September 27 - The week Meg came...

I was thinking that this might be the first week that we could blog and say we had a ‘normal’ week. That we worked and lived as if life is normal here in Kampala, but alas more excitement has ensued. Monday was a normal day – Matt went to work as did I. Tuesday Matt came to work at the babies home. They were having big donors through later in the week so wanted to get some general maintenance and painting done before they arrived. Matt came in a painted and puttered – fixing many small things that will make life a lot more easy at the home. Wednesday we both arrived at the babies home to find out that the donors that were suppose to come on Friday, were instead coming later that day. So I spent the majority of the day painting with Matt. If was nice to be able to work together. The donors arrived and were lovely businessmen from BC’s lower mainland - so I had a nice chat with them. Other exciting news…because of these four men visiting – we finally got a toilet seat for our toilet at the babies home – hip hip horray!!!

Thursday morning I woke up not feeling too well. I was to work the 11-7 shift. Before work Gloria (a co-volunteer with us who has been staying at the same guest house as us) and I headed down to check out a program called Living Hope Watoto. This program takes in women who have been widowed, abused etc and have HIV and brings them in for 12 months, teaches them skills such as jewelry making and sewing and gets them started on ARV medication. After 12 months, the ladies are healthy, have skills and ready to re-enter the world again – it is a GREAT program.

Anyway – following our visit to these ladies we were off to work. At around 3ish we received two new babies at the home. One is a beautiful baby girl who had been abandoned. She is currently HIV positive, she is fairly healthy all things considered. She does have a burn though covering the area of her diaper…don’t know how that happens…she is in good hands now!

The other little girl has been named Meg. She is a miracle! She is 720 grams. Probably less as she was weighed with a cord clamp, IV and NG tube in. We received her at a week old. She is breathing on her own and is currently remarkably stable. We tried to do a gestational assessment on her. She is all over the charts – it is hard to do a proper assessment after she has been alive for a week. I think however that she is older than she should be for her VERY small size. So we are not sure how old she is…we do know that she is small, she is breathing on her own and she is stable. Right now she needs prayer that she would begin tolerating her feeds. She is currently being fed every two hours. She has an IV running, but it is hard to keep IV’s in her – they keep blowing on us. Specialty formula is hard to come by here so I’m hoping that she has a strong, tough stomach!

So to add to this exciting week and the arrival of Meg, for some reason this was the week that my body decided to take a turn for the worse. Thursday, once Meg was settled in it was decided that I would go home for a couple of hours to rest and then come back to stay the night with her. I went home at about 5pm and then headed back in at around 9pm. My WONDERFUL husband came in with me to keep me company through the night (he said if something happened he wanted to be there) – isn’t he the best?! So I got little Meg organized, she settled in so nicely and we had a great night. I felt terrible Friday morning after working nights, but thought it was just lack of sleep. I headed home and slept from 8:30 – 6 when Matt came home from work. I woke up and felt TERRIBLE, my throat was on fire and now there were splashes of white patches all over the back on my throat. The babies home called and asked if I could come in for another night shift – I told them I couldn’t, as I believe I had strep throat – which indeed I did. I went in briefly that evening for about an hour to restart the IV and by the time I came home I was done. I started my antibiotics and went back to bed by 8:30 that night. I slept until 8 the next morning. My fever had broken by the time I woke up but the throat worse then ever! After more resting yesterday and a couple more doses of antibiotics I was feeling a bit better by last night. This morning I have just spent resting again. I am feeling much better!!! I just am weak and tiered after having not really eating for a few days. Thanks for your prayers from home – I am so thankful for them and thankful for a VERY amazing husband that takes such good care of me!

Matt went and got his first Ugandan haircut yesterday. It cost him 5 US dollars and they did a great job. Shaved and trimmed his head and beard! He also found a local video store that rents movies for 1 US dollar – the movies are burnt and recorded in the theatre – you hear the audience laughing in them – but it was still a treat!

We have heard that Canada, at least, has been unseasonable warm – how nice! We have been sent pictures of fall at home – it is such a beautiful time of year – enjoy it for us! Blessings to you all!!!

September 19, 2009

The last four days have been quite “normal” if I can say that. I mean, as normal as the days can be living in a completely foreign country and culture. But I think after living in Uganda for almost three weeks now, Sarah and I are beginning to feel a little more at home and a little more comfortable and useful in our respective roles.

Sarah received a new preemie baby at the home on Wednesday and she is a tiny little thing for being a month old. She is malnourished weighing a measly 1.8 kg or 4 lbs. Zara is here name, which Sarah thinks is quite similar to her own. Both their names actually mean the same thing – Princess –, which they both certainly are.

Life at the Production Unit is quite busy as we have a lot of furniture to build. I feel as though I am finally settling in and able to work, joke and converse (some in Lugandan) with my fellow co-workers. Since arriving I have been working along side a fellow named Rashid building some heavy-duty chairs and couches for the various children’s homes. After much prep work we were finally able to begin assembling and it was great to see a finished product. I have also had the opportunity to teach a little as well. At Suubi there is a vocational school where kids that are interested in the trades can learn theory and practical skills. As part of their training they are able to come down to the shop and work along side the guys there. It was a neat experience to do a little teaching. Relationship wise I feel as though I am beginning to get to know the guys and am excited to go deeper over the next 7.5 months. I have especially got to know a fellow named Richard as well as I can, due to language barriers. Richard has definitely been my guardian angel during the first three weeks as he has gone out of his way everyday to teach me how to take the matatu’s (14 seat public transit). If it wasn’t for him I would have been completely lost, especially walking between the old and new taxi parks which is about a 5-10 minute walk through a sea of taxis, bodas, buses and Ugandans. I have learned to run when crossing the street, swivel my hips to avoid people and vehicles and not to fear when oncoming traffic is in your lane. It is absolute chaos.

Outside of work we have gotten to know many new mzungu’s (white people) and Ugandans and feel blessed to have met them all. It is amazing how God has provided us with a little community in such a short time. We have also found out that we will be able to move to the Suubi village in mid-October, which will allow us to have our own two bedroom flat. We will cook and clean for our selves and have one of the greatest views out our front window (pictures coming soon). Being at Suubi will also give us opportunity to deepen relationships and have people over. We are looking forward to the move.

We hope you all are doing well and love hearing from you. Keep it up.

God’s blessings!

September 15, 2009

Today my first baby went to be with Jesus.

Baby (I don’t want to post his name on the internet so Baby he will be) was approx 1 year old and weighed 5 kg. He was at the babies home for just over a month. Annie called me in this morning to the clinic where he was staying to consult regarding his current state. By the time I had reached him he was already doing what they call the ‘death moan.’ We assessed him, checked over the brief charting that was there from the night before. I took his temperature – 34.7 I wasn’t sure that the thermometer was accurate but he did indeed feel cold. His hands and feet were so cold and his perfusion was terrible. As I have been learning about malnutrition I have learned that hypothermia is a common side affect and something that needs to be watched for. Hypothermia will cause their little bodies so slowly shut down. We did our best to warm this little man up – a held him close, we put warmed blankets on him, all to no prevail. Within the hour we were up at ‘The Surgery’ – the best clinic/hospital in the area – the public hospitals here are death traps…literally. On the way to the Surgery Baby was having frequent apniec episodes needing much reminding/stimulation to breath. I held him closely the whole way to the Surgery - his level of consciousness wasn’t great but every once and awhile he would turn his big brown eyes and look at me as I was talking to him and praying for him. By the time we got to the Surgery Baby was tiring out. Besides being malnurshed he also was fighting TB and he had no reserve left in him to fight…he look his last breath on his own just as I was steps away from the clinic bed. We worked on him for over 30 min. but he was already gone. He died peacefully – we worked on him to try to bring him back, but really why would you want to stay in this world when you can see Jesus waiting with open arms for you!

I cleaned his little body up, swaddled him and we left the surgery just the same way as we had come in, just with this time with one less soul with us. I held his little body the entire way back to the babies home. Life and death – so real here. To have driven to the clinic with a little boy fighting every breath he took to the most peaceful looking little boy on the way home. I couldn’t help but think that this little malnourished man is now with Jesus, probably chubby as can be!

The staff and nannies were able to say good-bye once we arrived at the home. Death is so much apart of life here, but that doesn’t mean that it is easy… I bathed his little body, put a new sleeper and hat on him and wrapped him tightly again. Just his body is left and he is in such a better place.

What an honor it is to nurse. What an honor to be able to hold a little boy as the King of Kings decides that now is his time to come to Him. This little boy was abandoned and mistreated, I am so happy that God saw fit to bless him with his final month full of people that cared for him and loved him.

Thank you Jesus for allowing me to be apart of this little man’s life even if for a short time. Thank you for allowing me to hold him as he died – I thank you that we have hope in you through your Son.

Thank you!

We wanted to thank you all for your encouragement and prayers over the past couple of days - you guys are the BEST! It is so good for our hearts to know that we are so supported in prayer and love as we are on this adventure!

Things seem to be calm today in Kampala and the worst of everything seems to be behind us - praise the LORD! They talked today in church about fear vs. faith - so practical at a time like this. Also, some of the songs that I have song for years in church that we sang this morning have taken on a whole new meaning.
"Your name is a strong and mighty tower - your name is a shelter like no other - your name let the nations sing it louder - cause nothing has the power to save, but your name!"

Amazing how is the time of conflict that Jesus can give such peace!

Thank you all again for your love, encouragement and prayers! We are on to a new week - we hope for great things - to God be all Glory!

Side note...they might be moving Matt and I to Subbi Village where Matt works. That way only one of us has to commute and we will be safe just outside of Kampala - we will keep you all up to date:)

Together Again!

We are back together again - PRAISE THE LORD!!! We went into the babies home today - many nannies have not been able to get to work becuase they can't leave their homes so they needed all hands on deck. Two of the nannies were attacked, one in front of her children. It has become senseless attacks! Matt was able to hire a private taxi early this morning before the riots started again. He paid a fortune to get in, but it is so worth it! He met up with me at the babies home. It's so good to be back together! Things seem to be settling down somewhat. We hear less gunfire, but we shall see the true story after we watch the news tonight. Thank you all for your prayers - they have been felt! Keep them coming!

Love,

SJ & Matt

P.S. - if you have time you should watch 'Kirk Franklin in Uganda' on you tube...it's a little peice of what's going on here

Rioting

It has been an interesting couple of days here in Kampala…we have had our first taste of the roots of the tribes that exist here. To make a very long story short for you all - there is a President of Uganda – he is in charge of the whole country. There are many tribes within Uganda. There is one major tribe called the Buganda tribe. They still have a King. He lives in Uganda in a large palace. He does not have any political power but his influence is GREAT!

Yesterday the King sent his Prime Minister ahead of him to go to a spot that he is to visit on Sat. The government would not let the King’s Prime Minister through and this made the tribe of Buganda VERY unhappy and thus riots have broken out throughout the city. The riots are so bad that the police could not handle them and had to call in the military – the military has not been called in for over 4 years. People are just doing crazy things.

The riots all started yesterday. Matt has been stranded in the village since they started and we are not quite sure when we will be able to be together again as tomorrow could be the worst yet as it is the day that the king is suppose to make his visit. I made it home from the babies home last night only by God’s grace! What is normally a max. 30 min trip took us just over three hours – people were trying to flee from the city only to all end up in traffic and while we were sitting in mass chaos our car broke down! We truly had angels watching over us. We are now stranded at our guest home away from the city center, but were awakened again this morning by the sound of gun shots. It is just crazy – people are so angry at so much and it seems to all be coming to a head!

Matt and I are both safe in our separate locations – we wish we were together but we will stay put until things have settled down. This all seems like a bad movie. PLEASE pray for safety and for peace for this country. It is so hard for us to understand everything that is happening – it is so African. We do not understand the history that comes with tribes etc.

Love to you all!

PICTURES!!!

So we have figured out how to upload pics on this slow internet! The only problem is that they will be on facebook and not on the blog - so sorry blog readers. If you don't have facebook - it's time to join or find a friend that has.

We will try to upload new pics once a week.

Saturday, Sept. 5

Happy weekend to all! We have almost made it through our first week in Uganda and everyday we feel a little more comfortable about our new surroundings! Matt and I have both had two full days of work. We are learning our new jobs quickly!

Matt works at Subi Village in Watoto’s Production Unit on the West side of Kampala – we live on the East side of Kampala – therefore transportation is proving to be a challenge! Matt is on the road by 6:30am, at work from 8-5 and then gets home around 7pm. It’s a long day. He takes a Matatu – a 14 passenger Ugandan taxi. He is learning his route with help from a local named Richard, who also works at the Production Unit. Matatu’s stop at certain stages, similar to a Canadian bus. The trip is long, hot and squishy! This is the cheapest form of transportation and truly a Ugandan experience. The locals are impressed and think he is crazy for taking the Matatu’s to and from work work. I will never take these without Matt. On his first day, walking from one taxi park to another, many local grabbed at Matt’s backpack. Luckily Matt is a big guy!

At work, Matt has been learning how the shop runs. He worked along side another Ugandan man named Rashid the last two days learning the ropes! Matt’s boss, a man from Ohio, told Matt that as he sees ways to improve speed and efficiency that he could make it happen. Besides Matt’s boss, his boss’ wife, and the head of the mechanics department, he works with all locals. The locals speak Lugandan to each other, which is a local language. Matt is trying to pick up on this! Lunch for Matt has beans and porcha (excuse my Ugandan spelling – it’s all wrong!). At lunch he plays checkers and scrabble with the men – both games are very popular here.

I have spent two days with the babies and it is exhausting. The other volunteers say that after the first week you get use to the pace and the children. I have spent a couple of days with the 9-12 month olds. There are 12 kids this age. They wake up at 7, are changed, fed, bathed, play, fed again and then are napping by noon. At 3, we get them up, give them a snack, play, have supper at 5, bathe at 6, have milk at 6:30 and go to bed by 7. It’s amazing how much faster I am getting even after two days. I can feed three babies at once. We run 12 kids through the bath, diaper and dress them in sleepers in about 30 min. The kids are beautiful and I am trying very hard to put names to faces. The first day I learned who they were by what they were wearing and then we changed them all and I had to relearnJ. I think that by next week I will be in with the preemies, although I feel somewhat attached to my other kids already! I wish you all could see where I get to work. 75 babies in one place really is a sight to see!

Last night we went out on the town after work. Most of the volunteers at the babies home, another local and us headed out to a restaurant call MnPorcha. It is a beautiful patio/restaurant attached to a local hotel complete with a live local band. It was great! They had little lounging areas with pillows and couches. The band had about 10 people in it and was fantastic! It was a very fun night!

I think that’s about it for now. Internet here is costly and SLOW so we will try to blog at least once a week minimum. We will also try at some point to upload photos onto our facebook for you to look at, but again the internet is SLOWJ.

We Made It!

We have arrived! We had a very uneventful flight – no delays, not problems at customs and all our bags arrived no problem – praise the Lord!

The first day we spent getting to our guest home where we will be staying for the first little bit at least, unpacking and having cat naps – the time change is killing usJ (we go to bed at 10 wake up between 1-3ish and then fall back asleep between 6-7ish) – pray that our bodies adapt quickly! The evening of our first night we met a US marine pilot who was staying at our same guest home – he took us out and gave us a brief tour of Kampala – we rode in his US military vehicle complete with a military escort – very nice!

Our guest home is lovely. We have a private bedroom and bathroom. We have a flushable toilet (not all of the TP always goes down – but far better than a squattie pottie) and our own little shower that even sometimes has hot water depending on what time of the day you shower. There is a large green backyard area with many flowers. We are very safe in our area – we are in a suburb of Kampala (I believe they would consider it a rich area) we have a 24 hour guard as well as very high walls surrounding us. We eat our breakfast and supper and the home in the basement with the other guests. The food as been filling – they are very generous with their servings – so far so good – we have not been sick although you do at times feel yourself digestingJ The food is somewhat similar to ours – just with a very strong Ugandan feel to it – if that makes any senseJ

Day two we were toured around with Jonathan from Watoto – he has been our contact since we began this whole journey. He showed us the two children’s villages as well as the baby’s home. Matt met the men he will be working with and I met the ladies I will be working with. Watoto is so well set up – all of the facilities seem to be quite well run, organized and cleanJ

Today was our first day to figure out how to get around on our own. Transportation will be a big challenge here. There are three different methods…1. Boda boda’s – these are small motor bikes that weave in and out of traffic – they say 10 people a day die in Kampala on these bikes – Watoto doesn’t want us to ride these – we don’t want to either – traffic here is CRAZY – we have only been here three days and already been in a fender bender. 2. Taxi’s – this is like a mini bus – they fit 14 people in them and take the same route daily stopping at different spots – 14 people in a TINY little van with no A/C 3. Private Hire – the most expensive of the three – basically the same as hiring a taxi in north America

Today we took a private taxi into downtown Kampala to buy cells – we did well for our first trip in!

I think that is about it for now – we will see how many pictures we get up here – I understand that everyone likes the pics so I will do what I can – internet is SLOW here!

Matt and I both start work tomorrow. Thank you all so much for your encouragement, support, love and prayers – we appreciate them all! Goodnight from Uganda!