Ugandans + Me + Boat Fire = Not a Good Morning

I know that I have not written in 2 weeks, so many exciting things and funny stories have happened. The weekend I wanted to blog, there was a minor incident on my boat ride from the Island to the mainland. Thus, I have been spending what time I can in quite time. I know me quite? Sitting still? Wow. It's shocking to me as well. It should be video taped, but that would be a rather dull video.

The boat story:
Now when I say boat, I mean a large canoe with an engine. Lingeria Island is 15 miles from the mainland, Jinja, by public boat it takes about 2 hours.
Also, Ugandans do not like water, and they can not swim. Lake Victoria is also very polluted. In some areas it would be like swimming in diarrhea. Everyone knows how I feel about Diarrheal Diseases.

Friday, February 19th, I was traveling from the island to mainland. The boat from one of the three villages, Kytonga, (Ki-tone-ga) was to leave at 9am. This boat was known to be reliable, on time, and seldom breaks down. I am told that being on a boat when it breaks down in the lake is no fun. I can imagine. We are near the equator, light reflects off the water, there isn't a breeze when you aren't moving.

Of course, I was running a little late this morning. Ruthie, and Shanna walked me down to the shore. We arrived right at 9am. To our luck, the boat was a little late. I was carried onto the boat, and sat. It took time to unload and load people and their stuff. Ruth and Shanna stood there until my boat was out of sight. I later found out they were standing there praying. Shanna had a bad feeling about me but did not know why. The boat was packed. I was sitting on huge bags of grain, as where many other people. Typical Uganda travel, no personal space and very crowded.

Meanwhile the Lingeria boat, also on the same island, is known to be usually late, and break down. This morning it was on time at 9:30am. I know this because I saw it pass where I was waiting. Thinking to myself, go figure. The early boat is late and the late boat is on time. As quickly as the thought came, it left. I went back to working on my tan and reading.

Also this day, I was carrying with me 3 life jackets to bring to the SHIM office for their visitors coming on Saturday, two of which are Ugandans. Life jackets are always carried on the SHIM's private boat, but rarely on the public boat. I was nervous that I might have too much stuff and I may be charged more. Luckily, not a big deal, and I used them to prop my feet on as they were laying onto the bags of grain. There was no room for my feet to touch to bottom of the boat. I had a "window seat" so to speak, so I noticed the boat was riding very low in the water, meaning more of the boat was under the water compared to usually.

Half way through the 2 hour trip, the boat stopped. Boats will do this to coast and save on gas. So I wasn't worried, or concerned. Although I do not really think it saves on gas, we only coast for a few minutes, maybe 10. I kept reading my book.
We are almost to shore, maybe another 8 to 10 minutes. The boat stopped. Hmmmmm. That was a little odd, but this is Uganda, who knows.
All of sudden people start screaming, the boat starts rocking and people are trying to move to the front. I turned around, I saw heavy black smoke. The back of the boat was on fire. Not good. Not good at all. The boat continues to rock and almost tips over several times. The grain/corn bags we were carrying, I believe this helped balance the boat when people were frantic. The flames were even larger. My mind was thinking, when do I jump in the water, not if, but when. But Ugandans cannot swim. If I jumped first, I was worried that they may follow, thus causing several people to drown. Second, I didn't want to blow up, but I am a mzungu (white/foreign person) I do not know how bad the fire was or if this is normal or what.

My first response, I found my cell phone, called Amanda at the office and told her to have people start praying, the boat is on fire. People were screaming in Luganda, I do not know what they were saying. Some people were screaming, we are going to die. My thought was yes, the boat will explode or we we go into the water, they will drown and I may drown. I am still somewhat calm, mentally, even though my body is shaking. I can see things but they are not clear. It was like my adrenaline was running high that my some senses were heightened and others had to decrease. I start untieing the 3 life jackets. I selfishly put on one. A young teenage boy turns to me and say, "madam, help me, please save me." I gave the life jackets.
If we had to jump into the water, I would have to leave everything I brought with me, my laptop, phone, money, all my paperwork, camera, everything from the past 4 weeks would have been lost. My life or things, I would have picked my life. However, I was also nervous that I would have been drown by the people given that I had a life jacket and I could swim. I can only help so many people, and frantic people I don't know how that would have worked out. We were quite a swim away from shore.

What seemed like 20 minutes, may have only been 5 to 10 minutes. When I first thought of jumping into the water, something told me to stay. Be still. Be calm. As if God had his hand on my shoulder telling me to wait. Trust me. Which at first, this may sound odd, but the spiritual growth I have had while I am here
. . . well let's just say God has been blunt with me. He knows me, I need that "Duh, slap in the face," kind of thing.

A man, I may never see again, was brave and wise enough to throw the burning jerry cans (2 or 3) of oil into the lake. Another man starts to slowly paddle the boat away from the flames. We are maybe 2 feet away from the fire. The flames are only getting bigger. I have never been in a situation like this, nor have I seen on "Man verses Wild" so I have no idea is the flames could still reach the boat. In my mind, I am not safe until I am on shore, then with SHIM, then back on a flight home, then back in my own home.

Another larger boat is behind us. At first I thought it might be pirates. Yes there are pirates on Lake Victoria. But it was the lingeria boat! The come closer, they were going to help us! As the boat was trying to get close to us, they ended up hitting our boat, almost tipping it over. The front of our boat scrapped along across their boat. People on both boats starts screaming. I have no clue what. But regardless of language you could hear the fear of the people on both boats. If we were to get on this boat, is there enough room, would it tip? The boat comes back. A man from the other boat, grabs my things, then grabs me onto their boat. I am shaking to much to try to move around the bags of grain, and the wooden seat without being clumsy. They manged to get most people onto their boat. A few men were left on the other boat. We are now several feet from the fire.

As we are riding into shore, the man who threw the cans of oil into the water was standing at the front of the boat. His face turned and our eyes met. The pain and fear in his eyes will forever be burnt into my thoughts. I saw his arms, the majority of his skin, was gone, there was no more black. It was whiter than white. I could see his skin at the edges of his burn peeling back. It was easily 3rd degree burns. I can not even come close to image the pain he was in. The breeze hitting his burns would have to be almost unbearable. Then knowing the kind of care that is in Uganda compared to the States. Even writing this, my heart goes out to him, and I can see him pain-filed eyes, and I am helpless.
This man will forever be my hero. He saved our lives. He prevented the boat from exploding. If he had waited a moment later . . . I do not know what would have happen.


Andy, Keeky's husband, met me at shore. As soon as I saw him, that is when I lost it. I cried hysterically, I shook like i was having a seizure, I'm sure there was some kind of panic attack. After I calmed down, I was told a friend of ours from another organization was on the boat that saved us. He told us that the engine caught fire that led to the jerry cans of oil to catch on fire. The man was taken to the hospital. I was originally told that out friend took him, but I later found out that he took another man to clinic. We are hoping we can find out who he is. We believe we know what island he is from. From his bravery, I do not know the consequences. Regardless if he worked on the boat, i.e. owner or boat driver, he will not be able to work, thus will be earning money, will not have money to feed his wife and children and so forth. The possible efforts are endless.

After arriving at the office, I only stay a few moments. I continued my trip to Kampala. I was suppose to have a meeting Friday with Mr. Lwanga but it was canceled that afternoon and we were going to try to reschedule while I was in town. I am staying with the Golembeski family, resting, having quite time, and joining in their activities to keep my mind occupied.

I am still absorbing everything in, so my thoughts are not clear yet, but I felt I needed to let everyone know. Physically I am okay. Mentally and emotionally I am drained. I am still trying to sort things out, putting myself in their shoes. Feelings their emotions and thinking their thoughts. What I do know, God worked several miracles that Friday morning.

The passage I have been marinating on is: Isaiah 66:13. "As your mothers you, so I will comfort you." I am not very open about my Christianity, but yesterday I truly felt the hand of God on my shoulder when I was on the boat. He kept my mind calm and relaxed. He told me to wait, be patient, do not jump yet. I am my father's daughter, I react over little things not big things. But it was God's hand that kept me from jumping and a level head. He also gave that man the courage to risk his own life to save others.

The other passages that have brought me peace and ability to ride a boat again- not public but SHIM's private boat.

" In my distress I called upon the Lord, to my God, I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to Him reached His ears." - Psalm 18:6.

"Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead." - 2 Corinthians 1:9


To reemphasize, I am safe. My coping is through avoidance and humor. Which is hard to do, hence why my writing is always better, more honestly and emotionally filled.