October 16, 2011 Worship, Fish Eyes, Modeling, and the Village People

The last thing I heard before going to bed last night was that church started at 10:00. So Liz and I were dressed and ready to be out the door by 9:45 this morning only to have Phil begin serving oatmeal for breakfast! And thus another day started on Uganda time. We sat down to breakfast, with no air of urgency, and then Phil headed back to change while Liz and I started walking to the church. We took the roads (Liz is my built in GPS) but she should have told us to take the next legal U-turn. Instead we kept walking straight. Eventually we ended up at the kid's house where Phil had sent the cavalry to rescue us. The kids took "us" by the hand (and were not letting go) and led us to the church. Never once did we think we were lost. We were just taking the scenic route past the cows and the goats!

So yes, we did make it to church - just needless to say not on time. But then since Phil is the preacher I guess the service begins when he shows up. And since he was searching for us he hadn't made it into the church yet. Besides he was still digesting his breakfast! The service is held in a classroom with writing all over the walls. There are benches set up, probably made to hold four people that were sitting at least five, sometimes six kids. The room was packed! When Liz and I walked in all the kids clapped (it was a little uncomfortable). We sat on a bench along the side wall with a guest preacher until other children came in. They then sat with us as well and it was so crowded that one little boy ended up on Liz's lap. I sat next to Paul Losiya, who after yesterday, I've become quite close to. Linda, don't be surprised if we call you one day. He really wants to speak to you, and has asked repeatedly if he could. He could really stand to hear your voice and know that you care for him. Phil talked about the power of prayer and Emma was his translator. I have to say it was amazing watching the two of them interact. Phil is so serious and Emma doesn't have a serious bone in his body. Phil would try hard to communicate a serious point and Emma would translate with the broadest smile spread across his face. The preacher next to me had a Bible in written in Lugandan. It was so interesting watching him follow Phil's sermon in his own language.

When church was over we went outside and stood under the tree in the "courtyard" (I use that word very loosely). The kids were all out there. Once again John Bosco and Emma took control of my camara and I ended up with a baby called Benjamin. He was about 6 months and just adorable. I held him for a long time carrying on with the various children. Moses asks me daily if I've heard anything from you, Jen and Blake, so I tell him hi every day. He is still an incredible young man, full of grace. Emma kept messing with my hair (Steve I had to tell him that NOT even you are allowed to do that). Eliya Umo asks about you too Nicole. He wants so badly to talk with you so we will make that happen before we leave. Susan then showed up and had brought Adrian with her. Amanda he is the little boy who was at Scovia's last year drawing on the ground with the crayons. He had on a blue shirt. Steve his picture is in our living room. Anyway he was wearing a white long sleeve (very dirty) and a light brown tattered suit. He was absolutely the cutest thing ever. So I did what I did best and started taking pictures. Little Adrian should be a model. He smiled on command. All I had to do was raise the camera and the smile stretched from ear to ear. We kept changing locations and he just kept on smiling. I was in seventh heaven. He is now my best friend.

As the kids left to go back for lunch we left and went to the same restaurant that we went to last year (the one where we got fish, and the guys played pool). Liz and I split a talapia (I gave her the end with the eyeball) and it was awfully good. It came with french fries and they were good too! Just like last year we managed to eat it all. We took Adrian with us and his eyes nearly popped out of his head. I don't think he'd ever seen so much food. He ate his french fries, part of Phil's and at least half of ours. Each one he delicately dipped in ketchup before putting in his mouth. He wasn't as fond of the fish. After every bite he would quickly wash it down with a sip of his soda! By the time he finished eating his belly was sticking out and he was filled to the brim! For that matter so were we. For old times sake I took several pictures in front of the elephant that Colton managed to get on last year!

When we left we dropped Phil off at his house and Susan, Liz and I proceeded to run errands. We first went into town to the market place. The market is much larger and spread out then I ever envisioned. It is not what I remember at all. But then with twelve of us last year we were not able to get as intimately involved as this year. We've seen sections of the area that I didn't even know existed. I also have a better understanding of why it is so difficult for Phil and Susan to get receipts. Many of the places we shopped today for the kids food I'm not sure the vendors would be able to print a receipt if their lives depended on it. We are talking shops far off the beaten track. Not in the market off the main road but in remote areas. Seriously, I don't think the vendors have enough education to be able to do such things. Then we took Mama Jonah home. She works for Phil as a cook and usually walks to and from his house in the morning and evenings. I was amazed at how far away she lives. Once we got to her house we got out of the car and went in. We all sat down and Mama Jonah (Esther) immediately jumped up to shake our hands and welcome us to her home. That was a little awkward since we'd been with her all day long at Phils.

Then we went in search of the little girl Steve and I sponsor - Rachel. She is one of the widow's children and I have yet to see her. So off we went to hunt her down. At least we went out looking in hopes of finding her. Of course, you have to realize that Susan knows everyone. So along the way Susan is stopping the car and asking everyone she sees if they know where Rachel is. At one point she stops the car and tells Liz and I to wait she'll be right back. So there we are. And let me tell you. Nothing attracts village children better than two Mzungu's and a camera. At first there are two to three children. Next thing I know the car is surrounded by little black faces all waiving at us. And so I start shooting. No, not at them. Well, yes at them. But with the camera. And what started out as a small manageable group is growing in leaps and bounds. The children are coming out of the woodwork and there is no sign of Susan anywhere. So I keep taking pictures and they are so excited to see their own images on the screen. Adrian, my little model, who is now in the backseat of the car with Liz, is getting just a tad upset that I am interested in someone elses picture and not just his. He starts hitting the kids on the head until Liz shakes her finger "No", a universal language. Susan comes back finally but she is empty handed. There is no Rachel anywhere. But she has a woman with her who jumps into the car with us. Susan explains she knows where Rachel lives and so we drive off. We go all of about 50 feet and she stops again. Susan and the woman get out of the car leaving the two of us alone again. Now we are in middle of nowhere land. The kids we have just left are running up to meet us and we are now surrounded by a whole new gaggle of little faces. The crowd outside the car has now doubled. So again I bring out the camera and that does the trick. But after every picture when they see the image on the screen the whole group breaks into laughter. I'm hoping this is not an indication of my skills!! Now the really little ones don't really know what to make of us Mzungus (white people). They sometimes have an expression of sheer terror. But the rest of the kids are so excited to get their pictures taken they would just stand there all day long. I've even learned that "Seka" is the word for smile. Of course coming from me it often makes them crack up. All in all, Liz and I were on our own for a good thirty minutes before Susan came back the second time. She found Rachel's home but no Rachel. After all the looking she was not there!!

The kids are awesome. They are so loving and sweet. Unfortunately, we won't get to spend as much time with them as we had hoped so we will have to make the most of what time we do have. They are in the middle of school and their hours are long - they start early and they don't get out until around 4! So the plan is to do most of our legwork in the morning and then take the younger kids to the market place around 2ish (when they finish up) and then bring them back here to talk with. When the older kids get out we will take a group to the market and then try to talk with at least two of them a day. I'm sure that is pushing it as the conversations tend to take longer than we anticipate. Some mornings we may travel and get to see the countryside. Right now we are praying that the bank transfer comes through that Jen and I started two weeks ago Monday. For some reason the money has still not arrived. Since the shoe money is tied up in that transfer I would like to ask for prayers that the money gets here in a timely fashion.

I love you all and hope you are doing well. This trip has been amazing in ways I never anticipated. I've seen sides of Uganda I didn't know existed and again it has changed my perspective in so many ways. I am so blessed to be able to be here and I thank my wonderful husband for letting me come. I love you babe.