Imagine
going to the mall on a Saturday, no, make it a Saturday on some kind
of national holiday where every school kid and there grandma have
invaded to shop. Crowed, crazy, and loud. That's about what the
market here would be like on a slow day. Except they never have slow
days.
Yesterday
morning we put all of our shopping anxieties behind us and ventured
to the market. Being that we were basically out of food (plain ol'
rice and sweet milk for supper last night) it was time that we
stocked up. Rhoda's hired help, Rhema, said she would take us and
show us where and what to buy. They do things a little differently
here than back home at your local grocery store. You need to know two
main things if you want to come out of the market alive. You need to
know which stand has the best produce. And you need to know how much
you want and what the right price is. Most of the time they measure
things out in kilos, but they also sell things in bundles and “eeps”.
Kate:
“How much for the mangos?”
Rhema:
“One eep is 500.”
Kate:
“One eep?”
Rhema:
“One eep is 500.”
Kate:
“Oh, one heap....”
Let's
just say we got a good laugh out of that one and probably will be
measuring everything in “eeps” from now on.
Rhema
is seriously the best person to take along shopping. She knows
everything.
Without her, we could have walked around the market for days trying
to figure out what we needed to buy. With her help, we were in and
out in less that two hours time. We are now proud owners of two
“eeps” of mangos, one bunch of bananas, green beans, Irish
potatoes, onions, garlic, one pumpkin, two pineapples, tomatoes,
apples, passion fruit (thee best orange goo with seeds ever), matoki
(a banana that tastes kinda like a potato), rice, eggs, and one fish.
Being
two blonde muzungu (white) girls...heh...our journey home was also
quite the adventure. I (Courtney) have been keeping track of the best
Ugandan pick-up lines that we have received? been called? blessed
with? So far they've been quite creative, but that's a different side
note for a different post someday.
It
all started with our boda (motorcycle) ride home. So there I was
sitting on my boda, heavy groceries in hand and Kate on another boda
behind me, waiting to go when all of a sudden my driver says, “Mamma,
get off. Off!” Confused I look at Kate and get off. Then there was
some discussion between Rhema, my ex-driver and Kate's boda driver.
Apparently, he wanted a higher price now for the trip instead of the
negotiated price. In a flash there were two other drivers ready to
take us. I might have taken the rejection pretty hard if it wasn't
for what happened when we finally got home. My new boda driver,
David, was very friendly.
David:
“How long are you staying?”
Me:
“Three months.”
David:
“Only three months! I think you stay forever.”
You
only could only guess what was coming next.
David:
“You are married?”
Me:
“No.”
David:
“You have boyfriend back in America?”
Me:
“No.”
David:
“You have boyfriend here in Uganda?”
Me:
“No.”
David
exasperates, shocked.
David:
“We are the same.”
And
then came the proposal.
David:
“You marry me and I'll take you to lunch.”
Sorry
Mom and Dad, looks like I'll be living in Uganda for awhile ;)
All
jokes aside, the people here that we have met have welcomed us with
open and loving arms. Though the celebrity like attention is
definitely flattering, and not something we receive on a day to day
basis in the States, we are excited to make and build real
relationships with the people here in Uganda. We're reminded that
God's grace is available to all.
If it wasn't, it wouldn't be grace. Not one of us is worthy of
receiving it in the first place and that makes us all equally
undeserving.
Serving
the One who is Able,
Court
and Kate
 |
| The haul for a grand total of...drum roll...about $15! |
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| Right before our tilapia got the smack down. |
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| Look what they're selling at Target these days. |
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| Due to an excess amount of over-ripe bananas, we've been making a LOT of banana bread. |
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