Getting settled...

All of our suitcases are finally unpacked.  It feels so so good to not be living out of them anymore.  This past week has gone far better than we could have asked or imagined.  We thought we would be very stressed, but we aren't.  We thought that it would be absolutely exhausting, but it hasn't.  We thought that the kids would really struggle with jet lag, but they didn't.  God has been so good to us! 

We are starting to learn our way around town and make connections with various people.  African culture is one of knowing people.  There are no yellow pages to look things up in.  When we needed an electrician our first night to get the generator going, we were able to get one because our friends, living on the compound with us, knew one.  So now that we are starting to settle, we are getting to meet people...the dutchman that delivers us milk, the people at BAM super market, the man in charge of our security, etc...  We are also getting to know the ex-pat community here and the community of believers that we will be working the closest with.  Eric and I met a lot of these people last year on our trip here and it has been great to see them again.  The wonderful thing about this, is that they are all so sweet to us!  Everyone has been friendly and eager to help us settle down!  In church this past Sunday, they even made us yummy chocolate cake and brought pop to welcome us.  We are so thankful that God is blessing us with opportunities to meet and greet our new friends.

Yesterday we had an amazing tour to CURE hospital.  Cure is an amazing facility that treats neurological disorders (predominantly hydrocephalus and spinal bifida) from all over East Africa.  They have world class surgeons on hand to perform brain surgeries that save lives. 

Here is their CT scanner.

And the kids studying some of the brain images and comparing a brain effected by hydrocephalus with a normal brain.  It was absolutely fascinating.  I also found out that we can go anytime we want and hold the babies and talk to the mommas.  I'm so excited about this! :)

Behind CURE is our kids official "most fun bumpy road in Uganda."  It's full of pot holes that toss the kids to and fro in the way back seats!  They just have to be careful not to bang their heads on the windows! :)

And here is another answer to much prayer...our land rover.  We got this with 12 seat belts installed.  And AC.  It is a huge blessing to have a vehicle that can handle roads both in the city and in the villages and hold all of us!  There are 3 seats in the front, 3 in the middle and two benches in back that face each other...each holding 3 kids.