I have been living in Kampala, Uganda with my wife and two of our children for almost 6 months. This is my first time living abroad and it has certainly been an interesting experience for me.
Most expatriots living here are working for either a European or American company or they are working for UN organisations or 1st world aid organisations. That is, they are well paid and well taken care of. They usually live in the nicer parts of town with big houses or apartments on large, lucious, green compunds with plenty of staff.
Some expatriot groups are more liked and reverred but in general they are looked upon as being wealthy. The 'white man' - the 'Muzungu' (or 'Mzungu') are generally better liked than the Asians and Arabs. This seems to be rooted in history. Idi Amin ousted the Asians during his time as president because he thought they were a 'disease' (reference needed).
But we as an expatriot family differ in most ways from other expatriots. First off the church we work for, employ their international reinforcements on a local contract. That is, we are in the same payscale as our local colleagues. As we as international reinforcements have responsibilities in our home country we are also paid an international service allowance to cover those expenses. But again this is far less than most other expats are paid.
As we have limited funds and we did not get an official vehicle we had to rely on family and friends, who really have been there for us. And then on public transport. And as we live outside the city we get to see more than just the nice parts of the city.
Although we have yet to venture into the slums, we pass through just next to them, everyday we go to work. We see some of the hardships people here go through just to get a little food on the table. Life in Uganda is hard for most people.
Unlike Europe or North America, there is hardly no middle class. You are either rich (the stinkin' filthy kind of rich) or you are poor. And in some places here the contrast is on display as huge houses on the hills overlook the slums. A lot of people literally lives in tinned shacks. An oven especially here in the dry season, the hottest time of year.
My wife and I came here to serve the Ugandan people. That is why we live with the hardships and the limited income although we have been very close to giving up more than a few times. But the top two reasons that we are still here is 1) the grace of God, our Lord and 2) we are needed here and God wants us to be here.
We can honestly say that although we are far from rich in the financial sense, God takes care of us so we have what we need. Not necessarily what we want or even what we sometimes think we need. But we are blessed and rich in in every sense that counts. Our families and friends loves us and blesses us with their thoughts and prayer. We love each other. We have a place to live, actually practical a mansion in comparison to those living close to us. We have food to put on the table and clothes to put on our bodies.
So whenever we are at our whit's end, when we question our own and each others commitments. Even when we ask ourselves; How can God allow this? What have we done wrong? When we sit down allowing our tempers to cool and our thoughts to settle we have to confess: Jesus IS Lord and he does not leave us. He leads us every step of the way.
We are still trying to find the way that he leads us. And we feel we must do more. So we are looking for the right place to be - that is where He wants us to be. And then we look for ways to get there. And for ways to not stray off His path and yet when we stray - how to come back.
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