Jesus is Alive

God has brought so many people into my life since coming to Uganda. I met so many I can pour into, and together we can come closer to our Savior. Of course, my Ugandan friendships are my favorite. They are the reason I am here, and being able to share life with them changed me completely. But not all are Ugandan. I have made plenty of other mzungu friends as well. These are people God uses in my life to help hold me up, as I help hold them up. We are here because of our missional God, and we need the encouragement from one another to keep going. It is such a wonderful set up going on in Jinja! But I still have met those mzungus who I feel like I am pouring out into like I would my Ugandan friends. That is the strangest sensation, and sometimes feels like a hinderence to ministry.

Let me introduce you to Peaches. For the life of me, I cannot remember her real name! But I was sharing with one of my friends what was going on with this woman, and for some reason that I cannot remember now, the story made me think of a song by The Presidents of the United States that goes, “I'm gonna move into the country. I'm gonna eat a lot of peaches.” So now I call her Peaches. Which also works because her name does not need to be known. My friend, who also works at Redeemer House, calls her Jesus is Alive because one day she saw him on the street, and just goes, “Jesus is alive! Jesus is alive! Jesus is alive!” all directed at him. She is a very interesting lady.

I met Peaches at a local restaurant. It is an American type joint, so many mzungus go there. We struck up a conversation one day, and a few days later had lunch together. It came out that I work at an orphanage, and I shared pieces of advice with her. I didn't think much else of the situation. I think of everyone as my friend, and am friendly with all people until you give me a reason to not be. Of course I would say hello to her when I bumped into her in town.

The day before I left for South Africa, Peaches showed up at my house. I was so busy as I tried to get ready to leave, that I was a little frustrated. But I was willing to have a heart to heart with her. She knew that I was planning to go home in December, and wanted to know more about what Redeemer House planned on doing once I left. I shared what I knew: they were planning on getting a replacement. That was it. She opened up her heart to me, and shared that she felt she was called to work with orphans. I said that I knew they would soon be taking applications, but wasn't sure of the process. If she wanted to see if this was the place for her to work, she could start volunteering once a week to get to know the kids. I finally got her out the door, and didn't even take another moment to think about anything. I was headed to South Africa, and had too many other things I had to worry about.

I spent my week, and came back sicker than a dog! I had a stomach flu as well as a horrible cold. Basically, I was miserable with a million things to do. The morning I got back, Peaches came walking up to the house once more! She said she needed to talk with me. It was then I began to realize something: I have a serious problem with people who don't make clear points that connect certain connections to the main point, and I go crazy when someone unnecessarily repeats themselves. That is EXACTLY what Peaches does! She went on and on about why she made a mistake... A mistake with what, I don't think I will ever know. But she made a mistake, and it was nothing about me. It was not my mistake. But she went to another restaurant in town, where the owner of the restaurant we met at came ant talked with Peaches. She found it really weird and uncomfortable because all she wanted was some good food. But because of that interaction, Peaches feels as though God is blocking her from working at Redeemer House. I didn't really know what to say to her, because I was so confused as to how those two things connected. I shared with her that sometimes our prayers feel like they are going nowhere, because God is wanting to see our faithfulness. He wants us to take action to our own prayers. I shared what my Grandma always says to me, “you have to put feet to your prayers.” I told her that I didn't know if God intended for her to replace me, but as she prayed she should take the actions required of her and see what God does. Once again, I was grateful to watch Peaches leave.

The next day, I was in the middle of something else crazy and hectic, when Peaches walks through the front gate. Now I am frustrated. She continues to just drop in at the worse possible times, and want to talk for hours. This time, she just comes to confirm that she made a mistake. It wasn't my mistake but hers, and she would not be coming over to volunteer. I still am baffled as I try to figure out where I could have possibly of made some kind of mistake.

A few weeks later, I was having coffee with a few friends at my place. We were talking about nothing in particular, but it was just a good time of friendship. Eddie runs into the house and says, “your friend is here.” And after some very challenging questions (for example, “which friend?” and “what do they look like?”) I finally get, “The one from China.” What the heck?! I knew exactly who he meant. Peaches has some kind of Asian heritage. My friend gives me a weird look, when I cry, “Nooooooo! Why?!” Then she looked out the door, and saw who it was. Apparently she had a weird encounter with this woman as well. I meet Peaches on the front porch, and am a bit short tempered. I am getting sick of the drop ins, and I was perfectly content with my previous company. She asks me if they have filled the position. Since I had no idea, I told her that I had no idea. I also explained that I had no part in the hiring, and I did not want to be apart of it. That seemed to satisfy her for the time. She said she would like to come on Saturdays and get to know the kids. Once again, Peaches finds her way to the gate.

She came a few times. I have had people volunteer when they are here for a long time, and it is great. They really get to know the kids, and it isn't like we are hosting guests, but rather they are apart of the family. With Peaches, it felt like we were hosting. But I didn't want to change who we are to please her. Not that I wanted her to be miserable, but we cannot continue to entertain her once a week. So I just went on as usual. With most of the long term volunteers, they just jump in and help with whatever was going on. I could tell that Peaches was uncomfortable with that. One particular Saturday, I know I made her mad. I yelled at one of the kids for beating another with a towel because he was angry. This kid does not respond well with extra chores, because he wants to please people. If I asked him to scrub walls for no other reason than I wanted help, he would do it! But yelling at him really gets through to him. It helps him see what wrong he has done, and he feels like he disappointed me, which is not pleasing. Since that day, I have not heard that he hit anyone. Once the whole punishment was over for him, I sat him down and explained why hitting is so wrong. Like I said, he isn't hitting anymore. But once I stopped yelling, Peaches grabbed her things and said she was leaving. I could tell that made her uncomfortable. I felt bad that she out of place, but I felt justified in the way I handled the situation. I just let it go.

This morning, my phone rang. I did not recognize the number, so I did not answer. It called right back, so I figured it would be important. Well, it was Peaches. She wanted to meet for a short while today. I had just looked at my email, and it was overwhelmed with things that needed to get done on top of my plans I already had! I knew I could not meet her today. She was not happy with that, and said, “me wanting to meet is not good enough for you?” I had to explain, “It isn't that, but these things are my job. They have to get done. Our ministry is counting on me doing them so we can function as a ministry. They take total priority.” Instead of respecting the fact that I am completely busy, she decided to take the time and have a half hour phone call. She went through everything. Have they figured out who to hire? God is a living God (no, I do not know how one flows to the next, but she did). Peaches feels like something weird is happening at the house (I know for a fact it was my handling of the kid who hit the other, but she refuses to say it). She doesn't understand how Africans don't know what an Asian American is, and she feels it is disrespectful (all the kids, out of complete respect and not knowing any better, called Peaches Chinese and she continued to be offended. Also, the girls asked her if she knew Kung Fu). She just went on and on. Finally, she asks, “Should I still come on Saturdays?” Out of complete consideration, I said, “Well, if it is something you still want to do, then please come. But if you don't want to, then don't.” Every part of me wanted to scream “NO! Stay away!” But I felt the Holy Spirit telling me to give a choice. Peaches didn't take it well... She says, “What am I suppose to do with an answer like that? I just find it very disrespectful. I am from America, and we don't say things like that.” I couldn't even think of any way that could be disrespectful. I am giving her a choice, and saying “please don't feel obligated” but it was taken so wrong. Somehow, the phone cut out. I went about my day. One of our staff needed to go to Kampala, so I was helping her get going, when Peaches walks through the gate. You got to be kidding! She knew I was busy, and I was not going to make Mercy late because of my morning drama that had nothing to do with her. Once I come back, she asks me to close the door so we could talk. That is when she explains to me that the phone cut off, and she is not the kind of person to hang up on other people. Then she left. Dumbfounded, I made my way to the back of the compound where I was talking to another staff. Not even two minutes later, Mercy comes and says that Peaches is back! So I start making the trek back inside. I can hear Peaches saying, “Does she know I am here? I just really need to talk to her!” And Mercy, with all kindness, says, “Yes she is coming, but she was talking to David. She will be here shortly.” I come down the hall, and she says, “God is a living God. And He is the Redeemer. We have to obey His will. So with that I will be here Saturday.” Then marches out. I turned around, and Mercy's chin is on the ground! One more crazy scenario like this, and I will be telling her she is done.

I always find people like this in my life. Just off the wall, and most people do not want to deal with them. I am not sure why God places them in my path, because I usually end up with either a hole in my wall or a bruise on my forehead from banging my head! I do not know Peaches story, but God does. Maybe He will use me to be an encouragement. Maybe He will use me to explain how difficult life is as a missionary in Uganda, and help her grow into that or realize God has something else planned. I am not sure. But I believe the Holy Spirit was telling me to give her an option today, and it will be interesting to see what is made of that. The Spirit's prompting is so much better than my own ways, and I earnestly chase after it. No matter who that brings into my path. Ugandan, mzungu, someone who needs a friend.