IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK ALOT LIKE CHRISTMAS

WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN UGANDA

IN FRONT OF OUR CHINESE GROCERY          ANY ONE NEED A TREE?

 

REMEMBER WHEN YOUR MOM SAID TO EAT ALL OF YOUR FOOD BECAUSE THERE WERE STARVING CHILDREN IN AFRICA?  WELL, SANTA HAS BEEN WINTERING HERE AND HE IS STARVING TOO.    LOVE FROM ARUA, TIA MARC

November at mid service

  

I think these are for storing casava. No wait they eat that right away. What do you think are in these? Missles? Feed the Future corn. These are the only ones I have seen in country and the ground around them is cultivated with a tractor. Also not seen here most gardens are small and dug by hand

MID SERVICE conference OUR DIRECTOR Locine Hayes from Romania giving us a pep talk in Kampala.

Last one is how your tax dollar is spent. A 2 day buffet for 34 volunteers (down from 46 who started) a nice hotel with a pool, hot shower and lights that work. Just like America...At least for a few days

My table mates are Bryan from TX who works as a mountain guide now, Marianne N Calif was a lawyer now works as a farmers advocate near Queen Elizabeth. She advocates for the farmers to get some of the gate fee to pay for the crops that the wandering “wild” animals devour so the farmers don't kill them and the park no longer has the “Wild” animals

Dorthy from Chicago was a Walmart logistician now is helping Afro Pads (reusable menstral pads) go public to the country.

Thanks for paying your taxes.  TIA Marcy now back in Arua

Blessed: This Greek word is derived from the root word mak, which means “large” or “lengthy” and means “fortunate” or “happy”. The Greek word was used in Greek literature in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the old testament ) and in the New testament to describe the kind of happiness that comes from receiving divine favor. The word can be rendered happy. In the NT it is usually passive; God is the One who is blessing or favoring the person.

A birthday, a day to be the queen and be special! (provided you have a willing partner to wait on you and be part of your special day Thanks Tom!).

We had 25 invited guest with us and 40 who just showed up. The living room was moved to under the avocado tree in the front yard, the empty room became the game room for kids. Wild rice soup was served cooked over a charcoal fire with a chicken in it,(thank you for those who are keeping us supplied in the rice, it reminds of home) and egg salad sandwiches. 3 friends with ovens baked cakes and there was enough for all who came and some to send home for those who were out on a rescue mission with a unimoger getting a vehicle out of the mud. The grand kids were not the same as at home but they all hugged me, sang for me, & called me Honi. That made me feel like I was home .To have a little one wrap their arms around you and linger as they hug like they mean it, what a boost to endorphins. (things in your body that keep you healthy).

I wanted to share about my friends here: only 4 Americans were invited. Why? Because where but Africa would I have meet these others who have embraced us so well to Arua. 

 

CHRISTIAN AND KATIE from Seattle and Chapel Hill here for a 6 month discipleship training course at the YWAM base. Recent grad and returning to the states Kate to medical school and Christian is not sure LATOYA, Peace Corp Volunteer Teacher from New Jersey, last taught in Philly inner city school A woman of substance 

DAVID OF DAVID, EMMA and Amily, ALSO YWAM graduates from Edinburgh, Scotland and staying in Arua to work in agriculture. Aart & Geesja's son Rueban 

FAMKE AND NAOMI from Netherlands Famke worked at a orphanage in Jinja and adopted Naoimi a month ago after a year of court cases. Lisa is next to me Ruebans sister, and next to Kate is Anna from Congo leaving for school in Kampala in Jan. 

BRENDA Professor at Los Cruces, New Mexico. Here helping set up a satalitte sewing workshop for life stitches an hour N of here.(3rd row 2nd person on L)

HEIDI AND CHRISTOPH from W Germany WORK AT THE GERMAN RADIO STATION DIGUNA( back row R corner) BROADCASTING THE GOSPEL ACROSS THE EQUATOR

ADAM & HELEN From Britain sign language teachers and work at the YOUTH WITH A MISSION (YWAM) BASE HERE IN ARUA WITH THE DEAF (below Heidi and Cristoff)

GEESJA, CHILDREN, AND SISTER (sitting on couch and sis at end of 3 row L) FROM THE NETHERLANDS HERE WITH THE IRISH MISSION SOCIETY FOR 5 YEARS THEY LEAVE WHEN WE DO(husband  on the rescue mission too sister just visiting )

 MARIA AND HER 2 GIRLS from E Germany(husband and son were on the rescue mission) Husband is the manager of the DIGUNA station They had a song for us Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path and had a skit with it. 

Since the party was outside a woman with a baby on her back and a little girl at her side ( you can see her next to & behind Maria in the blue shirt) stopped and asked us for food. Tom got sandwiches for them and thought they would leave. Nope, they sat under the tree too and ate, so he bought them out some soup, then we cut the cake and I passed that around. Then, when that was gone she asked for money. What the heck? Doesn't hurt to ask , Right?

 The kids you see all gathered around the periphery some we knew most we didn't but with all the cake they wanted to know us better.... The last picture is the one of where it hit me! My dream of being in Africa, my dream of being surrounded by friends and family, my dreams of continuing to learn as I mature, to hear Happy Birthday sung by people from other places in the world and when the last line is sung rather then Happy birthday to you,  but, MAY GOD BLESS YOU! I knew what that felt like. I hope you can see it from the photo. I hope each of your birthdays can be BLESSED like mine. Until I get my final notice that I have to leave this body. My love comes from Beautiful ARUA, Marc

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARCY

WHEN I AM OLD I SHALL WEAR PURPLE

DO I QUALIFY AS OLD YET?
AS I PONDER MY LIFE TODAY I AM GRATEFUL FOR EACH OF YOU WHO WOULD READ THIS AND YOUR LOVELY GIFTS OF FRIENDSHIP THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN TO ME.  I CAN THINK OF NO FINER PLACE THEN BEAUTIFUL ARUA TO SPEND MY CELEBRATION OF 57 YEARS ON THE EARTH.  I AM MOST GRATEFUL FOR THE PHONE CALL ON MY 45TH BIRTHDAY THAT TOLD ME OF THE CANCER.  IT SEEMED LIKE SUCH A ROTTEN THING TO HEAR BUT WITH EVERY BIRTHDAY SINCE, I HAVE A DEEPER FAITH IN THE GIVER OF THE YEARS AND I THANK HIM FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE AND IN GOOD HEALTH.  TODAY I WANT YOU TO EACH RECEIVE A GIFT FROM ME.......

LOVE YOU ALL,
MARC

This weeks happenings

Having a Hero

These 2 little boys got capes and t shirts from the used clothes market. I am surprised they still look this good coming from America. My boys wore theirs out. They have been flying around the yard all month. They do share with the others.They do like to head up the concrete road that has a pitch next to our house and run down it so the capes will fly behind them. They have a cement block that they all congregate on and the other afternoon they had the capes on with their buddies and were singing the Ugandan national anthem

Oh Uganda! May God uphold thee

We lay our future in Thy hands

United free for liberty

Together we'll always stand

Oh Uganda! The land of freedom

Our love and labour we give

And with neighbors all

At our country's call

In peace and friendship we will live.

Oh Uganda! The land that fees us

By sun and fertile soil grown

For our own dear land

We shall always stand

The Pearl of Africa's Crown. . They all have beautiful voices and it was a precious moment for our collection of memories here.

The next photo was the big news here on the compound Saturday

“Kennedy got a really big pig. And it is at his house”

House here at the Hospital quarters means different things for the different staff. Kennedy lives in the nursing quarters which are a long row of 4 room apartments that open in the back to an open roof kitchen as the cooking is done over a charcoal segeri. There was the pig. He was huge too like the ones that are in the hog barns back home. The “free range” pigs here are the small more like the pot belly kind. And because the town has a large Muslim population there are no pigs in the township itself and no pork sold. So he may have had it in his kitchen to protect it from his Muslim neighbors and from thieves. Which is a problem for livestock here. That is why chickens are kept in kitchens at night so this is a picture of the gang and us going to see the pig .....

Next pic is for mom...

You always said when we were kids and being loud that we sounded like fish mongers...I never knew what that was until walking in the fish/clothing market last week. At 3 pm everyday the fisherman from the Nile bring the catch to the used clothes market clear out the first 6 stalls and set up shop and as you walk in flys and men are asking begging telling you to buy. They put out there sign and I took a picture. I should have taken a pic of the fish too. A nile perch can weigh up to 100+# they get as big as tuna and the meat is really good cooked in coconut milk with spices that I make. But they are a plague. Brought in to rid the lake and river of a predator fish they over produced and now eat the talapia that are the best fish. 

Couple weeks ago we rode out of town to this ministry to have fried chicken and mashed potatoes and gravy with the couple that have been here 11 years and run it. We stopped for shade on the way and this is a drinking circle.

 The ladies make a home brew in a large jug and the men buy it and sit with straws and drink in the evening (sometimes in the day as they don't have a lot else to do). So this is a drinking circle. It had a sign posted on the tree but was in Lugbara and our skill could not translate. These people stopped and wanted their pic taken too so you see some of the locals too

. Sorry no pic of Marvn and Jewel. I will leave that story for another day. But the chicken and potatoes were so delicious... Tom thought he was in heaven...With no fridge meat is hard to prepare and keep until time to cook. And you have to think ahead so you can get a bird and get it plucked and cleaned and then prpare... I don't think that far ahead...

Last picture I leave you with is Noel or Joel never sure what I am hearing sometimes. He hangs out with Herbert and brothers I think he is about 5 as he is over here at 8 every morning so I don't think he is not in school yet. He is sweet and Friday he was here without the other boys. He came to the back door and sat on my fire tending stool while I cut up pineapple for the guests that night. The cores here are so sweet and soft that you can eat them like the outer part but I cut it out and give to the kids. He got all the pieces and sat with juice dripping down his arms just enjoying the day and the time with me, or the pineapple.... (kids don't get a lot of fruit unless it is mango season and they climb the trees) 

 That is all for this week. Next week we are in Kampala at our mid service conference for 2 days and then I am hosting a craft show to showcase the West Nile tribes crafts that are different then the other areas of the country. Home on Saturday to sa good bye to a good good friend who is returning to Germany to be with her mom as she lives out her days with pancreatic cancer. Will send pics. Love to All from Uganda the Pearl of Africa's Crown

ONE YEAR OVER

A Ugandan wedding couple I work with Jackie at school

How the weeks are flying by, to make 1 year. Next year at this time we MAY be unemployed again. There are only the days in between. After year the things we have learned about ourselves as a couple and ourselves as people at times are pretty depressing. Mostly because they point to the self ish side of our personality's. The command to go and serve others as Jesus did, is fine for the short term but as many married people know, if it is short term (like 20 minutes) we can do it well and happily, but when it is much longer then that, self ishness comes in. So when I here Jesus commands I wonder why I follow him but then I think about what else would I do, I hate being lied to so I guess I will continue to pursue the truth that he came to witness too. So, in the past week here are some of my 20 minute encounters. 

The first 2 I don't have pictures of but again they are hospital related. I was in the operating theater looking for students and found one carrying a new baby girl to the midwife. The mother had a C-Section for twins and they were both alive and pink and doing well. A few of us were standing around admiring and feeling like the excitement. (Just want you health professionals to know not ALL the babies I encounter get CPR) then a student was taking a surgical pt back to the surgery ward from theater after she had just had her thyroid out for cancer. She wasn't awake and was gasping as she breathed. She was also overweight, rather large and had a short neck. In the states she would have gone to recovery with an oral airway in to keep her tongue out of the way and to watch and see if her throat swelled because the surgery is on the neck, and they keep her there until she is awake. So 2 students load her onto the cart by pushing and pulling and hefting and heaving because she is dead weight take to outside to the surgery ward load her into her bed on her stomach and twist her head to the side with the nice new cut on her neck getting manipulated and just kinda leave her. No vitals signs checked here. So, I go access her and it sounds like her throat is swelling her respiration are getting shallower and I am having a moral debate. The nurse responsible for the ward of 40 comes and I voice my concerns to her. I tell her I am worried the woman will die of airway obstruction if her throat keeps swelling. She said that may be what happens, but together we reposition her. I am not happy with the answer so I go back over to the theater and get the head nurse there (I think there are only 2) explain it she talks to the Dr who is doing another case already and he tells us she should be flat with her head extended. I go back to the woman we position her that way and the respiration are worse. I bring all the students to the bed side explain what is happening and tell them not to “fear” the Dr. that the pt needs the care only the surgery can give and we must take her back. (With Dr and midwife ego's and respect involved I try and tread very easily to help where I can and suggest where I cannot) Dr are open generally but the midwives are a bit more prickly...) anyway after showing students the signs to look for that tell you when someone is in distress, we load her back on the cart using a lift sheet rather then the push pull method and take her back to theater. Remember there are only 2 nurses here but the other staff wander around so we parked her next to a wall, I prayed and left...If she needs CPR at least she will get it here. 2 hours later I went back to the surgical ward and she was there with her family and alert enough now to squeeze my hand, and position her neck so she could breath easily. Would she have died had I not come along? That is the question I ask myself a lot as I do see much that needs simple intervention and there I am. But my answer is more and more "Jesus wrote each of our names in a book before any of us came to be and assigned us a number to our days", so it is His to decide who lives and dies, I am just passing by and doing the work he called me to. Sounds nice doesn't it? Well it gives me moral fits and keeps me praying. I wish I could say it happens very rarely that I have this conversation about; to intervene and not to intervene, but it would be a lie. I have it a couple times a week and sometimes a day... Now on with the pictures 

These 2 women are selling water jars made out of clay from S of here. So they carried these to town along with the babies you see on their back. A jug weighs about 8-15#. I have one the size of the top one for my refrigerator. You put a rock in it and about 4 cups of water and put your veggies on the rock to keep them cooler then the house. I works pretty well. The big white pkg on the top of her head is 3 jars tied together in a katange (fabric) and then balanced on her head in the middle. Did I tell you it is hot here?

 Well it is. I followed them about ½ mile to get close enough to take the pic and they were walking on. I don't now where... Not being able to drive here is unpleasant but walking with just your own weight to carry if a gift. Thank you Jesus! 

Next are pics from a birthday party we were included in. We don't get many invitations to Ugandan events. We have been included in 2 introductions (engagement parties) and 2 wedding, a house blessing, but not any family event at someones home. Innocent, who is in charge of infection control at the hospital and his wife, Alice, who is head of the eye clinic have 2 children. They had birthdays and the party was for them. Innocent also had 3 brothers who have “passed” and he is raising there children and paying fees for them to be in school. We spent the afternoon under his fruit trees talking with him as Alice was making food with the help of 4 others. Then Alice served just Tom and I food and had me go first. I asked if that was custom to have the women eat first as I understood the men eat, the kids eat then the wife, she told me I was to fix Tom's food and serve him. I noticed a little of that old self ishness arise. But I was in there home and this is the custom and it wouldn't hurt me to do it...Maybe

 Are you wondering how all these people are going to get cake? Well the cake gets cut in pieces and then they cut each wedge in 3's, 4 if there are really a lot of people so everyone gets a taste. Which is why the Ugandans can see in the dark and bite off bottle caps (they eat more of the good foods and less of the sugars) 

This picture is one of the students and her mom who was in the ER waiting treatment. Do you think they look like sisters? I did

The last picture is of a woman making a traditional heat keeper. This is a round woven lid with intricate design through it. She sells the Congo fabric you see in the background and does this while she waits for customers. You don't often see such intricate weaving so I wanted to purchase this as it is so beautiful. The cost for me was 100,000UGX or $40. Another moral dilemma What will I do with this if I do by it? Guess what I did?

So that is another week at the 1 year mark here in Uganda. Love from beautiful Arua where the dry (hot) season is starting (but I only have myself to carry around) TIA Marc

White on White

Another day at work! Never know what someone will give you.  This is why we don't eat much meat...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUNTIE

Since everyday I walk through the hospital grounds, some days a fragrance will overcome me. They are not always pleasant, like when they are burning body parts and placenta down at the outdoor incinerator, but a couple weeks ago it was a sweet perfume that wafted up so I followed my nose and it took me here.

  This is the kitchen for the majority of the hospital. Remember I told you if you don't have a caretaker who brings all the stuff to cook with and serve with, you will starve? Well, here is where the do the preparing. The fragrance was from one of the woods that were burning and it smelled like a mild light patchouli. So being there I took these photos to share. Dishes set out to dry in the hot sun, that maybe sterilizes them,

 Washing dishes area it has piped water some days or the ladies use the jeri can. (remember 40# on top of there head to bring water to where they need it)

The woman you see here is making peanut butter. They have small peanuts called G nuts that they grind on a stone with a stone. One of the ladies at Tom's work told me a REAL wife does it this way. (Thank you Naoko for mailing us some) and they gave me a lesson. Takes too long and uses a lot of energy so Tom will have to eat the nuts whole until he gets a REAL Wife. They use the gnut paste in sauce with greens (weeds that I picked I don't know how many of at the Jeske's) and it tastes wonderful. Water, Weeds, and g nut paste YUM!  Tom and I crave it we think it is the Vit A in the weeds. We can develop a whole new market Dennis when I come back.

.

 everyone has a segeri ( small charcoal holder used to cook) and large bags of charcoal are here, but I think the caretakers have to pay for i

 This the current kitchen, hospital, caretaker crew for this day. It had been rainy so they were all under the tin roof doing the cooking.

. For variety you will see all these children out collecting dessert for supper. In Late spring which it is here, the ants get wings and start flying away to go nest themselves. There are hundreds of them and they look like a cloud of fairy dust as they rise up and disperse. The young children go out and collect for supper. They put them in the fry pan plain and fry them. They are very oily and need nothing else with them. Sometimes the kids just pop them in their mouth as they are good fresh. I wouldn't know yet. I don't think I have had them. ? In Dec it is grasshopper season. The grasshoppers here are huge so it doesn't take many to fill you up, I heard. I am full when they offer. Hate to take the delicacy away from someone who would enjoy them.

   

Tom took a picture of the public utilities at the back of our house. The large black barrels up high is city water, and we built a catchment for the rain rainwater down low. and use it to wash clothes and drink. We filter it with a porcelain candle before consuming. The solar panels are for our 2 lights in the house and black bag on the ground by the tank is the solar shower that gets the water really hot for the evening wash.

Next are things we saw while walking around the town I added captions.

Do you think he could get anything else in the box?

When stove has a different meaning.

If the government shuts your milk business down you can sell (bonga) clothes

One of the 13 who's PA system always works at 5AM

Tom shopping at Herberger's GET RID OF IT SALE

 Saw this in the clothes market as we looked for familiar names we knew in the used section.  He was reluctant to have his picture taken but we insisted.  Think you might be in Minneapolis wouldn't you?  Well, your not and we miss you all and this was our reminder for the week. TIA Love,  Marc

HAPPY BIRTDAY LITTLE BROTHER

I THOUGHT ABOUT ALL THE KINDS OF CARDS I COULD SEND YOU AND WHAT YOU WOULD FIND MOST INTERESTING HERE IN ARUA. THIS IS WHAT I CAME UP WITH.

EVEN IN AFRICA THEY HAVE A HONEY MAN

HOPE YOU LIKE IT... IT COMES AROUND OUR CAMPUS ABOUT ONCE OR TWICE A MONTH. WHAT IT PUMPS I HAVEN'T SEEN YET BUT I WILL BE ON THE LOOKOUT...IF I DID MY NUMBERS RIGHT THIS IS YOUR 49TH YEAR ISN'T IT? I HOPE THE REST OF THE DAYS THE LORD GIVES YOU ARE AS HEALTHY AS THE ONES YOU HAVE HAD...

                                                                                             LOVE YOU LITTLE BROTHER. MARC

Happy Birtheday MOM Sept 11

 Mom, I know I am writing this late, but wanted to get the perfect picture to share with you for your birthday and I found it.  Outside the school gate and into the hospital is this large flower tree.You are always telling me you are picking up sticks in the yard.  So, I thought I could get you a job here if you come to visit.  The sticks are all quickly picked up by the children for firewood for the day but they pay people here to pick up the large flowers that fall from the trees.  So, here is who you would be working with,  he would enjoy the help...... 

Who but God puts flowers on the trees?  

 Love you mom, and I wish for your many more healthy birtdays!

 

 

 

 

 Your gypsie daughter,  Me

THe Ambassador and Wife are coming to Arua

The United States Ambassador to Uganda, from MN is coming to Aura to meet the volunteers and ave lunch. Coming Sunday the 16^th. What to wear? Let's see, what shoes since we will be walking to the restaurant? Dirty Birkenstock or causal Teva?

Should I paint my toe nails?

Should I shave my legs? Why would anyone be looking at my legs?

 Well, should I wear my Africa outfit? Or my US dressy outfit? If I wear dressy US it's black and I will bake walking to the restaurant.

Tom, “What do you think?” Black.... “Ok, what are you wearing?” White...Great

Do you think we should give a gift? Like what is here in Arua that is not in the rest of Africa? Well they still teach the children to weave baskets here, so that is a start, some napkins would be nice from our secondary project, the honey from here is really good, a mingling stick would be nice... Tom thought I should give up one of my baskets,

 but I found a nice young lad selling them so I bought 2 more, we had a mingling stick and I never mingle (that is what they call stirring the enyasa (bread paste mixture) they eat as bread) that can go in the basket. George works at the honey refinery he can bring the honey, the napkins we got as a donation, and of course I gave a speech.

The Ambassador to my R his wife across from me

 So for 2 days worth of questions and planning here is the group photo. He was a nice man from St Paul who took the civil service test after finishing at the Humphrey Institute for is law degree and for 31 years he has been in the Civil Service. They just finished the service in Nepal where they brought the Peace Corp back to the country. We are the first place they have visited and it was a very pleasant way to spend the afternoon. They liked the gift and said they would come back. We will see, it is a long long way to Arua from Kampala.

 Greetings from the equator which we cross to get to our all volunteer training last week in Masaka, 12 hours

Crossing the Nile into Jinj

 from home. 

We stopped in Jinja, "The source of the Nile" to spend 3 days on the way home, but found after 1 day and a nice American meal we missed our home and got back on the bus and came home to Beautiful Arua. It feels good to be back in your own bed even better then the hot water we had while we were away. Tom even experienced a miracle. The pot holes here in town are worse then spring in MN. With everyone driving trying to miss them they come over to the sides to hit you if you are riding a bike. Tom complained and sought help from the mayor and from engineers that networked all over the world to give advice on easy fixes. (The kind one does with a shovel rock and gravel cement marrum mixture. ) When we got home form our week away, the road in town was being fixed. The miracle is “things don't happen that fast in Africa”, so he sat and watched and we wonder what happened and how can it be repeated?

 TIA Marc

PS The US military (marines) here call the PCV the people with the "dirty feet".  Mine are clean and siny everyday but the brown is the suntan from wearing the Birkenstock...Just so you know