3.27.08
“Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.’” John 4:13-14
African soil is a rich, rust-colored red which paves way the roads and walking paths in Kampala. It is a beautiful sight to see the contrast of deep burnt sienna swirling around on the ground with the lush, green backdrop of the plant life on a windy day. When the rains pour down upon Africa, however, walking through the streets can be rather unpleasant. Shoes sink deep into the muddy streets, collecting mounds of sludge on the soles. The great potholes fill with rain and create risky opportunity for taxis to tidal-wave pedestrians who walk too close to the traffic. The thunderstorm from the night before carried into the early morning, so we were not able to go to Sanyu Babies Home as scheduled on Thursdays.
We waited out the rain, discussing how it would be much easier to make the trek to the various projects we serve if the ICY organization had a van. Our prayers were answered this week, however, by a man in Florida whom Wilson had met this winter while speaking at different churches and schools throughout the USA. He decided to donate the money needed for ICY to purchase a van, which would serve to transport volunteers, as well as act as a taxi service the other time to help raise support for the organization. ICY hopes to purchase the van in the next few weeks.
In the afternoon with our pants rolled up, we tiptoed through the soggy grounds to catch a taxi van to Remand Juvenile Home. Everyone gathered into the outside classroom as Sam, one of the Ugandan Volunteer Staff members, began to play worship music on his guitar. Over one hundred teenagers danced and sang with great enthusiasm in both the Luganda and English languages. We played a game, which encouraged bright, smiling faces on all of those in the room, and I wondered how often these kids feel such joy. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to contribute to a fun and positive program which the residents of Remand Home can look forward to each week.
Jed, one of the American volunteers who arrived from Georgia with his wife ten days prior to my arrival, gave a message to the youth. He discussed the story of JESUS and the Samaritan Woman at the well from the fourth chapter of John in the bible. So many of the teens in the home have tried to fill their lives with theft, drugs, sex, and violence to cover up the painful experiences and relationships from their past. The Samaritan Woman similarly tried to find fulfillment in her life with her relationships with men. When JESUS met the woman at the well and asked for a drink of water, she was taken aback by a Jewish man speaking to her as a Samaritan, something which was socially unacceptable. JESUS looked beyond her label and her lifestyle, and offered her something that could satisfy her thirst- living water. HE said to her, “Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:14b. So many of the kids there really embraced Jed’s message and I was so inspired by the passion and energy they had in their prayers to the LORD.
When it was time for us to leave, the afternoon light drizzling had begun to clear up, though the clouds kept a thick layer over our heads. Billy, the ICY project manager, thought it would be nice to walk back to our house, rather than take a taxi. I was anxious to see more of Kampala’s scenery [and to save 500-700 shillings!], so I accompanied him on the three mile, walk home. The City of Seven Hills had beautiful views and the plants were ripe with life from the rains. Billy and I laughed after a truck almost sprayed us with muddy water when he hit a pothole because he was distracted by the “muzungu” [ma-ZOON-gu]-a white person walking on the side of the road. I apologized to Billy for almost getting drenched. When we finally reached home, we had to wash our shoes of the mud, which had caked itself all the way up onto our pant legs. GOD bless the rains down in Africa…even if it creates a mess load of mud!
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