Buying land in Uganda is a privilege not granted to outsiders. Ugandan organizations, however, can purchase land permanently. To that end, we founded Tara Maleng Ministries Uganda Limited (Tara Maleng means Divine Light in Luo, the local language). Buying land in Uganda is nothing like buying land in the USA. Negotiating the price is a family event with the whole selling clan, every member expecting to be fed. When the money exchanges hands you might think you are done, but you are far from it. There is a land office in each district, and several meetings required to determine whether the intended land use and ownership is in the country's best interest. Land surveys are done, and the neighbors and selling clan all have to be present for the boundary demarcation, the neighbors' chance to dispute boundaries and set them in stone (pictured here).
We paid for our land February 19, 2024, and have not yet received the land title or even our permanent address. We expect to have that within the next few weeks. We are in this for the long term, seeking to build something that outlasts us and even our children. It is God's mission. We are just the sowers of the seed.
