Thursday, April 26, 2012

today, yesterday, and yesterday's yesterday

Today:
37 children on the pediatrics ward
Measles outbreak confirmed
Malaria increase as beginning of wet season and planting season
Unpacking three trunks of canned and boxed food for our next 6 weeks
A week's worth of laundry now hanging on the line
Enjoying fresh baked bread
Back to baking and planning meals
Cleaning up detached insect wings from last night's eruption of thousands of flying termites
First day back to RMS brings smiles to Lilli and Patton
Baby Bunny Anna constantly held, snuggled, fed
Rich prayer time with teammate Lesley
Cell phone network down so texts and calls not happening
Truffle the cow is not happy with arranged marriage to Mr Cow and continually moos in annoyance
Finally back online
Grateful for time with grandparents, for teammates who "hold down the fort", for safe return of Pamela, for making order from chaos, for break from the heat as now in rainy season, for health

Yesterday:
Women's Prayer and Bible Study
Electricity out
Started unpacking, unpacking, unpacking
Car cleaned from some unfortunate spills and muddy puddles in the journey
A Bundi First: Washing Machine in Bundibugyo! Successful hook up to water system, but no electricity means no washing...a downside to modern appliances.
A thank you (for helping with washer) lunch with Josh
Greet neighbors and friends
Two week tall grass mowed
Flower garden zinnias bloomed!
Pamela successfully travels back to Bundi via plane, taxi, big bus, small bus, motorcycle, vehicle
Chilli, cornbread, muffins to host teammates Chrissy, Ann, Pamela
Even the sound of nearby pub's music is sweet noise to sleepy heads

Yesterday's yesterday:
Woke up in Fort Portal, ready to be back in Bundi
Call that our vehicle was fixed; thankful as a leaky sunroof in wet season is a disaster
Goodbyes to our generous hosting friends, the Calhouns
Packed up our veggies and meats from nearby guesthouse fridge/freezer
Made good on a promise of adding Baby Bunny Anna to our menagerie (to help Lilli and Patton grieve the loss of Miss Anna) from kind friends, the Wootens
Last minute purchase of butter, apples from Andrew's and cheese from Duchess
Located CSB girls football team in time to cheer for them as they sloshed through a muddy field, played with great heart (and some bare feet!), and found success in a 2-1 victory!
Fueled up
Ordered pizza and ate on the way
Bouncy, Muddy, Packed, Loaded Down, but joyful trip home
Greeted by teammates and two dogs (who each have wounds from our absence)
Thankful for delicious meal of quiche and homemade rolls from Stevens
So happy to be in our own beds, under our own nets...home



1 comment:

  1. [from Kristen and Michael Overcash (go Furman!), Ed O'Bryan, and Josh Farrar (ENT, PMI board)]

    We are all sitting here in my house reading together, every bit of your very enjoyable blog.
    Also I must confess we are talking about Travis and how much we wish we could have you on the PMI staff or as a physician on our outreaches.

    Since we have all been working in Uganda on STMs for years now, we can really laugh and appreciate what you are going thru, including pulling out our medical books when faced with unusual clinical findings...

    We are so glad you got to spend a little time with the Oneal's before they return. Aren't they amazing? You can't help but love them...

    I know you will like our new staff (Newman and Trish) on the way, they are God-listeners like y'all :)

    We love you, God bless, hope to see you...

    Michael, Kristen, Ed, Josh

    ReplyDelete