Priceless Riches in a Poverty Stricken Continent

Timon was my nickname. I was seven years old and in second grade. The Lion King had just come out and everyone in the class had a special nickname. I think that is when it all began—my unending fascination with Africa. Throughout high school, I dreamed of visiting the foreign continent, and finally during my second year of college, a small peep hole of an opportunity arose. That small hole grew into a window and then a door, and then the door opened. For an entire month I was able to live out one of the biggest dreams of my life.

Just as adventures usually are, my African adventure turned out to be more than I ever expected. The purpose of my trip was to immerse myself in another culture and serve the people there. Through the International Children’s Network, our team raised money to provide medical assistance to three villages, and our primary objective was to work on a sponsorship program for the children in Uganda and Kenya. Giving of myself, my time, and my resources was my reason for going and what I expected to do. Ironically, my expectations were turned upside down and inside out.

Though I boarded the plane in Seattle with the mission to help the African people, I boarded the plane in Kampala, Uganda feeling like I had received a gift greater than anything I could have given. I’ve always seen America as a country with wealth and resources Africa desperately needs. I left Uganda realizing that the people there have immaterial goods America is starving for. Here are some key thoughts that are etched in my memory.

Joy. The joy expressed by the people I encountered is not something that can be explained until you have witnessed it. Hannington became one of my dearest friends. His parents died of AIDS when he was young, as well as many of his siblings.  He had an unforgettable genuine smile that never left his face. When he’s not with his wife and children, he spends his days in the schools out in the villages bringing joy and light to the little children there.

Strength. I never once heard a Ugandan complain. They worked long hard days, but they never wore out. They were strong because they had to be. They couldn’t take vacations or sick time to regain energy. They know what it means to truly rely on God to recharge their battery everyday.

Faith. I didn’t know faith like this really even existed. “If we pray for God to provide food and we don’t get any food today, we don’t worry because we know He will bring it to us tomorrow.” They don’t have the same cares and concerns about mortgages, 401K, and car payments, but they really believe they will be taken care of.

Love. Everyone was always putting others before themselves. I never heard a selfish word. While we were playing games with kids at a church, a little girl about 5 or 6 showed up with her infant sister strapped to her back. She did not complain that her responsibilities kept her from playing with the other kids, and she was not willing to let anyone else watch her sister. She was dedicated to making sure the baby was safe. Situations like this were not unusual, but the norm.

Service. We barely had the opportunity to do anything for ourselves the whole month we were there. They cooked, cleaned, took us on tours, and bent over backwards to make sure we were comfortable. They didn’t only serve us, but we watched how they served one another. The women would serve tea to the men by kneeling down before them. When an older person walked into the room, anyone younger would stand up and offer their chair. The adults always made sure the children received their food first. There was no need to be selfish because everyone selflessly looked out for on another.

Thankfulness.  During a children’s Sunday school class, the children were given a chance to share their praises. “Thank you I’m alive.” “Thank you Mom isn’t sick anymore.” “Thank you my cough is gone.” “Thank you that I have enough food.” “Thank you I get to go to school.” “Thank you that I get to live with my aunt.” I remember to say thank you when I get a card in the mail or a present neatly wrapped in a bow, but how often do I thank God for having air to breathe?  Maybe it’s time to rearrange some priorities.

The Power of Prayer. Mama Rebecca was the name we called the woman who stayed in our apartment with us and cooked for  all 15 + of us for almost the entire month. She gathered us all up every morning for “morning glory”. “God is waiting for us this morning.” We would sing and lift the day to God in prayer. After listening to the details of their prayers, I was convinced that our trip went as smoothly as it did because they were praying for us months before we left. Not one serious illness or injury. No lost luggage. No missed flights. They diligently asked for “travel mercies”, as they called it, on our behalf, and what a difference  it made!

If only I could have bottled up some of their excitement, joy, peace, faith, love, thanksgiving, and selflessness and brought it back to America with me. Though we pride ourselves in being from a country dedicated to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, I witnessed these virtues in Uganda like I never have in America. The life they live is one in which every moment is considered a blessing. The liberty they experience is a freedom from the worries about finances, socioeconomic status, and how others might view them. Rather than the pursuit of happiness, they have found that the treasure at the end of the rainbow is really made up of the joy you experience by putting others before yourself and thanking God for the countless blessings he sprinkles on us everyday.

Elyse Wallace

Pictures taken by:
Elyse Wallace, Hillary Sell, Tonya Fuller, Erin White, Sara White, and Tammy Benelli