Half-way
Dearest friends, I want you to know that I have completed half of my service here in Kampala. (well, half as determined by time spent here...) I am overwhelmed daily with the great love and compassion our God has shown to me as I have been learning and struggling and growing here! Not to mention, I am overwhelmed that he has managed to preserve my life through all of my antics and mishaps : )
As I have been commuting to work the last few days (because the kids started the new school term this week, the taxis have been overcrowded and the rows in the bus that are meant to hold three people, but usually hold four people, are now holding five people... It really encourages a sense of "family" and "togetherness" when you get to sit on your neighbors' lap for the thirty minute ride!) I have been reflecting on the things that I love so much about living here.
1. I love pineapples! Did you know that I can eat a whole pineapple, by myself? I can!
2. I love that the men that sell the pineapples out of the pickup truck in the taxi park recognize me and have the same conversation in Luganda every time I come by: "Hey, this mazungu knows Luganda." "this is the one that knows luganda?" "Yes, this one." "Hey you! (to me) YOu know luganda?" I respond with the typical ugandan responseof "I try." I found I can get a lot of mileage out of pretending that I understand everything, while straining to get one of the 50 or so words that I do know...
3. I love our clients, who are so appreciative of the care we provide. One of our homecare patients gifts us with groundnuts, or papaya, or whatever happens to be around when we visit her at home. A few of the homecare clients have started requesting that I pray for them before I offer it. One gentleman this past week said "You prayed that I would have an appetite, and now I do! Now pray that we will have food to eat." So we prayed (and also gave him food out of our supply.)
4. I love that my coworkers are passionate about the work they do. They frequently have ideas for improving our services, improving care, changing systems...as always, change is slow and painful but it is wonderful to be in an environment where small changes can make a difference. At our weekly CME meetings, we are discussing "quality improvement," how can we make the experience of coming to the clinic, when you are one client out of 120 that day, be faster and more pleasant??
5. I really love the bootleg movie collections that can be purchased from the street vendors for 5000 Ush (about 3.00$)...you can buy the Brad Pit collection, the Julia Roberts collection, or my personal favorite, The JLO collection (have YOU ever watched three JLO movies in a row??)
6. I love our MCC team here...no where else can you have a party based around the fact that someone has received cheese in the mail, and someone else has splurged on a can of pringles!
7. I love the afternoons after we have had rain all morning...the sun is bright, but the air is cool and clear of dust..the banana trees are washed clean and everything is so green.
8. I love all of you! Thank you for your prayers, support, packages, letters, calls... I look forward to the work that God has for me to do in the next six months.
Peace!
As I have been commuting to work the last few days (because the kids started the new school term this week, the taxis have been overcrowded and the rows in the bus that are meant to hold three people, but usually hold four people, are now holding five people... It really encourages a sense of "family" and "togetherness" when you get to sit on your neighbors' lap for the thirty minute ride!) I have been reflecting on the things that I love so much about living here.
1. I love pineapples! Did you know that I can eat a whole pineapple, by myself? I can!
2. I love that the men that sell the pineapples out of the pickup truck in the taxi park recognize me and have the same conversation in Luganda every time I come by: "Hey, this mazungu knows Luganda." "this is the one that knows luganda?" "Yes, this one." "Hey you! (to me) YOu know luganda?" I respond with the typical ugandan responseof "I try." I found I can get a lot of mileage out of pretending that I understand everything, while straining to get one of the 50 or so words that I do know...
3. I love our clients, who are so appreciative of the care we provide. One of our homecare patients gifts us with groundnuts, or papaya, or whatever happens to be around when we visit her at home. A few of the homecare clients have started requesting that I pray for them before I offer it. One gentleman this past week said "You prayed that I would have an appetite, and now I do! Now pray that we will have food to eat." So we prayed (and also gave him food out of our supply.)
4. I love that my coworkers are passionate about the work they do. They frequently have ideas for improving our services, improving care, changing systems...as always, change is slow and painful but it is wonderful to be in an environment where small changes can make a difference. At our weekly CME meetings, we are discussing "quality improvement," how can we make the experience of coming to the clinic, when you are one client out of 120 that day, be faster and more pleasant??
5. I really love the bootleg movie collections that can be purchased from the street vendors for 5000 Ush (about 3.00$)...you can buy the Brad Pit collection, the Julia Roberts collection, or my personal favorite, The JLO collection (have YOU ever watched three JLO movies in a row??)
6. I love our MCC team here...no where else can you have a party based around the fact that someone has received cheese in the mail, and someone else has splurged on a can of pringles!
7. I love the afternoons after we have had rain all morning...the sun is bright, but the air is cool and clear of dust..the banana trees are washed clean and everything is so green.
8. I love all of you! Thank you for your prayers, support, packages, letters, calls... I look forward to the work that God has for me to do in the next six months.
Peace!
posted by Christi-Lynn at 4:49 PM
1 Comments:
CL--I'm really glad I read this, since I worry that your work is mostly hardship and rarely joy and I'm glad for the rays of sunshine! Gann
Post a Comment
<< Home