Well, many people are wondering what I really did while in Africa. Not that I'm some international spy with a secret agenda or something, it's just that I haven't been able to share a complete itinerary. So here's a little more about what I've done.
Days 1-3ish:
I traveled over 28 hours to get to Entebbe, drove to Kampala, drove to Mbale, and drove to Karamoja. This took a long time, but was an excellent way to get introduced to Africa. I was able to meet lots of Ugandans and missionaries. I went to a birthday party and helped some kids get ready for a costume party (I altered a dress to make a girl into Jane Austen). The drives were over some paved and mostly muddy roads.
Days 4-19: Life in Karamoja
Karamoja is a remote area of Uganda that even Ugandans don't visit. They are fearing the Karamajong because they were very violent with warring tribes. They have been disarmed over the past 3 years and are very friendly with those who don't have cows or don't want to steal their cows.
I spent each weekday doing math with the five Wright kids (missionary kids who just got back from a year in America) and helping the Wrights set up their math curriculum for the year. The kids were great to work with. Each one was unique in their math thinking and their need of me. They were very sweet to get started on school before summer was over.
I was also able to teach Bible lessons in neighboring villages. We used picture cards and translators (most people spoke Karamajong) to teach the lessons. Before and after the lessons we sang songs to the rhythm of the children clapping. They were great singers. After prayer, each kid got a vitamin. This was a great part of my experience. One time, the kids wanted to dance with me. We jumped in circles (it was actually much like dances here, but cleaner dancing) and while we jumped others clapped and sang.
One week, I was able to teach in the public schools with other people in my group. We had a curriculum on oceans. It started with a Bible lesson related to oceans and then I taught with Martha Wright on oceans. The kids had a very minimal understanding of geography and even less about the oceans. On our last day, we showed them a video on the ocean and that was amazing. Many had never seen a movie before.
Days 20-22: Touring
The missionaries I helped were generous and treated me to a mini-vacation on the Nile. We stayed in an amazing resort on Lake Victoria, took a tour of the Nile, shopped in Jinja, and drove to the mall in Kampala. It was so luxurious and I felt spoiled. The Nile tour was just like the Jungle Cruise. Sadly, no one was from CA so no one understood the reason for my giggles. But let's face it, that happens a lot to me.
I flew home (as I already wrote) and I was happy to see everyone again. I still feel like I could have stayed for two more weeks. I definitely want to go back. Don't panic about me leaving for good. I love CA so much, especially the people here. Leaving for good is just too hard to think about with the beautiful ocean breeze blowing in my face and my church family surrounding me at the beach party. I live a charmed life.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
I am home! Alakara for your prayers.
I got home yesterday afternoon. I did the math and figured out that by the time I met up with my parents and brother at LAX, I had travelled for 28 hours and was awake for 40. My trip home was pleasantly uneventful and it did not feel as long as 28 hours should feel. This time around I was able to travel with the group of people who got to Karamoja before I did. This included some of the Bill Wright family (Bill, Jeremiah, and Annie), Isaac, Becky, and Gayle. It was so nice to have people around me who were as concerned about my safety and well being as I was about their's. On the second flight of the day, I had two seats all to myself! It was a total blessing. I even got to sleep with my feet up!
Let me just take a moment to thank you all for reading and praying for me. I'm sorry that I didn't get to blog every day. I really wanted to write every detail down so that you might know each little story that I've accumulated. I wrote an extensive journal that did just that, but I found that I write better on the computer than I do on paper - stylistically speaking.
This blog is by no means the last of the Unganda blogs, but it is a summary blog of things I've learned from this trip.
Things I've learned:
1) God love's me in the details. I've known that God loves me. I've known it as much as I've known anything. But as I learn more about my own sin, it becomes harder for me to feel that God likes me. I know that He has plans for me and I trust that, but does He sit from heaven and look at me and ever smile or desire to pat me on the head (metaphorically speaking) like my own father might? Well, this trip has helped me see that He does. I call them my love notes from God and there were lots of them. Strangers that spoke to me while traveling, speaking just the right things to make me feel safe or hopeful or cheered up. Beautiful scenes of nature that only I saw. Love from the local kids that filled me with that joy that I get when I teach. Little bits of home that would bring me peace at just the right time. Every prayer I prayed in fear, every petition I made in urgency - God answered with a resounding "YES!" God protected me and made me comfortable during my whole stay - even with malaria.
2) Kids are kids everywhere. While working in the schools I met lots of kids who have difficult lives. They work hard doing physical labor, many are undernourished, they live with the fear of sickness and death, and they are at a level of poverty that I don't think I've ever seen before anywhere. Yet when I got out my camera to take pictures, the boys would show me their strong man poses and make silly faces. The girls would smile and giggle and stand with their friends. The kids played and sang songs and danced (I learned that I dance much better in Africa than I do in America), they got frustrated with their teachers, whispered during class, doodled, some were eager to answer questions and some wanted to blend into the shadows. Man, do I love kids.
3) I love warm water. I don't think there needs to be any explanation except that I nearly cried with joy at my warm shower I took back home.
4) Africa is a beautiful and diverse place. It is not as scary as it may seem and there are so many friendly people. The natural beauty is much greener than I expected and the animal life I saw was much more normal than I expected. In the bigger cities there are many people from all over Africa, India, and the middle East.
5) I love laws and regulations. Rousseau wrote, "Man is born free and is everywhere in chains." I say, "Yes, and I'm so glad." In Unganda and particularly Karamoja, there are laws and some of them are enforced. Yet there are lots of freedoms. I rode on the back of a truck up a winding dirt road - and had a blast. You can build any building out of any materials for whatever purpose. Anyone can come into the schools and teach. You can show up to school or not - even if you're the teacher. Sonogram techs can start IV's in the hospital or even do medical treatment. You can buy drugs at the pharmacy without a prescription.
Some of these freedoms are fine if the people you're with are trustworthy, but it is easy to see what happens to the society because of these freedoms. I really appreciate how safe and clean America is.
6) I am rich beyond belief. I've always felt that I am wealthy. I'm not just talking in the fluffy-It's-a-wonderful-life-I-am-rich-with-friends kind of way. I've always been so thankful that I have a paycheck and a nice house, and I can buy pretty much whatever I want whenever I want or fly on trips each year. I am amazed at my own wealth even though it may not compare to many in America. When I went into my giant bathroom this morning and I looked at my tile and my toothbrush and all my stuff, I wondered what the Karamajong would think of my house and I realized that to them I live in ultimate luxery. And I do.
7) I know how to teach. Even with a translator, teaching and connecting with people in that way was the most fun I had the whole trip. I was born to be a teacher.
8) I have great family and friends. I knew this before I left, but having a forced disconnect from them really made me feel the need I have for them and them specifically, not just friends in general. There were lots of nice people there whom I bonded with and who are now a part of my circle of friends, but they did not fill those holes in my heart for my friends and family here.
9) Malaria's not that bad if you treat it. I had one bad night and that was it. I feel totally fine and when people kept asking how I felt I kept wondering why. I forgot that I had malaria. I think that it's gone now, but I'm going to still take my medication for a couple more days. The time I had the flu this year and went to the doctors was so much worse than malaria that I would rather have malaria than the flu. Really.
10) Kids grow fast. When I saw Natalie yesterday, I cried. She turned into a toddler while I was away. Michael is now a tall boy, and Karis - well, I knew she'd be different, but she was sooo much bigger. That made me feel like I'd been gone a long time. Their hugs and love and periodic kisses during our evening together made me feel like I was truly back home.
Well, I'm off to condense my 12 gigs of photos into something digestable for the rest of the world. My mom is willing to help me in this and I'm sure it will take us a couple days. Keep reading updates as I tell more stories. Thanks for reading and supporting me in this. It was a great experience and there wasn't one moment that I regretted.
Let me just take a moment to thank you all for reading and praying for me. I'm sorry that I didn't get to blog every day. I really wanted to write every detail down so that you might know each little story that I've accumulated. I wrote an extensive journal that did just that, but I found that I write better on the computer than I do on paper - stylistically speaking.
This blog is by no means the last of the Unganda blogs, but it is a summary blog of things I've learned from this trip.
Things I've learned:
1) God love's me in the details. I've known that God loves me. I've known it as much as I've known anything. But as I learn more about my own sin, it becomes harder for me to feel that God likes me. I know that He has plans for me and I trust that, but does He sit from heaven and look at me and ever smile or desire to pat me on the head (metaphorically speaking) like my own father might? Well, this trip has helped me see that He does. I call them my love notes from God and there were lots of them. Strangers that spoke to me while traveling, speaking just the right things to make me feel safe or hopeful or cheered up. Beautiful scenes of nature that only I saw. Love from the local kids that filled me with that joy that I get when I teach. Little bits of home that would bring me peace at just the right time. Every prayer I prayed in fear, every petition I made in urgency - God answered with a resounding "YES!" God protected me and made me comfortable during my whole stay - even with malaria.
2) Kids are kids everywhere. While working in the schools I met lots of kids who have difficult lives. They work hard doing physical labor, many are undernourished, they live with the fear of sickness and death, and they are at a level of poverty that I don't think I've ever seen before anywhere. Yet when I got out my camera to take pictures, the boys would show me their strong man poses and make silly faces. The girls would smile and giggle and stand with their friends. The kids played and sang songs and danced (I learned that I dance much better in Africa than I do in America), they got frustrated with their teachers, whispered during class, doodled, some were eager to answer questions and some wanted to blend into the shadows. Man, do I love kids.
3) I love warm water. I don't think there needs to be any explanation except that I nearly cried with joy at my warm shower I took back home.
4) Africa is a beautiful and diverse place. It is not as scary as it may seem and there are so many friendly people. The natural beauty is much greener than I expected and the animal life I saw was much more normal than I expected. In the bigger cities there are many people from all over Africa, India, and the middle East.
5) I love laws and regulations. Rousseau wrote, "Man is born free and is everywhere in chains." I say, "Yes, and I'm so glad." In Unganda and particularly Karamoja, there are laws and some of them are enforced. Yet there are lots of freedoms. I rode on the back of a truck up a winding dirt road - and had a blast. You can build any building out of any materials for whatever purpose. Anyone can come into the schools and teach. You can show up to school or not - even if you're the teacher. Sonogram techs can start IV's in the hospital or even do medical treatment. You can buy drugs at the pharmacy without a prescription.
Some of these freedoms are fine if the people you're with are trustworthy, but it is easy to see what happens to the society because of these freedoms. I really appreciate how safe and clean America is.
6) I am rich beyond belief. I've always felt that I am wealthy. I'm not just talking in the fluffy-It's-a-wonderful-life-I-am-rich-with-friends kind of way. I've always been so thankful that I have a paycheck and a nice house, and I can buy pretty much whatever I want whenever I want or fly on trips each year. I am amazed at my own wealth even though it may not compare to many in America. When I went into my giant bathroom this morning and I looked at my tile and my toothbrush and all my stuff, I wondered what the Karamajong would think of my house and I realized that to them I live in ultimate luxery. And I do.
7) I know how to teach. Even with a translator, teaching and connecting with people in that way was the most fun I had the whole trip. I was born to be a teacher.
8) I have great family and friends. I knew this before I left, but having a forced disconnect from them really made me feel the need I have for them and them specifically, not just friends in general. There were lots of nice people there whom I bonded with and who are now a part of my circle of friends, but they did not fill those holes in my heart for my friends and family here.
9) Malaria's not that bad if you treat it. I had one bad night and that was it. I feel totally fine and when people kept asking how I felt I kept wondering why. I forgot that I had malaria. I think that it's gone now, but I'm going to still take my medication for a couple more days. The time I had the flu this year and went to the doctors was so much worse than malaria that I would rather have malaria than the flu. Really.
10) Kids grow fast. When I saw Natalie yesterday, I cried. She turned into a toddler while I was away. Michael is now a tall boy, and Karis - well, I knew she'd be different, but she was sooo much bigger. That made me feel like I'd been gone a long time. Their hugs and love and periodic kisses during our evening together made me feel like I was truly back home.
Well, I'm off to condense my 12 gigs of photos into something digestable for the rest of the world. My mom is willing to help me in this and I'm sure it will take us a couple days. Keep reading updates as I tell more stories. Thanks for reading and supporting me in this. It was a great experience and there wasn't one moment that I regretted.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
My African Hitchhiker
As some of you may have heard, I have Malaria. Funny, but I am about to quote what many of my friends who've had malaria have said, "It's not that bad."
I was feeling a bit off on Friday (the most common complaint of early onset) so I went to the clinic to 'get poked'. Elizabeth (an amazing Kenyan who works there) did the job and as I waited for her to look at my slide, I wandered around the clinic with my friend, Gayle (a Dr. from America). I finally made the loop back and saw Elizabeth in the lab. I felt a little foolish about getting tested because I felt so good. She looked up as I came to the window and asked, "I'm negative right?" And she shook her head no.
I choked back a few tears and asked the next question that should come to any Dempsey's mind, "Can I see it?" She described to me what the malaria parasite looked like and I looked at my blood cells in the microscope. Sure enough, there was a half circled parasite hiding in my red blood cell. A mild case is a count of 1-2 and mine was of 2-3.
I went back to work and felt ok, but decided to rest after lunch and my first dose of Artenam. I had a rough night with little sleep, lots of aches, and strange dreams - I mean stranger than my normal dreams. So strange that they cannot even be explained. I was able to talk to my parents, Julie, and my brother Dann (he called when I started feeling really bad) and they were all encouraging. I was able to listen to my ipod and actually get some sleep.
I felt a little off yesterday, but only needed naps. Today, I feel just right. God chose not to keep this parasite from me, but He certainly chose to give me grace during my sickness. I didn't throw up (my least favorite symptom) and I feel great now. Someone in our group suggested that maybe I felt okay during the whole thing because if you start so high energy when it knocks you down to normal level, no one can tell. That was sweet - and probably true.
For the first time, I didn't work with all of the Wright children in one day, but we made up for lost time.
I leave tomorrow for Jinja, the source of the Nile. We will spend one night there and then drive to Kampala. We will spend one more night there and then fly out of Entebbe Wednesday night. I will hopefully arrive home on Thursday. My parents want to have some people over to their house on Thursday night, so if you're in the area and in the mood to see a million pictures of Africa, come on by.
Please keep me in your prayers, I can absolutely feel them. I feel like in my small time here I have been effective and I'm so glad for this time. I'll blog more details when I have more time and more depedable internet.
I was feeling a bit off on Friday (the most common complaint of early onset) so I went to the clinic to 'get poked'. Elizabeth (an amazing Kenyan who works there) did the job and as I waited for her to look at my slide, I wandered around the clinic with my friend, Gayle (a Dr. from America). I finally made the loop back and saw Elizabeth in the lab. I felt a little foolish about getting tested because I felt so good. She looked up as I came to the window and asked, "I'm negative right?" And she shook her head no.
I choked back a few tears and asked the next question that should come to any Dempsey's mind, "Can I see it?" She described to me what the malaria parasite looked like and I looked at my blood cells in the microscope. Sure enough, there was a half circled parasite hiding in my red blood cell. A mild case is a count of 1-2 and mine was of 2-3.
I went back to work and felt ok, but decided to rest after lunch and my first dose of Artenam. I had a rough night with little sleep, lots of aches, and strange dreams - I mean stranger than my normal dreams. So strange that they cannot even be explained. I was able to talk to my parents, Julie, and my brother Dann (he called when I started feeling really bad) and they were all encouraging. I was able to listen to my ipod and actually get some sleep.
I felt a little off yesterday, but only needed naps. Today, I feel just right. God chose not to keep this parasite from me, but He certainly chose to give me grace during my sickness. I didn't throw up (my least favorite symptom) and I feel great now. Someone in our group suggested that maybe I felt okay during the whole thing because if you start so high energy when it knocks you down to normal level, no one can tell. That was sweet - and probably true.
For the first time, I didn't work with all of the Wright children in one day, but we made up for lost time.
I leave tomorrow for Jinja, the source of the Nile. We will spend one night there and then drive to Kampala. We will spend one more night there and then fly out of Entebbe Wednesday night. I will hopefully arrive home on Thursday. My parents want to have some people over to their house on Thursday night, so if you're in the area and in the mood to see a million pictures of Africa, come on by.
Please keep me in your prayers, I can absolutely feel them. I feel like in my small time here I have been effective and I'm so glad for this time. I'll blog more details when I have more time and more depedable internet.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
A day in the life
I am so pleased when I am able to get internet! This is my second attempt of the day and I am thrilled to finally write the blog that I wrote in my head all day. So, the long awaited (at least by me) A Day in the Life:
What is my life like here in Karamoja, you may ask. It is very fine (as the Karamajong may say). Each day is a little different, but here is a basic summary of what I'm doing here:
5:30 - 7:30 am:
I slowly wake up to the sounds of Africa. The birds here really do tweet differently. There are several birds of radiant colors who sleep in the trees outside my window. I also sometimes hear the crowing of the roosters. The least enjoyable morning sound is the horrible whimper of the guard dogs. The compound has guards and dogs who watch over us in the night. They are a useful and important part of life here, but the dogs can be a drag. All throughout the evening and morning the dogs will harmonically and loudly whimper for miles around. This howl can loosely be compared to that of the ROUS' from the Princess Bride as Westley kills them. Imagine this but in six different atonal chords. This is my wake-up call. I try to lay in bed for as long as possible and usually actually get up at 7:30.
7:30 - 8:00 am:
I have breakfast in the main house of the compound sometimes we share breakfast or make bits of things for eachother. There is also a morning devotion led by one of the boys who is stayining here. That has been a nice way to start the day. My mornings are very relaxed.
8:00 - 10:00am:
I go the Wright's house (about 1/8th of a mile walk) and we have a morning prayer time in English and Karamajong. I am learning a few words as we read together from the New Testament in Karamajong. It is kind of similar to Vietnamese in its ng sounds and its tonality.
I then begin teaching math. I usually work with Bobby one on one while the others get their notebooks from the day before and find the homework I graded and the new assignment for the day. I also work with Rachel on her Pre-Calc (she's a smartie). We read through the section together and I show her some key points or tricks and she does her work idependently throughout the day.
9:30 -noon: I know the time doesn't match, but this week we are doing something special. We are teaching at the local public school every day this week. The school is a short walk from our house. We have a class ranging in ages from infants to 16 or so. The infants are watched and cared for by their older sisters so if they want to come to school, the younger ones must come too. They have four grades and you must pass in order to be moved on so that is why some are old and in p4 (the highest grade). We first teach a Bible lesson related to the theme of oceans and then we teach a science lesson. We have packets for each student that are stored in an idividual plastic bag with pens and crayons (colors, as they say). We collect these each day, but on the last day they may keep them. For one girl, this was her first time holding a crayon so we had to teach her how to even trace. She was about 10. I think I scared her at first, but by the end she was tracing and filling in with colors.
Some of the students are very smart. They know some English and can respond to questions in English. I hate to admit it, but some are already my favorites. Most of the students don't understand English even though all school work is in English. It's not the best of immersion techniques I've seen. We have an amazing translator who also translates the sermons. His name is LoKue Paul.
We sing songs and color and talk about the oceans and its creatures. We hope to show a movie about the oceans by the end of the week. That is going to blow their minds. They all scream with joy at my camera so I can't imagine what they'll think of a movie!
noon - 1:30 : Lunch of beans and rice and cabbage. I am not too tired of this meal, but the carb overload is really draining my strength. I'm glad I brought my big bag of snacks (thanks, Julie). Lunch is a really nice part of the day. Everyone comes to the main house and sits and talks and we just relax for so long. African life is my kind of laid back.
the rest of the afternoon: Each day is different. Sometimes I go the Wrights and grade math. Sometimes I go the a Bible study in a village. Sometimes I visit other people in nearby places. Sometimes I meet with kids who live in the compound. When I'm really feeling daring, I'll check to see if I can check my email. Yesterday I visited a woman who had just had a baby. We walked to her village for minutes. When we arrived, we ducked under the main gate which is a doorway made from thorny bushes. We must greet every kid we see with an, "Ejoc!" and shake hands. We walked under several more doorways that get progressively shorter until we entered the right circle of huts that belong to her family unit. We then all (there were 8 of us) entered her hut and looked at her baby. She let us hold him (so precious) and then her sister offered us a special drink that closely resembles beer with boiling water added in. As tastey as that sounds, I had made a promise to my family that I would not eat local food or water. I held the baby during this communal passing of the bowl. The mother really wanted me to try some, but the people in my group were able to make my excuses. I'm a little sad that I missed out on the experience, but I don't want a parasite...
We had to wait out the afternoon rainstorm and then we walked home in the mud. I love my shoes!
Evening: Most evenings the visitors (that includes me) make dinner together. My roommate here (Dr. Gayle) and I have been doing the cooking mostly and with lots of help from the others. Gayle is very good at deciding what to eat and how to cook it. The others are eager helpers with great advice. Together we've been able to make some tasty treats. After dinner I usually take my shower (sometimes I do before dinner).
The showers are soooo cold and when you've had a long day in the mud and huts, it feels divine! I don't feel like I ever really get clean, but that shower is close.
Many of us sit together and each read or write. Some of the high schoolers here play guitar and that makes wonderful background noise. My parents also often call during this time and when that phone rings we all run to see who it is.
Before bed I spray myself down with bug spray and then read in bed with my headlamp (thanks, Uncle Dave!) I try to ignore the scarier sounds and only hear the pleasant ones. By scarier sounds I mean that I imagine all of the metal that's clanking to be dangerous things when they are actually sounds of our people shutting their doors or the guards walking to the gates. By pleasant ones I mean the different frogs, crickets and other tones of insects that really is quite soothing.
I am very happily surprised at how comfortable I am here. I do miss home and all of my loved ones there (and ice cream), but I'm not so sad that I cry every day or even feel a dread about being here. Did that just disappoint some of you? Sorry. I do wish the internet was more reliable. This is a beautiful place with friendly people. There are many things I feel that I can do here and I'm so pleased with the work I've been able to do. Please keep praying for me and for those that are missing me.
What is my life like here in Karamoja, you may ask. It is very fine (as the Karamajong may say). Each day is a little different, but here is a basic summary of what I'm doing here:
5:30 - 7:30 am:
I slowly wake up to the sounds of Africa. The birds here really do tweet differently. There are several birds of radiant colors who sleep in the trees outside my window. I also sometimes hear the crowing of the roosters. The least enjoyable morning sound is the horrible whimper of the guard dogs. The compound has guards and dogs who watch over us in the night. They are a useful and important part of life here, but the dogs can be a drag. All throughout the evening and morning the dogs will harmonically and loudly whimper for miles around. This howl can loosely be compared to that of the ROUS' from the Princess Bride as Westley kills them. Imagine this but in six different atonal chords. This is my wake-up call. I try to lay in bed for as long as possible and usually actually get up at 7:30.
7:30 - 8:00 am:
I have breakfast in the main house of the compound sometimes we share breakfast or make bits of things for eachother. There is also a morning devotion led by one of the boys who is stayining here. That has been a nice way to start the day. My mornings are very relaxed.
8:00 - 10:00am:
I go the Wright's house (about 1/8th of a mile walk) and we have a morning prayer time in English and Karamajong. I am learning a few words as we read together from the New Testament in Karamajong. It is kind of similar to Vietnamese in its ng sounds and its tonality.
I then begin teaching math. I usually work with Bobby one on one while the others get their notebooks from the day before and find the homework I graded and the new assignment for the day. I also work with Rachel on her Pre-Calc (she's a smartie). We read through the section together and I show her some key points or tricks and she does her work idependently throughout the day.
9:30 -noon: I know the time doesn't match, but this week we are doing something special. We are teaching at the local public school every day this week. The school is a short walk from our house. We have a class ranging in ages from infants to 16 or so. The infants are watched and cared for by their older sisters so if they want to come to school, the younger ones must come too. They have four grades and you must pass in order to be moved on so that is why some are old and in p4 (the highest grade). We first teach a Bible lesson related to the theme of oceans and then we teach a science lesson. We have packets for each student that are stored in an idividual plastic bag with pens and crayons (colors, as they say). We collect these each day, but on the last day they may keep them. For one girl, this was her first time holding a crayon so we had to teach her how to even trace. She was about 10. I think I scared her at first, but by the end she was tracing and filling in with colors.
Some of the students are very smart. They know some English and can respond to questions in English. I hate to admit it, but some are already my favorites. Most of the students don't understand English even though all school work is in English. It's not the best of immersion techniques I've seen. We have an amazing translator who also translates the sermons. His name is LoKue Paul.
We sing songs and color and talk about the oceans and its creatures. We hope to show a movie about the oceans by the end of the week. That is going to blow their minds. They all scream with joy at my camera so I can't imagine what they'll think of a movie!
noon - 1:30 : Lunch of beans and rice and cabbage. I am not too tired of this meal, but the carb overload is really draining my strength. I'm glad I brought my big bag of snacks (thanks, Julie). Lunch is a really nice part of the day. Everyone comes to the main house and sits and talks and we just relax for so long. African life is my kind of laid back.
the rest of the afternoon: Each day is different. Sometimes I go the Wrights and grade math. Sometimes I go the a Bible study in a village. Sometimes I visit other people in nearby places. Sometimes I meet with kids who live in the compound. When I'm really feeling daring, I'll check to see if I can check my email. Yesterday I visited a woman who had just had a baby. We walked to her village for minutes. When we arrived, we ducked under the main gate which is a doorway made from thorny bushes. We must greet every kid we see with an, "Ejoc!" and shake hands. We walked under several more doorways that get progressively shorter until we entered the right circle of huts that belong to her family unit. We then all (there were 8 of us) entered her hut and looked at her baby. She let us hold him (so precious) and then her sister offered us a special drink that closely resembles beer with boiling water added in. As tastey as that sounds, I had made a promise to my family that I would not eat local food or water. I held the baby during this communal passing of the bowl. The mother really wanted me to try some, but the people in my group were able to make my excuses. I'm a little sad that I missed out on the experience, but I don't want a parasite...
We had to wait out the afternoon rainstorm and then we walked home in the mud. I love my shoes!
Evening: Most evenings the visitors (that includes me) make dinner together. My roommate here (Dr. Gayle) and I have been doing the cooking mostly and with lots of help from the others. Gayle is very good at deciding what to eat and how to cook it. The others are eager helpers with great advice. Together we've been able to make some tasty treats. After dinner I usually take my shower (sometimes I do before dinner).
The showers are soooo cold and when you've had a long day in the mud and huts, it feels divine! I don't feel like I ever really get clean, but that shower is close.
Many of us sit together and each read or write. Some of the high schoolers here play guitar and that makes wonderful background noise. My parents also often call during this time and when that phone rings we all run to see who it is.
Before bed I spray myself down with bug spray and then read in bed with my headlamp (thanks, Uncle Dave!) I try to ignore the scarier sounds and only hear the pleasant ones. By scarier sounds I mean that I imagine all of the metal that's clanking to be dangerous things when they are actually sounds of our people shutting their doors or the guards walking to the gates. By pleasant ones I mean the different frogs, crickets and other tones of insects that really is quite soothing.
I am very happily surprised at how comfortable I am here. I do miss home and all of my loved ones there (and ice cream), but I'm not so sad that I cry every day or even feel a dread about being here. Did that just disappoint some of you? Sorry. I do wish the internet was more reliable. This is a beautiful place with friendly people. There are many things I feel that I can do here and I'm so pleased with the work I've been able to do. Please keep praying for me and for those that are missing me.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
FAQ from Uganda
It's been a while since I've been able to get on the internet, so here are some FAQ's that have come up.
1) How can you have an FAQ page when you've spoken to no one in America in a week?
A: Well, I have a great imagination and can pretend what people would ask. Plus, I've spoken to my parents three times on the phone.
2) Q: How have you communicated with your parents?
A: Someone loaned us an international cell phone and we are able to receive calls on it. My parents have the number, if you want to call.
3) Q: How are the bugs?
A: There are very few bugs here. I've seen bees, flies, ants, wasps, mosquitos, centepedes, ticks, and a preying mantus. They don't cover our feet or hide in our shoes. It's actually pretty nice.
4) Q: What's the weather like?
A: It's a little more humid than Southern CA, but the heat is similar to home. We do have a rain storm almost every day, in fact there's one happening right now. It comes, pours, and leaves. I love the rain here.
5) Q: Do you have indoor plumbing?
A: Yes! We have an indoor shower, toilet, and sink. The water comes from a well and is purified, so it's drinkable. The accomodations are actually very comfortable.
6) Q: What do you eat?
A: For breakfast I've been eating cereal and sometimes homemade bread. For lunch we have beans, rice and cabbage - every day! For dinner we are sometimes asked over to some missionaries homes, sometimes we (the other visitors and I) make dinner together. There is a kitchen with a gas stove that runs on propane. I've learned to make bread and variations of other recipies. There are many good cooks here.
7) Q: Where are you staying and who else is there?
A: The compound is composed of 4 or so buildings. There are currently 3 missionary families on the compound and each has their own house on the compound. All are an easy walk from each other. The other people here who are visiting are a family called the Wrights (not the missionary family, but an unrelated group of Wrights), a kid named Isaac, a girl named Eden (who will be teaching this school year), a student named Becky (who is researching the effect of the clinic on the Karamajong), and a Dr. named Gayle (who is also my roommate). Five others just left today. I will miss them, especially my dear Goodheart girls from CA. I'll see them soon though.
8) Q: How's teaching going?
A: Very well. It was hard at first to convince the missionary kids (MK) that they had to end their math summer early and work with me. They were very patient and now we are in the swing. I give each kid an assignment every day, grade it, and then review the next day with them individually. There are five kids I'm working with in 4 subjects. I'm really enjoying them. I feel like I'm actually being usful.
9) Q: Is it scary where you are?
A: NO! The people were disarmed a few years ago and the government has been very effective. The people are so friendly. My camera has been an amazing tool of friendship. They love to look at the pictures I take of them and their friends. That has been a joy.
10) Q: Do you have malaria?
A: Not yet, but I think I probably will get it at some point. It seems that this is a bad malaria year and especially for people taking the anti-malaria meds I'm taking. The good news is that most people have not had it very bad, just like a mild case of the flu. I'm trying to be careful, but there's not much you can do about it.
11) Q: Have you been able to go to the local schools?
A: I've visited two villages and one school. The children are pretty great. I was able to tell one story with a translator and that was fun. Once we were invited to dance with the kids. I jumped and they laughed at my Mzungu (white girl) ways. Next week I will be able to teach in the local school about the ocean, something these kids have never seen. That is absolutely amazing to me. I know that I am blessed, but to have the richness of fullness of my life contrasted with the poverty and smallness of their lives is still shocking.
12) Q: What language do they speak there?
A: The national language of Uganda is English, but it is spoken with a great accent that makes it hard for us to understand each other. Everyone speaks so precisely and clearly - no contractions at all. I will find myself talking like this much after I am gone from this very place (that was an example of the syntax that people use too). In the region I am in, they speak Karamajong. It is a difficult language in someways, but I am slowly learning. People are able to understand my hello and thank you much more now.
13) Q:Are you homesick?
A: I was very homesick on Sunday. I missed my family and was unable to talk to anyone in any way. Not having consistant internet is hard. I miss talking to my family with ease and telling Julie about the day to day nothings of life. And yet, I am blessed to not be miserable. This place is very comfortable and the people are so kind.
I will try to keep posting as much as I can so keep reading. Thanks for your prayers, God has been so gracious and protecting. This is a wonderful experience.
1) How can you have an FAQ page when you've spoken to no one in America in a week?
A: Well, I have a great imagination and can pretend what people would ask. Plus, I've spoken to my parents three times on the phone.
2) Q: How have you communicated with your parents?
A: Someone loaned us an international cell phone and we are able to receive calls on it. My parents have the number, if you want to call.
3) Q: How are the bugs?
A: There are very few bugs here. I've seen bees, flies, ants, wasps, mosquitos, centepedes, ticks, and a preying mantus. They don't cover our feet or hide in our shoes. It's actually pretty nice.
4) Q: What's the weather like?
A: It's a little more humid than Southern CA, but the heat is similar to home. We do have a rain storm almost every day, in fact there's one happening right now. It comes, pours, and leaves. I love the rain here.
5) Q: Do you have indoor plumbing?
A: Yes! We have an indoor shower, toilet, and sink. The water comes from a well and is purified, so it's drinkable. The accomodations are actually very comfortable.
6) Q: What do you eat?
A: For breakfast I've been eating cereal and sometimes homemade bread. For lunch we have beans, rice and cabbage - every day! For dinner we are sometimes asked over to some missionaries homes, sometimes we (the other visitors and I) make dinner together. There is a kitchen with a gas stove that runs on propane. I've learned to make bread and variations of other recipies. There are many good cooks here.
7) Q: Where are you staying and who else is there?
A: The compound is composed of 4 or so buildings. There are currently 3 missionary families on the compound and each has their own house on the compound. All are an easy walk from each other. The other people here who are visiting are a family called the Wrights (not the missionary family, but an unrelated group of Wrights), a kid named Isaac, a girl named Eden (who will be teaching this school year), a student named Becky (who is researching the effect of the clinic on the Karamajong), and a Dr. named Gayle (who is also my roommate). Five others just left today. I will miss them, especially my dear Goodheart girls from CA. I'll see them soon though.
8) Q: How's teaching going?
A: Very well. It was hard at first to convince the missionary kids (MK) that they had to end their math summer early and work with me. They were very patient and now we are in the swing. I give each kid an assignment every day, grade it, and then review the next day with them individually. There are five kids I'm working with in 4 subjects. I'm really enjoying them. I feel like I'm actually being usful.
9) Q: Is it scary where you are?
A: NO! The people were disarmed a few years ago and the government has been very effective. The people are so friendly. My camera has been an amazing tool of friendship. They love to look at the pictures I take of them and their friends. That has been a joy.
10) Q: Do you have malaria?
A: Not yet, but I think I probably will get it at some point. It seems that this is a bad malaria year and especially for people taking the anti-malaria meds I'm taking. The good news is that most people have not had it very bad, just like a mild case of the flu. I'm trying to be careful, but there's not much you can do about it.
11) Q: Have you been able to go to the local schools?
A: I've visited two villages and one school. The children are pretty great. I was able to tell one story with a translator and that was fun. Once we were invited to dance with the kids. I jumped and they laughed at my Mzungu (white girl) ways. Next week I will be able to teach in the local school about the ocean, something these kids have never seen. That is absolutely amazing to me. I know that I am blessed, but to have the richness of fullness of my life contrasted with the poverty and smallness of their lives is still shocking.
12) Q: What language do they speak there?
A: The national language of Uganda is English, but it is spoken with a great accent that makes it hard for us to understand each other. Everyone speaks so precisely and clearly - no contractions at all. I will find myself talking like this much after I am gone from this very place (that was an example of the syntax that people use too). In the region I am in, they speak Karamajong. It is a difficult language in someways, but I am slowly learning. People are able to understand my hello and thank you much more now.
13) Q:Are you homesick?
A: I was very homesick on Sunday. I missed my family and was unable to talk to anyone in any way. Not having consistant internet is hard. I miss talking to my family with ease and telling Julie about the day to day nothings of life. And yet, I am blessed to not be miserable. This place is very comfortable and the people are so kind.
I will try to keep posting as much as I can so keep reading. Thanks for your prayers, God has been so gracious and protecting. This is a wonderful experience.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Ejoc from Karamoja!
I have arrived and all is well! Thanks for all of your prayers in my travel. Things have been goin very well. Our internet option is limited. There is one computer in one house on the compound and it is slow and touchy. I will try to post as often as I can, but be patient with them.
First of all, let me say, Uganda is now tied with Switzerland for the prettiest place in the world. It is so unbelievably green here. I am amazed at the agriculture that grows here including, bananas, sugar cane, rice, papyrus, sorgum, and tea. There is also great coffee here (so I hear). The compound where we are staying is kind of in the less fertile place of Uganda. EVERYONE I talked to said the same thing when I told them I was going to Karamoja, "Why are you going there? I do not wish to tell you, that is bad place - not as beautiful as..." and then they would fill in their hometown. Most people think Karamoja is a rotten place, but so far I love it! The people I've met have all been very friendly - Muzungu or otherwise.
Muzungu is what they call white people and we are a novelty. Wherever we go people shout and wave and run, "Muzungu!" I waved back for the first two hours of driving, but slowed down a little after that.
I arrived on Wednesday night and met the Eldeens, a missionary couple. They introduced me to the Proctors and the Proctors' new teacher, Laurie. I ended up staying in a great hotel called the ARA on the American Embassy grounds. I had fresh fruit for breakfast and it was pretty great. We shopped in Kampala (the capital city a few miles out of Entebbe) and I went to several grocery stores. The first was very rustic, but the second two were not too far off from Western ones. We went to a butcher shop run by a Belgian and then we were off to Mbale.
We drove about 4 hours through a rain forest, accross the Nile river (yep, little ole me on the Nile!), and then through many villiages. I spent that evening with an Indian family who was celebrating the wife's birthday. We had great Indian food.
I slept at the Proctor's house and met all of their great kids: Lydia, Naomi, Hannah, and John Knox. They were pretty cool. I also met their housekeeper's daughter, Naomi. Such fun. The next day I drove about 2.5 hours to Nakaale which is my villiage in Karamoja. I was greeted by the Goodhearts (my friends from San Diego) and I got a little homesick.
The Wrights had me over to their house for dinner and then we spent the evening on their deck watching the stars, fireflies, and lightning that flashes from cloud to cloud. I then went to the Main House to sleep in a room called the bookcase. It's called the bookcase because it's not really a room, it's just a space behind the bookcases in the livingroom. I have a mosquito net around mine. I was having a litte trouble sleeping so I took a Benedryl last night. Anyone with the priveledge of seeing me on Benedryl can attest that I was having a great night!
I spent the morning painting a ceiling, had beans and rice for lunch (like I will have every day), and then went to a devotion at the Wright's house.
I will type more later when I can. I'm having a great time. I love you all and I miss you.
First of all, let me say, Uganda is now tied with Switzerland for the prettiest place in the world. It is so unbelievably green here. I am amazed at the agriculture that grows here including, bananas, sugar cane, rice, papyrus, sorgum, and tea. There is also great coffee here (so I hear). The compound where we are staying is kind of in the less fertile place of Uganda. EVERYONE I talked to said the same thing when I told them I was going to Karamoja, "Why are you going there? I do not wish to tell you, that is bad place - not as beautiful as..." and then they would fill in their hometown. Most people think Karamoja is a rotten place, but so far I love it! The people I've met have all been very friendly - Muzungu or otherwise.
Muzungu is what they call white people and we are a novelty. Wherever we go people shout and wave and run, "Muzungu!" I waved back for the first two hours of driving, but slowed down a little after that.
I arrived on Wednesday night and met the Eldeens, a missionary couple. They introduced me to the Proctors and the Proctors' new teacher, Laurie. I ended up staying in a great hotel called the ARA on the American Embassy grounds. I had fresh fruit for breakfast and it was pretty great. We shopped in Kampala (the capital city a few miles out of Entebbe) and I went to several grocery stores. The first was very rustic, but the second two were not too far off from Western ones. We went to a butcher shop run by a Belgian and then we were off to Mbale.
We drove about 4 hours through a rain forest, accross the Nile river (yep, little ole me on the Nile!), and then through many villiages. I spent that evening with an Indian family who was celebrating the wife's birthday. We had great Indian food.
I slept at the Proctor's house and met all of their great kids: Lydia, Naomi, Hannah, and John Knox. They were pretty cool. I also met their housekeeper's daughter, Naomi. Such fun. The next day I drove about 2.5 hours to Nakaale which is my villiage in Karamoja. I was greeted by the Goodhearts (my friends from San Diego) and I got a little homesick.
The Wrights had me over to their house for dinner and then we spent the evening on their deck watching the stars, fireflies, and lightning that flashes from cloud to cloud. I then went to the Main House to sleep in a room called the bookcase. It's called the bookcase because it's not really a room, it's just a space behind the bookcases in the livingroom. I have a mosquito net around mine. I was having a litte trouble sleeping so I took a Benedryl last night. Anyone with the priveledge of seeing me on Benedryl can attest that I was having a great night!
I spent the morning painting a ceiling, had beans and rice for lunch (like I will have every day), and then went to a devotion at the Wright's house.
I will type more later when I can. I'm having a great time. I love you all and I miss you.
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