Today was my first day at ADRA. ADRA (Adventist development relief agency) which is an NGO based on an Adventist framework. The mornings at ADRA start off with a discussion and prayer hour and then proceed to work. Since my research is about seeing the collaboration between the religion and development I thought it will come quite handy to do some interviews. I had got freedom from Thore to walk around and observe and ask what I wished. However this was easier said than done. I started off by interviewing some staff members of their position, and how the religion influences them and their work. I most often got limited answers and they were quite reserved. Currently I just have these two concepts in my mind, religion and development aid. However I have no idea how they collaborate in ADRA or how their organizational culture is. I was hoping I would find this out, but I get this sense of feeling from them that they wish I could give them an answer of what I want to know before they tell me. I don’t blame them but it makes my work a bit harder. I found out this interaction is also a cultural thing. Ugandans are very polite, a bit reserved and respectful. Siri told me the first week she was her, she got acclimatized by asking about their families before asking about their work. Funny, for me from the west it is the other way around. We first speak about work before going into family details. Ok. New approach tomorrow, I will formulate questions they can not avoid answering and I will take it easy, step by step so they can gradually build up some trust in me.
After a very short working day I met my neighbor named Purity. We had a very nice chat and decided to head in to town do some grocery shopping. On the way there we were encountered with a green snake, most likely the green mamba. She ran the other way and I followed. Some of ADRAs workers came running and killed the snake. One of the staff members son had died a few weeks ago by the same type of snake. He showed me pictures of his son, he was only 21 when he passed away. There is a different understanding to death here. Back home we sometimes live as if we were immortal, but here death is recognized and accepted as an everyday reality.
Today I took a boda boda in town and more rides are coming. It is motorcycle taxis. They drive like crazy and have no helmet for the passengers, but it is a whole lot of fun to go on them. Plus it is flexible. I got a good glimpse of Kampala. The sand on the sides of the road is red brown, people everywhere. Small little market stalls covered on each side of the road. The inner city of Kampala was very very busy with traffic and people. Afterwards I wanted to see the market area close to our residence. It was completely different. I was pleased to feel like I was in ”real” Africa, but at the same time really sad of what I saw. The roads were very uneven, there were very poorly built market stalls everywhere. People were wearing haggy clothes and children were running around poorly dressed and their navel was sticking out like a bone. Apparently the reason for this mainly lies in that children carry very heavy things at a young age so the bone pokes out. Flies were constantly in the air, due to the lack of hygiene. The food they were selling in the market was however nice and cheap products that provide them with some kind of income. Many people here do not even have that. When we later arrived home Purity and I hang out a bit more, she was telling me her story. She is originally from Kenya, but married to a Ugandan husband. We were talking about culture differences. She told me most Africans look up to white people and so did she as a child but now she realized that they are nothing special ; ) When I got out of the taxi bus earlier today somebody said; “now the white people are coming” and referring to me. Ha..ha. I have never considered myself in the category of white, or Mombaza as they are called here.
When I got back to my flat I cleaned and washed my clothes the old school way, everything by hand. Then I headed to have dinner with Siri, Thore and the rest. The electricity went out once again, and the internet connection as well. The electricity and internet go on and off constantly, but the alternative is not so bad, which is simply accepting the situation for what it is. Plus a bunch of candle lights can create a very nice atmosphere. Siri and Thore often have local people over for lunch or dinner. Every one of them with an interesting story to share, many of the stories told give a glimpse of what true hardship means and makes me realize that my everyday life is a fairy tale compared to these people, yet I often neglect giving myself time to appreciate little things I have and often redirect my focus on trivial matters. I do not wish to say that having a hardening or accepting mentality can be all good, since it can go to the extent that you stop listening to your own conscience. However at times it can serve as a tool for living life with a greater gratitude and stronger mindset.
