November 20 - Perspective

Happy Birthday Colleen!

Sunday's a day for worship and rest. We go to the 7:30 worship at the Church of Uganda in English. Today, when the pastor was preaching, someone set off some tear gas in the church and everyone was coughing and sneezing until we prayed against it and the fans went on. The air cleared and then we went on. This afternoon we were going for a bike ride with Kristoff and Heidi and have them for lunch. I went to town to check on a piece of furniture we are having made for our shoes and get some more plates so everyone could have one. I checked on the furniture which wasn't done and it started to rain. I had on my rain gear so I started riding home. The streets all clear when it rains so no problem with traffic. I have the whole road to myself, but I heard a boda behind me going fast. I turned to look and tried to move out of his way and I think I moved right into his path. Next thing I know I am flying and hear my head hit the road. The driver hit my back tire and sent me over the top, I think. My R heel, sacrum, a R rib, and the top of my head on the R side were the injuries. I just wanted to lay on the ground and rest a minute when the helpful Ugandans swarm me. One of the first things I see is a dead chicken hanging in my face. The first responder must have been getting lunch when he saw the crash and came to help. They started undressing me and moving my legs which hurt. I managed to get my phone out that Tom is always telling me to always have. Today I listened. I called him to come get me and by now I knew I could walk and felt okay. The helpers got me to a bench out of the rain, got my bike which was a in bad shape, and we waited for Tom. But I couldn't sit because it hurt. So, I am standing and started to be dizzy. Now I am thinking worse case scenario I have a bleed in my head and will have to go to Kampala. When you come visit and go through Kampala you will know why I hate the thought. I sat down, the dizziness went away and Tom came. The Ugandan men stayed with me the whole time. The boda driver they had caught... Meaning I think, that if I said, they would have beat him for causing the accident. They asked if I wanted a police report filled out? I just wanted to know if the driver and boda were okay which they were and he drove off. When Tom came we were going to walk home but I got fainty so we hired a pickup to haul me and the bikes home. I am laying in bed growing a lump on my head and wondering about life in Africa. No matter where I die I am hoping it is quick for me. I know where I am headed. And I will wait for you there. But, how a simple bike ride in the rain can help perspective. I will now take my phone all the time with “A husband” as the first number. It is common for the Muslims to have 4 wives and lots of kids. I am not planning on adding B husband. I will wear the stupid bike helmet. And thank God everyday for the life of promise he has given me. Because if I die I am the lucky one. Do not think I have regrets. Having faith in eternal life because of the forgiveness of my sins on the cross has helped me live regret free. If any one who reads this feels I have offended and not asked forgiveness write me so I can take care of that with you. As you all know I don't always think about what I say and do all the time.

I am laying in bed resting and thinking of ways Tom can wait on me, remembering the “1000 Gifts” book Sheri gave me and thinking of just a few of those gifts I have been given today. I hope I feel the same way tomorrow. Love you all and miss you and will spend my down time praying for each of you to know “eternal life” this Sunday. Enjoy your day Love Marc

November 18 - VOS

Wow! What a crazy 4 days it has been. Tuesday there were about 2000 people outside the eye clinic at 8 when I went to work. I walked over to see what was up and I say Alliana shirts. Being bashful and shy I introduced myself and asked if they needed help and there I have been from 7am to 5pm helping with the free clinic. First day they saw 560 plus next day 620 yesterday over 700. Enclosed you will see the pictures of them lined up before the sun was hot. As the day goes they stay in line if there is a line if there is pushing and shoving the line falls apart and it is a mob. God woke me up Tuesday night and had me on my knees about all the people and how to do crowd control and help do some triage. Like pick out the worst without the rest knowing you are doing it or you are mobbed with everyone having a special need. Not mobbed by 20 but by 100's. I can now imagine how Jesus felt when it says the crowd pressed in on him. It's awful and they all want something from you that you just cannot do anything about.

Wednesday Tom helped and we handed out numbers. Could a Ugandan do this? Yes, but the other Ugandans think they are selling the # and only giving to their relatives first and then they complain they are all suffering because of the injustice. Then we had them line up according to number. That was an orderly day. 

Next day, teachers and students and health care workers were told they would be seen first. Meanwhile, others had slept in line to get numbers, so what to do with 100 students and 30 teachers and 100 health workers who are off from work to get checked and then go back to work. Now when you only have 2 or 3 workers to a ward of 70 what do you do? Now we made special exception. BAD BAD idea for a white person to ever do. Ugandans expect the whites to be fair and honest and we are known for that and being smarter then we really are. So by the 3^rd hour into it we went back to the number system. But the people that had numbers then mobbed the line, so we had to go back to the ordered number system and we had peace restored. Now, it is 4pm and I told the students and health workers to come back then and they would be seen at the end. Bad idea as we were still seeing the people we had seen that had the numbers. More turn aways. 

Day 2 I couldn't figure out why the Ugandans don't just come to their own wonderful Dr. at the clinic here? I know them they have given lectures for me and I have watched them work with patients and they are wonderful. The VOS team sent the difficult cases to them for consultation and opinions so it didn't add up. The nurse in charge (who had a peace corp volunteer herself before Emin kicked them out) said the people want the glasses as their scripts for glasses they have to go get and pay for themselves. That was why everyone who heard the broadcast told all the relatives and they all come. It was great to meet with people who spoke your language had the same idea and thought process you had and were workers. There was no room for slackers. 

It was fun for Tom and I. We got to talk to and with people just like us and it made me realize the prejudices I still carry. Enclosed see the pictures. Everyday new people came out of the crowd and interrupted, made people line up in order, and then wanted to be seen next so we obliged and they stuck around and helped the rest of the day. When they found out there was lunch they came back and helped again. The Americans didn't understand that having lunch at noon means they start making lunch at noon, so by 2 the chaffing dishes and sterno show up with food and the Ugandans are 2^nd in line. I have told you before the Ugandans eat like they may never get another meal. The team lead Dr. John would go find his staff who were still finishing up and round them into the room to get some food before it was all gone. 

So, what did I take away from all this mass clinic experience? How did Jesus feel when the crowds followed Him and pressed in on Him and asked for help from there suffering and He kept at it. I would have sent the rain so they would all go away. My compassion started high and dwindled so quickly. Pretty soon I couldn't see the old who were helped or the young with the cataracts or the smiles on the people who got the glasses and could see. I could only see the fat men with gold watches and car keys and I just knew they beat their wives, those were the ones I saw going through. 

The picture with Tom is when he was helping a local find her way to the glasses after her exam and they only had 1 pair of huge yellow ones. The ladies put them on her and her face lit up and she opened her toothless mouth wide and licked her lips and said it tasted so good to see. A God moment! The one of me with the old guy isn't very good but he had the coke bottle glasses and and he said he couldn't see with them anymore and could I get him in. I am a sucker for the old people. If they can live to 70 they have seen more war, famine, death and work then I ever will and I want them seen the most. I think he also had AIDS by how thin he was, but he got his new specs for sight a few more years. 

Thursday night I went home to prepare for the lecture the next day and VOS staff went out to eat and one of the volunteers broke her arm getting out of the truck. She misstepped and fell. She had come from England and had a dislocated upper arm bone (humerus). The bone was broken across and a bit twisted from what I saw of the X Ray. 

Friday the team decided to not come as personal needed to make arrangements for her to get to England. One of he Americans was sick and it sounded like malaria to me so I went up and did the rapid test which was negative and tried to reassure him that Africa was a beautiful place. I think everyone was so spent from giving and giving and giving that they needed the break and time to take in some beauty and enjoyment. So, with some help from ibuprofen the fever was better and they headed to Murchison Falls to see the beauty of Uganda and be 3 hours closer to the airport. I hope to hear from them when they get back. They brought Conor and Jake's Christmas present with. The rest of you have to wait until I find a ride for a suitcase to Kate for your gifts. But I send my prayers and love everyday so know that you are missed and loved and thought of often. Like what ails these people anyway that they act like that? (Mom) Where do I find _______? (Carol) Do you really think God cares about Africa? (Brian) Yes, He sent this wonderful helpful bunch of people for my birthday to do what they could with what they had in the time they were given! And isn't that just like God? Look what He has done for us? Until the next post which will be about the lecture Love from Uganda where the power is still out...

November 14 - Birthday

A few pictures from my birthday. Thank you everyone for all your wishes, love and prayers sent. I was so blessed with my new friends and husband.

Butter cream cake (from scratch) with fresh flowers and paper bead necklace and she has matching dishes enough for 14 ( we have 2 non matching dishes) but now have 4 matching cups a birthday gift . Heidi also made a chocolate vanilla cheese cake too.  Making the cream cheese from scratch.  They have solar power but only have the fridge and freezer hooked up to it they eat by candles.

 I love it when people have food priorities.

The gift of music. Kristoff is a Tuba player and played happy birthday and

then a German song of blessing.  I cried.

The guests,  Geesja in front, her husband Aart is next to Tom, they are from the Netherlands and work an Irish Christian org.  Aart teaches drop outs at a vocational school and Geesja is a midwife by profession but volunteers at a sewing workshop for HIV/Aids women,  Betty is next to Geesja, she is an accountant from the city of Phoenix, and works for a literacy group here.  She is a peace corp volunteer with our group, next is Dave the agronomist from UK who has been in Africa for 30 years, his bride is teaching in Sudan and couldn't be with us they wok for Church Mission Society, then the hostess and host. Heidi the baker and Kristoff the handyman they assist with running DIGUNA the radio stations across the equator. 

Geesja's children and our new grands. Annefleur 9 Lisa 1 Lucas 5 and Ruben 7
 and Daniel, their friend who heard about the cake.

Life in Africa is good and I hope you will come visit.  
The people here are wonderful and I am the recipient.

November 11

Thank you all the Veterans who have served and currently serving and HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOSHUA MACAULAY!

Peace Corp wants all volunteers to take 3 months to get to know the community and there job before plunging in to “work” so that you will understand what the real work is that is the people want and need help with and not what you think needs to be done. There is a lot of wisdom in that and I have been at it 3 weeks but it seems the school wants me to start sooner. So, I am teaching computer, supervising students on the nutrition, pediatrics and ENT Eyes wards. I have arraigned guest lectures and special teaching times. I won't go back to the maternity ward as I haven't liked what I saw and don't know how to make it different yet. The area we live in is one of the most malnourished in the country. I will explain in another post what I am thinking about to help with that issue since I explained why malnourishment is prevalent in the last post but, I want to tell you about after work. After laundry I went down to the secondary project I work with. It is a place mat and napkin making organization that mothers with HIV/AIDES run. Tomorrow is a celebration of 10 years of programs being in place so they can obtain ARV”S so there children don't get the disease at birth and so that they can live longer and healthier. As I went to see how they are doing making there Christmas orders they broke into song and practiced the music they will sing for the celebration tomorrow. All acapella with the harmony’s blended and lilts to the voices and just plain music of angles! I stood in awe and soaked it in.I wonder why our quilting circles don't break into song like that and carry the tunes to Heaven?

I want to tell you of the people I have met and the friends I have made. Being a Christian sure has it's rewards right here on earth. The BIBLE study womens group that meets on Wednesday is doing Beth Moore “Jesus the one and only” …. it is a daily study and very good for discussion. The ladies have been here for 1-20 years and are great resources for everything. We have gone to a few of there homes for dinner and seen a few couples mission organizations and what that looks like here on the ground and lived out. It is interesting and makes me wonder if I would ever have taken the opportunity’s to know this much about other org and people as I am here. Sunday is my 56 life on earth and since the cancer I want to take every opportunity to celebrate. Since we have limited power, 2 plates and 3 bowls & no oven, how do you have a party with no food. It's not like the grocery store has ready made cakes because they don't nor does the bakery (they have white bread only) so what to do. Tom was going to try and make a cake by the double boiler method with sand in the bottom of a pan you place the cake pan on. The cake would be too small to share. Since this is a priority to me to celebrate I had to ask for help. This is hard, it is always easy to do for others but to ask for something that feels selfish is hard. Heidi is a German woman who does have an oven and had us over for strudel 2 weeks ago. She agreed to make a cake for 14 and host a party. Geesja and my new family of grandchildren (they are the same age as Jake’s) may bring ice cream if they can get it made, an area agronomist who is from the UK and been in Africa 30years is bringing the pop and tomorrow is the party at DIGUNA a German Christian radio station that is working on radio towers across the equator to send signal to the N and S. Heidi is assistant manager and Kristoff, her husband is the handy man and around here that means “can create something out of nothing or knows how to use bailing twine to make things work.” He repairs brass horns on the side so if anyone want to donate there old instruments let me know. The Ugandans are hot for horns especially the police as they have parades often. Today was Saturday and we rode out to Toms work and looked at the garden we planted 2 weeks ago. The only thing not showing its leaves yet are the peppers. The beans and peas are 8 inches high as is the non GMO non Monsanto organic corn. I just wish I had planted more then 10 plants. It is an experiment to see what will grow and how well in will do so I am saving seed for the next wet season as this one is almost over and then we get the heat and no rain until Easter again. By the way, when is Easter. With everyday sunny and warm I just can't believe it will be Thanksgiving in 2 weeks. Did I mention that there is a woman here from Indiana who runs the Catholic radio station at the other end of town and she has invited us for Thanksgiving with some other American families. She even has US turkey brought in. I am bringing potatoes and squash and making gravy. Wish I could make buns but Tom is not on board with the oven idea yet. By Christmas I think I will find another resource to build me one in the back of our house out the door from the kitchen. Other volunteers have them. They are called rocket stoves. The solar oven that you can build take 10 hours to maybe get our food baked if the sun stays out. Tom is getting better at making chapatis so that is the bread source for now. Chapatis are water, flour, salt, and small amount of onion. You fry them in a small amount of oil.

Laundry still sucks, the violin is getting a touch better, the rooster quite trying to out crow me when I practice. I am enjoying my life here and will send you lengthy insights into malnourishment when I sit down again to type. The power continues to be out this is 8 days now. But, there is a generator at the school they turn on so I go plug the computer in during my day when you are all in bed and use it at night. It would be tough for me to not have this access. I miss all of you more then I imagined but have met some great people who are making the transition easier. Tom is still trying to figure out what to do and how to do it. He continues on the intake part of the job going to villages and meeting women who are doing programs with the National Community of Women Living with Aids NACOWOLA. We planted 8 strawberries plants out there so I think we should make it a fruit farm. Next acquisition for the place will be grapevines and fruit trees. Gotta go the sun is gone and the daylight is almost gone but the stars are spectacular and with the power out no one can play there stereo at night... Love from Uganda where rain is considered a blessing and it rains almost every day...

November 6

It's been a while since I have blogged. I have been frantically trying to figure out what I am going to do at the nursing school.. The computer teacher has me booked in for 3 days of computer classes where I teach. That will be the blind leading the blind. She is suppose to give me a tutorial on what they are to learn in word office and word. Problem is the power is not on so there is no class and I can't be instructed either as I don't have those programs on my computer. Then I am trying to see where I can be most effective and least exposed to infections on the wards. I am trying to do Nutrition, ENT Eyes, and Pediatrics at the administrations request as they say it is a mess in Peds. Meaning children are dying from Malaria, hepatitis, pneumonia, dehydration, and worms. So, I have the books home to read up and try and understand how to stop the spread. The women here do all the work. They dig in the garden, sell the veggies, have the babies, do the house work and wait on the man that often is unemployed and won't do the woman's work and what $ she brings home for food for her own family the husband gets and drinks away. It is the way it has been in this area and if a wife leaves the husband the children are his. The men also don't get tested for AIDES and threaten there wives if they do or if there children go on anti retro viral s as then people will know that they have he disease and will be ostracized. The woman’s group that Toms works at have found strength by coming out and banding together and the group is funded for teaching reading and writing along with business skills so the women know how to handle finances. I think there are over 400 with maybe 84 of them were men.

They have a large acreage that they plant and sell the produce in. They have acquired another piece of land and have some livestock that they hope to expand to get a cow or two. They have broilers (skinniest chickens I have seen)& goats, now. The new land is down by the river. Last Saturday Tom and I went to plant a sample plot of all he seeds that I took with to see what will grow here. On our way home a man Tom had met the week before stopped him and started talking. Ugandans like to talk so I kept riding my bike to the shade and waited. After a while I called him to see if he were coming. Seems the guy that stopped him had been digging (turning the soil for a garden is what digging is ) down by the river for the witch Dr that lives next to NACWAL. A python grabbed him and was crushing him. He called to his friend and was able to bite the snake, which slowed I down but the friend ran over and cut the head off the snake. The witch Dr wanted the skin and the meat so they had skin it and were drying the skin and cooking up the meat. Tom was like, “sure you are”. So, the man takes Tom to see. He had large bruises on his arms and the skin was drying in the sun still wet. The head I guess was laying there too. So, my great thought that we could irrigate the crops that would go in on the new piece of land that is acquired near the river will not be put in place by me. I won't be the one going down there to dig... Another man here said that snakes don't like pigs so rather then cows maybe some free range pigs would be a nice addition with the skinny chickens and pure breed goats. There are a lot of Muslims here so pork is not grown with in the city limits and is not butchered in city limits either. Interesting that religious views and beliefs are important enough here that they are adhered too. My battery is almost gone so I will close. No power again in Uganda but the stars are brilliant and the malaria carrying mosquitoes are hungry.. NIGHT Marc