Judgement | Kampala, Uganda Feb-Mar, 2010

I am thinking of judgment on a completely different level. I am here in Kampala, Uganda for two months and stick out like a very, very soar thumb. Bus and “boda-boda” (motorcycle) drivers are constantly vying for your attention. As you walk by peoples homes/huts they are frequently yelling out “muzunga” (slang term for a white person… like cracker, although I don’t take it offensively at all). Some parts of the city have such strong poverty it is overwhelming. The needs are beyond describable. Simple care at the hospital is not afforded and as a result people die that had they had treatment in the States they would’ve easily lived.

The other day while walking through the slums people looked at me differently. No longer was I hearing the “muzunga” term being belted out, rather people watched in silence as I walked by. It became quite evident quickly that white people don’t walk through these parts of town. I felt convicted to look people in the eye to treat them with the dignity that they deserve as a human being. Deep down inside I wish that they only knew how much I wanted to be their friend; to share life together, to truly get to know one another, to trust one another. Could it be that their needs are the same as mine? I think so…

Judge not.

Posted by matthew gamble on February 18, 2010 at 10:47 AM
Filed Under: | 4 Comments | 0 Trackbacks