Walking down the streets of Uganda is
an adventure in and of itself. With marriage proposals and constantly
being asked out, I have come up with plenty of quick and sassy lines
to throw back at them. I know most of these proposals come from my
white skin and American roots, and I never take a single one of them
seriously. I love joking about them and laughing at the awkward
encounter later. One of my favorites happened at church. A man came
up to me, and began to shake my hand. In Uganda, there is no such
thing as a personal bubble. People stand awkwardly close to you. With
that in mind, this guy stood too close to me as he continued to shake
my hand. We introduce ourselves to each other, and he continues to
shake my hand. He then asks me, “Would you be interested in a
relationship?”
“Uhhh.... Well.... N...” I get cut
off.
“WAIT!” *still shaking my hand*
“Where are you from?”
“America”
“Oh. So you are not from Australia?”
“No, sir. Born and raised in
America.”
Disappointment comes on his face as he
continues to shake my hand and say, “Oh. I thought you were from
Australia. My brother is there, and I want to go find him. Never mind
then.” Finally he lets go of my hand, as I stand there speechless
and wonder how I could get asked out and turned down in thirty
seconds! I was telling this story to a friend, and did I get some
kind of condolence? No. I just got, “Well, you are lookin' pretty
good these days!” Thanks.
Seems like lately everyone mentions
something about my looks. It really started with the comment from my
friend. Another friend of mine says, “you look better and better
every time I see you” every time I see her, which is about twice a
week. Then a few people I know came to Uganda. That caused me to be
in some full body pictures instead of the selfie type I take with the
kids. They made their way to Facebook. Comments. Comments galore!
Apparently I am looking good these days. People were going crazy of
these photos:
I will admit it. I have lost weight.
That is what happens when you sweat by simply breathing, get in the
habit of walking to do errands instead of taking a boda or driving,
start eating less Los Betos (by “less” I mean “Uganda doesn't
have Los Betos”) and less processed stuff, and do some Turbo Kick
to get some pent up aggression out. Shaping up will happen when a
life starts acting like that. Then there is the natural phenomenon! I
got a tan. A good tan! A tan that you can notice, and not have to
strain your eyes just to see the ever so slight variation in skin
color. *Side note: I am not for tanning! In fact, I discourage it! I
have witnessed the dangers of not taking care of your skin, and it
truly is heartbreaking. I do take care of my skin. I (being a ginger)
use the best out there: Water Babies (intense. I know). Just putting
that out there. *
The weight loss and the tan do make me
look healthier, but I believe they are just a fraction of the reason
I am getting all these comments. I am where God wants me. I am in His
will, and as I chase after Him, He fills me with an unspeakable joy.
I find joy to be the most refreshing drink for my soul. Before
returning to Uganda, I began to lose my zest for life and my joy. I
was caught up in the mundane life I created for myself, and in turn
lost part of who I am. I praise God because I got back on the track
He placed me on. Hosea Ballou said, “Tears of joy are like the
summer rain drops pierced by sunbeams.” Just like the summer rains
refresh the land, the joy of the Lord came refreshing my heart as I
followed Him to Uganda. Following God with a whole and completely
willing heart will cause anyone to shine. The love of Christ bursts
out of them, and all witness something beautiful. I see it so often
in others I know. I love watching those people as they are used by
God. I am not the kind of girl to give out beauty tips. If you know
me at all, you know I am not the girlie type. But I do have one tip:
Follow God with all you are. Strive after Him, and your life will
become the most beautiful scene you will ever imagine. And you will
suddenly hear how great you look.
So yes, Africa looks good on me.
However it is nothing more than doing God's will. I am going to keep
striving after Him, and I look forward to where He will lead me. If
that means I will continue to be asked out by complete strangers as I
walk down the street, then so be it. I will keep my sassy pants near
by, and look onward to the place God calls.
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