Choir Recording

     Andrew and I just returned from Budaka, a small town in Eastern Uganda, where we were recording a few African choirs.  The literacy branch of Wycliffe sent us to go record and take video of several rural choirs with the idea that the best one may receive a sponsorship to the United States.  While touring in the states the choir would be raising money that would go toward the translation of the Old Testament in their native language.
    We took a bus from Kampala to Budaka.  It was a four or five hour journey through mostly undeveloped area.  The bus stopped about halfway for a bathroom break, which consisted of getting off the bus going into the bushes on the left if you are a woman, or the bushes on the right if you are a man.  We eventually made it to Budaka, met a man named James who was coordinating the whole thing and grabbed some food.  Later that night the entire towns power went off and did not come back on until we were leaving a couple days later.
     With or without power we were there to listen to some choirs so thats what we did.  We listened to a total of five and there was one that particularly stood out.  This choir sung and danced with such an enthusiasm and love for the Lord that we could tell they weren't just performing to perform.  In fact, once we had finished recording they continued to sing and dance for another half hour or so, all the while more towns people would gather to listen and even dance as well.  Then a pretty big thunderstorm rolled in so we all went into a school building where they proceeded to play and sing for another hour.  Hopefully this choir will get the opportunity to perform outside of Budaka and raise money for translation.
      It was crazy how much the people welcomed us and thanked us for coming.  They were very appreciative of what we were doing and seemed almost honored that we would come to their town.  After recording, they served us food and thanked us again.  These were pastors and leaders in the community who were making us food and washing our hands, which was a good reminder of how we are called to serve others.

Sudan Part 2

We lost Ben. Jon’s buying food but ben never made it to the grocery store. I get him on the phone to find out that he has been dropped off, not far off, but in the wrong part of town. So he gets things straitened out and is on his way... meanwhile we try to get the rest of what we need to get on our way. Foods bought: noodles, sardines, snickers, breakfast bars, and water. We are all there packing our bags on some benches in the middle of the mall. Stuff is just getting thrown in so that we can hit the road, considering we are in a race with the sun and currently we are losing. The bota drivers take us up to the top of town from there we can start hitch hiking. Thumbs go up and let the games begin. We start walking into the sunset as the sun makes its last appearance and ducks behind the distant hills. I have found that in africa the sun stays in the sky as long as it can then it drops faster than a beat from a hillbilly band. We throw down a prayer to God that goes something like. “keep us alive, amen.” and keep moving just walking in two packs of two. This was in hopes that the driver would see the first and stop for the second. We land our first ride with a nice woman who takes us just a few kilometers but that's enough to get us out of town which is always better for getting rides. She was a nice middle aged woman listening to her sermon and telling us white boys to be careful. Who knew Africa gets more dangerous at night. We did. She dumps us off and we start hitching again. Its fully dark by now all you can see is headlights and shadows of people around you. That and 4 white figures with packs waving at every car that isn’t a matato (public transport). We land a flatbed truck with four other mudugavus (black natives) in the back who look at us as if we are all crazy as the thought of electricity on Noah’s ark. They smiled and so did we, few miles down the road we stop at a gas station for some petrol. Waiting in the back, Jon jumps down and asks a big rig which way they are heading. He saying he is going all the way to Gulu which was our goal for that night. We are all pumped! all we gatta do is ride it out. I look down at my hands and find that the pole in the back of the last truck apparently needed to be greased to death and now so was I. But we all pack into the cab of the truck. There are two in the back of the cab, Jon and Jer, Ben and i are up front. The driver hadn’t said a word but the other guy was more than thrilled to be talking to us and was just going on and on about who knows what. The truck is moving at 30 km per hour. downhill. We find out that they are going to reach Gulu by the next morning. So we start discussing the thought of getting another ride. Finally Timothy, the passenger, pipes up and says there is a police stop ahead and we needed to hide, all in behind the curtains. So we quickly all pack in 4 guys and 4 packs - no room. The truck stops and we can hear the police asking if there is anyone in the back. The men lie and say no. I glance over at Jer who is stretching the curtain so that it covers at least half of him from being in sight. But we made it past with no trouble. A few minutes later we spread back out. Getting smuggled past a police stop, check. The driver asks Timothy something, but he is distracted looking for a black bag. Ben is sitting next to him. We look everywhere, jon in the back finds a few black ones next to him but they arn’t the right one. Ben pipes up “is it this one?” and pulls one out from under his feet. “Yes that is thank you.” “Whats in it?” We open the bag an inside is the trucker's loaf of bread or midnight meal with a size 12 shoe imprint diagonally,  making sure that it smashed the maximum number of slices. Ben goes. “oops, sorry thought it was a pillow.” but there are no hard feelings just laughs, so far. Finally the driver is heard. And the long waited question comes. “Do you guys have any money?” “Nope” the driver was getting heated. He obviously wasn’t as friendly and was wanting a little compensation.  We ask to be dropped off because we are feeling some tension and besides we want to find a ride that might be a little faster than 5 km/hour uphill and 10 down. Timothy argues with the other man for a second and we then ask if the driver understands english. “Yes, he knows everything you are saying”-Timothy. Nice we were being ignored by a 30 year old african. So that's it. We demand to be dropped off, even against Timothy’s will, he didn’t want us to get hurt and said he would feel responsible. The truck drives off and its dark everywhere.

The only light is from the occasional person waking up checking their surroundings and finding that they arn’t in the texan desert or hell, just africa. We put the tent up and bed down. I whisper to Jon “should we take the rain tarp off?” We had originally left it on to protect against the thought of waking up with a cheetah or panther staring strait down at his dinner - us. But at this point it was becoming unbearable. “Im fine with it.”-Jon "Lets just take up the ends." So i get out and fold up some of the sides. We had been in the tent for about 2 hours and time was slugging along slower than the truck we had been in the day before.  The joke passed around the tent that if we left the tarp on then we would all be perfectly crock potted by morning for whatever prey did stumble across us. A slight breeze blows through the tent and we all sigh and pause for a moment, but it is still standing at 90.2 degrees.                                     --Andrew

Sudan Part 1

I wake up to sweat in my eyes and find myself lying in a pool of my own perspiration. Foggy eyes and blurred vision i glance down at my watch, wipe my eyes and read it twice. 10:21. I had been asleep for 3 minutes before i had been woken up by the intense heat surrounding me. Thoughts flood my mind as i figure out where i am. 

The last things come first to my mind. Less than 36 hours before we had left Namuwongo, the outskirts of Kampala Uganda. Our mission was to set out on a journey, hitch hike our way up the center of Uganda and smuggle our way into Sudan. The motive seamed apparent - adventure, danger, thrill. But there was a scent of something more, something hidden in the back of my mind or Gods Will. Both were extremely cloudy at the moment. The last time i remember a good sleep i was taking a nap on the bed in the guest house of Betty and Moses the two Ugandans that were letting us stay with them along with Jonathan and Jeremiah, two other guys we had caught up with and were working with for the first few weeks. I had fallen asleep after church and lunch and was just letting myself enjoy a bit of sunday relaxation. When i woke up no one was around - not Ben or Jon or anyone. The house girl Lucy had no idea either. So i called Jon. He told me they were at the internet cafe and i should come down there. I put on some shoes and head on my way. Still half asleep i got there and began to dig through some emails. I turn around to the word Sudan mixed in with some talk of alternate plans. “Hey whats the plan,” i asked. “well considering the plans of our safari tomorrow got canceled we were thinking on going on a short trip ourselves”-Jon. I could smell an adventure stirring and i was all in. “Sure man fill me in.” I got the plan that they had cooked up. It was either head southwest to a lake to chill on the shore or sneak into Sudan by bush whacking through a national park known for its game parks. Obviously smuggling and animals over lakeside any day. The plan was coming together quickly and the decision to leave asap was made unanimously. So we head back to the place to  pack. I send one last email to Alison telling our brief plan in case we don’t surface for more than a week or so and we're off. 

The clock is ticking now. Im back. It 10:25 now. Not much for sleeping. i can feel the gritty tent below my feet and sunburned back. I breathe hard but the air is so thick with humidity i find myself uncomfortable rather than refreshed by the oxygen. I look down at my watch. It reads. Altitude 2756 feet, 95.1 degrees. It's all of a sudden apparent why sleep was coming so slowly and why i was basking in my own sweat. The thoughts blurr...

My bags are packed and so are Ben’s. We convene for one last plan making we were ganna split up to get more stuff done. Ben - Go Meet Jer at Garden City where he had already left to get a haircut. Jon was going to get a beard trim while i cleared the info off of my memory card of my camera. One last video. “John, tell us was is going on,” Me. “Hey guys,  we're about to go off and hitch hike our way into Northern Uganda. We hope to see you guys in a few days if not so long.”-Jon. Not much of a goodbye but we're guys and thats usually how things roll. Hi, bye, see ya around. Too much adrenaline and masculinity to address our mothers or house pets. It was gametime. John was off getting a last beard trim, i was throwing the computer stuff together and getting ready to meet him. Our bags only had what we needed. The thin list before was now almost transparent - down to a simple sleeping bag, long sleeve, knife and camera. We put ben on a bota (african motorbike) and send him off to find Jer at Garden city(shopping center). Jon and i are off to Aweno to get some shoes for him. His were all stolen and he was down to a pair of bright colored flip flops. We're in rushing running through the crowd, going through piled of shoes bartering on the move. Locals bring us shoes from all sides, some as pointless as high heels in a soccer game, others - close, but too small. Finally we land a pair, find some soles, which who knew weren’t always included, bartered and took off. Back to the bota heading to meet the others at Garden City the time. 6:05 sun was just 1 hour and 25 minutes from setting. and i fade off to sleep again.       --Andrew

More pictures!

If you want to see some of Andrew and Ben's pictures from Africa, go to http://gallery.me.com/realityscalling

We'll try to add more soon!

Alison

One road to redemption

      Andrew and I are now staying with a couple friends and the other day we got to thinking.  We began asking what are we doing here and what should be our ultimate purpose in Africa?  What do the people of Uganda need?  Is it money?  Is it better water? Is it better living conditions? 
     As we discussed these questions the answer always lead back to the need for the hope found in salvation offered by Jesus Christ.  Its truly as simple as that.
     We are here in Africa, in the heart of the slums, seeing poverty eveywhere.  Everyone needs money.  But we have come to the realization that it is not money that Africa needs.  Sure it may help.  At best it may increase the standard of living of a few.  But most often it becomes a sinkhole, where once you have it, you want more and more until it's draw becomes so strong that you are so dependent upon it that it becomes what you worship.
     This brings up the whole idea of humanitarian efforts with the aim of improving the health and conditions of the poor without offerring that eternal hope found in Jesus.  Say some organization comes in to some slum, builds every family a house, food and water, and puts a mercedes in the garage.  Is that redemption?  Does that lead to a hope for the people and a love for one another?      
     We, or at least I, was able to more fully realize the importance of the church and church planting where the gospel is brought to those who have not heard.  When I say church, I am not just referring to a building.  Im referring to a Christ-centered community, a network of people growing in faith and practicing the gospel.
   That is what Uganda needs.  That is why Dan's church plant here is so vital on the grand scheme of things.  Thats why we are happy to be assisting him in his ministry efforts.  He is working to build that christ-centered community that feeds the soul as well as the body.  Redemption is not something we can buy.  Jesus already paid for it.  Its there for the taking.           
-Ben
side note-the funnest things ive done so far have been free, thats got to mean something
  

Sleeping In the Slums.

American commodities. Its pretty much what everyone here looks forward to, how lucky was i to find that upon application, my most important commodity of deodorant smells like coconut. I don’t think you need to even poll the audience, Regis, to tell from my tone my emotions tied to the smell of freshly artificialized coconut. mmMMmmm. It actually turned out to be ok because shortly after, i found out that i wont be smelling much like coconut but for the first 30 minutes after the shower. Last night we did meet up with Jon which it was good to see a familiar face and make that connection. he is staying in a guest house which is nice. Not quite Robin status but its got electricity and a nice shower...

After we talked to Jon and Jeremiah the other guy that is here from vintage with him, we went on our way to find Julius our connection through Abby. We chose to skip on the bota (scooter) ride and try hitch hiking because Jonathan said they had been saving money doing that so we were automatically down. About ten seconds into the ride we decided the only vital part to hitch hiking other than making sure the guy doesn’t work for the bad man downstairs is knowing where you are going. All in all we got there, but it was a wonderful adventure. Finally we had made it and both of us were about ready to kick it on day 2 of being in africa. 

 I don’t know if any of you heard me say that we were going to be staying in the slums with the kids trying to get to know what their life is like? Well we sure kept our part on that end of the bargain. The orphanage is nice. The area around it, not so much. But after only spending a day with these children i have found that i trust them. It helped that they were hand picked by Abby but they were also looking out for us and the earthly few earthly possessions that we have chosen to bring along, but some of their hearts made mine look like an empty Guel (g-ooo-l) mountain. (Neighbor Mr Eds name for the worst part of wake forests city dump.) Mr Ed, i have now answered the question “what if someone actually lived here?” I do.  

Today we met Abby. I think she is truly amazing. Not like a “if you like it better put a ring on it” way. (parents its a song. google it.) But she shows up looking like the freshest part of America and shes the one that is living with these kids all this time? Ben and I had been there for like 24 hours and we were dripping with sweat, covered in dirt, and the scent of coconut was as old as history itself. And she know how to love these kids like no one has ever before. Overall we have only been here a short while but i am already beginning to see a purpose to the first part of this journey. From far far away im signing out. 

-Andrew

L4L 

-Co Founder

Tomorrow ill try to put up some photos. 

Like most children in foreign countries, the boys we are living with love soccer.  So this morning, after eating some pourage for breakfast, we went out to the field that they play on.  Its not really a field though.  Its located in the middle of the slums, is 90 percent dirt and rock and slopes downhill at one end.  Men on on their way to work and women going to the market would casually meander through the middle of the field as we played.  There were also several cows grazing on the 10 percent that was grass.  This set up for something I had never experienced while playing any sport.  Andrew had the ball coming toward our goal.  One of the boys ran at him and he cut it back across a fairly large patch of grass, planted his right foot and swung his left through the ball which had rolled on top of a hidden pile of fresh cow dung.  It exploded everywhere and hit everyone ( I was 15 yards away some hit me, it was still warm).  All the boys laughed.

A couple of them had shoes they played in but almost all of them wore plastic sandals given to them by the orphanage.  Despite their few belongings and dirty clothes, they are some of the nicest and most hospitable people I have ever some in contact with.  Last night when we first arrived they would came straight up to Andrew and would grab our hand and say “How are you?” or “Nice to meet you.”  They did  the same this morning when we woke up.

Later today we met with Dan Morris, a pastor from Vintage 21 who is heading up the Acts 29 church-planting vision in Kampala.  We talked for a while and tomorrow should begin on a promo video where he expresses his vision and plans for the future.

One last thing-There is no organized trash pickup system in Kampala so there is garbage everywhere.  We were actually told to litter because there are not trash cans and if there are, they just get dumped into the streets or alleys anyway.

Ben

To Entebbe and Beyond.

Looks like this is the first blog post from inside the motherland.  We left Raleigh two mornings ago and three plane rides and several airline meals later we are find ourselves at a mission house in Entebbe, the workplace of a woman named Robbin, whom Andrew and I stayed with last night.  Im guessing Andrew will talk more about our plans for the next couple of days later in the post, so I will just give a couple first impressions of my own.
One thing that I have noticed is this change of scenery has pulled me away from big time-consuming elements I find myself attracted to in the States.  I have already had quite a bit of time to read, write, pray and think which is great.  The fact that watching television and mindlessly surfing the web are two things I can no longer freely access whenever I want is something I look forward to this summer.
Also, here there are men who taxi people around on motorized scooters.  Andrew and I hitched a ride with one of them earlier today and I can now say I have ridden on a motorized scooter with two other grown men at the same time.  I will go ahead and check that off my Bucket list.  
                                                               -Ben

A PB&J on a hamberger bun, a few dutch words and half my lifetime on a plane, and were here. Buttt it still feels good to be back. Found out mrs Robin is living the good life. Shes got a real nice place with hot water and a full size fridge, and a cat named cookie ill leave it at that. I sat next to some interesting people on the flights here. The last lady was from uganda and had lost her green card. So for the first two hours of our flight from amsterdam i watched her take apart her purse 80 times. (probably more but i stopped counting.) I have come to the conclusion that  KLM needs to take the royal out of their dutch airlines name until they stop serving food that smells like poverty. But overall it was good. I didnt sleep till i took out my camping pillow, and from there on it was doze on and off the rest of the way.

Today ben and i got up ate some food took some showers petted the cat and took off. We are now at the office for the next 30 minutes before we head to Kampala to make our second major contact. Jonathan Jenkins. So far so good. Lunch was grilled cheese which in my book is high class. Maybe ill send a letter to the airlines.
We will stay in touch. if you do have any questions please ask its easier to write in here answering questions.

-Andrew.
L4L
Co Founder.

ps. for those who have read my past blogs, news update, africa now puts the dashed tear line in the tp. Upgrade.

Finally in Africa!

I just heard that Andrew and Ben made it safely to Entebbe, Uganda after a ridiculously long day of flying.  We should have a longer update up within the next few days.

Today was also my first day working for Youth Conference Ministries and I can't wait for the connections I'm going to make and the things I'll learn this summer.


Alison
co-founder

4 hours and 28 minutes

That's how much time is left before Andrew and Ben's plane leaves for Entebbe, Uganda.  It's crazy to think that they are actually going to Africa today!!
Please be praying that God prepares the hearts of those that Andrew and Ben will meet and that God opens the eyes of Andrew and Ben to opportunities they have to serve while they are over there.
If you have any questions or want to know more about their trip, you can e-mail me at AGamble@loveforthesakeoflove.com

Alison Gamble
co-founder