Friends and Family -
I write this email in the comfort of my little sister's place in Hamburg Germany. I am just amazed at how easy it is to use the internet here.. it's so fast and free :) So theoretically my updates shoul be better and more frequently right? I posted several pictures on the site of Africa so check them out.
Erin and I were talking in the airport in Cairo (on the way to Germany) about our time in Uganda and felt certain that it would be the place which we would remember the most from this trip (at least so far). We really enjoyed spending an extended amount of time with Ben and Holly. Truly, living in Northern Uganda is hard. There are practically no people there who are easy to relate to, the food there is so different, communication is such a different thing there.. etc. We discovered that in Uganda, more than any other place we've visited, when you ask someone a question they give the response which they think you want to hear. To please you by giving you the "right" answer is much more important than the truth. That type of communication made it virtually impossible to get some things done. For example, Holly called a hairdresser in town who agreed to come over right away and help her unplait her hair. An hour went by, Holly called again. The lady said "Oh yeah, I have a friend over, maybe I'll come tomorrow". Totally normal for Uganda... crazy for us ! Anyway, the whole comunication issues are hard to describe, you'll have to experience it for yourself.
The people in Lira are so kind though. So many times Erin and I were out and about on our own and people would come up to us and say something like "Oh, you're Ben and Holly's family.. come over to my house tonight" or "Can I buy you some bananas, we are so happy you are here to see us". Visiting local people's homes was bitter-sweet. They sacrifice everything to buy and prepare the best available food, which they don't even eat themselves because of the cost. It is a humbling experience, but they really love to do it with no expectation of return. The food offered usually looks quite unsanitary but we justed smiling and put heaps of it in our mouths and said a short prayer for our disgestive system :)
Life is so fragile there, they face so much opposition to healthy, happy lives. They face disease (mostly Malaria, Typhoid, TB, and infections), they face poverty (It's heart-breaking to watch a father do his best to earn $ for a family of malnourished kids), they face violence (Northern Uganda is known for rebel violence), they face hopelessness (I don't see an easy solution, it's a remarkable thing when someone actually rises above the downward cycle of poverty).. YET, they have so much joy. They put our culture to shame in that sense. When eye contact is made the immediate response is a brilliant, white smile. The kids are curious, happy, and don't even seem to realize they are living in what we would consider hellish conditions. So I am learning about happiness and the Source of it these days. I hope to balance what I know from my culture, what I've learned from other cultures and live a life of perspective, rememberance, and above all thankfulness. Enough preaching?
So we're in Germany and Lizz and Jerry gave us one of the most hospitable welcomes we've received yet. They said we have some truly German experinces ahead of us today, fun ! Erin and I are mostly healthy (traveling takes it's toll on the tummy) and very happy. Thanks for hanging in there for such a long update.
love you al,
Josh
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