Catch Up Time

This is a long one but worth it. . .

Thursday, September 27

I rode the 4 hours to the capital city of Kampala again.  We stopped for lunch in Jinja.  I had fried chicken, the first meat I’ve had in several weeks – mostly just beans here.

I had to go on another goose hunt for Brenda.  What happens is she finds an agency that helps with something, finds the address on the internet and sends me to check it out – sound harmless enough.  The problem is that the office has ALWAYS “shifted” (their way of saying “moved”) and the driver doesn’t know Kampala that well.  So, we drive around in circles, asking directions, then more directions with more circles and finally we find the building.  Then I have to go in alone to find the office.  This particular building, the Amber House, is very confusing.  It has several floors and each floor is divided into blocks A – E.  These blocks then have numbered office doors ranging from 100 – 120.  Some of these doors also have their company logo on the door, meant to aid the visitor in finding the correct office.  I think that was the idea a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. . .

I was supposed to go to 1st floor, block C, office 106.  Simple enough.  No.  “They have shifted.  They are on the 4th floor.  Just ask around and someone will know which office.”

I asked 10 different people by just walking into these closed door offices, interrupting meetings and work.  Finally, a man that I found behind a graphics design logo on his door said, “He sits here.” He points to an empty desk with nothing but a tray of jumbled business cards, none of which have the name of the man I am looking for and the company is not the one I am looking for.

I reply, “I know he is in the Amber House, I need his office.”  I have found you have to be VERY SPECIFIC here – He sits here could mean he sits in this exact chair at this exact desk OR it could mean he sits somewhere within this labyrinth of offices in the Amber House.

Come to find out, he sits in that desk but he was out.  I got a phone number and then remembered some other pressing business – a bathroom.  I asked where a toilet was I could use.  The man got a key and then took me to an unmarked door.  “Try this door.”  It didn’t work.   “Try this door.”  Success.

I thanked him and said I would return the key when I finished.  I closed the door and did my business, admiring the clean restroom that had toilet paper, soap and running water – top notch!  Then I went to leave – the door had NO HANDLE, just a lever that didn’t do anything!  I panicked!!! How do I get out?  It was locked.  I had already noticed the door was flush to the floor, can’t pass what was probably the only key in the building under the door.  The halls were empty, everyone is behind their unmarked doors, so I can’t yell for help.  The driver doesn’t speak enough English to convey the panicked thought of “I am locked in the bathroom!”  All this passed through my brain in less than a minute.  Then I forced myself to calm down, take a deep breath and begin trying to rip this small little lever off the door.  I pulled, I pushed, I started to panic – finally I twisted – it opened!  RELIEF.  

I returned the key and walked down the four flights of stairs, my legs a little wobbly . . .

Later we picked up an arriving team at the airport.

Friday, September 28

The team and I returned to Busia, stopping to exchange money, buy supplies, eat lunch and shop for souvenirs.  Pretty uneventful, but I did enjoy the pizza for lunch and the ice cream for dessert – both things that are non-existent in Busia.

Saturday, September 29

We had an activities day for the children in the neighborhood around the mission house.  Most of these children are Muslim which means they would not go to an activity put on by the church.  So we rented the soccer field of a government school – a neutral place.  We promoted a bit right before the event – expecting around 200.  We had at least 350 show up!  We played soccer – that went well.  We tried to play kickball with the girls – not so well – they eventually invented their own game.  We played duck – duck – goose, red rover and something with a ball and a circle of children (their invention also).   Then we got out water balloons – if they caught it without busting it, they got a prize!  They went wild!!  The kids had a great time and I think we have opened the door to future work in the neighborhood.

Sunday, September 30

We went to church at Busia Calvary Baptist.  The team taught Sunday School.  Brenda and I had to return to the mission house to dress a wound on a child.  He had bumped his leg on a table, didn't tell anyone and a week later he has two large holes with pus draining out. . . we are dressing it 3 times a day and have him on two different antibiotics.  He is not very consistent on when he shows up for his dressing changes.  He showed up during Sunday School.

We then returned to church.  Bill Compton preached and then they had a baptism.   I went with Brenda to Nabalola clinic.  A child had been running a very high fever despite having been treated for malaria.  We took her and had her tested for malaria, typhoid, HIV and a few more things.  The only positive test was malaria.  The doctor said that it was a poorly treated case.  They put her on an I.V.  We returned later to give the mother sheets, a blanket and food – the hospital does not provide any of that.  I drove for the first time here, on the left side of the road.  (It is now Tuesday and we think the child will be released today)

Monday, October 1

We went back to Syonga to put shoes on the feet of those kids we measured a week ago.  They were so happy!  It was not an easy process – the shoe order was not correct and some feet had already grown – that is my story and I’m sticking to it!  Finally, after a long hard day of washing feet, putting socks on and finding a pair of shoes that fit, we had shod Nursery, Top Nursery, P1, P2, P4 and P5 – They did P3 on Tuesday.

The team also did foot care – digging out jiggers.  These are sacks of sand flea eggs that get into the children’s feet.  They are painful and have to be dug out slowly.  And, yes, they are as gross as they sound and look.

That night we went to a bush church for an encouraging visit.  The idea is that all the Americans go and encourage the struggling bush church.  I have to say I was probably more encouraged than they were.  These people were so excited to be there – they worshiped the Lord, sang, danced and were just joyful in the Lord!

Tuesday, October 2

I went with Mike and John to help get their leadership conference underway.  Then I went all over Timbuktu with the driver!  I had to go to 4 different bush schools to do payroll.  At times we were driving down a lane with bushes higher than the van on both sides – the branches slapping me in the face as they scratched their way down the side of the van.  I was also sure I was going to have to pay for a duck we had hit with the van – How much is a duck anyway? – but the carcass was not there when we returned so I guess I got out of the way just in time.

I arrived at one school and the pastor was there.  He said he had tried to call and inform me that the cook’s daughter had just died.  “She was only 1 month old and had not been doing well.”  He said she had just died within the hour and they showed me in the corner of the room the burlap bag she had been laying upon when she died.  I was overwhelmed with sadness and helplessness.  Another teacher had just left with the body and to make funeral arrangements.  All I could do was offer my condolences.

That was all before lunch!  I am now at the mission house sitting in front of a fan and resting.