Who's Next?!

Life Goes On

Currently I am sitting out on my veranda, after having taken the morning to wash my clothes by hand; here I am sipping on fresh lemon grass tea, taking in the pleasant air, and gazing onto Lake Victoria in all her glory; I am sincerely in love with my life.  As pleasant as this day has been of course not nearly close to all my days are spent in such leisure.  However, I am blessed to have been busy as I have been.  Ever since I have returned back to Uganda I have found myself going here and there, contacting this and that person, sending emails, writing proposals, advocating for sincere interest in making Lazarus Community something more, visiting the members of both Lazarus Communities….the list goes on.

Not many of you may be aware of this but Lazarus Community continues to expand all over the United States.  Soon Lazarus Community crafts and jewelry will be sold in California and Florida as well as Indiana (two events coming soon; details will be posted, also items are being sold at Just Teasin’ Hair Salon, off of Allisonville road www.justteasinhair.com).  Because all of the wonderful people who contributed to the Lazarus Community Crafts Programme there are now several people representing us by wearing the jewelry in many states.  With all of the interest and demand for these products I have been beyond fortunate to have an outstanding supporter taking on various projects to extend the opportunity to increase awareness of Lazarus Community.  A very many thanks to Karen Stroude, my mother; as I could not be where I am today without the support of my family and friends, my mother has taken it upon herself to become the Program Coordinator of Craft Sales in the U.S. As the members and founders of Lazarus Community say, “She is now truly a part of Lazarus Community.”  All in all, I could not be more pleased with the way things are beginning to come together and it is because of all of you faithful followers and devotees that help us to strive towards our mission.

On a more personal note, there have been many things happening in all aspects of my life.  I feel that the trip back to my home in the U.S. truly rejuvenated and refreshed my thoughts and ideals of being head over heels involved in Lazarus Community.  Even moving around Wanyange, Bugembe, Jinja Town, Kampala, etc. I feel even more confident in my daily activities.  I’m not sure if it makes sense to many, sometimes it doesn’t make much sense to me but somehow I see Uganda a bit differently.  I find it even more fitting to my lifestyle now that I have taken a step back to realize my surroundings.  I always find it truly important to take a step back, to look at things differently, etc. but sometimes I suppose it takes leaving a place to truly understand what it means to you.  While I was home, as busy as I was I  found myself missing small things about Uganda, and now that I am back here in the midst of it all, I can understand why I was missing them.  Uganda has become my home away from home and I know now that after being at my home in the U.S. that it will always be my home away from home regardless of how long I am able to spend here or all the other places I will go.

As I’ve talked before about the dirt roads, blue skies, rainy days, boda-boda’s, mutatu’s, coasters, meat hanging on the side of the road, chickens running, cows grazing, goats sleeping, children everywhere, people walking day and night…being back here feels like I’ve placed myself back into the pictures in which I was sharing with people while I was home in the U.S.  It seems that for many, all I’ll ever be able to do is show pictures and share stories…but for me this is my life and then I find myself questioning…will it soon be a life that I once led and now it remains in photo albums? At this point in my young Round II Journey, I find it very challenging to try and imagine myself back in the U.S. placing snaps into slots to only sit on my coffee table as a conversation starter and I life I once led.

I have also stumbled many times already upon the question: why leave the place that I have always dreamed of coming to; after all of this time of imagining myself living in Africa, why would I want to put myself in a position where I’d have to say goodbye to the number one goal that I set for myself so many years ago? Eh, but as for now, I do not have to search for those answers, not just yet.  I have been told by a couple of very dear people in my life that one day I will have to come home…ah, but then I say, in one world, I am home, but in another I am missed and missing my home…in the end, the world continues to go round and round.

Other thoughts

As many of you know Gadaffi was killed on Thursday…when I heard the news I was with Henry, Aiida, and Betty just leaving our members in Nakasadhere after spending the day with them, and Henry said, “Uh huh, Gaddafi is dead.”  Later that night after I returned home to Wanyange, I watched the news and there was one of the most intense videos I’ve ever seen broadcasted.  There he was being dragged out of an underground water tunnel, pleading for his life in all of his disarray, and shot.  Of course, I cannot imagine the torture and pain that Gaddafi put people through for decades, but still watching that man, hearing the yelling and screaming and suddenly he was motionless; eh, my heart was heavy.

Now, there is much talk about “Who is next…?!  Will it be Museveni??” Of all the things that I’ve heard of lately that too tugs at my heart.  I have been learning much more these last couple of weeks about the “corruption” in Uganda than I did in the first seven months I was here.  From stories like the main sugar producer holding back the supply only to inflate the price because it is so scarce so that the sugar company can help the politicians pay back their debt from campaigning (as well as taking sugar from South Africa and reselling in the local brand name), to pocketing 70% of the average Uganda man’s shilling, to “having no money” to help replace the disappearing roads (due to heavy rains) because the “big men” are buying nice things for themselves…I haven’t felt this close to what’s going on or at least the talk of what’s going on in the political world in my entire life.  When I was sitting one afternoon with one of my housemates, who is from both the Musoga and Buganda tribes, she explained to me many different things about what she thinks and other people are saying about what is presently taking place.  One of the things she said still has not and will not escape my mind: “He (Museveni) is training the people directly under him to be thieves…he’s teaching them how to steal the country.”

Conversation at the breakfast table with different priests who come to celebrate mass for us have also revolved around the current issues and events happening with the government…the second round of the “walk to work protests”, threats of tear gas and tanks to be used against those who outwardly act against the government, as well as the new presence of U.S. troops in the country trying to “fight the LRA and find Kony”…it all seems so real, and well, that’s because it is…at least for us here.  Even this morning I heard our newspaper deliverer talking with one of the Sisters, “Who is next….not Museveni, he will be after this person who is ever next….where is he from, I am forgetting the country, but after he is gone, Museveni better watch out.” To hear those things on a daily basis is not uncommon anymore; it had been mentioned before but even more so now…The world is changing, the “big names” are being taken out, and other things/people are being pursued.  I am not sharing with you this information because I am trying to frighten you…there won’t be any action for some long time here in Uganda…at least that is what we are praying for…I am SAFE. I am SAFE. I am SAFE; however, prayers are always welcomed.

Meanwhile, all of these things are going on and thoughts are racing through my mind, but people continue to go about their day…cows are stopping traffic, children are running and playing, women are selling bananas and g-nuts on the side of the road…life goes on…My heart though still trembles when we talk about what one day could happen here in this country…this country in which I am in love with…this country that is my home away from home…

With all of this going on, I find myself in a daze at times…like yesterday I went for a walk and was standing looking down over Jinja where the cars were like toys and the houses the size of Monopoly pieces, the sky was blue, the sun hung high, the breeze in my hair, and the earth beneath my feet and I was reminded…this is where I am meant to be at this point in my life.

So, here I am…loving my life, engulfed in the fresh air, and letting go of the things I do not need to undertake.  As I spend time throughout my days, and may you know, that the days are running fast, I hold you in my thoughts and in my prayers.  In a distance I hear music being played…a party going on, birds chirping, jets flying, and wind through the trees…I take a deep breath…and ah, the world is at peace for but a moment.

I am Safe. I am happy. I am in love.

Much peace; Many blessings; and Abundant love for you all,

Anne Therese

Please check out our website (where I continue to update the current news of Lazarus Community) www.thelazaruscommunity.org

And for those of you who are on Facebook, please check out our page: The Lazarus Community and take the time to “like” the page…once we have 25 followers we will be able to link the website to the Facebook page to increase our opportunity to spread the mission of Lazarus Community! Thank you very much (Webale nyo).