Out of Uganda

Its a Bit Cold Here

2010-04-20T15:49:00.000-07:00

April 14th: Tuesday

Got up early from the hostel where we slept, loaded the car, ad left the cheesey country western music that had been playing since 4 that morning and headed to the airport. We made it through security and got our tickets. Storms were ranging over lake victoria that morning although they didnt keep us from taking off on time.

We flew into London and somehow made it through customs in record time. Lots of Mzungus here. We picked our car up a silver vauxhall or something. the tires are so little and its so clean. Jim just about drove of the road in the first two minutes cause the steering is so sensitive. carefullly following the directions from Margaret we managed to get completely lost and ended up on the wrong side of london. its cold here. we stopped in a rest stop and ought dinner and a map. emboldened by the blessing of the chashier that London traffic wasntbusy this time of night we procededto drive through the center of London which took us nearly two hours. We finally stopped that night at a little hotel that was overpriced but warm and crashed at 1 which is 3 for us.

the next morning we got up early and drov all morning up to Scotland. stopped just after geting into Scotland and buying some bread and cheese for lunch. love cheese. listened to musci all day on the drive up. we got to stirling just after 2 and explored the town. its a really cool place. alot of th buildings are really old. several hundred years at least. We drove out to the Murchinsons where we are staying and met them. Murdo and Margaret and their kids, Sarah, Murdo Jr. and Duncan. had tea with them which i guess is dinner. after that we went on a walk with both murdos up and around the neiborhood and into the forests and backpaths. slept under three blankets that night. lovely cold.

Are The Animals Supposed to be Out of Their Cages?

2010-04-20T15:44:00.000-07:00

April 12th: Monday

Monday we were in Kamala and Entebbe and that afternoon we decided to go to the infamous Entebbe zoo. the day did not get off to an auspicious start. As we got out of the car several monkeys scampered by us and hopped over the fence. Apparently trying to keep the animals captive was not a strong point of this particular facility. if it had been a petting zoo it would have been less worrysome but as they had lions and hyens and the like we entered with some trepidation.

After trying (and on my part failing) to get a reduced ticket part because “of course we’re residents” we walked in. Fortunately it seemed as though the staff has only given up on keeping the vervet monkeys behind bars. unfortunately the janitorial service seemed to have all been sick or on holiday, for months.

The range of animals was rather impressive including believe it or not, a cow. remember that this is a country where you cant go 20 minutes without seeing a cow. they are everywhere, even in the cities. And yet somehow this most mundane of beasts came to reside with the zebras and ostriches. While the animals are contained for the most part the style of construction is somewhat lacking. the phrase jua-kali comes to mind. At the rhino’s enclosure there was only a 6 foot high metal fence which might consul a few but didnt look up to the job of stopping a half ton charging rhino.

As if to reasure you there are helpful signs all over the Zoo like "Dangerous Animal" in front of the Lion's cage. Also they had signs with emergency phone numbers assumedly in case you were being chased by some escaped animal and needed some assistance.

The scariest animal in the entire zoo isnt even restricted to an enclosure and actually technically isnt even part of the zoo. around the trees throughout the zoo there are hundreds and hundreds of spiders hanging in their webs. this lovely arachnids ranged from about the size of a quarter to as big as a tea saucer. ugh. the scond scariest animal was this freaky looking bird called a shoe-bill. looke kinda like a dinosaur but it had this evil looked in its eye. it said “I am going to eat you.’” Obviously there wornt any baboons.

One Last Time

2010-04-20T15:43:00.000-07:00

April 10th-12th: Firday-Sunday

Firday night a couple girls who are working up in northern Karamoja who Jenny somehow contacted came down to visit. We had a big meal with everyone o the mission that night. It was interesting to here aobut their work up there. The Tricaricos went rafting th week before along with Anna so they should their video.

Saturday mornign the Wrights left kampala. Martha and Leah are going to a conference on an island in the middle of Lake Victoria and the family is going to visist and then go up to mbale. after a bit of a rough start they got off and i said goodbye. they gave me a t-shirt with “My name is not muzungu” on the front. its funny because they mispell “mzungu.” it has only one “u.” its kinda like wearing a shirt that says “i am not an idiat.”

That day i packed. i am leaving Uganda with almost the same amount of stuff as when i came. just most of its different. that night Jim and i went over and had dinner with Moses who made enough food for the entire mission.i love african food. pocho and rice with cabbage and greens along with goat and soup. Sunday at church i said goodbye. sucked.

"Is This a Hostel or a Hostile?"

2010-04-16T13:00:00.000-07:00

April 5th-6th: Monday and Tuesday

Monday we visited a game park and had a lovely safari. it was Nakuru park which is situated around a lake. we saw thousands of flamingos and Thomson and Grant Gazelle, Impalla, Cape Buffalo, White Rhinos, Zebra, Giraffe, Ostrich, Water buck, Warthogs, and Eland. Also a lizard who nodded yes to every question we asked him. It was a really fun safari although a bit expensive because we didt see any lions or other predators.

that night though was an adventure. It was getting dark and we needed a place to stay. Jenny say a guesthouse/hostel from the road side and called but was told to "just come" so i ended up running over and asking about it. they showed me a room and so i ran back and after geting lost and stuck in a matatu park we finally reached there after dark. the lady who was helping us, named Monica, was really nice although very confused. it took forever to figure out that we wanted a room, for only one night and we all wanted to stay in one room. apparently jenny looked scared because Monica offered that she could sleep with her. whatever. then we didnt want dinner and Monica was scared of Jim and wouldnt talk to him. i think she had a little crush on me though. it was like a twilight zone episode.

Tuesday we crossed the border and made it to Mbale. that night we had a dinner at the landmark wit a bunch of people. it was really good. as it turned out that would be my last dinner at the landmark.

Nairobbery

2010-04-16T12:50:00.000-07:00

April 3^rd-5^th: Saturday-Monday

We drove into Nairobi a little after 5 and promptly got lost. Jim had met and stayed with a couple her in Nairobi when he had come for the medical conference in January and we planned to stay with them again. Jim was able to call the wife and we managed to find our way. Joe and Elfie are an interesting couple. Joe is a Kenyan born in a village, son of a witch doctor he has traveled and lived abroad while getting various degrees. He speaks something like 13 languages and is a pastor of a Presbyterian church in Nairobi. Elfie is German born and came here to work in the 80s where she met Joe.

That night we went to an Ethiopian Restaurant where we talked with Joe and Elfie an ate some amazing food. the next morning we went to church with them. they are renting a really nice private school for their services. they congregation is over a 100 strong and divided up between indians, blacks and a scattering of Mzungu. it was a realy cool service. we sang in 3 languages, english, kiswahili, and hindi. we didnt get to hear Joe preach though because there was a guest pastor.

After the service we had lunch with Joe and Elfie and then Jim, Jenny and i spent the afternoon evening going to various shopping centers throughout Nairobi. we finally ended up at a tapas bar for dinner. When Jim was telling Jenny and i about this place we kept thinking he said "topless" bar. which of course was rather confusing because he was saying he had gone there last time and really liked the food. anyway a tapas bar is apparently mediteranean food which is amazing. i had a glass of wine. again.

Masaai in the Rift

2010-04-16T12:41:00.000-07:00

April 2^nd-3^rd: Friday night and Saturday

Friday afternoon we arrived in Masaai land just before dark where we met Jim’s Masaai friend Simon. He is a short wiry fellow who looks only 30 but is over 50. He is a part-time preacher, community leader, and health worker who has been to America and speaks excellent English.

We arrived during a weekend of celebration not only because it is Easter but also because two boys will be circumcised the next day as a right of passage into manhood. That night Simon took us to visit some other Masaai in another boma. The houses or bomas here are rectangular and full of smoke since the Masaai cook inside their homes. They sleep on beds made from the dried hides of cows and stretched taunt across the frame. We spent several hours inside as people came in and out and talked and Jenny made a friend with a small Masaai girl and people greeted us. Eventually we went back; walking through the brush to Simon’s erai where he showed us the small mud building where we would sleep, thankfully smoke free. The rain played against the tin roof as I dozed off.

Simon woke us at 5 to go to the circumcision. We hiked back to the erai from the night before in the cold and the dark through a gentle drizzle. The boma was pleasantly warm and cozy as we waited for the ceremony to begin. After some time we went outside to wait with the men. The boys arrived just after light naked and supported by their elders. The Masaai aren’t aloud to show pain during the operation and the two boys where in an almost trance as they where laid on their special cow skin. After the nurse had finished the operation an elder poured cow milk on each thigh and then they where whisked inside to recover. We returned as well although we soon had to leave again from the smoke.

Much later that morning Simon and his second oldest son and the three of us left to go to Mt. Longonot Park. On the way Simon took us through some back ways where we saw several Thompson Gazelles and a Giraffe. Mt. Longonot is a large composite volcano. We hiked to the rim and looked down at the grass covered crater several hundred feet down. We watched the rains roll in from the west across the escarpment and into the rift valley.

We ate lunch at a small hotel just outside or Maai Mahiu and then returned to Simon’s where we packed and after attending some preaching and things for Easter and the circumcisions we left for Nairobi. We drove up the eastern escarpment nearly 2000 feet over the valley.

I fly like paper get high like planes, if you catch me at the border i got visas in my name

2010-04-08T21:38:00.000-07:00

April 1^st-2^nd: Thursday and Friday

Jim, Jenny and I are taking a holiday from their hard work and my goofing off to go to Kenya this weekend. We left Nakale a little after two since Jim was a bit worried about weather the roads would be dry. Our worry proved to be unfounded since the road was dry although very rough. We stopped to see Dr. Jan in Mbale and Jim and Jenny gave her a present of clinic supplies we didn’t need.

That night we had dinner at the landmark with Al and the McBride’s who I met in Tanzania and Tim who is a British medical student working with Dr. Jan. It was fun to see the McBride’s again and to meet Tim. The food at the landmark was as usual superb. Al gave Jenny and me our passports which had just gone through immigration where we both had gotten an extension.

The next day we left for the border at the break of dawn. it takes about an hour to reach the border although the border took us more than two hours to pass. All went well though and I got Kenya stamped in my passport. For the next 8 hours we drove through western Kenya.

This entire area is incredibly green and beautiful. we passed up over the escarpment on the west side of the rift valley and drove down into it. The roads here are little more than a year old and in excellent shape although the traffic here consists of an amazing amount of large trucks seemingly exporting things to Uganda. The towns here are larger and Kenya’s economic superiority in east Africa is easily seen. there are only 73 Kenya shillings to the US dollar as apposed to nearly 2000 Ugandan shillings.

We stopped in Eldoret just before lunch a town several hours from the border where we went to the Nakumat and bought such luxurious as cheddar cheese and ice cream. Since Jenny has here international driver’s license she was able to help Jim with the driving and her and I talked for a couple of hours while Jim napped. We left the main road at Naivasha to Maai Mahiu where we left the lovely tarmac roads behind us and onto the familiar dirt ones to visit the Masaai

Matany, Moroto, and Much Much More

2010-03-31T12:15:00.000-07:00

March 26^th-28^th: Friday- Sunday

Since I will be leaving here in a few weeks Jim and I wanted to visit Logiel Mark before I left. Jenny and Heather wanted to come and see Matany and visit Mark as well so after work the 4 of us along with JB and Okwai Moses set out for Matany. As we pulled out of the gates it began to rain ominously. thunder and lightning. a killer stalks the night.

All this proved notwithstanding though since the rain soon left and although the sky remained cloudy the roads up to Moroto were clear and somehow smooth. We stopped for petrol in Moroto and continued on to Matany where the road became a bit more dynamic. Upon reaching Matany we drove to the hospital and back to the guesthouse where located out rooms and learned that dinner was still in progress. Jim, Moses, JB and I went to go find Mark. We met him just outside of the surgery ward where he is working; it is good to see him. We went back to his quarters and he changed his cloths and then he returned with us to the guest house. /he had to leave to go to dinner and we ate some decent although rather odd food including pizza and fish noodles. after that we watched some satellite TV and then went and visited Mark. we got to talk and pray with him for a bit and then returned to the guesthouse where some went to bed and others did email and I slid around on the floors in my socks.

Saturday morning was really fun. Mark had classes early so we toured the gardens and Jim was able to buy some plants for his house and Moses got to spend some time in the lab and Heather got to see all the agriculture that Robert, the Italian missionary was doing. We got to go into town for a bit with Mark and have a soda and I bought a nice plastic red mug with “ok” written on the side and everything was just ok. we had lunch and met/talked with some of the missionaries working there and played “mobile” the most confusing African game I have ever played. after lunch we left and went direct to Nakipiritpirit where we planned to spend the night and meet Salim a Bangladeshi working for concern there and have some Bangladeshi food. unfortunately he had just gotten back from a trip so we drove the 45 minutes to home after Moses, JB, and I had a fight with some small fruits.

that evening the Baumgardeners came over and we made naan and paneer tika masala and watched slumdog millionaire. and I had tea out of my “ok” cup and the whole evening was just ok.

Sunday the morning was cold and cloudy and every one was late for church but almost everyone showed up so it was fine. That night Jim and I and the singles went over and hung out at the Wrights were we talked and looked up engrish.com a website with funny English spelling and grammar mistakes from all over the world.

In Which Some Fathers Teach Me About Correction and Cleaning

2010-03-31T12:14:00.000-07:00

March 20^th-22^nd: Saturday-Monday

Saturday Jim, Rachel, The Baumgardeners and I went to Namalu and visited Guliano and the catholic fathers. It was really cool to meet all these different guys. Guliano was out in his fields trying to plant corn but since it had rained the night before he was having a lot of trouble with mud clogging the machine. The Fathers were eating lunch which they invited us to join in. some of the best food I have ever had. there is one Italian father residing in Namalu and a Spanish priest who is living their as well. the last guy is this funny old Italian guy who comes every year for a couple of months and helps out. He is installing the sound system in the church. The fathers being catholic and Italians have been making wine here and they had some of the distilled grapes or something. Basically like grape moonshine. They added it to their coffee as a “correction” because “there might be a mistake in the coffee and this will ‘correct’ it.” they also used it as a “cleaner” by taking shots of it in their empty glasses to “help out the dishwasher.”

That night after community meal Jim and I watched a Bollywood movie called Kuch Naa Kaho which means “don’t say anything” or something. it is kinda a chick flick but it was pretty good. Jim and I laughed the whole way through.

Sunday afternoon we had music at the ward. Not as many people showed up which was good since only English speakers came but also a bit disappointing that a lot of the English speakers who came last time didn’t come this time. still it was really encouraging and fun.

Monday Jim and I went for a run after work. we went up and around and at one point I just stopped and looked at Kadam and Karamoja and realized how much I will miss this place and how much I love it.

That night for guys night Jim made beef with peas again which unfortunately wasn’t as good as the first time he made it. Laurie, the proctors teacher came up from Mbale with here 3 siblings and cousin. Her two brothers came for dinner and we talked about forgiveness and what that looks like.

Blue Band Baby

2010-03-30T11:42:00.000-07:00

March 17^th-19^th: Wednesday-Friday

Wednesday I did school with the Wrights after last weeks break. Everything went well. Later that afternoon I went over to the clinic and visited JB’s new baby. Joyce seemed to be doing pretty well and the baby seemed healthy. He is so little. I have already remarked on the odd custom of completely wrapping the babies in huge blankets with many layers and little knit caps and stuff until the age of about two when they go to the other extreme and just go naked or at most a shirt. One thing I didn’t know about though is how the mother will take blue band and smear the baby with it. Joyce says it helps keep the skin soft. ok.

while I was there Rachel, Maria, Josh visited along with a visitor, Josiah, who is a Geneva student studying in Rome. We stayed and talked for a bit. Josiah is an interesting guy; the next night at Stella’s dinner I got a chance to talk to him a bit more. he is in the army and has toured Iraq.

Thursday night we had a celebration dinner for Stella since she was married a few months ago. Some of the clinic ladies came and prepared the meal and all the clinic staff was invited. it was really good food. Chicken, pocho, cabbage, soup and tomatoes. for dessert all the missionaries came over as well. It was a really fun night.

Friday Jim and I made fish tacos and had the singles over including Rachel and hung out and talked for a bit afterwards.

Just a Short Blog Where I Return to the Homeland

2010-03-25T12:52:00.000-07:00

March 15^th-16^th: Monday and Tuesday

Monday we resumed drilling at Yeroen’s. Dave and Bob have combined their two methods of drilling and Monday Bob used one of Dave’s hammer bits and his air compressor to drill with foam. The foam is the consistency of shaving cream and made of soap and water. It constantly gushes out of the hole as it is pumped through the system and creates a huge mess. After set up we drilled for about 5 hours and got through more than 40 feet of rock but only hit a little water. That night we ate at the landmark again.

Tuesday Martha decided to go back up to Nakaale and I came along as tire-changer man. We stopped off in town and collected some few groceries and food from Yeroen’s. Rachel and I went in and got to say goodbye to him. The trip up was uneventful. The road was horrible and we say a Tank sitting by the road along with a couple bored looking army officers.

It had been more than a week since I was last in Karamoja and I was glad to be back. It makes me realize how much I really like it here and will miss it when I leave in a few weeks.

Of Boda-bodas and Food of the Baumgardner

2010-03-25T12:51:00.000-07:00

March 14^th: Sunday

Jim and Jenny needed to drive back up to Nakaale for church so we all left Sipi early and they dropped us at the junction again where Milton picked us and brought us into Mbale. He dropped us at the Proctars where we had breakfast and then we went to church with them. This was our second Sunday in Mbale and it was kinda nice to see everyone again.

After church we returned to the Wingaurds house and I caught a boda-boda into town. I had an infection in my leg which was paining me so I wanted to get started on the drugs. I went to Andy Co. After taking a boda-boda back I had lunch which was this pasta with spicy tomato sauce and naan and some calzones Heather had made. She is amazing.

That afternoon Heather and I went to the same bible study that Jenny, Rachel and I had attended the week before. This time it was at Yeroen’s and Eid’s gave us a ride out there. Not so many people sowed up this time but people I had met that week and knew from last week. It was really cool to get to know some more people in Mbale. We had a really good discussion and then some great food. The Eid’s gave us a ride back into town as well where we got to see the Wrights and here how things at the Irish Ball went.

Sipi Agua

2010-03-25T12:50:00.000-07:00

March 12^th-13^th: Friday and Saturday

Friday morning the Wrights left for Kampala. They are playing at the annual Irish Ball on Saturday night while Justin, Heather, Laurie, and I are meeting Jim and Jenny and going to Sipi. Friday we spent hanging out. Justin and I walked into town and got some food while Heather stayed back. We ate at Yeroen’s shop and had some yogurt and chapatti. After that we wondered around Mbale town for a bit and were mistaken for Asians.

Milton gave us a ride from Mbale up to where the tarmac ends and the road to Sipi splits off. Jim and Jenny were waiting for us. It is good to see them again. We drove up to Sipi and checked in at the Crow’s Nest. That night we ate at Sipi River Lodge and then hung out afterwards. Right before we started dinner JB called to say his wife is in labor.

The next morning we went hiking having lunch at the top waterfall. After hiking a few of us went on a “coffee tour”. We got ripped off. We had been told that we would be able to participate in the process and stuff but they just showed us some coffee plants and gave us a cup of joe.

That night we ate at Sipi River lodge again and spent the afternoon hanging out there. I was able to get online and watch a few You tube videos and do some email. The food that night was as good as the night before. pumpkin soup with fresh bread and cottage pie with some mango thing for dessert. wow. We heard that day Joyce, JB’s wife, had given birth to a little boy.

Rafting on the River Nile

2010-03-24T11:41:00.001-07:00

March 6^th: Saturday

Saturday morning we got up before dawn to drive up to Jinja to go rafting. Rachel wasn’t interested in going rafting again so we dropped her at Kingfisher and then went to the rafting place. We paid and then sighned our lives away and had breakfast. there were about 40 people rafting that morning. after a pep talk we went and got our life vests and helmets and then loaded into two trucks and drove down to our launching point on the Nile. Out group was all loaded into one raft and we started off. to start out we practiced falling out of the raft, climbing back in and reflipping the raft.

After several kilometers we began to encounter the first rapids. The support kayaks would go first along with the support raft and then the rest of us would follow one by one. The first time we flipped was at the 3^rd rapid. We got stuck in the rapid and were whirled around for several second before we finally tipped. I managed to drag myself aboard the support raft. Many of the rapids as you approached you could see the raft ahead of you simply diseaper over the top. During one rapid we paddled into it and then swept down where we met a wall of water well over our raft. The second time we flipped over I managed to hang on to the saftey rope and road out the rapid with the raft.

Over all I got the worst sunburn of my entire life and had a pretty great day of it. That night we stayed at the cabins provided by the rafting company and stayed up late and talked with some people we had gone rafting with.

Rafting on the River Nile

2010-03-24T11:41:00.000-07:00

March 6^th: Saturday

Drug Running, Traffic Cops, and Forgiveness

2010-03-22T20:05:00.000-07:00

March 4^th and 5^th: Thursday and Friday

Thursday morning Jim, Heather, Jenny, Leah, Rachel and I left for Kampala for a drug run and then for rafting on the Nile on Saturday. Bob and Justin followed after us driving down the Dina for a supply run. The last several days it has been raining so the entire road down was muddy and rough. Jim’s new Prada though did fine throughout it all. At one point there was 21 marble trucks stuck in a row. We managed to get around them all though. We met Bob and Justin for lunch in Mbale at the landmark. We drove for the rest of the afternoon to reach Kampala. It rained on us. Jim was stopped once by a traffic cop. the conversation went something like this

Traffic Cop, “hello, are you Ugandan?”

Jim, “I’m an American but I live up in Karamoja.”

TC, “Even me I’m American except for being black.”

Jim, “Oh, where are you from in America?”

TC, “Colorado”

Jim, “Oh”

TC, waving to the four girls in the back, “These ones are excess, leave one here.”

Jim, “haha”

TC, “ok, you are free to go.”

That night after we checked into the cornerstone guesthouse where we were staying we went to an Ethiopian Restaurant. I have never had Ethiopian food before but it was delicious. We sat outside underneath an umbrella tree and ate by candlelight. After dinner we went to Garden City and watched “My Name is Khan” a new bollywood. The first hour was hilarious then it got really sad and kept dragging on and on.

Friday Jim and Jenny went and picked up drugs in the morning while Leah met a friend of hers and Heather, Rachel and I spent the day at Garden City. I spent the morning on Jim’s computer. I did some email and tried to apply for college and figure out some stuff for Jim’s and my trip to Scotland. Had lunch in Garden City with Heather. I got a couple Lebanese sandwiches, schuarmas (sp?) or something.

Then we had to go meet Bob and Justin to drop off the drugs and pick up Justin so he could go rafting with us. Jim got pulled over twice in about two minutes by some traffic cops. They were just looking for bribes and Jim just kept saying he was willing to pay the ticket which is more work for them and they don’t make any money so he was forgiven. Went to a stupid movie that night, Percy Jackson and then went out to Thai food at like 9. Great food. God bless Thailand.

In Which There Is Much Singing In English

2010-03-22T20:03:00.000-07:00

February 28^th- March 2^nd: Sunday- Tuesday

Sunday afternoon instead of having the usual singing and teaching at the main house we went to the ward at the clinic. We arrived early and Jim played his bagpipes while Jenny Heather and I opened up the ward and set chairs up inside. The entire clinic staff came along with several of the workers and some of the people from just around. We sang a bunch of English songs with guitar and everyone seemed to really enjoy it. Al gave a short devotional sort of thing. We had planned to have it for only English speakers but someone asked if we could translate so Al and Lokwii Paul were really cool about it and translated it. We sang one song to end the time with. The entire thing was really cool. Afterward I went to JB’s and spent some time hanging out and talking with him along with some of the Wright kids.

Monday was a rainy and cold day. For devotions at the clinic I went over with the Wrights and Martha and Rachel played guitar and we sang English songs. The clinic staff seemed to really like it. That night at guy’s night Jim made beef with peas on rice and it tasted really good.

Tuesday at work Justin and I worked on the roof for the new meeting banda on the main compound. We wound rebar around the frame so they could put the grass on. He welded it all together while I helped maneuver the rebar. It started to rain though so we had to stop early. They guys from the clinic came and we played football. I think we may have won but I don’t remember actually.

I Like Chocolate Milk

2010-03-22T19:53:00.000-07:00

February 26^th-27^th: Friday and Saturday

Friday night Jim and I had the Wrights and the singles over for dinner. Jim made pork with apples. It was really good but very strange since it spelled a bit like apple pie but tasted like sweet pork. Very nice though. After dinner we talked a bit about the difficulties of missions and different aspects of the mission here.

Saturday morning I went to work. Justin and I loaded up Bob’s truck and went over and helped the work crew put the last of the iron sheets over Al’s office. Al is very allergic to mold and every time it rains the roof leaks and new mold sprouts up. Because of this Bob and Craig decided to simply extend the iron sheets out and over. Every thing went very well although it took us a long time. The work crew only works tell 1:00 on Saturday so Justin and I finished up on our own. After putting the last sheet on Justin was standing on top of the scaffolding looked at days work when the scaffold tipped under him. He managed to catch the roof and then springboard off one of the cross braces of the scaffold as it fell and landed on his feet. Dented the roof a bit though.

Justin and I finished around 2:00 so I headed home and had lunch. I made a toasted cheese sandwich with pickles and Jim’s special mustard. Then I made some bread and snickerdoodles at the same time which generally never works for me; I generally end up burning something but everything went well except that when I pulled out the bread and flipped it upside down to let it cool one of the loafs completely collapsed. The entire center was doughy.

Before the community meal Jim and I went on a quick run. The food at the community meal was amazing. Al made the meat and Heather and Jenny made some amazing potatoes plus some salads and stuff. And of course for dessert we had snickerdoodles, mmm…tastes like home. On the way home Jim and I stopped at the Wrights and talked a bit and I realized how little time I have left here. Heather and Jenny came over for a movie and Jim made some drinks with his chocolate milk. Jim bought two huge packs of chocolate milk in little juice boxes about a month ago because the guy gave him a really good discount. Well the expiration date is tomorrow so Jim realized this a few days ago and he and I have been drinking about 4 of these a day ever since.

Jungle Jim Returns

2010-03-02T10:53:00.000-08:00

February 21^st-22^nd: Sunday and Monday

Sunday morning around nine I was loafing around in my boxers, thinking about cleaning up the house before Jim got back and this shining Prado comes rolling into our gates. Crab cakes and tartar sauce. I helped Jim unload the car which was laden with snack foods from far off Kenya, plus luggage and other less important stuff. Jim helped me clean the house a bit and then we headed off to church. A bunch of guys from the clinic came to see Jim and we all sat together during church.

After church Joseph, the head doctor from Takora came over for lunch along with Leah, Heather, and Jenny. The Baumgardeners made lunch and dessert. It was good to have Jim back. I was kinda freaking out.

Jb came and visited us that afternoon and Jim and him got to talk a bit. We drove over to devotions since JB is still pretty beat up. Jim talked after devotions about his trip to Kenya and some of the stuff he learned and saw. He told a great story about visiting his Maasai friends and fleeing from berserk buffalo. Jim and I spent a quite evening at home. we got to talk and pray.

Monday I did school in the morning and then helped to acid wash Jim’s walls; to remove the excess cement from the stone. Moses, Albert, Lokwii, Robert, and some friend of Lokwii’s came over to play football. We started playing as it continued to drizzle. For the first time I felt as though I was actually playing alright. The teams were pretty evenly matched and we had a lot of fun. Jim got back from his run and I helped him make dinner. He made this amazing beef with peas on rice witch tasted really good. Bobby, James, and Justin showed up and eventually Robert, Moses, and Albert came back as well. We have kinda been going through the young peacemakers on Monday nights so we discussed consequences which went pretty well.

Of Bicycles and Thunder Storms

2010-03-02T10:51:00.000-08:00

February 19^th-20^th: Friday and Saturday

I got up early Friday morning and did devotions and did some few excercises. that morning I did school with Bobby and then did science with him and Anna. after eating lunch at the main house I took Jim’s bicycle for a spin and headed over to the clinic to see JB. the bikes here are all old school full metal bicycles and somehow they are incredibly unstable. I’m not sure why but you seem to have a really high center of balance and little control. however I enjoyed my bike over to the clinic, the sun was shining, the men where under the etule tree, the women were working.

I stopped in the clinic to see if JB was around. I sayed hello to Moses and Susan who made me try some “cookies”. flour with sugar fried in oil. Like a sweet mendazi. I biked back to JB’s house. he took a spill coming back from Takora visiting his wife and his knee is all infected and he may have broken his inky finger. A kamakazi goat got him. He seemed a little down. Losike is in Namalu with the grandmother. we talked for a half hour and he had me try these little seeds that pack an incredible unch, nasty and bitter.

After 5:00 Moses, Robert, and Albert came over from the clinic to play football. Moses had to be on my team, poor guy. After a bit Justin showed up and played with Robert and Albert played sides.

That night all the singles and the kids came over here to eat dinner and hang out. Jamie and Rachel blasted music and we talked and hung out tell ten. it was fun and stuff.

Saturday was a bit of a strange day. I got up and went over to help Craig and Bob. I helped Craig lay tiles all morning tell lunch. I made lunch and dark clouds starting rolling in and thunder sounded. Just as I finished it began to rain. It poured rain for nearly an hour. After wards I went over and Craig and I finished putting down the Jim’s master bedroom.

After work then Albert, Robert, and Moses came over and we played football in the mud tell I had to go shower for community meal. Dinner was delicious and after wards the Wright kids came over and we watched Wallace and Grommet: Curse of the Were-Rabbit at the tricarico’s.

What About Quiche?

2010-02-25T10:45:00.000-08:00

February 7-9 : Sunday-Tuesday

Sunday morning was hot. The rest of the day followed suit. Hot, hot, hot. After church Heather, Jenny, and Leah invited Justin and me over for lunch. I sat on the counter and didn’t contribute to the lunch making process at all. Actually I may have hampered the ability of the chef people. The kitchen in the main house has my favorite sitting counters of all time. They are plenty wide enough and the perfect height. My mother always scolded me for sitting on the counters but here in Africa I have gone counter-sitting berserk. Despite my “help” lunch turned out delicious, pesto chicken pasta with good bread.

After lunch Jenny was called down to the clinic to get some drugs for a patient so rather than do the gracious thing and offer to do the dishes I went with her to visit the clinic staff. First we visited JB who just returned from Namalu and was about to set out for Takora where his wife is staying because she is very pregnant. Losike, his son, was in a foul mood because as he says his mother is “gone to buy another baby”. We visited Rose, JB’s sister who had lost her baby during delivery and had to have a c-section. She seems to be improving. Next we stopped in on Moses and Susan and played cards with them tell prayers.

Monday night was guy’s night so I made up some potatoes and fried it up with onion, tomatoes, cheese, and eggs. Everyone came though and we ran out of food. Everyone got some but not enough to really fill them up. I felt horrible.

Tuesday night Jenny and Heather made dinner at my house and invited Moses, Susan, Robert and his Wife and kid who are visiting from Matany where his wife works as a Nurse and their son just sleeps, eats, and cries. He’s just a newborn so it’s ok though. Heather and Jenny made a lovely quiche and bread with Jam. Robert’s wife (obviously I don’t know her name otherwise I would use it) was really funny. She was trying to eat and keep the baby quite at the same time which meant she was accomplishing neither. Jenny took the baby and promptly scared it speechless by making faces at it. After dinner Moses, Robert, and Susan taught me how to play Ludo which is kinda a lot like Sorry. Susan is really funny because she gets really competitive and into the game. Poor Moses though never does well. He is the worst board-game player I have ever seen. Not only does he always lose but he also always finishes last.

In Which We Participate in a Parade, See Bushes with AK-47s, and Revance

2010-02-23T10:38:00.000-08:00

February 6^th: Saturday

Saturday Martha, all the Wrights kids, and I piled into their van and along with the Eldeens set off on an expedition. Our destination, a “Peace Village” several kilometers from Nabilatuk where two different Karimojong tribes have come to live in peace instead of raiding from each other. We were to meet a group there including two men from Peacemaker Ministries in the US and from the Eldeen’s and my home church. Unfortunately after a half hour drive from the main road into the boondocks we encountered a nearly impassable stretch of “road” from the recent rains from the night before.

After our forced “revance” we stopped in Nabilatuk for sodas where we immediately attracted a huge crowd of curious children who flocked after us like we had 3 heads. The Eldeens headed back while Martha went to the local shop to go and buy some groceries. JB and Christine had come with us and JB wanted to go visit his aunt so we took refuge in here compound from the hundreds of obnoxious kids who had been following us. It was like being mobbed by the paparazzi.

JB’s aunt gave us tea and told us that there were so many people in town today because supposedly Janet Museveni was supposed to come and speak in this rally thing. Well wow, so we decided to stick around and check out this rally. There we got seats underneath a tent and watched several groups of Karimojong women perform songs. After that to our complete astonishment a marching band appeared from somewhere and the entire town participated in the spontaneous parade up and down the main street of Nabilatuk. After the parade the army burned 136 AK-47s as a symbol of the disarmament. Apparently someone didn’t do his job properly because a bullet went off in one of the chambers which freaked everyone out and most of the people ran away. Then several speakers came and the Wright kids somehow scored free sodas. I was standing by some soldiers who participated in the parade and for some unfathomable reason were covered in branches so they looked like bushes with AKs and RPGs. One particular soldier by me must have been like 4’9” and had this hug RPG over one soldier. He was shorter than Kipsy.

Eventually the realization sunk in that Janet Museveni wasn’t coming and instead it was someone who used to have her post in Karamoja. We left the rally disappointed but optimistic because we had seen great and wonderful things that day.

In Which My Life Takes an Exciting Turn of Events

2010-02-20T06:27:00.000-08:00

February 1^st-5^th: Monday-Friday

Monday night we had guyed’s (I left this spelled wrong because this is what my computer thinks this is correct, little scary? I think so) night. Jim and I made some sort of food stuff. Justin came with James and Bobby and then Robert, Moses, and JB came from the clinic. After dinner we played cards. Jim taught the clinic guys how to play 21 which is all good but unless your betting it’s actually kinda a boring game. They were really into it though. Eventually we switched and started playing sets which is this game they pay here.

Teaching has been going pretty well. It’s something I don’t think I am very good at but I am helping out the Wrights and giving Martha more free time so it’s good. Actually Bobby has finished his math book for the year and Mary and Kipsie have finished their science book too so we have just moved on to the next books.

Jim left Friday of this week to go to Kenya for two weeks. He is taking part in a two week seminar thing for doctors in third world countries in tropical regions and also renewing his CPR registration. He left Friday to ride down with Bob to Mbale where hopefully he will be able to pick up his new car.

Sherlock Holmes and a Cow

2010-02-17T09:45:00.001-08:00

January 28^th-29^th: Thursday and Friday

Thursday morning after teaching The O’Leary’s met with all the MAs. They asked us about our input on how things were at the mission and how we felt like we were helping and what, what. It was a good discussion. I really appreciate the O’Leary’s taking so much interest in our mission and how things are going. Unfortunately because our meeting ran so long we missed the group going into town that morning.

After lunch however we were able to get a ride into town. Jenny, Heather, Maria and I wondered around and bought a couple of movies, Sherlock Holmes and another movie, Standing Tall or something. We stopped at flavors where we had a some milkshakes. Eventually we got pickeys back to the Kingfisher.

After we got back we went on a boat ride before dinner out on Lake Victoria and the Nile. The boat captain/driver had it in first gear the whole way. He used about a teaspoon of gas. It was a bit ridicules. That night after having a cigar with Craig we all watched Sherlock Holmes. Pretty entertaining movie. Very different from the books but that is to be expected.

Friday all the MAs piled into Andrews van for the drive back to Mbale. An uneventful trip except Andrew hit a speed bump at nearly full speed. I thought we had hit a cow.

We found Jim somewhat recovered at the Shelburne’s. We decided just to load up and head back to Nakaale that night rather than append another night away from home.

That day I read the first half of the sci-fi short stories I bought in Jinja. I had ripped it in half and given half to Rachel. The first half had definitely better stories. Some really interesting ones. The book was all sci-fi mysterious by Isaac Asimov.

Street Sellers and Nightswimming

2010-02-17T09:42:00.000-08:00

January 27^th: Wednesday

Jim was feeling really sick so Wednesday after breakfast he left to go crash at the Shelburne’s house in Mbale. That morning a bunch of us went to a cloth textile factory. The company made all their own thread, which they dyed and then spun on these huge wooden looms. It was really cool. The whole operation took place in this old brick building which didn’t have glass in the windows or finishings. With the cloth they made all kinds of stuff including rugs, blankets, some kid’s cloths, bags etc…The looms where the coolest part of the whole place. They were huge and hand operated. Pre-industrial revolution.

After that we all headed into town to check out the scene. Jimja’s main street consists of several restaurants. Some local shops and about 50 little tourist shops all selling the exact same things. I split and headed down town to try to find a book seller where I could get some books. I passed several street sellers but they only had text books. Finally I hit the jackpot. A Sherlock Holmes book and a sci-fi short collective of short stories. The man who sold them to me had an incredibly high voice. It was like bargaining with Mickey Mouse.

Jenny, Laurie (an MA, teacher for the Proctars) Rachel, and I decided to stay in town for lunch. We went to Aussies’ which is this cool little shop run by this old Australian lady. I had a mushy burger which was pretty good although the food did take forever. After we ate we wondered around town a little bit. To get back to the Kingfisher we hired a couple of Boda-Bodas (pickeys).

David O’Leary has been teaching through the book of Job during the retreat. Once in the morning and again in he afternoon. He is a really insightful, interesting, and passionate speaker. I really enjoyed his teaching.

That night I went out to eat with the Wrights and the other singles. Bob had arrived that day with the Wright’s cousin Justin and we all went to the Gately which is this really nice restaurant on the Nile. We sat out back on the veranda where we ordered drinks and sat in their incredibly comfy furniture and talked until the food was served just after dark. I had a steak on top of pumpkin mash potatoes topped with a blue cheese sauce and served with sweet potato chips. Best meal I have had since Khana Kazana. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it. Then we all had ice-cream for dessert. wow.

After we got back that night I had a cigar with Craig and Phil. The kids all like to swim at night so they jumped in and after I finished my cancer stick I joined them. The night was cloudless and a nearly full moon looked down on us. I kept thinking of that song Nightswimming by R.E.M. Post swim I donned my new trousers and stayed up late talking to people.

Favorful Sequins

2010-02-11T09:01:00.000-08:00

January 25^th-26^th: Monday and Tuesday

Monday afternoon all the MA’s and Jim piled into the decrepit green land rover and headed to Jinja for the mission retreat. That night we reached Mbale. After being sick for the entire week I was going a bit stir crazy so I talked the entire way down to Mbale. That night we ate at the landmark. The food has really improved.

Tuesday morning Jim wanted to leave early so we could get to Jiinja early and spend hours at Flavors his favorite coffee shop in all of Uganda. It’s a little slice of the west. Ironically we arrived too early and Flavors wasn’t even open. So we went to the Big Bazaar Supermarket. We stalked up on water and Jim bought some weird gum. Then we went to flavors which had just opened. I haven’t really been hungry since I became sick so Jim made me eat some of his pancakes.

Jim and heather wanted to hang out and do email but I wanted to go into the market and stuff so Jenny, Leah and I left. The market is just like I remember it from before I went to Tanzania. I don’t remember it smelling like fish so much though. Unfortunately I had to walk by the shoe ladies but I don’t think they saw me. I really wanted to buy some jeans. I only have one pair of pants and I am going to need some more for Scotland. I started looking. The jean sellers are a pretty chill group of guys. Not pushy, mellow but helpful. For the most part. They kept giving me girl jeans though. Which is all fine but I don’t have the hips. Also a lot of the jeans had like butterflies and sequins and stuff on them. What? Eventually I found the holy grail of jean stalls. This guy had no less than three pairs of jeans that where the right waist, length, color (blue jeans, not red) and best of all, men’s. He was asking outrageous prices though but I worked him down and paid about 6 dollar for them.

We checked into the kingfisher where I have a little quarter banda all to myself. Not sure why I am not rooming with Jimmy since it would be cheaper but whatever. We ate lunch as a mission. The Tricaricos, Eldeens, Wrights (except Bob who was still in Kampala picking the Wrights cousin) the Proctors, Andrew, and the MAs. Finally Mr. and Mrs. O’Leary who are on the foreign mission board for the OPC came to visit.

Don't Touch Me, i'm Hot

2010-02-11T08:47:00.000-08:00

January 16^th-17^th: Saturday and Sunday

Saturday Jim and Jenny wanted to go into Mbale to visit people and I decided to tag along. we left early, driving the Okkens’ newly repaired vehicle. I had been feeling a bit under the weather when I woke up but was feeling much better now. we drove along through southern Karamoja when we encountered a problem. the car suddenly jerked and the front left side plunged downward. As we skidded to a stop something caught our eye. we watched as our front left tire bounced amiably into the field on our left. apparently Bob and Craig hadn’t tightened the lug nuts after repairing the car. however we soon had the car jacked up and with several lug nuts Jenny had found on the side of the road and a few lifted from other tires we soon had the tire remounted and were off.

we picked Laurie, the Proctar’s teacher and went to landmark fro lunch. we also met Andrew Innocent. Andrew is a long time friend of the mission who is currently going to medical school in south west Uganda and an old friend of Jim’s. Jim, Andrew and I went to go run some errands and things. I got to have several interesting conversations with him. mainly about what I want to do with my life and why I like Africa. we also got to stop by the home of the head Lab tech from Cure’s house where we met his family and stayed and talked for a while.

later that afternoon Jim and I climbed the mountain behind Mbale. it was a spectacular view and a beautiful climb. unfortunately I was feeling pretty sick at the time. we got back and after a shower and I ate a bit at the Proctar’s and then went to bed with a horrible fever. it seemed like the worst fever I have ever had. I woke a half dozen time during the night and was always too hot or cold and always wet with sweat.

the next morning we left early in order to be on time for church. I crashed out in the backseat as we drove. I spent the rest of Sunday sleeping and laying on the couch. eventually I managed to get up an
d take a shower. I had a fever again that night.

A Trip Down Country Including Music, Movies, and More Gross Stuff

2010-01-23T10:05:00.000-08:00

January 7^th-11^th: Thursday-Monday

Thursday morning I left with Martha and the kids for Mbale. The Wrights were going down to Kampala for the weekend in order to do some airport runs including dropping of Ben Smith. Ben and I were going to go rafting in Jinja on Saturday before he flew out Sunday morning.

Meanwhile this meant I got to spend the day in Mbale. On the drive down I sat up front with Martha and we talked about my time in Tanzania and everything else. We arrived in Mbale and after eating lunch at the Proctors’ we left the three youngest girls and went into town to run some errands. Martha took Bobby to see a therapist at CURE and Rachel and I descended into the market to try to buy some ingredients to concoct a fruit salad for dinner that night at the Protars’. We also tried unsuccessfully to buy some shorts for Bobby at a reasonable price.

The next day I was to spend the day in Mbale where I would meet Jim, Ben and the other singles and we would go rafting on Saturday. However the white land cruiser broke down and we were unable to procure another vehicle I just went down with the Wrights. That night we stayed at the ARA, the American Recreation Association. It is an extremely facility with the nicest rooms I have stayed in Africa and a swimming pool and tennis courts. That night was music night which is something put on by these two British guys which the Wrights have played in before. Unfortunately this time there was hardly anyone around and besides the Wrights only one other guy performed. Still it was fun.

The next day I awoke to the most delicious breakfast I have had in recent memory. Over easy eggs, bacon and sausage with a croissant or something. Then Bob, Bobby and I went into Industrial Kampala to pick up some parts. We stopped at several shops and bought various car parts, looked at toilets, and bought a mechanics creeper.

After we ran our errands we returned to the ARA and loaded everyone and everything up and then traveled down between Kampala and Entebbe to stay with a friend of the Wrights, Clark. We unloaded all our possessions into his extremely nice and comfortable house and then returned to Garden City. Garden City is the only real mall in Uganda and is rather amazing. We ate at the food court where I had Lebanese food. Then we wondered around and checked out all the shops. Bobby and I went exploring found a store that was exactly like America. It smelled like America, looked like America, it was freaky.

That night we went and saw Avatar. All in all I thought it was a pretty lousy movie. the special effect an action sequences were amazing as where the opening 15minutes when any originality slipped in. the rest of the movie was filled with card board cut out characters and plots strait out of any Disney movie. The plot was boring and predictable and the characters were about as shallow as puddles.

The next morning we went to church at New City a Presbyterian church after Bob had dropped Ben Smith off at the airport. The congregation was about half African and half ex-patriots. The singing was good as well as the message. After the service we went to a Tandoori restaurant called Khanna Kazana or something like that. The best food I have ever had. It is my favorite restaurant in Uganda.

That night after we returned to Clark’s I was put under the knife. For about a week I had had an infection in my arm. Saturday I had started taking anti-biotics and although I had tried to drain it of puss earlier nothing had occurred. Now though the time was ripe. Bob did some digging and prodding with a leather man and suddenly I was gushing black blood. Vast quantities of black blood and pus came out and the swelling went down from a golf ball sized bulge to almost nothing. It hurt. Thankfully Bob gave me some extra strong painkiller and as it turned out. That was the last I needed for my arm. I had been needing to take some so I could fall asleep for the past several nights.

That night Bob picked up Andrew Dickson who has been gone for the last couple of months to America and New Zealand. The next day we packed up and gave one of the vans we had driven down to Andrew While Bob and Bobby rode in the new Dina truck Bob had picked up from Chipper’s the night before.

In the Evening we ate dinner at the Landmark. The Landmark has changed a lot since I first ate there in June. The old owner Shameek (sp?) left for India and the new owners along with a new cook have also bought a pool table, DSTV, and are trying to cater to a more diverse group of people. the food Monday night was incredible. best food I have ever had at the landmark. The Wrights invited an Indian family I have never meet before but have been friends of the mission for years. They were a really interesting couple.

In Which We Celebrate a New Year, See Gross Stuff, and Are Offered a Goat

2010-01-23T10:04:00.003-08:00

December 31^st-Januarey 2^nd: Thursday- Saturday

Thursday night the entire mission gathered in the main house to welcome in the New Year. The Myhre’s, another missionary family from south western Uganda visited on there way to Kenya to drop their kids of for boarding school.

About half way through the night Jim and I left for the clinic to go visit those of there. The clinic staff had been telling him about how they welcome in the New Year by burning things. Burn the old things, like Christmas trees. Jim and I arrived shortly before ten only to discover that everyone was asleep already. We managed to rouse Robert, Moses and Susan. We listened to the radio, the top 100 best songs of the year, and played Mexican train. All Ugandan DJ’s have a strange way of talking. They all sound like their constipated.

Just before midnight Jim and I walked back to the mission compound. The moon was nearly full and the fields and house stood out in stark relief against the shadows. At midnight we toasted in the New Year. I toasted with fanta passion soda.

Friday morning Jim, Ben, Leah and I left for Matany, a town several hours north of here, to visit Logiel Mark who is going to school at the Catholic hospital there. The land changes from Nakaale to Moroto. The vegetation thins out and trees become less and less common until they disappear almost entirely. Matany lies several kilometers from Moroto, at the base of Mt. Moroto. The entire village only exists because of the hospital. The hospital complex is huge with wards, and house staffing as well as gardens and a machine shop, plus places for patient’s families to stay and guests. A massive church dominates one corner of the compound.

We met Mark and his friend Abraham. He showed us a little around his school and stuff before we were caught in a rain storm that had followed us from Nakaale. That night while Robert visited his wife, who works at the hospital, and new born daughter we ate and slept at a little inn across the street from the hospital. It was relatively nice except they didn’t have enough food and the bathroom didn’t have a handle, just a hole in the door where a handle should have gone. You could kinda hold he door closed though with your foot. We fell asleep that night listening to Nigerian soup operas blaring away in the next room.

The next morning Jim, Mark and I got a chance to talk. He seems to be doing well here although it has been hard going to a catholic run school. We were able to pray and talk. Soon afterwards Jim, Ben, and I went to the hospital were Jim and Ben really wanted to follow along on the ward rounds. I went because I didn’t want to sit around all morning. We lucked out and managed to get assigned to the surgical ward were, due to lack of a surgeon present severe trauma cases had been stalking up for weeks. It was a virtual parade of infections, gunshot wounds, bloated and swollen limbs and burns. .it wouldn’t have been so bad if it wasn’t for the horrible smells that come with it all. After seeing more than twenty male patients I opted out of seeing the female patients and made what I hoped was a dignified retreat with my masculinity intact.

After a tour of the hospital the lack of adequate dinner the night before and no breakfast began to catch up to me. First though Robert wanted to show us the “lagoon”. What the heck? We hiked out behind hospital compound of into the scrub. After what seemed like hours we arrived at a walled compound. This we were informed was the “lagoon”. We peered through the gates and say some few plants and such like growing. We were informed that the sewage from the hospital came out here and fed the plants. Some lagoon. after a torturous walk back into town Robert informed us that the food was still not ready and we walked into town were I was rope into playing two humiliating games of pool before we were allowed to return and eat and Robert’s wife’s house.

We left shortly afterward. We stopped on the way back as we had on the way there and visited Mark’s family. Mark’s father was a little drunk this time then our first visit and wanted to give us a goat. We finally persuaded him to keep the goat and we would return and eat it together.

News

2010-01-23T10:02:00.000-08:00

After some discussion the mission has decided to let me join as an Missionary Assisant which means for me I get to stay tell April hopefully. I have switched though from helping Bob and Craig and Craig being my missionary of oversight to being the Wrights teacher and having the Wrights as my missionaries of oversight.

I now spend the mornies and some of the afternoons teaching the Wright kids. I Do math and reading with Bobby, Science with Anna and Bobby and Science with Mary and Kipsy. It’s a pretty big change from what I have been doing but I enjoy spending more time with the Wright kids and after school I still help Bob and Craig so it has been working out really well.

Tis the Season For Rain?

2010-01-05T20:39:00.000-08:00

December 24^th-25^th: Thursday and Friday

Christmas Eve dawned cool and cloudy. The air was misty and damp. That morning we put the ridge cap Jim’s house. We only worked a half day since we had a Christmas Eve service at the church at 4. We sung some Christmas songs converted to Na Karamojong.

After the service Jim and I drove back to Namalu to drop off the school boys and JB. We say Zachary Emeron the pastor for the Namalu church. He greeted us and said they were having a service tomorrow. Then we went to JB’s house were we say his wife, Joyce and his son Losike, who is pretty cute and has a huge head.

That night for dinner we ate nibbles. Kris made an incredible cheese ball. There were cookies and sweets. It was amazing food. My lemonole wasn’t a big hit. I tried to make guacamole but I added to much chili powder and lemon juice. So it first tasted like battery acid, then the heat hit, like a freight train. After we ate we sang a few Christmas carols and then got down to the white elephant gift exchange.

The presents were varied and interesting. Jim and I contributed a dozen eggs, or less, decorated with faces. We drew bandito, a uni-browed man, a Cyclops, Tin Tin, and Harry Potter just to name a few. Our other present was a flatus bag Jim had and some candies. The flatus bag was medical mystery to us. It had a plastic bag and a long tube connected to it. How exactly it was used we could imagine but why we couldn’t figure out.

After the gift exchange Jim and I returned to our house and talked for a bit and read A Cowboy Christmas; a short story my dad has read to our family on Christmas Eve for as long as I can remember.

Sunday morning I rolled out of bed a little after 8 or something and did my devotions and then wandered out into the kitchen to see what was cooking. Nothing was so I made coffee cake while Jim prepared the salad for Christmas dinner that night. After the coffee cake came out we made eggs (3 runny yokes, I non-runny yoke) and sat down to a lovely Christmas breakfast. Jim whips out my present (a tusker shirt) so I grabbed the bag and tissue paper and quickly wrapped his (a Tanzania jersey).

After breakfast we headed over to the Wrights where we met Leah and Ben and along with Martha and Rachel we set out in the van for Namalu. We stopped at the clinic first and picked up Moses and Susan. We pulled up to the tin clad church of Namalu which was blasting American songs out of a scratchy boom box. The church service began with praying and singing. As the time passed more and more people showed up. It reminded me so much of Tanzania. All the singing and the drums playing and the choirs coming up and singing and they way people dressed even. The service lasted well over two hours. After the service we were invited over to the pastors house for an amazing meal where we wee introduced to his family, all 11 of them.

We drove back to the mission. It had continued to rain off and on all morning and although the rain had stopped it remained cloudy and cooler. I put on my new Christmas cloths (Tusker shirt) and went with the Wrights over to the huge dance at the catholic mission/school just up the road. There were probably 300 or more people around. Everyone decked out in their Christmas best. However we had only been there a few minutes when the dancing broke up and everyone left because it looked like rain.

We went back and Jim and I had Moses, Susan, and Albert over to play Mexican train as it poured rain outside. We played until Jim and I had to go to Christmas dinner with the mission. We had delicious food and watched the Christmas caper with the penguins from Madagascar again. Then Jim and I came back and the clinic guys came over again and we played some more. And the rain continued.

In Which We Put On A Roof and Have Many Interruptions

2010-01-05T20:37:00.001-08:00

December 21^st-23^rd:Monday-Wednesday

Monday we began to put the roof on Jim’s house. We had to be a bit careful though because of the wind during the dry season. It comes consistently from the NE, from Kenya so when we placed the sheets we had to be sure that the wind will not tear them off again. Bob bought sheets that are white, so as to reflect the sun and 7 meters long so we don’t have to cut them just put them up direct. We used self taping screws with rubber and metal gaskets. We drilled the screws direct into the pearling. We put the entire roof up in two days. The wind seems to have died down for a few days so we were able to work all day instead of just the morning.

Wednesday night at bible study we sang some songs to begin. However Al received an important phone call so we just continued to sing and sing. After nearly a half hour Al came back apologized and he began to just give a short message. However this did not last long as the dogs began to bark. Apparently the dogs have a distinctive bark for when they find a snake. We all went to the porch were we spied a large black cobra. The guards came running. As one approached the snake reared up and flattened its head into the distinctive hood of a cobra. I have only seen that on the discovery channel. After the guards had killed it we went out and measured the snake. It was over 6 feet long. After that we kinda gave up on bible study and just prayed.

That night the rain began.

OK Corral, Mangoes, And Who Is The President of Canada?

2010-01-05T20:35:00.000-08:00

December 19^th-20^th: Saturday-Sunday

Saturday morning Bob and I began to make adjustments on Jim’s roof. While the basic structure is solid we needed to add and subtract some to get everything strait and plum. Around 9:30 we went inside and got some water. There Martha asked if I could be liberated from work and go with her and the girls to check out this thing down at oki-dud. The visitors were returning in order to have the kids make thank you cards to give to the people who donated the relief. After my liberation I sat around and talked with the Wrights for a while tell 11:00 when the visitors were finally ready to leave. Martha, Rachel, Anna, Mary, and Katrina piled into the van and I rode with Robin and Angelic. It was fun to ride with them and to get to talk and learn about them a bit. Robin has been a missionary for 28 yrs and has smuggled bibles into China dressed as a fat person and stuff. Pretty wild.

We arrived at Ok-dude ranch and were immediately surrounded by a large crowd. Someone had spotted the football inside the visitor’s car and all the kids were asking me for it. We spread a tarp on the ground and Rachel led everyone in a couple of songs. Then everyone began writing “thank you” cards. Actually mainly everyone just drew pictures of the exact same like 5 things. A hut, a chicken, cow, a school house, or a person. Then Angelic got out some rope and they took turns jumping over it as it got higher and higher. Then they pulled out two footballs from their car and wanted to organize a game of dodge ball. But they ended up leaving the footballs there.

After our adventure at oki-dud the wrights and I stopped in Namalu at a little restaurant and had a chapatti and soda. Then we went to the little general store deal which has gotten really big since I got back from Tanzania.

That evening we had a meal to welcome Jenny’s parents and her sister Heather. After dinner I went over to the Wrights house and we watched Chicken Run. It is just about the most morbid children’s movie ever. The entire plot centers on the main characters death and being baked into pies. I guess Hansel and Gretel wasn’t that much better though?

Sunday after church Jim and I went over to Moses’ for lunch. When I got there Robert was eating mangos and he gave me a couple. Just about the best mango I have ever had. Then he Moses, Jim and I played cards. Jim taught them Spades and Hearts. Susan, Moses’ wife made lunch. We had posho, sweat potatoes, beans, eggs, tomatoes and hot sauce. It was all really good. Jim hung out tell about 3:3o and then he headed back but I stuck around for a bit. Moses Robert and I had some interesting conversations. First they talked about how white I was. But I told them that I was getting darker so I wouldn’t burn as easily. Then I told them that in America being tan is considered very attractive and people go through a lot of trouble to get tan. Then they asked “even men?” I said yes and they said “so you want to go back looking good?” the new talked about America. Apparently they were both under the impression that Obama was president over all of America, not just the United States. So then I had to explain that Canada and Mexico and South America were al different countries and stuff. I wonder though if this is a common misconception about the US and America?

After that we went to prayers. That evening at the T’s we watched a White Christmas. It’s hard to believe that Christmas is in only a few days.

In Which We Celebrate the Anniversary of Pearl Harbor, or something like that

2009-12-17T10:15:00.000-08:00

December 7^th-9^th: Monday-Wednesday

Almost the entire western end of the big house is getting repainted. The big room, Jim’s old room, and the hallway and pantry. Lynn and I have been given, no privileged with the job of doing all this painting. Monday we trimmed Jim’s old room which will now be a guest house and gave it a first coat. The color we are using is a Sage Green and has the amazing ability to look either gray or brown under almost any lighting condition.

Over the next two days we steadily worked our way around the big room and it’s a joining section. By the end of Wednesday we had put at least one coat on everything. The end was in sight. I really like Lynn. He is a cool old guy. He cracks me up.

So Monday was Pearl Harbor Day. Also it was the day of my birth, 19 years ago. That night for dinner the Tricarico’s invited me over for Indian food, Tika Masala Paneer and Nan. It was incredible. Thank you Laurie and Maria. Then around 7 everyone else on the mission came over for cake. Thanks Kris. James and Maria made me a really cool card full of excellent illustrations of adventures I/We have had. Emily sent a cool birthday card with a recipe for Man-erole (Man Casserole). It included ingredients such as 6 beers, 2 bags of pretzels, 64 slices of American cheese, I cup of hot sauce, 3 ib. of beef jerky, 3 bottles of BBQ sauce,10 large potatoes, 7 glazed donuts, and a can of motor oil. Instructions called for a wheel barrow, a weed whacker and a spray gun. The Eldeens gave me two brand new razors and Jenny gave me a very strange cup with several cartoon kids with ------------- on it and the words Happiness Trip and Sweet Family on it along with this message inside a heart: I want JJU: everywhere ♦and if JJU:’s ∆ beside me I know • I need never care. Now I have no idea who or what JJU is or why there are all those symbols in the message but I feel like it is from the heart.

So after work Wednesday I hitched up my trousers, rolled up my sleeves and commenced to give the house a thorough cleaning. I swept out the fossilized remains of crumbs and dirt from the floors. I mountain of dirty dishes by the sink, I scrubbed the counters, I pulverized the dust bunnies, I man-handled the dried on spills on the stove. I Was Lancelot of the Kitchen. The sponge, Excalibur. Victory was mine. Actually the sad part was the general cleanliness of the house was a couple notches below where Jim left it but it was so much better than where it had been several hours previously that it seemed much cleaner.

Wednesday we had a community meal to welcome back Jim and welcome Ben Smith. I was recruited to make dessert and Laurie asked me to make those Peanut Butter Chocolate cookies I made a couple weeks ago so I got of work around four and went home to start baking. My computer is going to the dogs. The battery cannot last for longer than about 40 minutes now so I just took out the battery and keep it plugged in when I use it because I think that uses less power than charging the battery every 40 minutes. It really ruins the mobility of the laptop though.

The Wrights and company arrived back shortly after six. It was good to see Jimbo again. I think he’s gotten taller. He brought back copious amounts of everything. It will take him days to unpack. That night we had pesto pasta stuff which was delicious. Maria found a bunch of old videos that James had taken of himself and then somehow failed to delete so we watched them after dinner.

That night Jim and I stayed up late and talked. It is really good to have him back. That night we prayed before we went to bed. I forgot how much I like doing that. Also Jim bought me the set of Bourne movies for my b-day. Cool beans.

Sunrise, Chicken Dinner, Road Trip, T-shirts, Cigar, Psychotic Hunters, Big Game, Football in the Sun

2009-12-17T10:11:00.001-08:00

December 1^st-6^th:Tuesday-Sunday

Tuesday morning the Wright girls, Rachel, Anna, and Mary, Hannah and I embarked from the compound under a full moon. The girls had wanted to climb the hill behind the clinic in order to watch the sun rise and I was asked to go because they needed a guy escort. As we left their house at 5:00 we discovered that t heir gate was locked so we moved down to the Okken’s compound were we hopped the gate. With the full moon we didn’t need lights. The hill behind the clinic is a couple hundred feet. We positioned ourselves on an outward spur of rock and waited for the sun. Because the sun rose behind Mt. Kadam it was light well before we first glimpsed the sun. Africa is beautiful.

That Thursday I had JB, his friend from Namalu whose name is like Octavias or something of the like, and Moses over for dinner. I had had JB buy a chicken and sweet potatoes in Namalu that day. JB and I took the cock out back along with a knife. JB plucked some of the feathers off its neck and then held its body down with one hand and its head up with the other. Then I beheaded it with a few short strokes of the knife. While JB held down the still moving body I went inside and got some boiling water so JB could pluck it. We gave the head and feet to the dogs who seemed over joyed.

After plucking it JB butchered it. At first he kept out heart, lungs, and spleen and stuff. I asked him what they were and Moses interjects that he didn’t think we ate that so JB saved only one unidentifiable organ and threw the rest to the dogs. Then we peeled and sliced all the sweet potatoes, the must have bought like a kilo of the stuff. I mixed up a flour based seasoning to put on the chicken and then we began frying. Shortly we were eating a delicious chicken dinner. There is nothing quite like eating an animal you killed yourself.

Friday the entire mission was invited to a Christmas party at the Proctors’ in Mbale. Also that night though Simon, one of the local Karamojong was having a huge party to celebrate his graduation from something or other and to make many friends since he wanted to go into politics. What better way to do that then bribe people with food and beer? I was to ride down with the Eldeens along with Leah and Ben. I packed an overnight bag and we left around 10:00.

We arrived in Mbale and dropped our stuff at the Shelburne’s were we would be spending the night . Leah, Ben and I were turned loose for the afternoon. We walked over to the landmark for lunch. Delicious. And then headed into town. Leah needed to stop at a bank to see if her account could be accessed and a post office to buy stamps. As Leah bought stamps at the post office I wondered around reading signs like “No Radioactive Material Allowed in the Mail” and the like. I found a display showing all kinds of Ugandan stamps, crested cranes, animals, flowers, the Nile, Michael Jackson. What?! Yes they had a set of four Michael Jackson, king of pop, stamps all of little cute Michael as a 10 year old. I told Leah she should buy some but when she asked the man behind the counter told her they were out. So we asked if we could purchase the ones in the display which he assented to. All you gotta do is ask.

After that we decided to wander further into Mbale just for fun. almost immediantly we ran into Jamie. He was at his friend Alex’s phone shop buying phones and stuff. We tagged up with him as he went to the Mtn Shop and the Zain shop so he could buy air time to sell. Then we wandered around. We went into a bunch of stores and tried to get free t-shirts and things. A lot of phone company stores and other places give away free t-shirts and posters and things in order to promote their product although sometimes they are reluctant to actually give you anything. Jamie got a dummy phone through his contact in the Warin (a phone company) Shop and then he sweet talked a lady at Orange (another phone company) and got two women’s t-shirts. We also tried to get some Ugandan Telecom T-shirts but the lady said they were out.

Around 4 we started walking back. We met Maria, Josh, and Laurie on the way back and Maria came with us. when we got to the Shelburne’s Jamie and I climbed up their tree house were we split a ginger soda and a candy bar. Then Maria came and she and James through sticks at each other.

Around 5:30 we headed over to the Proctors’ who are just next door. There were a ton of people there. I didn’t meet too many of them. Derrick from Cure was there along with a lot of the members of the OPC church in Mbale. Also there were a bunch of ex-pats there as well. The party was fun. we ate delicious food. The goat was a bit strange. I got to smoke a cigar with Craig, Phil Proctor, and Derrick. I hung out mainly with James and the other kids. That night I slept in the same bed that I slept in the first night I came to Africa. I didn’t use the mosquito net.

The next day while we waited for the Eldeens to come and pick use I watched Bambi with the Tricarico kids. Great movie. Very epic. I did find it odd though that the hunters shot at all the woodland creatures. Even lick little song birds and chipmunks. Like, did they want to kill and stuff those to put over their mantles? More like exterminator than hunters.

After the Eldeens picked us we went to happy where I bought an apple for breakfast and some Chowda (it’s like Indian snack food, like chex mix kinda but way tastier and foreign) just for later. On the ride back we say a couple of antelope like animals along with several ostriches and baboons.

Sunday afternoon there was a soccer game at the main compound so I went over and played. It was really fun although after about a half hour I had to quite because my feet hurt from playing barefoot on all the thorns and hot ground. After that James, Maria, Leah, and Jenny came over and we made smoothies. Jamie decided he needed to make a hibiscus flavored smoothie which turned out ok actually. Having the little bits of ground up hibiscus in you mouth was a bit unpleasant though. That afternoon no Africans came to the bibles study.

Rain on a Hot Tim Roof

2009-12-14T10:24:00.000-08:00

November 26^th-30^th: Thursday-Monday

We spared the Turkey. We decided to give good will towards birds by letting him off the hook for thanksgiving. We may have ruined our gesture by killing 6 chickens Thursday instead though. For our thanksgiving dinner we pulled all the stops. We had stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, salad, rolls, and some form of cranberry sauce from a can. We all ate together in the courtyard. After dinner we had a time for everyone to give thanks for anything. We also sang a couple songs. As we sang a massive storm cloud moved over the mission. Lightning shot across the sky illuminating the cloud bank. It was awesome.

After putting up the trusses on Jim’s house and then some pearlings along the top of the roof line. After that though Bob and Craig decided to call off work for a bit. The roof was a bit too wobbly, resting only on steel posts and rebar to add the extra pounds of more pearlings. We’ll wait tell the work crew lays some more stone up to and around the trusses.

That Sunday during church it began to rain. I never remember it ever raining so early in the morning before. It started out quietly enough shortly after we began Sunday school. Within a few minutes though the sound of the rain on the tin roof completely drowned out sound of Al and Lokwii. Thus we sat for several minutes talking amongst ourselves and watching as Bobby and Mary ran back through the pounding rain to get their bed cloths off the Wrights roof.

The rain ended and Al began teaching again however it turned out to only be a lull in the storm because the rain started up again almost immediately. Sunday school was canceled for the day and the congregation mulled about waiting for the rain to let up. James and I though walked back in the rain. As we neared the Okkens compound the sun came out although the rain didn’t let up. I love it when the sun is shining and the sun is out.

Bob asked me to go down to Mbale with him to help the Mayville’s, a missionary couple, to pack their container since they are going back to America. We left that afternoon for Mbale. It was fun driving down because Bob got to drive through a bit of mud. Bob talked almost the entire way down about his life. He has lived a fascinating life.

That after noon after arriving in Mbale we went to the landmark were Bob ordered a massive amount of food. We had 3 or 4 appetizers along with several mains dishes, rice and Nan. We spent the night at the Shelburne's house were I began reading a really interesting story about England and Wales during the time of King Henry through John.

The next day Bob and I headed over to the Mayville’s which is just down the road from where we slept. We spent the day helping the Mayville’s, Tom and Carolyn to pack up their things. Tom and Carolyn are a nice couple somewhere in their fifties. Most of the things they had packed but there was still a lot of little things to do and quite a few boxes to tape up. This meant that Bob and I spent the entire day helping. Bob had hoped to only spend the morning and then pick up some supplies and be away by 5.

We ate lunch of samosas and chapatti along with a case of coke. Several men from the church came to help and most were sent home after lunch. That afternoon while waiting for more boxes to be readied for packing I say one of the strangest things I have ever seen. Directly outside the brick fence there were between 20 and 30 big hawks or eagles all swooping low over the road, no more than 5 feet from it. They would swoop low and then rise and circle up for another pass. One of the workers told me that they were eating flying ants. In only a few minutes all the birds had gone.

They day wore on and by 5 we still hadn’t left and were still a long ways off. By 6 we had all but finished and Bob decided to drive back anyway rather than spend another night in Mbale. That night we drove back to Karamoja under a full moon. Truly Africa is a beautiful continent.

We arrived at 8:30 that night and Martha had prepared a small dinner for us. After eating I stayed around and talked to Martha, Rachel, and Anna for a bit before heading back and hitting the hay.

Return to the Scene of the Crime

2009-12-14T10:21:00.000-08:00

November 22nd-25th: Sunday-Wednesday

This week in Sunday school we began to practice to learn the ten commandments. Nakaramojong is an incredibly hatd language to speak and I had a really hard time trying to get my mouth around all the syllables.

That day I spent a lazy Sunday afternoon reading. Jim has a set of the Harvard classics and I have began reading The Voyage of the Beagle by Charles Darwin. it is very interesting because he writes it for the layman, not getting too technical about the science. He also spends a lot of time just talking about the people. He is basically traveling downthe South American coast. Later that afternoon we got together for the bible study in the big house. Some Africans came again which was really fun. Pastor Al is talking about prayer which is really challenging me.

Monday Bob and I along with Lokwii Bon and Lodim Paul returned to the Bore-hole we had worked on the previous week. Because when the pipes slipped and fell we lost the pump we had to look for another. Bob knew there were some in the shipping container on the Okkens compound. However we also knew that that container was invested with wasps. Bob found a couple of bottles of insect poison and thus armed with our spray cans we entered. At first we couldn’t see any wasps or pumps for that matter. However we found them at almost the same time. An epic battle ensued. It raged back and for but the wasps got the worst of it and were forced to retreat. Indeed neither Bob nor I were harmed in the retrievence of the pump.

Upon arriving at the Bore-hole we set to work. We connected the pump to the pipe and began to lower it down. Adding pipes as we went we eventually put almost all the original pipes back in the hole. However this wasn’t nesecarry because the water level was higher then the depth of the hole. After replacing the entire mechanism the local Karamojong joyfully pumped out water. All in a days work.

For the next few days Bob, Craig and I worked to put the trusses for Jim’s house in position. Because Jim has such a large roof we had to put the individual trusses up separately and then clamp and seld them together instead of building them on the ground first. This meant that Bob and I spent most of the entire day about 15 feet up in the air balancing on top of scaffolds. During the dry season the winds here really pick up. So we are balancing atop these scaffolds trying to place these trusses and Bob is having to weld in this buffering wind. Bob compared it to someone giving him a shove.

I Love Indian Food and Bob Gets in A Fight With a Bore-Hole

2009-12-10T09:52:00.000-08:00

November 18^th-21^st: Wednesday-Saturday

After work on Thursday I went and visited Moses and Robert at the clinic. We hung our for a bout an hour and played cards. They taught me an African card game which was really hard and I didn’t understand it at all. It was funny though because they called the suites by entirely different names. Like flowers instead of clubs. Also all the face cards weren’t kind, queen, etc… but K, Q, J. Half the confusion on my part was I had no idea what cards they were talking about half the time.

That evening we had a community meal to celebrate the return of the Eldeens and Leah. We had amazing Indian food. Butter chicken with garlic and plain nan. Absolutely delicious.

Friday morning Bob and I went and visited a bore-hole that had ceased to function. The karamojang using it had been bugging Bob for a couple of weeks to come and lokk at they’re “Bowel”. The way the Karamojang pronounce Bore-hole is “bowel”. Just imagine how much material has been derived from that.

The bore-hole lies between here and Namalu, just around the corner. A large group of men and kids awaited us. they all crowded around and thanked Bob, All talked at once and decided that Bob looked like Chuck Norris Bob concluded that we would need to come back and remove a large part of the pipes.

We returned after lunch with Lokwii Bon, James, and Lodim Paul to help us. Bob thought the problem was that the pipes had become disconnected because there was a lot of weight on the handle of the pump. What this ment is we needed to pull out all the pipes until we found what was wrong. We started pulling the pipes one by one. We used a tool with a lang hand and a “c” shaped piece at the end to grab the pipes and host them up. Then Bob would tighten the clamp on the pipe while we moved the tools down and then loosened it again so we could host it up. After pulling up ten pipes Bob was able to spy the pump on the end of the last pipe. We had just disconnected the second to last pipe when disaster struck.

The pipes at this time where covered in an incredibly slick mud. And although Bob had tightened the clamp holding the pipe with a hammer is still somehow slipped. Bob reached out and tried to grab the pipe but he couldn’t get a grip on it. The T-bar which we attached to the top of the pipe so if they do fall will catch the rim of the hole slammed down on Bob’s left hand. The larger pipe and the pump broke of and continued their plunge into the bottom of the hole. Bob’s hand was bleeding everywhere and I was a bit worried because he went through a little shock where he was wavering a bit on his feet and nodding in and out of conciences. However after laying down a bit he felt goo enough to drive back. He dropped himself at the clinic and James and I took the truck back and sorted out the tools. Then I went back to the clinic where I watched Robert give Bob a couple stitches.

Peanut Cookies and Potential Peacemakers

2009-12-10T09:46:00.000-08:00

November 14^th-17^th: Saturday-Tuesday

Saturday I worked a half day and in the afternoon made desert for the community meal. after pouring over my mother’s cookbook I decided what I really wanted to eat was peanut butter kiss cookies, which is a peanut butter cookie with a Hershey kiss in the middle. However due to the fact that we didn’t have any chocolate kisses I used a bag of chocolate chips. The bag was one my dad had brought from America and was already partially melted. So I finished the melting process over the stove and then as the cookies came out warm from the oven I firmly pressed a chocolate chunk into the center of each cookie. They tasted very good if I do say so myself.

That evening after eating all the children and young adults hung out afterwards. We played one of my favorite games of all time. I don’t actually remember what it’s called or if I even ever knew its name. basically if you have a stack of note card sized paper equal in number to the people playing. Then everyone rights a strange sentence on the top paper and passes it to the person on their right. That person then has to read the sentence and draw a picture of it. They then pass the stack of paper after putting the sentence on the bottom of the pile and the next person has to write a sentence from the picture. And you go all around the circle and much joy and good will is created.

Sunday afternoons all the mzungus on the mission get together for a time of singing and a short lesson from one of the pastors. We sing western songs, use guitars, and hear a message that is not overly simplified. Recently though there has been a push to include some Africans, specifically the clinic staff, in this worships time. So on Sunday William, Moses, Robert, Albert, Stella, and Rachel came. I thought it was really cool to include these guys because sometimes it feels like an us and them sort of deal here.

All the Africans were very enamored with the guitar playing. Pastor Al passed around some printed out bible verses for people to read and William on my right got one. His reference was incryptically labeled Th #:##. He asked me what Th stood for and I graciously told him it stood fro Timothy. Doubts however waged in my own mind but I decided that Timothy logically would be Th. As it turns out however Th is Thessalonians. William found it very funny that I had misled him which is really unfair.

Monday Jim left Karamoja for his 3 weeks in the US. it was a time of great sadness. that night for guys night I made beef stroganoff with rice. It turned out very good I think. The Wrights have encouraged me to do more at guys night then just eat dinner and watch a movie. I think we will try to go through the young peacemakers.

The Retuen of Bob

2009-11-19T20:29:00.000-08:00

November 9^th-13^th: Monday-Friday

Bob is finally back. He looked at the work the guys did on Jim’s house when he waqs gone and noticed a huge problem. The walls aove the windows are all wonky. Jim’s house is made of huge granite stones cemented together. While this looks really cool and it very strong it makes it rather difficult to keep the walls level vertically and horizontally. The boys had messed up the walls pretty bad so I and Lodokaro spent Monday tearing it down.

Tuesday Bob and I made shelves for his container. It took us all day but it looks very smart. I spent most of the rest of the week doing odd jobs for Bob and mass producing curtain rod holders both for his house and for the main house/Tricarico’s house. Also Bob had me begin drilling holes and running wire for outlets and lights in the workshop. Eventually Bob wants to have lights and a couple outlets run off of solar power and the rest of the outlets run when the generator is turned on.

Monday this week we had Guy’s Night. This started because every Monday all the girls on the mission got together for dinner and a bibles study so all the young guys were left on their own anyway. Now Jim is hosting it and he makes dinner and JB, Mark, Moses, Albert, William, And now Robert come from the clinic along with James, Bobby, and Ben. That night Ben volunteered to make dinner and we watched The Kingdom. Great movie. Thanks Brandon.

Mark’s last work day was Wednesday morning. Jim and I had him and Moses over Tuesday night. We hung out and watched a movie. Also though we were able to pray which was really great and I know something Jim has been wanting to do for a long time. I said goodbye to Mark that night since I didn’t see him the next day.

In Which I Make Macaroni and Cheese

2009-11-19T20:27:00.000-08:00

November 6^th-8^th: Friday-Sunday

My foot has continued to improve over the weekend. The swelling has reduced a bit more each day. While it still produces puss every day it is still improving.

On Saturday Jim and I went down to Mbale with a bunch of the guys from the clinic. JB, Moses, Mark, Albert, and another translator form the clinic. Shoot, I really can’t remember his name right now. Mark needed to do his back to school shopping. I don’t think I have mentioned it before but Mark was approved for a scholarship and is going back to school to become a nurse. He is really excited. Also all the other guys needed to do some shopping and filled the car with cavaras full of purcheses by the end of the day, except fro JB who didn’t have any money.

We ate lunch at the landmark and all the guys really enjoyed it. We had a couple different kinds of dishes. Some chicken masala and lentils and things but the guys just mixed everything together. It was a very fun trip for me. not only did I get to hang out with the guys from the clinic for a day but also I was able to buy some more razors and since my last razor was so dull I couldn’t shave large parts of my face it was greatly appreciated.

After we got back Jim and I really wanted to go for a run. It was nearly dark though so jim grabbed his headlamp and we set out. About half way through the run it got completely dark. Luckily by that time we had gotten to the main road so it was relatively smooth and we could run side by side and both benefit from Jim’s headlamp.

Sunday after church when Jim drove some people back to Namalu I made my mother’s home made macaroni and cheese. Dispite several changes to the recipe due to different ingrediants I thought it tasted nearly as good as my mom’s. a very good meal. Jim liked it too.

Finally Much Forshadowing Is Explained

2009-11-12T12:04:00.001-08:00

November 2^nd-5^th: Monday- Thursday

Monday morning began like any other day in Karamoja. I got up, did my devotions, ate breakfast. Actually it was very different since I am staying with Jim in the Okken’s house and all of this took place in there house and not three separate buildings as it had when I stayed in Karamoja this summer. However my dad was about to get that much stranger.

That morning I went to the clinic for Jim to have another look at my foot. The swelling had reduced to a large area around my "bite” on top of my foot. Jim commenced to numb my foot via injection. Why is it that the shots to numb you hurt so much? It makes you wonder whether or not it’s actually worth it. Dr. Jim next used a razor to cut the top of the bite off. Large amounts of puss and blood flowed out. Using tweezers he began picking at the wound. He then pulled out a massive chunk what looked like a giant booger. It left a gaping hole in my foot. Jim then pushed out a massive amount of blood and puss. It hurt an incredible amount. Apparently the anesthetic is only a local and, in fact, does not numb the entire point. Just my luck. So after cleaning out the wound Jim stuffed the hole with gaze and bandaged me up. Jim thinks the mass he pulled out of my foot was most likely just solidified puss and hopefully not a worm.

For the next two days Jim continued to extract some few bits of solidified puss and continued to push out more puss and blood. Jim also began to have me soak my foot in some warm soapy water to help clean the wound. I had been taking ibuprofen religiously before the operation and I now stopped almost entirely because, except when Jim was digging around in my foot, it didn’t hurt very much.

Both Bob and Craig aren’t in Karamoja right now so I don’t really have anything to do. The work crew is working on Jimbo’s house. They are laying stone for his walls and working very slowly and ponderously. So I have been doing odd jobs for the missionaries and hanging out with James and Bobby fixing hammers because amazingly the boys seem to break at least one a day breaking apart stone for the walls.

Every Monday night here Jim has been hosting a “Guys night” where James, Bobby, Ben, Albert, Mark, Moses, JB, and William come over for dinner and then usually a movie. This Monday Jim and I made chili with noodles. While the rest of the guys watched a planet earth James, Bobby, and I hung out in my room and played with some little key-chain dart guns my cousins sent me before I left Uganda. James got hit in the face a lot.

Thursday after “work” Jim was still not back from the clinic so I decided to make caramel rolls. My mom sent over her cookbook with my dad so I set about baking. I had just finished the dough when Jim got back. That night for dinner we ate fresh warm caramel rolls for dessert. It tasted almost just like they did in America. Almost. I stored the extra dough in the freezer to make some more later.

Thursday morning I went to the clinic a bit early, in time for prayers. After prayers I talked with JB. His son is very sick with malaria and is getting worse because he cannot keep down anything, not even water; he is just throwing it right back up. JB’s wife and son are living in Namalu which is a town about 15 minutes drive from the clinic and station. He has been commuting back and forth. JB is almost always smiling and joking but today he was really down and quite.

That night Jim had the entire clinic staff, including Jenny a nurse who is her for 10 months. That night Jim and I made tacos. It was really fun to explain how to add all the ingredients and then fold and eat the taco. One of the clinic workers has two little girls who I got to know a bit this summer. Jim served everyone a soda and these two little girls drank theirs in about two minutes flat. I heard jenny explaining to some clinic workers what cheese was. After dinner we watched a planet earth, mountains. It made me really miss the mountains in Montana.

In Which we Find More Hot & Food That JB Likes

2009-11-08T11:17:00.000-08:00

October 31^st- November 1^st: Saturday & Sunday

Saturday began with the hottest shower I have had in recent memory. Blissful. After packing Jim, JB and I piled into the car and setout for Lagogo mall in search of an early morning milkshake. Our hopes where dashed however when we learned that the coffee shop was all out of ice cream. Curses. On the way to the mall, while stopped at a light (which was green incidentally, just to help you understand how superfluous traffic lights are in Uganda) I spied a series of signs saying things about cheap furniture and excellent deals on couches. one caught my eye however. It read:

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Perfectly innocent I’m sure but still rather humorous. Next we stopped at Capital, a large and spacious shopping center which spanned two stories connected by an escalator. JB and I did shopping for Jenny while Jim got his things. My foot was really hurting me by this point so I was realived when we piled in the car and set out for Jinja.

On the way I told Jim and JB of my climb up Kili. We arrived in Jinja where Jimbo picked up two pictures he had ordered. Actually Jim only ordered one but they seemed to think otherwise so he got two. Then he mailed some letters and we set out on the road again. Another few hours found us in Mbale where we stopped at the Landmark for lunch. There for the first time on the trip JB actually enjoyed the food we made him eat.

That evening after running a few errands in Mbale we camped out at the Shelbournes who are gone on furlough. Jim started me on anti-biotics and stuff and I had kept my foot elevated while we ere driving so the swelling had began to reduce a bit. That evening after a warm bath (blissful) we watched Sabrina, the one with Harrison Ford.

We were on the road early that morning. Poor Jim was really tired since he wan’t able to get a lot of sleep the night before. When we got off the tarmac he let me drive so he could try to get some rest although I don’t think my driving helped him out very much. It felt a lot like coming home when we passed through Namalu. The men wearing their crosheted hats, the women in their skirts, the kids without pants. We pulled into the Okkens compound where Jim and I would be staying since they where gone on furlough. The Tricarico kids came over and helped us unload. We were met inside with a pile of boxes and action packers. The Wrights had moved all of Jim’s thinks from his room and the main house over to the Okkens the day before.

It was slightly strange to be back in church. It seemed so recent that I was saying goodbye and now I am back. It feels different or maybe I am just different. I said hello to the clinic guys and gave Logiel Mark a hug. That afternoon Jim and I unpacked, put away his (actually now its our) vast store of food and got settled in.

International Travel, Hot Showers, & Getting JB To Try New Foods

2009-11-08T11:16:00.000-08:00

October 29^th-30^th: Thursday & Friday

My plane left Tanzania at 9:45 an unsurprising half hour late. The flight took just over two hours with short stop in Mwanza before continuing onto Uganda over Lake Victoria. That morning I had finished packing, found my bible, and hugged my goodbyes. Unity drive me to the airport where I checked on my action packer (weighing 20.3 kilos, only 0.3 kilos over the required limit. A fact I am proud of since I guessed not having a scale) saying goodbye is always a bitter-sweet thing. Sweet that I love these people enough to miss them but bitter, because I am leaving.

I landed in Uganda shortly after noon. It was raining. After passing through customs I loitered outside the airport sheltered from the rain by an overhanging ledge until a security guard said I couldn’t wait there any more. He led me away from the other dozen travelers waiting in the relative dry around the door and into the parking lot where he kindly brought me a plastic chair to sit in, though not a umbrella.

Jim found me thus some ten minutes later. We embraced and then drove to a hostel/restaurant where we met Derrick for lunch. I had amazing lasagna and coffee and chocolate ice cream for dessert. Derrick is the administrator for CURE hospital which treats kids in Mbale. After lunch we toured an impressive catholic hospital between Entebbe and Kampala. Afterwards Jim and I met JB (John Bosco) a Karamojong Translator from the clinic who Jim had invited to come down and spend a few days with us in Kampala. JB is a tall, thin, married with a young son and 19. He is incredibly good natured, with a smile almost constantly brightening his face.

We met Derrick then for Coffee in the most western place I have ever been here, Café Java. There we spent several minutes persuading JB to try some of our iced coffee, a theme which would persist through out the weekend.

That evening after checking into to the guest house where we would spend the night we met Derrick again for dinner at Krur, a Thai restaurant. There we persuaded JB to get a basic rice dish. I tried red Dahl something which was pretty good. It was my first time having Thai food and I though it was pretty good. Shortly before ten we went to the movie theater in Garden City where we watched Inglorious Basterds. Altogether not the best choice. A strange mix of violence, history, and dialogue, it was never the less not a good choice. That evening Jim took a look at my still swollen foot which not required painkillers regularly each day and more to sleep. He declared it puss free after some minor surgery although the dinner was doing a number on my bowels.

The next morning I took a hot shower and loaded our stuff in the car. We would be staying the next night in another GH in Kampala due to Jim’s inability to find cheap accommodations more than two nights in a row. That morning we ate breakfast in Café Java (pancakes for me. God bless panned cakes). Then we took a long walk through down town Kampala. While endowed with skyscrapers and traffic lights (shish no one follows incidentally) Kampala still is distinctly African. We say many large storks, looking like bald, sun-spotted old men of dubious intentions.

After that we wandered around Garden City for a short time, cigar hunting. Unfortunately we were unable to find any in sealed packaging capable of making the strenuous trip to Karamoja. For lunch we again met Derrick and a group headed by Jim’s good friend’s mother. The 11 of us ate at an Italian restaurant where I ordered a four cheese pizza with four un-pronounceable named cheeses which was delicious. Despite our best efforts to get JB to try something else new he ordered chicken and chips.

After lunch Jim and I went to a local gelato place for dessert where we bought JB a blueberry flavored scoop which we finished for him. We returned to the GH where earlier we had dropped the bags and while Jim napped JB and I watched Mr. Bean The Movie and I checked email. JB greatly enjoyed the movie. Still full from the late lunch we left the guest house in search of pool table. we found one in a bar where Jim and I were the only Whites. Jim and I began a game which soon revealed our lack of skill and threatened to end at dawn. However JB stepped in for me and brought about a swift completion to the game. Jim soon left because the cigarette smoke was making him ill. JB and I stayed and ordered more drinks. The bar had now filled with Africans all of whom seemed to know each other. JB and I played several more games against the locals and lost every single one, although I almost one but I missed the clincher shot. Jim came back several hours later and we departed and returned to the GH and slept soundly.

Saying Goodbyes & Licking Stamps

2009-11-08T11:14:00.000-08:00

October 26^th-28^th: Monday-Wednesday

This last week at school was great. I love all the little kids here. I enjoy playing and teaching them so much. It turned out to be pretty hard to say goodbye. I helped Gladness in her class the last week. On Wednesday o brought a bag of Jolly Ranchers (given to me by someone in my church, I can’t remember who though) to share with the kids, as a going away present. At the end of his day they all sat down and said goodbye to me. They sing a little song they know

“A long, long time

we are together

but the time is over

we say bye bye”

pretty cute and kinda cheesy. I thanked them and then handed out the Jolly Ranchers. They were really happy with them and liked them a lot. I gave the rest of the candy to the teachers.

I went running again Monday and Tuesday. Tuesday I went on my longest run. About 8 miles I think. It combines all of my routes and does a loop throughout most of Moshi. kind me saying goodbye. Monday I ran across another speaker, I think this one was political again.

Monday brought rains, on and off all day. Tuesday more of the same. Massive amounts of water fell, creating miles and miles of mud. Every road and footpath was turned into a river and a then into a muddy swamp. Tuesday I went to the choir practice. It was dark and rainy that night. I played with a couple of the little kids in the church. The choir sounded amazing as usual. After they had practiced a bit they were goofing off on the keyboard, playing with the beats. They found and started impersonating rappers. It was hilarious. They were really good. Then they made up a rap about the church. I couldn’t really understand what they were saying but they all had the swagger and the dance moves down. It was almost dark by the time we left. We had waited for a break in the rain. Neema, Lighty and I decided to make a break for home. We couldn’t take a shortcut though because of the mud so we had to take the long way. Only just out of the church gate it began to drizzle, the drops increased to a light rain, it began to rain heavily and soon had turned into a torrent. We slipped and slid in the mud. I learned how to say “nina chukia matope!” which means “I hat mud!” Once I was soaked through I took great joy in the experience. It reminded me of running in Karamoja.

Wednesday my mom was able to wire money to me so I could pay Unity for housing me and be able to buy a visa back into Uganda. I went out to eat at my favorite restaurant in Moshi. Inditalianos. I had amazing paneer and cheesy Nan. I had bought postcards in Zanzibar and Moshi and wrote17 to various friends. It took me several hours. After lunch I mailed them. That evening my foot swelled enormously after I notice a small bump on top of my foot. I assumed I had been bitten by a spider, little did I know what lay in store for me.

Wednesday night Unity organized a going away celebration for me. He invited all the young guys in the church to come over. Most of them were able to come. Unity made me get pictures with everyone and then he down loaded them on my computer. He asked everyone to say something about me and most replied in Kiswahili and he translated. It meant so much to me to hear everything they had to say. Then he presented me with a certificate for volunteering at the school. He also bought me a t-shirt of Tanzania that he had picked out. Then I got a chance to say something. I said basically that I was very thankful for all of them. For being my family while I was here and I would miss them. I almost started to cry. I love them so much and I may never see them again.

Then we ate a snack of g-nuts, tea, cake and I shared some skittles with them. Unity then had us all go out and take a bunch of pictures in the bed of his truck. After that everyone left except for Unity’s family. Before we ate I gave them their gifts. I had gotten kangas for all the girls. Kangas are thin 3 ft by 5ft cloths that women in east Africa use for everything. I gave the guys some of my movies, Gladiator, Count of Monte Cristo, and K-19. We ate dinner all together that night. I stayed up until nearly 2 packing. It’s funny because I didn’t want to pack. If I packed that it would be acknowledging the fact that I was leaving.

I Speak At A Rally & Visit A Maasai Church

2009-11-08T11:10:00.001-08:00

October 23^rd-25^th: Friday-Sunday

I went running on Friday and Saturday. My new shoes my dad brought have me have worked great. All the aches and pains I was dealing with have gone. Hopefully they will not reappear and were simply the cause of my old shoes and not something else. Friday I was running down a dirt road in the slums to the west were I live. The entire road was blocked by a large crowd that was grouped around a speaker on a small stage. She was ranting in Kiswahili. All the decorations and t-shirts worn by her co-horts were in Tanznia colors. I had to worm my way through the crowd. A silence fell as everyone watched my cross the open space in the middle. Feeling the need to say something I cried “Yeah, Tanzania”. The crowd broke out in applause and cheers.

It is hard to imagine I will leave for Uganda next week. It will be strange to say goodbye and even stranger to say hello and to return to Karamoja. I have been using my remaining time here doing odd things on the web since it will be a bit more limited once I return to Karamoja. I will leave next Thursday. It should only take me about 3 hours to reach Entebbe, Uganda.

My last Sunday here Unity was preaching in a Maasai church about an hours drive from Moshi. he invited me to come along. Although I was sad to miss my last Sunday in Unity’s church I wanted to spend the time with Unity and he seemed really eager for me to go.

We drove for more than an hour to reach the small stick and mud church. We were part of the way by a church member and he directed us to follow several goat paths in Unity’s truck in order to avoid the long way around by road. Upon arrival some young men in the church came and took our bibles and we were ushered into a small building behind the church where we met several pastors and where given bottled water.

After a brief period of the pastors talking in Kiswahili we prayed, and then church began. Unity and I were given seats in the front of the church. Also another two visiting pastors and the pastor himself sat upfront. The church building was exceedingly small. Perhaps 8-10 feet wide and not even twice as long. However forty or more people managed to seat themselves inside. Only a few of the men were dressed in traditional clothing but many of the older men had their earlobes stretched. We sang and the Africans danced. We prayed and then the choir performed.

Unity stood up to preach and introduced himself and then allowed me to say a few things, why I was there, my name, etc… Unity preached for a while and then he blessed the pastors son, this is why we came since the pastor cannot bless his own son, and also prayed for many of the church members who were suffering form sickness. After a closing song we all trooped outside to shake hands. I got to talk to the youth in the church, most were my age or a but younger. They were all very shy but one in particular was very outgoing and talkative.

We ate lunch there. Rice, beef and some vegetables stew, and sodas. We sat behind the church behind the building we had prayed in that morning under an awning made from kangas patched together. On of the kids asked me if I would be around that summer for a youth conference thing in Moshi were all the youth in the soroundung churchs come to Moshi for several days of singing and prayer. I told him I wouldn’t. he said maybe I could come back another year. It made me realize I may never get the chance to visit Unity and his family again. At least not for several years.

And Then I Go Home

2009-10-26T04:09:00.000-07:00

0ctober 22^nd: Thursday

I awake to the light of day streaming in through the windows of the ferry. We are steaming into Dar. We depart in a large mob. Every one is very rude getting of the boat. I am consistently elbowed, poked, and shoved. Why does everyone need to get of so fast? I manage to finally get off. I find the daladala that my driver friend Muhammad from the ferry said should take me to the bus stop.

We docked at 6:00 and it takes the daladala a half hour to get to the bus stop. I fight my way through the mob of guys who are trying to make a few shillings by buying me a ticket or taking me somewhere I already know where to go. I make it to Dar Express office and try to buy a ticket. Unfortunately the 7:00 bus is a more expensive one. So the man puts me on the 6:30 bus. Another worker leads me in a wild goose chase throughout the bus station looking for our bus. We finally find it, third in line for going out the gate. For whatever reason I am not allowed to get on there. First we have leave the station and cross the station. Then as the bus leaves the station I am ushered aboard.

Sleep some of the trip home but I can’t get comfortable. O finish my book and spend several hours staring out the window. We finally arrive at 3:05. it is good to be back in Moshi. I walk down to easycom and do some email. Then I go home.

It is good to see everyone. I realize ow hard it will be to say goodbye to everyone. We go to prayers that night where I pray and play with the little kids in turn. That evening I hang out with unity and his family. It is good to be back.

In Which I Eat Fresh Sea Food, Talk To Many People and See Some Humongeous Tortoises

2009-10-26T04:06:00.000-07:00

October 21^st: Wednesday

I am awoken at 4:30 by a Muslim crier who sounds like he is right outside my window, which he probably is. I get up around 5:30 and dress. I leave my hostel to go explore the city before breakfast. I have to rouse the owner, to let me out of the locked door. The city is strangely empty and quite compared to when I went to bed last night. Soon however it begins to fill with people beginning their days. The daladalas start, almost no shops are open but people wander about in a focused manner. Its hot, even now I am sweating.

I get back around at 7:00 and after pounding on the door for several minutes I manage to wake the owner. I pack all my thinks. All my cloths smell of sweat. I only brought three shirts and I am saving the last for later today. I dress in my swim trunks and then pull on my shots over them. Breakfast is toast, fruit and egg. I check-out and take a wandering path over to the big tree, a massive tree that sits on the edge of the town and across the street from a beach that is the launching grounds for many of the boats. There I meet Kazim; another friend of Daniel that said hooked me up with the day before. Kazim is a medium height, well built African, dressed in a bright yellow brazil jersey and a pair of swim trunks. He greets me with a big smile and soon finds me a pair of fins and a mask and we set out for prison island which is a 35 minute boat ride away.

As we traverse the bright blue ocean I talk to Kazim. We talk about a lot of things. I learn that he night fishes at Pemba, the island north of Zanzibar, for a fish like the barracuda that is longer than a man. He is not yet thirty and has been a fisherman/guide his whole life. He ask me if I have a boyfriend. I ask him if he means girlfriend. He says yes but continues to get the word wrong throughout our conversation. He himself is single because as he tells me “the problem is always the women on Zanzibar.” I tell him it’s not just on Zanzibar.

We arrive at prison island where we spend about a half hour seeing some ruins and feeding the giant tortoises on the island. There are over 100 of the monsters. The largest’s shell must have been 5ft by 3ft. they are huge massive creatures. Their size and weight are staggering.

After this I spend several minutes watching Kazim take apart his engine and clean the spark plugs. Kazim apologizes and tells me not to worry. We get under way soon enough and travel out to the reef. I put on my fins and mask and jump in. it takes a few minutes to get used to breathing through the mask. The reef is colorful and full of fish. Perhaps not the best snorkeling reef ever. The sun is gone, the water isn’t very clear, and the reef is obviously damaged by anchors but it is still beautiful. After snorkeling for about an hour I retire to the boat. With the sun gone I am cold and the mask is giving me a headache. We go back to Stone Town.

We arrive around noon and I am sorry to say goodbye to Kazim. I wander down the waterfront checking out the menus for the restaurants. One, the Archipelago, looks promising. I mount the stairs to the second story restaurant where I change into my last clean shirt and some not very clean shorts. I sit at a table that overlooks the ocean. The sun is out again. Palm trees and white sand lead down to blue water. I order the baby squid salad with tomatoes and green peppers and the BBQ swordfish with avocados. Amazing. The squid salad is nearly the entire squids, just the insides and eyes, beak removed. I leave and wander down through the touristy part of town. I buy some postcards. I scoff at cheesy t-shirts that cost $28. I stop by a group of guys playing an interesting game. They tell me it is called Kerem or something and explain the rules to me. I discovered a fun question to ask. I ask whether Zanzibar is a different country than Tanzania. The responses are remarkably different. Yesterday a shop owner told me passionately that Zanzibar is a different country and that the Tanzanian president didn’t want the Zanzibar people because they were Muslims. He also told me that every single person on Zanzibar was Islamic. My Kerem playing friends tell me they are from the main land and that people who say that Zanzibar and Tanzania are different countries are fools.

I wander around Stone Town, buying some gifts for Unity’s Family and a few other things. I check out the old dispensary, whatever that is, and find a public building with art work done by local artists on the second floor. The building is a really cool design. I use their very western bathrooms and am delighted to find a toilet. After nearly an hour of searching I finally find the Anglican Cathedral which is built on the site of the old slave market and whose alter is set on the same spot as the whipping post. I decline a guide to the disgust of the men at the gate. I am running low on money. I look at the slave chambers and explore the church. It really is beautiful. As I am leaving one of the guides stops me and quizzes me on the history of the church. I am able to answer most of his questions since I did some research before I came here.

Then I wander down to the southern part of the city. I cross over form historic Stone Town to the modern Zanzibar City. I cross into a park where there are several football games going on. I sit down to watch. A young man soon comes and sits down and we start to chat about sports and Zanzibar. After an hour I leave. I wander up to the waterfront where I stop at an Italian restaurant and order a beer and watch the sun set. I couple of elderly ladies who I rode the ferry here with come up and ask me if they can join me at my table. I say sure. They are both from Norway and have traveled all over the world together. We have an interesting conversation.

After the sun sets I excuse myself. I am going to go eat at the food stalls which serve fresh daily caught seafood. The food stalls are located in the middle of the Forodhani Gardens. I buy a plate full of fresh fish, shark, prawns, calamari, and piece of garlic Nan.

As the cook puts my order on the grill to heat it up I stay and chat with the assistant, a young guy with a quirky sense of humor. I eat looking out at the ocean and watching the people wander around the food stall. While there are a lot of tourists there are even more locals. A man sits down near me and try to sell me a cd of African music. He is really drunk and keeps falling asleep, waking every few minutes to mumbles about his cd and hum the tune of one of the songs. He is sitting on the edge of the stone wall of the harbor and I am mildly hoping that he falls asleep and topples into the water. No such luck. I go to find the bathroom and discover that it costs 300 Tsh. Ok, this is a strange country. This is a legit guy asking for money too. He has a uniform, and key, and they price is written on the wall of the toilet.

After exiting the most expensive bathroom I have ever visited I pull out my remaining Cuban cigar. I rim the edge and then discover I can’t find my matches. Great. I go back to my friend at the food stall and he helps me light it. I let him have a puff and he chokes and starts coughing. A bit stronger than a cigarette I guess. I smoke the cigar as I walk towards the ferry. I am taking the night ferry back to Dar. I walk along the waters edge. Look out at the big black ocean. Drop some ash on my foot. I finish the cigar and through it into the water.

I spend several minutes at the ferry trying to get someone to stamp my passport to prove I was here. I finally find a man who can. I board the ferry and am ushered into the upper deck. Got tipped of here. I could have paid less and gone below deck where they leave the lights on and watch Jackie Chan movies. I strike up a conversation with a daladala driver named Muhammad. I then read and finally fall asleep near midnight. At some pointing the night I need to go to the bathroom. We apparently are on the ocean since the boat is rocking back and forth. I stumble towards the bathroom. As I try to keep my balance and aim I am suddenly suspicious of this seemingly innocent water on the bathroom floor. I finally manage to make my way back to the upper deck. I am now feeling decidedly sick. I flop down on my couch I scored for my self. The sickening motion of the boat soon turns to a pleasant lulling and I fall asleep.

Black Berry Jam and Nature is Not G-Rated

2009-10-26T04:05:00.000-07:00

October 20^th: Tuesday

I got up early again in order to catch the daladala into town and make my 9:00 ferry. Janet very kindly made me whole wheat toast with blackberry jam. Little slice of home. Dan walked me to the road at 6:00 and I hopped on the daladala around 6:30. As we made our ponderous progress into town we continued to add more and more passengers until we were cramped like clowns in a Volkswagen and I was sweating like I was in a sauna. After a certain point our forward progress began to diminish to a few feet every couple of minutes. The pedestrians streamed past us. Finally as it neared 8:00 I elbowed my way out. I needed to find a taxi. My check in time was 8:30. As soon as I got out the traffic demons seeing that I had given up decided to let traffic start moving. Soon my daladala was out of sight. Great. I crossed the street and found a group of taxis but no drivers. Finally I found the drivers. I haggled for a bit and got into the passenger side with another driver who spoke no English. Thankfully I know “fast” in Swahili so I just sat back and cried “Haraka! Haraka!” I seemed to found the most passive and defensive African driver in all of Africa.

When we had finally arrived at the ferry it was two minutes tell 9:00. So much for checking in early. I was ushered through several gates and by several rotund ferry workers. During this time I noticed that my ticket said check-in-time 9:00, departure9:30. Oh. I sat around tell around 9:30 when I noticed a lot of the other whites were leaving. I decided to follow. I wandered down to the docks where I gave my ticket to a bored looking Indian fellow and boarded a speedy looking boat full of tourists. I guess it’s a bit too much work for the ferry workers to alert the passengers when their ferry is ready. It’s just so much to ask.

I ended up falling asleep on the trip over. I woke to see a sparkling green coastline and white stone buildings sitting atop the blue ocean. Kinda beautiful. We tourists piled of the boat and we proceeded to go through customs. I tried repeatedly to contact Daniel my supposed guide for the spice tour I planned to go on that day. He finally texted me that he was in a meeting. I tried to text him back that I was waiting at the dock but I don’t seem to be able to send texts Tanzanian phones. Go figure. I pushed my way through the hub of taxi drivers at the gates of the dock. After nearly 40 minutes of confusion, failed texts messages, many a missed call, and one point where my phone refused to do anything despite the four little bars in the corner. Finally Daniel got a hold of me to tell me that his friend Said (pronounced “say-eed) was meeting me.

Said was a slimly built Muslim, around thirty. He took me to lunch, which was part of the package. Spiced rice and chicken. The best African meal I have ever had. Then we went on the spice tour. While I don’t think Said ever smiled while he was with me he did like to talk. We talked about Islam, Zanzibar, his family, the drought, his career etc… We arrived at our destination. A slightly wooded area a thirty minute drive out of Stone town. There we met Levi our guide and Nike our spice boy. Levi is not Levi’s real name but that’s what I call him because he was wearing blue jeans and a blue shirt that said “Levi” on it. Plus I can’t remember his real name. We wandered around and Levi with the help of Nike showed me an astounding variety of spices in a staggering array of plants. Beware though, this spice tour was not rated G. some more inappropriate highlights which of course I remember. Ginger is a Viagra for men. Likewise nutmeg is a Viagra for women. Also Levi declared that the henna plant root was “very dangerous” and “bad” since if consumed it could cause abortions. Cool. The finale consisted of Nike (again not his real name, he wore a Nike cap at jaunty angle), the spice boy, climbed a massive palm tree and cut down three unripe coconuts which we drank the milk out of. Delicious.

Said and I talked again on the ride back to Stone Town where he helped me find some cheap lodgings for the night. At 16,000 Tsh ($12) a night the Annex of Abdullah fit the bill. I said good bye to Said. And took a much needed shower. Then I went out and explore Stone Town. After wandering through a thoroughly confusing set of streets I finally found the ocean. Hoping I could find my way back I went and checked out the House of Wonders, or the National History Museum. A massive and beautiful building it now houses several exhibits of the islands past, including a full sized dou (sp? Rhythms with “ow”), cloths from the royal palace, and the first president’s car, a tropical turquoise beast complete with tail fins.

After that I plunged into the labyrinth of Stone Town. With narrow streets, hardly wide enough for a motorcycle and high 3-4 story buildings it is easy and fun to get lost. The buildings are painted white and are in various states of decay. A mixture of Arabs, Indians, and Africans wander its streets. 95% of Zanzibar is Muslim and there are mosques everywhere all painted white with sea green trim making them look like giant cakes.

To save money I don’t eat out that night. Instead I rely on my supply of digestives and g-nuts. Before going to bed I take a look at my foot. I had developed a blister under several calluses on the way off Kili. However it has been hurting in the last few days. I think it may be infected but I can’t see anything since it is covered by the callous. The pain now is so much that I can’t sleep without pain medication. I take my knife to it. Pus and blood run out. I think it’s infected. I track down a pharmacy and ask for band aids. The women pulls out what looks like a roll of gauze. Ok. Only 200 Tsh. I get back to my room and discover the gaze is a net like think with more holes than my mosquito net. Never mind. My room thankfully has a fan. I fall asleep early that night to the sound of the city alive around me. Street vendors calling. Kids laughing. Men talking on street corners.

I Take A Bus Ride, A Taxi Ride, and A Daladala Ride

2009-10-26T04:04:00.000-07:00

October 19^th: Monday

Crawled out of bed at 5:45. Pulled on some cloths and made sure I had everything. I had packed everything in a small backpacking pack my dad left from our assault on Kili. Unity and Grace gave me a ride to the Dar Express office where the bus would pick me up. Before I got out they prayed for me. The bus was scheduled to leave at 7:30 so I was surprised and delighted that we were on the road by 8:00.

The bus itself was very nice. Comfy seats, clean, and they served complimentary sodas which for 25,000 Tsh I think was called for. I sat right in front behind the driver next to the aisle. The bus driver looked upsettingly tired. I decided to keep an eye on him so if he started dozing off I could douse him with my coke. I soon fell asleep and dozed for a couple of hours.

Driving in Tanzania always interests me. There seems to be only a few driving rules. First driving on the left side of the road. Second, right of way is decided by the size of the vehicle, not by any traffic rules. So we being in a huge travel bus always had the right of way. Top of the food chain. Oh the other rule is that matatus, or daladalas don’t have to obey the traffic rules, but at their own peril.

We arrived in Dar Es Salaam shortly after 3:00. We pulled into a large bus station and as the other passengers and I clambered off the bus we were immediately assaulted by taxi drivers. I dodged behind the bus and made my escape towards the exit. I called the McBrides who are old friends of the Tricaricos and who I planned to spend the night with. They said they would pick me up at the Mwenge Carvers Market at 6:00.

I decided to take a taxi to the carvers market since I couldn’t find a daladala that was going there. I spotted a slightly built young taxi driver who I figured I could take in a fight if need be and asked if he could take me to the market. He replied in the affirmative and I got in. as we started of I asked him if he spoke English. He gave me a confused, bewildered look that I took as “no”. He had a stuffed elephant hanging from his rear view mirror that upon my saying “jina” (name in Swahili) and pointing he confided its name was Omar. Using the same sophisticated technique I learned his name was Harry. We stopped for gas and then he promptly took me to what looked like a strip mall. I reminded him I wanted to go to the carvers market. We left the mall and drove along several roads for some time. Finally we stopped at another gas station where the young Harry sought the knowledge of his fellow taxi drivers. After several long minutes of rapid discussion where I learned that none of them spoke English and they consulted my tiny map of Dar that was noticeably lacking the location of the carvers market harry pulled into the street, pulled a U-turn parked on the other side of the street. We had found the market. I stepped out and looked back at the gas station where we had just spent the precious ten minutes trying to figure out how to get here. The Taxi drivers who had helped us waved.

The carvers market was made up of at least 50 small shops each selling nearly identical souvenirs. Carvings of animals, masaai, bowls, utensils, beaded jewelry, knives, and artwork. It amazes me that all the tourist shops in Africa that I have been to sell nearly the same identical things. I wondered trying to kill some time and finally asked someone which daladala I should take if I wanted to get to the Zanzibar Ferry. I was told the Mwenge Posta. Armed with this knowledge and a sense of adventure at around 4:30 I hopped on the correct daladala and paid my 250 Tsh, about 20 cents.

I struck up several conversations on the ride. One with a painter, another with a student studying medicine in the Dar University. I was told I needed to tell my Swahili speaking door man I wanted to get off at posta zamani. For those not familiar with daladalas they are very small buses, or rather large vans. Equipped with approximately 14 seats they can hold more than twice that number. The crew consists if the driver and the door boy. The door to the daladala is a large sliding door like on a van. The door boy stands by the door, pulling it open and closed, shouting the destination of the daladala, and collecting the fare from the passengers.

I finally made it to the water front and the ferry office which thankfully was still open. I was happy to be back in a big city. Although it could never be confused for say Portland it still gave that impression of a large, bustling, almost western city. After I finally bought my ticket which was much cheaper than my research had indicated it was approaching 5:30. I called the McBrides in order to see if they wouldn’t mind waiting for me to find a daladala back so I could still stay with them. After several missed calls, failed text messages, repeatedly buying of airtime from a drunk (or high, I wasn’t really paying him a whole lot of attention) Rastafarian the McBrides finally just told me to wait where I was and they would come and get me. Well I was feeling pretty stupid at this point. I had wandered off and gotten myself in trouble and now these adults had to come rescue the kid. At least that is the way I felt. However I am glad that I was able to spend the night with them instead of a guesthouse.

They rolled up and after handshakes I got in and we headed to a favorite Chinese restaurant because the traffic out of Dar is so bad at night we would have been stuck in traffic for hours. Waiting out the traffic while eating good food seemed like a good plan to me. The McBrides, Dan and Janet, have been missionaries in Dar for 17 years. They are about the same age as my parents with four kids, all of similar ages as our family. Being able to spend the evening talking with them was an amazing blessing. They are an interesting, wise, and godly couple. Also they have great taste in food. We ordered several delicious dishes but the best was “inside out fish” in some mango sauce or something. It was delicious.

When we arrived at their house that night the power was out due to the electricity rationing. I met their two kids who still live at home and also was introduced to their shower which I was very thankful for. Then I fell asleep and when the power came on at midnight I cranked up the fan they had given me and slept in a cool breeze.

In Which I Say Farewell To My Toenails

2009-10-18T04:37:00.000-07:00

October 15^th-17^th: Thursday-Saturday

Thursday during school Patrick trimmed on of the trees there. I say trimmed because that is the word he used but what he actually did was cut off every branch with leaves on it. During break time all the kids were to be found underneath the tree bouncing up and down on the branches and chasing each other with sticks performing Jackie Chan moves. It was hilarious.

By Friday my toes seemed to stop collecting puss and had stopped hurting. That night I was looking at them and realized they were really loose. So I grabbed on to them and just peeled them off. It was fascinatingly disgusting. I have packaged them and am sending them to parties unknown as revenge for past grievances against me. Just kidding. Maybe. Watch out.

My dad brought my Zune over but it seemed to have some mechanical difficulties so he had to take it back in order to fix it. Thankfully my little brother Pete has burned me a couple cds so I have been listening to all this week.

I bought my bus ticket for Dar Es Salaam on Saturday. I leave Monday at 7:15. due to my knowledge of African time hopefully we will be on the road by 8:00. It will take about 8 hours to get form Moshi to Dar so I will just spend the night in Dar to save money. I plan to stay with an old friend of Al Tricarico. Then on Tuesday I will take the ferry to Zanzibar. If everything works out I will be able to go on a spice tour that afternoon. I plan to spend the night in Zanzibar and then on Wednesday explore Stone Town and with any luck go snorkeling. I will take the night ferry back to Dar. As I understand the night ferry takes about 6 hours to traverse the distance between Zanzibar and Dar. However it is not allowed to dock tell after 5:30 so I will most likely have some time in Dar before I can catch a bus back to Moshi.

Life Returns to Normal and A Death Day In Tanzania

2009-10-18T04:36:00.000-07:00

October 12^th- 14^th: Monday-Wednesday

Monday morning my dad and I got up early and met Unity who was giving my dad a ride to the airport. We spent a few interesting moments trying to locate my dad’s underwear that was supposed to be ready last night. I hugged my dad goodbye and he disappeared into the airport.

I spent that day getting situated back into my room at Unity’s. I needed t sort everything that my dad had brought for me and get settled back in. that afternoon I went to easycom and got caught up on all the email that had accumulated since climbing kili. During the descent from kili I learned something interesting about my boots. Every time I took a step downhill my toes would jam into the toe of my boot resulting in an n incredible amount of pain. By the end of the first day they were tender and I a little loose. By the second day they had swollen and huge pools of pus had formed under my two bug toes. They were loose but not enough for my to rip them off then and there.

It was great to get back to school Tuesday. I forgot how much I missed the little guys. I helped out in Glady’s class as usual. During break time the kids bounced around and played managing to stomp on my tender toes at least as often as not. Thanks guys.

Wednesday was a holy day here. The death day of their first president. So no school. I spent the early morning typing up my blog on kili and then went into town. Dad had left our little backpacking pack that I had lugged to the top of kili. It’s a nice size and I think I am going to take it to Zanzibar but neither of the side pockets zippers work. So I took them into town and got them repaired at the same shop where my dad bought a shirt. Cost me less than two dollars to get them repaired. I also bought a book about 6 guys who sailed a raft from Peru to the South Sea Islands. I don’t know why yet but it looks fascinating. I also bought some cheap sandals which I hope will hold out tell after I get back to Uganda. The ones I brought to Africa don’t have a sole left.

It looks as though I need to go to Zanzibar next week if I am going to make it a four day trip. So I need to consolidate my plans. I talked to Unity that afternoon and he said that he thinks it will be fine if I go next Monday the 19^th through Thursday the 22^nd. It sounds as though we will be visiting widows and orphans this weekend and bringing them food and other necessities.

Pizza and Cigar

2009-10-18T04:31:00.000-07:00

October 11^th: Sunday

Sunday morning my dad and I again attended Unity’s church. We arrived shortly after 10:00 because we had to go buy some petrol for the generator since there was a local blackout at the church. Upon arriving everyone is praying aloud and privately. Praying aloud is something that all Africans seem to do. It’s really cool when the entire church starts praying. Some people are loud and passionate, pacing back and forth, while others stand close to the walls and speak quietly.

Next the church begins to sing and dance. Generally we will sing a slow and a fast song. The songs are call and response and are beautiful. They are simple and repeat the same lyrics over and over again but the passion and ability of the singers is incredible. During the slow songs people just sway but during the fast ones they start dancing and that’s when I feel how white I am. They form into lines in the back, men and women. They all follow a leader but it is barely discernable between who is leading and who is following. Black Africans seem to have music in their blood. My dad put it a good way, he said that while music is important in both the west and Africa, African music is all about the participation.

After singing for at least an hour there will be announcements and then the choir will sing a song which they have prepared during the week. The choir ranges from little kids, 8 or 9 to Gladness and Lightness who are in their 20s. they put a small basket on a stool up front for offerings during this song. Then the Sunday school kids come up, about a dozen of them, and they say their memory verse for that week, then people will stand up and give testimonies or ask for prayer. We usually sing some more before Unity or whoever is preaching begins.

Unity can preach for over an hour. I can’t understand a word he says but he is a passionate and dynamic speaker. Then Unity will pray and lastly we will sing a song. As we sing we all file out of the church and create a “reception” line. We pass by and shake everyone’s hands in the church. The line loops around and on a full Sunday can almost meet itself again.

That night my dad and I had a celebration dinner. We ate at Indioitaliano’s. We both wore our team Kilimanjaro shirts. On the way over dad tried to take a picture of one of the fruit ladies stacking here oranges in little pyramids but she say him and stood up and started yelling and frothing at the mouth. Not really. Everyone on the street though was very unhappy with us though.

For dinner my dad and I both had pizza. I had some chicken and pineapple pizza and my dad had sausage (hot dog). Both where incredibly good. We both had a couple beers and spent hour just talking. I love that I can spend time with my dad as an equal. After trying their descent milkshakes we broke out one of the Cuban cigars I had bought upon my exit from Uganda. Since my dad was still feeling pretty low from altitude sickness we split it, which I guess to my dad means he has about a dozen puffs and then gives it all to me. Best cigar I have ever had. So smooth and delicious. A great end to a great adventure.

And Back Again

2009-10-15T05:41:00.000-07:00

Day 5: 12,336 ft- 6,102

We were awoken at 5:00 that morning by Emmanuel. We dressed, packed, and ate breakfast (in my case) and looked mournfully at some fruit and a “sausage” (My dad, who did actually manage to eat some fruit and a “sausage”). By 6:00 we were on our way. It took us about 5 hours to negotiate the trail down to Marangu gate. We passed a few clean people on the way up.

We would beat Tory, our Swedish friend to the gate, which is the first time we should beat Tory on the entire trip. He had made it to the top nearly 2 hours ahead of us and always roared past us during some part during the day. He is a beast. Andrew also beat us to the top although by only about an hour. He has a bum knee of some sort so what took us only 50 minutes to descend would take him almost 4 hours.

Stephan told us something interesting. He told us about how at Horombo huts they have guards with guns full of “bullets and fire” who went on duty at 8:00 pm and were very aggressive so we shouldn’t walk around at night without a headlamp, if we needed to see and monkey we should go strait, and we should not wander around and say look at Moshi at night. Thanks Stephan, sounds like good advice although a little late.

Upon arriving at the gate we met a thoroughly clean Calvin who had gone ahead to get our certificates ready. We filled out the registration book and then went to see Calvin’s shop and then to eat some lunch. My dad who still wasn’t feeling well didn’t eat anything. After lunch we were ceremoniously given our certificates which my dad and I refused to touch since we were incredibly dirty. Then our guides said thank you, they and the porters sang for us, and then I thanked them. The my dad thanked them and gave them their tips. We piled into the van with Stephan, another pastor (presumably the owner) his son, wife, and some other undistinguished people and drove to Moshi.

My father and sorted our incredibly dirty gear and then showered. For dinner we went to a little coffee shop and had some decent milkshakes and burger and fries. Thant night we crashed and I slept for 12 hours.

In Which My Dad and I Both...(like i'm going to tell you if we make it or not. you have to read it to find out)

2009-10-15T05:39:00.000-07:00

Day 4: 15,518 ft- 19,331 ft- 12,336 ft

After catching about 3 winks (much less than the average 40) the night before my dad and I got up around 11:30. I put in my contacts. Emmanuel arrived with tea, we got on our gear. The Swedes thankfully left. It is unfortunate that layering was popular a few years ago since my dad both resembled onions. I had on a complete set of thermal underwear, pants, another pair of windbreaker snow pants, two pairs of socks, boots, gators, a fleece, a windbreaker, my coat, a hat, liners, and heavy gloves. We put our headlamps on and after adjusting our poles we were ready to go. Calvin and Stephen met us at midnight and we began.

That day almost a full capacity of climbers were trying to reach the summit. Most started a half hour ahead of us. We say their lights already beginning to creep up the mountain. We began pole pole. We moved in steady rhythm and almost silently. We stopped to remove layers, drink, and add layers. We passed some slower climbers. We met a few coming down. My world shrank to my father’s feet in front of mine. To the trail of slag and the rhythm of my feet and poles. We stopped at 4:00, to drink and rest. It was at that point that my father said he knew he could make it. We kept climbing. Steadily up hill; I kept track of steps, left, left, left right left. Then is would switch and count my poles, left, left, left right left. As we neared the edge of the crater we slowed even more. Pole pole took on a whole new meaning. Step. Breath. Another step. Gilman’s point our goal looked deceptively close in the moonlight. We clamored over boulders now. The sun began to rise. Gut check. There was no trail now. Calvin just led us wherever he could. Unrelentlessly upward. Finally we emerged on the edge of the crater around 6:30. Gilman’s Point 18,638 ft. A cluster of boulders, the littered garbage of thousand of other climbers, a wooden sign. The sun bathed the mountain in golden light. We stood now in a sea of clouds.

We barely paused at Gilman’s point. My father and I wanted to continue to the Uhuru Peak. It took us another hour and a half to negotiate the winding steadily inclined trail that edged along the rim of the crater to the highest point in Africa. Although only about a mile this portion of the climb took forever due to our exhausted condition and high altitude. The trail was crowded with climbers as several summit routes converged on the summit. At 8:00 we reached Uhuru Peak, which at 19331 is the tallest point in Africa. We spent a few precious, breathless minutes at the top before descending. We paused at Gilman’s point where Calvin served us tea, biscuits, and a much appreciated snickers bar. My dad was really feeling the affects of altitude sickness by then. We literally ran/skied down the loose slag at a breakneck pace. We arrived at Kibo hut in under an hour. What had taken us 6 ½ hours that night had just taken us 50 minutes. Altitude sickness finally caught up with my dad shortly before we entered camp. He spent a few minutes dry heaving before we both managed to crawl into bed for a well deserved hour nap.

At 11:00 we awoke and hiked down to Horombo huts were we would spend the night. At this point my dad was feeling worse. He managed to eat a little on the way down and shortly after I left for dinner he threw it all up. I though he might have something besides altitude sickness because he seemed to not be getting better despite the fact that we had descended nearly 7,000 feet. Right before we went to bed that night to sleep for a continues 11 hours Calvin came and upon my father’s request prayed for him. It was really cool to see this black man laid his hands on my father and passionately pray aloud in Kiswahili for a man he had only known a few days. Then we slept.

The Continued Confusion of the Europeans and New Levels of Modesty

2009-10-15T05:37:00.000-07:00

Day 3: 12,336 ft -15,518

We were again woken at 6:00 by Emmanuel and his tray and thermos. After washing and breakfast we started hiking at 7:30. We climbed steadily all morning rising out of the heath and moorland and into the alpine desert of rock and sparse, hardy flowers. The mountain now towers above us. The steep trails leading to the crater rim clearly visible in the morning light. The clouds are all still far below us. Blotting out the rest of Africa.

We passed through the saddle between Kilimanjaro’s smaller, jagged peak, Mt. Mawenzi and Kibo. Here past climbers have assembled rocks into words and messages. We stopped for lunch in sight of Kibo huts at the base of the steep sides of the crater which rose another 3,800 feet above them. The pick nick tables at this point were thinner than the seats of the first day, barely 8 inches across. The seats were less than half a foot. I guess along with the decrease in air pressure the size of tables also shrinks. Lunch was unremarkable except that a bar of Cadburys chocolate was provided for dessert which was greatly appreciated.

The last mile to Kibo huts we gained nearly 1000 feet and Calvin and Stephen took it pole pole. Kibo huts sit at the foot of the steep sides of the crater. These huts are much different then the previous huts. There are three main buildings. The guide huts, the porter huts, and the largest, climbers hut. These building are made of stone and look like they could withstand a nuclear holocaust. The climbers hut consists of 5 large rooms with 6 bunk beds in each and another room with tables. Our room was nearly full with my dad and I, two Australian guys, and 7 Swedes; two of whom were women my mothers age.

A quick word on Europeans. I have mentioned the apparent disregard as for European distinction between a separate male and female bathroom. They seem to also have a different sense of modesty. Upon my Arrival at Horombo huts I happened to see a lady older than my mother calmly walking back to her cabin without any pants on. The 2 Swedish ladies in our cabin seemed agree with this level of modesty. Did I mention they were my mother’s age? Again not to beat the point to death but one of the larger Swedish gentlemen seemed to thing it was more comfortable to spend the morning after our assent in his Speedo like underwear. I guess they were probably cheap if he paid for the amount of material they were made out of.

My dad and I went to bed after eating at 5:00. The Swedes meanwhile seemed to think this was a good time to sort all their gear. I suppose the altitude was getting to me since I was unable to fall asleep despite having hiked all day. I think I managed to catch a few hours sometime between the Swedes finally going to bed and their guide waking them up at 11:00.

More Monkeys and Confusion on the European Continent

2009-10-15T05:35:00.000-07:00

Day 2: 9,000 ft -12,336 ft

We were awoken at 6:00 by Emmanuel bearing a hot thermos and a tray of sugar, teabags, instant coffee, etc… We made our drinks and changed into our cloths for the day; the same as yesterday except now we put on gators which our guides suggest to keep out the dust. Emmanuel returned at 6:30 with hot water to wash and then at 7:00 we ate a breakfast of bread, hard boiled eggs, “sausages” (all African breakfast sausages are in fact hotdogs of dubious origins) a rather yummy cornmeal porridge, fruit, and more hot water for drinks.

We got on the trail at 7:30, the first ones out of the camp, and almost immediately passed out of the jungles and into the heath and moorland. Smaller seemingly shriveled trees and large bushes which gave of an air of survivability and windswept toughness that the precious vegetation had lacked the day before. We hiked for another five hours that day gaining more than 3,000 feet in elevation. We climbed above the first layer of clouds that day and saw the mountain’s peak dominating the skyline as it would for the rest of the trip. We stopped and ate another amazing lunch at the “half way point” which stands about ¾ of the way between Mandara and Horombo. We had chips and a very mayonnaisey salad as well as everything of yesterday’s lunch. Stephen battled the wind for about a half hour before finally conceding and putting away our pink bouquet.

We reached the Horombo huts which sits on a windblown hill and is essentially the same as the Mandara huts except that the bathrooms are in the middle of the camp. Although to me these seem to be clearly labeled between men and women apparently the largely European population of the camp did not understand. I repeatedly found women in the men’s side of the bathroom. These women, far from seemingly feeling out of place among their y chromosomed counterparts’, looked unfazed.

It was much colder at the Horombo huts and as the clouds rolled in around 5:00 enveloped the camp in a cold mist my dad and I had to pull our more layers. Our cabin mates were the same as the prior night. Tory, a tall rather angular Swede, who hiked at a pace that scoffed at the pole pole (slowly in Kiswahili) advice of the guides in order to better acclimate and not to wear out the bodies of the climbers. He is a pilot who is now flying for Ethiopian airways and has a house in Red Lodge. Tory is a talkative and interesting guy. Andrew, a thickly built Brit is quite, volunteering no more information about himself than to answer my dad’s questions.

That night I rose myself from sleep and find a monkey. The moon was so bright I didn’t even take my headlamp. On my way back to the cabin I wandered over to the edge of the camp and stopped to see Moshi, clearly visible some 1000 feet below us. I could not believe the amount of lights in Moshi.

Ok, Hopefully This Works Better Than My Last Post Which Was Supposed To Show a Cool Map

2009-10-15T05:32:00.000-07:00

Day 1: 6,102 ft -9,000 ft

My father and I woke at the Lutheran guest house and changed into our cloths for the day. Shorts and a t-shirt. We ate a hearty breakfast and prepared for departure. Stephan our head guide appeared at 7:30 in an incredibly deteriorated car and we loaded our two duffel bags and our backpacks. We then traveled to Unity’s house which was a trip we hoped to avoid by giving him our other luggage the night before. However my dad had discovered that morning that he had failed to pack any underwear so a quick stop was called for. After that Stephan needed to run a last minute errand and then we were on our way.

We arrived at the Marangu gate shortly after 9:00 where we met our other guide, Calvin and our five porters. Colman, Emmanuel, Joshua, Jacob, and the fifth one. Colman would double as our cook and Emmanuel as our waiter. We finally started after much bureaucracy at around 10:30. We hiked threw jungle of tall twisting trees, Tarzan like vines, and underbrush too thick to see threw. Stephen informed us shortly after leaving the gate that he had to “go find a monkey”. Apparently that is code for going to the bathroom. That day we found many monkeys.

We stopped for lunch were our trail meets an old road that the porters use and sat down to a delicious meal. We had bread, cucumber soup, chicken, muffins, a vast assortment of fruit and a thermos of hot water for making drinks. Our wooden pick nick table was decorated with a blue table cloth pulled from Calvin’s pack, an army of condiments, blue band, peanut butter, jam, hot sauce, tomato paste, honey, condensed milk, coffee, tea, drinking chocolate, and hot chocolate. Also pulled from the confines of Calvin’s pack was a small wooden vase and a dozen or so pink plastic roses.

We hiked for about 5 hours that day and arrived at our first camp, Mandara. We arrived around 3:30 and signed in and were shown our cabin. The cabins consisted of an A-frame structure about 8 feet at the base with the peak about 10 feet up. There were two beds on either side of the cabin on the floor as you entered perpendicular to the door and another at the back parallel. The fourth bunk was directly above the back bunk about three feet. Our cabin mates for that night and for most of the trip were Andrew and Tory, and Brit and Swede respectively.

That night our dinner was served on the porch of the large A-frame dinning hall with a large sleeping room on the second level. Our table was laid with the ever present pink flowers and we dug into another hearty meal. Our guides apologized profusely for not being able to get us a place inside but we assured them that we preferred being out in the fresh air and indeed for the remainder of the trip, except at Kibo where it was impossible, we would eat on the front porches of the Dining halls.

Warning! Scientific Content! Kinda

2009-10-15T05:28:00.000-07:00

Mount Kilimanjaro is a strato volcano that rises approximately 19,331 feet. This makes it the tallest peak in Africa. While it stands alone Kili is part of an east-west belt of valcanoes stretching across Northern Tanzania. There are 2 main Peaks on Kili, Kibo and Mawenzi. Kibo is the taller and hasseveral glaciers scattered around it’s crater’s rim. Mawenzi is smaller although at 16,893 ft it’s ragged spike summit is the third tallest point in Africa.

This is a basic outline of our route of the Marangu Route, the route my dad and I will take. It is also known as the “tourist route” and the “coca-cola route”. It is called the coca-cola route because, for the right price, you can buy a coca-cola at any hut on the trip. Also it is the most luxurious route since it provides huts.

 Drive to Marangu Gate. Walk through the rain forest to Mandara hut (9,000 ft).

 Leave the forest and cross open moor land to Horombo hut (12,336 ft).

 Walk through moorland then alpine desert to "The Saddle" between the peaks of Mawenzi and Kibo and on to Kibo hut (15,518 ft).

 Very early start for the summit on steep scree up to Gillman's Point (18,638 ft) which is on the crater rim. Continue around the rim to Uhuru Peak (19,331 ft) the highest point in Africa. Descend to Kibo and then down to the thicker air and relative warmth of Horombo hut.

 Descend to Marangu gate.

Team Friesen United For 2009 Kili Climb and Steve is Here Too

2009-10-05T01:01:00.000-07:00

October 2nd-3rd: Friday and Saturday

Friday morning I taught at the school as usual. In the after noon I consolidated my Christmas gifts for my family. Really excited to give them. Packed my backpack for overnight. I went to prayers and then shortly after we started Unity, Grace, Gloria, and I left to go to the Lutheran guesthouse were my dad I will be staying. Dropped off my bag. Met Steve, husband to my Dad’s assistant (she’s a secretary but I think that term is now sexist and ourdated). Steve is spending a year in country teaching at a school in Babatu, which is in the middle of the country.

We left shortly after 6:30 to go pick up my dad at the Kilimanjaro National Airport. The ride there took about an hour during which I got to talk to steve who is a really cool guy with a lot of experience and wisdom. My dad’s plan was scheduled to arrive at 7:45. so it arrived as expected shortly after 8:00. we waited for some 40 minutes for my dad to finally appear. I gave him a big hug.

We drove back to the guest house and ate dinner there with steve. Then my dad and I crashed in our room were we partially unpacked and he revealed a container of my mother’s snickerdoodle cookies which had been baked only a day earlier. Tastes like home. I need to thank everyone who contributed movies, cards, and candies for me. everything is greatly appreciated and I thank you for the time and money you spent. I look forward to sitting down to a good movie and breaking out some American candy.

The next day I woke early and did my devotions and caught up on my journal. My father was finally roused by steve knocking on the door inviting us to breakfast. My father showered and dressed and we went and ate a sparse but good breakfast. That morning the three of us walked around town running some errands of steve’s, exchanging money for my dad, and emailing my mother. We ate lunch at a coffee shop on steve’s recommendation where I had a very good cold sandwitch and my father braved a pizza which was actually pretty good. Then my dad and I returned to our room to sort our climbing gear. After that we walked to Unity’s house to get some cloths I needed and dad was able to meet some of the people hanging around.

It is strange to walk Moshi with someone else and not by myself. The things I am used to stand out to my father such as the poverty and dirt and I am able to talk and express my thoughts to someone for the first time about my life here. I showed my dad Unity’s house, my room and the church/school.

That night for dinner we went to Deli Chez and had a delicious meal. I had a BBQ chicken pizza which’s crust was identical to Naan. My dad got a pepper steak with mash potatoes. Having my father here is an incredible blessing. Having a companion to share all the adventures of a day. Not eating alone in a resturaunt. Hearing stories about our family. Talking about my future and what I want to do with my life. Trying food together. Exploring Moshi. I realize how lonely I have been and I thank God he has kept me content.
My dad brought a book called “Tourist Route” my @$$. The book is only about 60 pages and it tells the story of a man who on a whim decided to climb kili with a few friends. His humorous adventure have excited and prepared me for the climb ahead. He explains how actually difficult climbing kili is because of the altitude and has raised my awareness and determination to reach the summit.

Shakespeare Meets Whitedent and I Learn What Those Nets Over Your Beds Are For

2009-10-05T00:58:00.000-07:00

September 28th- October 1st:Monday-Thursday

Monday I found a copy of King Lear by Shakespeare when I was looking through the street vendor’s collection of used books. Bought it and finished it Tuesday. I really enjoyed the play. The copy I bought is great because it has a bunch of back round information and notes to go along with the play which are very helpful. Wednesday then I went online and downloaded Hamlet, Macbeth, and Much Ado About Nothing. Also returned to the book vendor and found a copy of Othello. Wednesday night then I read Hamlet. I love Hamlet, it is a great play. I wish though that I could find books of all these because it’s not as much fun to read them of the computer.

School has been good this week. Tuesday through Thursday I have been in charge of Gladness’ class because she has been going to a conference of sorts for teachers. Tuesday I was teaching the kids some English and a little boy through a spit sodden wad of paper at another kid in the front row. Unfortunately he missed and hit me. so I gave him a couple licks and Ella another teacher came in and started applauding. All the teachers carry sticks here to “mind the children”. Its completely acceptable practice. I can imagine myself trying to run for public office in the future and my opponent bringing up the fact that I beat children in Africa. Wednesday Omar, one of the kids, was walking around with the deflated soccer ball on his head while a crowd of other kids followed in his wake chanting and singing. After doing a couple laps of the field they came over to where I was sitting and Omar put the ball/crown on my head and they stood in a circle around me and chanted. Later they ditched the ball and were all singing and keeping rhythm by hitting broken water bottles, pill bottles, and bottle caps with sticks and singing.

Tuesday I went to the Shree Hindu Mandal Ujamaa Charitable Dispensary to get a malaria smear and some cream for my ringworm. Ringworm in a fungal infection of the skin and not parasitic worms as some may believe. The hospital itself was surprisingly clean and nice. As the name suggests it was run mainly by Indians. I got the smear and after waiting a half hour for the results I was ushered into the nurse/doctor’s office. I sat down in the chair in front of the desk and the women behind the desk say very slowly and softly, “be thankful…very thankful…there is no malaria.” She acted as though she were telling me I didn’t have cancer. she then commenced to explain very carefully about wearing bug repellant, about these net things that I guess your supposed to sleep under (oh, is that what they’re for. I though they were dream catchers to keep out evil spirits and malignant ancestors), and questioned whether I was on any preventative malaria medication. She treated me as though she thought that I was deathly afraid of contracting malaria and entirely ignorant as to how to prevent it. I guess she gets this impression from white people in general. After being released from her office I took a look at my receipt and say that I had been charged 1000 Tsh for “consulting fees”. Rip-off.

Have been running very little this week. Partly because I want to rest for kili this coming week. However I have also hurt a muscle in my leg. Its right on the inside of my shin bone on my left leg. It swells up and aches during and for a few minutes after running. After doing some research I have concluded it is the soleus m. there seems to be no way to stretch it so letting it rest is the only option.

Finally ran out of toothpaste this week so I have been using my new Whitedent. Three in one striped toothpaste; advanced long lasting protection formula with free toothbrush inside. Blue toothpaste keeps your breath Ultra Fresh, white toothpaste gives you strong white teeth, and red toothpaste with LLP-3 formulas provides long lasting protection. the box says this toothbrush is “New Improved” and the other side of the box hails it as “Revolutionary, toothpaste with LLP3 formula.” Directions for use: “Use twice daily for strong teeth, fresh breath, and healthy gums. Use with Whitedent toothbrush for effective cleaning, brush for at least one minute. Do not swallow-spit and rinse after use. Children under six years should brush under adult supervision and use only a pea sized amount. Visit your dentist regularly.” I think the visit your dentist regularly is a catch all. “what? Out toothbrush caused your teeth to turn black and then fall out of your mouth? You should have visited your dentist regularly, we put it on the box.”

More From The Crusade

2009-09-28T03:29:00.000-07:00

September 26^th-27^th:Saturday-Sunday

I have been really tired lately. Also I have had a slight headache the last two days and my ashma has been acting up as well. I hope I am not getting sick. Better now though than in a week.

Saturday morning I caught a ride into town with Unity and spent a while at easycom. I walked back and by 11:00 was out the door on a run. Decent run. Really tired but put in an ok time. After that I helped shell corn with the guys. Had lunch. That after noon I crashed in my room and listened to music and napped/dozed. Can’t believe how much I am sleeping.

Sunday morning I got up and did devotions and then before church I listened to a sermon and fell asleep in the middle of it. Church this morning was really good. During the sermon as is now my habit I read the bible. Read of Joseph and Daniel. That afternoon I went into my room and tried to listen to music but fell asleep again. Can you develop narcolepsy? Apparently it was Grace’s birthday this last week but she didn’t tell anyone because she was missing Amen and Gloria and no one knew. Not even Unity. I guess the cultures really are different. Wish this attitude was prevalent in the US because I can never remember peoples birthdays. Anyway she made some delicious cake so we have had that with everymeal. Breakfast lunch and dinner. Great culture.

The Crusade has been interesting. I think there are probably a couple thousand people at this thing. I spent Friday trying to get a good approximation. Some highlights. At one point in the “service?” the main speaker guy gathers all the people who need to be healed up front and then he calls down the Holy Spirit. Well usually he starts babbling in tongues and the interpreter then starts to. I guess he needs to translate the incomprehensible babbling into other incomprehensible babbling. I think he just gets so caught up he doesn’t realize that he doesn’t need to try to translate that. Another cool thing. A guy came Friday and said that Thursday he had been unable to pee and give a urine test at the hospital. However after coming to the crusade Thursday he was able to give a sample the next day. A mighty miracle. Another thing the speaker does is after a particularly amazing miracle, like the peeing man, he will chant “Je, Je, Je, Je” and the crowd will cry “JESUS!”. And then “Ye, Ye, Ye, Ye” and “YESU!”. Reminds of when I played football and before the game we would huddle up and put all our hands in the middle and chant “Go, go, go, go, Cowboys!”

My Leg Hurts And A New Crusade

2009-09-28T03:28:00.000-07:00

September 23^rd-25^th:Wednesday-Friday

At school I have been helping in the classrooms and playing with the kids at recess. I am glad to say that the novelty of me has worn of at least to the point were the kids have generally stopped fighting over who gets to hold my hand. Its amazing how well you can get to know someone or at least thing you know someone when you can’t understand a word they are saying.

I had a really good run on Wednesday. Put in an excellent time and was very happy. However, I have been having some issues with running. First there is a tendon/muscle thing in my leg running along the inside of the shin on my left leg that is swollen and aching after I run. I can’t figure out how to stretch it. Also my feet hurt. I think/hope these are symptoms which are simply the result of my poor footgear. However with kili coming up in a little over a week I took Thursday and Friday off from running to try to give everything a chance to heal.

Thursday marked the first day of the new crusade. This one is considerably larger (I think because the speaker is white) and is held in a large field about a mile and a half from here. The stage is larger with a decent sound system and they have set up lights which is nice although they turn them on at around 5:30 when it doesn’t get dark tell 6:45-7:00. I would say there are several hundred people there every night so far. Rough estimation between 400-600 people. I mean it’s a lot. Maybe I’ll count them since I generally can’t follow the speakers tirades. He is very focused on proving things and telling the crowd of the mistakes and false ideas of others. He talked about evolution and some other stuff the first night. I have actually done quite a bit of research on the evolution problem and I felt he did a lot more insulting the other side then actually saying anything worthwhile. The second day e proved that Jesus is God, because his body is human but his blood is holy. He also proved that Jesus died on the cross and not an imposter for several reasons. First, Pharisees do not make mistakes so they would not have sentenced the wrong man (doesn’t he believe the Pharisees made a mistake believing what they believed?). Second and third neither the apostles or the roman gaurds would have defended/arrested the wrong man in the Garden. Lastly Mary was there at the crucifixion and because they stripped Jesus almost naked Mary would have recognized her son, and I quote “You can’t fool a mama!”. I find this speaker very aggressive in pointing out the faults of others and I don’t think speaks the truth in love. Interestingly he sounds exactly like Max in the old Get Smart show.

Friday after the crusade ended we were all waiting around for Unity and I played with a little girl who is somehow related to all the people that make up Unity’s extended family. For the ride home we all piled into the back of Unity’s Truck. He has an extended cab so the bed is very small. We crammed more than a doze full sized people and a couple little kids into the back of the truck. It was a great ride home.

Pastor Unity Tells a Story

2009-09-28T03:27:00.000-07:00

A cool thing happened to me a while back. One morning while we were having breakfast Pastor Unity told me a couple of cool stories. While he was in bible college in Nairobi Kenya the students where sent out for ten days to various areas so they could be challenged and serve in a place they were unused to. For instance he said those from the country would be sent into the city and vise versa. He said these ten days had ten years worth of trials.

His first time he was sent into a slum in a city near Nairobi. He said that this church he was sent to had ten members. The place he was given to stay was about 3 meters by 1. it had a small bed that had bed bugs and a table. he would eat at these people’s houses, each day a different church member would be in charge of feeding him. he said they would eat in these tiny “houses” little bigger than his room, the walls and ceiling made from sheet metal so it was incredibly hot during the day. Also the narrow streets were also where people went to the bathroom and it was the rainy season. I can only try to imagine. He said he stayed the ten days and went back healthy and no one could believe he went there for ten days because he looked so good. After he went there the pastor of the church left and Unity took it over. He loved that church and continued to pastor there until the slums where demolished.

The second time he went out he and nine others went to the driest part of Kenya. they had been there only two days when seven of the men had to be taken by helicopter to the nearest hospital because they were so sick. He and three others stayed but after five days the other two had to leave. He stayed for the full ten days though and didn’t get sick. He said they would drink hardly any water at all. They would have a tiny glass, like a shot glass full at meals. He said the water was the color of the table, a dark brown. He said if you tried to tell them that water was clear they would say no that it was brown.

School Starts Again and I Use An Unusual Word

2009-09-24T03:46:00.000-07:00

September 21st-22nd: Monday & Tuesday

I have had trouble sleeping lately which is really unusual for me. One of the things I am most thankful for is my ability to sleep pretty much anywhere when I am tired. However I the last two nights I haven’t been able to fall asleep tell past 1:00. Sunday I didn’t run so I guess I can understand how I managed to stay up tell nearly 3:00 but Monday and Tuesday both I put in a good run and had gotten up fairly early in the morning. It’s very strange. Perhaps it is simply the illusion that I am not sleeping since I have been having crazy dreams that tend to blend into waking. Perhaps I simply thing I am still awake because my brain is dreaming and churning.

Monday was a holiday from school (some Muslim thing) so I spent the day in town on the web. That afternoon I helped shell corn with a bunch of the young people from the church. They spent all day shelling corn, sorting the harvest, etc… had a fun time. I love listening to them chatter in Swahili although I really wish I could understand what they were talking about. Jimbo called which was good. We were able to talk for about an hour the entire time I was standing outside the house/compound and these two little kids, Willie and someone where hanging on me and playing with the fire that was burning the waste from the harvest and hitting each other with cornstalks.

School started up again Tuesday. It’s good to be back. I love hanging out with these little kids. They don’t judge me by the fact that I am white and they don’t try to exploit me. Honestly I was a little burnt out when school took a break a couple weeks ago but I am very thankful to be back. I have a little buddy. He’s my favorite. I like him because he doesn’t get angry and fight with the other kids when he can’t sit in my lap. He doesn’t demand attention and he is perfectly happy just to sit on my lap or stand by me. Plus he doesn’t drag/yank/jerk/pull/jump on me. Also he is adorable looking. Whenever I’m in his class or he is walking by he’ll give me the thumbs up sign. Pretty cool little dude.

Running was really rough Monday. I went right before dark when everyone was walking home from work/school/lounging around. Honestly I took a lot of abuse and I was really mad and frustrated. Did a hundred lunges and put in a good time though. Tuesday was much better. I went earlier in the day and although I fagged out in the first couple miles I stuck with it and did a solid 6 miles. Much less comments as well.

Racing Children

2009-09-24T03:44:00.000-07:00

September 18^th-20^th: Friday-Sunday

Running has been really interesting lately. In terms of actually running I have felt great. Friday I put in a good run. Saturday I ran a 6 mile loop that combined a few different runs. Felt great. Thought I put in a really good time and kept up a good pace etc… that evening then a quarter after six I ran again. This was a short 4 miler. In terms of pace it was the hardest run I have done here. I pushed it the whole way and just cruised. Wings on my feet. However after the initial shock of seeing a white guy running people seem to have taken me as a great joke and never pass up a chance to mock/laugh at me. the one up side I suppose is that the kids will race me when I come especially if I say “twege” which means “let’s go”. So that is a plus I guess.

I have been doing a bit of research into maybe being able to travel to Zanzibar while I am here. Maybe take a couple days and go hang out there. It would be more fun if I had someone to go with but I don’t think I can just let an adventure like Zanzibar pass me by without taking a stab at it. Hopefully it won’t be too expensive. Its funny quite a few of the sites I have looked at concerning Zanzibar are for honeymoon/romantic getaways. So they go into “romantic evenings” and “self-contained beds”. Not the information I need/want but thanks.

Saturday after my run I went into town and did a few hours of email/web surfing. I wondered around a bit and ended up at Deli Chez where I ordered sushi. Prawn and squid. Sat alone and tried not to watch the couples. The prawn was really good and the squid was a bit chewy but fine. Not my favorite but not bad either. After that I walked around and bought some roast corn from one of the vender guys. Very yummy. After dinner on Saturday we watched a really good football game. Liverpool and someone, I forget. Really close but Liverpool managed to win 3-2. great game.

Sunday I slept in for the third day in the row. It’s really easy to sleep in tell 7:30. all you have to do is set your alarm clock to like 6:00 and then just ignore it. I listened to an Alfred sermon before church.

That evening I finally finished Alfred Hitchcock’s’ Rebecca. A really good movie. Great plot twists and suspenseful like all of Hitchcock’s movies. After praying that night I went to bed at the normal time but couldn’t fall asleep. Lay awake for about an hour and then gave up. Watched the Bicycle Thief an old foreign film. Actually watched about 20 minutes of it before I managed to switch the language to English. Apparently you have to start the movie and then turn it to English, not vice versa. A really good movie. Raw, emotionally that is. Actually a stunning movie. I suggest it to anyone. Finally fell asleep around 2:00am Monday morning.

Of Sliced Bread and How To Win White Women

2009-09-18T00:04:00.000-07:00

September 16th-17th: Wednesday-Thursday

African sliced bread is very interesting. The heels of each loaf are generally at least an inch wide if not wider. It seems to me it would be more practical to cut the loaf into more slices but it seems that is not possible. maybe the bread people think that if there are less slices then people will have to buy more loafs. Perhaps it’s a calorie counting thing. Because one big slice of cake has less calories than lots of slices right?

Running the last two days has been really rough. I have been waking up early and running in the morning. On Tuesday I did 100 lunges, 5 sets of 20 reps, in my run. I have been so sore the last two days I can barely run. I don’t seem to have a lot of energy either.

Thursday I went to town to explore a new part of town where I say some very promising looking book stores. Hopefully one of them has a map of Tanzania. On my way into town I got a buddy. As a white guy I tend to get theses guys who come to me and talk very nicely but they always have an agenda and their trying to get something out of me. Well this guys name was Eddington (haha) and he tried to get me to give him several things. First he tried to get me to write his book report for school. No joke. I have no idea why he thought I would agree to do this for him. It’s definitely the strangest request anyone has ever made of me. Second, after that failed, he tried to get me to buy him lunch. Fat chance.

After that our conversation changed to women. He asked me if I had a girlfriend. I told him no. he didn’t believe me. He apparently had never met a white guy without a girlfriend. Haha. I asked him if he had a girlfriend. He said no. I asked him why not, he was 17 so he was old enough (he also told me you had to be 25 before you could get married in Tanzania). He said he wanted a white girlfriend. Then he subtly asked me if I had a sister. Smooth Eddington. Eventually he told me in not too many words that he wanted me to hook him up with a white girlfriend. This out of all the requests I’ve had is actually the one I couldn’t have done if I wanted to. I don’t know any white girls in Tanzania. I told him if he wanted a white girlfriend he needed to buy some chocolates and flowers and go and give them to the girl he wanted and she wouldn’t be able to say no. I hope he tries it.

During this time I had tried several book stores I had located in an unexplored part of town and come up empty on a map of Tanzania. What kind of country doesn’t even have a map of itself? By the way these book shops on Africa are the most depressing things ever. There little and generally there are maybe 200-300 books in them and most of them are school books and weird Christian books. Finally Eddington helped me locate a book store with several maps. Woohoo! Victory! Thank you Eddington. After that I went to the internet café where Eddington followed me inside and sat down next to me as I got on the computer. It was kinda awkward. I had to turn to him and ask him to leave. Weird. After that I went to the Mo Town Car Wash and sat down in its restaurant and drank a soda and watched a football (soccer) game.

In Which I Watch Several Interesting Movies

2009-09-16T00:41:00.000-07:00

September 13^th-15^th: Sunday-Tuesday

Sunday morning at church I felt much more comfortable and at home. I knew all but one of the songs and I got into it and had a really good time singing and praising. Another mzungu showed up. His name is johny I think. He left right afterward so I didn’t get the chance to talk to him. Mrs. Johnson preached (Morris Johnson’s wife). Honestly I agree with almost nothing that her and her husband believe and preach. They preach a health and wealth gospel that promises no more sickness and success in all our undertakings. She said that in order to be spiritually fir you must fast at least once a week. Frankly they downplay the sinful depravity of man and by doing so lessen Christ’s power and sacrifice.

That night I watched The Pianist which is one of the movies on the DVD I got in Moshi on Saturday. I’ve never seen the movie before. It was really good though especially because I had just read Mila 18 which is also about the Warsaw Jews in WWII. Unfortunately I didn’t watch it with subtitles so I will need to rewatch it sometime.

Monday and Tuesday Unity thought that some people might show up for an English lesson led by yours truly in the morning but it seems that no one is interested because no one showed up. Which is a bummer because I was really looking forward to getting to do that.

The last two days have been really rough running. Both days I just felt exhausted almost as soon as I started. I seem to have no energy at all. Tuesday I ran the long route, clock tower to west side, and did 100 lunges in 5 sets of 20. I’m going to feel that tomorrow. Ugh.

Monday around 10:30 I went with a bunch of the kids from the church into a church in town where Morris Johnson preached. He arrived nearly an hour late so for nearly two hours we sang songs which would have been alright but for the blunt fact that Africans have no idea about sound systems. They can set them up fine but they always seem to get an unbearable amount of static through the system. Their response seems to be to crank the volume up all the way. Then in order to further deafen the audience the speakers seem to be under the impression that the proper use of the microphone is to hold it very close to their mouths and yell/sing at the top of their lungs. It reminds me of that scene in the third Harry Potter book when Ron Weasley calls Harry on the telephone and is screaming into the phone. Well after a couple hours of that I had a headache. Luckily the kids where just as bored and they ran of into the lobby to play. Well someone needed to watch over them so I graciously went and played tag for two hours while Morris did some faith healings and caste out a few demons.

Tuesday I watched another one of the movies on the DVD. This one os called The Man Who Loved Women. Its about this eccentric Casanova kind of guy who sleeps with an amazing amount of women and his life. The dispription on the back calls it a romantic comedy but I think it’s a tragedy. This guy wants to be loved and he worships women but he never loves one of them. Despite his many affairs and mistresses he is always alone. He dies alone, never having loved. It reminds me of that bible verse, “If I speak in the tongues of mean and of angels, but have not loved love, I am only the resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysterious and all knowladfe, and if I have faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all my possessions to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.” (1 Co 13:1-3)

A Day On Moshi Town

2009-09-14T23:36:00.000-07:00

September 12^th: Saturday

Saturday I have the day of from any responsibilities because school is out and there usually isn’t any prayer or bible study in the afternoons. So this Saturday I decicded to have a day on the town. Try to find a western restraunt.

I got up shortly after 6 and started running by 6:30. I did the clock tower west side run which I figure is around 7 miles since it takes me a little over an hour. Great run. It was cooler in the morning and less crowded. I took a shower, did my devotions, ate breakfast, finished my blog and was out the door shortly after 9. I walked out past Moshi to a cloths market on the way to Arusha. I wondered around and marveled first at some of the quality of the cloths and all the American football jerseys. I guess here some people actually watch American football. Kinda crazy. I started hoofing it back and on the way I stopped at a graveyard that the road passes. Unlike any other place I have been in Moshi there was no one there. It was incredibly peaceful. White gravestones standing out against the green grass. Long rows of trimmed hedges and tall slightly mournful looking trees.

I walked into Moshi by a new route and explored the small market in town. Had fun haggling with a guy for a football jersey. He tried to sell it to me for 28,000. I told him it was robbery and said I’d pay 6000. he was affronted but dropped to 20,000. no way I told him. he told me that this nicer material was worth at least 20,000. but I refused so he dropped down to 16,000. the very bottom he said he could go. I said I would pay 8000for it. He asked my name. then he said, “for my friend Hacobo, 14000” as he stuffed it into a bag. I told him my last price was 10,000. he refused and I started walking away. He caved. I got it for 10,000, nearly 1/3 of the original opening price. Cool beans.

I ate a late lunch because I did an hour of email before I ate. I went to a restruaunt called Chez Deli. It was in the tourist part of town so I figured it would have some more western foods. The resturaunt is amazingly nice. I went upstairs and ate on the balcony. The menu is huge. It has everything from Chinese to Indian, continental, Pakistani, and Japanese dishes. I started with a strwberru milkshake and was subsequentally disappointed. Unfortunately like most milkshakes in Africa it consisted of cold strawberry flavored milk. No ice cream. Bummer. However I did find sushi on their menu. I ordered the snapper for an appetizer. Then I ordered prans (which look like shrimp to me) in pilipili sauce (spicy) and chow mien noodles with vegetables. The sushi was amazing. Not the best sushi I have ever had but definitely good after three months without any. The rest of the meal was pretty good although the prans weren’t spicy much. It was a little strange sitting with a bunch of mzungus. Generally I don’t see mzungus very often so it was a little strange to suddenly be sourounded by them.

After lunch I went to a nearby supermarket and bought an ace cream bar and ate it while I picked up a few things. I got a dvd with four movies on it. I also bought a sci-fi book from a street vendor. I was walking down the street when I heard a crash. I looked across the street and saw a matatu’s (15 seat buses used for transportation) sliding door had fallen off. One of the funniest things I ever say. Over all it was a really good day. The worst part though was I was alone had no one to share it with.

Confusion of The Metric System and More Tormenta En Paradisio

2009-09-14T23:32:00.000-07:00

September 10^th-11^th: Thursday and Friday

Woke up Thursday after dreaming of brownies. Dreamt I was at a party with Josiah Bartlett and a table was laid out with platters and platters of brownies. Woke up with the worst cravings of my entire life. Is this what being pregnant is like? I suppose if I was pregnant I would have gone and thrown up.

Thursday and Friday at school were good. I have been helping the kids and teaching some. I don’t feel completely useless because there are three teachers and three classes so if a teacher is ever gone yours truly is promoted. After this week primary school has a two week break.

Friday I say Mt. Kilimanjaro for the first time since my first day. It’s incredibly beautiful. Went running on Thursday. Did my Mo-town loop which follows our neighborhood westward and then loops around and follows the southern most road of Moshi town before the tracks and loops back around east of us and I follow it down to njoro. Took me 43 minutes. I wasn’t happy with that time at all so I did it again Friday and knocked it down to 39 minutes. I figure it’s about a 5 mile, 8 kilometer route since I could do 4 miles in a half hour in Uganda. Say a sign when I was running.

Honeymoon Guest House

Self Contained Beds

Big Bed 6x6

Now I thought that’s pretty funny on its own. However, if you think about it this country uses the metric system. What does 6x6 mean? 6 meters by 6 meters? That’s 19.5x19.5 ft. that’s almost 400 square feet.

Thursday afternoon a bunch of us went to a church west of us and sang with some guys from over there. It was pretty fun. On the walk over I learned a bunch of new Swahili words. We finished around 8:30 so Unity came and gave us a ride and I got to ride in the back which was a lot of fun. You can see all the stars here.

Friday afternoon there was the first of several crusades here. It is based around a guy from the US, Morris Johnson. So at around 5 walked over to where it is being held at a dirt soccer field between here and Moshi town. Singing and dancing until Morris showed up. Then he gave a brief speech and then healed some people. After that I spent a fun Friday night sitting in my room listening to music, eating Pringles and losing more games of solitaire than is healthy for my self esteem. Stayed up really late, tell 10:00.

Some more favorite lines from Tormenta en Paradisio. “I am a free spirited man, the only women who could tame me is Mermaid, and she is gone forever.” “Its going to be a hard day, I’m going to go take a bath!”

In Which I Encoutner English Swear Words And Have A Confrontaion With A Bathroom Attendant

2009-09-11T03:25:00.000-07:00

September 7th-9th: Monday-Wednesday

This week I did a lot more teaching in the school. Monday I taught the middle class some English words. Stick, leaf, stone, etc… on Wednesday then I was put in charge of the uppermost level class for pretty much the whole day. It’s really hard because I don’t speak Swahili and these kids don’t speak almost any English. I corrected their math assignment that they were assigned that morning and then taught them the English words for several fruits, apple, banana, strawberry. I thought I did ok but I had to break up a fight in class between this boy and girl. Put the boy in the corner by himself. I hope I can be these kids friend but also that they can respect me as an authority.

Tuesday afternoon I got the help of Gladness, Lightness, Winnie and Neema , who were all hanging around, to help teach me some Swahili. I just asked them some words and phrases. They would spend some time though arguing amongst themselves before they all agreed on what word it was that I actually wanted to know. It was really fun. Monday I walked for a couple of hours to track down that National Geographic magazine. It was definitely worth it. Talked to Unity about his plan to have me teach an English class. For conversational English. He says that it will be made mainly of secondary school (middle-school and high school) age kids and a bit older most likely. He thinks we should start next week so we have time to get the word out and also the kids have two weeks off school the next two weeks.

I have been running regularly here. I have a lot of extra time on my hands so I like to go out and just explore. Monday I ran about 4-5 miles and explored the tracks and the “suburbs” to the west. Tuesday I did almost the same thing but to the east towards Kili.
Wednesday I put the two routes together and did around 8 miles I think. It was really fun and a great run. A few experiences from running in Moshi Africa. Monday I ran past a guy riding his motorcycle who said, “Hello, how are you?”. He said it in this aggressive demanding fashion a lot of Africans seem to have when they talk to westerners. It was towards the end of my run and I was pooped so I failed to answer. As he passed me by he muttered “f—k you”. Glad to see the impact the west has made here. Tuesday I ran past three white girls in enjorro (the “suburb”/slum where I stay with Unity and his family). Double take. The first mzungus I have seen on foot in enjorro before. I’ve seen a few vehicles with what looked like teams of volunteers or something.

The food here is good although eating rice, beans, noodles, and meat sauce for every meal does begin to get a little boring. I live for the fresh fruit. Maybe the best watermelon I have ever had. The watermelon here is about the size of a cantaloupe in the US. And little “finger bananas” and fresh oranges. Tuesday I was wondering around Moshi Town and I stepped into the bus station to use their bathroom. I got out and this guy stopped me and demanded I pay for the use of the bathroom. 500 tsh. (Tanzania shillings). Well that struck me as a load of bs if I ever heard any. I asked him to show me some identification. A badge or booklet, anything. he didn’t answer. So then I asked him to see his boss. He grudgingly replied he didn’t have one. I asked him if he owned the bathroom. He said no. by this point a few of his countrymen had gathered. I told him I wouldn’t pay since he didn’t use the bathroom and he couldn’t shoe me any identification. He didn’t say anything and I walked away. Mzungu:1 Fake Bathroom Attendant Guy:0. whoohoo!

I have been diligently keeping up with Trouble in Paradise. My favorite line from this week is “Now we know that a criminal needs only a few seconds to commit a crime! I swear I’m going to kill that b------d when I find him!”

Sunday In Swahili

2009-09-08T05:23:00.001-07:00

September 6th: Sunday

Weird day. I slept in a bit this morning. Had breakfast at 8 as usual then went with Grace (Unity’s Wife) to Sunday school for the children. At Ten we went into the larger room for the service. Started out with singing. Then Rev. Unity gave a sermon. After that we sung for at least an hour and a half. During the singing a lot of the women were crying and wailing. Some of the guys were yelling and beating their chests. Everyone prays out loud and some tend to yell. All of this was in Swahili. After the service went back and had lunch and then I layed down and listened to a John Piper sermon Dez left on my computer.

That afternoon at four we all piled in thee truck and went to another church service which best as I could understand as a group/community church service for the churches in Moshi. It was a really nice building and very large. Everything was again in Swahili but the guy who gave the sermon spoke in English and Unity translated. This little guy was very passionate. Honestly I think he talked a lot of fluff about now its time for Moshi (the town). I don’t know what he ment. He reminded me of one of my coaches from little guy football giving a pregame peptalk. He didn’t mention Christ or the Gospel at all. When he got really excited he would switch to Swahili and Unity would have to switch to English and then he’d calm down and switch back.

Bit of a rough day. Today seemed to simply compound gap, the barrier that the language and culture provide. Missed my church more today then ever before. I need prayer for this situation. I don’t feel at home or comfortable in the services and I’m not getting anything from the sermons or teachings. On a brighter note though most of the singing is repetitive so I can pick up on that and that has been a joy and a blessing.

In Which I Discover Signs Of Civilized Life and Have To Say Goddbye

2009-09-08T05:19:00.000-07:00

September 4th-5th: Friday-Saturday

Friday I went and helped out at the school as usual in the morning. That morning the kids learned colors in English which was really hard. Some of the kids picked it up really quickly but some of them really struggled with it and I’m not sure they ever got it. Break time was a bit hard on Friday. Dave, another volunteer was gone so I had all the kids crawling on me. Also they kept getting into fights which is hard because I can’t understand why because they all speech Swahili.

Saturday there is no school. However Amen and Gloria are going back to school today. They go to a Christian boarding school about a half hour drive from their house outside of Moshi. That afternoon I came along with the rest of the family as we dropped them off and got them registered. They realized they had forgotten toilet paper so Unity and I went back and had to buy some at a little supermarket by the road. While we were there I saw a National Geographic. September 09. I didn’t have enough money to get on me but I’ll track one down somehow. Now that I know they are in country. I only brought two books with me to Tanzania and I have been reading a lot more here sop I have finished one and am about half way through the other. I’m going to need some reading material very soon.

That night at dinner and that evening was a lot different with Amen and Gloria gone. I am really going to miss those guys.

I almost forgot. Saturday morning I went to the internet café and on the way I was offered pot. I think. This guy passed me in the street and he says “Hey brother, want to smoke some (I have no idea what he said but it sounded like) maushi?” I smiled and shook my head and he yelled after me, “Come on man you got to smoke something! you can’t just smoke s—t!” potheads are all the same all over the world.

Of My Life in Tanzania and I Am Reminded What a Horrible Singer I Am

2009-09-05T01:21:00.000-07:00

September 1st-3rd: Tuesday- Thursday

My days here have taken on a certain pattern. I generally wake up between 6:00 and 6:30. I do my devotions in the morning and try to keep up on my blog and listen to music. I have breakfast generally with Unity and Amen and Gloria. Breakfast is peanut butter, jam, and blue band (butter) sandwiches and African tea. Also sausages, fruit, fried bananas or g-nuts depending on the day. Then I go to the school which is in the same building as the church. I help Gladness or Ella two of the teachers there. I can count to ten so I can help the kids with math and then at break time (recess) I become the jungle gym for all the little guys. The kids seem to be between ages 4 and 6. After that I have lunch at the house (left overs from, dinner) and then in the afternoon I am free to walk around hang out with whoever is around or go to town to get on the internet. In the late afternoons 4 or 5 there is generally singing at the church or bible study or prayer or something. Dinner is generally rice or noodles with a meat sauce. There are chapattis (sort of like tortillas fried in oil), g-nuts, salad (more like steamed vegetables), chips (French fries), or fruit depending on the meal. In the evening we pray and then watch a really cheesy Spanish soap opera called Terrible in Paradisio (Trouble in Paradise) and you need a degree just to follow what’s going on. I generally go to bed early because I can’t keep a straight face very long. My favorite line so far is “I won’t let those women mess with me in the bathroom!”

Unity’s family consists of his wife Grace, his daughter Winnie who is my age I think, Amen and Gloria. Amen and Gloria are going back to school (boarding school) on Saturday. Then there are several others staying with them. Gladness is a teacher at school and I think she’s around 20. Lightly just graduated from secondary school (middle school and high school combined basically) and is also 20ish and is waiting to go to university. Then there is Mbeni (sp?) who is 18 and in secondary school and Patrick who is a bit older but also in secondary school. Then there are a bunch of other kids and young adults who hang around during the day.

All the Africans here are really good singers. I mean they all can just belt it out. I just sing very softly and hope I don’t mess anyone up. Most of the songs are in Swahili but luckily they are pretty much all repeating one line with one lead singer changing and everyone else staying the same. When we pray in a group everyone prays out loud. It still takes me a minute to start just because it’s so strange to me but I really like it. Maybe I wouldn’t like it as much if everyone was speaking English and I could understand what they were saying.

Mostly I love being here. Living with an African family is opening me to a whole different view of Africa then staying on the mission compound. I do hope though that God will provide me with more ways to help. Unity I think is really making sure I take it slow and get comfortable and settled before I do too much but I hope there is more for me to do than just “help” at the school which isn’t really helping at all.

Tanzania: Arriving and Stuff

2009-09-05T01:20:00.000-07:00

August 31st: Monday

What a day. Today I left Uganda and Traveled to Tanzania. For those who don’t know I am staying with an African family in Tanzania for about 8 weeks. My Dad will come in the first week of October and we will climb Mt. Kilimanjaro together. I am staying in Moshi a city very near Kili and the Kenyan border.

The Eldeens took me to the airport at 10:00 where I said goodbye. Then I went through security. Africans have an amazing ability to look completely bored and uniterested with what they are doing. They sort of give the impression that what they are doing is far beneath them and they are doing you a favor by not falling asleep out of pure boredom. I had a couple of hours to kill at the airport because my flight didn’t leave tell noon. Walked around some gift shops and then had a beer. It may be my last beer for a while if Unity’s (Rev. Unity Msame) family doesn’t drink.

Bordered my flight. We flew across lake Victoria and touched down on the other side briefly were we changed some passengers and then continued on to Kili. Amazingly beautiful country. Landed in Tanzania shortly before 3:00 didn’t take me long to get through security and I got a three month visa no problem.

Rev. Unity and two of his kids Amen his son (I think he’s about 12 or 13) and Gloria his daughter (9, 10?). it was anout a 40 minute drive to Moshi so we were able to talk the whole way there which was really nice. I’m glad I didn’t even change time zones when I flew. Moshi is a pretty big city. Bigger than Mbale but smaller than Kampala I think. At least that’s my impression. Unity says they get a lot of climbers here for Kili so it has many hotels and its somewhat touristy. The part of town where Unity and his family live is called Enjorro and is south of the main center of town. Its about a 15-20 minute walk from town. His neighborhood is dirt roads but pretty nice buildings. Its dirty but not a slum at all. Unity says its very safe to walk around during the day.

On the way there I say Kilimanjaro. It rose above the clouds encircling its base. Peaked in snow it towered above everything. It is truly vast. It took my breath away and I thought “I’m going to try to climb that.” Talking about it was one thing. Looking at pictures and maps and reading about hits height but to see it there. It draws me. I can’t wait to take a stab at climbing it.

I have own room at Unity’s house and I moved all my stuff in that afternoon. Africans generally have dinner really late. Between 8 and 9. Unity sensitive to me had dinner with me shortly after 6. that night before everyone else ate we gathered together and prayed. Unity’s family does this every night. Everyone gets together and someone shares something from the bible then everyone sings a song and then prays. Everyone prays at once out loud. It is rather strange to me but it saves time and its kinda cool.

In Which I Experience Time Travel And Eat Ice Cream

2009-09-05T01:16:00.000-07:00

in Which I August 28th-30th: Friday-Sunday

Bob Wright has strained his back recently. So keep him in your prayers and me too. Now that Bob shouldn’t lift anything heavy I have had to carry around the mig welder which weighs something like 80 pounds or something equally insane. More than half my weight actually. Friday and Saturday we extended the roof over the workshop which means hauling up the welder so Bob can weld all the support beams in place. It actually hasn’t been that bad I am just complaining.

Saturday afternoon I the Tricaricos got back from their family holiday in Jinja and they brought me two packages that had arrived for me. One from my Family contained some candy and a few miscellaneous things I had forgotten. The other was completely unexpected and came from my cousin, Carrie Jean and her husband Mark. It contained more candy and some flavor packets and two key chain-nerf guns with a dart refill pack with glow in the dark darts. It’s better than Christmas. So thank you guys for thinking of me.

That afternoon and evening I packed. Deciding what I needed to take and what could be left in Karamoja; Jim promised to keep the stuff I’m leaving. Jimbo came out with James to keep me company which was really nice because packing to leave was getting me down quite a bit. I finally finished packing everything at about 9:00 that night after taking a break for dinner. It’s amazing how much stuff it seems like I have when you put it all together but it still is about two big suitcases and a backpack.

Sunday Craig, Kris and I left right after church in order to get to Entebbe before nightfall. Church that morning was really cool because a whole bunch of people showed up. A lot of people from the clinic came which really encouraged me because they as a group hadn’t come in a few weeks. The church was packed and overflowing. A great way to leave.

The drive down to Entebbe takes about 8 hours. We left before noon and arrived shortly before dark so about 7:30. Driving down is kind off like time traveling. You begin in Karamoja a land of bows and arrows and were pants aren’t a necessity and you travel to Mbale were you can see people dressed in western clothing and driving cars. Then on to Jinja where you see some factories and a tourist trade and finally you reach Kampala of skyscrapers and fancy hotels. Or you can see the evolution of the road. From a nasty dirt road full of pot holes then into a really bad paved road still with bad potholes. Shortly after Jinja lines on the road make their first appearance. Then before Jinja the road makes the evolutionary jump to a two lane highway. Finally in Entebbe you see three lane highway and roads. Throughout the entire evolution of the road though the bad driver has remained the same. Oh he may have changed from a beat up jeep to a shiny new sports car but he still has no idea what he’s doing and he’ll cut you off anytime he feels like it. Jerks resist the evolutionary drive.

That evening the Eldeens and I ate dinner at a Chinese Resturaunt. I had sweet and sour chicken with fried noodles and vegetables and eggrolls. It was really good. We stayed at Entebbe flight which is about a 5 minute drive from the airport. I crossed the street after dinner and went to the pearl supermarket and picked up a few things I needed. Razor, fingernail clippers, ice cream. The essentials. That evening I watched international football (soccer) tell very late.

I Eat Indian Food Twice And Am Attacked By Shoe Ladies

2009-09-03T07:09:00.000-07:00

August 26th-27th: Wednesday-Thursday

Jinja is one cool town. Located at the edge of Lake Victoria it boasts the source of the Nile and Nile beer. I think its sort of a center for commerce and trading. A much bigger town than Mbale but smaller than Entebbe. Here in eastern Uganda all the towns seem to get smaller and smaller the farther you go north.

Jim and I got up really early to drive into Jinja and get an early start so we could spend every available minute shopping. Before we entered Jinja the road makes the transformation from single lane highway to a shiny new two lane highway. Wow. Pretty fancy. Jinja is divided in two by the river; I think it’s the Nile, or at least the source river for the Nile, whatever. We are staying at the Kingfisher for the night and boy is it nice. I mean. No dirt floors. Very, very clean. A pool. Everything is repaired and looks nice. I feel a bit out of place actually. I mean in America this would be a middle of the road kind of joint but to me it seems kinda like a palace or something. The Kingfisher Safaris Resort overlooks Lake Victoria (ooh fun fact: Lake Victoria is the second biggest fresh water lake second only to Lake Superior, guess that’s why it’s superior. Please pardon the bad joke.) And is about a ten minute drive from the center of town.

Jimbo and I spent the morning in the Jinja market which is like all the markets you see in movies and stuff. Booths piled high with everything from fish heads, mangos, cloths, shoes, and pretty much everything else. We spent the morning haggling for cloths which was actually pretty fun if you overlook my encounter with the shoe ladies. I bought some jeans, a few shorts, and a shirt for Tanz. All I needed were some shoes since all the shoes I own I am either saving for kili or are more dirt than cloths and rubber and are holier than the Virgin Mary which if your protestant isn’t saying much but they do have more holes than a pound of Swiss cheese and their odor resembles month old cheese left in the sun.

So I needed shoes. Jim and I found the shoes section of the illustrious Jinja Market. A dark shadowy looking corridor between towering piles of shoes. We entered and immediately felt the lurking of evil. Dark figures (I’m not trying to be racist but it was kinda dark and even a Swede would have looked dark) hovered in the shadows watching, waiting. I glanced at some shoes on sail. The owner of the booth pounce moving as swiftly as a drink down an Irishman’s throat (ok that was racist). Scary shoe lady: “you like these?” she says holding a sparkling clean white soccer shoe. Incidentally the only shoes for sale are black dress shoes generally of the ugly Latino style and bright white soccer shoes. Either way you lose. Either color is going to show all the dirt and grim that you step in that day. It’s a catch twenty-two. “You want to buy? You want to try on?” Me: “uh…” Scary shoe lady: “try them on” she cackles as she yanks of my shoes and forces me to try on a sneaker at least four sizes too big using a plastic bag as a sock and making me stand on a piece of cardboard so as not to dirty the bottom of the shoe. The other shoe ladies sensing prey swept in and forced me to try on more shoes than I can count all the wrong sizes and kinds. Jim and I broke our way free gasping for breath and fled into the underwear section. I rally my final reserves as courage turn towards the shoe section. It’s not enough. I rally my final reserves of stupidity and once again enter the abysmal corridor of death.

I try to ignore the shoe ladies who like sharks sensing blood in the water tail me. They can sense fear. They try to drag me of to their own booths and shoe me shoes that neither fit me nor want. The air is full of their war cries “you take these!” “Try these on!” “What size are you?” “Are you going to buy?” A truly harrowing experience. Finally I bought a pair of very white and cheap shoes (I’m not kidding they weigh about two ounces each and the shoe laces feel like those packing peanuts and if I pull on them I think they’ll just snap) from the man at the end of the aisle.

The rest of the day after a very yummy lunch at an incredibly America-like coffee shop and restaurant called Flavors Jim and I wondered around the more touristy part of Jinja and bought Christmas gifts for his family. Ooh, I also had a strawberry milkshake at Flavors which was cold and made from real ice cream. Which is surprising because usually “milkshakes” in Uganda is warm flavored milk, or at least I’m told.

That evening we swam in the very clean pool at the Kingfisher and ate dinner at a restaurant called Two Friends. Very nice food. Really nice bathroom. You could flush the toilet paper! The next morning we woke early and watched the sun rise over Lake Victoria. Beyond words. Then we took a boat ride to see the source of the Nile and see the local wildlife. In case your wondering how we saw the source of the Nile our guide stopped the boat at about the point wear the river leaves Lake Victoria and said “here it is”. I guess there used to be falls and stuff before they built the damn downriver. Must have been a little more exciting back then.

We picked Jenny up from the Tricaricos and then headed up to Mbale for lunch. More Indian food. Yeah. The best Indian food I have ever had. Some pumpkin thing and then this amazing yellow dal with dumplings and yellow rice. Wow. That night after we got back to Karamoja we ate at the Eldeens house. Good trip.

On the Road to Jinja

2009-09-03T07:07:00.000-07:00

August 24th-25th

Monday there was a mission meeting so all the missionaries from Mbale drove up in the morning and Craig and Bob went to attend. Before they left they sent Tom and a couple of other boys to go get some stones for cement. Moses, Iriama Paul, Lokwii Bon and I dug holes for posts outside the workshop for poles to help support the extended roof. We had to dig three feet down and two ft. by two ft. I dug two holes before the three Africans had finished their one. After the mission meeting ended that afternoon I cut some wire mesh for some partitions at the clinic and then painted the finished pieces.

That afternoon Jim and I went on a really fun run. Then after dinner we watched Bella. Man what a great movie. I love it because of the themes of grief, and regret but also of hope and redemption. It is a very sad movie but it has hope too. Also the soundtrack is great.

Tuesday I worked until 3:00 with a break for lunch and then went and changed and packed for Jim and my trip to Jinja to pick up Jenny. Jenny is a nurse who is coming for about a year. She is fresh out of medical school and she is staying in the Eldeens house while they are in America so she needs to get up here so Craig and Kris can show her around. The Tricarico’s are taking her as far as Jinja and then they are going to have a family vacation there. Jim and I are going down to pick her up and also pick me up a few nicer cloths for Tanzania.

Jim and I left Karamoja around 4:30. The drive was very nice. We followed a rain storm all the way into Mbale so there wasn’t any dust although the roads were a bit slick but only in one or two spots. Jim and I talked all the way down. Pretty much constantly for about two and some hours. Sharing our feelings. Very manly. In the ditches in the side of the road there was water running. It’s amazing how fast water here disappears. It can be gone in hours after an incredibly heavy rain.

For dinner that night we ate at the landmark with Andrew and Derek who administrates the children’s’ hospital, Cure. He also brought two medical students who had been he helping him. Excellent meal. Very nice. Derek is a really cool guy and he reminds me of a PE teacher I had in high school. Tall, lanky, and a really laid back personality.

After dinner we went back to Andrew’s house to crash and I had a hot bath for the first time in heavens knows how long. Absolutely an amazing experience. Almost religious. I found a couple dead cockroaches floating in the water. Presumably living in the drain. Lovely.

I Love Bollywood

2009-09-03T07:06:00.000-07:00

August 22nd-23rd: Saturday-Sunday

Wow. The Wrights had Jim and me over to Saturday and Sunday night to watch the Bollywood movie Krrish. It was amazing. An epic combining the movies The Matrix, How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, E.T., Sound of Music, Batman, and The West Side Story and a host of other movies. Possibly the best and worst movie I have ever seen. I recommend it to anyone with three hours to kill and an open mind. Don’t take it seriously because you may injure yourself. Instead just enjoy it for the jewel that it is.

Sunday afternoon was really fun. After bibles study and prayers Jim and I walked over behind the clinic and visited J.B. it was really fun. We sat and chatted with him and his two sisters and his wife. Their kids were really shy but were funny. J.B. said some encouraging things. There have been some meetings and bad talk about the clinic headed by two brothers. That Sunday morning there was a meeting to complain about the mission and JB went and he spoke up in our defense and even when we visited him he was still very upset. JB pretty much always has a smile on his face and he is always joking but when we first got there he was really down. J.B.’s wife whose name is Joyce made Jim and I some roast corn which is just corn cooked just over the fire until slightly burnt and it’s delicious. It was really fun to talk and hang out and I hope I can do this more often.

It's Alive...

2009-08-23T04:04:00.000-07:00

Wow. with all the excitement of being sick last week i forgot a wonderful little adventure that must be shared.

It all began innocently enough one fine day shortly after I fell ill. I happened to notice a blister on my foot. because it didn't hurt and I had more pressing things to worry about like whether or not I was going to throw up soon I ignored it. All continued pleasantly and on Thursday after work i began to wonder if my "blister" might be something a little more sinister. it had changed hardly at all in the last few days. it was small and hard with a little black spot in the middle.

Hoping to confirm or deny my suspicious once and for all I went and found some Karamojan workers. I then sought their counsel and experience as to whether my blister were in fact only a blister or, in fact a jigger. My worst inklings were confirmed when the Karamojans promptly left and return with a thorn. then they briskly and skillfully dug out of my foot a small worm like little creatter and its eggs. It looked remarkably like a booger covered in tiny pieces of rice.

I think this story shows along with the one of many uses for thorn trees beside falling into them is how i have come to embrace Africa and it, in its own special way, has come to embrace me.

Why African Eggs Stink

2009-08-23T04:02:00.000-07:00

August 20^th-21^st: Thursday-Friday

Thursday morning Bob, James, Bobby, and I went over to the Okkens because they jad two trees blown over in the storm last night. One was almost completely fallen except for the trunk and one branch. The other was a eucalyptus tree and about haif of that one had fallen. Bob had two saws, one battery powered and the other electric so we used those to cut everything up and decided to finish cutting down the little tree because is was termite eaten anyway. That was really fun although a lot of work and kinda sad that we had to cut down the trees. We also fixed the fence that the little tree crushed when it fell. That afternoon we cleaned out another shipping container that we’ll move over by the workshop so there’ll be four. Friday then we moved the container. Bob and Craig jacked it up and slid an axel underneath and then pulled it over with the Kubota. Then Moses and I moved all the metal tubing, corner iron, and miselaneous metal from the top of the old shipping container into the inside of the newly moved container. A lot of work but worth it now that everything is organized and looks good. Friday I watched Bob take apart a generator which was cool because he let me ask questions and learn from him.

Thursday James, the Tricaricos and I went over to the Okkens’ for dinner. Sunshine made stroganoff which was amazing. Served on mashed potatoes. I ate quite a bit although still not up to my usual amount. After dinner I sat on the couch and played with the kids. Very fun. These little guys are hilarious. Megan who is three or four I think has a speech problem. She tends to leave out her consonants so she’ll only say the vowels in words. “how are you” becomes something like “ow a oo?”. It reminds of that scene in Finding Nemo when the little baby turtle is explaing to Nemo’s Dad how to exit from the WAC and Marlin says to the blue fish “It’s like he’s trying to talk to me” then to the turtle “Your so cute but I can’t understand you!”. That’s the way I feel around Megan.

Friday after work Jim and I dinner. Jim had made coffee cake the day before and we fried up some carrots and onions along with eggs. Jim managed to make me an egg over easy with a runny yoke which has proven to be pretty much impossible here. I don’t know what the deal is with the eggs here but they all have weak yokes. Its nearly impossible though to cook an egg with a runny yokes because the eggs yokes either commit a kind of egg suicide and break themselves or they just cook through for no apparent reason. I miss American eggs.

I'm Still Sick With No Malaria

2009-08-23T03:59:00.001-07:00

August 17^th-19^th: Monday-Wednesday

Work these last few days has been a little rough. I’m still not feeling 100%. I’m rather weak and haven’t gotten my appetite back fully. However I’m not sick enough to sit around so I go to work everyday which has been good and I enjoy it. I had a slight fever after work on Monday but mainly I have been feeling much better. Slight headaches and sore throats in the morning but they generally dissipate before noon.

Kris was very sick so Craig and she didn’t take Mark, Kim, and Johan down to Entebbe. Pastor Dave took them down on Monday but Craig and Kris left Tuesday because Kris needed to do some things in Kampala and was greatly improved. So I mainly worked with Bob the last three days. Switched out the starter in his truck. Unloaded his container from America and then moved it up on the slab by the workshop, painted it white, and reloaded it. Also I have been doing math with Bobby and Anna this week. Wednesday Jim was worried that I wasn’t improving fast enough and had me come down to the clinic and get my blood drawn and checked for malaria again. No malaria. Yeah.

Wednesday hosted the second or third fiercest storm since I’ve been here. It rained incredibly hard for about an hour. Amazing flash lightening. It was just like someone was flipping on and off a light switch in the sky. That night Jim, James, and I watched Enemy at the Gates which is about a Russian sniper during the Second World War It’s a really cool movie.

I'm Still Sick With No Malaria

2009-08-23T03:59:00.000-07:00

August 17^th-19^th: Monday-Wednesday

In Which I Am Still Sick And More People Get To Enjoy Being Sick

2009-08-23T03:57:00.000-07:00

August 15^th-16^th: Saturday and Sunday

Saturday we went to Namurapus to do vaccinations and preventative medicine again. Mark, Maria, and Johan came as well as JB, Mark, and Moses the new lab tech. Although we didn’t see as many people as before we saw quite a few. 80 total; 60 kids and 20 women. There was a group of elders there from villages farther up in the mountains who wanted Jim to come to their villages again on Monday. They said I think, “come shoot our villages”. Jim had to say he couldn’t but they could come down here next time and bring their people.

Maria also came and she and I were in charge of weighing the babies and performed the MUAC test. We almost dropped a little kid out of the weighing harness. It’s just like a little bag with leg holes and you have to be sure to put one of their arms behind one of the straps so their balanced. We forgot and this poor kid almost fell out. Luckily Maria and his Dad caught him hanging upside down, naked. All the kids have to be naked so we get an accurate reading. They tend to pee on people. Whether this is out of fear or spite I don’t know.

After we finished we hiked down to Namalu and ate lunch there. About a half hour from Namalu it started to rain a little bit. Then a little bit more. This pattern continued until it was indiscernible and I was soaked through and miserable. For lunch we ate beans, rice, goat meat, and pocho. Pocho is strange but imagine a lump of cuscus and that is pocho. It all was very good helped by the long hike. We caught a ride home with Pastor Dave and Caleb who were in town doing business and stuff. Caleb kept everybody entertained on the way back.

After we got back I showered quickly and then helped Maria make Nan for community dinner that night. James was just bouncing off the walls. Completely loony. I had to go to bed at 8:00 I was so tired. Still don’t have my full appetite back yet. Felt a little nasty as I went to bed and just completely wiped.

Sunday morning Pastor Al and Kris were very sick. Pastor Al more so. He has a really high fever. All afternoon I hung out with the Tricarico and the Wright kids. At prayers that afternoon Caleb sat with me which was fun. He’s a hilarious kid. I’ll really miss him and his family. When I get back from Tanzania they will be on furlough.

That evening I made shortbread cookies with frosting. The frosted was teal colored according to the instructions on the back of the Betty Crocker’s food coloring. That evening all the kids and Johan and I watched the Wright’s home videos and then I Robot. The Wright’s videos are absolutely hilarious and very funny. They were all really funny kids. Bobby is my favorite. He had the best lines. During one part he had a folding chair wrapped around him and he was talking to his mom telling her it was his armor and then later you can see him running against the wall in the background.

In Which I Am Sick

2009-08-17T11:03:00.000-07:00

August 10^th-14^th Monday-Friday

I’m sick. It sucks being sick without my mom. Its interesting that sickness, at least for me, follows a pattern. The first day I wake up and am feeling sick is generally bummer but also I’m kinda happy because then I can just go back to bed and I don’t have to face the world until tomorrow at the soonest. After that there’s the time where you are still tired but you can sleep for only so many hours during a day you watch movies and pass the time reading. Then comes the part were being sick is a prison sentence and you just want to get out and go back to your life. Finally there is the part were you are back at your life and you still feel kinda lousy and your always tired and grumpy. Bletch

Monday was the first stage. I woke up feeling pretty bad and went down with Jim to get tested for Malaria. Negative test. So I went back and slept for three hours. Then I decided to skip to step four and get back to my life and work that afternoon which left me completely exhausted. Dead on my feet. Tuesday a return to step one and then a progression to step two when I went to Jim’s room and watched We Were Soldiers. Slept that afternoon which is kinda a half step backward. But that afternoon I had trace feelings of step three; the desire to return to normal life. Wednesday mainly step two but also with overplaying feelings of step three combined with exhaustion generally associated with step one. Thursday and Friday marked return to life and work and the completion of the steps by finally and firmly arriving at step four; sub par is the overwhelming feeling here.

Some brief highlights of my wonder week of being sick

-Monday morning: Jim is trying to examine me and neither of us can stop laughing long enough for him to check my heart beat.

-Monday night: Guys night! Beer, chips, and chocolate. Had a new beer, Tusker, really good.

-Tuesday afternoonish: watched We Were Soldiers which I had never seen and thought it was pretty good.

-Tuesday night: Ate at the Tricarico’s and ate some delicious pasta, with sausage, and garlic bread.

-Wednesday morning: I went and got tested for malaria again. Yippee for me, negative again. I wish it was just malaria then I could get on the pills and be over it in two days.

-Wednesday morning:(later) Kris gives me an unidentified packet of Arab Cup o’Soup. Consists mainly of curry flavored broth and little crunchy things and weird noodles.

-Wednesday day: I sweat and stink, unpleasant being me. Losing hope.

-Wednesday afternoon: got on face book and made contact with the outside world. Faith restored. Life worth continuing.

-Thursday Day:(sunlit hours)worked. Felt sup par. Tired. Stupor. Exhausted. Joyless. Meandering. Long. Bletch.

-Thursday Night:(part without sun)Kris made an amazing dinner and dessert. Pineapple and blueberry thing. I think I need to become nocturnal because the nights are much better than the days.

-Friday morning: theory of sunlit hours are bad continues.

-Friday afternoon: have to rethink theory. Took a lovely nap. Then I made really yummy crackers, frosting, and shortbread dough.

-Friday evening: Johan provided dinner for all the clinic workers because he leaves on Monday. Lots of fun and good food.

Friday night: night is still better. Baked shortbread cookies. Frosted them. Super yummy.

Well I hoped you enjoyed this post and now feel sufficiently sorry for me. To make it up you can mail me care packages. Thanks

Another Sunday

2009-08-17T11:02:00.001-07:00

August 9^thSunday

Uncovered sorghum this morning when I woke up. Then I ate some toast for breakfast and that didn’t settle very well but I just shrugged it off as nothing. Little did I know. Church was really good I sat with Jim and I bunch of the clinic workers who have been coming regularly which is really cool to see.

At lunch we invited over a couple of guys. David, who is at university and is from Namalu. This was his last week because he’s going back to school this week. Also had a guy named Hilary over. He said his name and I had to work very hard at keeping a strait face. There are a lot of Karamojan here with guys/girls names innappropriatley given. This Hilary guy is an absolute riot. He described Bob Wright as “The man with his great stone house. He comes with his chest and his legs.” He really loves to ride his pickeys (motorcycles) and he was talking though about how in America the cowboys ride the motorcycles like this, and at this point he leans way back in his chair and puts his hands over his head on invisible handlebars. He thought that was pretty silly. He likes to be crouched down looking where he is going. He described the cowboys clothing as “leather jackets with the things hanging down on the sleeves and the boots with pointy shoes and the cloth on the head. Oh man.

I didn’t eat much at lunch and I was really tired so I went and napped a little that afternoon. After prayers Jim and I went on a walk and had a really good talk but I was really feeling lousy at that point. Ugh. Hung out at the Wrights and and then finished the Dark Night and then got on the computer tell late.

In Which I Eat Snickerdoodles and Watch A Scary Movie

2009-08-12T07:59:00.000-07:00

August 6^th-8^th: Thursday-Saturday

Thursday and Friday I cut sorghum all day. Thursday we ate all the potato chips at lunch so now James and I need to make more for Friday night which is going to be our guy night/sleep over deal. Oh well, I guess I could make more. We got another two kilos and cooked them up after work on Friday. I am going to get horrible clogged arteries and put on weight now. I guess once an American always an American. Thursday night we ate at the Okkens which was delicious as usual. Then after dinner we watched Blue Planet which was pretty cool even though I kept dozing off during it.

Friday after work and James and I fried up the potato chips all the Tricaricos, Kim, Mark, and I went over to the Wrights for dinner. We had tacos which were absolutely amazing. Then after dinner we watched Cloverfield which is one of my favorite movies of all time. Partly it’s the really cool plot. Partly the unique way of telling the story and partly the characters. Also the story within a much larger story and lastly the tragedy of the ending. I love tragedys. That’s the problem with so many movies now is that the directors or story writers are afraid to not have a happy ending. After we watched Cloverfield James, Bobby, and I went back to the main house and had potato chips and stonies and watched The Dark Night. We didn’t finish though because both Bobby and James feel asleep. So we turned it off and will finish some other night.

Worked a half day Saturday. Cut sorghum in the morning and then in the afternoon I made bread. Brought my computer into the kitchen and listened to Weezer and The Bravery and baked. I also made a loaf of banana bread for my contribution to the Saturday night dinner. Got the Recipe from Kris who got it from the cookbook our church made. Really good recipe although I had a slight problem. The propane ran out about half way through cooking it so it was half cooked and then it cooled and I put it back in and it turned out ok. However when I finally pulled it out of the oven and then flipped it over the entire middle just fell out. So it tasted fine but it looked like someone had taken a bite out of the middle of it.

That night Bob Wright got back with John Bacon and we had a community meal. It was very good. Chicken, sausage, pasta salad, baked potatoes, and Kris put apples and brown sugar in a pumpkin shell and then baked it. Oh, and my banana bread too. So dinner was amazing but dessert was to die for. Blondies and snickerdoodles. That’s right snickerdoodles. Yeah. After dinner I went to the Wrights and watched the village which was a little disappointing although I’m glad I finally got to see it because I had seen the first ten minutes about three years ago.

Harvest Time and Too Many Calories

2009-08-12T07:58:00.000-07:00

August 3^rd-5^th: Monday-Wednesday

Monday we started harvesting sorghum. After Craig and I laid out the hibiscus Thomas and I went and put are in the tractor tire and checked the oil and water and made sure it was ready to go. Then around 8:30 we drove out to the sorghum fields. There were between 50 and 70 people waiting outside the front gates hoping to get hired. Well then Craig hopped down and was immediantly mobbed by all these people trying to get a job. Craig hired about 20 people plus all the mazungus and we started harvesting.

Harvesting sorghum is really easy. Sorghum is a member of the same family as wheat and it looks pretty similar. The head is covered in little round seeds that start of green and turn a red, burgundy when they ripen. In order to harvest it you have to go through and cut off the head. Generally there are some ladies who follow everyone cutting and carry the bags and collect the heads. Then they transfer the sorghum to the tractor which follows us through the fields. It’s a blast from the past. Its actually way more enjoyable than my last job in America so no complaints.

Monday and Tuesday after work we played football, blacks vs whites. There is still division in this country Mark told me. Albert, JB, Mark, Lokwii, and Moses played against Peter, Mark, Mark, Johan, and I. it was really fun and passionate. We tied both days and only quit because we mazungus needed to go to dinner. Actually we white guys did ok. All these Africans are better players one on one but I think the lack the team unity and organization needed. To many chiefs and not enough Indians sort of deal.

The group of visitors left Wednesday morning. James and I came in from cutting sorghum to say goodbye. Jim and Johan are taking them down to the airport so I am going to be all alone here. Mark moved out. He is going to go stay I the now unoccupied banda so he can sleep on a bottom bunk. That afternoon Craig and I went down to the clinic to finish the bandas. We put the last coat of paint on and finished everything. Craig says that these new staff bandas have been a two year project and now they’re done. I think that’s pretty cool even though I was only here for the last two months. I feel very accomplished. That evening James and I bought a kilo of potatoes from Kris and decided to make potato chips. We cleaned them and then cut them as thin as we could. Then we put some oil in a pan and started frying them up. It took us all evening. We didn’t finish tell 10:30 but it was totally worth it. They actually turned out pretty good. Not really very crunchy and potato chip like but more like really thin oily French fries but they taste oh so good.

Eazy Peezy Lemon Squeezey and Return of the Wasps

2009-08-12T07:56:00.000-07:00

August 1^st-2^nd: Saturday and Sunday

Saturday morning everyone woke at 5:00 and we packed for Sipi. We left very early, around 6:00. We got to Sipi around 9:00. That morning we hiked. Incredibly beautiful. Although it was raining right before we got to the swimming hole as soon as we got there the sun popped out just for a moment. We went ahead and jumped in. it was soon cold it took my breath away. I’ve been swimming in the mountain lakes of the Rocky Mountains but this seemed so cold. We got back from the hike and had lunch at 3:00. Then a group headed out to go repelling and Jim, Johan, and I went to go rock climbing.

These two guys were our guides for rock climbing. They were really funny. They told us to watch out for our “mangos” when we put on the harnesses. The first four routes we did were called Eazy Peezy Lemon Sqeezey, Muscles, and the next two were called Return of the Wasps. I guess the first one was just really easy and the next one you had to grab on to this rock sticking out and pull yourself using only your shoulder muscles. The next to were called Return of the Wasps because there were these wasps that would nest in the handholds and even if you killed them they would return by the next day. So we had to battle the wasps. I’m not a very good rock climber but this stuff seemed really hard. When we’d get stuck these guys would say “do you want to cheat? I think you want to cheat, you want to cheat.” Then they’d give a heave and boost us up a little.

That night we ate at Sipi River Lodge. Tomato soup and chapattis to start with. Then grilled fish, veggies, and chips (French fries). Really, really good. Then for dessert we had mangos and whipped cream. So good.

Sunday morning we woke at six and had breakfast and packed all our stuff. Jim and I climbed to the top of the hill that the crow’s nest sits on and watched the sun not rise. We went up to watch the sunrise but I guess we sould have had to wait longer than we were able. Oh well, it was a good not sunrise. I slept all the way back to Karamoja. That afternoon I listened to music and worked on my blog. Later Jim and I went on a walk. I love Sundays.

In Which I Return TO THe Mountains On Some Unfinished Business And Hike Longer Than Expected

2009-08-03T20:12:00.000-07:00

July 30^th-July 31^st: Thursday-Saturday

Thursday we went back to finish the immunization because last Saturday we ran out of cards for the children. We left early a little after 7:00. Jim, Johan, Peter, Mark, Rebecca, Logiel Mark, J.B. and myself. Poor Jim; his voice is almost completely gone. It’s kinda funny but also hard for him. We got to Namorapus around 10:00 and had to wait around for about an hour until everyone started showing up. We didn’t have as many kids and women but we didn’t run out of anything which is good. After we finished around 1:30 and decided to hike to Namalu and then back to the compound. Basically the compound. Namorapus and Namalu form a triangle and in theory the longer side is between Namorapus and the compound. We ate lunch and hiked to Namalu and then followed the road for a bit and cut across the hills and arrived aback around 6:00. My fee hurt.

That evening we ate at the Wrights and celebrated Anna’s 14^th birthday. Great cake. Anna made dinner and the cake. Headed back to our compound and made buns for tomorrow night. I want to have hamburgers and we have nearly 5 pounds of ground beef so I think we can do it. Was up late making bread and talking to Jim.

Friday Craig and Kris left around 10:00 for Mbale on a propane run. Peter and Mark went to the clinic and put the finishing coats of paint on the bandas there. I stayed around here and helped Bob Wright fix the Land Rover and the Okkens' car. Now we can go to Sipi this weekend since all the cars are working. Then John Bacon the Wrights teacher and James and I re-dug the trench that the power cord was in for the pump. After lunch we put conduit on the wires, taped it up, and reburied it. Then James and I got out the ground pounder and pounded down all the ground we had dug up. We also ran it over the entire bache ball court. Then Pete and I moved some cement squares into the courtyard of the Wrights house as stepping stones and Bobby and I did some math.

That evening we made hamburgers. We borrowed some avocados from the Eldeens and Jim made guacamole. Then we sliced onions and tomatoes to go on top. We fixed the meat. Jim used a recipe where you add eggs and flour to help keep it together. It tasted delicious. Finally ate around 8:30 but it was worth the wait.