OUR FIRST WEEK

OUR FIRST WEEK

After dropping our stuff to our friends who live at The Salvation Army THQ compound and just packing enough for the week, we had decided we would go and check on our farms.

Earlier in the year we had got a small loan to allow us to rent some land in a few different places so we could plant crops to sell at Market. Doctors here make very little income. So we knew with trying to support us and Robs brothers we would have to find a way to have some other income.

So our plan this week was to head North to Lira ( the town we were still hoping Rob would be appointed to for internship)

And to be able to have a look around and to have a look at prospective places to live, in the belief that we would get Lira.

Along the way we would see 2 of the farms.

....................

We got a taxi to the first farm.

Now when I talk about a taxi it is not like our taxi’s at home.

Its a different world here.

A taxi is a mini van, with 14 seats in total. They are old, very squishy and hot.

Taxi’s is one of the way’s you get around town. You pay your money and squish in with everyone else. But they always seat more than 14 people. Especially around the city.

THIS IS A TAXI - i'll get an inside shot one day

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Tuesday

We got on the taxi and then changed to a bus and headed to a town near our first farm.

We looked around to try and find a motel for the night as it was already afternoon by the time we got there.

One thing I find hard here is that people presume that because I am white I have lots of money. So sadly this at time impacts what Rob and I can do together. Obviously being newlyweds we want to be together ALL THE TIME! But Rob decided that because the few employees we had on one of our farms did not know I was a westerner, it might be best for me to wait at the motel. Hopefully eventually, I will be able to be introduced to the workers without them thinking differently of Rob or the amount we are able to pay them. We are already paying them and caring for them better than most, but that stretches us to do that, we would not be able to afford it if they asked for more money because of where I’m from.
People think because I am white we must be on Australian wages, not realising that we are on local money.

 So I waited at the motel while Rob went to check on the farm.

Motel had a real toilet and a very cold half working shower. This motel was expensive especially for the area but I was safe while he left me and that was the main thing.

We were nervous about what state we would find our farm in.

Drought has come to Uganda unexpectedly this year and most farmers have lost everything!

They believe Rain is coming but most people have lost this whole seasons harvest. And they are predicting that the wet season will bring too much rain – which will wipe out next seasons harvest. This might not seem like a bit deal. But here people only live one harvest in advance. So if two seasons are wiped out.... its not good.

Already in certain places people are dying from starvation and they are predicting full famine by next year.

My heart broke when I heard these words.

My heart was heavy to see what we would find on our land. We needed to at least be able to make back the money we had borrowed. And to plant again for next season..... if we still decided to do that.

After a few hours Rob returned and I could see he was a broken man.

He shared that he sobbed as he drove past all our farm neighbours who had lost everything!!!

My heart beat hard as I waited to hear about our farm.

He presented me with 2 tiny little watermelons...... and said .... this is all that survived... I looked at him in shock before he finished by saying – OF THE WATERMELONS.

But they were only a small crop.

Our main thing was cabbages and PRAISE GOD they were doing ok and would be ready for harvest soon. Although maybe not as big as they could be we praised God that we were so much better off than so many others.

We both prayed and thanked God for caring for us, even when we do not deserve it.

We gave one little watermelon away to some American Christians visiting Uganda and kept the other to try – our first fruits.

 On the way to the first farm in taxi

 NEAR MOTEL

OUR BIG room and BIG bed.... but nothing else in the room at all :)

 

 THE VERY BIG DOOR TO KEEP ME SAFE :)

 Our own bathroom!

OUR FIRST WATERMELON and first thing we have eaten we've grown

WEDNESDAY

After getting another taxi we headed north again a few hours to another little village.

Here we managed to find a guest house ( not like ours ;) and got a tiny little room with a double bed. It didn’t have a toilet in the room and only had pit toilets.... but I said it would be ok.

We did have a little wash area in the room with a plastic basin and a jerry can of water for our bathing.

Our little wash area... minus a toilet :/

Our little bed - that's the size of room                                 THE COURT AREA OF MOTELS -                                                                                                       ROOMS OF THIS AREA.

And then we headed off to check our next farm.

This farm is near some friends who are Salvation Army officers and they have been helping to watch our corn for us.

And thankfully i was able to go with Rob.

When we arrived our friend was out so Rob and I went to look ourselves. I am so grateful for this time. We walked for about 20minutes in the very hot sun past little African huts and people staring like you wouldn’t believe. Rob said I would be the only white person to walk this land. Such a strange feeling to know this.

Really love being in the real Africa. The city isn’t the real Uganda .... its places like this where you see it.

I could sense Rob getting more and more tense as we drew closer, he held to my hand more and more firmly with each step.

We had been told that many had lost everything here, we really didn’t no what to expect. And as we came over the ridge, Rob cried out

THANK YOU JESUS.

I didn’t even know where he was looking and then I saw..... TALL TALL maize ( corn ) as far as the eye could see.

Rob was so excited. And I just stood and took it all in.

Rob lead me into the middle of the corn and there with the corn towering over us Rob praised God for caring for us.
For caring for our land. Again saying how Good God has been to us.

WHERE WE STOOD AMOUNGST THE CORN AND PRAYED

 We then spent an hour just wondering 10aches of corn. Not all of the corn had developed as well as the first, because some had been planted at different times. But one thing was for sure. We had been blessed!!

As we talked to the locals who live in mud huts right next to our land and walked past the local little school with children all yelling MUZUNGU MUZUNGU ( white woman) I could feel the sun burning my skin........ but I did not care.

God had been so good to us.

Sadly within less than an hour I was suffering severe heatstroke and sunburn as I feel asleep on the peoples lounge while rob toured the land again with our friend.

Thankfully with a doctor for a husband I was well looked after.

We went back and rested in our guest house and then we wandered this little village. We went to the local markets where people stared at this black man and white woman holding hands.

We bought a PINEAPPLE and Rob bought roasted corn.

Even with the effects of sunstroke and being so far from home, I felt so content as the sun set that day.

Thursday

Finally today we would be going to Lira, I am so keen to see this place we will call home soon
( or so we are believing )

We were up early to get ready and was hoping to catch a bus at 8am. But we were told buses wouldn’t be along till about 11am.

So we managed to find a private car.

You pay for your seats. But of course being 8am we were the only one’s ready and they will not leave until more than every seat is full!

Now this was a small 7 seater.... very very small 7 seater. And after waiting almost 4 hours they squeezed 11 people in to it.

Very squishy and hot you can imagine.

We travelled through national parks and I searched for elephants that are often seen there but not today. Saw so many monkeys and baboons and the spectacular waterfalls!!

One thing I find fascinating and beautiful about Africa, is that children really are raised by everyone ( which can have it downsides of course)

But after some passengers leaving and more getting squished in and little girl about 3 was put on my lap. She snuggled in to me and fell asleep. We bought her roasted corn when we pull over at a town and people come rushing selling food and drinks through the window. She ate it all up and her mum was so grateful.

Later in the trip, when she was on her mums lap in front, I was struck again what an incredible dad Rob will be. He played peek a boo and funny faces with her for more than an hour.

I got so excited as we drew closer and closer to Lira. Past the huts and homes of real Africa.

We went straight to the little motel Rob has stayed at before and it was so cheap in comparison to others but so clean and tidy.
The room was tiny and we had to share a king single but that was fine.









We had a squat toilet in our tiny bathroom and a cold shower. But it WAS so clean and safe.

ONce we arrived Rob left me at motel and headed straight out to start looking at homes.

Once again the colour of my skin gives people the impression we have more money to spend than we do so house hunting has been left to Rob.

He bought photos home to show me.

I fear this will be a bigger problem then we thought.

Those in our price range that had security ( which is most important thing) and that were close to hospital didn’t have their own toilets or showers. Most only had communal pit toilets or squat toilets and wash areas with basins.

And the one that did have its own squat toilet and basin area..... was much too far out of the town and too far from hospital.

We will keep searching and praying.

FRIDAY

Yesterday I struggled all day with being unwell. I haven’t been well really for months but I had been good this week and thought it had past.

Sadly it came back strong on Friday.

We spent the morning walking around Lira, a very busy and bustling but very primitive in some ways town.

We searched to see what things we could buy there and what we would need to buy in the city.

As sick as I was it was a good morning together.

Rob went again in the afternoon looking at homes.

Again no luck. One looked too good to be true.... and it was – not available till September and out of our price range. Another one looked really good for us, but no fences.

I’m sad to think we will leave tomorrow with no where but we know God has a place for us.

SATURDAY

We were up and off at 6am to catch a bus back to Kampala. This was actually a very old coach so didn’t feel so claustrophobic.

I wasn’t feeling well so being on the bus over a taxi was a blessing.

We slept and enjoyed the view most of the 5 hours.

One interesting experience was when we pulled up at a petrol station, most people got off to get something to eat or use the bathroom.

Rob went to get us a drink..... as most people were off the bus, a beautiful Ugandan lady tapped me on shoulder and handed me her little baby girl. Maybe about 6months old.

Here this lady was leaving her tiny baby while she went to the bathroom.

Amazing – i enjoyed my cuddle for about 20minutes before the lady returned.

When Rob came back I told him, and he just smiled and then he said.

“ Honey I just need to warn you, sometimes that happens and the parent never returns.”

I said WHAT, are you kidding. He said, “ NO , it happens often, the parents think you maybe could give them a better life or find someone who can.”

I thought about that and asked Rob did he want me to stop doing that then.

His response was beautiful.

“ Of course not, just wanted you to make sure you knew that it was possible, if your ok with that possibility and willing to give that child a home, than its ok with me too. ....... besides I know you can’t stop holding babies even if you tried J “

 We returned to Kampala and went to our friends house at the salvation army compound. They have been my friends since my first trip and take great care of us.

They had cleared out a small storage room for us, there was a single bed for us to share and it was clean and private.

OUR LITTLE AREA - ALL OUR WASHING HANGING UP

We helped them with money towards the groceries and they’ll do the cooking for us.

They make great food here.

SATURDAY NIGHT ADVENTURE

The reason we had to rush back on Saturday to Kampala was for Rob’s high school reunion they have each year.

I was feeling really sick already and the idea of going to this made me even more sick!

It was formal, and I didn’t even bring a pair of high heels as they were too heavy  - I know your shocked that Leah didn’t even take 1 pair of high heels. So we raced around Saturday afternoon looking for shoes and a dress. Thankfully we found some.

Rob didn’t have the right shoes either so we did that too.

The night came and we got all done up and picked up by one of Robs friends who owns a car.

The night wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be although I definitely was the talk of the night. Rob is the first to get married and the one they thought would be the last. And the fact I was from Australia was massive. So all night people who I had no idea who they were, were coming to have photos with me.

Hahaha

ALL DONE UP FOR THE REUNION

Sadly half way through the night I was having really bad sickness so spent quite a bit of time outside on the balcony in the air. But it was a nice night, fun to get dressed up and to see Rob catch up with his friends.

SUNDAY

Not feeling well today at all but I can hear the church music playing already ( the salvation army corps is here on property) and I want to go.

So Rob and I go to church. Was great to be back there.... and everyone cheered and did their African squeal and tongue noise in celebration of our marriage.

The music was great and sermon FANTASTIC!

IT was about trusting God – more than trusting circumstances.... like planting even when there is a drought or the weather disagrees. This was what they preached on... planting in times of famine. Now he wasn’t just speaking literally but it was a clear message for us as we had been praying about whether we should plant another season with all they are predicting.

Church was great but i wasn’t able to stay long,  I had to come back home and go back to bed where I stayed all afternoon and most of the evening.