As I'm sitting here, the rain pouring down...it's nothing like the rain in Oregon. This rain comes with loud booming thunder and the windows that are open to let in the cool air, are also letting in the sounds of a drenching rain. The birds that sound like monkeys, have stopped momentarily...and I'm sure the boda drivers have also stopped and taken shelter. The noise of my children however, continues. They have happily moved from playing outside, to building a fort inside. The power is out, but now our battery back up system is working again, so it makes very little difference in our daily life. Hopefully it will be on for shower time tonight, though...or else it's cold showers for us. Our city water has gone on and off several times today, but thankfully (again) we have a back up tank...so it, too, makes little difference in our daily life...unless of course it decides to go off for more than a day... then there would be no showers for us...hot or cold! :)
This past week I've learned how to drive into town, I've learned to bring my egg crates to the store if I want to buy more than a few eggs. I've learned that you buy potatoes in "kilograms," but tomatoes in "heaps." Beans come in "cups," and sweet potatoes come in the monetary amount of "shillings" ("I'd like 1,000 shillings of sweet potatoes, please!). And if you think that is funny...think of me asking our friend and helper, "how do I ask for 10 "ears of corn?" ...um, ears? Contemplating how Ugandans use English causes me to contemplate how I am accustomed to using English!
We had our first compound party. We had a lot of fun! Homemade pizza, mangos, posho chips and salsa, chipoti and soda. After we ate, we went out back and taught our new friends the Virginia Reel. In the back of the house, there is a large trellis covered with green foliage and pretty flowers. The sun had already set, so we hung lanterns from the trellis. It was beautiful ambiance and beautiful fellowship. It was a great time!
In short, my days are filled with attempting to establish some sort of "normal." We are working hard to learn how to shop, how to greet, how to show hospitality, how to not get into the kitty bowl (Benaiah!), how to get clothes ready to be washed,etc...all in hopes that one day, we will have a "new" normal, everyday life. It's a lot of work...mentally and physically, but it is a good work. Lord willing, as we establish "normal" here, our home will also be established...once again it will become a refuge and a place to be used to glorify God. To that end, we are also eagerly awaiting the arrival of our container...it has an estimated date of arrival of August 30th, but we will be glad if it is here before the end of September.
For now, we are trying to sloooowly start school. I know there is no hurry, but the beauty of homeschooling for years now, is that it feels normal. It gives some comfort...some taste of "home." We are also developing a new system of chores...again, it feels normal for the kids to have something productive to put their hands to.
The rain is finished, the power came on for a brief moment but is now off again, and I am back after a short break to clean up Benaiah's mess of hand soap dumped on the bathroom floor...
I guess some things are still the same... :)
So nice to hear all your updates. Perhaps I am in a hormonal mood, but your post today made me tear up. I'm just so grateful for people like you, who are willing to move their family across the ocean to do mission work. Praying for you, dear sister, and for your sweet family. I am honoured to know you.
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