One Week In Mbale

So I've been in Mbale for just over a week now. It has been quite the adventure.

We have gone to many meetings for many different groups and organizations. We started Monday with going in to the slums for a HIV/AIDS group meeting. These people are fantastic. They voluntarily give up their precious time to developing awareness of HIV/AIDS in this slum city of Namatala. After the meeting we went around and visited the people. It is common to think that jumping up and down will prevent you from getting AIDS. I was shocked. Their understanding is so limited.

We went to a bunch of health clinics but the most heart wrenching was the public clinic. Imagine taking equipment from world war 1 and using that in a hospital and that's what they have here. There have been many donations from people in America and the UK but they are still lacking a lot and the need is so high. The worst was going to the nutrition building and seeing so many little children who are malnourished. It  makes me take a second thought on my feelings of hunger and what hunger really is. 

The kids here are just adorable and always yell at us "Mzungu, how are you?" in the most high pitched voices. Mzungu means "white person". Then they run up to us and hold our hands and walk with us anywhere we go. When we sit down they flock to us and we play with them. The boy in this picture thought it was funny to say shhh and spit everywhere.
We went on a 4 hour hike and we started with just the 7 of us and ended with about 7 other Ugandans who followed us up the entire mountain... barefoot.  The hike itself was GORGEOUS. Pictures don't do it justice at all. What a beautiful land.

We went to a traditional African wedding which is just like any American wedding. We didn't even know the bride and groom but because we are white they treated us like family and we even were asked to be in line for food right behind the bride and groom. crazy. Ugandan's know how to eat, when they have it. They stack their plates so high and then they just eat with their hands. Lately (as in before I came to Uganda) I have been quite a messy eater. I think it's the utensils. Yes, call me a savage if you will but I eat without utensils now and I am somehow much cleaner.

Our biggest mode of transportation is by Boda-Boda aka scooters. It's so much fun. We pile on the back of the Boda driver and for the equivalent of 40 cents they drive us all around town. The pot holes and unpaved roads keep me on my toes the entire time but I enjoy every ride. 

Introductions are a big deal in Ugandan culture. They take a lot of time and every greeting is the same and went just like this "You are welacome. I don't have much to say but i want to thank ower visitars who have come from far a-way to helup us.They are sent from God and may God bless them". They are very Christian and full of love to God for all their blessings.

The church here is AMAZING. I absolutely love the members of the Mbale Branch. They are so warm and welcoming. The best part is that they teach the pure doctrines of the church. It is so refreshing to go back to the basics of the Doctrine of Christ and to see it being lived so humbly. It came as a shock to me after Gospel Principles today when the Sunday School President approached me and invited me to give the lesson next week. Even after serving a mission and teaching at the MTC I am quite a bit intimidated to teach. But I'm sure it will go well.

Wow what a week it has been. I can't believe I am so blessed to work with such great people. It's crazy but...
that's my life and what a live I live.