Moving Portraits : Mornings and Women.

On my way to work, I saw her from a distance.

She was tall, light skinned with the right curve of hip. She caught my eye.

Her gait was jagged. She was staggering. A man gently led her along with a wry smile on his face. She was like a sheep led to slaughter. She couldn't look up. Her eyes were suspended in nothingness. She was in a deep stupor. The moment I passed by her, the fumes proved it was stupor.

It was almost 7am.

Was this man her brother? Did she have a father? A mother, sister or friend? Why was she in the middle of town at six in the morning looking like a sponge with limbs? Smelling like a brewery despite having the look of a princess?

Pangs in my chest. I wondered, in our attempts to fly without wings do we throw out reason and caution and go straight for the deep end? Why was she here? The only question I could ask was why.

She stood out because she did not look like the kind of person who would do this kind of thing. Yet again, looks are deceiving. I looked back one last time at the girl, and the man holding her hand looked back. I saw a hunter collecting his prey.


 ---

pixabay.com

She's sitting on a woman's laps. Resting her back into her chest. She has a white knitted sweater on.

Her hair is braided and ornamented with brown, cream, lavender and black beads. Her eyes are looking through the window casually. She's not really focusing on anything; she just lets the day show her what the day wants to show.

The lady is holding a small bag. Mickey Mouse is on the side of it. There must be a bottle of juice and a container with biscuits in it. That's what I used to take to school at that time. Though, then it used to be in baskets.

However, there is something in her hand. She is holding it gently and softly, making sure not to bring any damage to it. Her eyes are not on it but clearly her thoughts are. It is placed like a jewel in her hand. The white flower is her gem right now, the little girl on her way to school.

Innocence.

Moving Portraits. My eyes keep seeing more.

Jesus meets Luzy

As the good old saving Jesus we know, after the release of the pics had stung Luzy well, he came and knocked on her door.

J: Hello Luzy.

L: Hello ? Who's that?

J: Jesus.

L: Jesus who ? Are you a Nigerian?

J: Well you could say that. I'm also Ugandan if you like, and Italian and Jewish... Pick one you're comfortable with.

L: What? Anyway, onjagaza ki?

J: I want you to rest.

L: Rest? As in sleep? Do you want to trap me also?

J: No Luzy, my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Even before you were in your mother's womb, I saw you. There's nothing I haven't seen.

L: You perv! You paedophile! Leave me alone,  go away. All men are the same.

J: Luzy, you are loved. I have seen you. Inside out. There is nothing desirous in you. But I have loved you with an everlasting love.

L: Now you're laying those cheap tricks! Have you ever had a week as bad as mine? In court for unpaid debts, exposed before all men.

J: *laughs

L: Why are you laughing?

J: Well, there was this time I was accused of being a blasphemous man. Then I was betrayed by my friend. Then my other friends scattered, only two remained. Then they took my clothes, hang me naked on a tree.... Generally....

L: Jesus, what have you been smoking?

J: Not even the smoke from burnt offerings I promise. *laughs

L: You're weird.

J: Yes I AM . *laughs.  But Desire , I came because I heard your prayer. When you cried after seeing those pictures. I heard you. I promise you're my kind of person. Humiliated, downtrodden, shamed. I know coz I have been there.

L: So...

J: Forgive him. I have forgiven you.

L: Easy for you to say.

J: Well, my strength is made sufficient in weakness. You can because I am.

L: Hmmm. But you know I'm a wretch. My life is a mess.

J: Like all 7 billion people alive. No one's life is perfect. No one is a saint. Many pretend to be, others act as revealed devils. Only in me are you not a mess.

L: How so?

J: My Father looks on the heart. Beyond cellulite and make up. Deep down all people long for Him. They miss Him when they turn to sex, drugs, wealth and accomplishment. They think those things last. They don't.

L: What does?

J: His love. I. The Length, breadth, height, depth, magnitude of His love never ends and you can spend the rest of your human life swimming in that.  See Desire, this is Love, that a man lay down his life for his friends. I did. And this is Love :

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NASB

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,  does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

I am love.

Love is not sex, the thrill it gives you into thinking you're loved. Come to me, I am love. Rest. Receive true love.

I don't know what happened after but I'm glad I overheard the conversation.

The Two Men

In the beginning when God made man, He had made a garden in which there were two trees. One tree was that of the knowledge of good and evil, the other was that of life.

When man fell. He took of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in his attempt to be like God. He forsook the life he lived by attempting to have life using his knowledge of good and evil.

The man was subsequently sent out of the garden and a flaming sword to keep him out put in place. To get in, you had to die.

The man had two sons - Abel and Cain. A time came when they brought gifts to God. One, knowing there was nothing in him that was good, gave the life of another - the firstling of his flock as a sacrifice. The other, gave out of his toil, the fruit of the ground. God rejected one and accepted the other, indicating life was not by our own toil and mind.

Later, we come to a man called Abram. He is later called Abraham. While Abram, he receives a promise of God but attempts to fulfil it in his own strength with a slave woman - Hagar and brings forth Ishmael. When he is Abraham, God gives him what He promised at a time when it is impossible for him to have children in his own strength. We see Isaac and Ishmael, the two men again - one of life (promise), one of labour of man.

We see two men - Abram and Abraham separated by a cross, one brought to his end to establish another's life.

We also see two men in two women - Sarai and Sarah, Hagar and Sarah. One living by promise, by the life of another, another living by toil and labour and self knowledge.

Later Isaac, has two sons - Esau and Jacob. It is important to note at one point God says "Jacob I loved, Esau I hated".

Esau, sold his birthright, for a morsel of bread. He was a hunter, ever on the prowl for things. Jacob, was always in the house ( a picture of a man dwelling/ abiding in God) and from this, he got the blessing. One lived by rest, another lived by strife.

Later, Jacob gets a new name - Israel after struggling with God  and being injured in the hip. He becomes lame and can only walk in picture assisted by God. We see the two men again.

Later on, we see the two men in David and Saul. One annointed chosen by God, another by people because of his own attributes.

We can go on and on and see pictures of these two men but they all point to the same image - Adam a  living soul, who could use strength, wisdom, understanding of his own to live (and who was rejected), and Christ, who is a picture of the life of God living who is accepted ("This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased).

When we come to the cross, there is a dividing. At the cross, all life finds death. However, those in Christ are regarded as the resurrected, those without, are still as dead. There are those living by the life of Christ, others by the life of Adam. The difference between the two of them is notable. One attains to self. The other to another. One produces death, another life. One is full of strife, another peace.

Not to be confused between wrong and right, because Adam knows both of these and tries to manufacture good in his own strength and avoid bad in his own strength. In Christ, Adam is dead, Christ is alive. He is the only one living.

In the end, in the sense of men - two exist. All we do is either of one or the other. Self or another. It applies to everything. There is nothing this does not touch in the view of God. In the end, he rejected Esau, Adam, Saul, etc all pictures and accepted one - who was the original plan of living, that we should live by His life and His alone.

In a sense Paul sums this up with this beautiful verse -

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

www.vineyardchurches.org.uk

Moving Portraits. Sacred secret stories.

She walked slowly; the clear lines in her small wrinkled hands holding on loosely to her yellow bag. From afar you'd never have noticed the shrinking hands shaking with every step she took.

Her yellow bag was small enough for her pink handkerchief and a roll of money she had counted as sufficient for the journey: One two thousand shilling note, one one thousand shilling note and a five hundred shilling coin.  Her eyes were looking down, avoiding the glares of the numerous young people in this part of town.

She used to be young. She remembered her quick feet when she was strolling with her girlfriends forty years ago. Loud conversation in the street, hoping they would be envied. And they were. Pretty sundresses with the summer hats and oversized sunglasses.

She looked up occasionally to see how far the gate was. Her watery eyes didn't look long. Her black lips mumbled a bit and then went mum.

I paused a while as I passed by her. What kept her going at her age?

The woman wasn't old. She was probably twenty-three, it was evident when she smiled. However when the smile faded and she had to shut up the three screaming children walking with her; boy of seven, girl of three, boy of two; you could have thought she was in her forties.

The eldest boy carried a nineties style Adidas tennis bag. There were rivulets of sweat coming down his brow, his face was oily, it was very hot. The bag was weighing him down however, he only seemed focussed on following his mom to the gate.

She had three children at twenty three. There was no man with her. He made the occasional cameo when he missed her, when he missed her brown skin. She could never say no. However, all the burden of looking after their children was hers. So today she would take them to their grandma.

I paused a while as I passed by her. Did she merely live as the day came or she looked forward to something.

Moving portraits. I encounter them each day. Usually my ear phones are plugged in, to try to drown out the questions and journeys in my mind when I see the faces , but the portraits shout at me. They force me out of my mind's skin into another's.

Moving portraits. Sacred secret stories.

Photo: http://www.eoainternational.org/

Kalanguka

Omughala bamweta Kalanguka,
Aye obulungi bwe bufuuse idirisa
Eritulaga ng'emitima gy'abantu
Bwegiri emikalangafu.

Benze okukutula esaati dhabwe
Nga ba Kabona bwebakola nga banyhiize,
Batukobye nti obulungi bukoma ku maiso
Nti tebweyongerayo kutuuka ku mutima.

Bakambuwaile, bawemwire, bawunze
Ekifaananyi kitabwire abantu emitwe.

Taxi users' key note address

We, of the taxis,
Who go to Usafi and New Park
Are not second grade graduates
Who have failed to make it in life.

We, of the taxis,
Who sit with the riff-raff of Downtown,
Are not failures of society
Rubbing shoulders with the mpuuta seller.

We, of the taxis,
Especially away from Ntinda route,
Are not the wretched of the Earth
Because we can't afford rent that side.

We, breathe normal grade air,
It's not packed in blue bottles
And topped in golden wrapping
Like the cool air you guys breathe.

We bathe water and put on sapatu,
It can be cold but it removes the smell
From the different citizens
We encounter while in those creaking taxis.

We even speak English and might own a smart phone,
Screen size 4 inches and a dual sim,
We are sorry we can't buy Samsung Notes
But we promise we have Picfare in our bags.

We of the taxis,
We honestly have lives,
It's just that the ends aren't meeting
Salary zeros are still five, business just picking up.

But no worries our good friends
Soon the ends will meet,
We shall drive the Ravs
And look condescendingly upon those other people
Who look at us while they sit in those taxis.

image. whydev.org

This is no longer a challenge. We are calling for a culture.

 

Do you know the number of times the Apostle Paul wrote the phrase "one-another" in his letters? They are numerous! Paul knew the nature of Christ's body, the Church, it was not a one man job. Her life came from One - the Head, Christ but it was shared among the members.

Rom 12:5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and severally members one of another.

Blogging is not one of the internet crazes of Ugandans right now. I dare say, it is easier for us to get onto a trend on Twitter because let's admit, 140 characters do not need a lot of attention unless of course you're a Social Media marketer who knows the importance of brevity. Or you just love the attention and yes many of us do.

The way the Blogging Challenge started was something out of a book in the Bible. No prior planning, no market analysis, nothing. It was something that sprung out of life. It was a "Rise up and walk" kind of thing! A few of the bloggers had lamented the decline of the blogging culture and had for so long moaned about how we needed to blog again. It never happened. There was a pocket of Ugandan bloggers blogging but the community had died.

However this time, during a Sunday Twitter conversation, a Challenge was suggested and we had Ugandans blogging!

From the old bloggers I used to read, I probably only saw 5 of them participating. The other 70 were totally new. And a great deal of the writing was brilliant. We had people questioning customs, politics, themselves, religion; writing creatively on travel, relationships and feminist issues; goodness, there was a lot to chew cud on.

I realised as I read that there are many of us willing to contribute to this pool of Ugandan blogging. Many are willing to be part of the community.

This is no longer a challenge. We are calling for a culture. A culture of Ugandan-ness in her different forms. A culture where we do not merely get on TweetDeck in the morning and simply share stories from The Verge, Time, Telegraph or BBC. Yes we are in a global world but aren't we fading into the crowd?

Where are the stories from Entebbe? Arua? Kabarole? Jinja? Kampala? Is our source of content meant to be only Ugandan press? Tabloids? What about the introspection, the soliloquies? Are we ever going to look outside?

We are looking forward to great Ugandan writing being exposed through this culture. The 7 Days are over, kudos to all who managed posting on all the 7 Days but let us not stop. It doesn't need to be daily, but as long as we are blogging and reading each other, not forgetting commenting on each other's work, I dare say we could be starting something powerful.

Who's with us? 

If you have any ideas on how we can improve on our blogging, please send me an email. nevender@gmail.com. Otherwise, the people over at Dignited are curating Ugandan blogs. If you haven't submitted your blog yet, do so using this link.

Thanks to everyone who got onto this challenge. Even the photobloggers! Stunning imagery. 

Cheers. Happy New Week!

Day 6 #UgBloggers7Days

This is the eleventh hour. The day before the final day of the challenge. I am not surprised by the number of posts today. Nonetheless I am totally appreciative of the quality of today's posts.

Day 6

1. Nare - What's the Role of Ministry of Information?
               Human error playing a key role in #Ebola survival not the healthcare system
2. Scare-a-Hero - The Day Stephen Bought Some New Car Insurance
                            Go Straight to the Top to Get Services Fixed
3. Pru's Notebook - The Tale of a Lost TV Remote
4. Rabelah's World - My Colorful Week
5. Darlyne Komukama Photography - A Partially Submerged Boat
6. Kahill Insights - Where Are You From?
7. It's Never That Serious - Jack of All Trades
8. Hope Never Runs Dry - Two is Company (Pesty Pets)
9. In Bits of Many Stories - A Poem for Mama
10. Ibrahim WK Batambuze IV - Who Are Our Heroes?
11. Sanyu Means Joy - The Fault in Our Ugandan TV Commercials
12. Elmer Spot On - Ugandan Music
13. Futures Past - When the Sun Sets
14. Fodexpressions - Deal Or No Deal!
15. sheME - Are Ssengas Relevant in the Dot Com Era?
16. Comic Tales From Uganda - The Craft of Being an Omwogezi
17. Joel Jjemba's Blog - That is All I Want
18. Ortegaian - The Value of Networking

Two is Company (Pesty Pets)

Two is company, and three is a crowd; yet he follows like a stray dog looking for a new owner. I am comfortable with her in my Starlet but the brother still wants to inconvenience. 

We are clearly deep in conversation. See, we are talking about internet trends, Social media and blogging but he's trying to interfere with his occasional comments, about the weather, TV shows and woodball. His tongue is wagging, he's barking after every other sentence; I think we should get him a dog-tag.

The pavement is not enough for three. At least he should clearly see that, but the bloke doesn't give up. So he decides to step into the road, poor dog wagging his tail. He fails to see the car approaching and an inch closer, we would have been calling animal control. Pests.

And the girl who don't do a thing. image:vampirediariesguide.com

Now, here is my conundrum. I don't know this guy. However, Fiona doesn't mind his interruptions. So I ask, "Do I know you?"

"Oh no, I know Fiona from church. We met in Discipleship class last Thursday".

Great, Christian civility! But why do I think there's something more? Normally, when a guy sees a guy and a girl walking leisurely together, he should conclude they do not want to be interrupted. He is working on something, probably selling a product, and there are on-going negotiations. What kind of salesman interrupts another salesman? This is not Kikuubo. Think of this as Acacia Mall.

But now their conversation is getting into Chimanda, fitness and white sands. Two is company, three is a crowd but it slowly feels like I am the intruder now. She is laughing at his jokes, touching his shoulder, and slowly pushing me to the curb. See how I am now the one crowding the conversation.

----

Peace and Christ Love.

Day 5 of #UgBloggers7Days

We had our lowest entries yesterday (Day 5) and since it's the weekend, we might have lower entries. However, the consistent bloggers are still blogging. Some are posting 4 posts per day. Well, that is some write energy. Anyway, here is the list of blogs posted to the #UgBloggers7Days Challenge yesterday.


Day 5

1. Nare - I don't like Uganda's legion of walking drunks
              Face book aint dead
              YAKA and Our Hatred for Change
2. Bwandungi's Blog - For whom??!?!
                                   African Literature: News, Reviews, Author Interviews
3. Scare-a-hero - Ugandans, re-arrange Ebola to spell opportunity
4. Diary of a Mzungu - Why I blog
5. AshTim's Views - Mbabazi: A possessor of silent arrogance
6. Francesca on UGO - Why The Soothing Power of Music Calms Me Down
7. iPhatie - The Rat Race
8. Kakoma - On Doing the Write Thing
9. Patrick Pido's Blog - Man's Best Friend
10. Pru's Notebook - The Cranes Mathematics Class
11. Anagram of a Gazing Eye - Dear Reader, I Apologize
12. In Bits of Many Stories - My Take on AIDS Stigmatism
13. Life Through My Eyes - FOMO -Fear of Missing Out
14. Darlyne Komukama Photography - Macro Pictures in Fort Portal
15. Sibo - Life As it is
16. Iwantoscream - How to Keep it Super Crazy
17. An Editor's Dream - Because Friday
18. On my tippy toes - Scars
19. It's Never that serious - Sooooo the challenge
20. DVDWilson66 - Where's Friday? Man I really dislike Thursday
21. Elmer Spot On - Why Always Me: Amama
22. Benefits of Life Experiences - Know What is Good for yourself
23. Comic Tales From Uganda - The Rise of the Taxi Manager
24. Fodexpressions - Teacher Who?!?!
25. IT Barbie - Ani Andoga?
26. sheME - Crazy Love
27. Kangyeburugy - A Walk Through the Cancer Institute; The Reason I More Than Laugh
28. Sanyu Means Joy - Opposites? Not at all
29. Mwine Edgar - Happy Birthday Dad
30. Futures Past - In Her Wet Dreams
31. Ibrahim WK Batambuze IV - Diary
32. Joel Jjemba's Blog - Stage Fright
33. Carlotess's Blog - Confirming the Faith
34. Rabelah's World - The World of an Unemployed 24 year Old

Thinking through other people's minds

The old disease, thought Rubashov. Revolutionaries should not think through other people’s minds.
Or, perhaps they should? Or even ought to?
How can one change the world if one identifies oneself with everybody?
How else can one change it?
He who understands and forgives—where would he find a motive to act?
Where would he not?
They will shoot me, thought Rubashov. My motives will be of no interest to them.

Darkness At Noon - Arthur Koestler

I am sure I am not the only one who has this habit. The habit of thinking through other people's minds. Everyday, I meet so many people on my way and fro work. In the taxi, on the journey to and fro the parks. Our eyes meet but nothing much is ever shared. Except yesterday. And I wasn't even trying to meet eyes.

I sat in the taxi with my earphones plugged in. I was waiting for the taxi to fill and while it did, I would listen to some music or sermons. Unfortunately, the headset was acting up and so I was fidgeting with the phone. This is when she tapped me.

She was probably in her late fourties. Her dark skin looked rough and slightly wrinkled. She was about my height, a mother of some children, perhaps. She's not the kind of person I would judge. However she's not the kind of person I would engage. Not that I engage many people outside social events. Even at social events I prefer going with people to tether myself to.

 We entered the taxi together, I remembered. I sat one seat ahead of her. Tinkering with my phone, the voice came and then the arm that quickly handed over something;

"Hello, do you have internet?" As she handed over a leaflet.

I thought to myself, "What ISPs are now marketing in taxis? I need to shorten this conversation immediately, I have no complaint with my ISP."

"Yes, I do". I answered.

"In that case, please check out this site for any questions you might have about life." She showed me the web address and I immediately realised what this was about.

Something like a reflex action on the part of my mind jumped in. I did not want to hear about this because I had something better than what she was offering. In less than 2 minutes I was able to successfully prove to this lady that I did not need her direction or that website.

For a moment I felt content and accomplished and then my soul sunk a bit. I asked myself "What if I had listened, and shared with her longer, and more intimately my reasons for rejecting her offer?" I realised my knee-jerk reaction because of the initials I saw on the leaflet could have prevented a more beneficial exchange.

I did not get to know her motives. She probably never understood mine. In a self preserving moment, I stopped all means of identifying with her and sharing what I knew. I shot her. I regretted for a second although the next I knew there was no crying over spilt milk.

I realised my actions were more self-ish than selfless as are many of ours today. I ask myself today, how can I really hope to change the world if I presume everyone's actions? If I think through other people's minds. If I have no time to understand them?


Philippians 2:

3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Peace and Christ Love.

Day 4 of #UgBloggers7Days

Hello Uganda, the World and bloggers united. This is a recap of Day 4 of the Uganda 7 Days Blogging Challenge. Yes, there is a growing consistency among many bloggers. New bloggers keep entering the challenge as well. Keep on and enjoy the blogs from Day 4.


Day 4

1. Etemperance - I am not my hair
2. Impressions - On Jobs Rejected, Jobs Accepted, and Nuggets of Wisdom
3. Em Sixteen - Why Men Cheat
4. IT Barbie - Dear Miss Rhimes
5. Darlyne Komukama Photography - Fort Portal Astonishes Me
6. Owek Lwasa Lukwago - Married To My Sparkling Brown Nile Special Bottle
7. Pru's Notebook - Coming Clean: Forgive Me Napoleon
8. Blog | EnviriZaNacho - Loc Twisting
                                          The Fabulous Flat Twist Out
                                          My Best Flat Twist Out Ever
                                          September Give Away Recap
9. Spartakkusug - No, You Are Not God
10. Blugolobi - I Never Thought I'd Fall in Love With a Woman
11. Omukama'Akugizibwe Gilbert Ricky - Sober to High! Thoughts Written.
12. DVDWilson66 - A Woman's Body A Work of Art (Wouldn't Change A Thing)
13. Hope Never Runs Dry - Sickness in a Time of Plague
14. CarloTess's Blog - I Just Want to be Held
15. Lovers Only Vol.2 - Track 4: Youth Daughter
16. Kakande Alex - A Road Constructed in Mucky Potholes
17. Sanyu Means Joy - Recipe for Disaster
18. An Editor's Dream - All For You
19. Kwera Says - Texting
20. Olee Branch - Team Work: The Main & The Side Squeeze
21. Futures Past - Religion Might Drive Our Economy Into Turmoil
22. It's Never That Serious - Mummy's Prrrrrrrrrl
23. Erawko - Reverse Metamorphosis
24. Elmer Spot On - Black Yellow Red
25. Gemstone - Movie Blues
26. Joel Jjemba's Blog - Joel Jjemba Talks to Joel Jjemba
27. Ibrahim W.K Batambuze - The Society in My Mirror
28. In Bits of Many Stories - The Biggest Let Down of This Continent
29. Kahill Insights - What is the Topic?
30. Angelo Opi-Aiya Izama - Ali Mazrui In Memoriam: On Museveni's retirement, the coming oil boom and exile from Uganda
31. sheME - Life Oh Life.....
32. Paul Kisakye - The Art of Drifting
33. The Ruminating Sphere - Friendship
34. Roaring Thoughts - I am Busy
35. Fodexpressions - Cups of tea, Mandazi and a few beers is all it requires.
36. MujuziEmmaK - Campus Relationships
37. Comic Tales From Uganda - The Spaghetti Test
38. 500versus - I want to be BAD, bite me!
39. Rabelah's World - The Perks of Technology

Walls

Eph 2:14  For he is our peace, who made both one, and brake down the middle wall of partition, 

Walls. 

Symbols of division. Soldiers that enforce separation. Walls. 

Walls are everywhere. The simplest to see are the ones in houses separating rooms. Then there are the walls that separate houses. Then back in the day, there were walls that separated cities. And even nations. Those are walls, the ones we see.

Then there are walls, the ones we live. Walls of education. Walls of wealth. Walls of stature. Walls of clout. Walls of society. The ones we often miss because they define us. We were born into them. Schooled in them. Married in them. They are clearly a part of us, so much so we cannot recognise.

Berlin Wall. image: bbc.co.uk

In steps this man. The wall. The distance between celestial and terrestrial. The wall but more like the curtain. He wasn't completely shut out. When he steps in, he has no regard whatsoever for walls. He removes the first wall in himself. Considers himself lower than man and steps in to tear down the curtain.

In Him, suddenly a vastness of land without walls. Neither rich nor poor, neither male nor female, neither slave nor free, all brought to meaning in Him. In Him nothing alive except in Him. All variations and levels and shades and degrees brought to death to find One life in Him.

The one who removes the walls.

He our peace. Who stands on the ground of the cross and joins both men. Leftists, Rightists. Lowly, High. Dirty, Clean. The paid and underpaid and unpaid. He collects all in Him and removes the wall in Himself.

Ah, that we knew the walls were removed. Peace made manifest.

Selah.

Peace, Christ Love.

Sickness in a time of plague

Madanda was violently awakened by a not too familiar feeling.

There were hammers on all sides of the anvil that was his head; small trickles of sweat running with an urgency down his skin, less oxygen for him to breathe in the small flat.

“Ugh.” He remarked. 

This was not something he had any particular fondness with. Fever. He needed to up and go. It was Monday. He had appointments, assignments, reports, name it! His red curtains were glowing in the bright orange light of the early morning. He looked at his BlackBerry on the side of his bed looking for the time:

“7:05am!!?? Dang! Where did the time go?”

He lifted his huge torso off the damp red sheets and tried to make way to the bathroom. His legs were feeling heavy. His joints felt like they were pierced with 9 inch nails. Three steps and a lump formed in his throat. It was a salty feeling in his mouth. Suddenly his tummy pushed something back.

He darted to the toilet seat, opened his mouth and let out the barf. He was coughing and spitting, and coughing and spitting. After a while he stopped and looked…

“What the heck?!!”

Moving to the tap, to wash out his mouth, he looked into the mirror and was faced with something he had never seen before;

“Blood spew now red eyes? God, am I sick?”

Feeling an itch on his left shoulder, he began to scratch.

“A rash?!!”

His heart raced. He had seen the posters, the Ministry of Health notices, had listened to the adverts on the radio and everything felt like him right now.

He stared into the mirror riveted in thought and stance.

“What should I do? Tell someone I’m sick? Won’t they call the police and spray me with JIK and put me away?”

“What if I am not sick? What if it’s something that can be treated? What do I do?”

No sooner had the thought come than a violent feeling grasped his pelvis.

“Diarrhea?!!!”

“Damn it, I caught the disease!”

………………………………..

To be continued.

Day 3 of #UgBloggers7Days

The Uganda 7 Day Blogging Challenge went into Day 3 yesterday. Monday saw the least entries so far with 35 posts, Tuesday the highest with 43. Wednesday had two posts less than Tuesday.

There are now consistent bloggers to look forward to who have managed a post a day. There are some joining in now but nonetheless, the Ugandans are blogging. Check out the blogs from Day 3 below.

Day 3

1. Etemperance - I am Beautiful, I am a Woman
2. Pru's Notebook - Of subtle Patriarchy and His weapons
3. The Truth Mast - A Bit About This Kampala
4. Srlmyr - The hashtag that is/was
5. Sherry Tums - On "Free" work!
    b) On Sex and the City6. An Editor's Dream - What my kind of man is made of 
7. Told in Bits of many Stories - Uplifted Soul
8. Uncultured Sisterhood - The Bartered Sex 
9. The Tantrums of a Mama's Baby - Kaleidoscope
10. Growing Pains - Would I do it Better?
11. Ophelia feels this way... - How to Deal with Poor Customer Care: an Arsenal.
12. Carlotess's Blog - Living On A Budget
13. Darlyne Komukama Photography - Last set of pictures from the Railway yard.
14. Gemstone - Sun and sand...
15. Karungi PTRC - Tell Me
16. Lovers Only Vol.2 - Track 3: Need You Now - Lady Antebellum
17. Hope Never Runs Dry - Not a Photo. I need you here.
18. Kahill Insights - He Keeps Me Awake
19. Kakoma - Why you must watch Big Brother Hotshots
20. A Streetside Blog - Dorobucci
21. Elmer Spot On! - Stupid is the new sexy
22. It's Never that Serious -  More than just friends!
23. Brian Kyeyune - The Message, because I see lots
24. Angelo Opi-Aiya Izama - The Ides of March 2016
25. DVDWilson66 - As a media personality never sleep with your fans! No!No!No!No!
26. My Thoughts, Sentiments and Lamentations - Literature, Love And Other Drugs
27. The Ruminating Sphere - Work Letters
28. In Depth - Gadaffi's dream that never came to pass- what next?
29. Bwandugi's Blog - weighing in at 10,000 pounds in 66.67 easy payments.
30. Ibrahim W.K Batambuze IV - Advice to The New Bloggers
31. Rabelah's World - Childhood delights
32. Fodexpressions - My story: What can I say?
33. The Truth Mast - Journalistic Gossip, Oh How Sweet
34. Comic Tales from Uganda - The Cinema Villagers
35. sheME - The Bad Boy Syndrome 
36. Quest - What the Hex Going On?
37. Sanyu Means Joy - Virus
38. Joel Jjemba's Blog - Copy Cut
39. Mwine Edgar - Yellow Pigs or Employment?
40. MujuziEmmaK - Friendzone
41. Even Steven - In a Rush
42.Kwera Says - Salon Hairdressers

Day 2 of #UgBloggers7Days

Steadily changing gears, Ugandan bloggers have not taken the blogging challenge lightly. There were 8 more entries on Day Two while there were continuing bloggers as well. Missed any of these blogs? Here's the list of Tuesday's entries to #UgBloggers7Days. 

Today, I have used blog titles instead of author names, please note.

Please note we are keen on new content from the 13th of October, 2014. If your blog was posted earlier and was simply shared with the hashtag and not reposted, it might not appear on this list. If you do not see your blog, please contact me via email. 

Cheers.


Day 2

1. Etemperance - Not So Informative Blog 
2. KarungiPtrc - My Book
3. Pru's Notebook - Who Defines Beautiful?
4. Lovers Only Vol.2: Track 2: Sexy Cinderella - Lynden David Hall
5.Olee Branch - Relationship Goals
6. Mewart Ace - Life 101
7. David Okwii - Pick A Fight, Build A Tribe
8. Fodexpressions - Rant! Rant! Rant!
9. Told in Bits of Many Stories - Learning Never Ends
10. Carlotess's Blog - Do You Work Out?
11. Impressions - Life in the Streets of Kampala
12. Elmer Spot On - No Idea
13. Iwantoscream - Haiku
14.Twonjex's Blog - Twonjex The Hatter
15. Futures Past - The City of Bright Lights and Avocados.
16. Sibo - Story of my life?
17. Sanyu Means Joy - Two African Names
18. Angelo Opi-Aya Izama - Tend to your fear of Ebola not Africans
19. Gemstone - New wine, old wine-skin
20. Kahill Insights - Kaleke Kasome (Let the child have an education)
21. It's Never That Serious - Osmosis; An English tale of woe
22. Hope Never Runs Dry - Fathers
23. Rabelah's World - Generosity
24. Darlyne Komukama Photography - More photos from the Uganda Rift Valley Railway Yard
25. Ibrahim W.K Batambuze IV - How to Become Famous in Uganda
26. The Ruminating Sphere - A boob affair
27. Spartakussug - The 4 Stages of Mentorship: A Quick Exploration Of The Inevitable Conflict Between Mentors & Their Charges
28. An Editor's Dream - Does Poetry Count?
29. DVDWilson66 - Why we often wake up to rubbish media programming daily!(Frustrating)
30. Mwine Edgar - FOMO
31. Joel Jjemba's Blog - I couldn't find a title.
32. Sherry Tums - On Unemployment
33. Scare a hero - Cue Laughter in Court
34. Roaring Thoughts - Valley of Bones - Ezekiel's Story
35. MujuziEmmaK - Virgin Blogger
36. In Depth - Youth - How to grow and keep your lanes
37. The Black Adam - Guilty of being a feminine man! Think again
38. Random Musings - I'm not Really Nice
39. Ortegaian - Ortega on Reducing Traffic Jam
40. Ugandanchic - Men...Whatever Are We To Do With You!
41. SheME- on memories not forgotten about younger days....
42. 25+ - B is for Bubbles Bouncers Bullies and Buggers...and breasts too.
43. Daniel Mumbere- A Daily Suicide Mission

 

Not a Photo. I need you here.

Whenever she goes away, I breathe a little harder. My lungs have less air, my heart needs a little more blood. Whenever she goes away, I feel withered. 

It's not that she is the only reason I have for living, but she is a good reason to live. In the vanity of my humanity, she is placed like the breaking dawn of my days, and every time it comes to dusk, you'd understand why my heart sinks a bit lower.

When she is near, I am alive. Strong. Fearless. Wise. Hopeful. Confident. I am so many good adjectives when she is around. Small as I am, I become a giant when she is near me. Insignificant as I seem sometimes, I feel like a King when she sits with me.

Thoughts try to paint pictures of times past when she leaves, but they never remain still. I have failed to hold their focus steady. They are blurs. They change quickly, as though I were chasing them yet I am not. I wish they could present her to me and be. Still. But they can’t. I need an alternative.

Thankfully I have pictures of her. Whenever I look at her, I realise her beauty is a mathematical equation with a certain constant and different variables. Sometimes she looks angered; sometimes pensive or aloof, present, excited, weary, afraid, passionate, alive, yet because it is her, her beauty never diminishes.

I look at them whenever she goes away. Madonna worship. Trying to get the same sensation when she is near. Hoping maybe the still face shall by a miracle begin to move; to smile at me; to gaze back at me with slightly darting brown eyes. Even these pictures are not enough. Merely digital polaroid that presents a representation not the real thing.

I need her here. I need to hear the melody in her voice as she speaks; the song and child in her heart as she laughs; the resolve in her eyes when she stares. I need her here.

Madonnas won’t do. Cathedrals won’t help. Icons are useless. I do not need an order of service to rehearse her presence. I am past rosaries and novennas.  I need her here. I am not content with parables and commands, and rites and sacrifices to remind me of her.

You know what I mean, but do you know what I mean?

Peace and Christ love.

Day 1 of #UgBloggers7Days

Monday was Day 1 of the #UgBloggers7Days challenge. Ugandans were called to blog about anything and share their blogs on Twitter via the said hashtag. Here are Monday's entries in no order of arrival.

Day One Entries

1. Shawn Davis Kawala - Talk About Poverty 
2. Qatahar Raymond - Challenge Namunagani 
3. Fode Expressions - Slow Clap for a Slow Week
4. Safyre - The Desolate Wind
5. Patricia Kahill - Platforms to use for the Blogging Challenge
6. Gloria - At least 250 Words
7. Carlo Kutesa - My Comfort Zone
8. Prudence - Clearing the Cobwebs
9. Twonjex - 7 Days to Kill Goliath
10. Nevender - So What if I don't get on this challenge?
11. Pearl Gahwera - It's Never That Serious
12. Julie Muffin - Cat Calling
13. Mr Bata - The Power of A Dream
14. Omuteso - Habits
15. Rabelah's World - Gratitude
16. Talkative Rocker - Challenge Accepted
17. Kemmy Kagumaho - In a Grand Place
18. BKyeyune - Who said anything about Ebola?
19. Johnnie N. S Adetola - The Return of Jny23Ug
20. Innocent Owino - Political Bad Manners and the Game of Football
21. Sarah's Osophy - How you'll know your employer is ripping you off in taxes
22. Olee Branch - A Woman, Her Purse and Her Heart
23. Lewis Elmer - Foundations from Zana
24. Darlyne - Railway Photos
25. Joel Jjemba - Blame it On Curiousity
26. Ruth Aine - Pan Africanism, A Dream Raped
27. The Baby Store - Super Saving Tips for new moms
28. Victoria Acom - False Advertising
29. Sanyu Lydia - All Fiery at 6:00am
30. Gilbert Ricky - Me and the Muyindi Don Part 1
31. Ivan Musoke - As if, But not Quite
32. Joshua Okello - On Writing and the Elusive Muse
33. Daniel Mumbere - Diary of a 25 year old
34. Lovers Only Vol.2: Track 1: Try Again - Keane
35. Karungi Ptrc - Pain

The Challenge is currently in Day 3. Join in. 

Fathers

I rarely talk to my father. The only times I have is when he is explaining something to do with building, money or politics. I imagine these are common topics sons have with fathers because the few times we talk, these were the things we talked about. I have never really had an intimate talk with him mostly because I have always felt it is a hard thing to do. He seemed aloof in certain matters.

My relationship with him has mostly been from a distance. Up to a certain point, he felt that that he was obliged to supplying all my needs according to his riches in the bank. If I felt I needed to ask him about something else, he would always appear reserved and ignorant of what I was asking. And even when I asked for something from him that cost money, he rarely asked for details. He only wanted to know the price of that thing. It became frustrating, because while I wanted to say more, he wanted to know the price.

However, recently, by an act of God, I got to talk with my Dad about certain things and realised a certain wisdom I had never seen. The thing is, I am at a point in my life where I need to make some serious life choices. Yes, there is a new age coming and certain decisions have to be made. So unlike before, this time when I asked about what I wanted to know, he opened up with a calmness and warmth I had never seen. He was being candid and honest.

I stood as my father sat and listened to words I dare say will become ageless. He has lived and has seen many things and has a thing to say or two. Things that at my age many will contemplate about.  He might not seem emotionally interested in the things you may be interested in, but he actually is. He goes behind the scenes and makes sure you have what you need.

This time as we chatted, I felt embarrassed about the thoughts I had about him at a certain point. He revealed to me his silent prayers, his deliberations, his foresight,  and I noticed his selflessness, his vision, his wisdom; things I had never noticed.

He gave me advice that I needed but albeit had heard before, however it felt different this time. I keep hearing advice from people around me. Friends, peers, etc but sometimes the knowledge doesn't click even after hearing it a million times.

Sometimes you need a certain person to say something for it to make sense to you. It's like how even though everybody can read the Bible, only One person can make you understand it. The one it is about - Christ.

This time, I needed to hear things that only make proper sense when spoken by a Father. And if I had a lesson to take away, it is that many times fathers are much maligned because we do not know who they are. This time, I caught a glimpse of my Dad's true worth and I am thankful. Yet I know, many do not have Fathers so should they not be privileged to these things? No. I know a Father who's more intimate than mine. He has been the one trying to reach out from eternity. I know Him. And I am grateful. He might speak through a Father, a son, a daughter, a sister, a friend, but only when we listen, shall we hear him calling. I hope from today we shall listen and look beyond ourselves.

Peace and Christ love.

So What if I don't get on this Challenge?

You know how Christian pastors know how to rhyme things? Particularly every beginning of year. They get the year and append a really cool phrase which rhymes. For example "Two Thousand Four, The Year You Are Receiving More", "Two Thousand Five, The Year You Are Going to Thrive", "Two Thousand Six, The Year Of Golden Bricks" etc etc.

Perhaps we should call this Twenty Fourteen- The Year challenges became Routine. I mean if you're on the same social media circles I am on, you should have encountered a Bible Challenge, a Book Readers' Challenge, a No Make-up Challenge, a Photo A Day Challenge, 100 Happy Day Challenge, I mean gwe, this is a year we are seriously being challenged. Challenges. And they say Uganda's youth are idle and disorderly? 

See, I have realised in life, there are two kinds of people. Those who accept challenges and those who swerve around them!

Well, I have swerved challenges so I have no right to throw stones at those swerving. In fact, I am embarrassed when I talk about things I have swerved. We swerve because of fear. Swerve because we do not understand. Some say we hate what we do not understand. Anyway, I am now going on a tangent. 

This is the point. I have not had writer's block. I have been writing every week. And loving it. I am not joining the challenge because I have not been writing. I am joining because I love writing. I love blogging. If it were for boasting, I would have a lot to say. And yes I am sort of getting to the point.

This is the thing about challenges. Most times people jump on these things to feel like they belong, to prove a point to someone, to not be in the bad books of so and so. Some are actually put off because they know they cannot measure up. Yeah. I have experienced that kind of thing.

What I have discovered though is this- when you love something, there is usually little effort in expressing yourself in that thing or towards that thing. Don't tell me about discipline and stuff. Love produces all of that. It is like the root of a plant. It is life.

So I guess this challenge sort of is a reminder that we love blogging. Not that we are measuring up to some standard but that there is a passion driving us. So, I hope after these 7 days we shall remember how much we loved blogging and shall continue to. And that through blogging we shall express ourselves without fear of being judged or assesed. Blog because you love to, not because you are merely being challenged.

And anyway, all of us are challenged in some way, why not be Bloggingly-Challenged?

Peace. And Christ Love.