A few updates!

Napupu

The other day I was with the kids and they started shouting 'napoopoo, napoopoo' and pointing at something in the grass. At first it looked like a mouse but it was moving too slow. Then we went closer only to realize it was a baby porcupine. When I asked one of the aunties what we should do, thinking it might be dangerous to the kids, she said, 'Oh, I think that is Jarod’s (a guy who works at LCH) pet. He keeps it in his house.

– ok! of course!

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May 20, 2008

One of the coolest things that has happened since I have been in Uganda…

On Friday I was at LCH, playing with the kids, when Betty (one of the workers) came up to me and said, “Natalie, you have a visitor.” I replied, “No I don’t.” and laughed. I am in Africa; it is a little far for anyone to come visit me without me first knowing. Hello! But she kept persisting so I went to the front of the main building and found a young (Ugandan) woman about 18 years old. Still not sure who she was and definitely still not thinking Betty was fooling me, I greeted her and then just paused to wait, a little awkward. Here is how the conversation went:

Me: “Hello, how are you?”

Her: “Fine”

AWKWARD PAUSE….

Her: “Stephan sent me to find you.”

Me: “Who?”

Her: “Stephan.”

Me: “Mzungu?” – meaning white person

Her: “Yes”

Me: “What is your name?”

Her: “Nambozo”

At this point I am thoroughly confused because she IS my visitor. I do know a Stephan who works with the group of Americans I have become friends with but me and him are not friends and I was thinking, “Why is Stephan sending her to me? And how does he even remember where I work?” We really have only talked about twice. Then my visitor spoke again…

Her: “ Stephan wrote in a letter to come and find you.”

Ah ha!! It all came together at that point and I don’t remember the last time I stood in amazement at the divine work of the Lord so obviously in my life.

Me: “Wait, are you Aliasa Nambozo?”

Her: “Yes”- with a smile because she can see the light bulb turn on in my head.

Me: “Oh my, it is SO good to see you. I have been wondering how to find you!”- then I proceeded to hug her about 10 times out of sheer joy and excitement.

So, here is the story…. My sweet friend Stephanie Beeler sponsors a girl through Compassion or World Vision and before I left she told me that her girl happens to live in Mbale, of all places in all of Africa! Wow. So I have been carrying Nambozo’s name on a piece of paper in my wallet, wondering how I would ever find her. Maybe I pass her everyday and don’t even know. Well, Steph wrote a letter and said that her friend Natalie was working in Mbale at LCH, so Nambozo has been asking around town if anyone knew where LCH is (remember it is about 30 min outside of town). She went one place she was advised, but it was wrong, so this glorious Friday she tried again and found it. The story gets even better… after talking with her about life, she asked me if I knew where Mbale Secondary School is. Seeing as I pass it everyday and that my “sisters” go there I quickly responded yes. She said that that is her school. I then told her that my sisters, Phoebe and Millicent, go there. She said, “Oh, Phoebe and I are in the same class.” What?!?!?! You are kidding me. What a small world!! God is so good. On top of all this, the same morning I had replied to Steph about an email she sent me about possibly coming to visit this summer to see me and meet Nambozo. God’s timing is so so perfect.

So, I had a visitor, my very own visitor, who came to see just me. That has not happened before and I could not ask for a sweeter surprise!

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Other short updates: May 20, 2008

I planted a garden at LCH with the P5’s a while back, but it all got destroyed when the huge drilling trucks came to drill the boar hole. I guess that is more important… but some of the seedlings were transplanted into a different garden. I went to check how things were growing and I saw some squash that seemed about ready to pick, seeing as they were the same size as the ones in the States. Until, I saw the big mama of all zucchini ever know to man. It was seriously as big as my forearm (if that is the area between my wrist and elbow). So I don’t know if it was a freak of nature or if the soil is so fertile that I will become the grower of the largest zucchinis in all of Uganda. We will see…

I have a new housemate!! Her name is Hayley and she is from San Marcos and has one more year of university. She left this morning to go on Safari with the team she came with, but she will be staying at home for the next 8 weeks. From the time I got to spend with her this week, I know I am going to like her. So, praise the Lord for answered prayers of a kindred spirit in the faith. Although the answer is a little different then I was thinking (I was thinking long term, but He was thinking to bless me with short term), I am extremely excited. Here is our first photo together at Sissyi Falls.