God Lives in Africa

Doreen, is that man crazy or does he just really love Jesus?

She laughed. Maybe both, but I think he's just a Christian Sheona.

The street preachers in Kampala are phenomenal. Seriously. They spend hours and hours eveyday in the scorching sun and pouring rain. There’s the skinny guy who brings his own pulpit and megaphone. He stands on the side of the bustling Entebbe Road going into Kampala yelling at passersby and matatus then intermittently staring intently at the bible on his wooden pulpit, recenlty I think he's run out of batteries for his megaphone. Then there’s the lady with shoulder-length braids who was next to the Nakasero market yesterday when I was buying a pineapple. Her brow furrowed with intensity, she appeared furious as she preached, suddenly whomping her bible against the tailgate of the little Toyota pick-up truck next to her with a loud metallic clank. They just seem so angry, I don’t understand what story they’re telling. Where's all the peace and love folks? I hope they’re describing Jesus getting angry in the Temple about injustice and the rich ripping off the poor…I’m not convinced.

My all-time favourite Kampala street preacher has got to be the guy who strolls around by Shoprite [a South African grocery store]. The same angry, passionate preaching, waving bible in hand. But this guy has a follower…so to speak. He’s a tall Ugandan wearing the long white Muslim dress with the traditional embroidered cap. His face is equally intense but he looks like he has some kind of transcending knowledge. He raises his right hand, his elbow bent at a right angle with each movement and he repeats again and again, “Allah akbar….Allah akbar….Allah akbar….” Whether it’s in response or in harmony with Shoprite man I don’t know. I wonder what God thinks, all these folks fighting for his attention.

I was chatting with my Ugandan family about it, who have been described as ‘serious Christians.’ They likewise think its hilarious and shared a story of a preacher waving his bible chasing a naked man around the central clock tower one day shrieking as he cast out demons from the naked running man.

Faith is everywhere around here.