African Muzungu

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...