so long, familiar

I've been writing this blog post in my head for over a week now but now that I'm actually looking at the screen I have no idea where to begin. I'm afraid I can't put into words for you what life has been like for the last 2 weeks. But I'll try!

Let's start with the night before I left the States. I had 4 containers that were inch-per-inch the maximum allowed dimensions per Delta's regulations. Do you think they had a single thing packed in them at 6pm? Yeah, not hardly. You see, I get crazy anxious when things are all done and I'm just sitting there waiting on the next thing. In this case, the next thing would have been getting in the car and heading to the airport. Sleep isn't even factored in, because I don't sleep when I'm anxious. That being said, I started packing at around 7pm. I didn't have the fancy scales that you hook to the luggage and get a nice digital number for how many pounds you have. Nope, I used the old fashioned method - me and the floor scales. I just weighed myself then got Melinda to hand me the container to see how close I was to 50lbs. The clothes I packed for the kids and the stuffed animals were all in space saver bags. Some of them were 15-20lbs each. I think the containers were like 5lbs each to begin with. So we packed and weighed and removed and added and weighed again.

I didn't buy anything for me because I was going to pack the things I had for the kids and see how much room I had left. But I had none left. My two small carry-ons were all for my things. I brought my clothes, 2 laptops, camera, blanket, neck pillow, and CDs. And personal items? WHAT personal items? I had deodorant, toothpaste and a toothbrush. Nothing else. My "last minute trip to Walmart" where I spend money I wouldn't normally spend because it isn't "last minute" didn't happen. I figured that if I'm going to be living here, I need to act like it and start using the products from here.

We arrived at the Atlanta airport an hour before we were supposed to. My flight left at 12:50 and I kinda told Melinda noon. She got out of the van with me and helped me carry all 4 containers inside to check them. I was pretty proud of my "old fashion weighing system" because the weights were 49, 49, 47 & 46. And don't EVEN think I didn't beat myself up over the wasted 9 lbs. 2 containers were free and I was told that because I was traveling on a missionary status, that the 3rd one would be free as well. But it wasn't. With all the opposition I had faced in the weeks leading up to my departure, I kinda expected it. Didn't mean I wasn't upset. I think what hurt the most was the lady that said if someone had made notes in the system, I would have been allowed to take one for free. Like that's all that's needed? It's against the rules BUT if there are notes, I'm allowed? Something about that doesn't sit right with me. If you don't allow it, you don't. Period. Don't tell me that "we could have IF". If you don't allow it, you don't. Period.

After forking over $400 ($200 per extra container), it hit me just how far that $200 that I wasn't (but kinda was) expecting to pay would go in Uganda. I cracked. In all my travels, God has always made me pretty strong at airports. Until that day. It wasn't even about the money. It was that I had finally arrived at "the day". I wasn't just going to visit a country that had stolen my heart. I was moving there. I was standing there having already said bye to Mom and was about to say bye to Melinda for who knows how long. I mean, my return ticket says March but we all KNOW that means nothing. I knew what I was leaving behind. I also knew what was waiting for me in Uganda. It was a different feeling than the last time. I was just going to "visit" and see what God moved me to do. I was anxious, but not sad. This time, I was sad. I said my goodbyes and prayed with all my heart that I wouldn't sob all the way through security.

WOW! I wrote all of the stuff above on Dec 16th but couldn't finish it. Instead of moving forward with what would now be one whole month worth of info, I'll just post some of my Facebook status updates. The network here is more like dial-up without the up. In the city, the speed is 100-150 kb/s and here in the village, I'm good to get 12. Yes, I said twelve. So it was just easier to throw a status update on Facebook but my New Year's Resolution, whatever THAT means, is to blog more. So I'm here. I'll do one blog post per week that I've been here so they're not crazy long.

Dec 1st – We're on our way to the airport. Today is World AIDS day. I want to encourage everyone to educate themselves today. If you are sponsoring a child in the village that I’m moving into, it is highly likely that your child is an orphan as a result of AIDS. Also pray for all the children waiting to be adopted only to get bypassed because of someone’s ignorance.

Dec 1st – Lady: Where you headed? Me: I’m moving to Uganda today! Lady: OH. Is it because you want to, or… Me: Funny you should ask. I once told my Employer to send me anywhere but there, and look where I’m headed. Lady: That’s unfortunate. They shouldn’t be allowed to do that but they always do. I hate working for people like that. Me (whispering): I work for God :)

Dec 1st – My bags weighed in at 49, 49, 47 & 46. And don’t EVEN think I didn’t kick myself for the 9 lbs I wasted. I worked all night trying to get them as close as possible without going over. Speaking of working all night – Mom & I filled orders for 50+ more necklaces from 3:30-5am.

Dec 1st – GOT a hot chocolate at Starbucks. Woot! AND the guy that walked up with a cup from there that made me want one is ALSO going to Uganda. About 2am I decided to check again to see if I could select my seat online and it finally let me. GET THIS – he’ll be sitting in the seat right beside me. God bless his ears :)

Dec 2nd – is in love with a Man who calmed the ocean with a word.

Dec 3rd – good news: I got to sit in World Business Class on the flight from Amsterdam to Entebbe. bad news: It was snowing in Amsterdam and our flight was severely delayed. George arrived at the airport at 6pm because I was supposed to arrive at 8:15pm but I finally got to see his face around 1am. Bless his heart.

Dec 3rd – just woke up in Entebbe and am getting a REAL shower, then heading to the village! I am beyond blessed.

Dec 3rd – is eating breakfast with Master Georgie. He just said herbal WITH the H! He said I could give him a hard time about English so he would give me a hard time when I try to learn Luganda, IF I learn it at all. Haha! Looks like we’re off to a great start!!!

Dec 3rd – hopes that one day seeing children picking through the trash will be the exception, not the norm. Heartbreaking.

Dec 3rd – just got mauled by a gazillion kids! I’m blessed to be HOME! Profiling 30 kids, then going to see Maria!!!

Dec 3rd – REALLY expected to break down when I saw Maria and her Mom but I stood there in utter shock because they are almost unrecognizable! They are soooo chunky!

Dec 3rd – note to self: the squatty potty does NOT work best with jeans on, much less in the dark. You have to be a REAL woman to pee on the bottom of your pants leg and go on as if you didn’t.


Dec 3rd – We pulled up to the school and the kids surrounded us. They were banging on the truck and on the windows. We just sat there waiting for them to calm down and the next thing we knew, the door came open. George said, "they found out how to get in!" Bahahahahahahaha!

Dec 3rd – Here are the kids that were sponsored in July. The only 3 missing are the bro/sis combo of Grace, Moses & Rachel. They're here with their new shoes and we measured them for their uniforms.


Dec 3rd – asks that you pray for the parents of the children that are in school. We came to the village after having very little rest and only profiled 30 kids today. George asked that everyone go home except the 30 families of those kids. He told them that we would take more tomorrow. They were afraid if they left, their kids would not get an opportunity to go to school in January. Bless their hearts.

Dec 4th – woke up to the sounds of a rooster and some goats. Then I did it! I took a shower African style. I made George stand on the other side of the curtain as if something was going to get me. He’s awesome! Now we’re going to eat breakfast (10:45am) and go profile some more kids!

Dec 4th – is listening to Moses, Messach & Eugene giggle as they watch a movie on George's laptop. I'm about to start back putting the profile info under the pics. Will just finish the names and ages and do the rest tomorrow. It's been a long day. Parents from surrounding villages brought their kids to try to get them accepted into the school. Of course we had to turn them away. Praying for their hearts tonight.

Dec 5th – A picture is worth a thousand words and this one totally reinforces what George has been trying to teach me about the culture here. I gave them a brand new ball (that we brought last time), yet the continued to try fixing the old one that we gave them in July. LOVE these people!


Dec 5th – Found out that Mathias, the child I sponsored in July, moved into the house across from George's Mom's. The lady we had move in to care for Maria and her Mom used to live there. Mathias lives with his grandmother and brother (who has Epilepsy like Maria's Mom). He spends a LOT of time here. I got THIS awesome shot of him before we left for Kampala.


Dec 5th – just saw a child chasing his piglet through the village, got a video of Maria, had her Mom extend her hand to shake mine, and just saw Pastor Henry for the first time since I've been home! It's going to be a great day!!!

Dec 5th – wishes y'all could see what I'm seeing right now. Praying that the body of Christ would stand for those who cannot stand for themselves like we were CREATED to do! This isn't optional, people!

Dec 5th – just left the mall in Kampala. We had to get a new kettle to boil our tea and shower water. I am feeding George sour cream & onion potato chips while he drives us back home. It's his 1st time having them :) I LOVE hearing him talk to the traffic!!! Bahahaha!

Dec 5th – is thankful for a man who spends 15 mins at a roadside market to find me some oranges (for my cold), only to return to the truck with green/yellow little fruit :)

Dec 5th – wanted to find out how many children in the village have HIV so we can better help them get treatment but am discouraged that we can't get them tested. My heart is broken today for this and other things I've learned about this culture. God bless them. I serve a God that is bigger than the hurt I am trying to hide today.

Dec 5th – went to give Maria a baby doll and some clothes and by the time I got back down to George's Mom's to shower, the power was off. It's already dark outside so either way I'm taking a bucket shower in the dark. This ought to be fun. Should've brought a head lamp :)

**And Mom, Maria's Mom reached for my hand and shook it. She said to thank you for the blanket you made for her :)


Dec 5th – just showered under the stars and had to have George help me wash my hair for the very first time here in the village :)

George's two sons, along with his nephew, were killing dinner while we were washing my hair. I asked them what they were doing and they said they didn't know the English word for it but then said, "undressing the chicken."


Dec 5th – Me (as I was uploading the pic of George helping me wash my hair): Did you know that I'm a person that likes to have someone do something with me? George: FOR you or with you? Me: WHAT? What is THAT supposed to mean? George: I was just asking for clarity. . . . his cute accent didn't get him outta THAT one! He don't know who he's messin' with :)


Dec 5th – George: What are you doing? Me: Trying to see if my camera will take pictures of the stars. George: You don't have stars in your country? Me: Ba. Baha. Bahahahahahaha.