A Collection of Favorite Stories (Continued...)

May our fond memories and funny stories be a blessing to you!

Karen Viele remembers:

Karen Viele and Generous Turinawe

During one of our trips, our team members were each assigned to travel to a Sunday worship with a ACT Ugandan staff member. We were dispersed all over Muko Sub County! I drove up the hills to an area about an hour drive from our Centre. (Let me preface the story by saying I am not fond of birds. One time a crow found its way into our basement and you would have thought it was a terrifying monster) So during the worship service, I heard a chicken squawking and told myself how glad I was to be up in the front and not near that chicken. However, the service progressed and at one point I was called forward in front of the entire congregation. I realized I was going to be presented with the chicken and I would have to accept it- and hold it! Fortunately, its legs were tied and it was friendly and docile! I returned to my seat with my chicken and it waited patiently there with me until the service was over. After the worship concluded, we proceeded to a little store that had benches and we waited there for our driver to return. A man named Innocent came in on crutches and we began to chat. I asked Innocent if he liked my chicken (who was flapping around underneath the benches) and he said he did. Then I told him it was the first chicken I had ever owned. Innocent said, “Wait here, I will be back”. In a few minutes he came back with ANOTHER CHICKEN! I had to hold that one too and we were photographed together! It was eleven hours before we were able to return to the ACT Resource Center. When I returned, I met up with my husband, Dave, and we greeted each other with enthusiasm- each eager to tell the interesting stories about our worship with the generous and loving people of Muko. I told Dave he would not believe what happened and I opened up the back of our van to show him my chickens- not only were the chickens lively but two eggs rolled out! 

The story goes on… I took my chickens back to the hotel where the proprietors kindly took them from me to hold them while I decided what to do with them. I visualized flying back on Delta airlines with two chickens and realized that was not happening! At breakfast the next morning, I noticed my chickens outside in the yard and I asked one of our team members, who happened to be a veterinarian, if some of our morning toast would be good for the chickens. She told me toast would be delightful for them. So i headed outdoors with the toast crumbs outstretched in my hands. Suddenly I felt a swish of feathers next to my face as an eagle swooped down to collect the crumbs right out of my hands. My Ugandan friend, Benson, was in the yard and he laughed so hard while I screamed and threw the crumbs into the air. The team, watching from the windows of the breakfast area, also found it quite amusing. Benson told me the eagle was quite a rare bird in Uganda. I told him I thought our eagles in the USA were better behaved but I have been suspicious of them ever since. 

Karen also remembers:

Agape Community Transformation - even our name suggests transformation. Here are some memorable quotes from our Ugandan partners that have transformed me.

Dave and I were leading a large group of travelers and the two of us were scheduled to leave one day ahead of the others to prepare a few arrangements in Uganda before the whole team arrived. The departures for travel were different by one hour and when Dave and I arrived at the Detroit airport we discovered we had mixed up our departure with the team the next day. We were only two hours ahead of departure rather than three. The gate attendant informed us they had just closed the baggage doors and we were not going to be included on the flight. In fact, we would not be able to go for TWO DAYS. 

We were embarrassed and upset - especially having to inform our team, our USA director and Generous, our Ugandan director. However, when we told Generous she replied “Everything will happen in God’s time”. Our perspective was calmed and we went home to wait.

Generous

Our Muko Senior Manager, Alexander Gumoshabe (we call him Guma) has suffered the loss of four babies, twins in the sixth month of pregnancy, a baby girl who only lived a few hours, and a baby son, Gian, who survived only a few months. Guma told us “We will trust God to replenish our family.” They have one surviving daughter, Given, who will turn 5 this September. Guma continues to be a model of strength to us.


Guma

Just this month, a friend of mine who had traveled to Uganda with us a few years ago had a debilitating stroke. I was telling Generous and  Guma, about her illness and Guma said, “Tell her… God knows her” I loved these words and they were calming to my friend.

We would love to have you join us at one of our two 20th Anniversary Dinners! Midland, Friday, September 8th or Traverse City, Saturday, September 16th. Please email Sue Waechter for tickets ($35 each).

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