Would you rather??

Each day I anticipate a new adventure, but it seems to go by so slow, but somehow I am here again.  Sitting and thinking about my week.  We had a teacher team come help this week so transportation was rough, but I still was able to find joy in this culture, in these people, and with my team.

 My relationships with the children are growing and I admit I have my favorites.  First we have Janet.  She is an extremely stubborn 15 year old girl. She always asks for me, and when I come its like she doesn’t want me there.  Next we have Monica.  She is probably 5 years old and I want to stick her in my suitcase.  She has the cutest giggle and loves to be held.  She crawled into my lap one night this week and after a short time, she was holding on to me tight and fast asleep.  Then we have Gloria.  She is 13 years old and is precious.  She tells me I am funny and strong.  She asks all sorts of funny questions.  She finds it fascinating that my dad likes to cook and that we have a magic box that cleans our clothes (my attempt to explain a laundry machine.)  She told me I look like the mother of Jesus and asked me what the name “Rebecca” meant, I told her, “the gifted dancer.”  She believed me. I must have impressed her with my skills. 

The babies home was different this week. We didn’t get pep talk, we just went for it.  I tried to bathe a baby and she just cried the entire time. She was still so cute.  I also played with a little girl named Monica (not to be confused with the other Monica).  We knew she was paralyzed and tried to be as cautious as possible.  Chelsey and I were playing with her and all the sudden she fell back on her head and began to sieze.  It was so scary.  We had no idea what to do and Chelsey yelled for help.  One of the nuns came and she didn’t even flinch.  She began to tell us that she also has epilepsy (cool thanks for the warning!).  This little girl is so full of joy and it broke my heart to hear more of her condition. 

Me and some of the girls attempted to go on a run. It went okay minus the fact I was in Vans and we were almost trampled by some cows along the way.  We also ran through a little village, we made a baby cry and run back into the house because of our skin color.  I love being the first white person kids see, its like being a celebrity.

This week has been filled with some pretty intense conversations, both challenging and enlightening.  The girls are such a blessing to me.  We all came to Uganda praying to be transformed and I can already see that happening for each of us (Romans  6: 1-8). 

Read with Caution:
I also had a CRAZY conversation with the locals.  We went to our village partnership homes again.  Jill and I helped pull plants from the ground and then took the leaves off for some sort of sauce they were going to make.  While taking off the leaves, Jill and I found ourselves whispering to each other, “is this really happening.”   I don’t know how it started, but it started with them telling us about a tribe (not close to us) that kidnaps kids and eats them. Yes. Eats them. As in cooks them, and eats them.  It then drifted into what the LRA did in towns very close to us.  Susan told us stories of tribes that would be attacked by the rebels.  She said that the rebels would take out pots and cook people and force their family and friends to eat them.  If they couldn’t eat them they would be killed and if they did, they would be considered strong enough to be a part of the army.  She said there was a school where the head master was killed and the kids were told to eat him.  It then got turned into the most disturbing game of “would you rather.”  They asked me if I would rather eat my friends or die. I couldn’t believe they were even asking me this, but for them, this is reality.  They said that if you chose to eat your friends you had to appreciate them like a meal.  You had to say thank you and you couldn’t cry or vomit or else you would be considered weak. The conversation drifted into the fear during that time and what they would do if the rebels came back.  They both said they would stay with their families and let it be God’s will because they wouldn’t have enough money to run. 
I asked them about their views on the United Nations and America. James told me the UN was good for food but nothing else.  He also said that without America they would all be dead.  He said that some countries may hate America, but as an American coming to Uganda, you will be nothing but loved.
            The intensity dwindled with a conversation about pets.  I told them I have turtles and they were fascinated.  Why would you have turtles? When you call, they don’t even come? Whats the purpose? To be honest I don’t really know.  No offense Mufasa. 

            Please be praying for my health and the health of my team.  We are useless without happy bodies.  I have been challenged everyday and my thoughts are scrambled, I need prayer for clarity as well.

Dangaber

BTW: Held a baby goat, ate a bug, acted as Angel Gabriel for our birth of baby Jesus skit. TIA.