It's Bank Day for Miriam!

This is my friend Miriam. She is about the encounter a very big step in any Ugandan woman’s life. Soon she will open up a Savings Account so she can save for her daughter’s education.



At the age of 13 Miriam was married off to a man who promised she was his only wife. After the nuptials were exchanged, she found out she had been deceived, and now ranks third among his tri-wives. From that young age when Miriam’s education stopped short, her goals of improving her status through education were replaced with a new goal of educating her 3 daughters, so they wouldn’t end up without options like she did.
Miriam is a savvy saver. Her husband gives her a little over $2 a week for food. She gets almost $10 a week from Suubi. And she works in town planting flowers for $2 a week. Miriam and 9 other Suubi women have devised a system that holds each other accountable when saving money. They rotate weeks where each woman gives one woman $5. So week 1, Suubi woman A brings home $50. But for the remaining 9 weeks, Suubi woman A gives $5 to the pot. Week 2, Suubi woman B brings home $50. Week 3 Suubi woman C brings home $50, and so on. This way all 10 women are held accountable to set aside $5 each week, totally $50 after 10 weeks. And because the money is out of their homes and their pockets, Suubi woman B cannot spend her savings, when it is Suubi woman A’s week to bring home her bulk sum. This system forces the women to think long and hard about how they will spend the $50 they’ve waited on for 10 weeks, rather than frivolously spend 5 more dollars each week without so much as a second thought. When Miriam told me about this grass-roots banking system, I was astonished at how genius it is. Last Saturday it was Miriam’s turn to bring home $50 and now she plans to open up a savings account.
I joined Miriam for her meeting with the banker to make sure all her questions were answered and that she was signing up for the right kind of account. And let me tell you, Miriam usually dresses in style, but for her big banking day, she showed up dressed in a prom-like dress, a sequined shawl and glittery heels to match. I was so proud when walking down the street next to her that every head turned; not just because she is a knock-out, but because of she was wearing a new found confidence and assurance as an independent financially secure woman.

Reaping the Fruits of Others’ Generosity

(Patrick bathing with one sock on)

(Jacinta with her one year old son, Titus...As you can see little Patrick is still unborn at the time of the photo)

Early Thursday morning, a Suubi woman named Jacinta gave birth to a healthy baby boy. Her delivery story was about as routine of a birth as the next Ugandan woman. She walked to the nearest health clinic in her village around 9 o’clock the night before, racing against the final minutes of dusk so that the setting sun could light her path. She was in labor all night, and gave birth around 3am. And by the time the sun rose, Jacinta was had already left the clinic, and was walking back to her hut with her new baby boy swaddled in her arms. All within 12 hours Jacinta walked to the clinic, popped out a baby, and walked back home. No sweat.
Jacinta’s new bundle of joy will always have special meaning to me because she let me name her second born. She wanted to either name him after my father or my brother, so I let her choose between baby Richard and baby Patrick. She chose Patrick, so now this little tyke will grow up hearing the story of the origin of his name as this crazy Muzungu camera lady who had an older brother named Patrick.
Jacinta had no support leading up to the birth of her son. Her husband works out of town and she goes months without seeing him; and she alone has her hands full with a 1-year-old toddler named Titus. Jacinta knocked on a fellow Suubi woman’s door on her way to the Health Clinic, and this woman Joyce spent all night consoling her through a very painful and lonely birth. I tell you all this story to let you know that many of you did your part in America to ease Jacinta’s burden. Jacinta wasn’t given a baby shower before her delivery, in fact, no women in Uganda are showered with gifts awaiting the birth of their baby. And yet do to many generous donations from family and friends, we’ve been able to provide a necessity to 10 expectant Suubi women. In Uganda a woman has to bring a “birthing kit” with all her medical and hygiene supplies to the clinic in order to give birth. Most women are barely making ends meet, so even though they are given a 9 month warning to start saving up to buy a birthing kit, many woman fly by the seat of their pants. That is the case with Jacinta. She was actually 20 days past her due date, and did not have a pair of surgical gloves to her name.


(A while bunch of birthing kits)

With the support of many generous souls and the proceeds of a successful family garage sale, I am in the process of delivering 10 complete birthing kits to the homes of pregnant women in Suubi. Already one woman, Lillian who is 9 months pregnant, said it was such an answer to prayer she believed we were angels. I tell you all this to thank many of you for your donations and trust when you earmarked it as “do with it as you see fit.”


(Lillian and kids hugging her birthing kit)

I wanted to share this success story with you all so you too can feel good about how you’ve helped the women of Suubi. I may get the honor of naming the baby, but you all should feel honored to have helped ease these women’s burdens. Jacinta’s friend and first mate, Joyce told me that the birthing kit was unbelievable helpful for a smooth and safe delivery. In Uganda, once the labor pains begin, women are forced to think and act in survival mode. So any comfort or assurance they can have about their delivery brings these new mommies much needed peace of mind.

Riding Public Transportation in a 3rd World Country

(Riding Mass Transit)

My boyfriend Nick says the best way to experience a culture is to ride their public transportation system. I agree with him that it teaches you to travel the way locals do. But after my recent voyage to Sippi Waterfalls, I also think riding public transportation is a good way to grow jaded with the culture.
In Uganda there is no such motto as “the customer’s always right” or “your comfort is our priority.” In fact it’s exactly the opposite. Our adventures navigating to Sippi Falls can attest to a new business model of treating customers like cattle. We were to take a Matatu (taxi van) to Mbale, a city that could take anywhere between 90 minutes to 5 hours to get there, depending on the drivers perseverance to make money.
The first lesson we learned was that the Matatu doesn’t take off unless the whole cab is packed full. A notice inside the van stated capacity to be at 14. Slowly but surely the van filled up to 14 after an hour of waiting in the smoldering, cramped space of the cab. But “capacity” here isn’t limited to the number of seats. Most drivers make it their personal mission to make the biggest bang for their buck before starting the engine. So after another hour of claustrophobia, we were able to hit the road with 20 passengers squeezed 4 to a row. Kind of like those early high school days of pilling as many kids in the backseat as hip room would allow.


(One of the many street vendors making a buck on the go)

I won’t go into great detail. But suffice it to say that after 1 flat tire, 2 pit-stops in various towns so street vendors could patronize our windows by selling mystery meat on a stick, and a few small elbow nudging victories that got me a little extra space; we arrived at in Mbale 5 hours later.


(A flat tire, just one of the many pitstops)

But the fun doesn’t end here. On our return trip to Jinja the Matatu drivers surprised us with another new business model. Cramming 22 passengers inside that same “14 passenger van” wasn’t making enough of a profit, this time the passengers were expected to hold appliances on their laps. These Matatu drivers are smart. Why limit transport to just people? Why not pile chairs, tables, and charcoal on top of the van, force passengers to carry televisions and wooden pallets on their laps, and toss a couple live chickens in the back of the van while they’re at it? We began to look for that euphemistic kitchen sink to fill up the last of our breathing space.


(The top of the van, packed with random cargo...can you spot the kitchen sink?)

One could say this way of transit is the most economic and environmentally conscious way to travel. Maybe rather than trying to build expensive, invasive public transit systems in America, we just need to pack our vehicles full like sardines. Now that I’m finally able to breath deeply and my bruised ribs are healing from those vicious elbow wars, using the Ugandan model of mass transit doesn’t sound like so bad!…Let’s all forgo those silly safety regulations like seatbelts and working brakes, next time you want to “Go Green,” hitch a ride in a livestock carrier, just make sure to offer to hold any extra cargo they may be transporting.



(This sunset made the ride all worth it)

Dancing Queens

Imagine coming home from school one random Wednesday, only to see your mom who usually is doing her typical domestic duties, dancing, chanting, and cheering with 50 of her closest friends? That’s what the kiddos of Suubi saw Wednesday evening when their moms attending the first ever “Suubi dance class.” It took place right outside the Suubi building on the streets of their village. The dance party lasted 2 hours and drew quite a crowd of nosey neighbors.
Many of these women grew up in the village where the dancing rituals were passed down from mother to daughter. But some of the Suubi women fled from the war against Kony and the rebels as children, so they have never learned how to shake what their mama’s gave them. We will now host weekly dance lessons for the women of Suubi, so they can express themselves in the same way their female ancestors have for centuries.
Our usual encounters with the women are very cordial, polite and proper. During the week we enter their homes, chit-chat about various topics, and occasionally help with their household chores. On Saturdays the women sell us their necklaces, and we get see their pleasant smiles when they count their money or their rolled eyes when we refuse to buy a poorly made necklace. But on Wednesday I got a chance to see a brand new side of these women. It was the pure, unabashed joy that only dancing can create. Big smiles, loud African yodeling (I can’t think of a better way to describe it), and these “moms” were transformed into “divas.” Rebecca, Rachel and I kicked up our heels for a few numbers, but even after over 30 years of dance training between the 3 of us, our bodies just couldn’t move that way.
It was a day that was good for morale. Suubi isn’t just a business. It’s definitely not a hand-out. It’s a community meant to empower women, but that’s not just accomplished with money. Sometimes you just have to dance to feel strong and free.

Proverbs 31 Women

“Charm is deceptive and beauty if fleeting; but a women who fears the Lord is to be praised.” Proverbs 31:31
Yesterday we celebrated Ugandan Independence day with a fellow Suubi woman (see Janet in the “Aunties” blog). She brews her own beer and sells it to a large group of village men. As you can see from the picture, these men are all dressed up and look like they just got off a hard day’s work. But when asked, the men confided that all of them are unemployed; no jobs, no ambition, no guilt about it. According to Janet these men sip away the afternoon with her homemade brew EVERY day.





Contrast this to the wives they leave at home every day. They scrub, suds, chop, fry, boil, raise, and provide all on their own. They “bring home the bacon, and fry it up too.” I always ask what their husbands’ do for work. The occasional man will work as a security guard, but the usual answer is that they find temporary work, which I realize now is a euphemism for “drink beer and play a board game underneath a tree all day long.” Maybe I am being too harsh here. And I apologize to the few men I have met here who work their tails off to provide for their families, like our security guard George and our two male tailors Charles and Herman.
But my frustration lies in the fact that these men do not help their wives by carrying any of the burden. For many household the Suubi salary of $9 a week is their only source of income. Here’s where my rant about husbands ends and my praise for their wives begins.
At the end of Proverbs, Solomon writes about the ideal wife. He says this wife of noble character is worth far more than rubies. Keep in mind this is the same King Solomon who had hundreds of concubines and wives from all across the region. But in Proverbs 31, he closes the book by sharing his wisdom learned from all of his life experiences and extramarital relationships. The Proverb is a little old fashioned by American standards because today many wives chose to work outside the home, and many of the tasks Solomon praises (such as sewing, gardening and trading) have been replaced by convenient inventions.
But what I have found here in the villages of Uganda are women who are the picturesque Proverbs 31 women.
“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watched over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.”




Solomon’s words written thousands of years ago could have been written just yesterday after watching these women slave away at the affairs of their households, all the while with joy and dignity.

“She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
She is like the merchant ships bringing her food from afar.
She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.
She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.
She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.
In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.
When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.”

At a Catholic mass I attended on Sunday, the priest spoke on marriage quoting Genesis that “two will become one.” He did not hold his tongue back when condemning the many men in church who have multiple wives, who beat their wives and who idly sit by to watch their wives act as their slaves. I couldn’t believe his boldness and courage to outright yell at these men for treating their wives as a part of their livestock rather than as part of their being. The priest reminded them that although polygamy and domestic violence may be a part of their culture, it is not a part of the gospel. And if these men are calling themselves Catholic Christians then they are called to a higher moral standard than their society has set.

Solomon closes his written illustration of a noble wife with this last line. “Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”
Amen.

“Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly, FaLaLaLaLaLaLaLaLa”

Christmas time already? Only if you’re as ambitious as my friends Sarah and Janine!
I have had some requests from those near and dear to me about buying Light Gives Heat gear for Christmas presents this year. I fully support that idea! Thanks for thinking of it before I even did.

If you are an early Christmas shopper (like before it’s even Halloween!) I would point you in the direction of http://www.lightgivesheat.org/

Suubi necklaces are launching some pretty sweet “flavor necklaces” which means they are only available for one month at a time. The Suubi women are really excited about the Christmas season because as they learn more about business, they understand that Americans go crazy over Christmas. So they hope necklace sales will take off during this year’s Christmas season. http://www.suubiafrica.org/

Also the Epoh Project just got started; they sell patchwork bags that are made out of recycled scraps. I have spent time with the tailors and they are incredible people who have put a lot of effort into making this project a success. http://www.epohthreads.com/

Thank you for reading this sales pitch. I promise in the next blog entry I won’t try to convince you to buy anything.

Labor of Love (and Pain)

Thursday was “Labor Day” both here in Uganda and in Colorado. Rachel (on staff here) received a text from her best friend, Corey that she was going into labor 2 weeks early. Knowing that Corey would deliver her first born while Rachel was in Uganda was enough to make her question her decision to be on staff in Africa for 6 months. We all knew on Thursday that Rachel’s heart was longing to be in Colorado in the delivery room with Corey. And it was tearing her apart.
Rachel and I had planned to pick up 9 months pregnant Christine (a Suubi woman) from her house and take her shopping for her “Birthing Kit” since her due date was quickly approaching. In Uganda, women have to bring their own kits into the delivery room, this includes: a razor, surgical gloves, a plastic mat to lay on, bed sheets, basins, soap, powder, and lotion to wash the baby, a baby blanket, and their own medicine to stop their bleeding. But on arriving at Christine’s house we learned she went into labor early that morning and was at Jinja Main Hospital. We rushed to the hospital to be with her. It is not customary for a woman’s husband to be with her in the delivery room. And often times she goes through the whole process alone.
From the very beginning Rachel knew this was a gift from God. She would help Christine during her delivery as an act of solidarity for her best friend she couldn’t be with.
I am in the process of working on a project about pregnancy and delivery in Uganda. I interviewed Christine 2 days earlier about the expectations of a pregnant woman in a typical Ugandan household, and what labor will look like. She gave me permission to film her whole delivery experience. So as the vulture journalist that I am, I whipped out my camera (luckily fully charged with a spare battery) and started documenting this incredible moment in her life. Let me clarify, there is no Hippa Privacy Laws here in Uganda.
Christine was unusually lifeless and in an immense amount of pain. There were many times throughout her 13 hour delivery where she was left alone to struggle for herself. I spent the last 5 hours with her in a cramped, foul-smelling delivery room, with 2 other women giving birth on each side. There was no such thing as an epidural or medication to induce the delivery. Her friend, Betty acted as a makeshift mid-wife, stirring up a tea that was supposed to help speed up the process. But Christine was tough and pulled through to win what she calls “A Tug of War.”
At 2 o’clock in the afternoon, Christine delivered an alert and healthy Ugandan baby boy she named Randy (after Rachel’s husband). I tried to act as the objective journalist by not getting too involved, but I couldn’t help myself from cheering when Randy was placed in Christine’s arms.

(Me, Mama and her prize after winning that "Tug of War")

I’ve never witnessed a live birth before even in America. But I can imagine bloody gauze doesn’t just sit in an open trash can near the sink, little critters don’t scurry about 2 feet away from the mothers’ bed, and a mother isn’t supposed to be fighting for HER life as she tries to deliver her baby’s.

(Rachel holding baby Randy)

As Rachel held little Randy in her arms in the delivery room, 6,000 miles away, her best friend Corey delivered a healthy American baby boy. In the end Labor Day was a great example of how huge God is that he can transcend time zones. And how much he wants to bless us with the good gifts he has for us.
What a day.