Adventures in Uganda, Part 12...Kampala and Good Bye

November 3, 2007
Call to prayer in the morning
Kampala


"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28

Directly underneath the famous Johns Hopkins dome, in the middle of the old main building of the hospital, stands a statue of Jesus with his arms open wide and the verse I listed above inscribed at his feet. I have thought a lot about that statue and this verse during my time here. I wish that I could show these people what that verse means through my love for them and how much I desire to love and care for them. Can they possibly see the reason for my love is Jesus? Do I look different to them because of Him or because I am white and from the west? Can they see You in me? I have struggled with these questions the entire time I have been here.

Adventures in Uganda, Part 11...More With Less

Coming soon

Adventures in Uganda, Part 10...Fall Fesitval

October 31, 2007

Coming soon

Adventures in Uganda, Part 9...ARV Clinic

coming soon

Adventures in Uganda, Part 8...Webele Kwejuna

Comming soon

Adventures in Uganda, Part 7...Prayer, HIV and Dr Jonah Kule

Thursday, November 1, 2007
Prayer, HIV and Dr Jonah Kule

The Kwejuna Project

HIV is definitely present here in Nyahuka, Uganda. Pamela Brown-Peterside is one of the most amazing individuals I have met since my arrival in Uganda.

Comming soon

Adventures in Uganda Part 6...The Children

Wednesday, October 31, 2007
“Suffer ye the little children”

But Jesus called for them, saying, "Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Luke 18:16

Children are everywhere here. They play naked in the mud by the road. They chase goats on the hill side. They fight with their siblings over a ball. They stare out their school room window as I walk by. They carry heavy loads of wood or food or supplies. They knock on my door looking for my roommates. They play in the kitube outside my front door. And they greet me every morning in the pediatric ward.

Uganda is full of beautiful things, but I think perhaps its greatest beauty lies in its children. Thus, it is fortunate for me that I get to spend a good portion of my clinical time here treating pediatric patients. Each and every one of the children we see in the pediatric ward has a unique story, but there are two which have captured my heart and that I would like to highlight.
Zawadi Kabugho
Kabugho is a six month old little girl who came to ARV (Anti-retroviral) clinic the first Wednesday after I arrived here. She was severely malnourished and anemic, so Dr Jennifer admitted her to the paediatric ward not expecting her to make it through the night. To all of our surprise and delight she was still with us the next day. You see, Kabugho’s mother died of TB and AIDS shortly after her birth and her grandmother has been caring for her as best as she can without any assistance from outside. Being a good grandmother, she had brought the child to the clinic to get her HIV mdications. Praise the Lord that she did, as Kabugho could not have survived much longer without out help. She weighed less than 8 pounds at 6 months and had a hemoglobin of 3.2. After two transfusions, gifts of milk and formula, TB and malaria medications, and two weeks in our ward, she has perked up, her eyes have become bright and she is eating well. I am not sure just how she will do once returning home, but with her grandmother’s love and care there is hope. She is truly a living example of the widow in Luke 21:1-4 who gave everything. Lord, please make me more like her.

Masika
Masika has been here since before I got here and now, on my last day, is headed home. I remember the first time I saw her. She was being placed into the woven basket by her mother for the morning weigh in. Her skin was patchy and pealing with large areas of pure white in stark contrast to the rest of her dark skin. Her hair was sparse and what little she possessed had an almost reddish hue instead of the usual black. Not to mention she was frighteningly thin, weighing only 6.4 kg (14lb). All of these I have learned are signs of severe malnourishment. As the weeks have progressed, I have seen her skin heal, some hair begin to grow and she has gained almost 2 kilos. For about a week now it has been a goal/challenge to all of us to get her to smile. We have made faces at her, danced in front of her, tickled her, given her toys and candy, and today for one brief second, I think I almost saw the corners of her mouth turn upward as she looked at her mother. We work on small miracles around here, so I am considering that a smile.

There are so many other children here I would love to tell you about, like our little 1.8kg infant with a cleft palate and severely disfigured feet, or little Bakechura and little Sharoni who are being treated for Kwashiorkor malnutrition, or Dina in bed 7 who was born without a completed scalp and we are slowly treating as it grows together, or Michael Ngonzi in bed 18 who has TB and is HIV+ and we are waiting to get his ARV’s so we can send him home, or sweet Friday Lezunga who suffers from seizures/convulsions, or Chance or Creation or Jovia or the twins we just sent home.

I think these kids are stealing my heart…and I don’t want it back.
With much love,
Rachel

Adventures in Uganda Part 5...Wonderful Weekend

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Wonderful Weekend

Sometimes the Lord blesses us beyond measure. This weekend, He did just that.

Would you believe me if I told you that in the course of 24 hours I went swimming with my clothes on, slid down a mountain on my rear end, traveled with the Ugandan military, fellowshipped with people from Seattle, was serenaded by children, and learned to calypso? If you had been there, you would have called it a wonderful weekend, too.

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Romans 1:18-20

Ngite Falls
If you could see this place you would know for sure that this is true. The Lord is definitely revealing himself here. The mountains sing of His majesty. The soil here is so rich that they really don’t have a growing season. You just plant whenever you want and it grows! That’s good enough if you want to plant a garden, but makes for an interesting mountain climb.

Saturday, after finishing the rest of the missionary health check ups, a group of us took off for Ngite Falls. I love hiking, but I have never been on a hike quite like this. It wasn’t that the climb was almost straight up, or that it drizzled on us as we climbed, or that there was no path to follow that made this hike challenging. It was the rich soil, thick, black and completely loose which provided the new difficulty. Just like a thick coat of fresh powder snow on a ski slope, the rich dark soil was soft beneath my feet and kept giving way as I tried to get a good foothold. Even the branches and plants springing from the earth were not good climbing aids as they easily gave way as you gripped them for support. So we scampered up digging our toes and fingers into each step and becoming more and more like the earth beneath, black.

Ahh, but for the reward at the end of the climb! We emerged through vines and branches to discover a glorious waterfall and pool beneath. The water was freezing, but that did not stop any of us from diving in and enjoying the most exhilarating shower I have had since arriving in Uganda. (No one bothered to tell me I needed to wear a swim suit, so in I went with my clothes on…no way was I going to miss out on this!!!) Getting back down the mountain proved to be even more of a challenge than climbing up. The same loose, rich soil which made it hard to get a solid foothold made it even more difficult to walk down. So we did not walk…we slid…on our rear ends! During one resting point in the journey down, I grabbed a branch so I could stand up and look around only to have the branch give way and tumble straight down the mountain. Luckily, I did not go far and stuck to ground the rest of the way. I only thought I was dirty when I arrived at the falls, now the wet clothes mixed with the dirt equaled mud. What a sight…six adults and five children completely covered in mud! I loved it. Luke Myhre led us to a smaller pool of water near the bottom of the mountain and in we all went once again…this time to clean off. Of course it did not hurt that there was a ledge for jumping off straight into the pool. Bombs away!
Oh the Lord has definitely not forsaken this land or its people. He has just hidden its treasures so that those who dare to search for them are more in awe of Him than was previously thought imaginable. Now, if only the heart of the people were as rich for planting as the soil around them.

To Bundibugyo
Now Scott Will and I had packed for the weekend in Bundibugyo as a friend of his, Susan, was to be in town for a few days. So we changed clothes at the bottom of the mountain, thankful Scott had remembered to bring a towel, Dr Jennifer dropped us off at the road and we set off for the long walk into Bundi. We had not gone far, when a military truck pulled up along side us and asked if we wanted a ride. Of course we did, but was it safe to ride with them? Scott started to climb into the back, but they motioned us to ride in the cab. To make a long story short, it turns out we rode all the way to Bundibugyo in the back seat with the commander of the local military regimen with a large automatic weapon straddled between my feet. I can’t say I wasn’t a little nervous or intimidated, but they were terribly friendly and drove us straight to the hotel where we were to meet Susan. How’s that for service? Scott called me his good luck charm because, as of yet, we have never had to walk very far to get anywhere. I just think the Lord knows how much I like adventure and the journey to and from places around here have been anything but dull!

Scott and Susan in the market place in Bundibugyo

World Vision
We met up with Scott’s friend Susan at Hotel Vanilla. She was in Uganda with a group from her church in Seattle and World Vision. Apparently people from her church sponsor over 200 children here in Kisitu, Uganda through World Vision, and they had come to meet some of them and bring gifts. That would explain why she and seven others were here in such a remote area of the world and not far from our small town. Scott and I were able to book two hotel rooms for the night and spent the evening with Susan and getting to know the people from her church.

The next day was Sunday, and the team from Seattle invited us to go to a special church service in Kisitu put on by the local church in their honour. I am so glad we stayed. What commenced from that day was likely one of the biggest highlights from my time here in Uganda. The children sang and danced. The adults sang and danced. Everyone played various instruments and together we all heartily worshiped the Lord. I am sure He was delighted by the love and joy of that service. After an inspiring sermon by Bob, the World Vision representative with the Seattle group, and before stuffing our faces on some delicious food, the children taught me to calypso. I have never had so much fun or delighted in learning to dance as much as I did that day. It is true, rhythm and music is in the soul of Africans and they share it well. After all was said and done, individuals from World Vision went out of their way to get Scott and I back to Bundibugyo to catch a boda back to Nyahuka. What a beautiful team of believers they have working there in Uganda to serve those most in need.

Since returning home, I have become a sponsor of a young Ugandan girl, Betty, through World Vision. (I actually believe her to be the girl in the pink dress in the picture above. I was so impressed by her facial expressions as she sang and danced that I took her picture alone. I am amazed to have found her on their web site and blessed to be her sponsor.) Based on what I saw and the heart of those involved, I believe it to be a well run organization. If you are interested in sponsoring a child, please visit their web site at http://www.worldvision.org/.

“The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ “
Matthew 25:40

Adventures in Uganda part 4 ...Joy and Pain

Friday, October 26, 2007
Joy and Pain

How lovely on the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace And brings good news of happiness, Who announces salvation, {And} says to Zion, "Your God reigns!"
Isaiah 52:7
Webele Kwejuna!
That is the local Lubwisi language for thank you for a healthy birth. Every Friday morning I have traveled with Dr Scott to do ultrasounds on individuals in Bundibugyo, the larger town just a few kilometers away. Most of the patients we see are pregnant women who are uncertain of their due dates. This Friday was an exception as we saw an unusual amount of women with complaints of low abdominal pain. In the US we would just order an abdominal and pelvic CT and be done with it. But that is not possible here. So we use what we have, a backpack sized ultrasound machine, for which we are truly grateful, but is not particularly helpful in diagnosing many abdominal complaints. However, one woman came in this morning with a complaint of low abdominal pain for the past few weeks. She is an older woman (30’s) who has been trying to get pregnant for the past six years. Today, to her surprise, we had the privilege of telling her that the source of her abdominal pain is that she is finally pregnant and due, of all days, on my birthday, May 25th! On the journey back to Nyhauka, I rode in the back seat of Dr Scott’s truck with a mother holding her newborn child and comforting her two year old son from the scary “muzungu” (white person). It is odd to be thought of as scary. Apparently there is an old wives tale that muzungu’s steal children away and do terrible things to them. I don’t think people really believe these, but they seem to still be a part of their culture. Thankfully the young boy was not too frightened by my presence as he fell asleep curled behind his mother’s back. The infant in her arms was a delight to see and somehow a comfort to me as I reflected upon the beauty of new birth. In a place where death is just as much a part of life as birth, it has been nice to be a part of new beginnings and experience their joy. I only wish I had suggested to the other mother that she name the baby Rachel if it is a girl. Webele Kwejuna!

Chase Gray
It is hard for me to talk about the rest of today, as I am not sure I have completely processed what just happened.

This weekend, the Drs. Myhre, Scott Will and I, are doing a health screening for the mission team. It was time for their yearly health check up and a good use of the two extra health personnel for making things go quickly. But Dr Jennifer discovered something a few days ago, which prompted this timely screening. Chase Gray, at eight months old is the youngest member of the Bundibugyo team. He is a beautiful blond haired, blue eyed little boy who loves to smile and be held. We all adore him and fight over who gets to hold him. But, at eight months, he is not doing all of the things an 8 month old should be doing. He is not pushing up, or rolling over, or crawling. He is not verbalizing any words, or even starting to verbalize words. And the most unnoticeable thing of all, his head is not growing. Julia Myhre drew Chase’s name for the Christmas exchange and decided she wanted to make him a hat. So, Dr Jennifer measured his head, and noticed it was rather small for his age. On looking it up, she realized it was not only small, but less than the 5th percentile for his age. So, today, we all sat and told the Grays that there is a very good chance that their son may have Cerebral Palsy. This means that Chase is going to need lots of medical attention for the rest of his life and require therapy as early as possible to help him developmentally.
I have cried so many times today on their behalf. They are going to have to go back to the US now as we cannot possibly provide what he needs here. Why, Lord would you let this happen? They are so committed to serving your people here. Surely they are being used by you here. Why do they have to leave? Rick has been in this area for about 18 years of his life. This is his home. It is Wendy’s home too. They already have one son with physical handicaps, why two? I only wish I could fix things for them. I cannot, but I can help them carry their burden in prayer.

Julia and Chase. He is wearing the hat she made for him.

Encouragement for today
Wendy told me recently that God doesn’t make mistakes, and I believe that. Surely He will get glory for this somehow. I trust Him fully, and so do they. We have been in touch since returning home and I hope that we will always remain good friends. She has encouraged me and I hope I have encouraged her. Chase is doing well, though he has always been well from the outside. They have seen some doctors here in the US and are getting started on therapy with him. There are early encouraging signs in his prognosis, but it will be a battle they fight throughout his life.

Listed below are their prayer requests.
1. Praise our Father in Heaven for loving us SO well through many caring friends & the Body of Christ around the world.
2. Pray Chase will grow & develop healthy in mind, body & spirit.
3. Praise our Sovereign Shepherd for leading us back to the excellent professional care & good friendships of Grant's occupational therapist & first pediatrician to examine Chase.
4. Pray for timely appointments with early intervention therapists & the pediatric neurologist, as well as wisdom & effectiveness in their care of Chase.
5. Pray the Lord will give insight & direction to Chase's new pediatrician, while guiding our steps as together we pursue Chase's diagnosis & treatment.
6. Pray for us to grow in trusting God's goodness day by day no matter what our temporal circumstances, & that this trial would be used for good in Chase's life & for God's glory.
Hoping in a Sovereign Savior's Love, Mercy & Grace,
Rick & Wendy for Grant, Aidan & CHASE

The Grays, being prayed over by their Ugandan brothers before they left their home.

8 "Remember this, and be assured ... 9 "Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; {I am} God, and there is no one like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, 'My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure'; 11 Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man of My purpose from a far country. Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned {it, surely} I will do it.
Isaiah 46:8-11

Adventures in Uganda Part 3...Cooking with Fire

Friday, October 26, 2007
Cooking with Fire…You want me to do what?

Ordering the people to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds, and they all ate and were satisfied. Matthew 14:19-20a

Well, no one has ever called me Betty Crocker, and for good reason. My cookies always turn out flat and hard, I often seem to forget about things in the oven and end up burning them, and my repertoire is usually limited to the things I already know how to make. So, when Stephanie told me that my nutrition lesson the week she would be gone was to teach a cooking class to the Ugandans, my reactions was, “You want me to do what?” She wasn’t joking. She needed me to teach them how to make a “healthy snack.” What in the world! She handed me a packet of materials and said it would all be fine. Of course, I did not even look for the recipe until the day before I was to actually teach this cooking class. I was too busy writing a devotional and looking for the info on HIV and nutrition I was also to teach the class to worry about the recipe. So, when I did rummage through her packet of info for a recipe and could not find one, I became a little worried. Heading out Tuesday afternoon for Basunga, I basically had no idea if any of the supplies, not to mention the recipe, would be available for us to even attempt the recipe trial. This might be a really short day, was all I could think.

Somehow, the Lord always provides. Now, if you remember, Basunga is the town where I had to cross the raging river. As it had been raining non stop for the past three days, I was not to certain we would be able to forge across and might have to abandon the cooking plans anyway. Alas, the river was lower than the week before and I crossed without any assistance. Once again, we received the same warm and far too generous welcome from the local health team. Did they know that this could be a huge flop? For a girl who had never made pancakes or used a seguile (a Ugandan grill) for that matter, I did alright. It was not without much help from Spice, Angelight, Eva and many others, but it turned out pretty good. At least they seemed pleased. We made these pancake-like biscuits that tasted like peanut butter. All I can say is, YUM!

We never made it through the HIV nutrition lesson, I sure hope Stephanie will not be upset with me, but we sure did have fun. Nothing like cooking with Ugandans!

So, we repeated this process in Busaru and Nyahuka, each time improving a little on the recipe and my cooking skills. Maybe I could give Betty Crocker a run for her money…ok, maybe not! But has she ever had such an attentive croud?

As a side note, the journey to and from these locations continued to be a source of unbelievable thrills and new experiences. The day we went to Busunga, we once again took a boda there, but it was the journey home that was awesome. After forging the river, we walked to visit an old friend of Scott Will’s, Tomwebozi and his wife Eva. Tomwebozi has been Scott’s translator that last time he was in Uganda. As it turns out, Eva is a part of our nutrition classes and lives close by. When Scott learned she was Tomwebozi’s wife, we decided to visit. Tomwebozi and Eva were delighted to receive us and showed us through their village. Leaving on foot, we thought we might have to walk right along with a herd of cattle all the way back home. Much to our delight, a cocoa bean truck stopped and let us climb up into the back and ride home, without charge! I kind of felt like a festival queen in a parade perched on top of the cushioned and fragrant bags of cocoa beans waving to all the people we passed. All I needed was a crown and I really would have been a sight! The ride home from Busaru was pure laugher. I decided not to try a bike it again as I was no longer quite so cocky about my athletic abilities. So we took a boda there, but there were no bodas available for the journey home. And once again it started raining on us as we set out for home. Thankfully, a truck, this time loaded with people, stopped to pick us up. It seemed it was quite a novelty to ride in the back of a truck with a “muzungu” (white person) as they all stared and smiled at me. We were packed in so tight that there was almost no room to put my feet, let alone sit. But somehow they made room for me, and someone threw an orange tarp over our heads and we laughed and smiled at each other and the thrill of the bumpy, speedy, packed ride in the rain together. I just love these people!

And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. Love is patient, love is kind…
1 Corinthians 13:3-4a

*Please note, I am not sure if I am always spelling the Ugandan words correctly. But someone once told me that most words in Lubuisi are spelled like they sound, so this is how they sound to me.

In Him,
Rachel

Adventures in Uganda Part 2...Meet the Team

Thursday, October 25, 2007
Meet the Team…My Nyahuka Family

The Myhres
Meet Drs. Scott and Jennifer Myhre and their four children Luke, Caleb, Julia and Jack. The Drs Myhre are the team leaders here in Nyahuka and really hold all of this together. Jennifer runs the paediatric ward, seeing patients there every morning, sees the paediatric patients in ARV clinic on Wednesday afternoons as well as cares for her family. Scott takes care of the administrative obligations, sees patients in the ARV clinic on Wednesdays, does ultrasounds on Fridays in Bundibugyo and basically fills in where ever there is a need. Every Wednesday morning at 6:30 we meet for prayer time at their house and every Thursday at four is team meeting where we have a Bible study, currently in James, and then discuss issues surrounding the mission. All of this is followed by team pizza night where everyone helps to make pizzas and kicks back to relax and enjoy one another. They are truly great leaders and the cohesiveness within the team speaks volumes to their care.
Check them out at http://www.paradoxuganda.blogspot.com/

The Bartkovichs
Meet Kevin and JD Bartkovich and their four children Joe, Louisa, and twins Nate and Savanah. Kevin is the head master at Christ School Bundibugiyo and JD serves as an educator and mom.
Check them out at http://www.kwegesiya.blogspot.com/

The Grays
Meet Rick and Wendy Gray and their three children Grant, Aiden, and Chase. Rick works with pastoral care here in Nyahuka and Wendy is a linguist and a mom.

The Massos
Meet Michael and Karen Masso and their three children Acacia, Lianna, and Gabriel. Michael is a water engineer and has constructed an amazing system that is piping water down from the mountains straight into our homes. He and Karen will be leading the team headed to Sudan starting sometime next spring. They are currently in the US.

The Pierces
Meet David and Annelise Pierce and their two children Quinn and Naomi. David is an educator with Christ School Bundibugyo and will become the head master when the Bartkoviches move back to the US next year. Annelise is also an educator and mom. They are currently in the US.
Check them out at http://www.calledtouganda.com/

Pamela Brown-Peterside
Pam runs the Kwejuna project for prevention of HIV transmission from mother to child.
Check her out at http://www.lamppostmedia.net/column_bundibyline/index.html

Patricia Abbott
Pat is like the Mother Theresa of Bundibugyo. She is a vital part of the nutrition projects, the Kwejuna project, and the ARV clinic.

Stephanie Jilcott
Stephanie runs the nutrition projects and travels each week to surrounding villages teaching nutrition to local health workers.
Check out her blog at http://www.bundinutrition.blogspot.com/

Amy Hudson, Scott Ickes, and Kim Stampalia
All three of these are teachers who are transitioning out. Amy and Kim are teachers for Renzori Mission School (RMS) where the children from the mission team attend. Scott teaches at both RMS and Christ School Bundibugyo.
Check out Kim’s blog at http://www.servinginuganda.blogspot.com/

Check out Scott’s blog at http://www.scotticcus.blogspot.com/

Sarah Reber and Ashley Wood
These two are teachers coming to replace Amy and Kim and have only been here for two months.
Check out Ashley’s blog at www.web.mac.com/ashley.wood21

Rachel Locker and Scott Will
We are two crazy PA’s from Baltimore who just showed up to volunteer for a few weeks (myself) and a few months (Scott).
Check out my blog at http://www.lettersofred.blogspot.com/
Check out Scott’s blog on his myspace page at www.myspace.com/scottwill or http://www.yoggerinuganda.blogspot.com

Adventures in Uganda Part 1...A Week of Journeys

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Somehow, I have been tapped to teach the nutrition classes next week as the regular teacher, Stephanie, is out of town. Intimidating, of course, but exciting! Stephanie teaches nutrition to some of the local health providers in a couple of near by villages, as well as our own, each week to encourage them to teach nutritional concepts to those they care for. Now, these villages may be near by, but getting there poses a whole new set of issues which I like to call adventures.

OK. So, one story about this past Tues…. Bodas, the word almost strikes fear into me when I hear it. I had been thoroughly warned about them before my arrival in Uganda. Boda is the local word for motorcycle and is the only rapid public transport around here. The problem is, they go very fast and will run over you if you get in their way. In the cities they can be very dangerous, to the point that Peace Corp workers are forbidden to ride them in Uganda. But, with no other option for getting to Basunga, a village only a few miles away, Scott Will and I climbed onto one and took our life in our hands. It was fantastic! Flying over hills and rocks we made it to our next hurdle, a fast and slightly high river. Apparently, the bridge over this river had been washed out in the rains only a few weeks before my arrival, forcing everyone to cross on foot. I made it across with no events, which must have disappointed the many onlookers just waiting for the tall white girl to make a big splash. The journey was well worth it. We were received with a warm welcome and were able to enjoy a favorite local activity, dramatic presentation, or skits as we call them in the US. They really get into it; props and everything! Dramas or skits are a big part of their lives. Though I was unable to understand their words, I understood the message. I can’t wait for next week! The way back was great. A gentleman I had just taught held my hand as we safely crossed the river and my face turned into a human wind shield as bugs pelted my eyes, nose and teeth riding the boda back home. I know, I should have kept my mouth closed, but I just could not help smiling. It was exhilarating!


Now Wed. was even better. How can that be? Just wait. Stephanie and I set out together, this time on bicycles, for Busaru. Now, mind you, we are at the base of a mountain range and there are hills everywhere. Not to mention that the roads are made of dirt with pot holes and rocks. Stephanie makes this ride every week, so of course I think no problem. Let’s just say, I had to almost push the bike about as much as I rode it. By the time we arrived, I was drenched in sweat. No one seamed to mind. Once again I listened to Stephanie and her translator, Angel Light, review the importance of nutrition and breast feeding, and enjoyed dramatic presentations of some of their nutritional experiences within the past week. I am loving this part of their lives! In the end, Stephanie and I set off once again on our bikes for the bumpy return home. Now here is where the craziness begins. On my way there, my skirt got caught in the brakes several times, making it difficult to peddle. So I got the bright idea of tucking my skirt into my shorts in both the front the back. Now, the return trip is more down hill than up hill and my helmet was not adjusted to fit my head. So, picture this, I come flying down the mountain with my skirt tucked into my shorts, bumping over rocks, my helmet is falling down over my eyes and as I near a curve, where a large group of people are standing, my helmet goes flying off and I nearly fall off my bike trying to stop and catch it. Needless to say, all were laughing, including me as a young man ran up to me with my helmet. But the fun does not stop there. Half way into the return home, it begins to rain, then pour and I have no choice but to ride on. And ride on I did. By the time I returned home, I was covered in mud from my head to my toes, skirt to underwear. I think I am beginning to like the mud! It looks good on me!

Thursday was tough! I start almost every morning in the pediatrics ward with Scott Will weighing babies and getting their charts ready for Dr Jennifer’s arrival. This morning was no different until Dr. Jennifer appeared delivering the news that a child we had seen only the day before had died that night. I remember the child well. She was a small girl about a year old who had been admitted for malaria. We treated her and truly thought she would do well, as she looked well that morning. What transpired that night we will never know, only to say that it was too much for her small body to handle. As this was the daughter of a friend of the Myhres, we were invited to the funeral. I opted to help care for the missionary’s children, as I had not felt well all day. But the funeral was only a few feet from where I was helping to care for the children and I could hear the wails of the mother as she mourned her daughter. I have never known pain as this mother is experiencing, but if I do I hope I wail too.

Thursday ended with the weekly team meeting at the Myhre’s. Nothing like making your own pizza to bring people together! It is a close nit group here and serves as a surrogate family in this remote home. They have welcomed me into their family with open arms, and for that I am truly grateful.

Not every day’s adventure has a happy ending. Friday morning I set off with Amy and Dr. Scott Myhre for Bundibugyo town only to be called back to Nyahuka to pick up a woman who had been in labor for an hour and a half with a breech baby. It seems that the baby was too big to be delivered vaginally and the only surgeon in Nyahuka, Jonah, was at a conference. So, we loaded her up into the back of Dr. Scott’s truck and just hoped to make it to the bigger town with a doctor in time to deliver the baby safely. Amy and I climbed into the back with her and sat on either side of the woman, cradling her head and supporting her back as we tried to ease her pain. The rocks and pot holes in the road take on a new significance when you can barely breathe. The 45 minute drive felt like an eternity to me as I experienced each and every one of her minute and a half contractions. Upon arrival, there was no doctor in sight, but the hurry was already over. Dr. Scott scanned her belly with his backpack ultrasound and there was no fetal heart beat. We were too late for the baby, yet the mother still needed attention. Amy rushed off to try and help find the surgeon. In the time she was gone, another expectant mother with her first child was brought into the hospital. Her pelvis was too small to deliver the baby and she had been driven here by friends from another town much like our woman. Thankfully, her baby was still alive and when Amy came back with the surgeon, they were able to take her to the operating room or “theater” as they call it here. I am not sure what happened to either woman, as we had to leave before all was resolved, but I only hope those alive when we left are alive today.

Why do some live and others die? Why do I live with wealth and these in poverty? Why is there a longing inside of me which I cannot satisfy? Questions flood through my mind to which I have no answer. I know one thing only, the Lord is good and my life is hidden in Him.

For you formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.
I will give thanks to you, for I am
Fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works
And my soul knows it very well.
Psalm 139: 13-14


Love and God bless,
Rachel

Uganda Chronicles...What a way to start!

My final flight into the village!

Passage through the mountains to Bundibugyo from the air.


Nyahuka from the air.
The mission from the air.

The airstrip.

Saturday, October 20, 2007

How to describe my first few days here? I am not sure that I can do them justice. Beautiful, exhausting, laughter, rain, adventure, frustration, fellowship, mud, joy…

Upon my arrival in Nyahuka, Uganda, our small village just outside of Bundibugyo, I threw my bags into my new home and immediately climbed into the back of the same pickup which had just moments before picked me up from the large patch of grass they call an air strip and we headed down to the clinic. Nothing like the present for jumping in and getting started. I joined Dr. Jennifer Myhre and Scott Will rounding on the remaining pediatric patients. (There are three Scott’s here, so I will try to identify them when I refer to them.) In my few short days here we have mostly treated patients for malaria (fever), sickle cell crisis, anemia, and malnutrition. Next, Scott Will and I rushed to help with the anti-natal clinic. There must have been more than 50 women waiting to be seen and no providers in sight. I love pregnant women, and these women were beautiful. I got to use a fetoscope for the first time, or at least I think that is what you call the aluminum thing with a hole we used on their bellies. I am pretty sure I heard at least one fetal heart beat, and maybe two others, but with no instruction, I will never know for sure. I think I am already adopting Scott Will’s mantra, “I am better than having no one at all.” Finally, some rest, unpacking and fellowship with my new roommates, Amy and Kim and new neighbors, Scott Will and Scott Ikes (commonly referred to as Scotticus).

Enough about work. It is so beautiful here! Nyhuka is located at the base of the Rwenzori Mountains, also known as the Mountains of the Moon, and they are stunning. I flew over them on my last flight into the town (in a little Cessna) and was in awe of them. The mountains are tropical and the climate here is warm and humid. We are in the rainy season now, so it rains every day for at least a short period.

The people here are as beautiful as the countryside. They smile all the time with glistening white teeth in sharp contrast to their dark skin. Oh so beautiful! And infectious. I find myself smiling all the time as well. Children continuously run up to greet me and/or stare at me. They all seem to know the same greeting phrase in English, “How are you?” and love to demonstrate their English prowess each time I walk by. I love it. You have to respond “I am fine” otherwise they won’t understand your response. Like in any third world country, the children are always dirty and sometimes half naked, but oh they are happy. The adults are kind as well and always happy to meet a new person with the mission team. I have learned so many names and cannot even hope to remember them all. I simply hope to get to know a few of them well enough to call them friend.

I have waited too long and there is too much to tell for one email. So, look for future emails with tales of my adventures in Uganda.
Love and God bless,
Rachel

This is the house I stayed in and the Kitube in front where we met with people and sat outside in an effort to get better internet connection.

My back yard! Life's tough huh!

Uganda Chronicles...The Beginning

Monday, October 15, 2007

Well, I’m Off!

First fly to London. Spend day in London. Then fly to Uganda. Spend a few hours debating with a swarm of taxi drivers insisting that I was to be met by someone to catch my next flight and did not need a ride. (How’s that for a run on sentence!) Fly in small Cessna over the Rwenzori Mountains, a.k.a. Mountains of the Moon, to Bundibugyo, Uganda. (They definitely live up to their nick name.)
Every leg of the trip had its own bumps and joys, but ultimately I am glad to finally be here. Bring on the adventure!

Love and God bless,Rachel

Three Visits

What a joy September has been!

Three of my favorite women come to visit me this month. First was my mother, then Olivia then Rhonda. Thank goodness for my first light schedule, complements of Paediatrics!

I made my first trip to New York City with my mother for her birthday. We went to see Hairspray, a story set in Baltimore. How fitting! We also got to spend time just looking around Baltimore and letting her get to know some of my friends here. The only problem, her visit was just too short.
Next, Olivia made a quick trip up to see me. We spent a day in Washington DC, wandering around and going through museums. I had no idea that Library of Congress was so beautiful. Liv and I also made time to get out and get ourselves lost in the woods. It is surely a good thing that we both have such a good since of direction, because we (mainly me) cannot follow directions!
Then, at last, my beautiful friend Rhonda came to visit! We goofed off in the woods, explored Baltimore, and celebrated hers and Chosei's birthdays! And a good time was had by all.
I only wish I had had more time to spend with each one. So much goodness packed into such a short time. I miss all of you! Come see me again!