Only one month to go...

It's absolutely insane to think that I've already spent two months in beautiful Uganda, and only have one month left. My mind has been running like a crazy lady thinking about what all needs to be accomplished in my remaining time here :) We had a meeting for the Shalom Nutritional Project project proposal on Sunday and I must say I am quite impressed at the work going on to get it ready. Dr. Betty, the doctor helping draft this proposal, is SUCH a bank of knowledge on this subject and I am so thankful to have her working with us as we figure out what exactly we're wanting to accomplish with this project. I'm not gonna lie, though, I about have a heart attack thinking about the fact that I am committing myself to something for at least 5 years (that's the extent of foresight we're giving the project right now), considering I can barely commit to a major in college haha.

By the way, if anyone has any SPARE JARS or cans I can have to distribute for change donations for the project, please let me know! These “A Penny and a Prayer” Jars will help to publicize the project in the homes they're in while also raising money. Also, if anyone is interested in donating their time or heading up their own fundraiser for this project, let me know as well. I have a cousin who is raising money to help support two children he sponsors at a school here in Uganda by baking pre-ordered cakes. (Did I mention he is like 9 years old?) Tanner loves cooking, so what better way to raise money than doing what he ABSOLUTELY loves? We can use the things YOU enjoy in life to help make a difference in the lives of these children suffering from malnutrition.

Now for an update on life as of late: Last Sunday ( a week ago) at church as I was leaving to take a bus back to Rapha, a young teenage girl gave me a card. I didn't read it right then (Praise the Lord), but as I was walking to the bus stop, I opened it up and took a look inside. This girl (her name's Maureen) wrote me a note in the card asking me to adopt her. I was in utter shock as I read what she had written in the card, and also in a separate letter as well. I had never seen Maureen before, so I didn't know anything of what her home life was like, except for the fact that she'd stated in the card that she lives with her brothers and sisters because she was orphaned by both parents. After the initial shock was over, I called her older brother to find out more about their home life situation. Turns out, both parents had died from AIDS because the father had contracted it from one of his other wives (polygamy is rampant here) and had given it to Maureen's mother. Right now, the family is surviving solely on the money being made by the two older brothers who Praise the Lord were able to finish a college education and get a degree. Maureen is the youngest in the family, and there are 3 other sisters in between her and the older brother I was conversing with on the phone. The brother was completely in shock and so apologetic when he found out about the letter, and he promised to talk with her about the issue. Apparently, when he approached her about it, she tried to cover up the truth by telling him all she wanted was a pen pal. I was semi-freaking out about what I should do about the situation, because I couldn't imagine the pain she was going through missing her parents but after much prayer I knew that my job wasn't to adopt her in any way. I was planning on speaking to her at church yesterday about maybe developing a friendship with her instead, but she was nowhere to be seen. Please continue to keep her and her family in your prayers. I really can't imagine what that situation must be like for them, but I believe that even in that heartache and pain that Christ is there.

The last week at Rapha has been quite uneventful. Monday was my birthday (i'm 20 now...so old ha!) and it was spent going to a community outreach in Lugaaga. We were there from like 10-2 PM because there were around 70 children who came to be immunized in that village. The rest of my birthday was spent relaxing and reflecting.

By the way, this whole past week we were out of both water and electricity at Rapha, so as one can expect I was seriously excited to come back to Kampala for the weekend to enjoy those luxuries only to learn we have no water here at my Kampala home either ugghhh. Instead, we're surviving on water brought to us in jerricans. It's such a disappointment when you turn on the faucet only to have no water come out of it haha, but this situation will definitely make me thankful and not take for granted those luxuries that I EXPECT to always have in America.

On Tuesday I was attacked by a red ant the size of me (okay well maybe I exaggerated a little bit). As I was walking to the school to help out in the nursery class, I walked through a huge trail of ants and one of them decided to take a bite out of my middle toe. Although it was quite painful, I was impressed at how much strength that ant had as it was hooked on to my toe for dear life and I was trying to pull it off. Praise God, it did draw blood but only a little bit. I did learn a lesson though, and that's to watch where I step because I may be greeted by more of those man-eating ants! Haha.

On Wednesday I woke up with a slight fever and slept the ENTIRE day. The hospital staff was worried I may have had malaria, so I had to get a blood test to check and see and it came up negative. I think by sleeping it off, I was able to fight whatever I was getting and by Thursday I felt completely fine. In the morning on Thursday I helped out with the clinic for the pregnant mothers in the morning and then headed to Kampala for the weekend.

Allrighty, well that's mostly all I have for now. Sorry I don't have any pictures this time; I completely failed at taking any this week :( Peace!