Life in Africa

(My apologies:  The following two posts are two weeks old but "old news" is better than no news i hope!)

August 15, 2008 

Last night we cooked our first real meal at home (beyond foods like eggs, toast, macaroni and cheese, oatmeal, etc...).  We made spaghetti!  Mmm it was good!  We boiled tomatoes down until they were like a soup, added a very tiny can of tomato paste along with fresh garlic, onion, basil and some Italian spice Brian found in the Palm Tree kitchen.  Meanwhile the electricity went out so we were ruing on the military generator and the water coming out of the sink was coming from a reserve tank that sits under ground, therefore the water was the strangest yellow-ish brown color!  We boiled it anyway and added spaghetti noodles, asking God to bless and sanctify our food!  (We are still alive today to tell the story.)  So after combining the mincemeat (hamburger meat) to the sauce, we sprinkled a bit of Romano parmesan on top (thanks to mom and dad sending us some!) and enjoyed some tasty food that was close to home! 

I'm beginning to "show" just a little now (you know, enough for me to notice but maybe not you) and am making sure to get a good walk in here and there.  I'm at 9 weeks now and feeling pretty good, thank God.  Brian took a picture of my belly last night for the first time...  I know, it's about time.  I will try to get it posted on here someday.   

Besides picky eating habits, I keep waiting for the notorious "food cravings" to kick in...  I have a harder time figuring out what I WANT to eat...  (besides Mexican food of course, which I can't help but miss on this side of the world).  I did find some milk that I can stand the taste of.  It's the only pasteurized milk here and you buy it in a little plastic bag, about 4 inches by 4 inches.  I cut a corner off and pour it into a pitcher.  It's nice.  Brian drinks milk delivered to our door.  Straight from the cow!  We boil it down and strain it.  Then refrigerate.  Much cheaper that way!  So we have "my" milk and "his" milk in our tiny college dorm room sized fridge.  :)  
Business is picking up at the salon which is really nice because being busy makes the days go by faster.  All the mzungus (white people) are very excited to have me here--I've even got a lady who comes in once a week just for me to shampoo and blow dry her hair! 

Brian has been playing a lot of music lately...  coming up with multiple new ideas and we finally got the recording stuff out this week and have been playing around on that.  Very fun.  It's nice to have time on our hands in the evenings for creating--something we wouldn't have near as much of if we were home in the States.  We can't wait to come back and play again with our Church of Philly family!  We love and miss you guys! 

WE LOVE AND MISS ALL YOU GUYS! 

Micah and Diane

August 15, 2008

Our friends Micah and Diane have been in the country the last week or two.  We took a coaster (a small bus) into Kampala last Thursday to meet up with them.  It was our first taste of Kampala (the capital of Uganda) which is much bigger and busier than Jinja.  The bus got stuck in traffic for a very long time and we decided we could get there faster by walking so we just got off the bus in the middle of stand-still traffic and caught a "picky-picky" (a terrible name for a motor boda boda a.k.a. motorcycle).  We then were able to weave in and out of traffic and reach our destination much faster!

It was so good to see faces from home and likewise for them.  We found our way to a VERY fancy Italian restaurant (we were quite underdressed) where we enjoyed Margarita pizzas and bread dipped in olive oil!  It was quite a refreshing experience for us all!  We then walked at least half an hour to "Garden City Mall" enjoying the sights of the city and reached it just as all the shops were closing about 6pm--too bad!

Back at their guest house we said our goodbyes and they loaded us up with a bag of Jelly Bellies (Thank you Micah!) and a few more candies and treats from Mama May, and we headed back to Jinja.  The next morning, we got a phone call from the girls--they too were now in Jinja!  None of us knew that the first contact they would be working with lives in Jinja as well!  So it has been fun to have some Texans around town and we've been able to see them at least every few days.  We took them to Amani (the orphanage) on Monday and we all played with babies for a few hours--and fell in love of course.  

On Sunday I went to a village church with them where we experienced African children dancing and dancing and dancing during worship.  It was incredible!  Micah spoke to the people and her words were powerful and full of truth!  I myself was inspired and reminded to line up straight according to God's Word which all comes down to loving God and loving the people I come in contact with in the same way I love myself!  Those two things are the most important things.  How quickly we get distracted thinking we have to do this or that or pointing our fingers at those who we think should or shouldn't do this or that, or looking out for our own interests when really it all just comes down to...  or shall we say "up" to...  LOVE.  hmm.....

Anyway, with that I'll wrap up this novel sized post.  The last few weeks in this new world of ours have really started feeling a bit more like home (at least for now) and the weeks are actually beginning to fly by.  God-willing we'll be back in Texas for Aaron and Rachel's wedding before we know it!  

Much Love to All!

Random Ps.  I just want to give a shout out to my pal Jess Clark... just because I think you're swell!

March 18

...is the expected date of arrival :)

(only 13 days behind cousin Burciaga!)


i loved reading everyone's comments... thank you so much for your words!
it's like reading multiple emails all at once without having to pull up a new page (which takes forever!) :)

i'll keep you guys posted!

We have a home!

July 22, 2008

This weekend we were finally able to move into our own little house.  

Thank You Jesus!  

It was quite a job cleaning that place.  Imagine a really old house that's been vacant for a few months...  now imagine windows with screens only and no glass...  whatever is outside has no problem getting in...  now imagine geckos running around in there and what they leave behind...  add a few months of bugs and maybe a few rats and "wa-la" you've got QUITE a cleaning job on your hands!  Needless to say, I am worn out though there is still much to do.  But it's beginning to feel a bit more comfy after spending two nights there and all day yesterday cleaning...  and we are growing fond of our quaint little cottage!

Also in the weekend news, Brian has joint-purchased a bicycle!  He and another guy who is here adopting a little girl are going in on it together and working on it.  It's called a Hero.  It's black and gold and red and Brian is very excited about fixing it up just right.  We went to the market yesterday to buy a "boda" seat for the back and a basket for the front.  Now, Brian will be able to "drive" me to work every day as well as carry groceries in the front!  Today, they are putting the seat and basket on and tweaking a few things...  Soon we will be "up and pedaling!"

As for pregnancy symptoms, it hasn't been too drastic so far...  Frequent trips to the "toilet" as they call it here, falling asleep a few hours earlier than usual, hungry of course, and strange food aversions as well!  I had a large lunch of beans and rice and potatoes sometime last week and even now the thought of rice makes my stomach turn...  I cannot stand the thought of it.  

I've been eating a lot of eggs.  They are cheap here and make a good long lasting breakfast when combined with a couple of pieces of toast or a bowl of oatmeal.  Today my sweet husband made breakfast before I even got out of bed--french toast and fried eggs...  and a tasty cup of tea!  But somehow this morning, I couldn't stand the thought of eating a fried egg!  What happened!?!  

Brian is being such a good sport about all my weirdnesses...  Thank You God for a good man--patient and sensitive and persevering!  

Of all the foods you CAN get here in Jinja, I cannot seem to find a decent cracker!  All they sell is cookies...  and "biscuits" which are the same as cookies!  I could really use a box of tasty veggie crackers or something--even some basic Saltines!  :)  Anyway, that's my one complaint for the day.

My apology for the lack of pictures on these blogs...  so far we have been unable to upload photos...  we are hoping to go back eventually and add pics to the previous blogs...  The internet here is just nothing like being in America.  Pray that the military guys get a good wireless connection and that we are allowed access to it.  Then we could afford the hours of uploading while in the comfort of our own home.  

Also, I want to give a BIG HUGE THANK YOU to my grandparents, Meme and Happy, for giving us this computer so we can keep in contact with you guys at least a little and hopefully more in the future!  Thank you Meme and Hap!  And Happy 50th Anniversary year!  :)

So, in conclusion, after two months of marriage...  We finally have a home...  as well as a vehicle!  We've been in Africa for an entire month, and we've got a baby on the way!  Life is an adventure--challenging at times--but worth it because we know God is GOOD and that He works all things together for good for those who LOVE HIM (that's us!) and who have been called according to His purpose!

PRAISE HIM!  :)

Addendum:  I just found out what our mailing address is!

P.O. Box 1799

Jinja, Uganda

It's as simple as that!  If you want to send a package, be sure to send it AIR MAIL to insure that it doesn't take two years (literally) to get here!  Also, the smaller the package, the sooner it will get here.  Big packages seem to get stuck in the routing.  Big envelopes are good as long as they are small enough to fit in a normal sized mailbox.  It should only be about $8 to mail a small package.  

We've got a Tharpe Sprout on the way!!!

...and we are THRILLED!!!

So I figured out that if I wait until I have internet access to create a blog for posting, by the time I catch up on and reply to emails, I have no more time or energy for blogging!  So I've decided to compose my blog posts when I don't have web access; then I'll just copy them when I'm able.  

Two weeks we've now been in Jinja.  After a few days of catching up with Danyne and Surj, their girls and baby Jagpal, and seeing a bit of our new world, we landed in bed for two days and two nights with not so happy intestines.  Meanwhile, a church around the corner was holding an all-night prayer meeting on high volume with loud speakers and singers who shouldn't have microphones...  they literally sang til the sun came up!  Needless to say, we did our sleeping in broad daylight, not the night!

As soon as we recovered, it was "off to the shop!"  The gift store that Danyne and Surj run in Jinja had recently been "shifted" to Main Street (they changed locations) and we had the challenge of unpacking everything and getting it in order.  It took us an entire week to do it, in addition to getting the new "saloon" (as they call it here) up and running.  

The shop is called "Akiba" which is an African word for "treasure" and the salon which is upstairs from the shop is called "A Kut  Above".  We opened Tuesday (July 9th) and I am enjoying working there, especially when I have clients!  It's nice to be doing the same thing I would be doing at home...  helps this place to feel more comfy.

Next on the wish list is to move into our own place.  In our 6 weeks of marriage we have been living out of suitcases with no place to call "home" so needless to say, I AM READY!

The little place we will live in is next to Surj's Palm Tree guesthouse where Brian is in charge of making sure the 15 or so U.S. military men who will be living at the guesthouse for the next year are fed the right food at the right time.  Basically, his job is like managing a kitchen at a restaurant.  (Funny how we are doing the exact same thing we would be doing at home, but we're in AFRICA!)  The place isn't ready for us yet so pray that takes place soon.  For now, it is good to spend time with family here and adjust a bit to the rhythm of Jinja, but I am looking forward to settling in a little better and getting my things out of these tubs we packed in!

That's pretty much the "catch up" on life here so far...

In other news, all in a matter of days I've got a sister-n-law with a new baby on the way and a brother-n-law with a new bride to be!  Congrats to Jamie & Billy and Aaron & Rachel!  Yay Family!

ok, the last post was written quite a few days ago and i was going to try to put up a picture before i posted it but i haven't had a chance to get back on the internet...  we have been very busy then we were sick for a few days...  then we have been very busy again!  and we don't have internet access where we are staying right now but hopefully we will when we get into our little apartment...  please forgive these non informative posts...  we are still in transition...  can't wait to get a bit more settled!

We have arrived!

One night and one day

have now passed here in Jinja, "New"ganda...

what a dreamy place before my eyes.

I awoke this morning to sunlight pouring through

un-curtained windows...

Sat up in bed and peered through squinted eyelids

to take in the most brilliant morning I have seen.

the clarity of color, the depth of lines defined!

vivid houses framed by vibrant trees...

Eyes swept toward crimson roads

where locals walked like flowing streams.

there's a rhythm to the movement

a distinctive breeze of wind...

The kind of stuff that dreams are made of

so now let the year begin!

Testing...1...2...3...

Trying out this Blogging thing for keeping in contact with America!