holidays are here

Holidays are here.

Hello there. Well, as you are embracing the colder weather and enjoying the festive season with dreams of snow, drinking hot chocolate, and seeing all sorts of Christmas lights and decorations, Uganda is getting hotter by the day. It is really different because it does not feel like Christmas at all, but rather summer. I have started listening to Christmas music so maybe by the time the 25th reaches, it will seem. But overall, my heart was prepared knowing that this Christmas would be different. It was placed on my heart that this season will really be rooted in the true meaning, rather than the traditions that we keep (that I so greatly love). But I think we will be setting up a tree on Sat.

Friday was the last day of school for the kids until the beginning of Feb. The last week I got to meet Mr. Rob, the president of GICF, for the first time and really enjoyed getting to chat with him and see him interact with the kids and the staff. It was also exciting to hear more details and vision casting of what is in store for LCH, God willing. Hopefully in Jan we will be adding 20 new kids. Wow. That will mean that there will be 90 kids who now have a hope that was not there before in the previous lifestyle.

Each day my little “apartment” is feeling more and more like home. Although things take a while to get done with “African time” but all the little things I was hoping for (such as a screen door to keep out mosquitoes) are coming about. Also, I now have a string running across one wall in my room that I am able to hang photos and paintings with clothes pins. Yes it is kind of like an elementary classroom, but much better than a bare wall that felt like a hospital room.

Speaking of hospitals, 2 weeks ago I went to the main hospital of Mbale to visit one of the house mothers who was having a small procedure done. Wow, what an eye opener. First off, hospitals in the states are very closed in a sterile, whereas here the only areas enclosed are the actual wards that are holding people. So, as you pass on the sidewalks you see tons of people sitting, laying on mats, cooking food on a charcoal stove, bathing their babies in basins. It was as if they had temporarily moved into the hospital grounds. I didn’t exactly understand why there were so many people “living life” on the sidewalks until I reached the room in which Auntie Nusula was staying. Instead of nurses who attend to the needs of the patients, every patient has about 2 attendees. These attendees get food, get water, help move the patient to the bathroom, keep the patients belongings while they might be in the “operation theatre”, and sleep there with the patient in case there are any needs in the night. The room she was staying in was a special room, in which extra money was paid, but was shared by 2 other patients and their attendee. Down the hallway and as I looked in the windows of the other wards it was truly like you would see in an old-time war movie or a much more rustic hospital. People were in beds in the hallway, or in beds lined up one after another. There was no such thing as a private room here. You also saw people walking down the hallways with their heads bandaged and only their attendee helping them. At one point, we were sitting with Auntie, her IV way past due to be changed or switched off, and the nurse walked in. She informed us that she was the only nurse attending to the whole ward of patience. Since we did not have the proper syringe (because I think the patient was responsible for acquiring most supplies on their own) then she would instruct us as to how to change and begin running a new IV. I think she might have seen my eyes get really big in surprise and she proceeded to say, “When you are here, everyone is a nurse.” Yikes is all I thought in my head. So, temporarily I thought that my next endeavor might be to become a nurse, but that thought will have to wait for now and be prayed over a lot more.

Although this experience at the hospital might seem like merely a dose of reality, it was also very challenging in regard to loving and taking care of each other. Family and friendship take priority over your schedule or plans. The attendees slept in the same twin bed as the patient, or on the ground below the bed. Hello!! Many of us have a difficult time even making it to the hospital to visit a patient for 30 min, much less sleep there! I appreciate that there is family and extended family that comes as priority here. They take care of one another and live very communally, whether blood family, church family, or village family. I am challenged to realize how much of my time is selfishly spent rather than realizing the real importance of life in relationships. God created family for a reason. I pray that I will always remain mindful of this lesson I learned at the hospital.

Through a random chain of events in my first attempt to open a bank account (unsuccessfully), I was able to meet a group of Americans who are living in Mbale. I went to get photos for the bank, in which I was instructed NOT to smile, ha. I got to talking with the owner of the photo shop and she told me about the American community that lives here. We exchanged numbers and I told her I might be too shy to call, so I would appreciate her to call me when something is going on. Sure enough, I met about 12 Americans, ranging from families to people my age doing a 2 year internship. We dipped cookies and nuts into chocolate, listened to Christmas carols, and chatted. I praise the Lord for His divine appointments. Nothing is a coincidence in this life. To meet this group is an answer to prayers. They all knew each other because all but 2 of them work together with the same ministry, so I was a little shy and there was quite a bit of small talk, but I will continue to seek boldness in the Lord to get out of my comfort zone and build relationships with them. The only disappointing part is that the 3 girls who seemed my age left this week to go back to the states until May. But God knows all the desires of my heart and has been SO SO faithful thus far.

I was really blessed last week. One of the staff members at LCH had invited some staff to visit him at his home for lunch. Seeing as the children’s home is 30 min outside of town, his home was definitely in the village. I felt so honored when he asked me to come and meet his family. In all honesty, I feel that some people avoid inviting me to do some things because I am Muzungu and not used to the Ugandan way. I have had people ask Mama, “What do we do for the Muzungu? What does she eat? How do we serve her food?” when I have gone to visit. So, to be invited to Mike’s home was an honor. We walked about 20 min from the children’s home, down a dirt path. As we passed by houses he told us that this was were his clan’s property begins. We passed by relatives, greeting them. Then we reached his home. It was a square shaped building, all made from mud, with 2 rooms inside. The sitting area was very nice and clean (especially considering that the walls and floor were made from dried mud). There was a couch and chairs just like the ones in my room here and there were photos pinned up on the walls. And then came the feast. I was so surprised, as were the others who came with me. We had turkey, chicken, pork, matoke (the staple food of Uganda that is like plantains), millet bread, rice, soup (of course) and soda. It was when the food arrived that I realized what an honor it was to be sitting in that house among these people. This was a big deal and a way for him to honor his friends. We got to meet Mike’s wife, kids, mother, and father. I truly will not forget that day.

So, now that Holidays are here, I get to go to LCH and play with the kids. I do hope to meet with 4 of the P4 students for about 30 min each time I am there in order to help catch them up with how to read so they can be at the same level with the rest of their class. I am also eager because I think next week the family (with me) is taking a trip to Nakuru, a national park in Kenya. This will be a very wonderful blessing if it gets to happen and a good time to spend with Pastor and Mama before they leave the day after Christmas to fly to the States for their 2 ½ month visit for church plant planning.

Thanks for your continued prayers. I love hearing from you.