Osama on a Belt

I wake up early and get ready quickly to go to Mukono. I say goodbye to Kate and catch a matatu from Nsumba and go through Ntenjeru and then just as we are about to leave Ntenjeru the driver turns around and we go all the way back to Nsumba.

“Tugende Wa?”

“It’s OK, It’s OK”

At least I’m in the front seat. Kelley told me when I got to Africa not to sit in the front seat but this one has a seat belt so I feel fine. We get to Nsumba and the driver picks up a few people including Kate. I stick my head out the window and wave at her and she is confused because I left about twenty minutes ago.

When we get to Kisoga I get off and go see if I can find Joseph. He’s not at home and I give Kenny a call. I meet him at Mandela (the hostel his company is staying at). We sit around and talk, drinking sodas in the bar area. Kenny opens his drink with his teeth.

After a while we go out back to another sitting/eating area and watch cable TV and eat tomatoes and eggs. I can’t believe they have cable TV. We watch an old black and white movie and some boxing.

Pastor Simon is there and I realize that he’s probably not a pastor. He says for lunch he has a beer and a cigarette. He tries to buy me some drinks but I say no thanks. And teach him about the Word of Wisdom.

-

I get to Mukono and go to the market that Meghan told me about. I buy a cool T-shirt and some slacks. The T-shirt smells just like the second hand ones from home. I like it. Living in New York has helped me know how to haggle here. And the little Luganda I know helps too. “Don’t give me the muzungu price, give me the mutugavi price.”

I meet Frank at church and give him another photo lesson. Ema from church is here and he walks around with us. I give Frank the assignment to find lines and circles. I teach him about composition.

After the lesson Frank and I go back to the market and he helps me buy some dress shoes and a tie. Then we walk to the internet café. I show him my website and help him check his gmail. He writes back other volunteers who were here earlier this year.

While we are on the internet a guy walks by wearing a University of Florida Shirt - Go Gators! - with the cartoon gator head on the front. I stop him and tell him that I studied at that University. He looks at me like I’m crazy, but before he leaves the café a little while later he tells me, “I always knew that someday I would meet someone who went to this school!”

Frank and I go across the street to do some shopping before I go back to the village. I always stock up on milk boxes in Mukono and maybe some Pringles. I ask Frank if he would like some ice cream and he shakes his head no. He asks for biscuits (cookies) instead. Before check out I go to the freezers to get myself a cup of ice cream and Frank asks, “What is that?”

“It’s ice cream.”

“Oh! Yes I want that.”

I laugh and tell him to pick one out. As we walk towards the market again to find me a belt for my new slacks, I ask him how the icecream is. He just smiles as he continuously scoops spoonfuls into his mouth.

Then I ask, “Frank, have you ever had ice cream before?”

He hasn’t! I ask him to describe the experience and he tells me it’s like eating a bunch of éclairs (these kind of candies they have here with gooey centers). I tell him that I’m glad to introduce him to something so delicious.

At the market I’m looking at belts and come across a big belt buckle with a hologram of Osama Bin Ladin. I start laughing. “Why in the world do you have this belt buckle? Do you support this man?”

“Do you want it? You like it?”

“No I don’t like it.”

“Yes, but look.” He shows me that it’s a hologram as if the fact that I can have Osama’s face from the front, in three quarters, and in profile views all in one belt justifies my parading around with the terrorist on my waist.

“Why do you have this man on a belt?”

“He’s one of God’s children. God created him just like he created you and me.”

“Yes, he also created Adolf Hitler, do you have any belt buckles of him? Why isn’t your picture on the belt buckle or any other person? There are many of God’s children to choose from.”

As I’m saying this I see that right next to this belt is one of Saddam Hussein. This is hilarious. I’ve seen calendars of Saddam in the villages we visit. I don’t know how they get into the country but they are sold very cheap so the people buy them and hang them in their homes.

I think about buying the belt just to prove people at home that it exists, but I can’t bring myself to do it.

-

At home Kate asks me some questions about my faith. I tell her how I’ve come to know what is true and how everyone can learn truth by asking the Source of all truth. I tell her my faith has matured into knowledge, not just belief. We talk about Alma’s parable of the seed. We talk about trust and its rewards.