Thank you all for your part...

Today a miracle happened. I got into the shower and turned on the water. More than a droplet came out and it was hot. I stood under the water for a long time and it never turned cold and it never shut off. Oh, wait, I'm back in America! And last night I ate dinner and when it came and had meat on the plate I recognized it as meat. It had no fat on it and it looked really edible. Oh wait, I am back in America! And then when it came time for bed last night there was no mosquito net I had to crawl through and this really nice looking guy was sleeping next to me. Wow, it is good to be home!!! Not to mention that I was greeted at the entrance of my home by my dog who just couldn't get enough licking of my face. The irony is as I passed through customs is Washington, DC the woman at the desk asked me if I was carrying any food products with me in my suitcase. I had to suppress a grin as I thought to myself "is that what we were eating for the past month". I assured her that all food products had been left behind. I think the fact that my pants were barely hanging on she believed me and passed me right through! I have such a better understanding of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, there truly is "No place like Home!"

So let me back up to the last day of our safari. Our toilet did finally get fixed so we no longer had to wade through water filled with dead ants to get to the potty. It was the most disgusting experience ever! Almost made going outside to squat seem like a great alternative except for the off chance of being dinner for some wild animal. But it did make you think twice before drinking any liquids! We did have the amazing experience of seeing an African lioness up close and personal. She walked within 10-15 feet of our vehicle just strutting through the plains. She was so majestic and so graceful. I got some incredible shots of her and couldn't believe she was so close. All our windows were down and we just watched her sash-shay by. You'll be glad to know I did not get out of the car and try to pet her. We also saw more herds of elephants and they are so regal and beautiful. The herds we saw all had little baby elephants and those little guys are just precious. Again we were able to get really close and it was amazing. Then just driving down the highway and looking left and right and seeing herds of various animals along the road was great. I knew I wasn't in Kansas anymore!

We then headed up the mountain to get a view of the volcanic craters. The view from the top was beautiful and again in the craters we could see herds of elephants. The path we took was definitely not something I would call a road. It was a red dirt lane with only ruts where previous cars had travelled. The grass in the middle of the ruts was long and there was no telling what was beneath it. We did manage to hit a few rather large rocks as we went by. Meanwhile our guide in the back seat is telling us that leopards may be in this area as well as pythons and both can “spring” rather quickly and so we should be prepared to roll up our windows quickly. With that I put on my seatbelt because any jaguar that comes for me is going to have to pull me out of my protective gear first! Besides it isn’t the leopard that scares me. But the python, now that is very different. For starters the “road” is so narrow that some of the branches of the trees are hitting me in the face as we drive by. And all I can envision is a python joining the van for the rest of the tour. My nerves are now a little frayed. I’m feeling a little like I’m in a horror movie and I am going to be the next victim. The relaxing end to our month in Iganga is taking on a whole different look. But I’m telling you, for someone who’s eyesight is less than perfect, I gained eagle eyes in an instant. I was scanning everywhere. I couldn’t decide at that point whether ignorance would be bliss or not, but I guess I wasn’t willing to take any chances. The good news is that we finally hit treeless lanes without seeing a single jaguar or snake! At the mention of the word Jaguar the back van window slammed shut. Scovia was taking no chances! It did provide a moment of comic relief!

That night we had a quick final meal (I didn’t realize at the time how final) and then went back to the room to get packed up and off to bed for we had an early start in the morning. We left Tuesday morning at 7a.m. for the twelve-hour drive to the airport in Entebbe. In addition to us, we added one more passenger… our guide, Maureen. She needed a trip to Kampala and somehow someone in our group had agreed to be her transportation. So we added not only her but her luggage and her new, boxed 21” T.V. which sat on her lap and Jack’s for the entire journey. Because we had to be there in time to catch our flight we actually took “good” roads most of the trip, though good roads turned into bad in a heartbeat! Seriously, we could be driving along at 80 kilometers and the next minute the road had switched from paved to red dirt and rutted. And not just rutted but deeply rutted. We did stop in one small village to buy matooke (green bananas). I thought this process would take just a few minutes. I couldn’t have been more wrong! Four or five huge stalks were bought and the matooke was broken off the stalks one by one and placed in huge bags. I think we sat in the market for a good hour waiting for the transaction to be completed! Then of course, there were several potty stops along the way, which is always an interesting adventure. I never know what I will find but I do know it will always make for a good story. This time it was a squatty potty with a little (maybe 4x7”) rectangular hole in the ground. Having already skipped breakfast, I decided I would not be drinking any more liquids along the way! As we drove down the road we were eight people, one baby, lots of luggage, three, three-foot high bags of matooke, a car seat, and a TV all in one van. And according to Uganda standards we still had room for a few more!

We got to the airport, said our goodbyes and went through our first security check. There were four in all before we finally boarded the plane! We went and sat in the lounge for a few hours until it was time to go to the gate. At this point it was just good to get out of the car and have a chance to stretch our legs. Along the way on the drive I had twelve hours to reflect on the past month and what it had all meant. I’m not sure that I have yet fully digested it all but I’d like to try to give you all some perspective of what this trip was about. When I planned the trip I had high hopes and dreams of what Liz and I could accomplish. We were both very excited to go and thought that a month would be the right amount of time. Last year when we went we stayed for two weeks and both came back feeling that was much too short a time frame. In a month we would have a better opportunity to get to know the children and to really get a feel for the country in which they live. I also thought the time would fly by like last year and we would be back in the blink of an eye! I had an agenda I hoped to accomplish. I had done the legwork and God seemed to be with me every step of the way. I saw miracles in how things happened and I was blessed with the support I got from people, including those I had never met before and may never meet. God provided in ways I never thought possible! And so I thought I was ready and I thought the trip would be an easy one. I had but two goals when I left; to buy shoes for each of our children and to update their records for our sponsors. In a month I thought this would be a breeze and the rest of the time I would be available to play and interact with the kids and help Liz to accomplish her goals. Enough money had been raised not only to buy the shoes but also to purchase all the things Phil had requested for the kids such as medical supplies, school supplies, Bibles, etc. It was time to go and I was ready!

But in reality the trip was not easy. It was probably the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. My emotions were on a constant roller coaster and I experienced the whole gambit of them. I experienced pure joy and love, but I also experienced frustration, anger, sadness, and disbelief. The country is so impoverished – I have never seen anything like it. Everywhere you turn it is all you see. The tattered clothing, the extended bellies, the mud houses, the barefoot children… it leaves an impression that will stay with me forever! And then you see their faces. As we walked down the red dirt lane every day every one of the kids yelled “Mzungu” and smiled and waved at us. They gathered around us and grabbed for our hands and walked us down the road. They have so little and yet have so much joy! The community knows each other because they all stay outside during the day. They are like one big family. And yet, children hold very little value. If father’s die, and the mother remarries the children are often discarded like trash. If mother’s die, the father’s often leave their children. As we took our kid’s history I was shocked at how many had been thrown away in just this way. Thrown out on the street to dig through trash for their own survival! I was also saddened to see how many of our children had lost parents to AIDS, TB, Malaria and other illnesses that for the most part in our country are unheard of. Then there was joy in the way the kids look out and protect each other. In all the time we were there I never saw a single argument or fight. I did see them taking great care of each other. They live 6-8 to a room and eat posho (cornmeal mixed with water) and beans every day for lunch and dinner except on Sunday’s when they get meat. They are each expected to do their do their own laundry (regardless of age), which they do in a small bucket and hang on the line to dry. School starts early 7am and the older kids don’t get home until after four in the afternoon. And the classes can be as large as 160 students to a class. Having been in those classrooms to attend church they are not that big. So that implies to me that the students are crammed in the benches thus making taking notes a very difficult proposition. And then to study is always a challenge because there is no electricity in the kid’s home. I took solar panels for the girl’s section (the boys already have it) but as of the time we left it had not yet been set up. And yet, the conditions we have given them to live are so much better than what they have ever had they are grateful. When you look at the pictures of the kids now versus when they first came to live with us the change is amazing. They now look healthy versus sick and they have a look of pure contentment in their eyes. They have a family, some for the first time ever!

So in looking back, this has been one of the hardest times of my life. I can’t, and really don’t want to, go into all the things that made this trip difficult, but it was a struggle in many ways from start to finish. I know that God had a plan for me and I am still trying to see fully what that has been. I feel like many a day I was swimming upstream against the current. What I have learned is that the trip was not all about the kids. In many ways it was about me. I learned on this trip to rely on God in ways I never had before. He was, for the most part, the only one I had to talk with. And talk I did. I was in constant communication with our Lord. My relationship with the Lord grew in leaps and bounds. I learned to trust and rely on Him fully in all situations. I learned just how much I need him in my life and how thankful I am that he was there to listen, to comfort, to hold and to help me through the difficult times.

I also realized that there were 142 children and only Liz and I. Even after a month’s time it was impossible for us to know them all. I can honestly say that there was only a handful that I really came to know well. And I know that was true for Liz as well. Fortunately, we came to know different children. That is not to say we did not love on and hug on many more than that, but to honestly feel that we knew them is limited to a few. Many more touched our hearts but how many we truly made a difference in is hard to measure. In that regard a month is not a very long time. But in other ways a month at times seemed like forever. I will say that Liz is mature beyond her years and handled all the stress and anxiety in a very positive manner. I have finished with their histories so I know about them, but that is far different from knowing them. Some of the kids remained unapproachable even after all this time. They seemed to appear only when it was required. Others were desperate for the attention and clung to us from the moment we entered the gate. Even some of the older boys made sure we knew they were there by teasing us and coming up for hugs. But the ones that were distant were distant and there was little we could do to change that.

The kids that I did get to know are amazing children. They are so compassionate and loving. I worry about them and their future. What will become of them down the road? I will continue to pray for them and will continue to communicate with them, as I want them to know they are thought about and loved. I want them to know that they are not just a passing thought but that they really touched my heart and I really do care for them. We have some amazing children in our orphanage with incredible hearts and minds. It was so easy to love on them and walking away that last day was difficult. They are a precious group of children!

In closing, I want to thank all of our sponsors for your part in helping our kids. They all asked about you and would love for each and every one of you to come to Iganga and meet them and see where they live. They truly are grateful for everything you do to help them and realize they would not be where they are without you. They appreciate your prayers and your love and the fact that you care about them half way around the world. Do not for one minute ever believe they do not appreciate what you do! They do!!!

I’d like to say goodnight to my new friends; Rehema, Angela, Sylivia, John Bosco, Emma, Abraham, Jenifer, Caroline, Samuel, Paul, and little Adrian! May God watch over you all and know you are loved!

Lucy and Ethel take to the African Wild

Today is Monday our final day in Ugangda and the weather is perfect. However, I woke up in the middle of the night thinking it was pouring rain outside only to realize that we had a major water leak in our hallway and so it was really raining inside! So I quickly packed up my suitcase and Little Lizzy's and put them on the end's of our beds so that if it started flowing toward our room they wouldn't get soaked. I unplugged the power strip and everything attached to it and put that up as well. I did all this with Liz sleeping soundly. The last thing I had to do was zip my suitcase so everything wouldn’t fall out. With that Liz woke up and wanted to know why her suitcase and everything else was on the end of her bed. After explaining the situation she was back asleep in no time. But we are in the wilderness so a little excitement was OK!

Saturday when we got here we went on a boat safari. We got the boat early and the captain told us to sit on the left side. So we did and waited in the hot sun for about 45 minutes before take off. But it was well worth it cause that was the side closest to all the animals. We saw water buffalo, hippos, elephants, crocodiles, eagles and a python. That was one more animal than I bargained for! And we got close enough for some awesome pictures. It was a really nice trip and we were on the water for about two hours! We came back and ate dinner at the lodge – which is a really nice place; not where we are staying however. We are staying at their poor man’s neighbor – the hostel! Our little house has three rooms and probably the worst restroom I have ever encountered though in Lizzy’s words it does not have a squatty potty so there are some things to be thankful for. But it leaks all over the floor and in the water are ants, now mostly dead from drowning. So going potty is an adventure I dread every time! Liz and I share a room that has power. Last night as the flood started Phil went outside to try to find help. Peter decided this was not a good idea and went out to follow him and find him. That is until he heard an animal sound. He quickly turned around and came home announcing there was no reason for both of them to die! He does have a great sense of humor; very dry but very funny!

Yesterday in the morning we got up early and went on our first land safari. We saw lions from a distance (and actually got out of the car for a better view). We also saw warthogs (for those of you who have seen the Lion King Pumba was much cuter), cobb (like antelope), water bucks and water buffalo. And we went over some pretty rough but beautiful terrain. In the afternoon we went back out for a second trip and this time we were inundated with elephant; big ones, little ones, even tiny baby ones! What incredible animals they are! We also saw baboons (thanks to Liz’s eagle eyes. We saw more warthogs, mongoose and lots and lots of birds. The national bird of Uganda is beautiful and majestic; much better than the Texas mockingbird!

At lunch yesterday in between the two trips there was a warthog in the back of the grounds by the restaurant. I was intrigued to see how close he would let me get. Well we got pretty close to the old fella and got some pictures with Liz and I within 3-4 feet. Today at breakfast a whole community of Mongoose (geese) came by to say howdy so again I went up to check them out. They had little tiny babies with them and they were so cute. The mothers were so exhausted they just lay there and they babies, well, they were acting like babies, getting into everything. So we have pictures with them too. But you’ll be glad to know we will not attempt this trick with the Lions and I will not attempt it with any snake I see. This afternoon at two we are headed out for one last safari. I can’t wait. It is so much fun to see the animals in their natural habitat and the scenery is so beautiful. God has blessed Uganda with such beauty. All you have to do is look outside and know He exists.

I will try to write again tonight. Until then, know I am in photographer’s heaven. But then with all the children around, I’ve been there for the last month (just ask Liz). We are both very anxious to board that plane tomorrow night and begin our journey home. We miss you all and love you.

The Safari started

We got here and saw animals...not lions and tigers and bears but elephants, and hippos, crocodiles, and buffalos and a small python. Now we are at dinner and that is all I am writing. It was awesome but back at the ranch (hardly a ranch) we have no Internet so this is it for the night. I love you all and will see you when I get back. Thanks for all your support.

The Journey that Went on Forever...

Today we got up and were suppose to leave Phil's abode at 9 (we got a reprieve from our six a.m. departure time last night due to Peter having something to do this morning) but we finally backed out of the driveway around 10. We got to the gas station when the phone rang and it was Esther telling Phil he had left his computer at home. So we waited for her to get a taxi (a motorcycle) to meet us with his stuff. Meanwhile, Scovia, Susan's mom, realized she'd left her phone behind at her house. So she hopped on a taxi and took off for home. And there we waited. Next thing I know cute little Esther is jumping off the motorcycle with computer in hand running up to the car. She is so dang cute! And within minutes Scovia returned and we were on our way!

Now Steve looked up Queen Elizabeths Resort last night and in an email to me he said it should take seven hours. But then Steve has never been to Uganda to see the road system. The roads can be paved one minute and the next you are facing craters a foot in diameter and at least that deep. So again it is a test of who can swerve the best. The biggest car on the road has the right of way; no exceptions allowed. It is not at all surprising for three cars to be passing at once on a hill around a curve, while a truck is heading straight for them. On several occasions Phil opted for the shoulder of the road as opposed to be killed and taking us with him. Because I am the photographer I get the front seat. It has its advantages but I have grown several new gray hairs since being here; and even more just in our trip today! The roads are amazing. We did see one major accident today. A truck carrying a load of carrots went off the road and into a ditch. I'm not sure the driver survived and the carrots were scattered everywhere. The accident was a result of a blown tire which I'm told is quite common due to the lack of upkeep on the vehicles. The good thing was that several cars stopped immediately to see what they could do to help.

And then we just moseying down the highway when what to my wondering eyes did appear but zebras. Not deer like at home! But zebras just grazing on the side of the road. That's when I knew I was not in Kansas anymore! It was the neatest thing to experience. Along the way I took a lot of pictures of Uganda. This is such a pretty country when you look at the landscape. Everything is so green. And then you come to the villages and they all look the same. Red dirt roads and houses made of sticks packed with mud. Some are made of wood but those are in such bad condition that the poverty just shines through. I have never before seen such poverty as I have seen in this country. It seems to be everywhere. Every once in a while I have come across a nice house but they are the rare acceptation and definitely not the norm. I have such a hard time imagining people living in these conditions and yet this is their life. I am so blessed for all that I have and I hope that I never take it for granted.

So tomorrow we are driving the final three hours to the game park and we will begin our day with the boat ride to see the animals of the water. Our original plan was to stay there tomorrow and Sunday and to leave Monday for Kampala. But now that we are not arriving until tomorrow we are on Plan B. We are now going to stay through Monday and leave Tuesday early and head directly for the airpot. As for me, I like plan B better than the original. I have no interest in staying in Kampala and another day at the park sounds like fun. I guess I will have a better idea tomorrow. So for Liz and I we bid you goodnight. Pray we see hippos, crocodiles and all those other African water creatures. May God Bless you all.

Painted Verses, Final Shoes and a Final Farewell

Before I start this blog I should let you know that we are once again without power! It is a such an appropriate way to end the trip! Some things just are meant to keep us humble and this is only one of a few that are in that category for the last day of our stay in Iganga. I woke up this morning to Liz pleading for five more minutes. It reminded me of Christmas mornings in the old days when I would bury my head and ask the kids for just that! I got in the shower and had cold water and drips but finally ended with a hot shower! We ate a breakfast of toast and headed out to the kid's house...early! We were on a mission to get the wall painted. So off we headed for one of our final trips through Mzungu lane! I love that walk. All the little children run toward us yelling, "Mzungu" and we wave at them and smile. Once we got to the house the project started. Liz did all the work; all I did was go over what she had written for a second coat and fill in the holes where the white paint didn't cover. She did a wonderful job. She painted the words in blue, red (although the red paint was like using water with a touch of color) and green. It just livens up the courtyard and looks so encouraging. I am so excited that she finally got to do this as it is one of the things that she really wanted to do. She painted love, mighty, hope, purpose, courage, serve, follow, faith, grace and comfort. Underneath each word she wrote the verse that applied to the word. I can't tell you how good it looks. And she didn't even end up completely covered in paint, though she did have her fair share. All the kids were crowding around as she was doing this project watching her with eagle eyes. And they all took an interest in what she was writing. That was really nice to see!! So now every time they get served their meals they will have verses to look at to remember the word of God.

When we finished Liz and I headed home to change and rest for just a minute. We were both wiped. It was hot and while Liz was painting I was trying to take pictures of anything I might have missed. So off we trekked one more time. Back through the village with all the cute little kiddos. When we got home we stayed for about thirty seconds before Liz was dying to get back to the kids. This time we grabbed Jack and back we went. We wanted to spend as much time with the kids as possible and yet it was really hard knowing that this would be the last time we would see them. I tried to keep my camera so that I would have something to distract me but that did not work so well. As soon as I walked through the gate someone took it off my shoulder. So there I was and it was just me and the kids. I kept trying to postpone that we were really leaving so I kept everything light and easy. We stayed for a couple of hours and by then my emotions were raw and I had to get away for awhile. Fortunately Susan showed up and we took the two boys who were missing shoes into town to buy them. Susan's timing could not have been better. A few more minutes and I would have lost it completely. So back to the market we went. While there Liz and I decided that we would buy Ida and Esther (the two women who work at Phil's) something for being so sweet to us while we were here. They have just been wonderful and have taken such good care of us. So we talked to Susan and decided to buy them each some fabric to have a dress made. At the same time we decided to do the same for Susan. Susan picked out her fabric and Liz and I picked out the fabric for the other two. We then gave them each the money needed to pay someone to have the dresses made (that equated to about $5.00).

When that was done we headed back to the kid's house to drop the boys off and to bid our final farewells. That was harder than I expected though I was so exhausted I was all out of emotions. Several of the girls broke into tears and that was really hard to see. Some of them gave me notes to read, which I have left to read at another time. I can't do it yet. And one girl gave me the cross she was wearing (Angela Kitasala) to keep as a memory. There are several of the older girls who have really touched my heart. They are such a wonderful group of girls and I have really bonded with them this year. They are such a part of my heart. The younger girls I have enjoyed playing with but the older girls I have established a relationship with and I will really miss them.

As we got home several of the kids came with us wanting to call their sponsors. Moses was so excited to have the chance to talk to both you, Jen, and you, Blake. He just smiled the whole time he was on the phone. He is such a girl on the phone. He tucks it under his ear and begins to wander the front yard. I have to coral him in after a while and remind him that he is talking to the states and maybe it is time to say goodbye. He truly loves you both and wishes you would both come to visit. John Bosco feels the same way about you, Brian and Courtney. He, too, was grinning from ear to ear the whole time he was on the phone. He is a great kid and I've really had a chance to get to know him this trip. He has a great sense of humor but is such a big help with everything. And finally, Samuel Aguma really wanted to talk to Bonnie. He was so excited when I connected and he got to say hi. He has been the biggest help to both Liz and I in the painting department. He has the biggest grin ever and is such a ham. Other kids wanted to "phone home" as well but I did not have their sponsors phone numbers. Probably just as well as they all get so excited and many of them don't speak very good English. After all the calls I had to go down to the local store (two doors down from Phil's and replenish my phone with minutes) but it was so worth it to see their faces.

Tonight Rehema, Angela and Sylivia came over and we gave them skirts that we aren't planning to take home, Liz gave away a pair of sandals and we gave them letters that we had written. We also asked them to deliver letters to other children that we had written to. Again, when it was time to leave it was really hard. These three have definitely made an impact on my life. I love them all. Before they left I prayed over them and then it was time for them to go. Someone definitely knew what they were saying when they coined the phrase, "Parting is such sweet sorrow!"

I am now headed to my room in the dark (a prospect I am not looking forward to) to begin the process of packing. I should have thought more about this as I was in Jinja buying all those goodies to bring home. I can't imagine it all fitting in my suitcase, but then I am not one to be beat by a challenge. This is my final blog from Iganga as tomorrow morning at 6 am (or so they tell us) we are headed out for the twelve hour journey to our safari. We will be crossing the equator and seeing many parts of the country I have never seen before. I am very excited about the day though not so excited about the bumpy, muddy roads we shall travel. I love you all and miss you all very much.

Heartbreak is a Day Away...

Last night we tried our best to wait up for Phil to come home with Jack. But we failed! We called them a little after one and they were still an hour an a half away so we unbolted Fort Knox, left our security to Moses (the blind watchman) and went to bed. I didn't even hear them come in so I guess it was a good thing no bad guys came in! This morning I awoke to Jack snoozing on his bed. He'd already been up and was napping; not at all surprising since he'd been traveling for such a long time! We did a few more interviews and then headed out once Susan got here. We went into the village to buy paint because the only color that Phil has is blue and Liz does not want to paint all the words in the same color. So we picked out red and green and bought a little more white to fill in the places that didn't quite get covered yesterday. On our way home from that adventure, which included Jack, Susan called and found out that Pious was home today as well, so we stopped by Scovia's, picked up Keith, and went back out to their house so Jack could meet him. Jack sat in the back back seat holding Keith and he had the magic touch. Within minutes Keith was sleeping soundly in his lap. Next to him, little Adrian, who was not feeling up to par, was leaning against him as well, soundly sleeping too! We stayed out there long enough to have a Coke and for the village kids to find us and seek out pictures. The whole time we were there at least ten children were standing at their front door (which has a hanging curtain during the day) just watching us. Periodically Pious would acknowledge them and poke at them and make them laugh! On our way home, Susan told us that she saw monkeys along the "highway". Liz and I looked at her like she was nuts. So, in typical Susan fashion, she backed up the car and parked on the side of the road and told us to get out. So we did. We walked just a little bit and sure enough up in the trees were several monkeys just enjoying the view. Now I can honestly say that is a sight I have never seen before! We stood and watched them for awhile. Meanwhile just to our right was a man herding his cattle. And behind us was the highway. Put it all together and you have Uganda!

The next stop was back to Scovia's to drop Keith and Adrian off (I was beginning to feel like we were playing Monopoly and we kept passing Go; but we never collected our $200 shillings!). We then took off back to town to buy fabric because I promised a little girl that I would get her a new school uniform. Her mother, in anger one day, burned hers and she has not had one since! At the same time we are making one for Adrian who will be starting school in February when the new school term begins. Unbeknownst to me, the uniforms are made. So at least now the fabric is bought and the process can begin. Then it was back to Scovia's again. This time to get money to buy supplies for the kids and then back to town again. This time we went to the market place and Susan went to a little shop that was so jam packed that most of the items are stored outside. Then finally we made our way to the kid's house where we distributed the stuff to the kids. As soon as they saw Susan pull up and open her trunk they started forming a line. One by one she handed out first the skin lotion. As soon as they received this, they moved to the next line and patiently waited all until all the kids had received their lotion. The next item was shoe polish, followed by toothpaste, soap and toilet paper! Each item required them to form a new line!

Sometime during the day the "Shoe Man" had come and he gave 13 more kids their shower shoes. The hard part is that school times do not correspond for all the kids. It seems that every grade level goes at different times and now that it is exam time, some of the exams are taken in schools a long distance from here. So there is no telling when the kids will be there and who will be there when we show up. I never imagined giving the children shoes would be such a difficult task. We will try again tomorrow to wrap this up and if it just doesn't work out I will leave the money here for the job to be completed. We still have two kids we have not bought regular shoes for but we did find those kids late tonight and asked them to please be there tomorrow. So I'm hoping that will happen. And then I will leave Susan with money to buy a pair of each for Faith since she has not been with us for any of the trips.

I did a first today; something that unless done a trip to Africa is not complete. I squatted to go potty. Now this doesn't sound like a huge accomplishment to many of you but before you just move on go ahead and try it. First, envision yourself in a skirt, in a room that once the door is closed is completely dark and with a little hole in the ground that you can't see. Now getting down is not the hard part. Getting everything out of the way is. And getting back up without touching anything, floor or walls, is the real challenge. Once you have done this successfully you too can pat yourself on the back! And, thank the good Lord for indoor plumbing!!

We have three children who need to have umbilical hernia operations sometime in the near future and one young man who needs to have his leg operated on. A tree fell on him in 2003 and he never had surgery to repair the damage. The hernia operations will cost approximately $250.00 a piece (which is next to nothing compared to what it would cost us in the states). The kids though never complain about their ailments.

So our trip has one more day left. Tomorrow Liz and I ARE going to the kid's house early and painting the verses. I can't believe our time here is almost over. It hit me today that I won't be able to see these precious faces every day. I won't be able to walk out the door and hear the sound of children playing and drive or walk down the street and always see people. I won't hear the sound Mzungu and see children waving and smiling and I won't get my daily hug supply from our kids. I won't get the teasing smirk from Emma or John Bosco reaching for my camera. I won't get the kids running up to hug me and the feel of them wrapping their arms around my waist. I won't get the tickling that they have just learned to do without seriously poking me in the ribs and I won't get to tickle them back. And there are some kids I have grown to truly love and I will miss them with all my heart and soul. I can't believe that they will be a half a world away. In a nutshell I will miss them terribly and it will be very hard to leave them behind. I feel like a part of me will always be in Iganga!

I love you all and miss you all.

A wonderful Day in the Neighborhood!

Today was a great day! We both slept well and woke up rested though it is now 11 at night and at least I am beginning to wear down. Once again youth is winning as Little Lizzy is still going strong! We awoke to more interviews. This is taking more time than I anticipated so after about an hour, Liz and I slipped away to the kid's house. At least twice along the way, she pulled me out of the road and out of harms way. I was too busy looking for the perfect shot and believe me I found plenty. I love hearing the kids come running out and yelling Mzungu at us as we walk by. They all come out waving and smiling. As we get close to the house the kids start coming out in groups running up to us. It really does make your day! Our plan today was to paint. We were saddened to hear that only a portion of the courtyard had been plastered and therefor was ready for us to paint. Liz's initial hope was to paint Bible verses over all the walls of both courtyards; the one in the boys section as well as the girls. Instead only a very small portion was ready. In usual Uganda style "manana" really does mean "manana's manana". So we had on our least favorite skirts and tops and were ready to take on the task. This way if we got covered in paint we wouldn't mind so much. At least that was our original thinking.

And so we got to the house and asked Steven (the houseboy) for the paint and the rollers. He started to pour the paint into a tub and it was like watching glue being poured. The paint was SO thick. I knew then we were in trouble. And that was even before I dabbed my roller in and applied the first coat. Then I knew I was in serious trouble. My roller sucked up the paint like there was no tomorrow but it refused to apply any of it to the wall. At this point the kids are all trying to tell me how to paint, like I've never done it before. Seriously, Liz had painted a huge section and I was still on my first little part. And now this small section of wall that has been plastered began to look as big as the Great Wall of China and I am wondering how two little Mzungu's will ever get it painted. Knowing that we need the night for it to dry I know we cannot leave until it is completed. And knowing we leave in three days does not help. So I continue to put my useless roller into the paste like substance and do my best. Now we've painted as high as we can both reach and the wall looms above us reaching to the sky (OK, maybe not that high, but it sure looked it at the time). The only ladder is at Phil's house so we look around for a good substitute and they come up with this little wooden bench that is probably held together by one tiny nail. As I stand on it for height I just know I am going to come crashing down to the ground. But since I've been eating bearly nothing for the last month it holds me up. I breathe a sigh of relief and continue painting. However, even that is not tall enough so we proceed to the next best thing. We roll over a big plastic barrel used to hold water and once again I say a silent prayer and step from my wobbly wooden stool to my even more unsteady barrel. And continue painting. But by now my neck and my arms were really tired. (Sidebar: I just jumped a mile and Liz is standing on her chair because this huge bug just landed in my lap!) Just at that moment Samuel Aguma came to my rescue. He took the roller, now on a makeshift pole that Emma had manufactured and painted the rest of the high places for us. He was my knight in shining armor. He did a great job and had a smile on his face the whole time. He was such a gracious young man and if not for him, I may not be moving tonight. What a blessing he was to me. Then Agnes Anyakun took the roller from Liz and she painted for quite awhile and did a great job as well. All the while the kids were gathered around watching us and John Bosco was our photographer. Courtney and Brian he has gotten really good with a camera and he really enjoys taking pictures. I barely get in the gate at the house and before he confiscates my camera! Finally we were finished and by this point I was thanking the good Lord for the "Manana's manana" mentality of this country! I was covered in paint (which does not come off easily and really takes a good scrubbing and the loss of at least one layer of skin!) from head to toe and my skirt had a few new decorations (hand prints) compliments of Liz. We decided to head home to clean up and then head back to the kid's house just for an opportunity to play and be with the kids. And so we headed out with Samuel Aguma escorting us so we wouldn't get lost. What a great kid. When behind us we heard a chorus of kids yelling that Susan is at the Kid's house with the "Shoe Man". So we turned around and went back. She then told us she had a surprise for us tonight and we should go home and clean up and she would meet us at Phil's (he is at the airport picking us Jack). SidebarL By the way I just killed the big bug with Liz's shoe so for those of you who were worried about us we are now going to be fine!

So off we went again, this time by ourselves, without an escort. We got back to Phil's about five minutes before Susan and were trying desperately to get the paint off, with no success at all when she came in and told us we had to hurry. She wouldn't tell us where we were going but assured us that we could go with paint on our hands and that they had Coke where we would end up. And with that we were off. We had little Phiona, Adrian, and one of our older girls, Rose Naigaga, in the car with us, so I figured if it was safe for them she couldn't get us in too much trouble. But then if you know Susan there is no telling... We got on the road headed toward Jinja and she asked us where we thought we might be going. I had an idea but was a little hesitant to present my point of view. Finally I spit it out and suggested that we might be going to meet Pious, the one she has been introduced to. And sure enough that is where we were headed. She veered off the main highway and we went through this little village and then she stopped in front of this cute little house. She was smiling from ear to ear as she took us into her house and introduced us to her "husband". As you walk in the house you walk into a living room. Off the living room to the right is a sitting room. Both rooms are beautifully furnished but in a very welcoming manner. To the left of the living room is their bedroom and the only pictures on the walls are of the two of them at their introduction party. Behind the living room is the kitchen and to the left of that is a room which right now houses Keith's (her baby boy) chickens. Eventually the chickens will move outside and this will become Keith's room. The house has a one car garage attached and it is perfect for the two of them. I have to say that Pious was really a nice guy. He was so good with the kids; both loving and playful at the same time. He was so helpful to Susan and it was evident to me that he really does love her. He was very appreciative of all that I did for her when she was in the states last October and when Susan went into their room to nurse Keith he sat in the living room with Liz and I and conversed. I told him that he better take good care of her or I'd come back and have a talk with him and his response was that he loves doing just that. He has a good sense of humor and from what I could see he takes good care of her. He was gentle and kind and she looked really happy. I have to say that I doubted that he really existed but after tonight I know he does and I know they make each other very happy. She was the most relaxed I've seen her since I've been here. So it was a really good surprise for us. Liz did say at the beginning that she was not up for, and did not want to go, to another burial. This was much better. Both Liz and I found it to be a very enjoyable night and felt right at home in their house. At the end of the evening they both drove us home and Susan made sure we got into Phil's house and showed us how to lock up so we would be safe til Phil and Jack get back from the airport.

I also had a great time tonight teaching Phiona and Adrian how to sign "I love you". I always thought that would be a simple thing to teach but getting their little fingers to cooperate was not so easy. So while I was teaching them this, Susan taught me how to say I love you. It sounds like Gwendino (the I is long) and is spelled Nkwendainho. So we spent at least 10-15 minutes saying "Gwendino" to one another and then signing the message. It was really fun and kept the kids entertained for awhile. Susan did cook my favorite things tonight, bless her heart. We had fish, potatoes, rice she mixed with awesome spices, beans and matooke (OK, four out of five's not bad). I am always amazed by how much Adrian can eat!

I may not blog tomorrow night as we may have three of the girls come stay with us for the night and if they are here I don't want to take time away from them to blog. But I will Blog on Thursday for sure. And in closing Nkwendainho!