Martyrs Day

Today is a national holiday in Uganda. It is Martyrs Day, when Ugandans remember converts to Catholicism who were killed because they would not renounce their faith. There are no Catholic churches immediately near where we are staying, but traveling around today we saw many people heading to and from mass for prayers. This holiday is also a time for pilgrimage from all over Uganda. It was very enlightening to be here while this was happening and experience, firsthand, all Ugandans take this day away from work and school to remember those who lost their lives. I thought this day and post would be the perfect platform to share some of the different faith cultures I have been able to experience in Uganda.   

Upon first landing in Entebbe, Monica, a lead researcher for the Mulago CCRT team lead our group in prayer, thanking God for our safe travels. This openness in prayer is something I have seen many places in Uganda, even academic and research settings. It was very strange to me at first, for I have felt that faith and academia do not often like to mix in the American university culture. Here, however, it appears normal and welcomed in many places.

Pastor Micah, Mama Riba's husband, let me join him in coffee and quiet time on their beautiful porch in Kampala.

In the previous post I mentioned a Baha’i Temple that we were able to walk around and learn about. We learned things like this faith places strong emphasis on equality and science, also that this location is 1 of only 8 Baha’i temples in the world.

A Christian church.

A Muslim Mosque,

A unique encounter I had was with a family in a more rural setting while conducting a home visit with a Tororo research team member. This family did not speak English, but they did have a radio that was playing a Christian program in English. Later, the mother and daughter prayed before beginning their meal together. This made me wonder if they were of the Christian faith because of the radio and prayer or of another faith and it was simply coincidence to have the radio on that station.

Along with personal interactions of people of the Christian and Baha’i faith, we have also seen a multitude of worship locations throughout our travels. Mosques, Catholic churches and clinics, Baptist churches, Jewish medical centers, Pentecostal churches and many more line the roads of Uganda. The ample amount of faith centers and worship locations have shown me how important faith is to Ugandan culture. It provides a close-knit community, which I am learning is very important here.

One faith aspect that I have heard mention of, but not experienced directly, is the utilization of witch doctors and traditional healers to ward off illness and bad spirits. Seeking this kind of care can, unfortunately, cause problems in the healthcare environment. It can delay people going to hospitals for care, allowing time for their condition to worsen. Thankfully, people no longer consider many illnesses, such as HIV, to come from bad spirits so they are accessing healthcare sooner and receiving effective treatment.

I found this wall in a great coffee shop in Mbale called Endiro.

I am only beginning to scratch the surface of faith in Ugandan culture and enjoying it so much!