that they are loved and not forgotten.  The church has made a conscious decision to live by James 1:27 and it’s exciting to see how it really is changing a nation; it’s a heartbeat that I want to take home with me when I leave here. I could only hope that it is something that would spread and not only touches the nation of Africa, but would impact the world.

One of the things that the pastor touched on during the service was the life changing question I’m sure many of us have thought about...”What kind of legacy will we have when we die?” There is so much that we can get caught up with in everyday life that it can be easy to forget what is important. One of the biggest things that I want to take away from my time in Africa is the heart to really love the children. I know we might not have the same crisis with orphaned children in Canada, but I’m sure we all know a child who could use extra love and support.  Many of our own kids in Canada have been left without a father figure to guide them through some of the obstacles we all have to go through in life.  Mentoring is something that is so important and it is something that comes at a price.  Taking the time to speak into another’s life is not always a fun job, when we really take the time to be there for another person it will not always be something that is convenient. But when I compare the cost to the benefits of shaping a child’s life, I can’t help but to feel it is so worth it. As well, I can’t help but to feel that it would cost so much more to NOT take the time pour into our future generations. If we as a church don’t take the time to influence the next generation then what in our place will be doing the influencing??  I fear that to ignore God’s call to “Go and make disciples” would be a regret I would have to carry for eternity and to start with the raising up of children seems like such a rewarding and beneficial way to go. So it is with this challenge I want to allow God to forever change my life.

~Alison

“The Market”

When Alison and I are done for the day, we will sometimes make our way to the market before heading back to the volunteers’ home…this can be an interesting walk!   As we pass by, little children will sometimes call out to us with smiles on their faces, “Mzungu! How are you?”  Today, actually, at the time of this writing, a child from the nearby village waved us over…we did not go as we felt that this would be inappropriate unless we were invited by the parents or guardians.

At the market, you’ll find all sorts of merchandise; from clothing articles and toys, to hardware items like locks, nails and machete’s; from locally grown food to locally made tools for agricultural use.  We go to the fruits and veggie section of the market.  If the produce price seems a little high, sometimes, you will be able to barter until there is an agreeable price.  The going price for a pineapple is three thousand shillings here in Gulu (This is roughly about $1.50 a pineapple).  The pineapple is sooo good compared with the pineapple that we’ve had back home.  They are very delicious and so sweet!  The avocado here in Uganda is also grander in size.

Just the other day we had a memorable moment happen at the market.  As we arrived, the clouds had already darkened to a very dark color; we both knew that we would get caught in the rain.  Sure enough, just before we left, the rain came in torrents!  We, with other shoppers, were trapped under the adjoining shelters erected by the local merchants.  As everybody was waiting for the downpour to subside, this ginormous rat came running in from the rain to find shelter as we were, and everybody freaked out!  In retrospect, it was so funny because the merchant that we had made small talk with while waiting for the rain to calm down all of a sudden got this most surprised smiling expression on his face covering his mouth with his hand and simultaneously motioning with his other hand for people to look… but it was too late.  This 10-12 inch rat scurried just past our feet!  Pretty much everybody in our row was either yelling, balancing on one foot or had hopped to the side as far as they could go…clearing a pathway for it!  LOL.  After the rat ran through, people were laughing…probably at the reaction that was given! :-D. This definitely was a funny and memorable moment for me and I’m sure I will have many more to share by the time this trip is over.  Til next time,

~Lawrence.

.......life with out cheese

So I am sure many people are wondering how one of the most pickiest eaters they know is surviving in a land where eating fried grasshoppers is a deliquesce well let me tell you it’s not always easy as I am very particular about my food, at the same time, there is so many western foods you can get here that I really can’t complain. Many times, I think about how our Christian forefathers would have had it way worse as they would have been here before traveling was the ‘cool’ thing. Many white people come to the area where I am staying so many of the stores cater to this latest trend.  Let me share with you a little bit more about our diets here……..

Today, we had our lunch at the baby homes we are volunteering at. Our lunch was pasta with some weird pink sauce that I have never seen before in Canada with it we ate a simple salad with cut up tomatoes and cucumbers, mashed green bananas done up the same way we would see potatoes cooked back home and for desert a slice of pineapple.  Overall, the food we eat here is pretty bland, with the exception of the pineapple which is amazing! It’s so much sweeter and fresher then we would get back home.  A lot of the same brands we see at home are here, but they are somehow different.  For example, you can buy cola-cola but it taste nothing like what you would get at home it was way less sweet and almost tasted flat.  To my delight, you can even buy cheese here, but is more a treat item because it is very expensive. We have only gotten it once since we have been here and for a cheese lover like myself that is not enough but I am very happy to know the option is there if I ever need it. 

Overall I would have to say we are doing fine with the food here. Although it’s not the same as the food back home and of course there are those things we are craving (ie a poutine) we are also trying foods that we would have never tried if we did not come. Some of us may find this funny, but I had no idea passion fruit was a real fruit. And if it was not for coming here, I most likely would have never eaten bananas fried in curry sauce.  Do I think I will be eating most of these new foods when I get home?? Most likely not; but on a plus side, I am eating more fruits and vegetables on a regular basis and I am eating way less fast food then I do when I’m back home. So bring on the African food I think I can handle this for another 2 ½ months.

Alison