This afternoon I heard the gate to my compound being opened so I went out to check who it was. A neighbour lady I met once before was coming in with her baby and 3 year old girl. When the girl saw me she started running and crying in the other direction. I ended up taking the baby while Pauline, the mother, went to get her daughter. Apparently the little girl was afraid of the monkeys who live in our compound. Although I had to clearly explain that the monkeys were gone... and then she felt free to come in. I'm just glad she wasn't afraid of my white skin, because sometimes I can make little kids cry by just walking by.
Pauline came in to say hello but to also ask if I could help her find a job. There are some days when her husband has difficulty finding construction work, so they go to bed hungry and she wants to help out more. I looked over all of her paperwork and gave her a few ideas as to where she should apply. But then I said, but all I can really do is pray with you. She was so delighted that I would do that. We prayed together and then I gave the little girl a stuffed animal from the huggies box and the baby some clothes. I also gave her some "Our Daily Bread" devotionals to read and she was grateful.
The little girl, Inyee, wanted to show me her house... so that I could see how she used to see the monkeys. I walked through some other neighbour's yards until we came to Pauline's home.
From the front of their hut you can see my white house in the background with a cement wall in front of it. The monkeys used to climb on that wall, but they were released 2 weeks ago when the Sliedrechts went back to America.
Here is Inyee with her cousins in front of her home.... with her new treasured doll. (That's what they call stuffed animals.) And do you see the little boys outie... it was about 1 and a half inches long... I haven't figured out yet why that is a common thing here.I ended up staying for a simple meal of atapa and greens. Atapa is my least favourite millet Ugandan dish. The greens were cooked with simsim - sesame seeds. While we were eating, Pauline's brother-in-law found the devotionals.
He disappeared behind the house with a Bible and the booklet and spent the next hour outside - reading. Praise God.
Pauline also tried to read, but the kids were a little excited to have me around. Hopefully she will find more time in the quiet evenings. 
you have much more patience than i... i should have stepped back and prayed with the people who asked me for help. how ignorant of me!! i was usually grumpy because they would come at 7am on a saturday morning, looking for the "white girl" who would feed them. so i would get frustrated. i should have taken more time to see it from their perspective. and maybe talked to them after having had a cup of coffee...
ReplyDeleteKaren, I am so glad you had the foresight to pray and give the devotional. It is interesting that kids cry because of your white skin. We have a friend here that is quite dark black with dreads and Caleb screams every time he sees him. I pray that as he sees him more often that he will become more adjusted to his darker skin. Jacob is good with it so I am suire Caleb will be ok too, in time.
ReplyDeleteIt is great you are able to pass along so much stuff to the people that live right around you. Brian and I are so happy that everything is getting to the people that really do need it.