Stabilize There

“Stabilize there,” were the words my friend Ocwa Alfred Jackson said to his chicken in the middle of our dinner. I think the chicken was confused about what was happening. Usually at this time of night, the chicken would return home with its four chicks and sleep for the night. But tonight was different. Alfred had invited Isaac and I for dinner, his wife Angela Rose was busy preparing a massive meal in the next room, and we were just talking. Alfred had invited a neighbor to join us for this great feast. The chicken and the choice of words by Alfred reminded me I was not in America. Alfred has a modest one room dwelling that is turned into 3 rooms with the addition of a couple of curtains. We were seated around a table in the center room, while his wife busily prepared a large meal for the four of us. Alfred’s youngest, Samuel not yet a year, spent a lot of time on his dad’s lap. Alfred told us that Samuel will sleep anywhere as long as he can reach out and feel someone near. If he does not feel mom or dad next to him he cries. Mercy, his two year old daughter, peaked past a lace curtain inside once or twice, but left quickly upon seeing two large white men. The dinner consisted of great tasting chicken, rice, posho, doo(greens similar to spinach), millet bread mixed with cassava, cooked cabbage, and ended with pineapple after the meal was over. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Among the first things that Alfred showed me was he had the cow that sang “Silver Bells” hung right next to his front door. He squeezed the cow’s hoof to make the cow sing another song, and he laughed. The cow was white in a white and red sock, when he left St. Louis, but now all the white was brown. The Ugandan dust that is always prevalent, made that transition quickly. Now the singing cow which looked pristine and new in white, now looked like a comfortable old friend. He told me that the cow was the baby’s favorite. Alfred laughs and gives a big smile every time he hears the cow sing. Of course, Alfred always is ready with a smile, friendship or a prayer that praises God for his blessings. I wonder how many American women who live in nice, big houses would trade what they have for a 3 room house in Uganda, with a man who is kind and laughs every time a cow puppet sings. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There is so much to tell you about the evening. I could tell you how Alfred had made sure he had large Fantas waiting for us. Or I could tell you that he walked us all the way home, and I wondered why until I realized it was just to give us the two extra Fantas. A small Thgift, but like everything Alfred does it meant a lot. It started getting darker and it was harder to see the food that we were eating, Alfred disappeared into the bedroom and came back with a solar light. Coca-Cola had given many of them to students and teachers so they can do work at night. There is no power in the whole village, remember. Then with a flick of the light up, Alfred illuminated two children that had entered the room, one young girl, his niece, was about 12, and his nephew, a young boy, who had just entered Primary 1. Without a real explanation, Alfred told us that they were both living with him and his wife, and he was supporting them both and trying to give them a better future through better schools. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The chicken was now stabilized for at least an hour in the place, Alfred had told it to go. I asked Isaac to take a picture of the chicken in the dark. The flash illuminated the sleeping hen with her four chicks nestled safely below her, warm and feeling loved. I ate dinner with my friend Alfred, who gave us the best of his hospitality and his kindness, and a great dinner. And I think maybe at the end of the night, Alfred’s four chicks, two of his own, and two of his extended family, nestled under Alfred and his wife, feeling warm and feeling loved. Stabilize here.