church: a portrait in words

Walking to church, I am surprised to hear music. Am I really that late? They must have started on time today.  I quicken my steps down the dusty path as the sun burns through the last layer of clouds from the morning’s brief rain shower. Thank you, Father, that it’s not muddy or still raining—please speed along the package with my rainjacket so it arrives soon! I spy my neighbors piling out of their car as I enter the circle and slow my steps, grateful not to be the only ‘late’ person. The covered assembly area is filled with dark heads and hands lifted, sprinkled with a few blonde heads and strikingly white arms. No wonder people stare at muzungus—I even stare at these seemingly out-of-place white folk and I’m one of them…

As two men pray—one in English, one translating into Luganda—I scan the left side of the church, hoping for someone familiar to sit near. Ah, Val and Faith, I can sit behind them, next to Uncle…Elly, I think? I’ve seen him before at least...I slide onto the hard wooden bench with a nodded greeting to those around me as Uncle Fred begins the announcements. The peculiar rhythm when listening to a speaker with a translator has become more familiar, and I easily tune out the unknown Luganda, focusing on the accented and sometimes unfamiliar English—Uganda is obviously a former British, not American, colony. Uncle Fred continues the announcements, calling forward various announcers; Uncle Cato, translating, slips between Luganda and English effortlessly, depending on which the speaker chooses.

The traditional recognition of visitors lasts longer this week, as many former staff and friends are in town for the New Hope Institute of Childcare and Family 10-year reunion. Then there’s the weekly announcement of which Ugandan region is the focus of prayer this week, all leading up to the Ugandan Jubilee on October 9. Uncle Simon is summoned to present for the fourth week an invitation to Eva and Medie’s wedding, this coming Saturday, and he also repeats the request that anyone who knows of a reason these two should not marry come to the church elders immediately. Aunt Nancy is called to the front for a rendition of “Happy Birthday,” as today is her special day.

The flickering florescent light a few rows in front of me catches my attention. Oh, the electricity is on today…though I could have figured that out from the working sound equipment and the lack of generator noise.

The worship team floods the stage. I know this song! Only four weeks ago, many of these songs, both English and Luganda, were strange and unfamiliar. Now I have trouble figuring out where I first learned today’s songs: Was it here? Was it camp? Was it BRBC? Sometimes, America seems so long ago. Even the Luganda songs today have familiar tunes, and this worship group has access to a computer and projector, so the words are on the wall. How do they fit all those syllables into that musical phrase?? At least seeing the words helps, and I pick out the few Luganda words I’ve learned. Webale: thank you. Nyo: very much. Yesu Kabaka: King Jesus. Balungi: good/fine.

Uncle Paul is preaching today. I look for Aunt Susan—I want to say hello after church—but he explains that she is not with him today, as she had to go to a funeral. I wonder if she went on bodas? I ponder the picture of Aunt Susan on boda-boda, coming every Thursday night to NHU for the women’s Bible study: she’s a brave woman, to ride bodas after dark.

The sermon is a continuation of the series on giving. I struggle to focus on Uncle Bruno’s English, translating as Uncle Paul preaches in Luganda. Does the African mind flow differently than the Western mind? Or is it the accent that gives me such trouble with following this sermon? When Uncle Paul tells a joke, I often miss the translation in the midst of laughter. Still, even without understanding the ‘3 points’ of the sermon (maybe it doesn’t work like that here) and missing a few punchlines, I can pick out a few convicting and challenging points from the sermon on 2 Corinthians 9:

“The greatness of the thing that you give doesn’t depend on the thing—it depends on the condition of the heart.”

“A joyful heart is one is that is satisfied with what God has done.”

“We miss a lot of blessings when we sit on what God has given us.”

1pm seems to be a long time coming today. I don’t dare reach for my phone to check the time; I learned my first week not to wear my watch to church. My stomach growls; my back aches. I shift. Finally, Uncle Paul ends; he prays, and the church is dismissed. A glance at the clock shows 1:40pm…the longest service I’d been to thus far, three and a half hours. Better than four hours…and at least there are leftovers at home, so I don’t have to cook from scratch! I chat briefly with a few friends, then catch up with my housemate for a ride back to the house and a lazy Sunday afternoon.