Uganda Perspective

One Man's Safari into Brightest Africa - Read All About It

After more than seven years hard labor (well, three years hard labor and four years wondering how to put it together) I’ve just received copies of my new book on Uganda called They Call Me Mzee: One Man’s Safari into Brightest Africa.

Called “a remarkable story of discovery,” the book charts the cultural and spiritual ife of present-day Uganda.  Part memoir, part travelogue and part investigative report, the reader will learn about how the AIDS epidemic started in Uganda and spread throughout Africa.  And, how Uganda is still the only nation in Africa to have arrested the disease.  The report talks about the huge faith life of Ugandans, where it came from and what it means.  There is much discussion from a personal perspective about the plight of orphans and how ministries, the government and the church are dealing with the ever-growing problem.

Most importantly, it is my personal story of discovering a place where faith underlies all.  The people I meet, the visitors I take to Uganda and the lessons we have for each other are insightful, surprising.

Anyone who has been to Uganda, who is planning to go to Uganda or who supports the work in Uganda should read this book.  You will laugh, you will cry and you will learn something of Africa you have never seen anywhere.

Click here to order the book in paperback.  The Kindle version is due out in about 10 days.  $1.00 of ever sale goes to support the work of Juna Amagara Ministries in Uganda.

After you’ve read it, let me know what you think.  I answer all emails.  Enjoy.

Emergency Sex

No doubt about it, being a white NGO or embassy worker or expat in a third world country can be stressful.  I’ve seen the Mzungus with tense faces riding through Kampala on Vespas or trying mightily to navigate the eddys of traffic roundabouts. I’ve watched them wander the halls of bureaucracy or deal with endless requests at the embassy.  And I’ve always wondered how they cope. 

It turns out there’s a bar, an Irish Pub over by Embassy Row in Kampala that is the unofficial watering hole for frustrated (mostly youngish) white Westerners.  It is a good place to ask people how they cope. 

“I clear my mind by blogging,” says a girl code-named JackFruity.  “There is just so much crazy about this place, I have to write it down.  There are quite a few bloggers here; we all read each other’s stuff.  It’s like cyber-therapy and it doesn’t make any difference if anybody on the outside reads it.  They wouldn’t understand anyway.”

“I find it helpful to numb my mind with alcohol,” says a young man in a white shirt, a tie and a Long Island Iced Tea in his hand.  “Most Ugandans don’t drink which makes me wonder how they cope but after a day of shoveling against the tide of paperwork, only the fruit of the vine seems to make the day worthwhile.”

The next one perked my interest.  “I come here for emergency sex,” said a UN worker named Pam.  Tell me more, I said… would you like a drink?  “Drink, yes.  Well, you know, the days and nights get long and dealing with this culture, the stress is huge – there’s only one thing that does it for me, a good aerobic romp in the hay.  About once a month I come here looking for an exercise partner.  There is no shortage of candidates; some are repeaters which makes it all easy – a text message and a rendezvous and bam, it’s done,” she added.

“But you’re here at Ground Zero for HIV/AIDS, aren’t you worried?”

“Nah,” she said.  “We take precautions.  It’s just sex.”  She glanced to the back of the pub.  “And nobody blogs about it.”  Then pointed to the bar.  “I’m suddenly feeling like a Long Island Iced Tea.” 

I had a sudden urge to become a professional humanitarian.

Uganda Star is HOT Commodity

She is called the most beautiful woman in Africa, the most popular singer in Uganda.  Her name is Ayokyaykya.  Spending as much time as I do in the rural villages working with orphan children, I sometimes forget there is an exploding popular culture in Kampala that reaches into the far corners of the nation.  For many years, young people here had only the vast entertainment offerings of the West to cling to - but slowly, Ugandans have taken what they see and have put their own spin on it.  This video shows how far they have come.  Thought you'd like to see it.