Culture Shock

The more we retreat from the culture and the people
the less we learn about them;
the less we know about them,
the more uncomfortable we feel among them;
the more uncomfortable we feel among them,
the more inclined we are to withdraw.

~ Craig Storti (Duane, Elmer - “Cross-Cultural Connections” - p. 43)

Well, I knew it couldn’t be because of my adapter; I discarded it as soon as I saw sparks from when I had accidentally got water in it. Nor was I standing at the top of a nearby hill to get struck by this mornings’ lightening. Yet there wasn’t a shadow of a doubt, I’d been shocked.

Culture shock.

My feet have navigated the gravel roads of Oxford, New Zealand and I have eaten refried beans for breakfast in Tecate, Mexico. I have strolled along the Ganges River in Varanasi, India, and marveled at the bustling markets in Istanbul, Turkey. I have even been immersed in the culture of Oakland, California’s inner city. I must have experienced some level of culture shock in each of these places, but other than in India, I believe it mostly went unnoticed.

Is it the length of time in Africa that has heightened the shock for me now? Is it the simple fact that I have ventured here alone? Or is it the intensity of poverty that I see almost daily? I know that in India it was the beggar’s hands that I hid from in my hotel room; I just didn’t know how to deal with their constant asking. And although Africa rarely requests the change in my pocket, she sure does ask other things of me.

I have always thought of myself as the sort of person who loves to engage with new cultures, enjoying the give and take; the learning and changing…yet I find myself often withdrawing and unwilling (maybe just unable?) to give what is being petitioned of me. I believe that I am still that open, adventurous and inquisitive person, and more importantly, I believe that God has a purpose for my being in Africa, but the culture shock that I now feel threatens to keep me uncomfortable and withdrawn. It saddens me to think that it could also hinder what God wants to do in and through me here.

Now as you read this, please be gentle. I have had to bestow much grace on myself since this recent enlightenment, and would humbly appreciate it from you also. Yet, I am writing this for your reading for these four reasons: 1) So that maybe I would better understand what I am feeling by writing it out and sharing it; 2) So that those who have been in this place can offer some advice or encouragement; 3) So that you can be praying for me; and 4) So that God will get all the praise as you read my blogs in the coming months and see how he has been faithfully leading, helping and changing me.

I do want to mention that, despite how I am feeling right now, there have been some very beautiful moments in my last month and a half here in Uganda. I am learning the language mpola mpola (bit by bit), I have come to love the days spent at the Street Boy Shelter, and I have been able to experience many parts of Ugandan life. I just pray that these beautiful moments will become more frequent and the moments when I want to hide in the hotel will occur less and less.

My hope is in Jesus, my constant and unchanging friend.

Christmas Greetings

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed
The little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head
The stars in the bright sky look down where he lay
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay

My dear friends and family,

In my twenty-three years as a Christian, I have heard the Christmas story countless times. But when I was reading through the account of Jesus’ birth in the Gospel of Luke to prepare for a lesson I was to teach, I found myself in tears. Jesus came into the world as a baby! And, not only was he a baby, but a poor baby; a baby who spent his first night in the company of cows and sheep in a stable! I know that is not news to many of you, and nor was it to me, but think about the implications that has for the children I am working with here in Uganda. God was so wise and loving to send his Son to the world in such a way that all could relate to him, even a small child living in the most humble circumstances. What love is that! What better gift to give to the children this year than the knowledge of God’s great love for them. And what better gift to give to you also. May the love that was shown on that first Christmas day be felt in your hearts and known in your lives also this year. Happy Christmas and a Blessed New Year to each of you.

Lovingly, Erin

If sickness be my chains

Last night my sickness worsened. Now I had a sore throat, a fever and a headache to add to my unsettled stomach and overall weakness. I could feel a cold forming too. I decided that sleep would be impossible right away, so I chose to read for a bit first. I settled on the biography of David Livingstone, the missionary and explorer to South Africa in the 1800’s. I read the entire thing before night’s end, and a quote from Livingstone on the fourth to last page resonated with me:

“What is the atonement of Christ? It is Himself; it is the inherent and everlasting mercy of God made apparent to human eyes and ears. The everlasting love was disclosed by our Lord’s life and death. It showed that God forgives, because He loves to forgive. He works by smiles if possible. If not, by frowns; pain is only a means of enforcing love.”

Pain eh? Well, I know a bit of that right now. If it is to bring me closer to God…I guess I can handle it…

When I awoke today, much of the pain and weariness was gone...and even my spirit felt refreshed. Praise God! But, I was still not 100%. I doubted that I had the strength to struggle through another day. Then I thought of Livingstone. How many dozens of times did he endure river fever in his years in Africa, let alone other injuries and concerns? And Paul…he was imprisoned for sharing Jesus, yet he didn’t stop; he seemed only strengthened by this obstacle. Could I then also be like Paul, or Livingstone? I would sure like to try…in God’s strength of course.

This poem came from my ponderings:


If sickness be my chains
How shall I still proclaim
His glory and might and power
His goodness and love in this hour

To the sky my prayers I send
Sweet fragrance tells of heaven opened
My brothers and sisters I shall tell
This same God in them does dwell

Praise be to his name
Tomorrow I shall say the same
He has done great things
Bless his holy name

Staying Connected #2

Dear friends,

To say that this past month has been a rollercoaster of emotion does not quite capture it. The loneliness has been deep and I have struggled in my effort to adjust to the time, altitude, heat, food, and culture here in Uganda. Ah, but through it all I have been held in God’s loving hands, and I am confident that your prayers have helped to keep me there. Also, just last week I found myself wishing to be nowhere but where I am right now…in Africa! Praise God!

Yet, despite the struggles that I have encountered so far in my African journey, my service for God under ACTION has begun. It has been determined that from Monday to Wednesday I will go to the street boy day shelter. This shelter provides the boys with a place to sleep, do laundry, obtain two meals, keep their minds sharp through daily school time, and learn from the Bible. So far my task has simply been to befriend the boys, but in essence, through that friendship to encourage them towards repentance and restoration with God and their families. My responsibilities are gradually growing to include the school portion one day a week, and will most likely include some Bible teaching in the coming months.

I am very thankful for the opportunity to interact with these boys, but I also covet your prayers for my future work with them. Besides adjusting to them being older than I expected (they are mostly in their mid-late teens), my main struggle has been trying to love where there is no trust. The boys do not divulge their real names, and more often than not, their stories about their families and why they are on the streets are just as doubtful. But, it is very plain that at the root of the manipulation and lies are wounded souls that need the love of Jesus. I pray that God would teach me how to love these boys, and that trust may be birthed between us. May that love and trust then work together to bring healing and hope to these boys who call the streets their home.

As for other ministry, I have been typing up some previously translated teaching material in the Teso language. Those in Soroti have very few Christian resources in their language and I am privileged to be able to help them in this area. Also, with Christmas coming up, we are very busy preparing for our outreaches at which we plan to share the Gospel and bring gifts to almost 2000 children. Additionally, we will be giving a Christmas meal and presenting the Gospel for about 400 people in the condemned (death row) section of the prison here in Kampala. Besides helping to prepare for and carry out these outreaches, I will also be teaching at a children’s program this week in Namulanda. Up to 300 children will be there to hear of Jesus as the greatest gift ever given. Please pray for all who will hear God’s message of salvation this Christmas, as well as for boldness, guidance and safety as I travel and teach this week.

As you bring the above prayer requests to God, please also be praying for each of us on this ACTION Uganda team: Jim, Kappy, Luke and I. Each of us has been suffering with flu-like symptoms off and on for the entire time I have been here, some to greater extents than others. Tests have just shown that we might all have an amoeba, contracted from either food or water. I myself am overcome with weakness once again and am lying in my bed as I type this letter to you. Please pray for the medicine to be effective and for God’s healing and strength to come to each of us.

Finally, I want to thank you all for walking this journey with me. I have been truly touched and uplifted by your messages, e-mails and prayers. Thank you also for your financial gifts as they allow God’s work in and through me to continue. Please do check out my ACTION page and blog (see addresses below) for photos, the occasional taste of life in Kampala and more stories of God’s goodness that I hope will bless you and stir your hearts to prayer. My mailing address is also below should you feel so inclined to send mail…or chocolate. J

In God’s faithful service,

Erin Spring (www.actionintl.org/spring --- erinrachelspring.blogspot.com)

Mailing Address: c/o Robinette, PO Box 71249 Clock Tower, Kampala Uganda, East Africa

To support financially:

~ Cheques are to be made out to “Action International Ministries” and mailed to: 3015A 21^st St. NE, Calgary, AB T2E 7T1. My name cannot appear anywhere on the cheque. Instead, please enclose a separate note specifying it is for me.

~ Donations can also be made by credit card over the phone or debited monthly from your bank account or credit card. Simply call 403.204.1421 or 1.888.443.2221 (toll-free), and they will assist you.

~ Online donations are also possible. Go to www.actionintl.org/spring for my page.

A gift from God

Wearied by the weeks behind me, I set out for church last Sunday morning. As I walked, I prayed for the storm in my heart to be stilled and for the confusion in my spirit to be calmed. My first few weeks in Uganda had been pretty rough; I was jet-lagged and lonelier than ever before, I was knocked out by a flu-like sickness for a few days, and my fears kept me questioning if I were to even be in Africa at all. I really needed to hear from God this day.

Inside, as the lively music got underway, a young girl of maybe four years wandered over to me as I sat on the front row. Without a smile, this beautiful little thing ever so casually stopped and stood right beside me, remaining there for most of the singing. Now some of you know me well, and you know what joy a small child brings to my heart. Well, God sure knows me, and as she lingered by my side I thanked him for the gift of her presence. This was very special to me, but I was in awe of God’s goodness when I was later told her name…Gift! Her name was Gift, and she truly was a gift from God to me that day.

A taste of Kampala

Twisting, diving, taunting; a flurry of wing, leg and potential disease. The mosquitoes in Africa are very different from those in Canada. They supersede their North American counterparts in speed and agility, therefore making themselves more deadly – never mind the Malaria factor. When you do chase one down as it lazily flies away, you realize all too late why it drifts so. The red stripe on net or pillowcase tells the gruesome, yet victorious, story of gluttony punished. Lesson learnt: Best to stay under the mosquito net.

(The humor here is that, just after I wrote the above blog entry, one such mosquito somehow managed to sneak inside the net that surrounds my bed. Two bites and five attempts later, it met its bloody death. New lesson: Beware! African mosquitoes are as smart as they are quick.)

Inviting Change

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” ~ John 15:1-2, 8

This week has been wrought with worries about hotel security, a virus in my computer, and a draining sickness that sent me to my bed for almost two full days. In these trying circumstances, I have found myself questioning why I am here, although I am ashamed to admit it. Sure, I am here for my required internship, but beyond that… What is the bigger purpose? What is the big picture?

Thankfully, the always faithful God has been patient with me, listening to my struggle and calming my heart. I believe that he has great – no, amazing – things in store for me here; things I could not learn elsewhere; changes that could only come through what I learn and experience here in Uganda. So, tomorrow is a new day. But, even better, today’s not looking so bad anymore. I invite change and I welcome the pruning. Have your way, God, that you might be glorified. Let them see that I am yours and desire you also. Amen.

War in the Congo

The Congo is in upheaval once again, and for me, being in Africa, it is hitting closer to home than ever before. Issak is from the Congo, but is studying here in Uganda. Today at church, he shared of how the rebels had reached his village, just a few days ago I believe. Two rebels went to his father’s house and demanded certain items from him. When his father couldn’t produce what was asked of him, one of the rebels became angry and decided to shoot him. The rebel planned to shoot him in the leg, but God spared both his legs and his life; the shot went right between his legs. Let us praise God for his goodness towards Issak’s family, but let us also pray seriously for peace in the Congo and for Issak who is away from his family at this terrible time.

A taste of Kampala

Imagine walking into the food court at Seven Oaks or your local mall. Do you have a picture of it in your mind? Okay. You walk from restaurant to restaurant, eyeing the food, asking the occasional question, and eventually purchasing what you decide upon. You then find a seat in the oversized dining room and enjoy your meal.

Now, come with me to the food court in Kampala, Uganda. The first thing you do is to find a table to sit at. But, before your bum even hits the chair, a group of six or seven people come over and present to you the various menus for the restaurants represented in the food court. These restaurant employees hover around you, suggesting different dishes and answering your questions about the food. Once you have decided, they take your order and bring it and the bill to you in a timely manner. Overwhelming? A little. Personal? Yes! Jim explained to me that here they very much value relationships…and I must believe it’s true because I experienced it in the food court of all places.

Week One - I have arrived!

“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." - Ephesians 5:1-2

Yes, it’s true…Kampala is my new home for the next 8 months. My hotel room offers quite the view. I find it cozy, and I am almost used to the sound of the traffic, the seemingly hundreds of frogs that awaken at night to sing, and the rooster that wakes up the neighbourhood at 4:00 am. But, I have yet to become accustomed to the eerie laugh of the Eastern Grey Plantain-Eater, the squawk of the Hadada (think irritating crow :), and the neighbour’s dog that whines excessively. Anyways, below is a brief overview of my past few days…

*I arrived in Kampala early on Sunday morning, and we drove straight to the hotel so that I could change for church. Jim (the pastor I am serving under) was preaching in a slum church that morning, and we were already a little late. My favorite part about the service was when the Sunday school class sang a song to welcome us visitors to their “churchee”. It was beautiful. After the three hour service, I shook more hands than when I was in the receiving line at a wedding. I felt very welcomed there.

* Luke (another volunteer from Canada) and I went to the day shelter for the street boys. I had learnt just the day before that these boys were older than I had expected, ranging from 9 to 18. I was a bit nervous about this…yet, despite that and my exhaustion from jet lag, it was a great time. I spent the majority of the morning talking, laughing and playing games with four boys – Awali and his little “brother” Abraham, Fred and Joseph. They even prodded me to sing to them and to tell them a story. I told my abridged version of Max Lucado’s “You are Special”. If you haven’t read it, you should. It is an amazing story about the love of “Eli” or “Mugezi” (wise) for those he had created, despite their faults or how others viewed them. They listened intently, their faces openly echoing the pain and joy experienced by “Musiro” (stupid), the main character. When I finished, I asked them who they thought Mugezi was. Yes…it was God. Amazed that they had caught this correlation, I asked them who they thought Musiro was. They were silent then chuckled when I said it was us who were Musiro…stupid. Isn’t it true though? We all do stupid things; we steal, we disobey, and we are unkind to others…yet Mugezi still loves us. They understood, and I was humbled. Oh that you could have seen their faces… I pray that they would know Mugezi’s deep love for them.

* I rested and visited with Kappy (Jim’s wife). The change in time and altitude are taking a while to adjust to. The loneliness also set in on Tuesday, but God was faithful to provide some encouragement through a knock at my door and a card delivered from Kappy. He is with me, and I am very thankful. I also began my language lessons. Luganda is a beautiful language and I am hopeful that I will learn to speak it with some ease.

***Wanting to pray? *I have only been with the boys for one day so far, but I do pray that they will know God’s love and that reconciliation with their families would be possible. *For myself: That my heart would hurt as God’s does for his people here in Uganda, for my personal safety and for that of my belongings (more that I would learn to leave these things in God’s hands instead of worrying about them), and for what looks to be a problem with bugs in my bed. Not sure what kind they are…but they sure like to nibble on me.

Don’t worry…every blog shouldn’t be this long (although I am not making any promises). It’s just that my journal and my computer are two of my closest companions right now; they never get tired of listening, so I forget that you may. Thanks for reading the parts that you do.

A few IMPORTANT updates

1) It has come to my attention that I mistakenly put the incorrect address for ACTION on the majority of my Staying Connected letters. I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this has caused you. (All cheques mailed already will be returned to you.)

Here is their new mailing address:
Action International Ministries
3015A 21st St. NE
Calgary, AB T2E 7T1

From the States:
Action International Ministries
PO Box 398
Mountlake Terrace, WA
98043-0398USA

2) I have also been informed that, because of the recent devaluation of the Canadian Dollar, the amount of money that I need to provide for my internship has increased by 20%. I now sit at $1350 CDN/month, but this can still fluctuate depending on the markets. I humbly ask that you keep this in mind as you read my letter and bio and decide in which ways you would like to be involved in my journey.

3) I now have my own page on the ACTION website. Simply go to www.actionintl.org/spring. Here you will find my bio, all future pictures and newsletters, and the ability to donate online. Do check it out. :)

Thanks for reading all this info. Love to you all.

Taste and See That the Lord is Good. (#1)

Turning the page of my scrapbooking journal, a newspaper clipping catches my eye; ‘She Dreamed of Africa’, it reads in bold, black and red letters. This clipping was chosen specifically and glued into place on September 2nd, 2005. Who “she” was, I cannot remember…but her dream is also mine.

“Jesus”, I whispered, as I cut out these newsprint words. “Can I please go? This has been my dream for years before now - to go to Africa. I am not quite sure how these people have become so dear to my heart when I have yet to meet them, but can I please go and love them? I want to be your hands and feet, to share your love and hope. Jesus…you are their hope...”

Dear friends,

It is my passion to love and serve others in Jesus’ name, but more specifically to serve those who are from other cultures and nations. It is this passion that led me to enroll in the Intercultural Studies program at Columbia Bible College in the fall of 2006. As I enter my third year of this BA, I will be participating in a cross-cultural internship, in which the full eight month term is lived out in another culture. And here is the exciting part…I am finally off to Africa! On November 7th, I will be flying to Kampala, Uganda to serve under Action International.

Action International’s main focus in Uganda is on serving the urban poor, more specifically the refugee kids and the kids who live on the street in the slums. Although my exact areas of service will be identified through conversing with my mentors in Kampala, it looks as though I will be directly involved in their Street Boy Ministry by teaching, counseling, and coaching…besides just being a friend. I may also help to facilitate children’s camps, prison ministries and/or Christmas outreaches, aid in starting up a lending library of Christian resources, or assist with the Bible/Sports clubs. These opportunities for interaction with the children of Uganda truly excite me.

As I enter this final month of preparation, I come to you with an invitation…well, a few actually. First of all, I would like to invite you to walk alongside me in this season of learning and discovery. Psalm 34:8a says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good”; it will be accounts of his goodness seen that I will be sending home to you. Secondly, I invite you to pray for me. There will be dangers and discouragement along the way, and my body, spirit and heart would appreciate your prayers. Thirdly, I invite you to support me with your finances. Should you wish to do so, the information is below. No matter how you wish to support me, know that simply your words and presence in my life are such an encouragement to me. My sincere thanks.

From my heart to yours,

Erin Spring

To support financially:

~ Cheques can be mailed to: 3015A 21st St. NE, Calgary, AB, T2E 7T1. My name cannot appear anywhere on the cheque. Instead, please enclose a separate note specifying it is for me.
~ Donations can also be given over the phone or debited monthly from your bank account or credit card. Simply call 403.443.2221, and they can assist you.

Honest ramblings after watching "Shooting Dogs"

I know these 8 months will be different than any others I have lived, yet they feel as though they are a taste of the life I will live. Will I even die in Africa one day? I dare say that I will never die in Africa lest I learn what is most valuable...unless I am willing to be selfless and give up all, like my Jesus did. Ah, but why would I be willing to give up all in Africa while being ok with living in "luxury" and complacency here in Canada, surrounded by piles of useless paper and things that bring me "comfort"? Jesus, I want to learn now...to give, to share, to hold everything with an open hand. It is you who has given me all things anyway; who am I to call them mine?

Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to thee;
Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of thy love.

Take my feet and let them be

Swift and beautiful for thee;

Take my voice and let me sing,

Always, only for my King.

Take my lips and let them be

Filled with messages from thee;

Take my silver and my gold,

Not a mite would I withhold.

Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise;

Take my intellect and use

Every pow’r as thou shalt choose.

Take my will and make it thine,

It shall be no longer mine;

Take my heart, it is thine own,

It shall be thy royal throne.

Take my love, my Lord, I pour

At thy feet its treasure store;

Take myself and I will be

Ever, only, all for thee

Here am I.

All of me.

Take my life.

It's all for thee.

~ Take My Life and Let It Be, Frances R. Havergal (Last stanza: Chris Tomlin's rendition)

This is just my internship...but it feels like my life. And it is.

Say NO to Sugar Daddies

Actual ad from a campaign against HIV in Uganda. Caption reads:

Girls! The gifts, the nights out and the cash can never be worth your lives and future. Older men are taking advantage of you and putting you at risk of HIV infection, in exhange for material things. This practice is called cross generational sex. Respect yourselves and Say NO to Sugar Daddies.

Uganda is once again losing in the battle against the spread of HIV. This weekend's Vancouver Sun had a special article on HIV's newest propelling factor - 'cross-generational sex'. An example of this is that at night, rich older men will drive onto University campuses to pick up their dates. These young women are selling themselves for gifts, a fancy night out, or even to have their school tuitions paid. One girl was lured into such a meeting to find that it was her own father who would be her "sugar daddy".

Did you catch yourself smirking at the term "sugar daddy"? This term makes its way into our conversations with a smile and a joking nudge. Yet, Uganda's young women (and sometimes men in response to a rise in "sugar mommies") are having sex with these older rich men and in turn getting infected with HIV.

It would take me a while to try to convey the struggle, political and otherwise, that Uganda has gone through in their fight against the HIV virus. (If you are interested, this article, "Rolling Back Uganda's Early Gains Against AIDS", gives a consise summary.) In the meantime, please be praying for a change in the thinking of the Ugandan people. Saying "no" to a sugar daddy in her college years will most likely only delay a woman's chance of contracting HIV. The push is for skilled and confident women who don't need to depend on men for money, and also for a decrease in sexual partners. Only a change of thinking can bring a stop to another epidemic.

I can feel the seasons changing

It feels like fall today, but not only outside my window. My heart knows also of change on the horizon. With fall comes school and renuions with friends, but for me this year it also brings a great venture. I will be flying to Uganda on November 7th to serve with Action International for 8 months. That is what I call change.