This past week has been full of surprises for us – although not for God. In this crazy COVID-19 world, things are even more different here in Uganda than usual! President Museveni addressed the nation this week and many things are shut down, such as all the schools, all the bars and discos, all religious/church activities (including mosques), weddings and burials (restricted to immediate family), and all easy entrance into Uganda by air. The person who was coming to relieve me on furlough, Deb Roberts, has been quarantined in Entebbe for 14 days, but the government actually had no real quarantine plan, so things were very disorganized! All of the detainees (from Category 1 countries) were charged $100 per night and put in various hotels around Entebbe, but no one had briefed the hotels on quarantine procedure, so no one was quarantined to his or her room, and all were allowed to just mingle or meet without any hindrance.
Deb DID quarantine herself in her room, as she was supposed to do! But the $100 did not cover food and drinks, and she was having to pay extra for all of that, and of course she had no Uganda shillings. So Aaron Kirunda (who works for me) and I made a quick and covert run in the middle of the night to deliver much needed supplies! Because all of the schools let out yesterday, approximately 8 million students were on the roads trying to get back to their homes, so we did NOT travel in the day. Instead, we left Jinja at 10pm with our trunk loaded with necessities like a kettle for boiling water, instant coffee, and a coffee cup! Of course, we took snacks and money for Deb as well, but she is also quarantined with a German mother of two toddlers who have nothing to play with, and no extra “goodies” themselves. So among our “loot” were also a few toys and coloring books, some milk, some baby wipes, and some fruit! We drove three hours to Entebbe, called the front desk clerk, who then called Deb to come down from her room. We took our trunk to the front gate, and waved and said hello to Deb who was standing 50 feet away with her trunk of dirty clothes and cat food. A quick exchange of luggage was made by the guards through the gate as Deb and I shouted hello to each other and I distantly introduced her to Aaron. Then she was whisked away, back into quarantine, and Aaron and I drove the three hours back to Jinja in an off and on crazy rain storm that took out power everywhere it hit, and we arrived safely home at 4:00am.
I love my life! It is never dull! God keeps us busy with the “usual and normal,” as well as with opportunities to serve Him in so many different sorts of ways! We have to cancel all of our ministries right now except for Sunday services on the radio AND our ministries to three of the closest prisons! We have been teaching the Bible, and doing humanitarian work in these prisons for over 20 years, and even though almost everyone else is shut out right now, the Officers in Charge have talked to us and asked us to continue coming in to share God’s Word at this time of uncertainty! We can only take in two people at a time to each prison, but that is two mouths to speak God’s Word!! And they have also asked us to continue taking prisoners to the hospital each day in our bus. Before we started the “hospital run” for the prisons, at least one prisoner died every week. Now they only have one or two a YEAR. So we are happy to continue that ministry!
By the way, I did have to postpone my furlough, so I will not be in the U.S. until later in the year.
And just an added thought – many people are asking why the American Embassy doesn’t “get our people out!” We Americans naturally assume that the Embassy will “take care of us” when things go wrong. But this actually isn’t the case. For all the 20 plus years I have been in Uganda, the Embassy has made it very clear that they are not here for the American people, but are here to liaise with the Uganda Government. This is usually quite a shock for most of us when we first find this out, but it is the way it is. The second thing is something the Embassy people told the quarantined Americans; “We are not above the Ugandan law, and the law says you must be quarantined. So your options are to accept the quarantine, or go back to the U.S.” Deb has decided to stay, hurray!!
I am going to list prayer requests here so the first one probably should be for the entire world during this COVID-19 pandemic.
Another prayer request is for Deborah Roberts and the other people that are in quarantine here in Uganda. (It is actually the right thing to do in order to protect Uganda, since we have very little health care here.)
Pray that the virus does not strike Uganda (up until this morning there were no confirmed cases), because Uganda truly has almost no real health care.
Pray that the economies of the U.S. and of Uganda recover quickly, and that people do not lose their jobs.
And while we are thinking of economy and finances, please pray for the financial provision for this mission. Our finances were already struggling, and if our supporters are badly damaged financially during this worldwide situation, then our support may be even lower than usual. Pray that does not happen!
Pray that God gives us opportunities to be salt and light and hands and feet during this uncertain and (for most) frightening time.
Blessings always to you!
Beverly Rich