Signs

Signs and billboards are everywhere, no matter what country or continent you live in. I've started noticing the signs around me and one day a song from way back called "Signs" by a group known as The Five Man Electrical Band, started reverberating in my head. The lyrics are actually quite interesting. Here's the chorus so you can sing along as you read :-)

Sign, sign
Everywhere a sign.
Blockin' out the scenery,
Breakin' my mind.
Do this, don't do that.
Can't you read the sign?  







This sign speaks for itself. He's a popular person here. Enough said.







Now this sign is an interesting one. Mukwano is the name of one of Uganda's largest and wealthiest companies. Their interests are diversified in the areas of real estate, cargo, agriculture and manufacturing.
I am most familiar with the latter as I buy their water, cooking oil and margarine products.

Recently I heard how they got the name,"Mukwano".  I don't know if this is accurate but it's a nice story so I like to think it is.

The man who first started the company was Chinese and during Idi Amin's time he was vulnerable in society and was hidden from danger  by local friends. He was very thankful for that friendship.

Since there is a considerable population who have a more Arabic background, manufacturers are catering to their needs.

This one makes me smile as I can't imagine a billboard suggesting modesty to American or Australian billboard viewers.

There's food for thought here.

This billboard has appeared all over town. If you watched the London Olympics last August, you may remember that Uganda won it's first gold medal in history. Stephen Kiprotich, brought home the honors in the men's marathon.

Someone from the advertising division of  "Mukwano" who produces Aqua Sipi water, very cleverly came up with a way to draw attention to their product.

Uganda is proud of you Stephen.

Not to be left out, Mrs. Kiprotich, is featured here with her husband on the cover of a magazine.

His huge achievement has definitely changed their lives
and is an inspiration to Ugandan youth.

It's good to be able to celebrate good clean victories when doping is so much a part of the sporting world.
















This sign cracks me up. Baroda, is the name of a banking institution. Their slogan, as you can see is "Banking with Passion."

There are a lot of things I do with passion, but banking is not one of them.

This sign really got my attention. Obviously it's a huge problem, not just here in Uganda, but all over the continent of Africa and the world.


Uganda's First Lady has been honored with awards by the Aids Foundation. She began her tireless effort and campaigns in the 1990s to promote awareness and educate the population about HIV/AIDS. 





I am wondering what signs are grabbing your attention as you drive along? I have also been thinking about what the Bible has to say about signs. Matthew chapter 24 has a lot to tell us about signs. I hope you are reading and watching the signs of the times.

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign.....

What do you see?

Do you ever look around you, I mean really look? What is it that you see? Today as I was driving to the store I asked God to show me what he sees when he looks down here on Kampala.

Shortly after I asked God, the city skyline came into view. I thought well... it looks modern enough and fairly impressive from a distance but what about all the corruption and greed in government, the lack of concern for the poor ?

What can I do?

All along the way I see people carrying or pushing heavy loads.

Sometimes it's women with huge baskets or bundles on top of their heads and then there is always a man with a bicycle loaded down with bananas, coal, timber or crates full of bottles. It's so heavy he can barely push it.

Life is hard and everyone has to do whatever it takes to make some money to live.

How can I help?

Inevitably I will come across street children, disabled men in wheelchairs in the middle of traffic and young mothers carrying lethargic babies on their backs.

All of them will be begging for food and money. It haunts me. Today two young mothers came beside my car. I offered some lame sugar cookies and a bottle of water. I watched them in my rear view mirror as they moved on to the cars behind me.

I started to cry, "Oh God, do you see that? It breaks my heart, I know it breaks yours."

How do I respond to what I see?

Matthew 9:36 says "When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd."

Today I'll pray for the Shepherd to have mercy on all I see and that somehow they can know the HOPE of a better future through Christ.