Journey to Mukura

On Sunday I traveled with the Academic Dean to his home Mukura: ((n) Moo-koo-rah: trading center near Soroti). I was informed of that this journey would take place on Friday. This was a bit nerve wracking since this journey involved 2 hours in public transportation, and 3 hours of me preaching at the church there. Here is how it went down.

We left our compound at about 7:45 AM. Took a boda boda (motorcycle for hire) to the Kumi (Koo-me) Road. This is where the taxi's load. The taxis here are "public means." They are like a micro bus deal straight out of the 70's. There is a sign on the side "licensed to carry 12." The average number of passengers is 15, and the high was 22. This was a warm and cozy ride. I mean very warm, oh and I will take this moment to remind you that deodorant is not used here. I will tell you more about these two modes of transportation later.

Upon arrival to Mukura we went to Amos' house where I ate breakfast prepared by his wife. Eggs and bread, and of COURSE tea. Remember any time is tea time in Uganda. We then ventured to church. This was about a kilometer walk. We entered to applause. That's never happened before.

I then enjoyed listening to the several choirs, and congregational singing in Ateso. A language that I am definitely not fluent in. After which Amos spoke for a little bit "warming them up" and then I did my thing, and really Amos did the preaching I just gave him my ideas of what I wanted to say and he said, well I have no idea what he said, but it seemed that he said more than me sometimes... Oh well.

After church I think I shook at least 50 people's hands. The grown ups came up and usually say "eyalama" (thank you), "Karibu" (you are welcome, which is not used here like it is in the US. Instead of saying come again, or come in and sit down, they say you are welcome. This confused me for quite some time), or "Praise God" (Iteretete Edeke) to which I reply "Amen." They would then leave and make room for more, but the little kids would come up and shake my hand and kneel a little bit. They would then continue to stand in a circle around me, staring at me as if I don't look like them? They are very cute though, so I didn't mind. They would just break out in laughter sometimes. I'm not sure if it was at me or with me... Oh well...

Then we went back to Amos' house. We ate more lunch than I have ever eaten. I literally think that every person that reads this blog could have eaten from the table set for 2, and we would have had extra. It was delicious though. Pork (in some sort of thick sauce), chicken stew, chipoti, rice, Irish potatoes, passion fruit juice. Since I was the guest I got to eat the gizzard.

We then went back to church where I continued teaching. I taught them an illustration for sharing the gospel in the afternoon, and the importance of follow up after sharing the gospel.

There was similar shaking of hands, we went back to Amos' house for a short bit, and then caught a taxi back to the college.

Here are some photos from the journey. Enjoy!

Amos, his wife and I in front of his house in Mukura.

This is a prime example of the use of motor bikes here. Who needs a truck when you have a motorcycle or a bicycle?! Loaded on this bike is a live pig.

This is a cool looking lizard. I asked what they are called. Profoundly enough they are called...
Drum role please.... Lizards.

Some fellows hanging out with their goats, or perhaps not their goats, but goats are near them in any event.

This is Amos' granddaughter Alicia feeding the chickens. With help from grandma.


I am sorry that I lied at the end of my last post. I will not include those things in my post today. Mainly because many other things occurred that I felt you would enjoy hearing about more.

Yoga Noi!

Yoga Noi from Mbale!

If you wondered Yoga noi means "Hello it is great!" That is in Ateso. That is not the language of Mbale but many of the students here are from north of here and we about 10 kilometers from "Tesoland."

So I left the US a week ago today. In that time I made it Kampala on Friday night. The first thing that struck me was the traffic. That may have been the second thing actually. The first thing was that going through customs was a personal choice. I chose to not, as did most of the plane. Then a taxi driver picked me up and took me through Kampala to a hotel. The ride was crazy. It was about 9 PM and yet there was a "jam." There were people and cars and bikes everywhere. People use they horns and lights to signal their coming and to signal their coming. Overtaking is a common practice. There really are not traffic control systems to speak of, just horns and lights.

The food here is very good. There is usually something with broth that goes over rice, potatoes (sweet or irish)(sweet potatoes here are white and just have a hint of sweetness), matooke (which is a variety of nonsweet bananas that are used like potatoes and often mashed and steamed in banana leaves), or chipoti (wheat flour and water fried like a pancake - very heavy but delicious). They also have the most fantastic juice here. No not orange (which are green and don't turn orange, deceiving name). Fresh passion fruit juice. I may move here just for that. "Any time is tea time in Uganda" is said frequently, but every day after at 11 there is tea time. Tea is served VERY HOT and is about 1/4 tea and 3/4 milk. That is about the only time Ugandans take milk. PS everything is taken not eaten or drank. It is taken.

I now have a pretty good idea of what I will be doing. I am working with the farm manager on developing the best way to improve the 5 paddocks of pasture, and establishment of the forages. I spent most of the last 2 days at the farm doing that. The cows look very good by Ugandan standards. Local cows are about hip high to me. Ours are normal heifer size.

The portion of my description that was stated as "discipleship and evangelism" are going to take place mainly on the weekend. I will be traveling to churches in Uganda, and perhaps into Kenya. I will be preaching (?) and doing trainings on evangelism and discipleship. I feel pretty good about the second portion. The first portion is less exciting. mainly because I don't know what I'm supposed to be teaching on, but it'll work out.

That is probably about enough rambling for now. Oh and everything just kind of stops in the afternoon from 1-4. Mostly because it is raining during that time every day.

"Praise God" is a greeting and departing term to which you reply "Amen."

Here are some pictures:

These are the cows. There are 9 heifers. Three are bred. One will be calving soon.

Supper on Tuesday. Fried chicken, rice, chipoti, avocado, onion, tomato, some sort of broth, and some sort of fruit. Might be jack fruit. I don't know.

This is a hill outside of Mbale. This picture is right outside my door just after sunrise. These are to the east. It is the foothills of Mt Elgon. Some call it (them/there are more behind) rocks. Others say they are too small to even be rocks, but they look like mountains to me.

These confuse me though, because I always think they are to the west. That is likely because the weather all comes from the east here. It is mind blowing.

Next Episode will include: My place of residence, the college, and the people here. Stay tuned!

The Time Draws Nigh

In the words of Peter, Paul, and Mary "Puff the magic dragon lived by the sea"... wait no those are not the right words from Peter, Paul, and Mary...

"All my bags are packed, and I'm ready to go." Yeah those are the ones.

I spent the last 3 days in Grand Rapids, MI. I have been oriented to many things that I will be facing; culture shock, poverty, expense reports. I think the thing I am looking forward to the least is the expense reports.

I learned a Swahili worship song, tasted some authentic food from Kenya (neighbor to Uganda to the east), and met some great people. The song has been stuck in my head for 2 days, and the food was fantastic.

Here is a more up to date itinerary. I will get on the plane here at 1:35 PM EDT May 20, 2010. I will then get off the plane in Entebbe Uganda at 9:40 PM Friday August 21. Once I arrive there someone will be there to pick me up. I believe it will be someone from Christian Reformed World Relief Comittee. I think I will then spend the night in Kampala (the capitol city of Uganda). Patrick will then pick me up on Saturday and take me to Mbale, about a 4 hour journey by, well I don't know what for of transportation. After that... What ever God has planned for me. Teaching, research, evangelism, discipleship, or what ever they want me to do.

There are a few things that you can pray for on my behalf. The first is that the flights will all be on time and safe. That the arrangements are all taken care of when I get there, and that I don't take too long to adjust to the time change. I also ask that you pray that there are things for me to use my skills on while I am there. That my ministry and labor is fruitful

Thank you all so much for your support. I could not do this without you. Yes, I mean you, sitting there right now. Thanks.

New Information!

On Saturday I talked to the project manager for the dairy program at the seminary at Mbale. The purpose of the dairy farm at the seminary is to provide the students there with greater understanding of production systems of dairy, row crops, and forages. This knowledge can then be used as the pastors go out into the surrounding communities to increase the productivity of the farmers in those communities.

My responsibilities will be mostly with the crop production aspect of the farm. I will be doing some experimentation with different forage crops to see if we can increase the overall production and the nutrient value of the forage that is produced. One of the biggest struggles at this point is an overall lack of protein in the diets of the dairy cows. One of the other things I will be doing is taking some soybean seed with me to plant there to see how well they can be produced there.

This week is finals week here at ISU (my last as a cyclone). I am moving home tomorrow and packing for both Uganda and Dordt the next couple of days, because when I get back to the US on the 11th of August I will then be moving to Sioux Center to start football on the 12th. Then on Saturday the family is traveling to Indiana/Michigan for a week of relaxing. I will have orientation for my trip the 17th through the 19th of May. On May 20 at 1:45 PM I get on the plane for the first flight (all the way to Detroit).

The moral of that mindless ramble was that this is all coming right up. I ask that you continue to pray for me to be prepared to do all of this. For my financial support to come in, and that a place for me in Mbale would be prepared and that I will be effective when I get there.

Thank you!