contrasts

Today Cassandra and I decided to head out and see some of the local sights. We traveled down to the end of Gaba Road which leads to Lake Victoria. (it's not quite a scenic as you are thinking) It's probably only a 15 minute drive from where we are living. We drove through the main part of the village and thought we would try to find a place to park so we could see the lake a little better. We trekked through some not very nice grassy area where a lot of goats and cows had obviously been. Just below we saw women in the blazing sun on top of what looked like coal pits where I think they were drying fish. It did not look like a fun activity. We went back to the car and went further down the road and stopped at a garden/park setting. We were apparently free to walk around. There was a nice breeze and we sat in the shade watching some strange storks. As we were leaving a man randomly offered Cassandra a bite of his beans!!! Firstly she doesn't even like beans and secondly, well what can I say,TIA. ( This is Africa)
After driving around in a more bustling part of the village we decided it was time to leave as there were just too many people, too many odors and too much of Africa. We needed a change. Off we went to Munyono Resort. It has a very western atmosphere. We are told this is where the queen of England stays when she visits. I figure if it's good enough for Lizzie, its good enough for me. We enjoyed a relaxed atmosphere as we sipped our cappuccinos in the afternoon sun. As we sat there we talked about the contrasts in life that surround us here. No, we are not snobs and just being prissy, sometimes all the poverty and oppression just get you down.

TWINS!!

Today I had the great joy of accompanying, Peace, to her monthly hospital appointment at the Ante Natal clinic ( Pre -Natal in the U.S.) Today she is 17 weeks pregnant. We know that she is carrying twins and so is considered at high risk. I go along with her to make sure she is getting everything she needs. I had to kind of fight with the doctor last month to have some tests run. It's really too complicated to go into a lot of detail, needless to say it does NOT done like western countries. We met with the nurse midwife this, appointment who was very kind and helpful. Next month Peace will have another ultrasound and we will be able to see the sex of the babies hopefully if they cooperate for us :-)
Peace is a house helper for the Henderson family. She was a Muslim and has been a Christian for a few years now. Her life has been very tough. Both her parents are dead and her only brother is a still a Muslim and not a big help in her life. She is not married and feels strongly that she needs to keep and raise her children despite very difficult circumstances. She chose not to have an abortion and so we know God will take care of her and those precious babies. June 27th is our next appointment so keep checking for updates and praying for Peace and her babies.

Bible study

When I moved into the Livingston's house for 3 months to house sit I knew I was going to have new responsibilities. I am learning many things about how to handle situations that arise when house staff is involved. There are 2 day guards, one night guard and a young woman that helps in the house. I am learning to be specific about things when in my mind I see it to be a certain way and assume they would see it the same way, Wrong! Anyway I am glad to have them and appreciate their help. I also agreed to lead a Bible study that Susie had started. I jumped in on Genesis 17. We meet at 7:30 here at the house. We spend time talking at first and sharing tea/coffee and some cookies or cake. So far there have been 4 coming regularly, with others coming later as they are able. We have 2 Koreans, a man from one of the islands off the coast of Africa, and one Ugandan. Others that have come in the past are a Sudanese woman and an Ethiopian woman. It will be interesting when we are all present. Of course there's me from Australia and Cassandra, my summer room-mate from the U.S. We are quite multi -cultural! It is a fun group and we have some interesting discussions despite some language barriers. I don't know about them, but I am learning lots. I am so glad for this wonderful opportunity.

back to life in Kampala

The team left for the U.S. on the evening of the 18th. Before they left we made sure the ladies had time to shop for some souvenirs. We met another friend along the way who wanted to join us but we were a bit tight on room. Not a problem here in Kampala. You just do what you have to do. Tara, happily climbed in the back of my car for a short distance :-)
As planned, Cassandra, stayed behind when the team left bound for home, to work on writing education lessons to be broadcast on the radio in Southern Sudan. We are house sitting together. Her husband will join her in July as they will be part of a team going to Nasir, Sudan.
Today the Aid Sudan ladies went to an Ethiopian coffee ceremony. It was a fun time. Our hostess, Beza, roasted the beans over hot coals. It was all quite a process. We enjoyed some really strong coffee. I was very awake and alert until late evening!

last day in Tonj

Since I can't hug my grand children I found a little person that looked like they needed some love. She was so tiny and frail




Can't believe it's time to leave. The days have been full and wonderful. We helped out a bit in the clinic and said our goodbyes before heading down to the airstrip at 12:30. Thought you would like the team photo by the plane. You can see Sabet, Suzy and their 3 children pictured with us.
I have chosen a few other random photos. The photo with the drum was taken at the community of Timtuk. Wish I could play! I'm not sure what was so funny but I taught a lesson on teeth brushing and then our team handed out about 150 toothbrushes that had been kindly donated by our team member, Ashley's husband, a dentist in Katy, Texas. The pregnant ladies were looking pleased with their brushes.
Looking out over Tonj as the plane got higher my mind was filled with many memorable moments. I hope I have given you a glimpse at some of them.

SPLA day

Woke up at 4:45 exactly this am. The reason I awoke was that I heard the distinct sound of gunfire.!!! Sabet had told us that this may happen because today is S.P.L.A. day. ( Sudanese Peoples Liberation Army) We had kind of expected it to happen last night. It's hard to describe to you what it's like laying in your bed hearing all kinds of guns being fired. Machine gun fire is very scary. We heard loud booms like mortars and a variety of other guns that I don't even know the names of. This lasted for about an hour. We had been told not to come outside as there is always the possibility of stray bullets. We were housed in a compound near the edge of town and could hear shots both near and far. As I lay there I could only imagine what it must be like for those in war like situations. I am post dating this blog and as I write, Southern Sudan may be on the verge of war again. How much more can these people take?
Today we helped out again in the clinic. I went with the midwife ( see photo ) as she had a lady in labor. Ashley from my team was also present. We stayed with this woman from about 9:30 am until she gave birth to a precious baby girl at 11:55 am. It was an amazing time in many ways. By 2:00pm mom was ready to go home, in fact she wanted to go at 1:00pm but we encouraged her to stay a little longer. I took photos of her and baby heading off home. Mom carried her bag and the sister carried the infant. Since it was not my camera I don't have them to show you. I have to say I was speechless as I watched them walk out the gate. These women are so tough. She did not cry out at all in labor and received no drugs.
I felt kind of weak and tired this afternoon, well after all I did just go through labor! After a rest I was asked to attend the service for young Isaac. Sabet, Lizi, Andrew and I went. The family were very glad to receive us. We were shown into the family hut, our hands were washed and we were served food and drinks. After a time we gathered outside with family and friends. Sabet, Andrew and I each spoke some words to the mourners. Isaac was buried right in the center of the family compound. On the top of one of the huts in the compound sat a vulture. It was a eerie sight. Death is always hovering in this harsh land.
I have included a photo that I took yesterday of a woman just sitting on the ground outside her hut. I am quite sure she has never seen what she looks like. I showed her the photo after I took it and she just stared at it with no facial expression. I gestured a few times and then I think she got it as a smile crept over her face. The last photo I have included for this day's blog is Sabet Kuj standing outside the compound of In Deed and Truth.

Sunday in Sudan

This morning Elisabeth and I helped Suzy make pancakes. What a treat, pancakes in Sudan! Unfortunately some team members are not feeling well today and are laying low. It's a matter of who is next? I was fortunate to be in the healthy category today. Several of us ladies went to lead Sunday School with about 30 local children. With the help of a translator we told the story of Creation. The children got to have parts. Some were the sun, moon and stars and others were fish, birds, and all kinds of animals. We sang a few songs and then went outside for some games. We ended up with duck, duck goose and the Hokey Pokey. It spans all languages!
After church I helped the American doctor by holding an infant so he could sew up it's little hiney where he had removed a tumor a few days earlier. For most of the afternoon we rested, journaled and talked with each other. Late in the afternoon we went to the house of a woman named Mary, who works at the compound. She and her husband, Joseph,wanted to host a meal for us. We sat outside and watched Mary make kisera. ( this is kind of like a crepe) We all took turns. The photo I included shows Suzy trying her hand. I did horribly. Mary also served some local green vegetables, chicken and goat. Our team were the honored guests in their small compound. Before we left we prayed for this sweet couple to be blessed with children. I've also included a photo of a little girl who drew my attention as we watched the kisera being made.

Mapel

It was a hot and sticky night and I didn't sleep well but I was eager to travel today to the village of Mapel. It is only about 18 miles from Tonj but it took us 1 1/2 hours to drive there. Along the way we saw a few monkeys on the side of the road. The people in this area are from the Luwo tribe. We arrived at a small Episcopal church ( the dominant church in Southern Sudan ) and were met by about 16-20 women. After the church sang and played the drum to welcome us, Andrew and Bob met with some local church pastors outside while Sabet and all of us women met inside. We spent a wonderful hour or so discussing women's issues and what life was like for these Sudanese "sisters" of ours. We felt their heartache as they told us about their lives and challenges. We heard about walking an hour to get clean water, no food, abusive husbands, soldiers raiding and taking their daughters, raping them and sometimes capturing them. We heard they can get medical care at the local clinic for free but if they need medicine they cant get it because the clinic has sold the medicine on the black market and the people can't afford the market prices. At one point they asked what a typical day for us was like. We avoided the question. Another awkward moment came when a man entered the church an gave each of our team a bottle of cold water. This was right after the women had said they walk an hour to get water and it's not even clean. I was trying to decide in my mind what to do with the bottle because there was no way I was putting it near my lips no matter how dry my mouth was. After a while, Sabet decided to take a sip from his bottle. One of the women asked if she could have a drink from his bottle. He offered it to her. Immediately we all gave our bottles away for the women to share.
After we had finished asking questions we stood up to leave and the women broke into spontaneous dancing. It got kind of wild. Again another contrast. The women had just told us about their desperate lives and hardships beyond our understanding and now they danced uninhibited, laughing and smiling as if in celebration of life. I need to celebrate life more. Sabet surprised us with the men's version of his own tribal dance.
We prayed together and waved our goodbyes. Our minds had much to reflect on during the drive home. We did see a lonely little gazelle bounding through the brush as we returned.

School visit

Started the day as I have most days by helping out in the kitchen. Elisabeth and I have tried to lighten the load for the kitchen staff by doing the dishes. We get water from the kettle that has been boiled over hot coals. Sometimes we carried breakfast food and coffee to the dining area. This photo shows the kitchen. We would be standing in the center front at the sink and we could watch as everyone in the compound started getting up and moving around.
After breakfast we walked to Tonj Academy where approx. 980 students attend classes. I have never seen any school like this before in Sudan. The principal and staff met with us and then allowed us to tour the school and speak in some of the classes. We broke off into groups. Cassandra actually sat in on classes to observe teachers and general class activity. She is currently writing education lessons that will be broadcast on the radio,just as I am writing health lessons. She gained a lot of insight from this visit. The rest of us went from class to class. In several classes we told Bible stories and then talked with the class. One class remains at the forefront in my mind. One of the students asked for Bibles, another for soccer balls. Andrew explained to them we did not come with written Bibles but the stories we told them, they could then go and tell their family and friends. None of us knows when the written word may be taken from us, but no one can take what's in our mind and heart. One of the young men in the class said they only had two hands and were doing what they could but they needed help. Andrew answered their question by saying we came with the hand of friendship and would tell others about their needs and that they should continue to pray and ask God for his help. See the hand of friendship on the photo.
As part of the school tour we visited the "cafeteria" Women make a mixture of sorghum and beans. We are talking hundreds of pounds of this mixture cooked in the huge pots, over hot coals. I included the dish washing crew. You can see a goat in the foreground who is apparently licking dishes dry! This is probably the only meal these students eat each day. Today was exceptionally hot, probably over 110. In class of about 60 students I noticed a jerry can inside the door with one mug which the students shared to get a drink from. We, the team, are all trying to stay hydrated.
Later in the afternoon Sabet and Suzy walked with us through the market in the main street of Tonj. Needless to say we got lots of looks. We even got to have cokes :-)
When we got back from our walk a few of us went to visit the young man, Isaac who was very ill. We gathered around his bed and prayed for him. We were about to leave and I felt strongly that a hymn would be appropriate. I asked Lizi with her beautiful voice if she would sing. She sang "How Great Thou Art" I had the overwhelming sense that is was nearing the end for him and this was like ushering him into heaven. A few hours later after supper we heard the loud sound of wailing. Isaac had died. It was a hard time as we listened to his distraught family.

Maloney

This is a seat believe it or not! The men carry them with them and when they are ready they can just sit down or sometimes they use it to rest their heads on.


This morning we helped out in the clinic for a short time and then drove with Sabet and some of the medical staff to hold a clinic for the community of Maloney. There is just one building with an exam table in it and it seemed like it was in the middle of no where. Pretty soon after we arrived people started trickling in. I got assigned the pre natal patients. I had to have a quick refresher from the Kenyan doctor exactly what I needed to check for on these sweet ladies. The pre natal care is hit or miss. Sometimes the women don't want to walk to the clinic and if it's raining they definitely won't come. Understandable but frustrating. I learned that you can calculate due dates by counting how many moons have passed. We saw some interesting characters milling around while clinic was being held. We ended up having to pack up early because there was a thunderstorm and all 10 of us crowded into the tiny clinic room until the rain subsided. One of the patients did not have the required 2 pound fee ( $1) so gave us a chicken! The chicken rode under the seat back to the compound with us. We occasionally heard his protests as we had a pretty wild ride through the bush, with fresh puddles and pot holes.
Tonight while we were having our team devotional time Sabet came over to show us the scorpion he had just found. It looks like a small crustacean!!! They say the bigger they are the less potent their sting. I guess that's comforting :-) Large bats flying around at night also. Good thing I can get safely tucked into my mosquito net.

The day continues

It's hard to believe there could be more things to take in on this day but there is. As we leave Timtuk the Land Cruiser gets stuck so we get out an push. It's an all out effort as there is no AAA and we are a long hot walk from the compound. We are successful and do some off roading through the bush to our next stop, a leper colony. We have all been advised that you can't get leprosy by simply greeting and meeting these people who are ostracized from the rest of society. As we drove up to this Catholic run compound we saw many people coming out from the building with smiles and obvious happiness to see visitors. We shook hands with many noting several people had lost fingers and toes due to their illness. I was particularly taken by the woman in the polka dotted dress. She was caring for the child like a parent but she seemed too old to be the natural mother. The lady seated next to her was quite old and blind. So here was this woman who was missing all but 2 fingers on each hand and also missing toes caring for a child and leading a blind woman around. After greeting most of the people we gathered under a shady tree and sang Hallelujahs together. It's another one of many moments when there were sharp contrasts. Here are deformed, outcasts with big smiles singing praises! They said they didn't mind that we did not come with any gifts but that we came with friendship, that was better. As we drove away I had a lot to reflect on.

Clinic and Timtuk

After a wonderful breakfast of Mandazi's ( kind of like New Orleans beignets) juice and fresh bananas we gathered for early morning devotional. We met under a thatched roof and sat in a huge circle. I think there were about 20 or so of us. We sang in English, Arabic and Dinka. Well I say we, but you know I just have the English part down! Today Andrew shared a word of encouragement with us. After devo time we sat and talked with Sabet and Suzy to figure out our goals for the time we will be spending in Tonj and then off we went to help in the clinic. The clinic can see around 100 patients a day. We all got assigned spots and some received some quick O.J.T. I got to be a floater. I helped in changing dressings, took some temperatures, registered patients,sat in with the Kenyan and American doctors and also learned about about the role of the midwife and pre natal care. During the morning a man was brought in screaming and thrashing. He got some medicine to calm him and then was treated for malaria. It turned out he had cerebral malaria and died later in the week. Reality is harsh here and death is very much a part of life. Sorry for the oxymoron but it's just the way it is. They mostly only treat on an outpatient basis but at times, since there is no where ,they keep patients for extended periods to treat. I met 18yr old Isaac today. He is so sick with multiple problems.
After lunch Sabet drove us to the community of Timtuk. We specifically wanted to talk with the women and asked about their daily lives and struggles. I was deeply impacted when a dirty,torn green bucket was set before us. This was the drinking water for the community. It was sickening. We all watched from a distance as a mother gave the water to her toddler to drink. They get the water from an almost dry well. It is a hand dug well only about 20 feet deep. They pull water up with an old can tied to the end of a rope. It's hard not to get these images out of my head. Water is a basic in life, or it's supposed to be.
Before I forget the community bestowed on our team Dinka names. Since cows are the center of life and community in the Dinka tribe we were given cow names. At first this may seem offensive but it's actually an honor. My name is Kerrie YOM. This means a cow with grey on it's head. Wonder why I got that name???

We left the cool morning air of Kampala behind and flew through some thunderstorms into Sudan. After approx. 4 hours of flying with a couple of stops included, we landed in Tonj and were warmly greeted by Sabet Kuj. Please see the In Deed and Truth web site to learn about this amazing family and their ministry. We were all very tired so took short naps and then Suzy, Sabet's wife showed us around the compound that was our home for 8 days. The building above housed all six of us women. 4 of us in one end and 2 at the other end. You can see our lovely surroundings. We have all dubbed this place the Tonj Mahal. This is my 5th trip to Sudan and I have never stayed anywhere like this :-) In the evening around the dinner table we met all the staff. There are Kenyans, a nurse from Sierra Leone, an American doctor, American midwife and of course Sudanese from a few different tribes. We just know it's going to be a great week.

Sudan bound

Today was a crazy day,shopping, packing and organising plus sending out frantic emails to my family who have all kinds of things going on in their lives. I shopped for fruits and vegetables as requested by our host in Tonj, Sudan at In Deed and Truth. Peace, the Henderson's house helper, came with me to advise on fair pricing and to assist with carrying 8 kilos of tomatoes etc!! It was a fun time. About 6pm the local Aid Sudan team comprising, Kerry, Bob and myself went by bus to Entebbe. We settled into a guest house for about 4 hours and then went over to the airport to meet the team that were supposed to arrive at 01:15. Unfortunately K.L.M did not inform anyone that the plane was going through Kigali, Rwanda and was not arriving until 03:15. So we waited....
Finally back at the guesthouse at 4:30 to allow the arriving team to shower and organise their bags for Sudan. Breakfast was at 0600 and then we all set off up the road for a 45 min drive to Kajjansi airport where our Mission Aviation Fellowship (M.A.F.) plane was ready to fly us into Tonj via Arua which is where we cleared customs. Needless to say we all had a little cat nap on board our flight in the Caravan ( type of plane)

Happy Mothers Day

I was wondering how my first Mother's Day away from my family would be, but it was a really lovely day. After church one of Aid Sudan's families ( the Hendersons) treated me to lunch at a great restaurant on a terrace that overlooks the lake you see in the background. I ate baked Nile Perch cooked in a white wine/mushroom sauce with mixed vegetables on the side. Yummy! I was able through Skype, to talk with my children, grandchildren and my mom and mother in law. Hope each of you moms reading this enjoyed your day also.

Equator

Last Thurs I was invited to drive to southwestern Uganda with a friend who works with Living Water. We visited the tiny town of Ntungamo. It was 6 hour drive from Kampala. Lots of interesting things to see along the way. Actually saw a small group of zebra and a few Crested Cranes which are the national birds of Uganda. The scenery reminded me a bit of Central America, very green, lush and tropical. As you can see we passed over the Equator.

1980s

Thought you might get a laugh from this post. Tonight was the annual 1980s party. The photo is the Aid Sudan team like you have never seen them before. Not only was everyone outfitted in fashions from the 80s but we had music relevant to dance to and watched a power point of news during that time period. Each of us had to submit a photo of ourselves so that the guests could try to identify people. It all made for a fun evening. I was rubbing shoulders with Madonna, Boy George, Poison, and Don Johnson from Miami Vice to name a few.

I've got wheels!

Yeah! today I bought my first Ugandan vehicle. I had been wondering what car to get and how I was going to go about it, but as always God was one step ahead of me and had it all planned out. The car was purchased from an Australian family, so you know already I was happy with the deal:-) Michael had been a mechanic in Australia and had taken great care of the car. He was the second owner and the first owner was also a "muzungu" This is a big plus as it gave reassurance that the car had been properly maintained according to western standards. The price was another bonus as it was not nearly as much as I had budgeted. In case you cant tell from the photo it's a Mitsubishi Pajero. 2 door, diesel and automatic with 4 W.D. So important here. I set off this evening for my first drive to a friends house on the other side of the hill. I found out I am not really keen to drive at night. People here drive with their headlights on full or high beam. It's blinding. I had to stop a few times until they passed. It's hard to see local people walking on the road due to their skin color and the fact that there are no street lights!!! Anyway now I can get out and about as I need to. When you are driving in your vehicle say a quick prayer for me as I negotiate the local territory.