The best description I can think of for Paidah is “Africa meets the Wild Wild West.” The streets remind me of an old cowboy movie (see pic in the previous post) but there is a distinct African flavour to everything. Roads are in an appalling state of disrepair, rubbish litters the streets, and there is an air of neglect over everything. There is very little traffic, other than huge trucks and motor bikes, and people walk everywhere. Even when we arrived at 2 yesterday morning, there were people walking in the streets – in fact there were even people walking down the roads on the way here, in places where there were no apparent signs of habitation at all. Wattle-and-daub huts stand next to western buildings, goats straggle along the streets, children run everywhere. And remember what I said a few posts ago about Africa being noisy? Double it for Paidah!
At the hotel where we stayed Thursday night (well, actually Friday morning by the time we got there) my room was upstairs. There was not downstairs room available. I almost cried when I saw it. After ten hours in the car, when I got out my legs simply didn’t want to work. Walking on flat ground was challenge enough, without having to climb a flight of stairs. But one of my mottoes in life is “you do what has to be done” so with help from the two guys I somehow managed to get up there.
However, the guys had pity on me and decided that I should not have to tackle the stairs after a day of ministry, so when we went for breakfast they found another hotel for us. My room in this one has a squatty toilet, which I could have done without, but it is downstairs and otherwise comfortable – and it’s a bit away from the noise I endured the first night.
The church building here is a simple wattle-and-daub structure. (“Wattle and daub is a composite building method used for making walls and buildings, in which a woven lattice of wooden strips called “wattle” is “daubed” with a sticky material usually made of some combination of wet soil, clay, sand, animal dung and straw.” – Wikipedia) There were only maybe a dozen adults, plus the pastors and heaps of kids, at the meetings yesterday and today. I taught, rather than preached, on spiritual gifts yesterday and on the prophetic today. The response from those who were there was good.
The only musical instruments they have are drums, one of which is an old metal barrel, which was banged with great enthusiasm. It was actually surprising what a good musical accompaniment they made. Like all Africans, these people worship and praise with great energy – I feel tired just watching them.
The church here is actually an outreach from a church in D R Congo, and the pastor of the mother church is also here for these meetings, which is nice. Hopefully he might also decide to join the network.
The routine for the past couple of days has been pretty simple. Around 9.30 they pick me up and we go to the pastor’s home for breakfast. This morning this was chips and a tomato and onion salad, with the obligatory chapatis and bananas. Also a kind of chai, but served black and unsweetened (add sugar for yourself), unlike in Kenya where chai is normally served made with milk and already sweetened. This version is quite nice, although I don’t mind the Kenyan one either.
After breakfast I come back to the hotel to do some preparation before being picked up for lunch at around 1.30. Lunch today was the Ugandan version of ugali, rice, chapatis, a small meat dish, a bean dish, avocado and bananas. Straight after lunch we go to the first session, which was supposed to start at 2 but is just getting going at 3. After prayer and worship I minister for an hour, then there’s more praise and worship, then I minister for another hour before the closing worship. Since I’m not eating an evening meal, they bring me back to the hotel.
That will change tomorrow, as it is the Sunday service, which is supposed to start at 9, so I will be picked up for breakfast at 8. After the service we will have lunch and start on the way back to Kampala.
A couple of updates: First, my ATM question from Thursday. When I was finally able to get on line and check my account, everything was fine. The amount withdrawn corresponded to the amount I received from the machine. Much relief and a very loud “Thank You Lord”.
On my visa for Ghana it is mixed news. Our pastor there has contacted an immigration official, and yes they can organize a visa for me. The bad news is the cost is three times what it would have cost me if I could have got it from Australia before I left. Never mind. I am currently trying to find a way to send the money to him to begin the process. Can’t send from my bank account, because it’s a new recipient and they want two-factor authentication by sending a code to my Australian phone number – which I can’t access. Tried to send it from Western Union, funding it from my bank account – same problem. Tried again with my international debit card, it was refused in spite of having ample funds. Tried a third time using my credit card, it was refused, again in spite of ample funds. So the saga continues …
And for my visa for Liberia, our pastor there contacted someone and they told him that I need to contact the Australian Embassy in Ghana to arrange it. That doesn’t make any sense to me, but I have emailed them and asked if they could at least advise me. I’m awaiting their response.