Bobby, the youngest member of our team and a talented photographer and videographer, and I woke early at Executive Hotel. Norman and Travis came to pick us up in the Land Rover. I had to be there for the slaughter of the goat. The day before when I was discussing this with our host, Joseph Elotu, I proposed that I rise early and take a boda boda (remember them? the motor bike taxis) the 30 minute ride to Nabukalu. I said, 'Joseph, good idea or bad idea?' He paused and then in his deep voice and Ugandan accent said, 'Bad idea.' And because one of the values of HopeChest is investment in indigenous leadership, I submitted and that's when we made the plans for the Land Rover. 'Good idea.'
Several of the young boys in the orphanage went to the goat pen and brought out the aging stud. It was time for him to die anyways because a younger stud goat was coming of age and that was going to cause some problems in the herd. They tied his legs together two by two and laid him on his side. The goat was silent still with boys holding him down with their hands and knees. Bugiri district is 90% Muslim and Muslims cannot eat meat slaughtered by non-Muslims. So, in an act of Christian love, the leadership of the church and orphanage recruited a Muslim orphan boy to slaughter the goat so that the whole community could eat at the goat feast later that day. The boy, Solomon, came toward the goat, Norman handed him a dull knife, he pulled his T-shirt up to cover his head and he proceeded to slit the goat's neck. Remember that I said the goat was silent to this point? Not any longer. (By the way, Tom does a great impression of the sound of a goat getting slaughtered. He proved this to our entire staff at our Monday staff meeting last week when I was telling a few stories from my trip.)
While they continued to prepare the goat, Sarah and Jes along with 4 other women from the community were preparing the rice and beans, beef and groundnuts. There was excitement in the air. There would be a goat feast after church.
Church was supposed to start around 10am, but the music and the singing started rolling 20 or 30 minutes earlier than that. I had the joy of playing drums along with some of the other mizungus (the American way of saying 'white people' in Lugandan - we're not good at singular and plural). I preached. It was a unique challenge. The church of 175 was about 150 children, 15 women, and 10 men. There were language and cultural barriers. So I shared a simple message: 'Christ is with us.' In my church, Holy Trinity Anglican Church, we use the Divine Liturgy in the Book of Common Prayer. There is a phrase that we say often and that rings in my ears and gives so much truth and grace: 'The Lord be with you.' 'And also with you.' I talked to the children about how much joy we had in being with them. However, we had to leave that afternoon and could no longer be with them, but Christ would. The eyes of Christ would be on them, the arms of Christ around them, and Christ walks beside them as they journey through life.
Shortly after my message, Pastor George announced that there would be a goat feast after church. Faces lit up. Smiles widened. Kids began clapping and cheering. We take so much for granted in our land of plenty. Even in the midst of our current financial crisis, I don't think many of us have gotten to the point of cheering when our pastor announces that we've been blessed to eat meat that afternoon.
The feast was amazing. Those kids can really eat. Those who prepared since 5am did such a wonderful job. There was plenty of food. What a joy!
The Home of Champions in Nabukalu is awaiting a church or business to sponsor. There 100 children living there, 50 boys and 50 girls. The commitment involves finding people in your church or community to sponsor each child at $34/month. Sponsorship provides direct assistance in the form of clothing, food, mosquito nets, etc., discipleship, and education. Also, your organization would take a yearly trip to Nabukalu Home of Champions to be with the kids, serve them, encourage them, equip them, and honor them with friendship. Additionally, there are so many kids in need in the area that we have also registered 100 additional children who would benefit from a Care Point for feeding and discipleship as we find a sponsor to offer that to them.
After saying our goodbyes at Nabukalu, we went back to Executive Hotel to meet four more members of our team. Jennifer Jukanovich, who sits on the board of HopeChest, along with her husband, Dano, and two daughers, Lien and Anna, had flown into Entebbe the night before and were en route to meet us in Bugiri on the way to Soroti.
We started driving north around 2:30pm and arrived at Dave McPherson's home in Soroti around 7:30pm. Dave is the founder of TCON, The Children of the Nile Foundation. Joseph Elotu, our host, works with Dave, and we would be spending the next two days visiting some of their work in and around Soroti and exploring ways to partner and multiply ministry to those in need in that part of the country. Imachulet and Christine made a delicious dinner, and two 'arrow boys' stood guard outside all night. The house is set up like a hostel with three large bedrooms - one for boys, one for girls, and one for the Jukanovich family. Many of us were sleeping on bunks for the first time in a long time. I slept great there. Actually, I usually sleep pretty good. I guess that comes from waking early and working/playing hard all day.
you crack me up with that goat! oh my.
Another great day. . .mostly with those precious kids. I'll never forget those girls, especially sweet Molly.
Brandi
Posted by: Brandi | October 28, 2008 at 10:01 PM