Cameras and cobras

Sunday brings us to Lugogo Baptist Church in Kampala. The music reminds me of favorite churches and favorite contemporary songs – all very familiar. I know I am far from home, but this place now seems not too far. The children fill this place, scattered about in red or yellow smiley face plastic chairs. We sing, praise and lift up prayers. The church concerns are mostly similar to what I am used to hearing on a typical Sunday morning. Heath concerns, financial worries, seeking comfort and peace. And then a few are new to me. One church member crashed her new-to-her boda boda and another came across a large cobra outside their home.
You know I could totally support the mission of a church that lifts up in prayer boda bodas and cobras.

Lunch brings some great food (I did enjoy some goat… wrapped in a pita-like flat bread) and the church director’s family sharing the table. His wife begins to tell our group about her three children seated with us then goes into some pretty good (depending on your stage of the meal) detail about the delivery of each child. Seems her first came without labor and a month early. Not even near the hospital. Next one was similar - no pain, no signs of anything and no hospital, again early. Third one? She did happen to be near the hospital, but still a month early. I wonder why she would be telling all this to us, until she gets up to get some food and I notice she is about 40 weeks along. My first thought is if I should just keep an eye under the table.

We had a great time with all the children and took a group of them to lunch and an amusement park. At the park we took over hut number three. Some people were playing cricket while we took a ride on a kiddies train and enjoyed a birthday party for a sponsored child, Josephine. We shared some green cake (it was yummy, and of course mine fell to the ground, but I figured the five-second rule still applies in Africa, right?) and said some goodbyes to our friends, before heading out for the cultural center for dinner and a show. On tap was the Ugandan equivalent to Jerry Seinfeld – telling jokes along with stories of Uganda. There were dancers, drums and all sorts of local instruments and great laughter.

After another full day, we load up into the bus for the last wild ride of the day. Our UCU students fill the bus with song, only skipping a beat when we hit some bumps. We pray together and the devotional for the night was focused on finishing strong. There trip is half over, but for me, I am leaving in the morning. We hope our stay in Uganda brings renewed hope and positive change - to all involved. Sometimes we realize just how much we receive when we make the simplest of efforts to give.

And on this night, filled with traffic, smoke, and darkness I begin to understand why I am here. And now I must move on.