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Uganda, East Africa This is the hot, dry season in Uganda. For 3 months, December through February, there is little rain, few clouds, so the temperat
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This is the hot, dry season in Uganda. For 3 months, December through February, there is little rain, few clouds, so the temperature gradually rises until it can be 10-15° higher than we’re used to the rest of the year. It does not take long for the hot, tropical sun to parch the land, with no clouds to protect it. The sky takes on a dull, brownish haze, many trees shed their leaves, and grass and trees along roadside wear a reddish brown, heavy coat of dust. Smoke is added to the dry, dusty air as people set fire to swamps, grasslands, and fire their handmade bricks. |
 Hand made bricks are fired with wood fires. |
Sunday our pastors were gone, and I had been asked to bring the message to the congregation. The senior pastor was in Kenya for a 5-day pastors’ seminar, another pastor is a school headmaster who had to go back to work after holiday break. Some years back I taught the one pastor how to drive, and later he taught the other one. So on Sundays, between the 2 of them, they take my old Land Cruiser out to pick up a few church members who live too far to walk. But this Sunday I was the only available driver, as well as the speaker. |
As is often the African way, no real plans had been made for Sunday, aside from me being asked to speak. I did not know that the headmaster-pastor was gone, so assumed he would come and get my truck and do the pick-ups. But about 9:30 I got a phone call saying that certain people were ready to be picked up, did I know who was going to do it? I quickly saw that was going to be me! So I finished getting ready, and went out to start up my very dusty Land Cruiser, wearing a light skirt and blue print blouse. Mistake #1. By the time I got in the truck, behind the wheel, and had opened and closed my gate, my skirt was no longer white. And I was the speaker of the day!
I stopped at the next village to pick up a few people, and saw I was going to need to open the very back of the Land Cruiser and let some of them sit on the 2 seats back there. To my dismay, I saw those seats were coated in a thick layer of reddish dust and dirt. I quickly brushed them off with my hands. Mistake #2. The combination of what ever was on the seats and the lotion I’d put on before I left home made sure that I could not brush the grime off my hands either! And I was the church speaker! |
An unexpected part of the trip was going even further out to another village, one I was unfamiliar with, and picking up the last of my load of people. Turning around on narrow village roads can be a real trick, as there are generally deep drainage ditches on both sides, with only occasional driveways or side roads. Since the people I was carrying were not used to me, a white lady, driving them on these roads, when I went to turn around, I heard all kinds of chirps and clicks and giggles from the back seats as they feared I was going to drop a wheel in the big ditch behind us. That was not mistake #3 – I had more experience than they thought, so we turned around just fine, giving all a good laugh. |
Finally we got to church and the worship service started. Now remember, our church is not a completed building yet. We have tarps overhead, hung up by the pastor’s kids, and basically sit out in the open under their translucent shade. But the breezes are nice because it’s probably well over one hundred degrees, and people sing, dance and sweat. No problem. But I’m looking down at my filthy skirt and hands, knowing I have to speak, and I’m looking up at the front of the church, wondering where the podium is! Everything was in place, except for the podium, which I’d hoped to hide my dirty self behind. And after a good time of worship, it was now my turn to stand in front of the people…
I had prayed for the right people to be there and that my words would minister. The congregation was smaller than it has been of late, possible because the senior pastor was gone, possibly because kids were starting back to school on Monday after holiday break. But we had new people, among whom one had walked for miles to come; another who was so sick a bed was made for him to lie down during the service. So I knew God had heard my prayers. |
I stood in front of them and shared how if I’d known how my morning was going to be, I would not have worn a white skirt. They laughed because it was obvious what I was alluding to. Then I shared how I’d hoped to hide myself behind the podium, but it was not there. (I learned later that someone had gotten into our unfinished church office and maliciously destroyed our podium.) But I said that I am not ashamed to get dirty working for Jesus! They laughed and applauded, and I was ok to continue with my message. |
This is life and ministry in rural Uganda. Dusty and dirty as it is this time of year, my favorite place in the world is still village Africa. I spoke to them of good trees and bad trees, what kind of fruit are we producing? Do pineapples grow on banana trees? Do beans plants produce peanuts? We looked at acts of the sinful nature versus fruits of the spirit, and I asked them “What kind of tree are you?” Psalm 1: 1-3 concluded the message, telling how God’s Word makes us a healthy, productive tree. No one fell asleep, and that’s a miracle! We had prayer time afterwards and needy people came forward for God to heal them, set them free, or bless them. |
When all was completed for the service, I went and bought more fuel to make sure I had enough for my village run, took all the folks home that I’d brought, and finally got home…
It was 4:00 PM – and I hit the shower! That’s a shower without running water, by the way. Then I had breakfast, lunch and dinner all in one… And that night I slept sweet sleep… |
 Visit our sister ministry. Click on this link. | | |
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