Into Africa, Part Deaux: Day 6

DATELINE:  August 10, 2010.  7:52 A.M. Village of Hope time.  That’s 11:52 P.M. CST on August 9 for those of you keeping score at home.

THE VILLAGE OF HOPE!

There wasn’t an opportunity to write yesterday so I will try to capture the experience from the perspective of a new day.

We awoke to our final morning in Gulu Town – as the locals call it – after a night of hard rain.  It is so cool listening to the rain strike our tin roof over the courtyard.  I have no exterior windows in my room, and two floors of rooms above me, so there is no sound over my head.  Thankfully the morning was bright and sunny – something for which I was particularly grateful since our luggage would be strapped to the top of the van.

My bathroom adventures in St. Job’s room continued last night as I discovered – the hard way and much to my dismay and horror – that I lacked any water pressure at all.  I had to go get the manager so that I’d be able to flush the toilet and allow it to have time to fill before the sun rose.  The maintenance guy did a lot of scurrying around the building – going from my room to the second floor and back to the courtyard and back to my room…and voila!  Suddenly I had a full stream of water spouting from the sink and water streaming from the shower.  Hallelujah!

My joy over the rushing waterfall was premature, however.  I was hoping my newly-discovered water pressure would allow me to take a “real” shower but after checking the sink and discovering the all-too-familiar trickle I once again enjoyed bathing African style.  I must say, practice does make perfect.  I’m getting better at it.  I also had the privilege of shaving this morning so there’s always a new dimension every time.

We met for breakfast, but I have been so full that I opted to have one of my kashi bars and a banana.  Good choice!  I will miss the eggs at the village, and I’m disappointed I didn’t get to enjoy a chipati from the street vendor, but it was nice not to feel so stuffed for a change.

Robert brought our devotional and talked about upside-down expectations: how God surprises us on trips like this.  We come in with preconceived ideas of what we *think* we should see and feel and experience and do and learn, and God says, “Nope.  That’s not *exactly* what I want you to see and feel and experience and do and learn.”  If we are open and listening, we can be truly transformed.  I’ve already seen examples of that in our team on this trip…even though I’ve been here before, our experiences are new and fresh.  Nothing’s the same as it was last time.  And I’m glad.  God is revealing Himself to me in a way I never expected, and I’m loving being surprised by Him.

After prayer we packed up our stuff and met in the lobby to wait for the van…and wait…and wait…and wait.  So what do you do while you wait an hour for the van?

Well…you take a picture in front of the hotel…

…and sometimes the people in the background do strange things.

You play card games like Crazy 8’s in the lobby…

And still the people in the background do strange things.

Finally, the van arrived…an hour late.  Charles and the men loaded the suitcases to the top of the van.  Even though we had five extra people: Chris and Maddie, Asunta, Jeffrey and Rose, the van didn’t feel nearly as crowded as it did on our drive from Entebbe.  We drove first to the Widow’s Mark – a microeconomic center where widows learn and perform a specific trade to support themselves and their families.  We had been to the small storefront in Gulu Town on the trip in November with Chris, but that shop is now closed and all operations have been moved to the center.

It was fascinating to see the different rooms, each with a specific trade: one room for the beading, one room for the tie-dye, one room for the weaving…and in one room they were making DOLLS!  Beautiful African cloth dolls – women with babies strapped to their backs.  To be completely honest, I liked these dolls better than the one I bought in November.

This is the bead room.  Here they use plastic/glass beads rather than paper beads.

There were so many women working on the beads that they had a group outside.

They use the beads to make jewelry, baskets, and as decoration on purses/handbags and the dolls.

This was the weaving room.   I spent most of my time here, after I was done shopping.

Yes, these are not widows.  Boys need jobs, too, ya know.

Geoffrey is a “fringe” guy.  Literally.  He adds the fringe to the tablecloths and placemats.

I loved watching how they made the fabric, and how the looms worked.

George demonstrated how the loom works.  It’s a tedious, but rather quick process once you know what you’re doing.  The loom clicks and snaps and bangs to a predictable rhythm…

So I started dancing…

…And Geoffrey thought that was so funny he had to take picture of me with his cell phone.

So I took a picture of him taking a picture of me…

and I’m probably the newest Facebook/Youtube sensation in Uganda.

The large loom George was on is used to make tablecloths.

This smaller loom is used to make napkins and placemats.

This woman was spinning the yarn onto the spindle to use in the looms.

I also had to take a picture of her beautiful clothes.  Probably made with the tie-dye two doors down.

This is the tie-dye room.  I felt like more of an interruption here, so I didn’t stay long.

And here are the dolls!  I really wanted one, and they were only $6!  But there was only one finished one left, and Chris got it.  There is a level of perfectionism regarding these handicrafts.  Though the doll was made, she was missing her bead necklace and earrings, and they weren’t willing to sell and “unfinished” one.   So maybe I can get one at the airport or the safari lodge gift shop.  If not, I might be able to get one  online if shipping isn’t outrageous.  Or, I’ll just wait and get one on my next trip.  *grin*  I had to come back for coffee this time, so I can come back for a doll next time.

After we’d all had a chance to shop and visit, we loaded back into the van and it was off to the village!  This team truly has fun together so even a 2-1/2 hour van ride, packed in like sardines, over bumpy African roads doesn’t seem long at all.

Of course, there’s all kinds of silliness when you’re stuck together for so long.

On the way, we made two stops: one at a market in Gulu to pick up some pineapples.  That’s where we met this little cutie patootie.  Mindee gave her one of our bags of chips and she ran off to share them with her family.  A minute later, she ran back to us to say “thank you.”

We didn’t pick up THIS meat for dinner.  Goat stew, anyone?

The second stop was to pick up some chickens for dinner.  Yes, I said chickens.  Live ones.  With the feathers still on them and everything.  As our van pulled up, the vendors from across the street came running with their limes and pineapples and cassava and potatoes and meat-on-a-stick and nuts and chickens.

Holding the chickens by their feet, the men brought 6 or 7 – both hands FULL – to offer us to buy.  Rose was truly in command of it all, feeling the legs of the chickens and bartering the price.

We all pretty much decided the world would be a better place if Rose was in charge of all negotiations: peace treaties, geographical regions, whatever!  We ended up with 4 or 5 chickens – LIVE ones – in a box strapped to the top of the van, tucked neatly in with our luggage.  Dave was convinced their feathers and wings would help us be more aerodynamic as we drove along.

We crossed the Nile (again) shortly thereafter, and it wasn’t too long before we were at “the land!”

The Nile River!

The river was high…we’re in the rainy season.

When we arrived at the village, the children were still in school, but Cindy was out in front waving at us.  We said hello and unloaded our gear and found our long-lost luggage we sent ahead from Entebbe.  Cindy showed us her new hut – VERY NICE!

To me, this hut spells L-O-V-E.

I could seriously live here – happily – for quite a long time.

I was ready to drop $2K right on the spot to build my own…and tell Matt to sell everything and get ready to move!  But I didn’t.

We had some time to visit with Cindy in her hut, learning about the current state of affairs related to VoH.  I won’t share those details publicly on the internet but will say that the situation is complex and there are no easy answers.  All I can do is trust that God has all of this under His control and He will create a thing of beauty in the end.

We were then treated to lunch – of rice and beans, pineapple, and “spaghetti” (Ugandan style!).  It was SO good!

Then the children were done with school and were finally able to see them!  I instantly recognized Stella and Joyce from the safe house. Stella in particular recognized me and gave me a great big hug and wanted to spend time with me.  I was so honored!  When I saw Irene, I recognized her instantly!  I hugged her tightly and nearly cried with joy to see her again.  It was so precious to actually be there after all these months of longing and waiting and hoping.  There are so many new faces but I am determined to learn as many as I can!  Scovia (the shy one) snuggled up to me and wanted me to come with her to see her house.  I was eager to see all that had been accomplished since our last trip.

It was amazing!  FOUR HOUSES, 2 staff dormitories, latrines for boys and girls, a staff latrine with 2 bathing rooms, 2 squatty potties and 2 box-seat pit latrines and another house underway.  To think that God has put all this together – and then allow these setbacks – just doesn’t make sense to me.  I admit I don’t understand God’s plan, but I rest assured that He has one and that His plan is GOOD.

I went with Stella and Scovia into their house and saw their rooms.  To see the finished homes, and the joy of the girls sharing it, was a special moment.  Such peace, contentment, and joy!  I saw where they bunked and tried to match each girl with their bed.  This also helped me learn their names.

Then it was playtime!  Renee and Mindee brought out the bubbles and Jon brought out a kickball and we had a blast: blowing bubbles, playing “soccer” and just hanging out.

Beautiful Scovia, having the time of her life blowing bubbles!

Janet learned quickly how to make a “snowman” out of bubbles.

After awhile with the bubbles, some of the girls stood in a circle passing a ball around.  I told Trace we should make them say the name of the person they passed it to.  We had a great time learning each other’s names and played the game for probably an hour or more.

They kept switching places around the circle…which made the game more challenging!

Before dark, a football team from another village came in to play against “our guys” – the men on staff here.  It was a great game – very intense – but the VoH team won 1-0!

The VoH team is in the blue.  And yes, they play barefoot.

During the game, the girls braided my hair (and Mindee’s and Renee’s and Amy’s).

Before the braiding…with Scovia.

The braiding starts.  And yes, my hair was a fright after that bus ride.  I didn’t care.

Janet joined in…

…and pretty soon I had a full-fledged beauty salon entourage.

I had to take a picture with my two hairdressers.

And then Gladys wanted in on the fun.

And then it all fell apart!

I ended up looking a little like Buckwheat from the Little Rascals, but I didn’t care.  I loved it!  We played until the game was over and it was time to go to dinner.

I just can’t get enough of these girls.

The children went to their homes and we ate around the campfire.  We had such a great time laughing and sharing as we ate.  We noticed the children were heading down to the school for evening worship after the meal.  I asked Cindy if we could join them and she said yes, so Trace, Jon, Amy, Robert, Connor and I went down.

Oh.  My.  Goodness.

I am so glad we did.  What an amazing, indescribable time we experienced.  The noise in the room as the children sang was nearly deafening, but we experienced TRUE worship as it was meant to be.  Singing, dancing, spontaneous praise, giving their all in complete abandon.  No one worried about what others would think or say.  They moved as the Spirit of God led them, they raised their voices in tremendous song, they poured out their hearts to God.  After the intense worship time, they all sat down and began praying.  Simultaneously.  Out LOUD.  To see the passion and fervor with which they pray is humbling beyond belief.  I was holding back tears – unsuccessfully at times – as they prayed, thanking God for US, how humbled they were to have us here, and how they hoped to be able to help us.

We left, the ones being humbled, awed, and filled to overflowing with gratitude as we sang our way back to the camp and hugged all the kids good-night.

We are one family

We are one family

We are one family

In Jesus’ name…