From the host family view

For a long time many have all wondered about a few things about host families, especially about the host parents from the program. Host families who contribute a great deal to the program and have had intriguing experiences throughout have share with me what they have encountered. It is interesting how two completely different cultures meet and yet fit in right alongside one another. So many host families all around Mukono have so much to tell. Yet for this time we would like to share how this semester has been. Here are a few prospects views of USP students from their host families...

Andrina's family

Kitamirike Henry and Jane, host parents to Andrina have been part of the programs since 2005. They hosted a boy for the first time but realized that because most of the family members are females, a girl would fit in even more. For the first four semesters, they hosted for two weeks and later started hosting 

Henry is a primary school teacher and a farmer. As he tells, they have all learnt so much from their experiences from the program. For Andrina, she is a blessing to the family. She is very social, interactive and all the children loved her and miss her a great deal now that they are off to boarding school.

Kitamirike Henry at his school

They have described her as a very interactive person and a hard worker too. She likes to be part of the family by getting involved in the daily activities at home. She often helps in cooking, fetching water, feeding the animals and just about anything that needs to be done especially on weekends when she is not so busy with school.

Henry also plans to get her daughter involved at the school where he works because she has shown interest in being part of the community at large and contributing to it positively. Andrina personally has a big heart that desires to give back to society and reach out to people especially children, which her father wishes to nature.

Prudence's family

Ssentongo Robert and Jemimah host parents to Prudence have been part of the program for almost four years and they consider it to be a great experience.

Prudence has become a great part of the family as the mother tells, she is a very good daughter who fit in well and loves her sibling.  She is quick to learn, and has a big desire to try out just about anything.

Prudence and her sister Rejoyce

The family goes to a Seventh day Adventist church and Prude is always around for that because Sunday is always a family day to spend time together.

Since she is very active and a quick learner, Prudence has been involved in so much at home. She likes to clean, has skills with cooking many meals at home and is always ready to help out in any way she can.

Jessi's family

Karungi Edith, host parent to Jessi who joined the program not so long ago also tells her story about how the semester has been for her.

Jessi and her family

“I have enjoyed hosting and my family has learnt a lot and enjoyed the experience”. She is grateful to Jessi as an individual for having fit in well in the lifestyle that her and her family lives. Edith says that Jessi fits right in and has been very open about so many things, social and interactive, making it easy to create and build healthy relationships amongst them.

  

Jessi was very much involved with the family activities. She always loved to help out whenever she was around and it’s because of this that she learnt how to cook and especially peeling matooke, a very interesting experience for her! “We all love her and are very fond of her, she has taught us a lot about her culture and we have learnt a lot from her too,” Edith adds.

David's family 

Rev. John Joseph Bumanye and his family have been part of the program for almost four years and have had the pleasure of hosting David. They have had a good experience as part of the program. They used to host girls until their mother passed away awhile back. However this semester been great for the family.

Rev. John Joseph Bumanye and his son

David is a very social and interactive person. He likes to make friends and is always ready to talk and hang out with everyone at home. Because there is more male company at home, it was easy for him to fit in, connect with the family and to get involved in so many things. “He learnt how to cook a couple of meals especially when it involves frying. He also knows and likes making chapatti”, the brother tells.

They all attended church at ST. Phillips and Andrews Cathedral where their dad is a reverend. It is an English Anglican service that David could easily relate to.  “It was a good thing that he never had any problems with any foods, he would eat and enjoy whatever the family was having”, Rev. Bumanye says.

His host brother wishes that he has to stay for a little longer because he especially misses the good times they had playing freeze during his stay at the house, his brother adds.

Jessica's family 

Ssentongo, Harriet and Hezekiah are the host parents of Jessica. This is a family that has been part of the program for quite a long time and has gained a lot from it.

  

Jessica is described as a completely social person, despite her busy schedule with school she always manages to find time for her family. They all go ST. Phillips and Andrews Cathedral and Sundays are mainly bonding time and spending time with one another.

                                                                                                                                                                        Making chapatti is one of those things she has enjoyed to do and to make several times. “We have cooked chapattis so many times, she is now an expert. It is always fun to do something together.” the brother tells. Goodbyes are always tough; they always carry with them and sadness, so it was when Jessica and her family took one of her host brothers to school in Entebbe.

Jessica making chapattis with her brother

Dave's family

Mpooya, Martin and Esther are host parents to Dave. As they tell, being part of the program has brought them different experiences, different people and different situations but all of which are worth encountering. Because there are more males then females, the family has had a pleasure of having more boys than girls since they seem to fit in more. They all go ST. Phillips Cathedral for church every Sunday.

Mpooya Martin 

They have had lots of good moments while talking, as the brother tells. “There is one Saturday when we decided to take a walk to nowhere and ended up going swimming somewhere. We had a good time then.” 

“We also like playing football on Saturdays when we are all home and free.” Dave is a very interactive person who never minds joining in anything that the family could be doing, as they all tell. “There is one time when he fixed an American meal for himself and I. I really liked that”, his brother adds.

Ashley's family

Kibanga Christopher and Florence, host parents to Ashley, were also very glad to share about their semester. Robert is also a primary school teacher in one of the schools in Mukono. He and his family have been part of the program for quite awhile now. They are happy to say that they have never have any problems but instead have learnt a lot from hosting students. 

They too have had a good semester but especially they have enjoyed having Ashley as part of the family because of her love for children. “She loved the children very much and spent a lot of time with them. You could easily see that they connected very well and loved one another’s company. She actually promised to take them to school to see where she lives”, the mother tells.

Ashley hanging out with the kids

Ashley liked to get involved at home, as the mother continues to tell.  “I was so surprised the first time l saw her clean dishes in the morning before she went to school. I later on realized that she’s just the kind of person who likes to be part of the family and that’s a great thing.”

Ashley was also very communicative. She would tell whenever she would be late for home from  school. It cleared any worries that could come incase she’s late. “It has been a great semester for us, we were happy to have her” the family tells.

Post by Irene Kirabo (UCU graduate 2012)

Chikaste Yesu by Mary Du Mez

PRAISE the LORD.

So, this past week, I took a break from what has become routine to me in the last two months. It’s hard to believe that I’m half way through this beautiful experience, but reality hit as we drove away from campus; I will be driving away again in two short months, as I say goodbye to Uganda and come back home to a new season of life. SO quickly time can escape me—I like to think ahead. And although I’ve already learned so much from Ugandan culture about simply being present, God had more to teach me last week.

A little more background; every year around this time, the Uganda Studies Program drops off all the students (social work and other tracks) to different homes of a rural village in Uganda. The students all stay a full week, learning about a different culture, and experiencing rural life. Mukono, where the campus is, and Kampala are both fairly westernized in terms of culture, but most Ugandans staying in those places “go home to the village,” as they would say, every so often to visit the family and tribe they’ve left there.

Kapchorwa, the district that we went to last week, features Mt. Elgon right on the border of Kenya and Uganda. The village is called Sipi—also the name of the waterfall that comes down the mountain in three different spots. So essentially, I was living on the side of a mountain, surrounded by waterfalls for a week. I NEVER got used to the view from my backyard.

A new language, a new family, and a new culture. I still don’t know if I was excited or not—certainly, I was amazed to be in such a beautiful setting, but as we passed the grass huts and mud houses, I couldn’t have ever anticipated the challenges and joys I would face that week.

I am already starting to forget the first night; I’m forgetting the thanksgiving-size meal that I was welcomed with. I can barely remember the crowd of 40-some kids that followed my mother and I to the market—poking me whenever they got a chance to see what I felt like.

I’m forgetting my thoughts as I lay in my bed, next to my newfound sisters. They were squirmy enough not to fall asleep. I couldn’t talk to them, but communicated enough to play a game with them of steal-the-blanket-from-whoever’s-underneath-it-by-any-means-necessary. The scratchy voice of Fene, as she spoke to me through Elizabeth, my interpreter for the next few days, barely exists in my memory anymore.

I am already starting to forget the voice of my host Father, which once seemed impossible. I’m forgetting the annoyance that I had as he made a million incorrect statements about American culture.

“I think in America, you don’t farm…”

“I think in America, you don’t have mosquitos…”

“I think in America, you don’t have potatoes…”

“I think in America, families can’t have more than 2 children…”

“I thought white people didn’t have tears…”

“I thought in America, people built houses in the air…”

“I think in America, everyone has a job… no one is poor…”

I’ll NEVER forget the lesson it taught me about ignorance. As I lay in bed, venting to God (the only person who would listen… hah…), I realized that I probably could have made just as many ridiculous assumptions about Africa. My family laughed at me as I tried to split wood- as I tried to stir their staple food, failing because smoke got in my eyes- as I wore myself out walking… a short distance in their opinion. Who was I to judge this man’s life and knowledge? God started to open my eyes to the beauty found in simplicity, as I was forced to approach every new situation with humility.

I am already starting to forget the small playful voice of my 3 year old host sister, Tracy, who I swear God placed there just to get me through the week. The look on her face as she copied me, “how are you?” not knowing what on earth she had just said, the giggle she had as I threw her up in the air, and the way she melted my heart with her pudgy little tummy as she spoke to me in Kuksabiny, the local language. She was convinced I knew what she was saying. I might forget the way she counted in English, and the way she followed me around, and poured me tea any chance she had. I might forget all those things, but I’ll never forget the relief God gave me through the way she treated me like a regular old person; not a rich, unknowledgeable Mzungu.

What will never leave my mind is the fact that the 3^rd day with this family, my Father said to me, “Mary—Here is your land. Come back and build someday. Whenever the Lord leads you. I know He will lead you.” I have land. In Uganda. With coffee plants on it. What?

What I will never forget is the amount of kindness the family showed to me every day—the night before I left, My mom prepared chapatti for dinner because it’s my favorite, my Dad meanwhile was hard at work grinding coffee beans for a good two hours so I could take them home with me. The plan for the last day was to get up early and make cassava chips for me so that I wouldn’t go hungry after I left.

What I won’t forget is how quickly I became part of the family. I simply was accepted because I was there. I was loved because how else would they welcome a guest? The incredible hospitality they showed me while I was there reflects Christ in such a beautiful way.

There are a few things about Rural Home stays that I was relieved to leave. I was tired of feeling like an outsider, and tired of being misunderstood by the end of the week. But as I left this family that I would possibly never see again, I couldn’t help but consider for a moment the offer my host father gave me... “Mary… they will come for you, but you must stay here… we will dodge them as they come for you…”

There was something so beautiful about the simplicity they lived in. Yes, it was probably one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done in my life, and it brought up a million questions in my head about globalization and westernization (that’s a whole different conversation... ask me bout it sometime J). But other than the intense processing that went on in my head during the time I was there, it was refreshing to focus only on the necessities— farming, cooking, and being with each other. The kind of lifestyle they lived would be considered poverty in America, but they literally had everything they needed. They ate like kings and owned little, but enough clothing. The land they farmed was large enough to give me my own piece, and school fees were difficult, but God was providing. 

A classmate of mine said it succinctly when reflecting on the experience:

"If I were to give something... what would I give them? They have all that they need. Nothing I could give would really be useful to them."

As I get back into the routine of internship and school and a little bit of a busier Uganda, I thank God for the challenge that Rural Home stays brought, and the joys that I couldn’t have ever anticipated about rural life in Uganda. It challenged my perception of Africa, and my perception of myself. 

J ANYWAYS. Beyond this explanation, ask me more if you’d like more… see below for some pics to get a visual of my week in Sipi, Kapchorwa.

 

Some of the kids that followed me around all week :) On the far right is my little sister, Fene. What a face.

Haha. Camera love there on the far left.

And THIS, my friends, is a coffee plant :) To be specific, it's one on my land...

One of the many washing areas in the village.

Tracy and I cleaning the chicken that I slaughtered a few minutes earlier.

On Mt. Elgon... yep. God's pretty beautiful.

LOOK at that smile. I miss it already.

This is my yard. The house on the left was a storage area for vegetables, etc. It will soon be turned into a home-- one of the nicer ones in the area.

Emmanuel being a crazy dude. Little brothers. Gotta love em.

Coffee beans that my dad was drying... I would later pound my own coffee from these :) 

And here's my backyard... that's my bathroom right there. 

And of course, the calf that my dad named after me... I didn't want to take pictures of the birth, but I had to document in some way, as this little guy is my namesake...

And, my family. From left to right, Michael (Dad), Brinik (14), Bauel (12), Fene (9), Emmanuel (7), Annette (Mom), Tracy (3)

Post by Mary Du Mez

Party Crasher

As a Program Assistant, I have the pleasure of visiting a few of the IMME student’s homes during the semester. This week was the week I decided to start to do home visits. On Tuesday I had the pleasure of visiting Allison’s family for tea. It was a great experience to see how she interacts with her family and to also view how comfortable she is at her home. I had a really good time there. 

Allison showing off her craft to a family friend Martin Mpooya

The next day I knew I wanted to visit Olivia’s family. I went to the IMME quarter’s room and saw Olivia there. I told her I wanted to visit her family soon. She said, “Why don’t you come today. We’re having a graduation party. We are always having parties at my house.” “Sure!” I said without even thinking. I don’t know her family that well nor do I know the people whom the party is for, but I thought to myself, “Good people and good food will be there. Why not go?”

When Olivia and I arrived at her house, the loud music indicated that the party was about to start. As we were about to take our seats the MC said that family sits on one side and friends on the other side. Olivia sat on the family side and I sat on friend side. Eventually the guests of honor arrived. The two graduates walked out along with Olivia’s mama, Margaret Ssekalongo. Mama Margaret greeted every person individually. When she got to me she looked at me and then said, “You have finally come to visit. You are welcome. Come sit next to Olivia.” It felt pretty cool to know that I could sit on the family side now.

As the ceremony went on, I could not understand what was taking place since it was all in Luganda. Luckily Olivia was there to guide me through the ceremony. She even gave me tips on how to introduce myself. She said since her family has had so many parties, she’s learned the appropriate actions for the ceremonies. I spent the afternoon viewing how graduation ceremonies are done here in Uganda. I also got to eat some great food, just in case you were wondering. I had to duck out towards the middle of speeches to get back to campus at a reasonable time, but all-in-all, I had a great experience being a party crasher. That’s the thing I love about Uganda, you are always welcomed and not considered an inconvenience.

Here are some pictures below of the evening.  

Mama Margaret greeting guest

One of Olivia's aunts greeting Olivia

The guests of honor

Mama Margaret giving a speech

Olivia and Mama Margaret

Olivia and her sister Angie

Post by Tiffany Gathers

Mukono Home Stays

It's that time of the semester again when USP students who live on campus start to get a little bit nervous (not all, but some). They start to wonder what they have gotten themselves into with USP; they are full of questions and speculations. They knew this day would come, but so soon? You all know what I am talking about? Mukono two-week home stays have arrived!

Today, January 19th, was the start of home stays. They started bright and early at 10 am. (10 am is early right??) The students packed up their bedding, clothing, toiletries etc. and waited in front of Honors college, anxious to find out which van to get into to head for their new home.

Whatever nerves they had the day before or even today began to dissipate as as they met their new families. Here are some pictures of students meeting their families...

Rachel meeting some of her family members

Look! All smiles!

Jessi walking with Mama Edith to her new home

Amanda and Mama Ruth

Carissa gearing up to meet her family

A loving embrace between a dad and his new daughter

Kelly and Mama Odeta

Vincent helping Benita arrive at her home stay

These pictures only capture a few students experiences of meeting their family for the first time. The families were very excited to meet their new sons and daughters. As I greeted each family, the mother or father would say to me, "Thank you for bringing my daughter." Ahhh, you gotta love the openness and warmth you feel right away from Ugandan families, though they hardly know the USP students yet.

This is only the beginning, two-weeks from now many are going laugh thinking about how nervous they were today. What I know for sure is that they are going to take away from their home stay experiences, memories and relationships that will last a lifetime. 

Post by Tiffany Gathers 

Spring 2013, and we're off!

The turn around between the fall and spring semesters is pretty quick here at USP, and jumping from a group of 24 to 39 is quite a job! But our new group is on the ground, and we're off and running. Here are a few photos of our first couple of days.

Group shot (minus one) in Entebbe kicking off orientation. 

Last Saturday afternoon, we dropped off our 16 Intercultural Ministry and Missions Emphasis) IMME students at their respective semester-long home stays. Here Dave is meeting his host dad, Mr. Martin Mpooya.

Friday we went to a place called Vision For Africa, for a chance to do some final orientation sessions in a nice, off-campus setting. 

The afternoon was spent enjoying the sunshine and a lovely pool. Yes, in January! One of the many perks of being so close to the equator.

The entire group, all 39 this time:

We're looking forward to a great semester!