Sunday, 17 October 2021

Today was supposed to be another day of leisure, and it was, but with a lot packed in it. At 9:00 we began church. One of my sponsored children, Vivian, led worship, and several of my friends did a special musical presentation. Pastor Gitta preached a great sermon and then invited anyone who wanted prayer up to the front. He then invited the the spiritual director, Eunice, and me up to do the praying. I’m always up for prayer, and praying for the children, staff, and visitors of RG was an honor.

After church, I went to the house where my sponsored kids live and talked to their house aunties (filling in for their house mom who was away). I was invited to lunch, and when I asked if I could bring anything, the kids all begged me to bring ice from Team House, where they know there is one of the only freezers in the compound.

I spent some time with the adult kids for awhile, and even went to the gym to watch a little football (soccer), then dismissed myself at about 1:30 to go to the pod house where Vivian, Daniel, and all their housemates were preparing for lunch. In the tradition of Ugandans, Vivian poured water over my hands for washing, then served me, her guest, first. Ugandans always seem annoyed when I refuse to eat until they have been served, but this group is catching on. Theirs was ready fairly quickly, and we all sat down to eat, Daniel and Vivian with me on the couch, and the rest at their school tables. There was chicken, chapati (fried flat bread), rice, beans, and greens, and way too much of everything was placed in front of me. I did my best to share, but they would have none of it until I was completely finished. Then I called the other kids over to refill their bowls from my little coffee table. Most were so excited about their ice water, they couldn’t focus on food, but we managed to clear the aunties’ cooking.

When lunch was finished, two of the boys wanted to “help me” return the ice bowl to the Team House freezer. I had taken a couple bottles of frozen drinking water and they were curious about how I got the ice into the bottles, so we had a little physics lesson on freezing water. They brought extra bottles to see if they could do it, and I promised to bring them back tomorrow after they were frozen.

One of the visitors to RG Church was a nurse midwife I know, who had asked me to come to the nurses’ quarters to visit her daughter. I had just enough time to visit with a few of the adult RG kids before making the trek down to “hospital side,” accompanied by K-Morris and Shalom. (The hospital side is in the forward section of the RG compound, and the kids’ side is toward the rear.)

At the nurses’ residence I got to greet several of my friends from the hospital, but we quickly made our way to Rose’s house, where we found Rose and her daughter, Patience, shelling g-nuts (like miniature peanuts). Rose tried to sit me down and wait on me, but I insisted we help with shelling g-nuts, so we sat in the shade and shelled g-nuts while other nurses gathered around preparing various foods: cassava (yuca root), beans, or whatever. We sat and talked until a troupe came looking for K-Morris like he was wanted by the police or something. It turned out to be a surprise visit from his sponsor, whom he loves dearly. I have heard about this fellow, but did not expect to get to meet him. It was a treat seeing other Americans here even if they didn’t stay long. I may even see them again, since they live in the same city as my parents and sisters.

As the time drew near for the evening church service at the Cessnun house, I said goodbye to Patience and Rose, and walked with Shalom back toward the kids’ side of RG on what is lovingly referred to as “missionary row” the road where the homes of the missionaries are situated, the last of which is Team House.

The Cessnun house was crowded, and I was late for the start of worship, but I was welcomed again like family. As more people came, I found myself completely at home on the floor with the kids, my true peer group. The sermon was about the church of Ephesus, addressed by Paul in Ephesians, and by Jesus in Revelation.

Afterward, I stumbled in the dark to Team House and my friends came to greet me shortly after I turned on the lights. About a half dozen of us talked and carried on until the yawns outnumbered the laughs, and I made everyone get out so this old man could get some sleep.

As I started to head for bed, I was faced with one more responsibility — laundry. There is someone who will wash my laundry once a week, except for undergarments, and of course anything I need again before a week is through. So I had a few things to wash before I earned the privilege of sleep.

Monday, 18 October 2021

It must be “Pull-my-leg Day” or something, because everyone was playing tricks on me today, or trying to make me believe something untrue. One said he was leaving forever, another said she was going on leave for three weeks and would not see me anymore on this trip. The good thing is that every one of them was comfortable enough with me to make jokes (a thing Ugandans do not normally do, but especially with strangers). Several at the hospital even said how much they missed me or “You are lost” which is just a shade less intimate than “I missed you” but means the same thing. My friend, Fred, while we were discussing my injured shoulder and my feelings of comparative uselessness, came out and said, “Your presence here is so very encouraging. Even if you do nothing but show up, we need you here!”

I know I asked for prayer for my shoulder, but maybe I’m injured on this trip just to be able to hear the feedback God sent me through Fred.

I worked alongside Doris and Lilian on the day shift and stayed til 5:00 with Miriam and Grace on the evening shift. Miriam was back from a trip to her home, where her parents’ roof had fallen in on them the prior week. She went to help reconstruct the house and see to their safety. After that experience, she is the first Ugandan nurse to tell me her preference was not for a grass thatch hut. Most of the others would prefer them, but I believe she is somewhat traumatized by the near-fatal accident with her parents. There is a brick structure at her home, but it is unfinished. She told me she needs to raise one million shillings (about $285) to finish it and put a roof on it for her parents to be safe.

Charge Nurse Miriam tried to trick me into staying until the end of evening shift at 8:00 pm, but I finally got her to let me leave at about 5:15. When I got home, I knew the kids at Daniel and Vivian’s house would be missing their ice, so I trekked over there just in time to find the older girls in the house processing a jackfruit. These are terribly messy if you don’t know what you are doing, but are a favorite treat all over Uganda. I was offered a piece and I took it after lying all the frozen bottles on the brick counter. The kids were already checking to see if they could get the water to melt so they could “drink the ice.”

Janet whisked me away and said she was taking me to a special place. I guessed a number of places, and got no hints, but “the tributary” was one of my guesses that she said was wrong. We met several friends we knew on the way back from whatever this special place was, and as we walked nearly a mile I grew more and more curious. Down and down we walked into what could only be a swamp at this level. Then there it was a small creek running through three culverts under the road. “This is the tributary!” Janet announced. She knew I had never seen it, and had always wondered about it. The kids talk about it all the time. It is about as close as any of them will get to the Nile River, since there are monsters in that body of water that will kill you before you have a chance to see them, and a current that has claimed too many of their neighbors for a wise person not to fear it. The tributary was low and, as I tried to ease my way down to it in flip flops, I suddenly discovered it is also very cold. The slippery clay and rocks made for a perfect slide on which I came down with a thud and a splash, but somehow uninjured. We cooled our feet a few brief moments and Janet was already ready to walk the long walk back home. The walk was nice, and I enjoyed listening to Janet tell me about her childhood, and about life struggles that we all have, but which sharing makes them seem less weighty.

When we got back to Team House there was chicken and chips (fries) waiting, so we shared those. As she hurried off to evening preparatory class, Janet reminded me I had promised to return to Daniel and Vivian‘s house, because they had prepared a surprise for me.

At the pod house, I found a margarine tub full of processed jackfruit pieces waiting just for me. Oh, the kids had also rounded up about a dozen empty soda bottles they wanted me to turn into ice for the next day. Their pod house mom was back from a bereavement trip to her home village, and she wanted to watch the videos I took of Vivian’s part at church yesterday, so we all got to crowd in and watch about fifteen minutes of the worship. Of course all the kids were singing along. I am only an earthly dad, so I can only imaging with my finite mind what joy the Heavenly Father must have in listening to His children sing his praises.

When I got to Team House, I did some writing until Preps were over and the kids started showing up, first Janet and Prisca, then K-Morris and Shalom. Shalom brought passion fruit, which she taught me how to juice. That was the second gift of passion fruit juice I got today! First, Patrick, who had borrowed my Nalgene water bottle, had returned it filled with this amazing nectar that his wife, Nancy, had made. They even conspired to hide it from me in the refrigerator at the hospital canteen until it was chilled. Now, Shalom, who is always eager to teach me things demonstrated the magic of this amazing fruit. She says I am well on my way to becoming a true Ugandan.

It got late, and I have a devotional sermon to prepare for, so I’m getting to that and then bed. Or maybe I’ll do that from bed. I’m beat!

Tuesday, 19 October 2021

Today I was again asked to preach for morning devotions. I recalled how we recently discussed the Light of Life which is the Light of man. This week we explored the searching ability of this Light. I described an incident with my laundry, in which I thought my trousers were clean until I wore them in the sunlight and saw the stains I had missed. We read from: Revelation 22:12-16, John 3:19-21, Ephesians 5:13-14, Isaiah 64:6-9, Psalms 139:23-24, and Psalms 51:1-2 & 7. I pointed out: 1) the light of the Holy Spirit exposes our filthiest secrets; 2) We all need Holy Spirit cleaning that comes by the blood of Jesus; and, 3) when we call on the Lord, He will hear us and clean us up.

I closed with this invitation: There is a Light of Life, but our sinful nature makes us hide from it. If you are hiding a piece of you from God’s divine grace, I invite you to bring it into His light. Show Him your filthy stains and let Him wash you whiter than snow.

I contributed as much as I could with my sprained shoulder, and did a lot more talking, listening, and sharing than working, but Charge Nurse Miriam spent most of the day insisting that I should not leave as scheduled, but stay on. It is nice to hear that kind of affirmation, but I will be going to the Capitol on the 29th to attend Pastor Gitta’s wedding.

I had a meeting with the Primary Nursing Office, Sister Sophie, when my shift ended. She has a burden she wanted to unload. It seemed we both learned a lesson about misplaced generosity and trusting those who would abuse our trust.

I stopped by Patrick’s home as I left the hospital. Though he is on night shift this week, he was up because he cannot sleep with all the noise of the many children around the nurses’ quarters.

On the way down “missionary row” I checked in on the Cessnun kids, who are taking care of each other with the help of several volunteers while their parents are enjoying some rest and relaxation in the Capitol this week. They wore me out with football-style dodgeball (no hands, only feet). When I returned later, the older kids were studying while the littles were watching an animated movie. I joined them on the couch and was even accepted by Silas, the overprotective toddler.

I had my regular visitors at Team House: Janet, Shalom, Prisca, K-Morris, and Hosman. These are the ones I hope to take with me to Gulu on Saturday, when we go shopping in town for supplies for the new apartment. It started with two, but not my whole little circle is planning to go.

Wednesday, 20 October 2021

We had an interesting day today. The hospital staff had an election to fill one seat on the hospital community board. I was honored and alarmed when I was the first nominee. I respectfully declined and, instead, volunteered to be an unbiased vote counter. The trusted me with the tally, and the clinical director thanked me for my prudence. He said I would surely have won unanimously. The staff elected the same man who had been temporarily appointed to the position, but surprisingly, another newcomer, Dr. Evelyn Kembabazi, was runner up, short only two votes out of forty to tie. Dr. Kembabazi (if you can say that five times fast, you are mispronouncing it) has been here only three weeks and has already gained this much respect among the staff. I have enjoyed working alongside her. She is newly certified to practice medicine, and we have much to learn from each other.

I had a chat with Dr. Robert, the clinical superintendent of RG Hospital, about the nurses who are forced to live nearly a mile away from the hospital and walk back and forth to with. They are expected to show for their shift, for scrubbing day, for assemblies such as we had today, and all on foot. I suggested that each one needs a bicycle on which to ride back and forth for their assignments. He agreed, but said it may not get past commit unless the initiative has a sponsor, so we paid for four bicycles, which will be procured on Friday and presented on Monday.

We had a few new patients, and I did my best to help as much as I could with one arm tied to my shoulder in a sling. I often briefly escaped it for emergency use, but usually regretted it as soon as I twisted the wrong way.

It was a very busy day and, with the extended assembly to elect our board member, we started our way behind. Even with three of us nurses on the ward, we did not catch up enough to take tea until about Noon and we ate our lunch, served at 1:00, about an hour after shift change (3pm). That was even after our relief arrived on time at 2:00. It was crazy!

I checked in on the Cessnun kids. All nine were in one piece each.

At Team House I had a few visitors, but I warned them I would not be awake for long. When they went to Preparatory classes, I did my laundry and went to bed.

Thursday, 21 October 2021

Sister Sophie asked me to preach the devotional again today, while several staff are out of town for a workshop.

I spoke on the meaning of “belief” as misunderstood in John 3:16, and I preached on the importance of adding to belief, faith, repentance, and action that proves our faith and exercises it to grow stronger and generate more of the fruits of the Spirit. I referenced John 3:16-17, Hebrews 11:1, James 2:14-17, Acts 26:20, Acts 17:30-31, John 14:12. Afterward, the feedback I got was that the message was well received and too seldom preached in Uganda, where many are content to profess a belief in Jesus as though He were a Heavenly Santa Claus. Maybe Americans need that message too.

We were busy on the ward again today. So busy, many of the treatments were given late even though we were three rather than two. Again we stayed past shift change to handle patient needs before our own, and again we ate our 1:30 lunch well after 3:00 pm though our shift was supposed to end at 2:00. I was able to give some recommendations that were taken and acted upon by Dr. Kembabazi. Being new, at first she questioned a few of them, but learned quickly I am a good resource on occasion.

The other nurses have already begun to threaten to lock me away so I cannot return to America. Every time my departure plans for next Friday come up, they get sad, quiet, or possessive. In the event I do disappear, check Charge Nurse Mirriam’s residence. I might be tied up in there. She is the most troubled by my departure.

The Cessnun kids were all alive, well, and at peace, so I left them to their respective activities.

I found a little quiet time for writing after my afternoon shower. I will post this while I wait for the kids to come over.

Thursday, 14 October 2021

Yesterday, after I posted, a half dozen or so of the adult RG kids came over and we had a watermelon party. While we laughed and ate watermelon, the girls decided to prepare the entula I had brought from Kamdini. They finished cooking it just as they were required to go to preparatory class (“Preps”), so we postponed the second half of our gathering until 9:30 pm, when class would let out.

When they went to class, I went to visit Robert and Zam. Robert was giving a piano lesson to teenager Ben Cessnun and the subject was worship music, so I was asked to join in. I always like that we turn to worship at Robert’s house. Zam wouldn’t let me leave without feeding me matooke (steamed plantains) and I have learned not to hurt her feelings. I did manage to excuse myself just in time to find Janet about to give up on getting into the dark and empty Team House. I opened up the place and welcomed my closest six plus one to a sampling of the entula, mixed with the beef and rice RG had catered for my dinner. I do so love these kids! I hope they can tell. Janet tells me it is obvious, but I want them to know their Heavenly Father loves them even more than I, their visiting “uncle.” Earlier, Charge Nurse Miriam visited to tell me of a tragedy in her father’s home, and during her visit affirmed that no one has loved her and cared for her concerns like I have. It was evidence of the answers to my constant prayer that God would pour out so much loving grace on me that it flows into the lives of others. It was my favorite day so far.

Today I will be back at the General Ward, but only to disappoint the staff with the news that I must abandon them again tomorrow. My new landlady informed me that she has had a death in her family, and will not be able to meet Saturday. I agreed to meet her Friday morning instead, so I will sign rental papers and pick up my keys then.

Later…

At work, Sister Sophie told me the man who was supposed to give the devotion this morning was inexplicably absent. She asked me to fill in. 1 Peter 3:15 says we should always be ready to give account for the hope we profess, and this was an example of the need for readiness. I taught on Galatians 2:20, and what it means to crucify the sinful nature. I explored a more in depth look at that teaching by Paul in Ephesians 2.

On rounds we found a woman who had signs of hypoxia and appeared in severe distress. I brought out the pulse oximeter and found her pulse oxygen saturation to be 55%. (It is supposed to be 94 to 100%.) The last time I saw one that low, the patient was dead inside two hours. While the doctors issued orders, I administered medicine while another nurse fetched an oxygen concentrator from the other ward. Within a few minutes of deep breathing coaching on oxygen, her oxygenation was up to 96%. I call that a good save. I was only one who responded to this need, but even in Luo, this lady expressed her appreciation, and we said a blessing over each other.

Shortly after tea, Dr. Colby Cessnun approached me and said he had to immediately go to Gulu and offered to take me along. I try not to pass up an opportunity to learn something from an American who has been in country as long as Colby has, so I hurried home, changed my clothes, and zipped over to Colby’s house, where his wife, Maryanne, and youngest son, Silas, were waiting to go.

I got to chat and pick the brains of both Colby and Maryanne on the way, and study the places they went and the people they met. The Immigration Office was the destination of the day and, although that effort was unfruitful, we made several stops that proved educational.

One such was a visit with the founders of Wend Africa, an organization that assists children with Nodding Syndrome, a rare condition that effects the neurological patterns of certain children who grew up in this area. It’s cause of yet unidentified. To pay for these benefits, Jolly (pronounced Joe-Lee) and Emmy employ seamstresses to sew fine handbags and dolls which are sold for profit. Jolly was excited to report the recent expansion into an Amazon Marketplace. Watch for it. When I told Jolly how much Cindy loves teaching women to sew, she begged for me to bring her in quickly.

We went to lunch at The Iron Donkey (what locals call a bicycle), and it was very good. After we ordered though, since everything is made to order, we had time to go to Cynibel, the local supermarket I have mentioned before. I took the opportunity to get some more bread for my nightly guests, who love making it into buttered toast.

On the way home, we stopped at and toured my new apartment. Maryanne and Colby seemed thrilled with my choice and commended my adaptability. Maryanne paid me a high compliment when she told me she could tell I was the kind of person who will not only make it here, but do very well. It can be intimidating being in a foreign land, so that feedback was very welcome.

On the road, I could begin to feel a sore throat coming on. My chronic sinus infections don’t care much for extra dust or smoke, and I’m afraid I was paying for the previous day’s Boda ride. When I got to Team House, I but my mango juice and grapefruit juice I had bought into the freezer to chill, and then crashed on the couch. It was one of those good naps, the kind you wake from all sweaty and disoriented.

I almost missed the sound of Olivia knocking sheepishly at my door. She came in with Prisca and Janet right behind. I grilled the girls some toast the way they like it and shared some of my mango juice and biscuits (butter cookies) from Cynibel, and it was a party again. Since I was in no mood for eating, the girls split up my beans and rice, and even left me some for breakfast.

I spoke briefly with Cindy, who is frantically trying to get our house ready for market. She has her hands full, and could use your prayers. We need to sell that thing before too many more mortgage payments come due.

Tonight I am sleeping with Vick’s Vapor Rub in my mustache and Sudafed and Benadryl in my belly. I hope to wake up a new man. Tomorrow is lease-signing day!

I did not wake up feeling like a new man, but maybe like a gently used one. I still have the sniffles and an occasional cough, but not enough to make anyone flee in terror yelling about Corona, and my fever is gone. I had my grapefruit juice this morning, and tried to explain what a grapefruit is to Hosman, who came to visit me for breakfast.

Friday, 15 October 2021

Patrick and I set out for Gulu at 8am sharp, but since the first step of travel like this is to wait at the Boda stand for our ride, it can feel like schedules are really out the window. We took a Boda to Karuma, then caught a north-going car and crossed the awe-inspiring but deadly Karuma Bridge. Before we even got to the next town (Kamdini) we had to slow down to let a family of elephants cross the road. As exciting as it is to be this close to wild elephants, the driver was more worried about his car, and told us stories of these giants overturning cars that got too close.

We met Molly the landlady a little before our 11 o’clock appointment, and we went around inspecting the place for damage. I signed the rental agreement, and transmitted the first three and a half months’ rent to Molly on the spot. People pay for almost anything with their cell phones here. At any rate, I rented an apartment in Uganda!

We described to Molly our intentions of buying furniture, and she was kind enough to drive us to her favorite furniture vendor, warning us about the cheaper goods sold by most of the furniture vendors in Gulu. I had heard the same warning from my friend, Nancy Cardoza, who had the experience of buying furniture made with green rather than seasoned wood, and the furniture quickly fell apart. We fairly quickly found a pair of living room chairs, a bed, and a mattress, but were unable to find a dining set in Gulu. We bought a few household necessities and hired a truck to drive us and our plunder home. Patrick was kind enough to help me set up the furniture and sweep the apartment. Then, on our way back to RG, he told me of a town south of Karuma that would have the quality furniture we were seeking, for less than the Gulu prices. Instead of turning off to RG when we got to Karuma, we continued on to Bwayale.

This town was a second home for Patrick, who attended nursing school and met his wife here. It seemed he knew everyone, and he knew just where to find the dining set and a van to haul it. Since it was so late, we had the van driver take it and us to Team House for safe keeping.

It was late, and Patrick and I were exhausted and hungry, so we said our goodbyes. Just then, the girls showed up: Janet, Prisca, and Shalom. I could tell that something bad had happened to Shalom but she wouldn’t say what. Having friends here is a lot like having daughters. I just quietly love them and let them talk when they are ready. Hungry as I was, I still didn’t feel much like eating, so the girls shared my supper. Prisca and Janet laughed and carried on while Shalom quietly busied herself with washing their dishes. I cannot stop that girl. She believes that every gift must be earned. I’m afraid that mentality seeps into the cultural understanding of grace too. It is hard to explain the difference between working for grace and serving out of gratitude for it. Or maybe it is I who misunderstand the gratitude of my new friends.

Saturday, 16 October 2021

I slept in today and readied myself for a motorcycle trip to Karuma as soon as Janet was finished with Saturday class at 10:00 am. We finally got underway around 11:30 with quite a shopping list. Around here, when word gets out that you are going to town, people appear with their wish lists. I was going because I failed to get my little circle the pork and pineapple they requested I bring back from Gulu yesterday. As I approached the Boda stand outside RG Hospital, my friend, Patrick, was waiting for me with a borrowed motorcycle. An experienced Boda man himself, Patrick drove Janet and me to Karuma, and the three of us loaded ourselves down with groceries to take back to RG.

Patrick topped off his supply of staples while Janet and I went crazy planning a dinner for our little circle of friends. We bought pork from an open air butcher cutting pieces off with a machete (called a “panga” here), potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and another great big watermelon. Janet somehow talked me into buying her a bucket of pineapple flavored cookies (“biscuits”) that should last the whole dorm of girls a month, but which will likely be gone inside a week.

When we returned to Team House, a half dozen girls showed up and began preparing a feast from the groceries we bought and the fresh entula left from the day before. When the food was prepared, the girls all began to say goodbye, and told me they would be back to eat after what I swear they were calling “Lifeburn.”

Last week on Independence Day, I was under the impression there was a visiting band called Lifeburn. I was not interested in hearing any such and had a date with Patrick’s family anyway, so I didn’t think much about it. But here it was again, this strange event called Lifeburn. I asked where this band was from and mentioned something about having been burned enough in my life, and the girls squealed with laughter. Finally someone made it clear that what was being said was not Lifeburn but “live band.” This is an example of the problems I have as a hard-of-hearing American trying to decipher the words of these precious Ugandans speaking English as a second language.

As it turns out, Live Band night is something like a talent show of worship the kids do about once a month. Last week it got rained out, so this was sort of a do-over. It was an absolute blast! When I was growing up, our church would have nights called “singspiration” where we would sing instead of listen to a preacher. Imagine that on steroids with dancing, whooping, and hollering. When I was little, sometimes my sisters, brother, and I would put on a talent show for our parents. Imagine that times 225. It was worshipful, fun, and crazy, and I was so glad I went!

Before that event, I forgot to mention the football match (soccer game) we we watched in the gym. My new team, Liverpool, won 5 goals to none. So that made up for the report I got that LSU beat my Gators in American Football.

After Live Band, a dozen or more kids showed up at Team House, and we all shared fried pork, potatoes (which are called “Irish potatoes” or simply “Irish” to differentiate from the African Sweet Potatoes, simply referred to as “potatoes”), entula with eggs, and watermelon for dessert. It was quite a feast, and it was nice to fill Team House with so many smiling faces even when I am staying here alone.

A couple of the kids hung behind to talk with me privately. Since I have my new dining set set up outside on the covered porch, it is a nice place to have these personal chats. It is an honor to have these kids open up to me and share the burdens of their hearts. One confessed she was reluctant to trust me because so many come and never return, but she could see that my love for the RG kids was real and that I would be around. I love it when God does His thing!