A Snapshot of Life in Uganda
by Marjorie Broce
Life
in Africa: Things become so normal after living here that I forget to
tell you things that might be interesting. Here are a few off the top
of my head:
1. My neighbors just squeezed maggots out of their puppies' sides.
2. Driving at night is a bit scary. There are no street lights but
there are always people walking on the streets. The car lights are
blinding. We DO NOT like driving at night and only do it when we
absolutely have to.
3. The churches have adopted our Thanksgiving
celebration and usually celebrate sometime around the beginning of Dec.
I'm invited to one that starts at 7 am and goes til 4 pm!
4. The
boda drivers (motorcycle taxis) all have a particular stage that they
operate from and they now have to be registered with the city.
5.
The dogs around here are just street dogs and they don't get fed by
anyone. Most are weak, are losing their hair, and have no energy to
bark.
6. There are many shops that look like a shambled shack on
the sides of the road where
people sell their fruits and veggies. The
guy who makes Chipati (like a fried tortilla but thicker) does it under a
big beach umbrella.
7. The children in the city are much more used
to seeing a white person but still enjoy a little attention from us,
whereas in the village, a white person can feel like a celebrity.
8.
School fees are on the tip of everyone's tongue. Most parents would
rather go hungry than to not be able to pay school fees for their
children. I would guess that most of their meager pay goes towards
school fees and the rest they used to barely survive.
9. Rent is
not paid month by month. It's paid 3 months at a time. For the
"houses" that are just $40 a month, they might have to pay 3 months in
advance but then they allow them to go month to month. That kind of
house is what many Ugandans live in. It's one room. Not a big room.
And a whole family lives in that one room, plus maybe more. No running
water. No toilet. Hopefully the neighborhood has a good latrine
(squatty potty) nearby that everyone shares.
by Marjorie Broce
This is Tim Rucker, I can, but I can't imagine that enviornment. I'm honored to know you and your family that you would actually "walk the walk" and not just "talk."
ReplyDeleteKnow that this family has "adjusted fire" to do all we can to support your family's tenacity. Amen?
This is so hard for me to imagine. Your family is such a beacon. I hope I can raise a family like yours! You are still remembered in my prayers!
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