Dry season

Oh that magical time of year in Soroti when it is really, truly dry season. When the hot winds blow constantly making one feel like they are in an oven. When the dusk is so thick in the air that the sun seems to rise 20 minutes later that usual and you can always blow brown out of your nose. When eggs left in a vehicle for an hour come out fully cooked (true story).  When you can break into a sweat just putting on clothes. When plants all turn brown and die overnight. When one takes a cool shower minutes before going to bed at night and still is able to soak the sheets in sweat within an hour. When you can't seem to get enough to drink and every drop of water is precious. That point was made more poignant this week when the city turned the water off for some unknown reason and some unknown length of time. Unfortunately, I learned of this only after my storage tank was already empty. There are several more people living in my compound than in the past and between their excess laundry and several other factors, I have been going through much more water than usual. Unfortunately, this is going to make things challenging for a bit.
I have a workman here doing a bit of repair work around the house and he needed water to mix plaster. We spent about an hour trying to get a jerri can filled and finally just ended up getting some from Daniel and Rachel who also have a storage tank. A few hours later the city water did come on a trickle. It wasn't enough pressure to put any in the storage tank but I did fill a few cans and at least I got a basin bath. I can't complain though. My neighbors will struggle far worse than me.

Ajiko Sarah

I know many of you prayed regularly for Sarah and her son, born just  few days before I left on furlough. I'm sorry for the delay in updating you.  Both Sarah and Steven are doing great. It took him three months but Steven finally falls at a normal place on the growth curve. He looks huge when his mother holds him but he is actually just a little under weight for his age. However, he is healthy and showing no signs of having any of the problems of his mother's disease. Thanks everyone for praying!!

Introvert

 Wow, this one hit the nail on the head for me! I could have written exactly this (that is, if I was as good a writer as she is).  I think I'm getting more and more introverted as I get older. 

Surviving the Extrovert Mission Field

I couldn't decide which of these pictures I liked the most so I put all three: Funny- 

True- 

Helpful-

Family!!

Hung out with family members this past weekend. Seems funny to write that as I'm still in Uganda. But they live here now!!! I just got back from Jinja (the city they live, about 5 hours from Soroti) and still need to unpack my truck and get ready for the week but it was wonderful hanging out with them. I'm afraid I'm going to be spending a bit more time in Jinja than I have in the past....
On the up side I found a great mechanic there and he made a whole new vehicle out of my truck. It is running better than in has in a while.

You can read Benji and Christina's blog until I have something more interesting to write about. Kragt Family Journey

Just need a stupid bank account....

Here is a peek at my day yesterday. You would think by now I'd be more used to the ridiculousness of bureaucracy here but it still gets under my skin really quickly.  I just need to open two bank accounts. Now, I know I'm a foreigner but I went with all sorts of documents that show that I work here, pay rent and bills regularly, that I have the permits to be here, etc... I went to the bank Tuesday afternoon, got in line and waited to see the manager. 35 minutes later I'm informed that, actually, the person I need to see for a foreign currency account wasn't there and that he will surely be back Wednesday. I went back Thursday and waited a few minutes but quickly discovered there were 16 people (not exaggerating) in line ahead of me and in the 10 minutes I waited the line only got longer, not shorter. So I left. 8:30 sharp (the time they are supposed to open) Friday morning found me waiting outside the bank. Lets just say they didn't really open on time. But I was the first one in line to see the manager. I explained that I would like to open two accounts, a dollar account and a shilling account. He said fine, asked to see some ID. I gave him my CLIDE badge and we made small talk about the consultancy. He knew several of my co-workers so we talked about a recent wedding and other things. Then he asked to see another piece of ID. I gave him my MI drivers license. He immediately found a problem. My license reads Jennifer Jane Kragt and the CLIDE one reads Jennifer Kragt. He didn't like that one "had another name". I explained how middle names in the States work and how no one calls me Jane so it isn't on the CLIDE card. He asked to see another form of ID. I showed him my birth certificate but that one doesn't have a picture so he didn't like it.  He really wanted another Ugandan issued ID but I don't have anything else. We settled on my passport but he really wasn't happy. He asked to see my papers that I used to get a work permit (in lieu of a letter of introduction from CLIDE) and at first he was fine but then he decided that because he had put Jennifer Jane on all of his papers my letters had to have that name too. So I have to go get a new letter of introduction from my boss that says that I work for CLIDE (which you would think both my ID card and work permit make pretty clear) and make sure it says Jane on it somewhere. He explained to me that I also need to get a letter of permission (?!?!) from the Local Council Chairman (LC1) and bring that with me to the bank when I get back. As it was nearly 11 am by this time (it had taken him forever to find the right papers, get the instructions from someone above him and do whatever else he was doing while I was sitting waiting at his desk. I should mention here the one of the things which made it take longer was that on the first paper he gave me to sign I signed Jennifer Jane Kragt. The same on the second. When he got to the third and fourth signatures I just scribbled J. Kragt. My mistake. He had to fill those two out again and have me sign CORRECTLY.  Also, because he left me sitting so long, (his mistake!), I had a chance to read a few of the things I was signing. I discovered that the account I was opening was going to cost 10,000 UGX per month. I challenged him in this and he insisted it wouldn't be nearly that much. I countered with maybe it shouldn't say it on the paperwork if it wasn't true. I had also read that I could only open the shillings account with less than 600,000 UGX of and no minimum balance had to be maintained. Both of which contradicted what I had been told earlier. Mr. Manager obviously didn't know what was on the papers and told me to not worry about it.) I just packed it up and headed out. I met with Dr. Moses and asked for the letter by Monday which he said was not problem. Then I called my landlord to see if he would "introduce" me to the LC1 so I could get a letter from him. My landlord is out of town on business and it was unclear when he was getting back so I decided that even though it isn't really cultural I was just going to find him myself. So some of my neighbors gave me directions and I finally found him in a local bar already drunk. (Still before noon.)

He wrote me an almost completely illegible letter which I made sure contained the name Jennifer Jane. This took some cajoling and a hefty fee. But he was willing to give me a receipt (of which I had to provide and fill out but he signed) so I guess I got what I needed. If it only takes me an hour on Monday (which I doubt, but am trying to be hopeful) I'll already have six hours invested in this project. All of this for the bank to give me the privileged of them keeping my money for me. It isn't even like I'm doing it for any interest because Ugandan banks don't do anything strange like that.
2/9/16- Well, went back today with all the necessary letters (after waiting another hour for CLIDE to write theirs) and signed more papers and waited some more and had more asinine conversations with the accounts guy and after being there practically all morning (3 hours, I think) I was finally told I could go. I asked if I could have copies of any of the papers I had signed or at least some form on proof that I have accounts there and possibly the account numbers or anything, They told me it would take "some more time" before I could have anything like that. So, I left empty handed. But possibly I am about to have a bank account?
2/10/16- Stopped by in the morning today and asked for the papers about my account. Told it was not ready so I just left without waiting. After 6pm I got a call from the bank that now they were closed but they had to have a copy of my passport to process the accounts, so even though I took my passport with me both of the first two times I'll be going back again with it tomorrow.

Back in Karamoja

I skipped right over my last trip to Karamoja because it was really short and I was overwhelmed with stuff to do to get down to western Uganda to join the team. But I did spend a little time up in Lormoruchbae.

They are building again, in a new location. It is quite far from the "road" so they are hoping UWA won't be bothered to come hassle them. The land is good and there are even a few shade trees so I'm excited about it. I'll begin building mine eventually. I also want to get  couple of fruit trees up there and get a little garden started on my next trip up. 

These last three pictures are the new "church" in Lormoruchbae that they build while I was gone. I have not experienced a worship service in it but am excited that they did this of their own initiation. 

More pictures of the trip to western uganda

I promised a few more pictures and here are some I like, blatantly stolen from my friend's fb pages. 

Batwa ladies

This little guy's family wanted us to "fix" him. We did a bit of education and a lot of encouragement here. 

 A lot more encouragement and a lot of prayer because there was little else we could do. 

Also played with kids. 

The first day in Kisoro, before the team arrived I tagged along with Dr. Daniel to check on his rabbit program. It is fun to see a thriving, successful project.

Because it was raining the day we did this a few people invited us to sit inside their tiny houses. Here is a looks at the bed in their only bedroom. 

It was a refreshing week with like minded people in a much cooler climate than Soroti. But time now to get back to work....

Western Uganda

It seems like I've fallen off the face of the planet for a bit! Well, I've gotten close to falling off the edge this past week but I haven't actually. I few of the roads and paths we were on were extremely treacherous and I didn't take time to stop and take pictures. But these give a glimpse.

 I was mostly doing the work I can be found doing in Soroti but last week I was doing it in a different region with a different group of people. There was a short term team from my sending organization (Fuel Uganda) that I went down and joined. I was on a medical team that went out into the mountains trying to reach people who wouldn't have otherwise gotten medical care. They were some of the most physically strenuous days I've had in a while. We were at significant elevation and carried all of our meds and supplies with us. I just pray that we were able to communicate God's love in a helpful way to people.

Here are just a few of the pictures I took. Maybe tomorrow I'll put a few up that the team took. 

spontaneous clinic on the top of a mountain followed by a gospel presentation

talking with a patient

Translators, evangelists and porters

One of the many paths we were on. 

On going....

Well, this is day 100 of not having a working stove, fridge or truck. Not really, but it feels like it. (I've barely been back in Soroti two weeks so it can only be 14 days tops.)  The truck is STILL in the mechanic and STILL leaking fuel. I was planning on heading to Karamoja tomorrow so that is out. I would really like to get that fixed without a trip to Kampala though it isn't looking hopeful. I caved and bought a new fridge and stove. I just can't keep trying to get them running again. I have to embrace the fact that no one in this town can or will come do it.
On the up side though of all of these challenges I've lost 5 pounds so maybe not eating and riding my bike everywhere is a strategy I should keep up. The fridge and stove I bought were supposed to arrive in Soroti today but no dice. So I own new appliance  but they aren't doing me much good yet.  Maybe tomorrow.
And my bike. I mentioned I'm riding everywhere because of the lack of truck which I actually enjoy. Or would be enjoying if the watchman didn't use it the whole time I was gone and break both the rear and front derailleurs because he's never used a bike with gears before. In "fixing" it he somehow took apart the drive train and forced the chain to stay on only one gear. Which completely deletes the purpose of a bike that can shift. I took it past the bike shop today and they say for 1 million they can fix it. No thanks. I'll keep riding as a fixed gear.
So I'm having trouble doing much ministry because I can't get out to the villages and I'm not wasting time with my favorite hobby of cooking. What am I doing with my time?
Well, I did pack hundreds of birth kits with the help of Joyce, Janet, Betty and Vicky. The TBS will be pleased to be restocked when I can finally make it back up to Karamoja.

 I also played "Slides and Ladders" with a bunch of kids after church on Sunday. They had never played anything like it before and really enjoyed it. 

Well, my to-do list isn't getting any shorter. Started off taking my truck to the mechanic this morning. This has been quite a complicated process. The first mechanic, John, who got my truck running from Soroti, isn't my usual guy but he is trustworthy and a good driver. When he got the truck to Kampala he told me of the repairs he had already done and added that I have a hydraulic (transmission) fluid leak and a power steering fluid leak and I needed new gaskets. But he had topped off the fluids, it was alright to drive it as it was, he could order the parts to Soroti and do the work from there. Fine. So we headed back to Soroti. His parting words were he would order the parts and call me when they came in- two days tops. Well, two days passed. I started calling him. His phone was off. Every time I called.  I'm trying to get ready to head to Karamoja so yesterday I decided to go back to my regular guy- Emburuk. I explained what John had said, that he had possibly ordered the parts and would he do the work?  Fine. But after looking over the engine, even putting it over the pit, he said he didn't see any leaks. I pointed out the general place the first mechanic had showed me.  Emburuk just grunted, went over and turned the truck and it became very obvious that I have a diesel leak. Not transmission or steering. A fuel injector.
Well, that can't be fixed in Soroti. I have to take the truck back to Kampala. Sounds like Karamoja is out as I don't really want to wander around the countryside leaking anything.
While still processing that and waiting for the guys to clear out the three other vehicles that parked me in, I walked over to the fridge repair guys's shop to see if he was around. I've called him three days in a row and three days he told me he would meet me at my house "later" but he had not once shown up. Well, he was there. I rather flippantly asked if he was ever going to come. His answer? "Someday." I told him I would be happier if he had just told me on the phone he wasn't able to come. He apologized and told me he would call me when he "became free." (meaning available). I also walked over to the "junk yard" asking if they had old hot water heaters. It is a bad sign that I needed to describe to several men what exactly a hot water heater was. I'm hoping to take the insulation off of an old one to use on my over. Same heat rating and flame retardant. Anyway, might be a useless thought but the guys told me they would look and call me if they found something.
So, there it is. I had the truck, the fridges and the oven on my to-do list today. I just added showering and a nap to the list to make sure I at least have two things to cross off at the end of the day.

A new challange

Oh Betty...... Betty finally found me. I'd been looking for her since I got back to Soroti without success. Every time I went to her house or went to find here where she supposedly was I got a different story. "She is with friends." "She went into town." "She just left." Etc...
Today she arrived at the house with a few others. This is actually a red flag because I know if she has brought people with her it means she thinks I'll go easy on her. Turns out she failed S1. Not just tested poorly, but straight up did not pass in December. I was headed out the door when she arrived so we only talked briefly and we had her spectators so I said she needed to come back tomorrow and we will discuss more in depth. Her parting comment was that now I'll have to put her in a different school. Whoa! I know she hates the school I picked for her because it is an all girls school, run by catholic nuns, in a tiny town, far from Soroti, that has practically nothing else in it beside her school. It is for these very reasons that I picked it. She needs that structure and no boys (mostly the no boys) in order to focus.  It is also in Karamoja where I spend quite a bit of time so it is easy to check up on her. But she doesn't like Karamoja.  I've known for the past two terms that she has wanted to change and go to Mbale (just a far away but a big city with lots of "diversions".) I've said that as long as I'm paying for school, I get to choose.
As I was pulling out of the driveway I said that I'm not changing schools, she will just repeat S1.  She said she wasn't going back to that school.

So that is where we are at. She is 16 + years old. I'm not going to force her to go to school. She has a choice. But as she did so poorly I'm wondering if I shouldn't pay for another year. To what ends?  And what do I do with her attitude?  I'm open to suggestions. Also, asking for you to pray for us before I see her again tomorrow and we "discuss more in depth."  You might want to pray for her salvation because she might be meeting Jesus tomorrow.....

Back to Africa

Have I been back two weeks already?? Did I actually leave at all or was that just a vivid dream?  It feels so weird being right back into the routine.
I stopped over a few days in Kampala before heading out to Soroti because my good friend Ronnie waited for me to come back to have her baby. :-)

I didn't spend as much time with them at the hospital as I would have liked but I spent lots of  hours with their older two kids.
It also proved more of a challenge than I expected to get my truck to Kampala. I had left it in Soroti for the duration of my furlough and there are plenty of drivers who could be hired to bring it up but it was having several mechanical problems and then I discovered that no one wanted to travel around the holiday (which here is a full week).  Anyway, finally got it worked out and on Jan 2nd began the trek back to Soroti. The house was pretty dusty but overall not bad. I got sheets out of storage and decided I just needed to sit down for a few minutes. I thought I was mostly over the jet lag but after driving all those hours, well, I woke up from my rest six hours later. Hadn't yet even unpacked the truck. Discovered that neither of the fridges in the kitchen were working. (I have two at the moment because in the weeks leading up to departure my regular fridge sprung a Freon leak.  This is a complicated problem to fix in Soroti. But finally, after at least six different visits from the repair man, and several things ordered from Kampala, including a freon tank, it was working again. In the mean time I had borrowed a small one from friends. Had not yet returned it before I left as they didn't need it anyway. So now I have two fridges and neither of them work). I had a strange mishmash of foods for midnight dinner, finished airing out the house, unloaded the truck, pulled a few clothes and other things out of storage and headed back to bed. Was woken in the morning by kids banging on my gate. It was Ken and Janet asking for money. I'd been back in Soroti roughly twelve hours and it was already beginning again.
Headed out to church where I was overwhelmed by the dust, heat and noise. After that headed into town to get some groceries and discovered the ATM wasn't giving any money. So back to the house and tried to make dinner with what I had, when I discovered after I hooked the gas back up and turned the oven on it smelled overwhelmingly like burning rat. Turned that back off and discovered a large mouse house between it and the wall. Once it cooled down I opened the back panels and found two more nests. Full of now cooked baby mice. Welcome back to Soroti.
Anyway, here it is thursday and I've talked to the fridge repairman several time but he has not yet showed up. I've cleaned the oven and removed all the rotten insulation. I can still use it but am finding that it doesn't heat nearly as well, which isn't actually that big a problem as I don't really have any food to cook anyway.  I'm trying to find something in Soroti that I can re-insulate it with but it seems like I'll have to get something in Kampal next time I go back there. I've brought the truck back to the mechanic and he has ordered parts to hopefully by next week it will be back to normal.
In much more positive news I've re-acquired all my pets. Mbwa (the dog) seems very happy to be back. The cat has eaten at least six mice, probably more as I've heard lots of running and slamming into things at night.

My little duck has finally decided to hatch some eggs. She is sitting on a nest of seven and though the transition from one home to another was a little tricky I think we managed. Also, I've added a new male bunny and he and my female hit it off. Little ducklings in 20 days and more little bunnies in 31 days?!

Anyway, the next few weeks are going to be busy. The VHTs have already called asking for medications so I am planning a trip up very shortly. But I've learned that CLIDE is having their quarterly meeting next week so that may throw a wrench in my plans. I'm in a rush because I'm headed down to western Uganda (three days of travel) to meet a team coming from NC. I'm looking forward to it but I'd managed to forget how long it takes to do anything here.
So, thats the low-down. Probably a bunch of information you didn't really need but I'm just trying to get back into the swing of things.

Flying tomorrow...

Well, the bags are all packed and weighted and repacked and reweighed with the slightly less necessary stuff taken out. I've added two more currencies to my wallet and replaced my driver's license with my passport. And I'm more emotional than I think I've ever been before. Have I said lately how much I hate goodbyes?  Well, I do. It is hard to think my littlest niece will be telling stories and dancing before I hug her again.

Ellie and Amelia

 I love my family and hate being so far away. There is wonderful peace though in knowing that we will all spend eternity together and from the perspective of heaven this life will seem so short.



I'll post again two continents, eight time zones and 100 degrees from now.

Team

Team Beyond

We technically aren't a team anymore. But, really, who gets to decide that?  We still work together, support each other and spend free time together. We have the work in Uganda in common. I say we are still a team. We should all be back on the field in a few months.

Blessed be the name of the Lord

30 days until I fly.... seems way too short. I've started packing because I know I'll have overweight bags and I know I need to be strategic about what to bring but mostly I'm packing already because I know it keeps me from being in denial about heading back. I'm not ready. I wish I felt excited about going back to Uganda. But the truth is I don't. I keep telling myself it isn't about the feeling. I know in my head that it is the right thing to do but it would be easier if my heart wanted it. Those last few months were hard, frustrating, lonely .... I spent a lot of time with very sick patients, or in bed, sick myself, or up in Karamoja alone and tired, or discontented with things that were going on, or extremely frustrated with IT or grieving with teammates.

Someone asked me what I miss the most when I'm in Uganda and I don't even know how to succinctly express it. Here I play volleyball once a week with friends and love it. I'm leading a bible study in a drug rehab facility and am feeling extremely challenged but not overwhelmed, unlike some of the ministry in Lormoruchbae which feels like far more than I can handle. I'm part of another bible study which flows naturally and we don't struggle with cross cultural understanding, language barriers or illiteracy. It feels so comforting. I watch stupid movies with my brothers. I run with my sister-in-law several times a week. I've logged more than 70 miles in the last two months. I can't run like that in Soroti and certainly not in Karamoja! And most of all, I spend hours playing with my nieces and nephew. I love to be around to baby-sit, go sledding, play in the sand box (those last three things even somehow all happened on the same day) read books, go on treasure hunts.

This, by the way, is not the niece I took sledding. 

So when I think of heading back and leaving all of this stuff I get nauseated. I've been praying about it. Asking God to give me back the joy. The excitement. The desire to serve Him in Uganda. I was asking for a word of encouragement that really re-ignited me. He did give me one that really spoke to me but not at all what I was thinking. Matthew 26:36-44.  About grief and loss and suffering and living authentically. Jesus said: I don't want this thing that is about to happen! Is there some other way?  But then he submitted. He fell down on his face and said not my will but yours be done. 

I know without hesitation that the work God has for me in Karamoja is not finished. He has not released me from this calling. My head says, Lord, not my will but yours be done. But my heart doesn't like it. 

Thanksgiving, we sang Blessed Be You Name. ...though there is pain in the offering, ...my heart will choose to say, blessed be your name. (I highly recommend listening to it.) 

So that is it. That is where I'm at right now. Painful but choosing to give this offering. 

Costumes

Isn't this the cutest tiny nurse you've ever seen?!

Faster than a speeding bullet, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound! 

It is possible I had more fun than they did. 

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