Global Warming ?!?

Although we are currently in the dry season and probably will be for the next 2-4 weeks it acually rained yesterday(Wednesday, Januarey 21st) all over Kampala. We have had a few days in the last couple of weeks with more or less persistent drizzles but this was "real" rain.

I did not have my camera with me - only my mobile which is far from new. I took a couple of pictures but the built-in camera is not among the best on this phone (a QTEC 9100). It is only a 1.3 MPixel camera and the optics are not really top-class. So apologies for the qualities of the pictures.



So when we later went through Bwaise, this is how it looked (video recorded with the QTEK):

Going through Bwaise is not always a good idea when it rains, but we got through without any real problems.

We have had a very dry spell throughout December and the first half of January. We had to buy water to fill up our tanks, because the water supply is not always stable and we were low on all three rain water tanks as well as the tap water tank. Saturday and Sunday last weekend (January 17th-18th) were really hot so the rain came as a real surprise.

No complaints though because it cooled down the city and replenished our rain water tanks. And there was no dust going through Bwaise :-)

And to top it off; Monday evening I climbed up to the tap water tank and discovered that it was low again. We were thinking seriously about getting another water truck to fill our tanks again. But sometime during Tuesday or perhaps sometime during the night the tap water flowed again. So when I climbed to check Tuesday evening - when we returned from work - the tank was full. What a releaf.

Prosperity in Africa?

Just a quick thought: how do we turn the African economy/society round so that it is more balanced? There is a very small group of people who have everything they need - or rather- they have plentyfold of what they need - and yet it seems that most of them try to gather even more.

Then there is the vast majority who have almost nothing. Here in Uganda nature is so fertile that everybody can get something to eat everyday. It may not be enough not to feel hungry and you might have to struggle to get it but it is generally there. But apart from that some really have nothing.

Parents cannot afford sending their children to school. Even though the public primary schools are free the children are needed as a workforce. And that is if the children have parents. Many children have lost one or both of their parents to Malaria, HIV/AIDS, TB and war. So the oldest child(ren) may need to work in order to get food for his/her siblings.

There is virtually no middle class here. Either you have bundles of money or you don't. If I remember correctly from my social studies/economics classes at school it is said that it is the middle class that powers the economy. The rich may spend lots of money numerically, but it tends to fizzle out of the local/national economy and end up as imports. The poor has almost no money to spend. In Europe, Asia and North America the it is the middle class that Dollar for Dollar, Pound for Pound, Yen for Yen create the most of the gross national product.

So what should Uganda do when it has no middle class? How can the so-called 1st world do to enable African societies to pull themselves out of poverty? We cannot keep pouring in money - as far as I can observe that only increases the difference between the "Have"'s and "have not"'s as the money never seem to filter through to the roots except for a tiny trickle.

The focus now are usually on empowerment projects and democracy projects. While those are right and needed and will become part of the solution, the 1st world can start and support these kinds of projects in their millions but in themselves these projects cannot solve the problems. Africa herself has to rise from her ashes, on her own willpower and determination. But how do we - Africans and Europeans, Asians and Americans (as in North/South A) - help her get a foothold and a vision that is lasting and motivating in order for every proud African to be proud of him/herself and his country and continent?

In God's Hands

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.