Monday, December 23, 2013

What Christmas is all about!

After a few days of being sick and being tested for malaria (it was negative btw), I had really been wondering if I would feel up to going to Kampala on an excursion and some "christmas" shopping.  Thankfully besides being a bit tired ... I am doing much better and was able to make it through the day (however... I think I may have sweated out more today than I have in the past month combined!  Whatever sickness was left in my body has officially been sweated out!)

Teacher Allen and I had discussed taking a couple of her P1 students along and I also invited her since this is something she has never done as well!  So Hindu and Adam Micah came to the apartment at before 8 this morning ready for a grand adventure.  We had all the normal "errands" to run... picking up supplies, post office, bank, grocery store, etc.  
Decided that after all the morning errands, we would have lunch before heading to the grocery store.  Introduced Allen and the brown eyed cuties to pizza at I love New York Kitchen.   It took them a bit of time to figure out what to do with it but overall I think it was a hit.  Hannington's favorite type of pizza is mbize (pig or bacon) and pineapple however because the two kiddos were muslim we substituted chicken.  Allen was quite unsure about "cooked" pineapple on her pizza so it got picked off and ate it separately.  She was also very unsure with the cooked mango in the mango- banana bread I made last week but was amazed that it could taste so good and it was a hit! Their favorite thing to say is "it is sweet" when something tastes good!  SO pizza is sweet!   I think I am really stretching the staff and kiddos here to try "new" things rather than just matoke, rice, and chicken!   The relationship is mutual as they have me trying lots of new foods like cassava, roasted corn, and fried grasshoppers.  Yes... Allen is putting ketchup on her pizza... Hannington did it so she followed suite.  Monkey see... monkey do!

Traffic in Kampala was absolutely crazy so what normally takes awhile anyway took us even longer today but these kiddos were troopers.  When we reached Nakumatt to grocery shop... this animated saxophone playing "Santa" welcomed us... Adam Micah thought he was funny but didn't want to get to close to him.  Hindu just went along for just about anything we put in front of her!  Adam Micah was also very tentative about the escalator ride.  Took him several attempts before he wasn't acting like Elf!  (I can use that reference because it is almost Christmas!)
If you want to help with providing outings for our brown eyed cuties or projects like helping families in the community with mosquito nets you can go to ...
 https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/InTheFieldMinistriesITFM/donate2.html

So while trying to get back to the village... traffic and the amount of people along (and in) the street was crazy.  Everyone is out getting what is needed for Christmas... many have already started partying... and traffic overall was ... well I would say bumper to bumper but you actually have to be in a line to be bumper to bumper... side to side might be a better reference... ANYWAY... at one point I am looking out the window at one of the markets and there are hundreds of Ugandan's shopping.  For whatever reason... where's waldo came to mind and I thought we could play "where's waldo with the muzungu"...   I obviously stick out like waldo in the midst of all the Ugandan's so it got me laughing... trying to explain the concept with Hannington made it even funnier!  This is what happens when you inhale to many exhaust fumes... I guess!  It made for a fun car ride home!

Oh... before moving on... the other highlight of my day which only reiterated that "I AM NOT DRIVING IN KAMPALA!" ... traffic being as bad as it was...finding parking was even worse... we pulled into the bank parking lot... banking in Uganda normally takes a while even when it is not a holiday... Hannington jumps out and says "find parking and I will find you when I am done"... AHHHH!!  I move to the right side of the car where the driver's side is... get in... and slowly manuever my way through the VERY crowded bank parking lot.  I get almost to the exit gate and someone backs out... now you have to understand they park cars two deep with the assumption you leave the driver in the car to move it if the inside car needs to move... so after some shifting and the direction of the armed guard along with the driver in the car to my left... I get one of the inside parking spots and pull all the way up to the wall...  (I am not sure what would have happened if I had gotten to the exit gate without finding parking ... I am not sure I could have figured out the one way street system plus the Ugandan driving system to get back to the front of the bank... God was definitely watching out for me!!!) ... As soon as the car was parked... I moved back to the passenger seat as I didn't want Hannington getting any other ideas of "letting" me drive!

Ok... moving on now... a few weeks ago a dear man gave his wife the birthday present of donating money to help others in her honor.  Today that gift was fulfilled as we were able to buy mattresses, bed sheets, and mosquito nets for three in-need families.

Kenneth's family... Kenneth is the little boy in baby class that had 45 jiggers and rat bites on his feet when we checked early November.  Grandma is taking care of 6 children... four of which are 4 years and younger.  She is going blind and is doing everything she can to help the little ones but the parent keeps producing children by different women and dropping them off at his mother's house in the village to take care of.  The little ones were sleeping on woven mats on the dirt floor... hence the rat bites.Today we were able to help out by giving them Christmas that will be used year round!







And who could forget Richard with his contagious smile... catch up with his story at...  http://hynangel.blogspot.com/2013/11/meet-richard.html

We were able to provide a new clean mattress and bed sheets for this little guy as well as the wished for mosquito nets for he and grandma!!  AND we also got a sponsor for this little guy!!!




Last but not least... is a family that you would not know this child's story... because unfortunately due to the living conditions, this child passed away from malaria a few months ago.  This child was one of our students that contracted malaria over break and didn't seek medical treatment until it was too late.  This jaja (grandmother) was trying so hard to show her appreciation but just emotion came out.  Mosquito nets, when used properly, save lives.  It is an inexpensive investment by US standards but for many here in the village it is a month's salary for one.  $8 - $10 buys a mosquito net that can save a person's life!

 ( https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/InTheFieldMinistriesITFM/donate2.html )

 This year... my Christmas will look very different from most of my Christmas' in the past.  It will be spent in the village with the staff left on campus (Allen and Jackson)... (I told Hannington earlier that Allen, Jackson and I were having a village Christmas... when the words came out of my mouth and I had to laugh because how many people could say that!  Unfortunately he wouldn't have understood even had I tried to explain! So I just laughed and kept going! )  Anyway we are having a simple meal of chicken and rice and will spend our time assisting others within the community!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!


No comments:

Post a Comment