African Muzungu

I am so excited to tell you all that the Lord has provided a new place for me to live! Sean and Linda Tyler, long term missionaries here in Mbale, invited me to live in their guest home that's in their compound behind their house, so I moved in the first week of December, and it's been full steam ahead ever since! I learned so much in the past 6 months living with an African family, and I'm so grateful for my time there. I'm also just as excited to be able to live alongside the Tylers who have welcomed me in with open arms. My first lesson in home maintenance came the day after moving in when the chain to the handle of my toilet broke! I can now not only fix the problem, but I learned how to flush a toilet with a bucket of water too. I definitely feel just a little bit less like an ignorant white girl :) I'll post more details (and pics!) as soon as I can finally finish unpacking and moving in. Until then, I pray the Lord's blessings on each of you ...

This past weekend after celebrating a wonderful Thanksgiving (as in AMAZING food, TOO much fun, and GREAT company!) with a bunch of other American missionaries, my friend Natalie and I took a trip to Jinja, just a couple hours away. Jinja is the town right by the source of the Nile river which flows from Lake Victoria, and our accommodations were situated overlooking the Nile. It was truly wonderful to take the time to rest, be refreshed and fellowship with the Lord and with Nat for 3 days. Soaking up the beauty around me, and just being for a while was so wonderful. In the confusion and commotion of living in Africa, there is so much to think and analyze and evaluate and feel and change and do . I'm so grateful for the opportunity the Lord provided for me to go away for a time and find my balance and center around Him alone again. Time away also gave me a chance to read/listen to some books while cross stitching! I've been reading Hannah Hurrand's book, Hinds Feet on High...

Anybody remember your elementary school cafeteria? I don't....I didn't have one since I was home schooled, but that's besides the point. I certainly got to HEAR about all my friend's school cafeteria experiences (you know, the whole "I'll eat your brown stuff if you'll eat my green stuff"), but I thought I'd show you the school cafeteria at Covenant Primary school here in Mbale..... Here, everyone just eats their brown stuff. otherwise known as ebijanjalo, or to you muzungus, beans. and posho. Posho or rice with beans is definitely one of the most common meals here in Uganda, and they eat plenty of it! I seriously marvel at how much one Ugandan can fit in their flat stomach. When I was growing up, the most common concern I heard expressed about being a missionary was what you would have to eat. Pictures of bugs, slimy slugs, and floating chicken heads danced through my mind, and I asked myself, "Would I be willing?" I said yes....but sin...

Thank you so much for all of the prayers you have offered up for me since my last blog! I have definitely found strength, encouragement, peace, and comfort through your prayers and mine in situations that would have been so defeating otherwise. One of the greatest joys and blessings to me for the past several weeks has been my new language helper, Margaret. My concerns with my last language helper, Diana, (not as a friend, but as a teacher) led to one of the challenging situations that I've had to face here, but I really do believe the Lord has worked in some incredible ways, and I have been blessed abundantly with a new teacher, helper, and friend in Margaret. (I just stopped to look at this picture from an American perspective and noticed the bare light bulb and exposed wires in the background.... I guess the fact that I don't even think twice about it anymore says something....I'll leave you to decide what that is :) ) Margaret is quite the busy lady! She teac...

Today I could have done a fun post about the different kinds of things I eat on a regular basis, or some of the fun things I've been learning in language, or some of the interesting cultural situations I've been exposed to, but instead I'm just here asking for your prayers. These past couple of weeks have been a bit of a roller coaster. I knew when I came that the spiritual warfare here would be intense, and it has definitely proved to be so. There have been a multitude of situations, problems, thoughts, and confusions that have kept me busy praying, thinking, and praying some more, and I am definitely in need of your prayers more than ever. While there have been many discouraging days (including yesterday!), I have been constantly reminded that my Lord is right here with me. When I'm sad and hopeless, He whispers to me, "Trust in me at all times. pour out your heart before Me, for I am your refuge." Ps 62:8 And when I feel completely alone and helpless He so...

Lime. No, really. It's a lime. Nope, not that one.... that's an orange. (yes, really) or that one.... that's a tangerine. That one. The one in the middle. Lime. Can you see why I spent an hour in the market trying to find limes? Not to mention the fact that there seems to be some debate on what they're actually called in Luganda. Obulimawa? or Kalimawo? I finally found them by asking about 10 people where the obulimawa...the very very small ones were. Oh, and you'll never guess what color the lemons are. Yup. Green. Cracks me up that the only citrus fruit that should be green is actually yellow. This is so descriptive of my life right now. In this very different life and culture, many things just look different than I think they will (and sometime should!) For example, American culture tends to be very direct, and Uganda culture in general is indirect. Someone might say to you, "You are most welcome to my home for lunch today" without any thought of you ac...

Today I bring you a two in one! Many have been asking me how we really wash clothes over here, so I thought I'd give you a taste.....plus give you a bonus track of some of the language I've learned and practiced with my language helper!! Bwenti bwenjoza engoye zange: This is how I wash my clothes Njua amaazi mubafu: I fill a basin with water Nteka engoye zange mu maazi: I put my clothes in the water Nsiiga saboni ku lugoye: I put soap on the clothes Wemala nga nkunya engoye: I then scrub the clothes Nteka amaazi amayonjo nenyanika engoye zange: I use fresh water to rinse, then spread my clothes to dry Bwentio bwenjoza engoye zange! That is how I wash my clothes! While it is me speaking, the pictures are quite obviously NOT me washing ;) For some reason, I found washing and photographing simultaneously to be hazardous to the health of my camera!

I'm sitting in the dark. Amasanyalaze gageenze (power has gone), and I wonder how long it will be out this time. Before you feel sorry for me, I need to tell you that I am blessed beyond measure. In the 112 days that I have been living here, I have had to take only two cold showers. That is a miracle. Even with the constant power outages, the Lord has been kind to me and I have constant cause to praise Him when the power comes back each night (at times just long enough for me to shower!). Knowing as I do that just on the other side of town, the power is turned off for 24 hours every other day, makes me even more grateful! I remember a day back in America when I would complain about having to reset my clocks if the power left during the night, but living with true poverty ever before me has had a way of making me grateful for the things I've taken for granted all my life. You know what else I love about power outages? STARS!!!!! This city girl has a new love and passion for the ...

I realized today that I have yet to post any pictures of my language helper! I want you to officially meet my friend and helper, Diana. Diana is the one that I spend each day with asking the questions she finds hilarious (like are there any parts of the body that it’s impolite to scratch in public?) and answering the questions I find hilarious (like why don’t muzungu women bind their stomachs after having a baby? Doesn’t that make them eat a ton to fill up that empty space??) She’s the one that laughs at my multicolored bruised arms (their bruises don’t show), and mourns over the gigantic mosquito bites covering my feet and legs that are ‘spoiling my skin.’ She’s also the one I count on to tell me what I should and shouldn’t be doing, like yesterday when I learned that proper women should wash their bed sheets every 3 days. Oh yeah, and we also study Luganda. :) I’ll be honest with you. There are many days when I’m tired of studying. There are days when I just want to hear American Eng...

There's so much about daily life here that defies my ability to write about it. How do I describe the anticipation of hoping it won't rain so I can go to the market (for slippery mud roads, rain pelting in my face, and dirt up to my knees typically discourage any excursions in the rain!!)? How do I describe the challenges of successfully mounting (side saddle) the back of a piki (motorcycle taxi) with two full caveras (plastic bags) in each hand while managing a full length skirt? Or then juggling those caveras while holding on for dear life over the hole-ridden roads? How do I describe my constant direction confusion as this Colorado Springs girl, born and raised with the Rocky Mountains rising in the WEST, now looks toward mountains in the EAST??? How do I describe the complete anticipation and slight trepidation that the question "What are you cooking for dinner" now brings each day? How do I describe my embarrassment at having so much when peo...

Time has come for yet another Melody Moment. Here at my house, we have a watchman at all times. There is one particular one who is here most of the time, and others take shorter shifts to relieve him each day. So this particular guard is named Michael, but everyone around here just calls him Askali. Now I have been seeing Askali almost every day for the past 2 1/2 months right? And this whole time I just call him Askali like everyone else, and when someone says Askali I know exactly who they're talking about. So the other day I was asking my language helper Diana how to tell the taxi man in Luganda, "Stop there where the guard is." Diana replied, "Koma wali awali Askali." Slightly confused, I looked at her and asked how the taxi man would know who I meant. Slightly confused back, she asked what I meant. I tried again. "Diana, how will they know who I'm talking about? Do they all know my guard's name?" Understanding lit in her eyes, and laughter...

The brisk evening mountain air fills my lungs as I leave the darkness behind and enter the blue florescent light of the small African church. In front of me sits a small group of young men and women, eyes closed tight and lips moving in muffled prayers. I silently slip into a wooden pew, setting my water bottle down on the dusty floor, and join the intercession. It's late on a Friday night, and we have gathered together to pray, sing, listen to the Word, praise, and worship 'til morning. One person starts to sing, and with one voice everyone calls back the response. The song of the believers fills me with joy, and I know that I am home. All through the night, we praise, dance, pray, and sing some more. Unexpectedly, I am asked to teach around 2 am, which I do only through the power and work of the Holy Spirit. When heavy eyelids threaten to close in sleep, we sing. and dance. and jump. and clap. and call aloud for the Lord to work in us. I join in singing all the s...

Say hello to Brian! This precious little boy stole my heart right away, and I wanted you to meet him and hear his story. Brian lives just a hop step and a skip away from me in Namatala, the poorest housing area of Mbale. While I live in a 3 room carpeted, furnished, bug-free (mostly ;) ), beautiful apartment, it takes me only 5 minutes to walk to Brian's small mud and thatch hut where he lives with his mother, Regina and older sister. I first noticed Brian among all the many children of Namatala that swarm around the muzungus because of his clothing. That first day as Paul scooped Brian up in his arms, we were surprised to find that under the extra long, tattered, dirt encrusted, gray t-shirt, this bright eyed little boy wasn't wearing any shorts. I was later told that while he owned exactly 2 t-shirts, he didn't have even one pair of shorts or pants. Surprised, I determined to find out more about this little boy. Brian is the youngest of the 6 surviving children born to ...

Bout 2 of sickness successfully conquered! And before you ask, no, it was not malaria. That much anticipated event is still to come. It did however feel much like malaria, or so I'm told. Last week I woke up one evening with sever body aches, weakness, light headedness, and a fever. I waited a couple of days hoping that it would just pass since from what I had heard, my symptoms weren't serious enough to be malaria. Finally though, at the urging of my American and Ugandan families, I agreed to go into the clinic to be tested on Monday. The finger prick to test for malaria wasn't too bad, but I must say if I never have to give another urine sample on this side of the world, I would be most content! Since apparently collecting in a bottle the size of your thumb wasn't challenge enough, I was also gifted with outhouse accomodations and slippery floors in which to accomplish my mission. However, that mission proved successful since it gave me my diagnosis: kidney infecti...

I love laughing at all the wonderful funny Ugandan sayings around here! I thought I would share a few of them with you so you could share my laughs! - Excuse me while I ease myself -- for going to the bathroom - Are you satisfied? --- have you eaten enough, are you full? (so much more descriptive than 'I'm fine,' or 'I'm good'!) - Well done --- no apparent association, as it's simply used as a greeting. Can be said whether or not they're working or doing a job. At first I couldn't figure out why in the world I would tell someone who was just sitting there 'well done'!! - Extend! -- scoot or move in a certain direction - Have you taken tea? -- did you eat breakfast? (this morning as I was walking from Namatala a small boy called out to me, 'Muzungu, muzungu! You want to take tea with me?" and he offered me his bread!! sooo precious!!!) - You have such a small leg! -- apparently my feet are very small and in Lugan...

This is the land of unending dirt! The red, brown, and black ink of the ground seeps into every pore. Sandals are discarded at the door for the sake of semi-clean house floors, but the dirt clinging to every crack of rough feet still inevitably deposits itself in every room. The sweat beading on my face as I walk to church calls loudly for any and all of the airborne particles to join the party on my skin. Once a day, I feel clean. As I step into my shower each night and watch the grime wash down the drain, I breathe a sigh of relief. I grasp my foot brush tightly and scrub scrub scrub until skin glows pink again. It never fails to remind me of my soul, penetrated and covered by the filth and grime of sin, but washed and rinsed clean with the blood of the Lamb. As I daily seek forgiveness and mercy, I revel in the freshness and relief of freely given cleansing and righteousness. I marvel that He would love me while I was still covered in sin, embracing my filth-crusted spirit and tend...

So I was sitting in my living room last night working, and Marvin comes and sits right outside my door... singing as usual. But this time, this is the song he was singing! My friends and I just laughed and laughed, and since I got a candid recording of it, I had to share it with you too!! Goodness, I love this little boy! :) Translation ;) Melonie, Melonie, Melonie is my mom, Melonie, Melonie, Melonie is my mom! Melonie, Melonie, Melonie, is my love, Melonie, Melonie, Melonie, is my love! Hehehe!!

This week I just wanted to show you something that has been bringing me extra joy in this past week! Meet my friend, Marvin. Marvin is 5 years old, and he and his family live in one of these apartments. They have the one in the corner, and I live in the one on the far left. Marvin has been sick for the past week, so he’s been unable to go to school and instead has been hanging out with me! I must admit it’s a little more challenging to accomplish lots of language learning when you have a cute little face begging to be let in the door day in and day out. He’s definitely been feeling better the past couple of days though, which means that he has lots of energy and a playful spirit that even outshines mine!! So when I say playing time is over, and now I have to do my work, this is the inevitable outcome: I am constantly surprised at how similar kids are across the nations! They laugh, play, cry, throw tantrums, and need the same love and attention no matter where they ar...

With all of the change that I've been experiencing (and hopefully embracing!), there is one that is of the greatest personal importance to me. My name. For many years now, I have thought about the difficulty that Ugandans have hearing, pronouncing, and remembering my name. Melanie just doesn't quite fit with the rules of pronunciation in these local languages, so my name ends up coming out more like 'melon.' In fact, that is the most common way I have heard my name described. "Melanie: you know, like watermelon!" I have to say that as much as I love the name Melanie, I do not like the name watermelon :) My African friends here have also struggled to remember my name, which is understandable when it is so foreign to them. It pains me to see them struggle and be embarrassed when they are unable to remember my name, so I've been thinking and praying about what to do in order to make my new friends and acquaintances more comfortable with speaking my name. I ha...

This past weekend was quite the cultural experience! On Friday, I attended the introduction ceremony of Pastor Charles, and his intended bride, Maureen. Here in Uganda, when two people wish to marry, they must do an introduction of the families. It's a very lengthy process with the groom's family choosing the intended bride from among many 'fake brides.' Then the groom's family presents many gifts to the bride's family, and they all celebrate with cake and feasting. After the introduction, the couple must wait about another month for their wedding ceremony. Taylor, a fellow muzungu, being presented in her gomas (traditional Ugandan dress) with other 'fake brides' On Saturday, I was also invited to attend the wedding of Denis and Agnes. As much as the introduction ceremony is purely Ugandan, the wedding ceremony was surprisingly western. The bridal party was composed of bridesmaids, groomsmen, and flower girls, all dressed in formal wear. The ceremo...

Greetings from Mbale! After 35 hours of fairly uneventful travel, I reached my new home in Mbale on Tuesday afternoon. I have been so warmly greeted here, both by the Ugandans as well as several other Muzungus living here, and as they have all told me to feel at home here, I’ve decided to do just that! Natalie, a muzungu working at a children's home here, has been just wonderful in showing me the ropes. About an hour after I got to Mbale, she took me out around the town, showing me the different shops and getting me acquainted with the supermarkets. On my previous trips, I never had the opportunity to be out around town since we were living in a hotel and working in outlying villages every day, so being able to drive around and meet people with Natalie was both a treat and a challenge. I am definitely getting a taste of just how huge this adjustment and learning curve will be. I knew it would be a challenge, but now I get to see just how much of one it is! I’m so grateful to know...

I WAS going to post a beautiful note on springtime and how beautiful it is outside.....but then came the dreaded head cold! Instead of the flowering trees, I've been gazing at these: I know, not nearly as romantic, but in my situation, much more practical! As I've had much more time in bed lately, I've been counting the number of times I've actually had a cold in the 2 years I've been home from school. I came up with a grand total of..... 3!! That my friends, is miraculous considering I averaged at least that many times each semester in college! Combine that fact with the news I got recently about my diabetic test results (numbers are in normal ranges for the first time in 4 years!!) and I'm a pretty happy camper, runny nose and all! I'm reminded of James who said that every good and perfect gift comes from my Father above, and I'm so grateful for the gift of staying healthy He's blessed me with in these last couple of years! As for this cold, your c...

For months now, I've been anticipating the paperwork necessary to get into Uganda. I thought I had my plan all set: enter the country on a 6 month, multiple entry visa and apply for a work visa while I was in the country. (Work visas usually take 3 months to process.) Then on Wednesday while I was talking to a fellow PILAT participant who is also going to Uganda, he mentioned that he and his wife were praying for their work visas to come in quickly. I casually asked why he was getting them now instead of once they got to the country, and his reply as you would imagine caused great surprise and concern! He said that new law had been passed in November and implemented in January that you could no longer apply for a work visa while you were in the country under a different type of visa. Meaning that I would need my work visa in hand before I attempted to enter the country. My mind immediately started counting (yes, the counting does go a bit slower now than it did in highschool! :) )....

For years now, I've longed to do a cake decorated with fondant! It was definitely one thing on my own personal "bucket list" before I leave for Uganda, and my sister Michelle's 16th birthday was the perfect opportunity! Here is the finished result: The process of making each individual flower was so fun, and just the opportunity to be creative with that medium was a blast! Michelle and Mom both helped me with different tasks throughout the process (and yes, it did take as long as that sounds! :) ) As they both helped me through the night, we had several accidents and laughs to remember for years to come. As I was working, I just really rejoiced in the ability and opportunity to create beauty. As I created each individual flower.... I wondered how much joy and pleasure Jesus must have gotten out of making the real thing! When I was done with each one, my first desire was to show Mom and Michelle. "Look Mom!! Isn't it pretty??" was a very c...

Say the above words out loud.... do you pronounce each differently? Do you pronounce two, but not three the same? Or do they all sound alike? Are you looking at me like I'm nuts right about now? If you're wondering about why I would even care, one answer lies in a story told today: A missionary to Central America had a mechanical issue with his car. He brought in a mechanic to look at it, and in explaining the problem thought he said in the local language, "My car won't start, so can you add these points." What he really said was, "My car won't give birth, so can you add these bananas!" Least to say, he was known from then on as the man whose car just refused to give birth. This just goes to show how slight changes in pronunciation can be at best hilarious, and at worst offensive. The point was made today that all of us will always (and already do!) have our own personal accent. The goal is to make that accent as understandable and pleasing to the p...