Our bizarre life

While we were welcoming Karen and the kids (see below) Scott was
attending to two Members of Parliament, who were making a tour of
Western Uganda and had selected Nyahuka Health Center as one of their
stops. The Honorable Jane, who as Bundibugyo's MP has been a strong
advocate for us and for CSB over the years, accompanied the Honorable
Christopher, who represents Kasese now, though he was born locally,
and is the brother of the King of the Bakonjo. So in one of the
bizarre twists of our normal life, Scott found himself called upon to
tour them around and then make a speech. He's good at that kind of
spontaneous problem-presentation, narrowing down to a few concrete
points which the politicians might actually be able to address:
change the formula for health center funding from catchment area
(geography) to patient volume (population), which would then give NHC
75% to 80% of the level of funds given Bundibugyo hospital, instead of
5%. And streamline the district service commission, which Scott
boldly identified as an epicenter of corruption and inefficiency. In
response, he got to sit in the public meeting and hear the Honorable
Jane tell everyone that it was "a miracle Dr. Scott is even alive" in
reference to our ebola experiences, and commend him for his work in
Bundibugyo over the years. Politics, yes, but also I think God often
sends these encouragements out of the blue when we shake our heads at
our problems and wonder if we're in the right place.

I thought I had dodged the whole hooplah, but as I walked into my yard
from Karen's welcome party the official vehicle carrying the MP's
pulled in behind me. They had decided to pay a personal visit to our
home, so we sat and chatted some more about ensuring Melen received
Dr. Jonah's workman's compensation, while they drank cold sodas.
Scott gave everyone Kwejuna Project t-shirts, and even sent one for
President Museveni to whom they will report the findings of their
visit on Monday.

We can be dressing the wounds of a widow, feeding an orphan, and
greeting a parliamentarian, all in the same hour, all in the same
space. Bizarre.