Settling In

Road to Soroti. Most of the pavement is gone and there are just giant potholes everywhere. Seriously, driving is an intense game of chicken. Everyone tries to avoid potholes, even if it means coming straight at the vehicle coming in the opposite direction. At the last possible moment they veer off and collision is avoided. Makes for some interesting driving to say the least.

Okay...I said I would try and post some photos so this is what I have so far. I may post more on my facebook as I think that it is easier and faster, so go to http://www.facebook.com/ and friend me. If you don't know how, ask a kid you know...they'll be able to help you. :)

Well, It's Tuesday and we've had a few days to get settled. So far, Bob and Josh have been sick with stomach issues and Andrew and Jake just said they didn't think they felt so good. Jake just climbed in bed with a bucket next to him just in case, but Andrew is still hanging in there. Bob and Josh are already in bed and it is only 9pm.  Bob started with it Sunday night and Josh last night. We think it is a virus as some of the team here have it. We've been really careful about drinking only safe water, so I don't think it is that. So far, I feel fine. Let's hope it stays that way!

We went to town yesterday to go to the fresh air market, the grocery store, the bank and to get some lunch. We took 2 pedal bikes and hired two bodas (bikes pedaled by a driver with a seat on the back for a passenger). Bob wasn't feeling too well but he thought he would try it. We walked a short way from the house and he decided he didn't dare get too far from the bathroom so he turned back. The ride to town is only about 10 minutes by bike and I got to ride the boda and be pedaled around so it wasn't bad at all even though it was 95 degrees out.  We walked the streets, went to the ATM  which according to Josh is the only air conditioned place in all of Soroti.  We did our banking business and then Jake and I stayed as long as we could in the ATM before someone else came along. Then we went into the market and bought fresh produce. Very overwhelming, crowded and hot, but tons of spices, vegetables (some of which I've never seen before), produce, beans and nuts. It was fun. Josh knew exactly what he was doing, who to buy from, what to ask, how much to pay, etc. He is a pro and I am very much a novice. He really doesn't like to shop, especially at the market, so he was in and out as fast as possible. I would have liked to browse a little, but not to be. Hopefully I can go back again with one of the ladies on the team. Josh said none of the guys on the team like market. We then headed to get groceries at OM Supermarket. Quite small by American standards, but quite large by Ugandan standards. Could find most of what we needed, although couldn't find kidney beans or tomato sauce.  I want to make chili for dinner sometime so I'll have to keep looking.  No carts as the store aisles aren't wide enough; just baskets. It went fairly well overall.  Had to haul all our purchases back on the bikes/bodas but that too went well.  Had lunch in a restaurant there. The food was good although they did not have syrup for french toast. Not sure what, if anything, they put on french toast. Jake added sugar and thought it was good.  The food has been good here. A bit interesting at times, but overall we've done well.  Tonight we had pork and potatoes all done together and it was delicious. We all liked it, although I don't think Bob or Josh ate much.

This morning we (minus Bob and Josh) got up really early, about 5:20am, and climbed Soroti Rock to watch the sunrise and spend some quiet time with God. It was awesome, once we got to the top. I'm not sure how high this rock it, but it is mammoth.  I didn't really know what to expect and was not dressed appropriately. Should have worn pants and hiking/tennis shoes and instead had on a skirt and flipflops. Halfway up I thought I was going to die!  Seriously, I started getting motion sick...and I was walking?!?!?!?!!!  Nauseous, dizzy, lightheaded and weak. What a wimp!  Sat down for a 5 minute rest and that helped, but honestly I felt rotten. Once I got to the top though and was able to sit quietly and look out over Soroti, I forgot about how rotten I felt and it was an awesome way to begin my day with God.  I was able to take some neat pictures overlooking Soroti. On the way back home, we stopped at a Hindu Temple in town. They dress up gods like dolls, feed them, put them down to sleep, etc. The temple itself is quite dumpy with trash piled in the corner of the same room many of the gods are. Honestly, I found it really disturbing!  So many people missing out on knowing the only one, true God. The courtyard of the temple had all kinds of signs nailed to trees. One sign said "Avoid dark corners and lonely places". Not quite sure the purpose of the signs, but made for some interesting conversation :). Tim and Angie (missionaries we are staying with) said they had made friends with some of the Indian Hindus and who knows how God will use those friendships. My prayer is that their Hindu friends will someday come to know the God who created them and loves them.

Our laundry was done in our backyard this morning, by hand, by a sweet lady named Martha. I felt so guilty making her do our laundry, standing up, bent over to the ground, washing each item of clothing by hand in a wash tub! Laundry for 5!! I hate to do laundry at home in my amazing LG frontload washer and dryer, let alone by hand in the hot Ugandan sun, but Martha is glad to have the income we pay her and this is a way we can bless her. Still, it was hard for me to watch and not help, even though I had no real desire to work that hard out in the sun. Wasn't all that thrilled to see all my underwear hanging out on the line for all to see either :).  Scooped that up as quick as it dried you can be sure, but I guess that is life in Uganda.  I have lots to learn!

We then headed to Beyond Centre, located across the street from where we are staying. Team Beyond (that is the name for our missionary team here in Uganda) has a center of books, bibles, magazines and resources available for local pastors to use. It was really neat to see and here about their plans for equipping local pastors for biblical teaching.

We headed back home to work on a craft project one of the teammates is going to use with some of the local children. You should have seen our three boys.  The 5 of us, along with a Ugandan friend, had an assembly line around the dining room table, cutting and gluing paper. Not any of our three boy's "gifts", but they were agreeable and we got it done in short order.  

Then off to see the ministries devoted to the blind. We picked up Francis, a blind man from Soroti and went to the local school for the blind. School is not in session right now and there is much repair work to be done in the dorms so we wanted to see what areas our family could help out in. Many of the bunks need to be restrung with wire so on Thursday Bob and the boys are heading there with tools and wire to fix all the bed. There is also a fair amount of wooden furniture in need of repair so that is something we might also get a chance to work on. 

We drove about 45 minutes or so on some village roads to meet up with a blind man and his wife who have been given orange trees by Team Beyond to plant as a way to supplement their meager wages. The roads were just paths really...very bumpy, rough, broken paths I might add :).  Even sitting in the front seat, I got car sick and Jake, sitting in the back of a van didn't do so well either. By the time we arrived, both he and I were not feeling so good. Unfortunately the couple had gone away from their home so we were not able to meet them. They had recently accepted Jesus and I would have loved to hear their story. We were able to see their orange grove though. Really impressive. The trees were planted only two years ago and already were bearing fruit. They had also planted pineapple and tomatoes. I think I'll start keeping some drugs for motion sickness in my camera case so I have it with me.  You just never know where exactly you will be going and what the roads will be like. I'm starting to figure it out, but apparently I am a slow learner!

Our housemates, Stephanie and her two children, Alibina and Julius, are leaving to go back home to Germany so there was a going away party for them this afternoon/evening. Many Ugandan friends, as well as the entire team came to our house for dinner and fellowship. We had a really good Ugandan main course meal of pork and potatoes. I hope all Ugandan food tastes this good!  It was fun listening to the Ugandan women singing farewell songs to Stephanie. They sounded beautiful!

Well, it has been a long, busy, dusty, dirty day! Tomorrow we are supposed to be up and out by 8am for the sports tournament and will be gone for most of the day I think. After getting up @ 5:20am this morning I think I should head to bed shortly.  I'll try and post pics tomorrow, some on the blog and the rest on my facebook. Please pray that the Feenstras shake whatever sickness/virus we have contracted. As of right now, I think only Andrew and I will be up to going, but hopefully by morning things will look better.

Prayer concerns:

Health for our family

Effective ministry tomorrow with the kids at the sports tournament

Safe travel to Germany for Stephanie and her newly adopted children

Open hearts to be changed and used in whatever way God has for us

Praises:

Good news for Tim and Angie in regards to the adoption of Moses and Zulea

For safe travel from Michigan to Uganda with very little motion sickness

For good bonding and connections with the team here in Uganda

For opportunties to get to know and build relationships with Ugandans we have met

Again, thanks for your thoughts and prayers. It is so fun to read your posts and comments. Blessings from Uganda and I'll "talk" to you soon.

Julie