Another Monday in Kampala. But it will be the last one for a little while. Tomorrow morning I am heading to Soroti with another staff member. We will be traveling the whole day. Then Wednesday morning I meet up with the team from my church in Oregon and am with them until the 8th or the 9th depending on how plans with Alice go. I am super excited to see them. I was right a month ago when I said they will be much needed familiar faces for me. I've been doing really well not getting homesick but the last couple of days have been a little rougher for me. Their arrival is coming at a good time. I will be in Soroti until the 12th and then Alice and I will travel back to Kampala in time to leave on the 13th for Masaka. We will be meeting up with some potential partners from a US organization Send the Cow Project. We'll then come back to Kampala on the 17th and I'll have just 2 1/2 weeks until I fly home. It will go by so incredibly quickly. Probably much more quickly than the past 3 1/2 weeks sitting in an office 10 hours a day. Looking forward to traveling around the country, seeing some of TERREWODE's programs in action, getting to work with friends from Oregon and play with kids at the retreat...so much to do!

This weekend was really nice. The first one not spent in the office. On Saturday I got up and finally had the courage to go running. I had slowly been getting people used to seeing me…the first week I was here I barely walked around the area I'm living. Then I started going on short walks. Then they got a little longer and I started to walk around this certain loop/area. And Saturday I began to run. And man was it ever nice to be able to do that. I was never meant to sit still. Anyways, Saturday I was supposed to go with another member of the staff to meet a girl we are working with on a jewelry project. The Fistula Foundation wants to give out Ugandan jewelry as their dignity gifts to their donors this upcoming year and so TERREWODE has been working on designs. I was chosen to go meet with the girl because I'm an American therefore I will know what Americans will like. Boy was that difficult for me. I kept trying to explain that people are so diverse and everyone has different styles...but we'll see how it goes I guess. The other girl from the staff didn't show up so it was just me representing TERREWODE and the entire American female population. I'll let you know how that one turns out.

Later on Saturday we were supposed to go the museum (I think it was a history museum) which would have been interesting but I can't say I was enthusiastically looking forward to it. We ended up running out of time but we did get to go to one of TERREWODE's board member's houses to see her new baby. Alice had been saying since I arrived in Uganda that we were going to do this. And every time she would call Grace and tell her she couldn't make it that day. But, we finally went. And it was great. Grace and Isaac have 5 kids ages 1 month to 9  years. At first, Alice's kids were just sitting wanting to watch tv and Grace's kids were wanting to play but being shy and so it was kind of everyone just sitting around with Grace and Alice chatting. But then everyone started to get a little more comfortable and we were all playing. I hope it was ok that I preferred to play with the kids than sit and talk to the adults...I tried to do a combination of each. And then one of the girls and I just sat and read books together. She was super cute. Adopted...which I didn't know for the longest time but I kept looking at her and trying to figure out where the heck she came from because all the other kids looked like the mom. So I was waiting for Isaac to get home to see what he looked like. Anyways, in Uganda, as in Kenya, you don't leave when you're ready to go, you must ask the host if you are allowed to leave. Alice asked. 3 times. And each time the answer was no. So we ended up staying til pretty late at night and eating dinner with them even though Alice kept insisting we had to go home. I'm glad we stayed though. It was enjoyable. Except Isaac brought my a 500 mL bottle of beer and poured some in a glass...I drank it slowly then kind of hid my glass because I wasn't really desiring more. And he comes into the room a little later and says, are these ladies not taking care of you? What is happening here? And grabs my glass and pours me more. And it happens until the bottle is now all in my glass. So finally realize that I have to stop drinking for him to stop pouring because finishing something is showing you want more (somehow I failed to remember this from Kenya days and food). Before I could stop him he popped open another bottle. I hope he was thirsty because I didn't even begin to touch that one.

Sunday we were an hour late to church. And it was packed. And we passed by some seats and I thought Alice motioned me to sit down. Well, I sat down and they kept going. So that was awkward. But not nearly as awkward as when I realize I had sat down in the middle of a family where some members had just gotten up to get something. So, I ended up sitting next to a girl with a baby, the mom, then me, then one of the kids, then the dad. And the other two kids just kind of ran around in the nearby floor space because I, apparently, had taken their chair. I was feeling pretty uncomfortable and a little embarrassed. Until through the course of the hour we were there I had 3 different people with kids up and down next to me. Apparently no one really has seats because no one stays in seats for very long. I didn't feel so bad after that. We were supposed to head to the zoo later that day but never made it. When I found out we were possibly just going to this playworld type place I asked to stay home. Alice wouldn't have it. She said we would just go get food and then come back and not go there. I felt bad because the kids had wanted to go but she told me it wasn't about the kids. So, I went along and we ended up going to "the beach." We sat at a picnic table on Lake Victoria and ate at a little lodge type place. Which basically meant there was a window out of which you ordered food and then were served at the picnic tables. So we walk up to the window and there are just these mountains of foot long or so tilapia...and we ordered 3 fish, some chips (potato wedges), and cassava. And they take it and fry it all for you. And so we had fish. Eyeballs, fins, scales, skeleton, brain and all. And it was delicious. Maybe I was just hungry but it tasted so good. I think it is a must do if you are in Uganda. The whole experience was just nice. And refreshing. I had wanted to stay home because I was feeling I just needed to relax and have some moments of peace, and here I end up going and getting to sit on a woven mat by the lake, feeling the breeze against my face, and watching the kids play (Alvine, Emma, and their friends Mimi (6), and Kiki (3))...it was just what I needed.

We then took Alvine and Emma back to school and Mimi, Kiki, and I continued with Livingstone and Alice to Livingstone's sister's place for a "quick stop." His sister is a police woman and apparently all police officers (unless they're the bosses) live in police barracks. Which are just slightly better than slums in my opinion. I was pretty shocked at the conditions and that all police had to live there. While sitting there Alice told me they had gotten a call at 5 am that morning that Livingstone's cousin had died in childbirth. She was 22. Having twins. One survived. She was at the hospital. I asked Alice what happened and she said most likely she had gotten to the hospital a little too late and also Mulago Hospital on a Saturday is a mad house and near impossible to get in treatment or care. It was so sad to hear. I can't even imagine. That just shouldn't happen. It's heartbreaking to hear that and it brings all the theoretical discussions in class to a more emotional place in your heart and mind. Anyways, it was interesting to go and meet some more family and to see the barracks. We stayed for dinner and then the kids and I were sent home with Mawanda. And we didn't have the kids' dad's phone number so they just came and hung out at the house for awhile until someone finally came for them. It was enjoyable. Talked to Phil for a few minutes...unfortunately air time ran out mid sentence...I don't think it gave us nearly as many minutes as last time. Oh well, overall...good weekend.

So like I said, it's now Monday. Lots of work to do and apparently not getting it done because I'm typing this instead. But looking forward to the next several weeks!

Well. Good and busy weekend. It's already Monday. And I am not ready for another week already.

Last Thursday Alice told me...we are NOT working on Saturday. We will take the weekend off. And we will go get massages. I told her I'd believe it when I see it considering I've been told about massages 4 or 5 times since I've been here. Alice isn't exactly a woman of her word (the first week I was here, I was promised we'd go to town to get some things on Monday. And Tuesday. And every other day as well. We still haven't gone. Today I was promised she'd be back in the office around 2 to finish up this proposal with me...it's 4:45 and I was just told Alice called and said she'd be in town until 5:30 or 6 and then she'd be back. Looks like it'll be a late night at work). Let's just say I've learned to never put too much emphasis on what she says or promises. She's a busy woman though. So I can understand for the most part.

Anyways, Saturday we woke up and headed into work. We had a huge project proposal that I had been attempting all week and we wanted to get it sent to Dr. Lewis Wall of the Worldwide Fistula Fund. His organization is looking to partner with TERREWODE in creating a Fistula Care Facility in Soroti, Uganda. The facility will provide free fistula repair surgeries to patients as well as a great number of other programs and services to help women with reintegration into society. These include general classes on fistula (what it is, what causes it, etc), adult literacy classes, business/entrepreneurial skills training, and vocational training. The facility will also seek accreditation by the Ministries of Health and Education so that they can have medical/masters/postdoc students come and intern as well as medical personnel come and do their residencies and train in fistula repair. In addition, they are hoping to have a number of income generating projects like raising cows and having a garden. It will also have a small maternity ward and will offer delivery services to women at a highly subsidized rate. This will help generate a little more income as well as hopefully encourage more women to birth in a health facility. The facility will not only provide a place for the women awaiting surgery and recovering from surgery to stay, but it will also have a dorm for at-risk pregnant mothers and a long-term residency for women with fistulas that cannot be repaired. It's pretty complicated the things that TERREWODE does. The fistula care facility would just be in one region and they are still looking to scale up services across the country. Great programs but it's been over 125 hours of my internship and my head still spins trying to sort through it all. They have been asked to scale-up their programs nationwide by the Ministry of Health. Alice was explaining to me the process and said she's not sure how scaling-up a grassroots women's movement is going to work. TERREWODE's first step is to go in and just raise awareness of fistula and get people to want their services and realize the need they have for them. They work at that until the men and women of the community themselves voice what they need. Then the rest of TERREWODE's programs can move in and will be better accepted because they will come from the desire of the community. It's funny because I almost see that as manipulative but it's a good approach to take.

We got the document sent off for review only 1 hour after we said we would (not too bad). We then did a number of things in town and on the way home so we ended up getting back around 7. Welp, there went Saturday. But it was good and we did need to get that proposal done so I didn't mind too much. I figured, there's always Sunday. One great thing about Saturday was I was able to call Phil and my mom for 10,000 shillings ($4-5). Unfortunately for my mom she was called second and I didn't manage my time very effectively (I didn't know how many minutes 10,000 shillings would give me) and she ended up getting about 3 minutes before the call cut off. It was great to talk to them but made me a bit homesick. I wasn't quite expecting that reaction from myself.

Sunday I got up and did some reading while waiting for the family to get up for church. Around 7:40 Alice comes out and tells me we probably won't go to church today because we will be heading to Livingstone's village. She did say however she was thinking maybe we'd go to prayers from 8-10 and head to the village from there. I looked at my watch. And looked at her. And realized that wasn't happening. So, we set out for the village around 9:40. First we had to stop and drop Alvine and Emma at school because by the time we returned from the village it would've been too late to drop them. We then proceeded on to the village. Around noon, I was thinking we had to be getting close. As I was thinking this, Alice said we'd arrive around 1. so, I was wrong. We then stopped at a little market and Alice and Livingstone got out. I was told they were buying salt. An hour later they returned. With tons of different groceries to give family and friends. I probably would've gotten out of the car and gone with them had I known I would sit there for an hour getting stared at by everyone who passed by. We weren't in the city anymore. I think a mzungu is even more of a site where we were. Anyways, we go a little further, and Livingstone gets out of the car again to go check something. And Alice gets out to buy airtime for her phone. Again, about 40 minutes pass before either come back. After several more stops, we make it to the village. At about 3 pm. Now originally I was told we would be back at their house at 5 to rest and prepare for the work week. I could already see this wasn't going to happen. Which was fine because I had nothing else to do. I was just hoping for some time to organize my thoughts and relax. But it was SO NICE to get out of Kampala. FRESH AIR! I could finally breathe again! That was a blessing. It was also just absolutely beautiful. Nice and green everywhere. The village was small... a tight-knit community. People would stare at us passing by and get HUGE smiles on their faces and wave when they saw it was Livingstone. We then pulled into his brother's lot. His brother died 7 years ago and left behind 21 children. Yes, 21. And according to custom, it was Livingstone's responsibility to take care of the family once his brother died. So he and Alice have been helping put all the children through school. I can't even imagine...they are truly generous people. It may be the custom but they seem to always be helping others out financially. I see it with my own eyes and I hear about it from people who have been helped.

Anyways, at his brother's house he were greeted by his brother's wife and talked with her a few minutes. They then served us lunch. Funny thing about Uganda (and maybe Africa in general...I know this sometimes happened in Kenya),  you'd go visit someone and they would prepare lunch for you but they wouldn't eat with you. They would set you up somewhere and you would eat with the other guests and they would return to clear your plates. I just think it's a funny thing to do. Then again, at work the other day Robert (a student intern) asked me, "when you go to someone's house, you have to call ahead and set it up right? And when you do that, is it true that you usually stop and bring food with you or drinks?"...so, our customs are just as odd to them. Their culture is one of open hospitality and the host always prepares and gives to the guest. We like planning ahead and having potlucks. What can I say. Ok so we're sitting outside around the coffee table and they start bringing dishes out. And they look awfully familiar to me. But the plates were sandwiched together over food so I could only see the edges. I was pretty excited when we began to uncover the food and I recognized the plates. They are the same green sponge painted moose and pine tree plates that I have in my apartment in Oregon. It was a nice coincidence and it made me smile. Felt like home.

After lunch we went to check out Alice and Livingstone's plot of land. According to custom, you are to have a residence in the village of the man and people have been on them for quite awhile to do so. They just haven't been able to financially yet. And no wonder if they're constantly putting kids through school. So we visit this sizable plot of land. And then we pick up some people and drive down this foot path through the trees. We reach the middle of nowhere and get out. And then we start to trudge through the trees. 9 of us. A random kid, some elders of the village, the chairman (who is in charge of doing land titles), Alice, Livingstone, the sister-in-law, and the mzungu. We stop and pick up this pile of banana leaf branches out of a bush, and begin to take off in the middle of an overgrown garden. And we begin marking the land boundaries. By digging holes and planting these banana leaf branches every 25 feet or so. Now, to me, I couldn't even begin to see the branches amidst all the other plants but I'm sure to a more trained eye, the boundary of the land was very clearly visible. At the end of this, about an hour later, we all sat around under the trees as the chairman wrote out the title to the land. At one point, one of the elders laughed and said something about the mzungu. Apparently he was making a joke that I should be put down as a witness. I wasn't. That would've been something though huh. One of TERREWODE's focuses is land rights for women. It was good to see the process in person. She said, now you see how outnumbered women are here. The sister in law wasn't going to come but Alice insisted she did. The wife usually is not there. And of course, the female mzungu usually isn't there either. So things are decided by the men, and the wife is at the mercy of the husband. TERREWODE was initially started with a focus on land rights for women but Alice soon saw that the women she was trying to mobilize and help were all incredibly sick. So that's when she realized she needed to help treat them first (many were suffering fistula) before she could address underlying causes of their poverty and their injuries. I think that's important to remember. My program is so focused on the upstream, prevention approach which is huge and important, but I think we sometimes gloss over the fact that people are already out there sick and suffering and treatment is important too. The doctor's job is just as important as the public health person's.

So we finally finish up this process, head back to the sister in law's house, visit yet another plot of their land (I was impressed by the first. Here there were at least 3), say goodbyes, and start to head out. On the way, we stop at this one compound and Alice says they are going in to visit Livingstone's grandfather. I asked if I should come and she said yes if I would like to. So I did. He was sitting in this little hut on a wooden frame of a bed with no mattress. We talked for several minutes while he sat inside and we sat on a bench right outside and I was feeling a little out of place. He had very advanced skin cancer and was telling them what was going on and what the doctors had said. He then came out and I saw his hand. It was completed disfigured with a huge gaping growth and hole, his skin simply eaten away. As he was holding it out for Livingstone to see, it started to ooze and bleed. I was shocked. I had never seen skin cancer look like that. I didn't know it could look like that. It was horrible to think that this man had been living with this. It was enough to make you sick looking at it. I found out later that I wasn't intruding and he probably wasn't sick looking at it because a few years ago he went blind. Livingstone and Alice and the friend we were with kept asking questions about his visit to the hospital, had the cancer spread, why didn't they amputate etc. Without many answers, our final consensus was that they had "escaped" from the hospital. Apparently it's quite common. People feel as if they aren't being treated or the western medicine won't help so they escape while they are still being processed. This has happened recently with Livingstone's sister. She was diagnosed with cervical cancer and Alice and Livingstone had set up treatment and were going to pay the bills. But she ran off and instead went to a traditional healer. She has yet to return. There's such a conflict between traditional beliefs and western medicine. If you don't understand western or modern medicine and you don't trust it, why would you go to a doctor over a traditional healer, someone in your society who you do trust and respect? And I do think that traditional healers do have a lot of knowledge of herbal medicines and for some illnesses, they do have the abilities to treat. But for things like cervical and skin cancer. Treatment, and more accurately, prompt treatment, is so incredibly essential. There should be a partnership between the two realms of medicine. It was difficult to see such advanced illness and no hope. I left almost feeling relief that he was blind. I don't know if that's something to be thankful for but in that moment, I was thankful for it so that he didn't have to look down and see what we were able to see.

We finally returned home close to ten at night. Ate dinner. And went to sleep.

Monday afternoon we had a great big thunder and lightning storm. It was pretty awesome. And for most of the day we had no power in the office. Alice had gone out and was to return early afternoon. By 6 the staff hired a car to take us all home since she hadn't returned. Well we made the usual rounds and dropped off Lutie and Martha and Carol and Morgans and then Edmond (another student intern and Alice's nephew) was to ride the rest of the way with me to Alice's house to make sure I got home ok. Well the last few miles of road leading to Alice's are all dirt. And we were in a little car, not the bigger 4WD vehicle. And boy did we ever get stuck. After 5-10 minutes of the driver spinning his wheels, men started to gather around the car and offered to help push. So they struggled and we finally get going but were swerving all over the muddy road and in front of us this huge truck turns out. And the two vehicles swerve towards one another and in the last second our driver turns the wheel hard the other way and we go off the side of the road a bit and through some branches. At that point I told Edmond I could walk the rest of the way. I was afraid a) the car would get stuck again further back and b) we would get in an accident if we met another vehicle again. It was slightly terrifying. I was asked to pay the guy who initially helped push 5,000 shillings and then I gave Edmond another 5,000 in case they got stuck on the way back and needed help again. I don't know if they would've asked for that much or any money at all had a mzungu not been in the car but I wanted to make sure he could make it home alright. And did I ever feel bad for the driver. He had no idea what he was getting himself into when he took this job. I think he was a bit annoyed. But also a bit relieved when we drove through the branches rather than hit the truck. I think he may have had a mini heart attack. He and the two of us in the back seat as well. We all breathed a huge sigh of relief and took a moment to recollect before moving ahead.

It's now Tuesday morning and we're still at Alice's house. Mawanda got stuck trying to come and get us. Ayyiyi. The roads are bad when it doesn't rain. When it does rain, it's near impossible! We shall see what today has in store.

Tuesday afternoon: breathe a sigh of relief. We sent off the Project Proposal. We think it's time for a quick break and tasty lunch. 

Thursday...

Today was just a really good day. And I don't know why. Nothing particularly great happened. It was another day working til 7 at the office. And yet, the ride home I was just in a happy relaxed mood. I felt joyful.

Last night when I went to bed I felt stressed. I felt this tension. And I couldn’t figure out why. I think I was thinking about wedding stuff and how I can't do much from here and for some reason those things were stressing me out. Even though I told myself that it wasn't worth worrying over. That I will have plenty of time and worrying won't help. I woke up this morning still feeling unsettled, restless, and lonely. But then, by circumstances of the morning, I ended up having an extra long time to sit and drink tea and read. So, I read a chapter in Knowing God. It was talking about how, as Christians, we are God's adopted children. And it went through so much of what that means. It's something we know from the time we're little. But what does it look like? What does it mean for my life each and every day? It was exactly what I needed this morning. To realize that God is my Father. I am his child. He loves me, cares about me, is there with me always. And then I started to think about how if my dad had been sitting at the table with me this morning, I wouldn't have felt lonely at all. I would've talked to him about all that's going on in my head and all that I was processing through. I would've had conversation with someone who knows me and understands me and knows where I'm coming from. And that's what I can and do have with my heavenly Father as well. Why should I be feeling lonely? I can talk to him just as if I'm talking to my dad. And although I may not have the same verbal response as my dad would give, I know that a certain peace and rest comes upon me when I take the time and do just that.

So, with that new mindset and feeling a great deal more peaceful and less tense, I headed off to work. It was an average day. Nothing spectacular. Did some of the same things I've been working on. More grant proposals (which, I was asked by Alice today where I learned to write grant proposals. Which I was like uh oh (that could mean one of two things...either I'm good at it and she's impressed or I'm absolutely awful and she's wondering who the heck taught me. Thankfully it was more the former.)...point is, I realize that I don't have to be nervous going into things that I've never done before. I have the ability to read up on it and go and do it. I think she was surprised to hear that no, I didn't take a class on it. I was just forewarned that I should probably have an idea of how to do it before I go so I looked up 2 different postings on the internet about grant writing). Anyways. What made today good? Well, just little things really.

Alice brought food for her and I for lunch from home. And we're sitting in her office eating and all of a sudden Mawanda comes in with a half of a huge avocado and gestures to me asking if I would like it. I think my face lit up to the moon (that's the phrase that came to me as I was typing...I have no idea if it's a legitimate phrase or why I decided to use that terminology but anyways) because he got this big smile on his face. Mawanda is the driver. And he cleans the office and runs errands for the staff. He is the first and last one working each day as he has to walk or take a boda boda (motorcycle taxi) to the house to get the car which is parked in Alice's garage each night. He then drives us around, cleans, and runs errands all day...and I admit, he has a lot of down time in between...but then he has to drive us home at night and stop while we run errands and buy food and then he has to walk or hopefully catch a boda boda back out to where he stays. I say hopefully because Alice lives in a pretty remote location. Especially at night when it's dark. Anyways, Mawanda is a sweet guy. Pretty quiet natured. Very kind to me. Always saying hello, welcome, and how was your night. Our communication doesn't go much further. Which was a bit awkward the past 3 days as Alice was in Nairobi so he would just drive me in the morning and at night and it was mostly just silence that hour each way. I don't know...I mean, maybe it's not just me or our language barrier. Maybe drivers are pretty silent. Anyways, I try asking questions but I notice the answer is always "yes" or "mm". Or I ask a question and the answer is two words that have nothing to do with what I asked. I should probably work on my Luganda because I would like to talk to him. I think at times and by some people, he's pretty under appreciated. And though I don't always understand the culture and how people interact and what's normal and what's not, I can tell when he's a bit put out. So I try to always offer an enthusiastic smile and good morning. And be an encouragement to him even when I can't necessarily use any words beyond weebale (thank you) to do so.

Then it was about 6:45 and Lutie (the accountant) and I are just sitting waiting for Alice to be done her meeting so we can all leave. And we're just chatting about stuff. She was trying to think about what she had at home food-wise and if she needed to stop to get anything to supplement that and what she would make for dinner. And I was telling her how I always do the same thing. Either towards the end of a long class or on my bike ride home each day in Corvallis. I think about what I have...which is typically rice or pasta, cans of beans and stewed tomatoes, and frozen spinach...and what I can make with it.   And then we were talking about roasted maize and how delicious it is. And then she asked if the weather was cold for me. And I said, no I think it feels great out (it was a bit on the cooler side today but oh so nice). And she said oh, and tugged on my long sleeve shirt. And so I had to admit that I was wearing long sleeves because I had ran out of clothes. Alice told me to have Ida (the house help. Awesome and funny girl) wash them with the rest of the family's (I felt bad but Alice insisted that I don't have time to do it. It's not a quick throw-it-in-the-machine process...which given the work schedule she's kind of right)...anyways, that was Monday that I gave them to her. I kept like two skirts and two short sleeve shirts out figuring I'd have the rest of them back soon. Well, it's almost Friday and I still haven't gotten them back. So, I was wearing a skirt that I had ripped  (the one time I don't travel with that little sewing kit my mom insists I take everywhere...you were right) and attempted to pin back together AND that I had been using as a towel the last week since mine was in the wash (I didn't reveal that part to Lutie) and the long sleeve shirt because that's literally pretty much all I had left. She thought it was hilarious. I don't know why that conversation put me in a good mood. Maybe because it actually felt like a conversation between friends. I enjoyed it.

I don't know. I noticed on the way home I just felt light and carefree. Happy. Joyful. I just watched as we drove by the crowded streets. Little vendors everywhere. People and cars in places you shouldn't be able to fit either. The hilarious party music on the radio. And I just smiled to myself. It was a good day. 

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me." Mt 25:35-36.

I am so very humbled to be in the presence of some truly wonderful people. It's times like these, when you can see clearly into someone's heart, that you feel overwhelmed with how great our God is. It's only 1:45 in the afternoon and I've already been moved to tears several times today. This morning we attended the Watoto Church...and as soon as we pulled up and I heard singing, a song I actually knew...a somewhat, contemporary, Christian song...I was excited. But I wasn't prepared to walk into the pavilion and immediately have tears come to my eyes. It was instantaneous. I just felt God's presence...felt comfort and joy. And it was something that I hadn't felt yet in Uganda as we missed church last week. What a blessing to be able to attend today.

On the way home, we get part way down Alice's street and we stop. I couldn't even see him from where I was sitting, but there was a very old man on the side of the road with his walking stick. I can't imagine how he had already managed to get so far. He barely came up to the window (and we were in a little car)...probably less than 4 feet high he was so crumpled over. We stopped and Alice handed him some money. It was pretty clear that the gown he wore and the soiled suit jacket we're some of the only clothing he owned. She then opened the door and allowed him to get in the car. I was surprised when we went back to Alice's house rather than take him to his. Alice told him that he will first eat lunch, and then they will take him home. He said he couldn't remember where home was and they didn't have any luck getting him there. But even so, at least from an outside perspective where I couldn't necessarily understand what was being said, I felt humbled by the gesture and also deeply saddened by this man's circumstances.

 Later in the day, I started to head out for a walk and Alvine asked if she could join. I said of course and so we set out. We quickly ran into Emma, Evas, and Ida (who had been trying to help take the older man home) and so Emma joined us. They showed me around the area, but we didn't get very far. Right behind the house is a primary school...which, despite being here just over a week, I had no idea. They took me in and around each of the classrooms and it was a pretty dismal sight. After having seen the boarding school that Alvine and Emma attend and then seeing this, it was a bit heartbreaking to see the difference. I know the same disparities exist between schools in the US. Where you live and what you can afford greatly affects your children's lives...those who attend this school won't have as good of chances in life. And it was even more disturbing to me that some parents can't afford school fees at all and so their children don't attend. How can they charge to send children here? And how can some families not afford it? It was all open, just a row of brick classrooms with dirt floors, a few desks, no actual windows or doors (just openings)...and in one room we entered, an older child was sleeping. I don't know how long they had been there, if it was an afternoon nap or if the child lived in the classroom after hours for lack of anywhere else to go. After we saw the school, Alvine wanted me to meet some family friends. I had declined earlier as she had ran in and said they were eating their lunch but we could visit. I didn't want to intrude. But we headed back there, again I was a little hesitant just barging in, and they were so welcoming. Josephine and her husband Anthony have 6 little kids age 11 and down. 5 boys and 1 girl. I was embarrassed at how hospitable they were, instantly bringing Alvine, Emma, and I three ears of maize, which I know they probably couldn't afford to give. Their house was bare. Basic cement structure with a few couches in one room, a little table (maybe 12in/12in) and that was pretty much it. They had all just finished eating and were sitting on the floor of the one room. They immediately ushered us to the other room (with the couches) and sat down. It was a little awkward as I wasn't sure what questions were ok to ask or not...what would be appropriate. But, we talked for a bit, and then Emma took over telling us story after story after story. I had no idea that kid could talk so much. After awhile, Alvine and Emma jetted out and I talked a few more minutes and then thanked them. I'm not really sure what's culturally appropriate. On one hand, I felt like we had intruded and were probably overstaying our visit, and on the other hand, I know they were honored to have us stop by and seemed very appreciative of our visit. So...I got up reluctantly, not really sure if I was leaving too soon or not. I would really like to get to know this family a little more...a prayer request would be the opportunity to do so. And maybe wisdom and discernment and open eyes as to how and if I can help in any way. It's on my heart to do so...I'm just uncertain of what that looks like.

Another prayer request would be for my health. I've had quite a bit of stomach issues since getting here and my appetite has been way down. Which, in Uganda, is difficult to deal with when you have food coming at you all the time (it's actually not all the time but for some reason breakfast at 7, lunch at 2, and dinner at 9 is hard for me to get down) and refusing something that is offered to you isn't an option. I don't want to be rude  but at the same time it's hard to eat when feeling this way. Why I'm not feeling hunger I don't know but just prayer for general health would be appreciated.

Hope you all are doing well and are having a wonderful summer!

After a somewhat frustrating day spent partially with me deciding what I needed more, a big cup of coffee or a nice glass of wine (I know...two things with totally opposite effects...I'm not sure which effect I desired more), I am happy to be back at Alice's house and relaxing on my bed. It wasn't a bad day in any way, but for some reason by the end I was more than ready to be done. It's funny. After yesterday, I was excited about being here, excited about working with TERREWODE, excited to tackle anything. I still felt that way this morning on our drive in. And then somewhere in the middle of the day, I had apparently lost that drive. Anyways, I guess I'll start with yesterday.

I'll spare you the details and go with what was interesting. It's pretty bad that I have to go back and look at my notes to even remember yesterday and what I did. Yesterday I started out working a little on the monitoring and evaluation system for TERREWODE to use. I then worked on redoing a grant that had been previously submitted to the Birthing Project USA. The grant returned with some support, but not all that TERREWODE had asked for. The committee said that they should work on strengthening the proposal and resubmit it to try and get more Safe Birth Kits. It was interesting coming in on someone else's work and project idea and trying to adapt it and strengthen the proposal. I worked on that again a lot today, and it definitely didn't get any easier. I think it would have been easier to start from scratch, which, if you look at the changes that were tracked in Word, that's probably pretty much what I did. 

At one point, two people from a small organization came in to have a meeting with Alice. Their organization was called Mama Alive Initiatives. They wanted to partner with TERREWODE as they were working on things such as Mama Bags (bags filled with supplies for pregnant women who were near their due dates in case they went into labor and couldn't reach a medical center). They also talked about some of their other programs like bicycle ambulances (a bike with a cot on wheels attached to it). They sounded good and probably could work if adapted but if you really looked at their stated goal (to encourage women to use health facilities when giving birth) and their bag program (give women the supplies necessary in case they went into labor and birthed at home), they didn't add up. If you want to encourage a woman to get to a health facility and receive care from doctors or midwives there, why would you give her everything she needs so that she doesn't have to come to a health facility? Why not wait and give her the supply bag when she arrives at a hospital to give birth, since often times in less developed countries a patient is required to supply her own supplies for procedures and hospital stays. I think I go in circles on this. You want her to be prepared. Often times these are rural women who have trouble accessing a health facility. Yet you also want to encourage her to use trained health personnel at a clinic so that you can work towards cutting down maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. so you don't want to provide her with the means to try and birth alone. After they left, Alice and I discussed their ideas and I brought up this dilemma that I was running through in my head. She said exactly...if you give a woman a bag of supplies like that, she will not go when it's time. TERREWODE instead wants to do something similar with the Safe Birth Kits (and maybe partner with this other organization and use the bag idea as well) but to do it at the facility level rather than the individual level. All in all it was an interesting meeting to sit in on and listen to. They discussed a lot of things I spent my last year discussing in classes. And we came to just as many firm conclusions yesterday as I feel we did in classes all year. Close to none. 

Later in the day we had a staff meeting to review the past several days of having the women from the Fistula Foundation around. Alice recapped their time together and it sounded like it went really well. I missed most of it since I wasn't here yet. She then did introductions of the staff to me (a little late but it's ok) and then told them about me. It was here that I learned that the visitors from the Fistula Foundation had suggested to Alice that she utilize me in resource mobilization. So she told the staff that I would be doing resource mobilization for them. And then we launched into a brainstorming discussion on that. I figured, well, ok, yea, I can do that. Thanks for the heads up. And at the same time was thinking...is this going to fit into my internship requirements? But no worries because at the end of the meeting Alice tells the staff that I have already created for them a newsletter, that I have several grant applications to do, and then I will be updating training manuals, creating a monitoring and evaluation system, ...as she proceeded to list the things I was originally going to do. So, looks like I will have plenty to refer to for my internship requirements.

We always talk in class about small time non-profits and how difficult it is to manage on such little funding that is available at times. You don't really need class to tell you that. It's a tough sector to be in. Grants and donations. It's all they rely on. It's amazing how they can keep plugging away even when their grant proposals are not accepted. TERREWODE has so many needs with little funding to cover them. Their longest standing funder the African Medical Research Foundation recently and suddenly pulled out funding from the Teso region for all treatment of fistula. Reminded me of what happened that led to the birth of Chariots for Hope. I don't know how you work day to day knowing that you don't have funding for what you are doing or for what you need to do to make your programs succeed. Thankfully they did get a second year of funding from the Fistula Foundation, but now that AMREF has pulled out, they only have enough to do half the number of surgeries they were hoping to do. We wrote to see if the Fistula Foundation would consider granting TERREWODE more funds, so we will just have to wait and see. Surgeries for these women have been suspended for several months but they are scheduled to resume starting Monday. On top of the lack of funds, TERREWODE's office was broken into last week and their laptops were stolen. Many businesses employ night watchmen but TERREWODE had not yet. It was something they hadn't gotten to because of operating on such a low budget. They just have so many needs. Their car keeps breaking down (and no wonder given the state of the roads) and they keep pouring money into it. What they need is a new vehicle but that's a little difficult when there are no funds to be had. They are also really wanting to get several motorbikes and bicycles to give in the rural villages where they work where transportation for women in labor to a health facility is lacking. These are small ways in which they could use help. If anyone has ideas for mobilizing resources for small one-time project-oriented donations, let me know! Because apparently resource mobilization is now my job.

Today (Wednesday) Alice and I went to Mulago Hospital to visit with Dr. Justus to discuss the work plan for the next several months. He is a gyn/obs who does many of the fistula surgeries in the region. On top of his work at Mulago Hospital in Kampala and his work teaching students. It was an interesting meeting to be a part of. You could tell he and Alice were both passionate about the work but that they were also both coming from different positions with different priorities. Dr. Justus referred to himself as "like an American" who wants to do things the quickest and easiest way. He was complaining about all the big meetings where the money from the Gates Foundation or wherever never actually gets to the women that it is supposed to help. Instead it gets to the point of the meeting where people sit around and talk for hours and hours developing "the system." Unfortunately, the system is necessary and will one day be helpful but that doesn't make it any less frustrating now. Justus was suggesting TERREWODE and his team of surgeons use the village health teams and locate volunteers from each district within them to help in patient identification. He said all they do is call up the district leaders, ask for the village health teams, and from there, identify their advocates. They will then spend a week and visit the advocates in all 10 districts and give them a quick training on fistula. Then he said they just do a huge radio message calling all patients and referring them to the identified advocates. And voula. You're done with the patient identification. Alice, on the other hand, said it's not that simple. That they will do radio messages but there are those women who will need persuading to come. Fistula is such a personal problem with so much stigma and discrimination attached. It's an embarrassing condition for many and some women need to be encouraged to come and seek treatment.  She also thinks it's necessary to go to each district and meet with the leaders and then identify volunteers from there rather than just using the village health teams. She doesn't trust them as they are first and foremost representatives of the government. From her experience, she has found that recruiting volunteers from other groups typically works better. And she thinks they need to go and do a more in depth training. Not just of what fistula is but how to approach a woman who has it. Again, different motives and priorities. Dr. Justus has a huge heart for this and his goal is to fix as many women as possible. Alice's goal is to not only fix the women but to help them reintegrate into society. It's a more relational approach and it takes more time. I think it was an issue of quantity over quality. Dr. Justus sees it as the more patients you get to the better. Alice agrees with that but thinks about quality as well...she doesn't want to leave anyone out. It's a complicated thing that's for sure but I think together, they make a great team. Dr. Justus had some really valuable contributions to the work plan and I think they finally agreed on a timeline that would be most effective. (During this time and other meetings I have been in, I have been reminded of my time in Kenya. They will be explaining something and then stop and say, are we together? Um, well, No...no I have no idea what you're saying. Or they stop themselves mid sentence and say, "and from there we will do what?" And they pause. And it's just silent. I still can't determine whether or not that pause is meant to provide a moment for you to chime in and guess what they're going to say next or if its purpose is for you to sit quietly and allow the suspense and excitement to build…Jessica? Ashley? Crystal? Any thoughts on this?...random but remember asking mama faith to say "can I get a what what"? Ha.). 

We then went into town for lunch. We went to a little café in the middle of the city. I think the girl at the buffet line was surprised when I asked if she had matoke. I saw that another man had gotten it but I didn't see it in the line and so I asked about it. She probably found it weird that a mzungu would ask for matoke (bananas that have been wrapped in banana leaves and cooked for like 4 hours on a charcoal stove...you then eat it with g-nut sauce...which is like runny peanut butter in a way) when there was so much other, "more desirable" food like beef and fried chicken. 

Then we headed back to the office and I continued to work on the Birthing Project grant for Safe Birth Kits but like I said, it's hard to do someone else's especially when you start to realize the activities mentioned in one place don't match the activities you're budgeting for nor the activities you're monitoring in the monitoring and evaluation plan. We then had a work plan collaboration meeting. But at this point it was about 7 pm and looking around at the few staff, I saw that NO ONE was involved or checked in but Alice who just kept going. Everyone else looked like their heads were going to explode. I know mine was. I was starting to feel slightly sick. We finally left the office around 7:45 to go home and arrived around 9:30...on the way home I was just sitting and thinking about how overly stimulating the environment is here. Maybe it's just because it's foreign to me and I'm not used to it. Perhaps a US city would be just as much so to someone from here. Part way home I was finding myself stifling laughter just thinking about how ridiculous some things are here.  The roads...who can blame the driver when the vehicle needs to go into the shop when the roads offer a better adventure than the rides we pay for at an amusement park? I can't even believe sometimes when the driver turns down a narrow road that barely fits the vehicle with walls on either side and the road itself with huge rocks and bumps and holes...no matter how many times it happens (multiple times every single day that I've ever been in Africa), it still surprises me. And cracks me up. And the rest of the rules to driving around here...don't even get me started on the use of roundabouts (which, by the way, do seem to work here despite the fact that nothing in the realm of their traffic patterns should logically work). 

We then passed a lady who was walking on the other side of the street going the other direction. So we slow down and stop, yell to her, she looks at us, then we keep going. It was a friend and I thought we had offered a ride but she had refused. However, much to my surprise, 20 minutes later after we had dropped Martha off at home and were going back the other direction, we slow down and stopped and here this lady was just waiting for us on the side of the road. So we stop and pick her up. Her name was Janet and she is one of the founding members of TERREWODE. So it was nice to meet her. I found it all slightly funny though... approximately 3 minutes into driving, the car starts making funky noises (probably because we had just driven it in and out of 31 ditches). So, we stop and pull over on the side of a super narrow highway. And Mwanda (the driver) gets out and starts checking out the car...as cars and trucks are flying by at who knows what speed. I really thought I was going to see Mwanda get hit head on right before my eyes. I think I was a little nervous the whole time he was outside the car. But not him. He just kept walking around as cars we're within 6 inches of him flying by. Ay. So then we probably sit there for 20 minutes trying to fix the car and call a mechanic to see if it's ok to drive a little further. At first you know I think why not. It'll be fine but then I couldn't help but think about it being a major problem and the car blowing up (irrational? probably). To calm my nerves I started to pray and moments later the noises stopped (Maybe the kinks just worked themselves out...or maybe not). So we drive maybe another 300 yards and then we pull over. And Janet gets out. At her house. A good 45 minutes after we had first seen her and approximately half a mile down the road (somehow I think she could've gotten there much faster if she had continued her walk in the first place). I just found myself laughing about it all. And thinking about the reasons I do really enjoy it in Africa. So all in all, the long, once annoying car ride after a long day at work ended up being just what I needed at the end of the day to settle my mind and pray and find encouragement. Not a glass of wine nor a cup of coffee.

4.6.12-4.8.12

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Well, I’m here.

I arrived in Uganda Friday around 1:30 in the afternoon. I finally made it through immigration and customs about an hour and a half later…with no problems at all. I don't know why I have it in my head that I'll have a problem each time I pass through. As if they won't let me in the country because they don't like how I look or something. It seems silly but I'm nervous every time nonetheless. Once through, I was greeted by Martha, a woman who works as the program coordinator at TERREWODE. Martha, along with her baby and two others, drove me the hour and a half to a hotel in Kampala where I would be staying the night. During that hour and a half, I was once again amazed at African drivers and their insane yet safe driving. They do things that seem wildly unsafe yet somehow you feel totally at ease with their skills…or maybe you're just comfortable with their confidence. I don’t know which it is. Probably their confidence. Because if they drove like that and didn't act like it was normal or fine or safe or whatever, I think I would probably have a heart attack. Whatever the case may be, despite quick accelerations, breaks, and swerves, I think I nodded off at least 8 times. I was trying so hard to stay awake, but alas, my body had other plans after traveling for so long.

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I arrived at the hotel near 5 pm and spent some time unsuccessfully trying to connect to the internet, listening to music, reading, and getting clean. As soon as I sat on the bed to read a little, I fell asleep…at least 3 times before it hit 7 pm. It was then I finally decided that I had made it late enough into the day to allow myself to sleep and to still try and get on to the new time zone. The hotel is nice and my room was comfortable. Very little noise insulation though so I woke multiple times during the night…I was thankful that the hammering going on above my room finally stopped around the time I was actually going to bed. But one thing I didn't like...when people are opening their doors with their keys to other rooms in the hallway, the noise is so loud that it sounds like they’re opening your door. Which can be slightly nerve-wracking in the middle of the night…awakening to the sound of what you think is someone coming in your door at 2 am. I finally got up a little before 5 am as my next door neighbors were just arriving…and playing music next to the door which connects our two rooms. I guess it’s good to know how much people can hear you from their room by how much you can hear them. As they were getting into bed I heard the guy say, how are we supposed to fall asleep at 4 am?? But shortly after, there was silence. And when their alarm went off an hour later for 10 minutes straight (yes, I timed it), neither woke up. So I’m guessing they didn’t have a problem with falling (or staying) asleep.

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I had a nice quiet morning reading and organizing on Saturday. At breakfast I just sat at the table and drank my instant coffee and chai. At first, I felt lonely. Being in Uganda alone, away from family and away from any of the people I had met from TERREWODE. But as I sat thinking about taking my chai back to my room so I could read or do something else while I drank it and get my mind off of being alone, I decided to stay put and to use the opportunity to pray. And I am so glad that I did. Having God's peace flow over me and to suddenly not feel so alone was a blessing. A wonderful feeling indeed.

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I then went back to my room as I was to be picked up by Martha shortly. Well, I must have forgotten that 9 am African time is really 12 pm American time...so, not so shortly. But when she did arrive to get me, we just walked a short distance and caught a matutu into town so that I could exchange some money. We then met up with a driver from TERREWODE and Martha's partner Henry and baby Morgans. At first it felt a little awkward but soon the conversation flowed a little better. I really enjoyed hanging out with them for the day. We just went out to lunch and then to a coffee shop and sat and talked. Awkward times when you don't know the people you're with always seem to go better with babies around. It was interesting listening to some of their conversations about Engen, the oil company that isn't "for the people" because they buy their own product to up the prices, about access to water and having to dig your own tanks, and about transportation for those living outside of the city in more rural areas. Well hello OSU international health classes. Talking to Martha was also interesting as she told me that some traditions that families have in place to protect their girl children actually do more harm than good. For instance, when a girl gets pregnant out of wedlock, the family typically demands that the man marry the girl. So, you end up with two people who don't necessarily want to be married to each other, which can lead to increased divorces. Also, often times the boy's family will neglect the girl and not take her to her prenatal visits or to a hospital to deliver, so often, these girls end up with a fistula because they aren't getting the care that they need. They are subject to abuse in addition to the neglect. So, when a girl gets pregnant before she is married, she often hides the identity of the man from her family so that they cannot force marriage upon them. Martha said this is a big problem in the region where she is from (Teso) and that her parents had a hard time with her pregnancy (and still do). Fortunately for her, both she and Henry are adults and are capable of supporting themselves and the baby. Again, it made me think about class and the things we talk about regarding traditions that are harmful to health. But they're traditions...how do you change the mindset and attitude? And is culturally sensitive or ethical to do so? Is it something that is offensive...or is it a violation of human rights, one that needs to be addressed?

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We then waited for quite awhile to catch a matutu to Ntinda (a nearby town). We got off  there and went into a grocery store to buy some instant coffee and sliced bread for me for my breakfasts. No matter how many times you insist you don't need sliced bread, it doesn't matter. In the end, you still get your sliced bread. After we came out of the store, I was taken to a different car with three people in it who I hadn't yet met. Martha said goodbye, and I was off again. This time with Margaret (co-founder of TERREWODE) and Alice (founder and director as well as the woman I had been in contact with for the past several months). Again...a little uncomfortable to be shuffled around not knowing anyone but hey, you get used to it I guess. It builds character (I think that's always my answer in these situations).

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Once we had arrived at Alice's house, I was shown my room and told that I could just rest until dinner was ready. Which, let

me just say, resting is not something I do well. It probably isn't a surprise to any of you reading this. I have trouble sitting still and resting at home, let alone in an environment where my typical purpose of being there is to serve. And to do so 24/7. It's going to be a learning process just for me to live here and not feel that way. I know the expectations are different because this is an internship and that's what they expect of me, but I expect so much more of myself so I am working to find a balance between what they expect of me and what I expect of myself.

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Anyways, shortly after I went in to my room to "rest" and I began to organize my things, I had a knock at the door and Alice's children (Alvin and Emma) came asking if I had a comb. I was a bit confused and uncertain as to why they wanted my comb, but I figured, if they really wanted it or maybe needed it, I could go without for two months. I mean...my hair sometimes looks like I don't comb it anyways. So why not. But apparently, they just wanted my comb so that they could comb my hair and style it as I read them a book about a naughty doll named Amelia Jane (I don't know if you're reading this but one time (probably the 47th time I said the doll's name), I read it as Sarah Jane instead...I had been doing so well but habits are hard to break I guess. Those two names just go together in my head. So, take that as a hello and apparently I am thinking of you!) who always played pranks on all the other toys. Alice kept coming in and telling them to leave me alone but I kept insisting they were fine. Truth is, I was glad they came in to hang out. It made being in a home of then-strangers less uncomfortable. Alvin is 9 and Emma is 6. Alvin is the girl. Emma is the boy (Yea. I don't know. But I like it). They are both really sweet...unfortunately we took them back to school last night. They attend a boarding school about two hours away and come home most weekends. I will look forward to their return.

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Anyways, Sunday Alice had two women who had been visiting TERREWODE from the Fistula Foundation (a nonprofit based in the US) over for lunch so the morning was one big cooking party. I tried to help...and felt like my every move was watched closely. Which was a little embarrassing because I am not nearly as skilled with a knife as they are. But, all in all, it was fun. It was also nice to have the women from the Foundation around and be able to talk to them about their work, their time in Uganda, and things they thought I should know being an American there. It was enjoyable. Funny. Weird at first being in a house in Uganda and talking with two American women I had just met. The one lived in Norristown for awhile after college and worked in mental health. She then went and got her masters at Temple. Small world? They asked a lot of questions about me. What I do. What I'm interested in. What Phil does. Where he lives. Etc. So, through conversation, I ended up telling them Phil and I got engaged in May and are getting married in January. They were so excited! Which was really really nice. We talked wedding a little and a wedding dress and they told stories about theirs. It's interesting. I found that I really wanted to share about myself. This may be selfish but I expected people to ask more personal questions. I mean, when I meet someone I try to ask them questions about themselves to get to know them. It helps me connect and I feel like it makes someone feel good knowing that someone cares enough to ask. But maybe that's not how it is here. Because I'm not sure a single Ugandan has asked me anything about myself. And it actually feels disappointing. Like I said, maybe it is selfish of me to want someone to ask, but it would also just make things a lot easier. It would feel more relational than sitting in an office for 11 hours and not really speaking to anyone. Or asking questions and getting short replies but no flow of conversation or questions returned. But I am sure that will all come. I guess I'm just a bit impatient. Again, no surprise there.

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So today was my first day in the office. We arrived at 7:30 and it is now 6:30 and I'm still here. I think I may be getting more

than my 200 required hours. Which was what I expected...I just didn't expect to get them in 3 weeks time. Ha. Alice was gone all day so she left me with an assignment. But only one. So I finished that up and tried to do some other reading of materials I had found prior to coming and brought with me to assist me in my different tasks. But...my attention span does not work well with sitting in an office for 11 hours so I started to get a little sidetracked. If you couldn't tell considering I'm at the office and typing up a blog entry to be posted when I get internet. In fact, my attention span for this is starting to wane as well. Which means yours probably is too. So I'll wrap it up.

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Ok wait, one more thing. My attention span is back because it is now the next morning. Last night a few funny things happened that just made me think TIA. Driving home from work with Alice and the driver...Alice turns to him and says, "I have some gifts to leave with you for the white people" (speaking of the visitors from the foundation).  He looked at her confused. And she again repeated, "a gift. For those white ones". We are so concerned with calling people by the color of their skin in the US...but it's just a fact here. Yes, we're white. Later Alice exclaimed, "Loreen! Do you know they call you 'The Mzungu'?"...yes. Yes in fact I do. I'm quite used to it. Second funny thing…we're driving down their road which is awful and it's raining hard and so the dry dirt is now pure mud, and we get to one section and there are these 4 huge mounds of dirt taking up about 2/3rds of the road, one after another. Apparently they were doing some construction earlier and decided to just leave it like that at the end of the day. It just made me laugh thinking about what people would've done if they did that in America. I mean, they kind of do during road construction. But not to that extent. It just isn't the same.

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So I'll end for now with a prayer request for today (and til whenever I blog again): to live in the moment. At times, I'm already thinking about going home and seeing family and friends once again. But, although I think a yearning for that isn't in and of itself bad, I don't want to spend the next 9 weeks that way. Don't get me wrong, I'm also excited about being here and what's in store. I think it's in the slower moments that I get anxious. But nonetheless, I want to live in the moment and make the most of every opportunity here. And as Crystal would say every day to us 2 summers ago, be intentional. So, I pray that I will live in the moment, being intentional in my interactions with those around me.  Easier said than done. But with God, all things are possible. Have a great day!

About to board my second flight...the long one to Addis Ababa. While sitting in the Dulles airport waiting at my gate, a gentleman came and sat next to me. We got to talking a little and I found out he's from Zimbabwe originally and lives in Indiana now. He asked what I'm studying in school. I told him I'm getting my MPH. He said...really. And paused. And I was wondering what he was going to say next. He said...I am in public health too. He's getting his PhD in Public Health and is already a practicing physical therapist. Which launched us into a whole conversation about his research interests and what he thinks of his program (incidentally he's studying in a program I had looked into as well). So, already I am meeting some pretty awesome people and having some interesting conversations and I haven't even really begun my travels. Good things are in store. Next update from Uganda.