I have been kept away from the blog for a long time, unable to get to this day, day 5. It was the most important time I spent in Uganda. I am by nature an extremely private person. I am forced to be transparent by my responsibility to be a teacher of God’s Word (both in action and speech) but I still keep certain places very close to my heart and I share those spaces only when forced or when privacy is simply not attainable. I don’t have “secrets” per se, but having lived in a “glass house” now for nearly fourteen years, I am even more protective of those places in my life where access is either limited or denied.
I have already spoken of Isaac. We have been separated by my responsibilities in country now for several days, but this day we set aside to spend together and for me to meet Penninah and Lionnel. I was both excited for and dreading this day. I am a inherently skeptical person, who also is insufferably given to think the best of people. The two incongruous personality traits create almost a constant war within. I so wanted Isaac to be “for real” and yet a incessant nagging of “this is all a big scam” kept my insides upside down. We had a little difficulty meeting up with Isaac, but in the end we climbed into Richard’s car and made the trek to Jinja.
Mark and Isaac and I had plenty of time to talk along the way, so I asked as many questions as I could about his life, the culture, industry…everything. The day was warm and the car loud, so conversation was more difficult especially since Isaac’s vocabulary is not yet extensive. Isaac was kind enough to point out landmarks on the way and let us know what was growing alongside the road.
The land was verdant, the farms were extensive and the people were few. We drove through a couple of “towns” but it was mostly just rolling hills of sugar cane and matooki plants.
A Good Snapshot of the Terrain Between Kampala and Jinja
The closer we got to Jinja the more apprehensive I became. Jinja is a much different kind of town than Kampala. It is much more orderly, and gives more of the appearance of an old American “country town,” maybe somewhere off of route 66 (like Tucumcari, for instance). Isaac’s home, was very much home to me even though I was a “first timer.”
A Typical Street in Jinja
We negotiated the sidestreet to the place he had rented for his family. It took a few minutes longer than it should to get to the place due to a chicken crossing the road along with its newly hatched chicks (I am NOT making this up). Isaac’s place was one room with two beds, an electric hot plate and a small anteroom with a porcelin tub, commode and sink. VERY nice by Ugandan standards.
Pretty much the whole place...Lionnel on his bed
Lionnel and Penninah were both there and excited to see us. It was surreal. They had nothing really to show me, but they wanted me to see everything. I distributed the gifts I had brought along with the gifts that my friends Tami and Nancy had sent and we had Christmas in May.
Lionnel showed me how he makes beads using strips of paper and Isaac explained the process they go through to go from concept to finished product. A couple of day’s work making necklaces would yield for them $10US at best. Lionnel is the strong silent type and just sat quietly as “Penny” prattled on about things and showed me all her “glamour pics” she had made while she was still in school. I was overwhelmed.
Part of the day was devoted to helping Isaac plan out his finances, so I decided I would take Lionnel and Penny out to lunch and then buy them some new shoes (the ones I had brought with me were too small). We went back into town and ate and then went to Bata to purchase some shoes. They kept thanking me again and again for these simple gifts.
We went back to the place and Mark and Isaac went to lunch. I told Mark to order the fish since my chicken tasted like fish anyway. Mark took a picture of his lunch. Needless to say that he didn’t prefer to order it again and I don’t think he will trust me about food anytime soon.
A Good Reason Why Mark Won't Trust Me Again!
The day was much too short. We had to be back into Kampala at a reasonable time for our driver, and so we gathered around in a circle. I “adopted” Isaac, Penninah and Lionnel with Mark and Richard as witnesses. We all cried and Isaac prayed to God and offered thanks for being “lifted from the dust and given a family.” We prayed some more and then loaded back into the car. It was the most difficult moment of the entire trip.
We travelled from Jinja a little further north to Isaac’s family plot of land.
Mark and Isaac at Isaac
He owns about a half acre and leases it free of charge to a family that resides adjacent to the land he owns. We got to see the Nile and took pictures courtesy of a very nice army official who waived the rules when he found out I was a pastor (long story).
The Nile from above the Jinja Rapids
We arrived back to Emmaus house after dark and I finished my day trying to deal with the sorrow in my heart over having to leave my “kids” in Uganda. I want so much for them to come and live with my family here, but they would leave as much as they could gain and since they are older (16, 18, 23) the complications of getting visas will be immense. I still seek God’s will concerning this as I miss them tremendously and just am not sure as to what is best for them.
Lionnel, Isaac, Penninah
