The Beauty of Simplicity.
In moving to Uganda, we suddenly found ourselves out of western materialistic pressures. What a refreshing and liberating experience it was! Simple living was indeed beautiful - gone were the pressures of having to have the latest or fastest. We all enjoyed the benefits of simple living - our diet, making our own entertainment, the lack of the constant pressure to be jumping in the car and racing off somewhere. People were more important than things and there seemed to be time for people - greeting strangers on the road, unexpected visitors at the door or just stopping for a prolonged chat without constant glances at the time to make sure we weren't running late.
Our children were perhaps the greatest beneficiaries of this lifestyle. It was a constant delight to us to watch them playing with their Ugandan friends - whether it be football, catching termites, birthday parties with musical statues and definitely no party bags! They were allowed to be children in a way that is probably harder to achieve in this country. The reality was that we lacked nothing and the challenge for us now is to continue living like that.
We do not want to romanticise poverty and the degrading and catastrophic effects it has on so many families in Uganda. Living simply was our choice - people living in poverty often have no choices and their lives are relentless struggles to provide the basics for their families. Just before we left, the hospital occupational therapist went to visit the home of a little girl who had been left severely brain damaged after cerebral malaria. Sadly the child was found in a dark corner of her hut, clearly malnourished with a chest infection. When the parents were asked what was going on, they replied that they did not have enough food to feed all their children and they had decided to feed the healthy children who would have a greater chance of surviving. How would we cope having to divide our own children into those who we would feed and those we would not?
The Complexity of Culture
It is strangely disarming to arrive in a new country where all our previously held cultural norms no longer apply. It extended so much deeper than not being able to communicate effectively and even after three years in Uganda there is much that we didn't understand at all.
In some ways we had expected to feel uncertain in the secular aspects of Ugandan culture. However, we were surprised by the extent that we also felt at sea within the Christian subculture - styles of meetings and worship, the emphasis on public testimonies and something that we found very sad was the hierarchical structure so evident in the church. But we did find a unity in Christ and we thank God for so many whose lives spoke powerfully of the love of God and His work in their lives.
We have come back to the UK profoundly grateful for free state education, the NHS and Radio 4! We are also grateful for the churches we have been to in the UK being able to worship in our mother tongue still seems a treat! Our hope is that we can apply what is good from both societies to our lives here and that this will enrich both ourselves and the people with whom we have contact.
Christian Faith When Life Is In Crisis
There is no doubt that we have been tested in nearly every aspect of our lives in ways that we hadn't been before and that has been painful and difficult. The positive side of everything is that our faith is intact (although certainly refined), our marriage is very much intact and we have three delightful children who seem remarkably "normal". The not so good side is that our African aspirations are now behind us and remain largely unfulfilled and our futures still seem very uncertain. Peter has failed so far to get back onto the surgical training schemes he needs to complete his training.
So what do we make of all this? I think both of us have a theology that makes room for suffering. Both the Bible and Church history make it clear that Christians are not exempt from suffering. God has not abandoned us but has allowed these things to happen for His purposes. Understanding this does not take away the pain of the "going through the process". We have both had times of great sorrow, perplexity and uncertainty and times of tremendous joy, satisfaction and laughter. Neither of us have any regrets that we went to Kisiizi Hospital. Our lives have been enriched by the whole experience.
Editor's Note: shortly before going to press we received the following update from Peter Taylor:
'Since we wrote the article I have been accepted in the Navy and attended a tough Short Introductory Course at Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. I had a lot of work to do prior to that to lose weight and get fit but the hard work made the course easier.
They try and stretch you with early PT sessions, parade training and endless inspections as well as relevant introductory lessons. In many ways it was entering a whole new culture similar to going to Uganda! I passed successfully (not all did!) and then spent 3 weeks on HMS Illustrious (an aircraft carrier). I was assisting the MO doing mainly GP like duties and some minor stitching etc. But the main point of it was to introduce me to life at sea and the working environment of the real Navy after Dartmouth.
I have met strong Christians both at Dartmouth, on ship and elsewhere in the Navy and hope to get involved in the Officers Christian Union and other fellowships. Now I am in Bath learning Vascular Surgery at the Royal United Hospital with no specific Naval involvement until I have become accredited.
The family will move here in August. It all seems a long way from Kisiizi but we are happy with our decision and the very real, clear reasons for making it.'
Kisiizi has a website: www.kisiizi.supanet.com
In moving to Uganda, we suddenly found ourselves out of western materialistic pressures. What a refreshing and liberating experience it was! Simple living was indeed beautiful - gone were the pressures of having to have the latest or fastest. We all enjoyed the benefits of simple living - our diet, making our own entertainment, the lack of the constant pressure to be jumping in the car and racing off somewhere. People were more important than things and there seemed to be time for people - greeting strangers on the road, unexpected visitors at the door or just stopping for a prolonged chat without constant glances at the time to make sure we weren't running late.
Our children were perhaps the greatest beneficiaries of this lifestyle. It was a constant delight to us to watch them playing with their Ugandan friends - whether it be football, catching termites, birthday parties with musical statues and definitely no party bags! They were allowed to be children in a way that is probably harder to achieve in this country. The reality was that we lacked nothing and the challenge for us now is to continue living like that.
We do not want to romanticise poverty and the degrading and catastrophic effects it has on so many families in Uganda. Living simply was our choice - people living in poverty often have no choices and their lives are relentless struggles to provide the basics for their families. Just before we left, the hospital occupational therapist went to visit the home of a little girl who had been left severely brain damaged after cerebral malaria. Sadly the child was found in a dark corner of her hut, clearly malnourished with a chest infection. When the parents were asked what was going on, they replied that they did not have enough food to feed all their children and they had decided to feed the healthy children who would have a greater chance of surviving. How would we cope having to divide our own children into those who we would feed and those we would not?
The Complexity of Culture
It is strangely disarming to arrive in a new country where all our previously held cultural norms no longer apply. It extended so much deeper than not being able to communicate effectively and even after three years in Uganda there is much that we didn't understand at all.
In some ways we had expected to feel uncertain in the secular aspects of Ugandan culture. However, we were surprised by the extent that we also felt at sea within the Christian subculture - styles of meetings and worship, the emphasis on public testimonies and something that we found very sad was the hierarchical structure so evident in the church. But we did find a unity in Christ and we thank God for so many whose lives spoke powerfully of the love of God and His work in their lives.
We have come back to the UK profoundly grateful for free state education, the NHS and Radio 4! We are also grateful for the churches we have been to in the UK being able to worship in our mother tongue still seems a treat! Our hope is that we can apply what is good from both societies to our lives here and that this will enrich both ourselves and the people with whom we have contact.
Christian Faith When Life Is In Crisis
There is no doubt that we have been tested in nearly every aspect of our lives in ways that we hadn't been before and that has been painful and difficult. The positive side of everything is that our faith is intact (although certainly refined), our marriage is very much intact and we have three delightful children who seem remarkably "normal". The not so good side is that our African aspirations are now behind us and remain largely unfulfilled and our futures still seem very uncertain. Peter has failed so far to get back onto the surgical training schemes he needs to complete his training.
So what do we make of all this? I think both of us have a theology that makes room for suffering. Both the Bible and Church history make it clear that Christians are not exempt from suffering. God has not abandoned us but has allowed these things to happen for His purposes. Understanding this does not take away the pain of the "going through the process". We have both had times of great sorrow, perplexity and uncertainty and times of tremendous joy, satisfaction and laughter. Neither of us have any regrets that we went to Kisiizi Hospital. Our lives have been enriched by the whole experience.
Editor's Note: shortly before going to press we received the following update from Peter Taylor:
'Since we wrote the article I have been accepted in the Navy and attended a tough Short Introductory Course at Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. I had a lot of work to do prior to that to lose weight and get fit but the hard work made the course easier.
They try and stretch you with early PT sessions, parade training and endless inspections as well as relevant introductory lessons. In many ways it was entering a whole new culture similar to going to Uganda! I passed successfully (not all did!) and then spent 3 weeks on HMS Illustrious (an aircraft carrier). I was assisting the MO doing mainly GP like duties and some minor stitching etc. But the main point of it was to introduce me to life at sea and the working environment of the real Navy after Dartmouth.
I have met strong Christians both at Dartmouth, on ship and elsewhere in the Navy and hope to get involved in the Officers Christian Union and other fellowships. Now I am in Bath learning Vascular Surgery at the Royal United Hospital with no specific Naval involvement until I have become accredited.
The family will move here in August. It all seems a long way from Kisiizi but we are happy with our decision and the very real, clear reasons for making it.'
Kisiizi has a website: www.kisiizi.supanet.com
