5 Down, 1 To Go



Jumping into Lake Bunyoni

       I can hardly believe I am saying this, but in one month we will be back in CANADA, the GREAT white North!  The last 5 months have flown by and now we are preparing to say good bye to this wonderful country, full of eager people and gorgeous landscapes. We have been blessed to make so many new friends, honoured to have worked alongside them and ever thankful for this opportunity to share our passions with them.

A dug out canoe on Lake Bunyoni
(Bushara Island)

       Our January month end trip we went to visit Bushara Island Camp, established by ACTS and the Church of Uganda as an ecotourism site about 15 years ago.  The island is gorgeous with its clean waters, hundreds of species of birds and quaint accommodations.  The restaurant served a good variety of Ugandan and International dishes, so we got our fill of grilled cheese, samosas and quesadillas.  Andrew and the boys spent the majority of the weekend relaxing with a beer in hand and attempting stunts off of the rope swing.  Overall it was a great relaxing weekend to enjoy the unique beauty of Uganda.  This month end trip we will visiting Winnie at her home in Isingiro District; it is sure to be an interesting experience for us considering none of her family speaks English.  We’ll keep you posted!




A great afternoon on the water

The left hand was still functional

      February has been a rollercoaster of a month for us, leaving a bittersweet taste in our mouth.  In November we met a widow named Melon who had lost her husband just one year before when he was murdered over a land dispute.  Miraculously she learned she was pregnant with his child two weeks after he passed and gave birth to a beautiful little girl.  The baby got sick in December and our team provided her transportation to get some help. Unfortunately, at the beginning of this month we were informed that her sweet little miracle had died.  Please lift your thoughts and prayers to this poor woman who has lost almost everything she has ever loved in 2 years.  On the brighter side of things, ACTS was able to help an adorable little girl that had fell in a fire the year before and now had club hands due to the way they had bandaged her up.  ACTS was able to send her to Kampala to get surgery to separate her fingers so that she can use them once again…we are still waiting to hear the final word, but none the less, praise GOD!


The right hand was the worse

Our new source that can feed over 20,000 thirsty people

       As for my work, we have been busy little bees the last month.  With our time here drawing to a close, there are a lot of projects that we need to clean up and prepare for the next interns that will arrive this fall.  Our Ugandan work team is hard at work building the reservoir tanks and laying the pipeline in Ngomba.  As well, the construction of the tanks on the Kishami project is now underway, with the second phase of pipeline ready to begin.  Our engineering team has had the opportunity to work and live in the Ibanda District the last 2 weeks, to design a gravity flow system to serve the Nsasi Sub-County.  We are currently staying in a guest house with great food, friendly staff and most importantly, HIGH SPEED internet ;)  Andrew, Winnie and Theo joined us and have been enjoying the accessibility to cartoons and cold sodas.  Our rooms are basic with chairs, table and a bed, not to mention a shit-shower-&-shave bathroom.  That’s right, you heard me correctly…our bathroom is the shower, so well you’re on the john you can wash your hair and pluck those unsightly nose hairs!

Let's play "Where's the Muzungu?"
We had the privilege of speaking at this school's assembly.

       We want to say thank you to all of you that have continued to follow and support us along this journey.  Your prayers, comments and mail have been a blessing to us; they encourage us to continue with our work and inspire us to show God’s great love to this world.

~M

Andrew's Blogggggggg

       I have been really enjoying my time here in Uganda and I am so glad I encouraged Melissa to apply to ACTS as one of their engineering interns.  With her working, we agreed that while we are in Africa I would be the primary care giver for our son Theo. So for the last 5 months my main job has been to care for my little guy. Back home I was working and Melissa was the stay at home mom, so this whole role reversal thing took a little bit of getting used to. For all you men out there that are tired when you get home from work and just need a break, I am going to let you in on a little secret…your wife needs one too, probably even more than you!

        As I said, getting used to my new role was not easy. Before we came to Africa often times I would only have to change one diaper a day. Sometimes if I was lucky I could even see a few days pass without having to change a single diaper. My wife was so good to me! Now I do the dirty…literally. On top of that when we first arrived here in camp we did not have our helper Winnie around to do our laundry. The first couple weeks I was not only changing stinky diapers, but also hand washing them. I was not thrilled about cloth diapers at that time; however I have to say I did feel a sense of accomplishment every time I finished a load. On a side note I just want to say thank you Jesus for Winnie!

       Though I have just devoted a whole paragraph to diapers, among the many things I had to get used to, diapers was actually one of the easier ones. I learned very quickly that caring for a child full time requires an incredible amount of patience (I assure you I am still praying for more of it every day). Tasks that appear so small sometimes turn into Mission Impossible.  I did not know changing Theo’s clothes could be such a battle at times. Probably one of the toughest things for me to get used to was waking up in the night with Theo. You see, back home I never had to. Theo was a nursing baby and Melissa always covered that (again, my wife is so awesome!). However, my lack of reciprocation in this department originally when we arrived in Uganda lead to an unhappy wife some nights…I was in the dog house a few times on that one.

       I will admit with any change comes some challenge, but I feel like I am really getting the hang of being a full-time dad and husband. In fact at one point I felt that my job here was not quite as important as Melissa’s, but now I realize how entirely untrue that is. Raising a child is one of the most important jobs anyone could have. Like in any particular job you have your ups and downs, but on those good days, when you experience your child learn something new or do something amazing, it is such a life giving feeling and so rewarding. Theo and I are having a blast together and I am so proud of what Melissa is doing over here. It has been a dream come true for all of us.

       As much fun as it has been hanging out with Theo, God has placed a few people in my path over here that I have been able to help, and develop friendships with. There are so many needs over here and I understand that I can’t help everybody, but it is encouraging when God works through you to touch one person’s life at a time.

       Overall, I have really enjoyed just being a full time dad. I might not ever get an opportunity like this and I am thankful that God has given us the faith to pursue our dreams according to His will.

I love and miss everyone back home, can’t wait to be back!

Andrew

Breaking Ground

Hundreds of community volunteers out to dig for their reservoirs

        This week marks the beginning of our Living Water Project Phase II, and more importantly the approval of our CIDA funding!!!  Come Monday, our whole team will be returning to camp to begin work on both the Kishami & Nyarubgumba GFS projects.  Our new Mobilizer DJ has done a fantastic job recruiting hundreds of community volunteers to hand excavate more than 250m³ of solid dirt/rock to make way for our new reservoirs.  I went to visit the site yesterday and was shocked at the progress they have made, considering they only began work 5 days ago.  With this speed and dedication, we will have the site ready to build tanks by next week.



Checking out new sources for a new system

       With the CIDA money in hand, it also means that ACTS’ other Uganda community projects can proceed.  These programs include the land & goat co-op for widows, the school program for 40+ students and the sanitation education programs aimed at bettering the health & life expectancy of the communities we work in.  We praise God for the blessing of these funds, and pray for patience as we work towards fulfilling CIDA’s 90 day stipulations (ie. creating a gant chart, finishing our data surveys, etc.).  We are not through with the bureaucracy difficulties yet, but with the money in hand, we can at least get started on the much anticipated projects.

       We are all doing great this month, enjoying being back at camp with our Ugandan crew.   Our director David left at the beginning of this month and was replaced by his counterpart, Richard, who brought his wife Jenny along.   As well, my supervisor’s wife Nancy is camp, which I really appreciate with all this testosterone around J  Andrew is loving life here and taking advantage of it to the fullest.  He is still playing soccer in Kahija 4 times a week and most recently has been working with Rachel (widow co-op organizer) attending land owner meetings and visiting widows that ACTS has helped in the past.  Theo is happy to back outdoors and with his friends.  He is 18 months tomorrow and has really become quite the little person.

Daddy went swimming...

...and Theo soon followed!

       With each passing month, camp feels more and more like a real home. We still struggle with the food and since it is now dry season, the bugs have become a continual annoyance, but we try to make the best of it.  Derek and Andrew most recently decided we needed a swimming pool, so they cleaned out an old rain water harvesting tank and it is now the best way to cool off!  Even some of the Ugandans gave it a try and loved it!!!  Nancy also brought with her some new sports equipment, like volleyballs, baseballs & gloves, which we have never been so happy to play with.   The guys often go out into to town at lunch to hit around some baseballs, which draws quite the crowd.

Happy 25th birthday to Andrew...loving your new shirt!

Anyway, back to work for me, lots to prepare!!!

~M~

Reality Check

HAPPY NEW YEAR from Africa!

       We hope and pray that this blog reaches you in the best of spirits!  We are so thankful to all of you that sent us messages, emails and cards over the holiday season, it helped us feel a part of your celebrations even though we are so far away!

Andrew's buddy from work and his wife, that we met in Nairobi

       We are home safely in Mbarara, Uganada after a wonderful vacation in Nairobi, Kenya.  My blogging hiatus was not intentional, but as you all know the festivities of the season can really become all encompassing.  Our first couple days away from camp were spent at Canada House, wrapping gifts, planning meals and just enjoying the time off.  I had a blast trying to be resourceful and make Christmas decor from the limited supplies I had...tape, floss and an old magazine...and it was all worth it when Theo walked out of his room and just stood there bright eyed and mouth open.  



A 3 month old giraffe that was very friendly

Our first taste of fast food in 3 months...heavenly!



We got to play with lions at the Animal Orphanage

       The overall trip to Nairobi was fantastic, with great food, big malls and real movie theatres.  The 17 hour bus rides were not our favourite, but at $35 a person you can't really complain.  Our apartment was better than expected, with 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a swimming pool, a roof top patio and located literally right across from the mall.  We never felt unsafe and were protected by an armed guard from our doorstep to the doorstep of the mall.  Some days we went and toured, other days we just hung out at home, eating, reading and sleeping.  Our favourite outings included the animal orphanage where we got play with lions, the giraffe sanctuary where we got to feed the giraffes, and the village market where we got to shop the Masaii market and ride the water slides.  Theo's nanny Winnie had the time of her life and got to experience so many new things.  Overall this trip really refreshed us and got us ready to tackle the next 3 months.
 


Cheryl taught Winnie to swim

Cheers to a great New Year!

       This trip was also a reality check for us.  In the part of Uganda where we live, you are either black or white, rich or poor, Christian or Muslim; close to no middle ground.  You see, because we are white and our clothes do not have holes in them, most assume we are rich.  In the area of Kenya we were staying, it felt a lot more like Canada with a wide variety of different classes, races and creeds.  This was comforting for it felt like home, but it was also eye opening as we saw the clash between the developing and developed countries.  Kenya attracts wealthy tourists from around the world for its safaris, its child adoptions and its fine dining, but right smack in the middle of it all is the second largest urban slum in all of Africa.  What a stark contrast between those that spend $10,000 on a two week vacation and those that barely make $14 after two weeks of hard work.  This is a reality that I can no longer ignore. It is a reality that I must come face to face with and decide how my life in Canada will change.

~M



We even got to feed the monkeys!

Grown Up Christmas

       That wonderful season of gift giving, family get-togethers and so much delicious food is upon us.  If it weren’t for the single strand of LED lights hanging in our camp kitchen, I would barely know that Christmas is only a week away.  I love this time of year for its traditions, shopping and carols, but surprisingly I do not find myself missing it all that much here in Uganda.  Don’t get me wrong they do Christmas here as well, but for many it is the one day a year they eat meat, or buy a “new-to-them” outfit. How’s that for a dose of perspective?

       One of my all-time favourite Christmas tunes is “My Grown Up Christmas List” by Amy Grant, for so many reasons (if you don’t know it, you have to listen: http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=JFC9MFNU).  The song brings me be back to the time of tape cassettes and puffy sleeve church dresses, where the miracle of Jesus’ birth and Santa’s worldwide travel astounded me alike.  With the beginning of the Advent season, came the time to decorate the tree and make our Christmas lists.  For years and years in a row the top two items on my list were the Polly Pocket Mansion (which I eventually received) and my favourite doll Big Baby to be fixed (I’m still waiting on this one mom ;).  But in all the years of my childhood, I don’t recall ever asking for “no more lives torn apart,” because my naïve mind could not fathom a place where the holiday season did not bring around the warm feelings I had always felt.

        And here I sit, with my beautiful innocent boy on my lap, wondering what will be on his list someday.  Will our choice to sacrifice the comfort of home, to confront the uncomfortably of poverty and pain, affect him someday?  I can only pray that it will; that God’s plan in bringing us to Uganda was to not only open our eyes, but for Theo to grow up with a greater understanding of the world’s great sufferings and celebrations.  My prayer for all of you is that as you partake in the joys of the Christmas season, that you take a moment to be thankful for the vast gifts you have been given and perhaps teach your children a little something about how other cultures celebrate the season.

Us with two HIV orphans that our church will be sponsoring

We miss you all and wish a safe and wonderfully MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Love,

 

Andrew, Melissa and Theo

A Taste of "Normal"

The loves of my life

       This past weekend was the closest to “normal” that Andrew and I have felt since moving to Uganda.  While the rest of our team took off to Jinga to go white-water rafting, we stayed in Mbarara just the 3 of us.  You see, aside from the obvious differences such as climate, food and culture, we have also struggled through the change from living as one family unit, to living as a family within a tight community.  For those of you that know us, you will agree that we are both communicators and the way we solve issues is by talking it out…perhaps more passionately than some may feel comfortable with ;)  When the only privacy offered is a slim piece of canvas, these communications either do not happen or when they do, someone in camp is within ear shot.  So having a whole weekend with just our family was a huge blessing and gave us time to figure some things out.

       This weekend was also filled with lots of exciting experiences and time with our loved ones back home.  The internet connection in Mbarara is superb in comparison to camp, and thus allows us the possibility to Skype.  It was so nice to see our families’ faces and hear their voices…it felt almost as good as a hug.  On Saturday, we went to Big Fun with Theo and two of the boys from camp.  The facility is pretty great, with two swimming pools, a jungle gym and a restaurant.  The boys (Wedith & Michael) have never been swimming, nor have they ever seen a jungle gym, so we had a blast showing them how to blow bubbles and what a slide is for.  We ate lots of delicious food…butter chicken, pizza, KD…and enjoyed an English service at the big church in Ruharo (yay for Hillsong songs).



Theo with his nanny Winnie

       Our next long weekend will actually be our 2 week Christmas vacation and our team has made plans to travel to Nairobi, Kenya.  Andrew and I budgeted our trip in a way that we could afford to take our nanny Winnie with us as well.  For her, this will be the trip of a lifetime as she has never left Uganda.  I took her to the immigration office to get her a passport and after some pleading we got it, even though she didn’t have the proper documentation.  You see, she has never had a photo printed of her, let alone an ID with her name and picture on it.  In fact, she doesn’t even know the day of her birth, just the month and year.  So thank you God that the immigration officer had a soft spot for Canadian blonde girls ;)

       As for camp, life is great.  We are still in the rainy season and it takes days to dry your clothes, but the rain does cool down the office which is nice.  Andrew has been playing soccer four times a week with his new friends in town and on Wednesday he got the opportunity to represent Nyakera in a game against Ngomba.  With his assistance in setting up plays and playing center, Nyakera won 2 to 1 against an undefeated rival.  He has also made some other friends in town and has gone to visit their homes.  Our engineering team has been working more in the office designing while we await the CIDA money.  Just yesterday we finalized Phase 1 of the Kishororo Project and handed over the reins to the funding NGO, Living Water International.  With any luck, the CIDA money will be there for us when we come back after the Christmas vacation and our Ugandan team will return to begin work on Phase 2.  We are all healthy, but feeling a little sad as one of our team (Beth) will be heading back to Canada this month.  Please pray for her as she flies home and adjusts to life back in New Brunswick.

~M

The Great Divide

       Temporarily living in an Eastern warm culture, we have come to both appreciate many of the differences and despise some of the others.  From privacy to faith, time to gender expectations to attitudes towards education and sanitation, we have noticed a significant gap in our opposing cultures.  I suppose you can call our realization and frustration with these differences “culture shock,” but I feel like it is less of a shock and more of an awakening.  Shock to me sounds so serious, whereas I think this experience is just helping me to become a more rounded, thankful person.  WARNING: Please note that any observations I make from here on out are obviously generalized and not true for all Ugandans...I am writing from what I have seen and experienced.

       One of the largest shifts in thinking we have had to make is from independent to communal living.  Ugandans live a dependent lifestyle, relying on their families and communities to care for them when they are old, to mourn together, to spread news and to watch over their children.  It is beautiful the way they support each other through life, sickness and even death. Many times we have driven to work and passed group after group of brightly-dressed walkers, making the long journey to a distant town to attend a burial of someone they may have never met.  Privacy is almost unheard of, but there is not much of a choice since most live in one or two room mudhomes.  And they are so welcoming; if you walk on their property they run after you to offer you food and a place to sit.  In North America, you are lucky if the home owner asks you politely to get off their lawn, but far more likely to be chased down by an old geezer with a cane ;)

       We have also had to adjust to the Ugandan definition of necessity.  For starters, they put a higher price on education, than they do on food.  Many families eat only one meager meal a day so that they can send their children to school.  They largely overlook the need for cleanliness and nutrition.  Some may say it is just a lack of knowledge and different priorities, but I have noticed it is more about their fear of change and new things.  Even when they learn about the importance of being clean and boiling their water, they seem apprehensive to alter their behaviours.  As well, clothing’s sole purpose is to do just that: clothe you.  It does not matter if it fits, or if it was intended to be worn by boy or a girl.  In fact it doesn’t even matter if it has curse words and naughty pictures, as long as it covers most of you.   And just like clothes, food is only meant to feed you.  The concept of “not liking” a food is almost unheard of; they like all food as long as it fills their bellies and does not make them sick.

       The two differences I have had the most trouble becoming accustomed to are the gender roles and the definitions of time.  For those of you who know me well, I am a strong-willed, direct and not-overly-dainty woman.  Let me tell you, none of these characteristics jive well with this culture J  Someone once told me that in North America we may have watches, but in Africa they have the time.  Ugandans are more concerned with building relationship than keeping a tight schedule.  In business and everyday life, it is imperative that you take the time to ask how someone’s day is before you ask them any questions.  As for gender roles, let’s just say that Uganda is still in the 1960’s, with the exception of legal polygamy.  Men marry younger women and when their first wife is getting too old for their liking, they marry another one.  If a husband dies, his widow(s) is disowned by her in-laws, and will rarely remarry because a new husband would reject her children.  Spousal abuse, although publicly frowned upon, is still widely prominent, with many men believing it is their right to physically reprimand their wives for insubordination.

       Over the last two months we have felt a strong shift in our perspectives on life and I’m excited for what the next four months holds for us.

~Melissa