Impressions from another world

We arrived safely in Uganda on Monday despite our doubts as to how our flight would turn out….Instead of saying that they were going to turn off the cabin lights for the evening flight, the British flight attendant informed us that they were going to “dim the cabin lights during the hours of darkness.” J  Just slightly unsettling.

As we touched down in Entebbe, the reality of this was breathtaking. Driving past banana plantations, mud houses, mountains, security check-points….it all becomes real. Africa is a real place with real people that have lives, dreams and disappointments just like everyone else. Mr. Cash asked us what things were different than we were used to. We laughed and said, “I think it would be easier to answer what is thing are the same.” It’s a pretty crazy to be walking in a Ugandan town and then here Rascal Flatts blaring from a stereo. J

We drove to Fort Portal and had a happy reunion with the rest of the Cash family. The past few days have been a mixture of resting, adjusting, learning and watching… getting used to sleeping under mosquito nets, hearing the Islamic calls to prayer every day, hand washing our clothes, eating sugarcane, learning to slow down and adjust to a culture that has a much slower pace of life.  Honestly, we have had some amazing down time to be in the Word, stay up late talking and laughing with the Cashes, singing together, renewing…

                                                  Getting the luggage tied onto the SUV. 

                                                      View from the Cashes back porch. 

Brayden has been giving the boys sword lessons with some Nerf swords he brought. They also have started guitar lessons with Bryn. We have enjoyed getting to play with the kids- playing outside barefoot, playing card games, reading books and singing the Tangled soundtrack. So needless to say, the house has gotten a little bit louder since we arrived. J 

On Wednesday, we had the exciting experience of going to the market. Talk about standing out- being the only white people for miles around. Everyone watches us and talks about the “Muzungus” (African version of Gringo). Ugandan markets are divided into sections according to what they are selling. They spread out blankets and tarps then place their wares in piles on them. We walked past piles of bananas (Matooki), beans, raw meat hanging up, live goats for sale, piles of clothes and shoes…all the sounds and smells so different. A lot of the clothes come from the States. So you might see a village boy walking down a dirt road wearing a Hollister, Quicksilver or Florida Gators shirt.  It is really fun being on your knees, rummaging through piles of clothes trying to find a cool shirt or skirt that will cost around $1- $5.  Some of the people just stare and whisper, others actually speak to us and occasionally someone will smile.

We then had our first Toro meal...It was very interesting, but we were both glad to be back to Mrs. Cashes’ wonderful cooking when we got home.  

We also were able to see the church property and buildings, which was super exciting! Pictures to come.

God is already teaching us so much…there is so much to process and take in. Here is the way Brayden put it: “Some say that there is just one world, that we as the human race are just one people scattered to the four corners of the earth.  While that is true to some to extent and while all humans are equal in God’s eyes; I believe there are many different worlds on this planet. After setting out on this journey of a lifetime, I feel as if I have stepped out of one world into another. We arrived in Africa and of course it was different and it took some getting used to but for the first day or so I had more of a detached view of the world that surrounded me. It wasn’t until we drove from Entebbe to Fort Portal that the reality of the world that I had stepped into set in on me. Driving past the slums of Kampala, I realized that there are people who live lives that are so radically different than mine that there is no possible way I could even begin to fathom the hardship that they face on a daily basis. I realized that there is no way that I can love and these people the way I should. It is only through the grace of God that I will ever be able to serve these people as He has called me to love.  God, give me your heart for those all around me who are slowly hurting and dying without You.”