responsible irresponsibility: Guidelines

As I type this Bryan is on his way to the airport where he’ll begin his trip home with an overnight flight, and Beth is lying on the bed with a major migraine. She was bragging to her best friend last night about being headache free so far. Oops…

We’re sad to see Bryan go; it’s been great being able to spend time with him in a country he loves. To watch him interact with the locals, adults and children, is inspiring; there is a natural bond that we haven’t seen between the locals and most Mzungus (white people). It doesn’t matter if they are boda-boda drivers, shop keepers, beggars, or children in an orphanage or on the street; when interacting with Bryan there seems to be mutual respect and relationship that crosses cultural barriers. He leaves behind many friends and a few broken hearts, and I’m sure he’ll find his way back here in the future. Of course with his departure we will have no reason not to focus on our roles here.

Those roles are still being determined. We did have orientation meetings this week and are becoming more familiar with the operation of the base here, and how it fits into the big YWAM picture. One of the visions of course is to have a young men’s vocational school, and another is to have a health clinic, and those will be a large part of where Beth and I focus our energy. But since in reality both of those may be a ways off, we will also be participating in some of the ministries on base. Because the base here is part of YWAM, it’s focus is not necessarily to change this part of the world as another ‘fix it, do good’ organization, but rather the focus is on training in many areas for students from around the world, to prepare them for what God is calling them to. Having these bases in Africa makes it more accessible to Africans who would otherwise not have the opportunities. We have met staff and students from several African nations, India, Britain, Canada, and the USA. The vocational schools are actually an exception to the YWAM mission, as they are targeting local at risk youth to help them to be successful in their communities. But of course because of its presence here, YWAM is doing service and ministries for the local communities. One of those which Beth has already been involved in is Women of Hope; a support group of sorts for HIV positive women, mostly widows and/or single mothers who come regularly for encouragement, fellowship, and a break from their difficult lives.

Part of the training this week included the rules of the base for staff, which I think we now officially are. Except they are not really rules, they are guidelines to be followed according to our own consciences and the honor system. We are a Christian volunteer organization, after all.

There are rules and laws in place in Uganda, as well, that should probably be more accurately referred to as guidelines. For instance the taxis: These are diesel powered Toyota vans which when delivered from the factory have seats for ten passengers and the driver. Originally equipped there is a seat in the front on the other side of the engine from the driver, three two person benches opposite the sliding door, and a three person bench in the back. But as modified the engine becomes a seat, another two person bench is added making four rows instead of three, and little flip down seats are welded to the ends of the two person benches, adding three more seats. Four rows of three, plus two in the front, now the taxi is equipped and licensed for fourteen passengers; it says so right on the door. It’s just a guideline. In addition to the driver each taxi also has a conductor, it’s his job to take money and recruit passengers by banging on the door and shouting the destination, or, in some cases, harassing people on the street until they get in. Because the taxi isn’t really going until it’s met the fourteen passenger guideline, but there’s room for more. Guidelines +three, +four, +six; it’s really up to the imagination what the limit is. And that’s just the adults, children fill in the few remaining gaps. Similar to our travel experiences in Cameroon, actually…

Bed bug update: We’re not sure if they’re bedbugs, but pretty sure of the source, and it’s not the bed. There are two wicker chairs in our space which I had been sitting in, and it seems that’s when I would get bitten. Since I’ve stopped sitting there, the amount of bites I get are way down, though not entirely.