God’s Timely Encouragements

The day had been long and full. Despite our best efforts, we knew the day-long training hadn’t been as helpful as we had hoped. Maybe we should have used this method rather than that, or dropped this and included that, or…and on it went. We bumped along in our blue Rav over the long dusty road leading from the camp site on the shores of Lake Victoria to the main road that would take us to Kampala.  Dusk was falling quickly as it does on the equator. Once on the main road, we were glad we were going toward Kampala rather than joining the bumper to bumper traffic headed home after work. Our Ugandan colleague sat beside me as I drove and the three of us debriefed the day of training. Not everything had “bombed out”—the Cross Talk evangelism tool had been received with enthusiasm, participants had freely and eagerly entered into the discussion, some truly “caught” the potential and thanked us, a closing circle of prayer initiated by the National Director during which several prayed for the program and for us, and more. But, it’s so “human” to focus on what didn’t go so well, and there was plenty that fell into that category!

Our living room wall where our Christmas cards are
displayed (and almost for sure more will be added)

Ah, our gracious Shepherd knew the turmoil…we had done our best but… This morning, while sitting around our dining table, once again discussing with a friend what had happened, of all things, a cell phone text arrived from a friend in the Philippines, “I’ve been really missing you.” Tears immediately welled up…and it was then that we realized that we were also deeply missing the Philippines…the known, our comfort zone. Thank you, friend, and Thank You Lord. Looking at our living room wall, God reminded us that those Christmas cards of 2013 were from people who loved and prayed for us – some daily! Thank you Lord! While still debriefing together, a phone call confirmed that two and maybe three of the Scripture Union of Uganda Regional Coordinators and their team had volunteered to pilot the program and would meet us again on Friday—Thank You, Lord. Then as if all these encouragements were not enough, just when I needed to “lighten up,” I read an e-mail prayer letter that erupted both me and Ruth in uncontrollable giggles. Speaking of something totally different, they ended the paragraph with “memorable moments we were eager to forget!” O yes, living and ministering in our new culture has caused us some of those moments. Thank You Lord for giving us a new perspective and comic relief!

Yes, our gracious Shepherd is faithfully leading us and providing for all of our needs, even those emotional needs that others don’t even know about. How good He is.

Christmas with the “Lions”

Several weeks ago Lillian, from our Sunday School class invited us to her family home for Christmas. Later we found out that this family (a widow and her six grown daughters and their families and friends) is known for their hospitality. Our mutual friend, Connie, has been their guest for many years now. We deeply appreciated their willingness to include us and looked forward to experiencing a Ugandan Christmas.

Christmas proved to be like no other Christmas in our experience. After an amazing Christmas breakfast with Connie and a few other friends, enjoying her delectable kringlers—all five kinds, we joined her and others at KBC for the Christmas service. Not only were the familiar carols sang with meaning, they vibrated with joy—who can match the African joyful celebration? The pastor spoke from Luke 2, a very thought provoking and heart-warming message centered on God’s love and care for each individual as seen in the Christmas story.

Five of the six sisters with their mother--the delightful
"lions"

Eventually we made our way to the den where the lions lived…but what a warm and loving den it was! You see, this family belongs to the “Lion Clan” of the ancient kingdom of Buganda. There are many other clans but theirs is one of most respected and honored. We had delightful visits with our friends and met new family members and friends. I was intrigued to learn that the head of this family clan, a 78-year-old widow, had studied in both the UK and Israel and remembers how it felt to be away from home for Christmas.  No wonder she and her six daughters (one lives in the UK was unable to come home) have a special heart for hospitality to those of other nations.  This delightful widow/sister in Christ was also once a teacher and had many stories which she enjoyed sharing. Around 4 pm, the meal was ready and what a buffet awaited us on an outdoor table. For the first time (as far as we can remember) potatoes and cooked vegetables were not part of the meal. The first (and perhaps most important) dish was matooke (green mashed banana, their staple food). The special Christmas meat was freshly barbecued chicken and pork ribs, all cooked over charcoal. A pasta dish and a type of salad were also part of the main course. A couple of hours later, that same table was laden with desserts, especially a cake baked by one of the sisters. Three kinds of ice cream (which judging by the comments is a rare treat) were part of the spread too.

Almost all of these “lions” also belong to a more important clan - Lion of the Tribe of Judah! They represent Him well. We were blessed to be among them. Never did we dream that our first Christmas in Uganda would include the privilege of eating “lions.”  

Christmas Is Cross-Cultural

During our 28 years, minus a few Christmases when we were “home for Christmas” (Home Service), we enjoyed the Filipino way of celebrating the birth of our Savior. Now we enter into a new-to-us Christmas culture, that of Uganda. With more than 80% of the population calling themselves “Christian,” Christmas (and Boxing Day) is part of the national holiday calendar. In Uganda, where the evidence of material poverty is impossible to overlook, there is much less Santa (in fact we have met people who don’t know who he is, which is fine with us!) and everyone wishes you “Merry Christmas.” (Last night we took a plate of Christmas baking to a neighbor whom we’ve not met before and realized by his dress that he belongs to a non-Christian religion…but he wished us a “Happy Christmas.”) We’ve only seen two large buildings with lights strung from corner to corner, roof to ground (as opposed to the Philippines where the common and beautiful “parole/star” is found on many roofs with streams of colored lights coming from it to the ground); most buildings have no outside decorations. Inside, stores have some but fairly few visual reminders of Christmas and we’ve heard Christmas music only within the last two weeks (quite a contrast from the September 1 start of Christmas musical reminders in the Philippines). Gifts, as we understand it, are primarily between parents and children; we haven’t been part of an exchange gift at all which is also in contrast to our past experience. We've only wrapped one gift this year so far and probably that's it! Christmas trees are fairly new to the culture, so we are told, and are found only in larger stores, hotels, churches, etc. We smiled when we saw fairly simple artificial trees (which somewhat resemble Charlie Brown trees) being sold by a few vendors at major intersections in Kampala. 

Christmas is definitely “sung in” by cantatas and concerts here in the capital from both Roman Catholic and Protestant churches.  We have already see the big Watoto Church production and have taken in a Cantata and a Children’s Concert; there were several others offered which unfortunately we weren’t able to take in. Many go “upcountry” to the “village” (home town) to be with family; our day guard/gardener who rarely takes a day off is following his children in just a few hours to his village in the west. Co-missionaries tell us that the week between Christmas and New Year’s is the best time to learn our way around Kampala due to almost no traffic

On Christmas Day (tomorrow), culture call for all Christians to join their church for a Christmas service. After that, all go to their family’s gathering place for a large meal, featuring chicken as the much treasured treat. We’re grateful that a family from church has very kindly invited us to join them for the Christmas meal so we’re looking forward to that.

I am so glad Christmas is “good news for all people.” We rejoice in the reminder of Mary’s song, “His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation….He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty….” Luke 1:50, 53. Praising God that the good news of the Saviour includes Africa!