Over the river and up a hill

 I went to visit my friend Asiimwe yesterday who just had a baby... or “produced” as they say here.  The day was hot and beads of sweat quickly accumulated on my forehead as I headed down the dusty road, the ever present chorus of “Mujungu... Mujungu!” following me as I went.  In the US I would come bearing some casserole or crock pot of soup.  Today I stopped in the market to get a bag of beans, some rice and sugar to add to my gift of baby blankets.  As I neared the market I saw a man with 3 children under the age of 5 pushing a broken down truck... wished I had my camera with me.  My shopping done, I headed down a side road to Asiimwe’s house.  Greeting people as I went, all very curious as to where I was going, and so excited that I was walking on the road.   

I began to descend a steep hill cut by deep ruts from the rivers of water that race down it from day to day with all the rain we have been having.  When I arrived at the river at the bottom, I saw that the stones that I had hopped across in the past were under water.  An old man who had just crossed was putting socks and shoes on wet feet and another old women with a basin on her head slipped off her flip fops and expertly navigated her way over the stones.  So I followed suit, with flip flops and my bag in one hand, skirt held up in the other.  I eased my feet in the cool water and started across.  I managed to make it to the other side avoiding major catastrophe, slipped my shoes on and squeaked and slipped my way up the hill on the other side of the river.  It must have been cocoa harvesting day as I passed person after person balancing basins piled high with the slimy, milky, white beans on their heads.  And I was impressed yet again by 5 year olds heavy laden with jerry cans of water strapped to their backs who were passing me as we climbed.... and climbed.  I hadn’t remembered that this hill was so big.  My forehead wasn’t the only place that the sweat was dripping now.  

I stopped at a compound with some familiar kids who were greeting me, thinking Asiimwe’s must be the place just across the road.  It was not; and they communicated that I should keep going and informed me, “she is there”, so I continued to climb.  Some kids must have rushed on ahead because Asiimwe was waiting in the door way of her little mud house as I arrived, telling me I was welcome.  I removed my shoes and she took my things and we sat in her tidy little front room.  Asiimwe scooped up Oliver (a girls name... pronounced Oliva) who had been sleeping on the couch.  She placed the peaceful little bundle in my arms.  Oliver was so perfect with long little fingers and tiny finger nails, soft black fuzzy hair, and smooth milk chocolaty skin.  I couldn’t help but think of Psalm 119 and how this little girl was so wonderfully made.  I had to share it with Asiimwe.  We chatted and 2 or Asiimwe’s daughters popped their heads in to greet me and I shared about what I remember from way back when my little brother came home from the hospital.  Asiimwe didn’t even go to the hospital to have her baby.  But the women here are strong... I mean Asiimwe came to work less than 2 weeks after having her baby, looked awesome, probably even helped harvest cocoa earlier in the day.  So we sat and chatted, I dabbed my face, still sweating and sat some more until I figured I had better get going down that massive hill to be back in time to fix some dinner.

As I walked down hill this time and could truly appreciate the beauty of this place with the lack of sweat dripping in my eye and the sun beginning to sink in the sky,  I could just drink in the beauty of the green banana trees, towering mountains, warm smiling faces, some of which I had already passed returning with their empty cocoa basin to get another load. Isaac and Slivia, Asiimwe’s 2 other children greeted me as they were walking home.  I couldn’t stop smiling at how wonderful it had been to be out greeting friends and sharing life.  I sure hope I get a lot more of these afternoons in the months to come!