Muzungu!

Story Time
One day Francis took me on the four-wheeler to the “landing site,” which is about a 30 minute ride away. The main road through this area is literally a dirt pathway. We went through all of the little villages and it was so interesting. These people truly live out in the bush. It was an absolutely beautiful ride, minus all the bumps in the road.
The highlight for me was the children who literally went crazy when I drove passed them. One group excitedly jumped up and down, waving their arms off, yelling “Muzungu! Muzungu!” (white person) And then when I responded with a smile and a wave, holy cow, you would think I was the President. Another group literally ran down the road after me, yelling the same thing. I had been told this would happen but it is still so funny when it actually does. Of course Uncle Francis was making fun of me and my fame the whole time.
But don’t worry, every celebrity has their haters. For white people in the bush,t he fearful ones are the kids 3 or 4 and under. We stopped to buy fish from one lady and I was sitting on the four-wheeler, safe distance away from a maybe 1- 1 ½ year old child. After about 30 seconds of looking at me, she/he literally started bawling. If I tried to do anything to make it better, oh no it just made it worse. It just kind of makes me laugh more than anything. I mean I hate that I make babies cry, but the idea that a little baby is literally scared to death of me—this little ol white girl who loves babies, just because I got something wrong with my skin —it just cracks me up.


Uganda Culture:
My 2nd day here, Michael taught me about the greeting that I had been receiving all day and had no idea how to respond. Uganda Christians typically will greet someone by saying, “Praise God” and shaking your hand. Well how the heck do you respond to that??? Fortunately Michael told me you just say “Amen.” I’m still getting used to this. . . .I am also trying to greet people with “praise God” but it just feels so weird!! Could you imagine if I did that back in Texas????

Not only do they greet with that phrase, but it is common for them to constantly throw out phrases like “Priase the Lord,” “Hallelujah,” and the like. OF course at church this is 95% of the English I hear, but it is not only at church—its all the time. I am starting to think that if I ever do not know what to say or I want to say something positive to them and I’m tired of saying “that is good” or “that is true”(which I find myself saying all the time), I can just start saying “Praise the Lord,” “hallelujah.”
Haha, it is hard though. I laughed a little inside every time I say these phrases. So please forgive me if I come back to America as one of “those” Christians.

It seems that much of the English they know has to do with God. All the names of the Lord like “provider” “redeemer” “comforter,” etc. And things like “God fulfills his promises.” “God is so good.” “God loves me so much.” Oh and “God is ABLE”—that’s a big one! Things that sound very cliché and simple to us American Christians that have gotten burnt out on such things. But I’m not sure if it means they are “simple” or if it is just the only English they know to talk about God (which is THE #1 thing they want to talk about.) And of course, I believe it is the latter. It just takes a little adjustment for my cynical mind to hear those kinds of things all the time. But I think it will do good things for my heart and mind to hear these words ALL the time. =)


So there is a piece of the culture!