Uganda Day 5 - T.I.A.

Wednesday, April 18

T.I.A. "This is Africa." A phrase we hear when things don't go according to plan.

The power was out.... again. So I couldn't update you or do much of anything. The darkest dark I've ever been in. I'm writing late in the day on 19th.

But - GOOD NEWS! Half of East Africa showed up today with a camera charger! In Uganda, everyone's family. When someone has a need, everyone tries to help. Our friend Bright (yep, that's his name), the technology savvy videographer helping us, found a relative who worked in an office who had the same model, and our friends at the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee also had one. Praise God for small answers to prayer.

Wednesday morning borought a visit with The Right Reverend Elia Paul LUzinda-Kizito (Bishop of the Mukono Diocese) - Oh these Anglican titles! David Bast worked out details and plans for how Words of Hope can partner with the local church.

At midday we toured the facilities of the Spirit FM, on which the Words of Hope Uganda team broadcasts four programs a week. We learned that there is much response and much potential for growth. The Uganda staff produces among the best quality programs that the station airs.

The afternoon we visited with The Retired Most Reverend Livingstone Mpalanyi Nkoyoyo (Archbishop of the Province of Uganda and a Primate in the global Anglican Communion) - another title!. He is a champion for getting the gospel to the tribal areas via radio. We visited him in his beautiful gardens where he adopted Lauren and me into his tribe - the Monkey Clan.

The evening brought another crusade. Lauren came along to this one - at St. Luke's parish in Seta township. The same band led worship and testimony. I had the same translator as the last time, and we worked as a better team this time, since she knew where I was going. Once in a while she would whisper to look at the bushes, because some men were hiding there. They didn't want to come into the crowd, but they wanted to hear the gospel.

Afterward, Lauren talked a long time with the translator - Carol. They became good friends and Lauren has a new e-mail to add to her list of friends. It was loud in the background and Lauren missed part of the conversation. She realized later that she agreed to come back to Uganda to lead a conference with Ann to help Carol teach college women about real life!

I don't know if that will happen, but here's why Carol wants a white teenager from Iowa to talk to Ugandan young women: they have American television and think that all American women are sexually active and try to be just like Brittany Spears. The reasoning goes, "America is a Christian nation, Brittany Spears is American, so it must be OK to do what she does."

T.I.A. - "That is America."