Monday: Day Three.... Start of the conference.
We were told by the community members to expect between 30-100 people to participate in our conference. There was no pre registration... no paying before you came... you just got on a Matatu (they are taxi like mini buses) and prayed you made it. (Or got into your land rover and drove 14 hours on dirt tracks like the Sudanese) In other words we didn't know what to expect on Monday morning as people started trickeling into the compound.
I got up at 7 to make sure I got my prayer time in before the day started. Then took a shower... which faced east, the sunrises in Africa are really beautiful! (It's a land of sunrises not sets). At 8 am we gathered for a time of team prayer and I think we talked about how the day would go as well. We breakfasted after that. Breakfast was generally bread with either a sort of peanut butter, or marmalade or butter..there were about 6 options for the bread... and then tea or instant coffee. Coffee is actually really expensive in Uganda(across Africa actually) ... which is ironic because the best coffee in the world is African.
At 9:30 we met with our African team members to start getting to know one another nad get things set for the week. We created a schedule where there really hadn't been one. (We actually stuck fairly well with it too!) After the first section of meeting together, we had tea break and then I worked with David, Clemintina, and Dallas on the Christian sexuality talk materials to see if this was something that should be dealt with. The African felt that it was something that we should cover.
They say in Africa... "Blessed at the flexible, they will not break"... I think I grew a lot in flexibility.
Clemintina and I worked on the session some more... but what we came up with never took place. I like that Africans don't get (visibly) frustrated with these things. I think that Africa is really good for me.
At one pm we had lunch with the team. I noted in my journal that is was really good. I think it was pasta and rice with the meat over it.
After lunch we had free time until the conference started at dinner time. I got to know several of the community's children... Micheal, John Paul and Clare. All of them were afraid of white people, except John Paul... who seems to have a thing for white women. He is 3 years old.
I met and greeted a lot of the students as they came into the compound, as well as meeting more community members. After a bit I went for a walk and followed my friend Angela to her house. We sat in their bed room for a long time and she told me her heart breaking story. We prayed together, and talked. It was really life giving for both of us to share in suffering together.
I then spent some time talking to some Kenyan men, Ben and Denise. They were two of the people I got to be good friends with. (Later on Ben ended up in hospital for 2 days with Malaria and Thyphoid) While talking to them I had several children gathering shyly around my legs. They refused to be introduced to the Kenyans, but just held onto my skirt.
I got some tea with the team and then at 6 we all went for our opening mass at the church. Everyone had gathered... though we did get a good number of people who came late. The mass was excellent, very lively and full of beauty and life. Dinner came next, and I spilled David's water everywhere. I can be rather clumsy at times...
At some point in the day we met Charles who arrived to help facilitate the conference. He is Ugandan. We washed up and then went to the conference opening. The chairs were all full! I sat next to a woman named Angela... a different Angela... who was very fun and dynamic. Everyone was introduced and we had a great time of praise and worship. I loved how we danced in worship! I was right at home...
After the session I was exhausted and just wanted to go to bed. But Mark stopped me and said we had team time. I didn't want to have team time, I wanted my bed. But we went... we all piled into Martin's room so we could have some peace and quiet. Martin busted out Haribo Star Mix ... that was great. I was able to articulate the things I was finding challenging, as were the rest of the team (I think). It was a good time to check in with everyone and make sure we were all ok. It became a tradition... no matter how late it was. The late night team time provided some truly hilarious moments!
After team time I laid out under the stars for a while. Leah came over for a bit and I gushed about how incredibly happy I was to be laying on African soil. :D
It was a good start.
No comments:
Post a Comment