Too many friends?

Is it possible to have too many friends?  On a Saturday morning I can feel that way, even though it is supposed to be a day of catching up or a slower pace, a day to organize marketing and make a week’s worth of granola.  But today I wonder when the catching up will catch, because the day is already half over.  Here is the truth.  Before 8 a.m. I had been visited by:  one of my worker’s wives who has chronic abdominal pain issues; the mother of Kabasunguzi Grace, whom I stopped to greet at her home last week, so now she was coming to tell me Kabasunguzi’s problems; a baby with meningomyelocele whom I had sponsored for surgical care wanting to return for follow-up; a Christ School teacher with his sick child, now a bright little Kindergartener, whom I’ve been caring for since she was born; a former student bringing Luke a fancy “wishing you well on exams” card who stayed for breakfast.  By noon the visits included a nice long chat with Jonah about the depressing death rate on the Paediatric ward and corruption and work ethic and perseverance, a handful of team mates just being friendly or with some small issue or illness, a handicapped girl I sponsored long ago for a year at CSB who now was trying to start a soap business, Kabajungu Margaret reporting that she did not ever get to see the doctor last trip to Mulago and needed to go back Monday, another small friend needing condolence and lunch after the death of his grandfather meant he walked to Congo and back this week, another student whom I care for with a chronic medical problem and shoes that needed glue to hold back together.  Every single one of these visits came from someone I know and care about, someone with whom I have relationship, someone whom I am genuinely happy to see and talk to and where appropriate help (there were a few others in there I’m not mentioning, like a one month old with the entire back of his scalp eaten away by an aggressive skin infection), these were all friends whom I would WANT to feel comfortable coming to see me.    This is part of living in a community, of developing connection.  But this community is a jungle, a place where winters do not limit growth, where flowers turn into trees and vines can strangle a house, a place of life ever increasing.  After 14 years the complex web of relationship becomes ungainly, sometimes difficult to hold up.  I know Jesus’ answer: escape to the mountaintop for all night prayer, for early morning refreshment.  He was able to be present and genuine with his friends, not harried or hurried.  I long for that, to give my children and husband the love they need, to cook healthy meals and maintain some order in the house, while still attending to those who come to see me.  Saturdays I can either feel the amazing grace that we have so many friends, or feel desperate for amazing grace to speak kindly and listen attentively.  

Scott, times 3

Is the effect of each additional Scott on the team a linear increase, or exponential? Scott tripled, or Scott to the third power? What are the chances of having a team with 3 of 5 adult males currently named Scott? Or that the only other American male family practice doctor we know working in Uganda (Southwest) is also named Scott? And the real question is, if you are reading this and your name is Scott, why aren’t you here yet?

Midweek notes: on death, language, and change

We were shocked to receive a phone call this morning at the end of prayer meeting that Edith Adyeiri, the wife of Bagonza Wilson Apuuli and sister of Isingoma Edward, died suddenly, of bleeding while being taken to the hospital for emergency surgery. She was a young woman, I’m guessing late 30’s. Way back when, she taught at CSB just after it started, and then at St. Mary’s Simbia, while her husband Apuuli worked as an eye assistant in the WHM Eye Clinic. They took the brave and unusual step for a couple unable to have children of adopting an abandoned baby: their daughter Sandra. Edith and Apuuli have remained friends of many missionaries even after moving to Kampala years ago. Edith was a gentle, courageous, servant-hearted woman. I also found out this evening that my 88 year old Uncle Edwin died in Clarksburg, WVA, one of my dad’s remaining brothers. His health had been failing and he indicated he was ready for Heaven, but it still leaves the family in grief, and for my mom and others was a reminder of my dad’s death as they sat in the hospital with him over the weekend. Yesterday morning a child I had not treated before was carried onto the ward as we began to see patients, but when the parents unwrapped the blanket his mother began to wail. I quickly came over and confirmed that he was indeed dead, probably died on the way as he was being carried to the hospital from far away, too late. Nothing to do but to wrap up his body and mumble some words of sorrow to the father. These deaths catch us in our tracks, a reminder that this world is not as it should be, and at age 1, 38, or 88 . . . The wrongness of death still stabs.

Languages can also die, as poor and marginalized groups of people are dominated and assimilated. SIL missionaries and national co-workers have labored with us for more than a decade to codify Lubwisi, previously unwritten. Yes, the idea is to translate the Bible. But there are other effects as well. Lubwisi primers have been written and printed, to encourage reading in Lubwisi in schools. This week SIL has sent two people who are making recordings of Lubwisi songs, indigenous music. So today they set up microphones and a computer by the translation office (yes Pierces, in your yard . . . Take a deep breath when you see the pictures) to record traditional songs and dances associated with circumcision and celebration, as well as hymns from church, and even public health message type songs. The crowd could not be kept at bay in spite of our efforts, so that the recordings will have an authentic background of crying babies and whispering children, blustering guards and holiday-making hawkers. We watched a couple of groups perform, thankful for the SIL effort. It is hard to explain how important language is to group identity, and the validating effect of foreigners with equipment coming to specifically hear YOUR people.

I also biked out to another smaller health unit again today with Stephanie. The topic of the day: behaviour change. How do we as health workers in the community promote behaviours that promote life? She got the group into good discussion of beliefs, and the way that our beliefs determine our actions. I think with much of public health, it is key to realize that we the doctors and public health “experts” and they the mothers and fathers all want the same thing, we have the same goal, a healthy thriving child. If we can emphasize that and become partners then we can help people realize that certain behaviours which are harmful (cutting out baby teeth, for instance) will not bring the benefits they desire. Community level changes in belief and behaviour are time consuming, slow processes. I’m glad Stephanie is out there in the trenches! She does a great job with giving practical homework assignments so her health workers put their new ideas into immediate action. Our alliterative theme for the day: believe the benefit, bash the barriers, and begin today.

Meanwhile Pamela was in Bundibugyo teaching a select group of HIV positive mothers to be educators and promoters in their villages. Many other team mates were in the HIV clinic with us this morning, including JD taking some weights and Scott Will seeing a slew of patients when the normally assigned clinical officer did not show up. Ashley came up for a slurpee to distract her from her strep throat after missing the day of school. At CSB the candidates were prayed for at chapel, and I had my five boys (Luke, Richard in S4 and Basiime Godfrey in S6 whom we sponsor, and Luke’s two S4 friends on orphan scholarships from Fort Portal Kataramu and Nuuru) over for a final pre-exam dinner tonight, followed by frenetic speed UNO and yet another prayer for their sanity and health through the long month ahead. So from early prayer to late visitors, it was a full day of grief, friendship, dance, struggle, pushing back against harm and celebrating what is good.

Prayer Update

Dear Praying Friends, As usual, this plea comes with a sense of desperation, and a realization that I have failed to ask for the prayer that we know we need. Thankfully I do know that many people pray anyway! God put two verses on my heart this week: So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. (James 1:19-20) For my people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water. (Jer2:13) The connection is this: our God is a fountain, unpredictable, unquenchable, uncontrollable. I need to listen to Him and not use words, manipulation, anger, sheer force of will and effort to make this world work out the way I think it should, to take care of myself and my family and protect us, to fix the world into the form I prefer. This image of the water cistern is so vivid for us, because we have water tanks that are fed by a gravity flow system from a mountain stream. The Ngite is our source—powerful, sometimes destructive even, but never dry. We prefer the convenience though of a nice measurable amount of still water, horded, right by our house, under out control. But though I try to make sure I have enough, my shored up walls that are meant to contain the water sometimes leak and slowly are empty. This is a leaky time. There is a lot going on, and I want to patch the leaks and be sure the water is enough. I’ve been quick to anger over frustrating situations, and quick to tears. Please pray for us to instead turn to the Source in faith, real faith, the kind of faith that listens and trusts and does not despair. Here are some specifics: Malaria. Malaria kills more Africans than AIDS by far. The rains this year never let up. The mosquitoes are abundant. The pediatric ward’s 25 beds are full and overflowing, 38 inpatients when I left yesterday, many mats on the floor, a number with very high malaria parasite counts and severe anemia. As soon as I got home I got a call from Amina, the secretary of Christ School, to come and get her, I’ve been treating her for malaria for the last two days and she felt worse. While she was lying on my couch trying to keep some popcorn and soda down, Pat arrived with Pauline, one of the three agriculture/veterinary extension workers hired by our nutrition program, looking extremely ill, shaking with chills and fever. She also had malaria, a bad case, made worse by the fact that she grew up in a less endemic area of Uganda, and by the fact that her initial blood smear a week ago was negative so it has been building for days. Amy, Savannah, and I have all had it in the last month too, though for years our team was almost never affected. Pray for relief, for good treatment, for adequate supplies of medicine and blood. Pray for our health center staff to have patience and stamina with their hard work load. Pray for Pauline, Amina, and others to recover. Kwejuna. Just when it seemed this project was going to wrap up and be fully in the hands of the district . . . The Elizabeth Glaser Foundation asked Scott to write a new grant to expand services on the ARV Treatment side of things over the next two years. He’s spent hours and hours this week on a formulating a budget and new proposal. Meanwhile Pamela, and Pat, are helping host two major training seminars for staff this month and one next month. New families are diagnosed every week, children start on life-extending treatments, Stephanie labors to get them nutritionally boosted to improve their immunity, we facilitate support groups and people hear the gospel. Good stuff, a lot of work, we all need prayer. Christ School. The Pierces are faithfully presenting the vision of the school and the needs in America this Fall, and we have a proposal in to a potential donor for serious funding. But the school continues to run at a deficit, trying to stay affordable to the poor. As the school year draws to a close, pray for adequate funds to pay teachers and feed students. And do pray for the major exam period. O-level students (Senior 4), including Luke, sit for about twenty half-day exam papers from mid October to mid November. Then A level students (senior six) take their finals, about a dozen half-day papers, in the second half of November to early December. We have students in both groups. A CSB teacher has again been selected by the district to monitor and coordinate exams for all participating test centers. Pray for fairness, protection from corruption, and for the students to do their best. CHURCH. Rick had an invitation last week to train lay leaders in the major protestant denomination (Anglican) here, the Church of Uganda. He’s thankful for the open door, and the building trust. Please keep praying for authentic indigenous worship. SIL is sending two people next week to record Lubwisi music. A church in Bundibugyo town just launched a singing group. Pray for the Spirit to move creatively and passionately here! TEAM. Ashley and Sarah are already so much a part of team life it feels like they’ve been here a year instead of a month! Praise God that Scott Will, a Physician Assistant who interned here before, arrived this week for another two months. He’s an example of God responding in His own way to issue number 1—we need the help!! And he was a specific answer to prayer for a room mate for Scott Ickes, left alone after the departure of summer interns. Another PA named Rachel Locker will also join us for a 3 week internship in October. Meanwhile the Pierces could use prayer for resolution of nagging health issues and God’s provision for the school in order to get them back here to Uganda soon. And the biggest news of the week: the WHM board approved Sudan as a new field and the Massos as the team leaders. The Masso family is in the US for at least a few months, and will be staging their entry to Sudan after they return to Bundibugyo in 2008. We trust God the powerful fountain who has chosen to use our team to launch this new field, but I confess I’d rather hew as cistern right here and keep the Massos (and others who are pursuing joining them) close by. God’s moving here is bittersweet, and our joy in seeing Him make this happen is mixed with grief over the personal losses to our community. So prayer for us to have faith and perseverance in the midst of transition will be an ongoing theme for the next year, perhaps forever! Leadership. Would you please pray specifically for me, and for Scott, to be leaders who listen to the Lord and to our team mates, who speak slowly and with grace, who wait for God’s work to produce the “setting this world to rights” actions that we long to see. Thanks for your partnership in prayer. With gratefulness, for the whole team, Jennifer

Redwall in the Rain

Julia’s Bday was a Redwall Abby feast, based on a serises of books our kids love by Brian Jaques.  Our game team members willingly entering into the imaginary world of the medieval abbey populated by animals, entertained by riddles, quests, poetry and most importantly the FEAST.  Scott and Pat made large Bundibugyo batches of “spicy hot root soup” (a specialty of the otters, I’m told) to go with Scotticus’ scones, and Wendy even went on line to find a recipe for “pasties”.  Sweet meadow cream was provided by our cow in the form of two large batches of ice cream.  Joe and Ivan even wrote special original poems, and Jack spent hours drawing about 20 pictures of various Redwall characters for putting on people’s backs so they could guess who they were.  Ashley spent most of the day helping with the kids.  In short it was a whole-team effort to celebrate with Julia.  And I needed it, because when the spectacular sun dimmed and then an ominous storm blew in, swirling shades of gray clouds and driving rain which persisted in a depressing drizzle, it was pretty chaotic.  We had 37 people hanging out, which is really only possible in our life if the party is mainly outdoors.  It was probably a pretty unusual 11 year old  birthday mix of adults and kids from 7 countries . . . It happened to be the day that a plane of visitors came from MAF to tour our mission and spend the night, and we’ve recently had a young German international exchange student joining us for some team events (he was assigned to a local family, which has been challenging for him to say the least), plus a half dozen or so Bundibugyo friends Julia wanted to invite.  Julia enjoyed herself and sensed our love, which I can now put into perspective were the essential elements of the evening, in spite of my discouragement over the rain.  I suppose it rained on festivals in medieval times too, and they probably had a much less entitled and demanding expectation of God’s favors than I do.

Julia, our 11 year old Jewel!

Here she is, the birthday girl, adorned in the contents of a package from Grammy! Thanks! She is truly a precious jewel, God’s good gift.

Slow to Anger

My verse of the week, maybe of the year: be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath (James 1:19). How? By leaning on the righteousness of God at work in this world, not having to fix it myself. Here are some glimpses of a few things set right. Makuni went home today. He was hospitalized for two months, and slowly but surely a little boy emerged from the swollen scabby pile of pitifulness that I found sitting on his dad’s lap on the floor the first day. He smiled at the piece of candy he unwrapped and bounced his green ball from Pamela while we sorted out his TB therapy and vitamins and supplemental milk for going back to Congo (see the before and after pictures above). Here is another: Kabajungu Margaret after 8 courses of chemotherapy, wholesome and smiling, and we hope cancer-free (yet to be seen). And yet one more: Asta, a baby with malaria parasites too numerous to count, nearly dead from anemia, her articulate father pressing me to do something and my heart plunging towards wrath at the whole tottering medical system (both Nyahuka and Bundibugyo Blood Banks empty, and the man in Fort Portal telling me he could not send any for two days). Then we broke Uganda government policy and collected blood from her mother and transfused her. Today she is much better. Little steps towards putting the world right. I’m grateful for the resources (milk, transport money, malaria medicine, the blood typing and anticoagulant bag) all made possible by sacrificial giving. Thankful that many others are swift to listen to the needs of children in Africa, and swift to respond. But I need prayer, feeling the edginess of grief so close to the surface, feeling the wrath rising up so quickly, these small battles turning on so slim a margin. Prayer to be a listener and a lover.

Who's Who?

Ever confused by the myriad members of the Bundibugyo Team?
Check out the link on the right hand sidebar to a link to a FlickR set showing the entire Bundibugyo Team roster. Watch the slideshow and sort it out...

Graduation?

Last night we attended the “candidates’ dinner”, a last celebration for the Senior Four (O level) and Senior Six (A level) students who are about to enter into their season of exams.  Since the students have some electives, not all take the same exams, so the finish will be staggered and anti-climactic, hence the “graduation” type meal PRIOR to the beginning of exams.  The students themselves set up the assembly area with desks as tables in a long oblong, a curtain draping the background, some tinsel and balloon remnants of Parents’ Day.  It was dusk, when the shabbiness of reality fades into the romance of candlelight.  Many of the girls were wearing dresses that could have graced a formal dance, garnered from the used clothes piles at the market.  Numerous speeches were interspersed with musical numbers that showcased the fact that hip-hop music videos have penetrated even this sheltered backwater.  In short, it was something like an event anywhere for teenagers who are exploring their way out into the world.  

Scott was expected to come as Chairman of the Board, and Luke as an S4 student.  But I was surprised and pleased to get a very elaborately worded invitation addressed to me as a special guest, signed by two of the boys we have sponsored (one in S4 and one in S6), so we took the bold family step of leaving Caleb home alone in charge of dinner and a video for Julia and Jack.  They were fine, and I was thankful to see this little slice of culture, nostalgic too, that this could be as close as my own son gets to a high school graduation event.  Luke is under the weather with a viral sort of rashy illness but came under duress, once again too young and too different to really fit in as a peer with his class.  Sigh.

The teachers exhorted the students with numerous analogies and Bible verses, emphasizing that they were ready, that they could focus and succeed.  I have come to care about some of these kids a lot, as Luke’s friends, as girls who were in my cell group for years, as boys whom we have known since they were skinny little 8 year olds.  Christ School has given them the best boost for life that is available here.  Will it be enough?  My maternal heart flutters at the thought of all they face, not just exams, but the struggle which continues as they overcome their disadvantaged backgrounds.  But last night in the warm glow of candles and lanterns, their own optimism was infectious, and I had hope.

Links and Racing

Just to remind you that we have links on the side bar to team mates’ blogs.  The James passage I wrote about in my last post includes the image of the crown, which is the laurel wreath rewarding the race finisher. This image carries more meaning for us since Scott Ickes began the cross country team!  The kids ran their hearts out and legs off for Parents’ Day yesterday, but some stumbled near the finish because our “track” us just the rutted grass around the playing field at school.  He’s trying to raise money to level it out and put in a simple gravel/marrum track (another Biblical image, make straight the highway . . .).  See his post if you’re interested.  Annelise writes in hers this weekend about number fatigue, the tension we feel when confronted with too many needy people and question the value of helping even one.  Bethany has a thought provoking piece on change and death and the longing for constancy.  Pamela’s down-loadable prayer letter gives a good overview of the summer, and she writes on the nutrition blog about Makuni’s first smile.  Kim has posted pictures of Juba, the new capital of Southern Sudan.  JD and Ashley both describe some of the less appreciated nature found around our homes.  Last but not least, Scott uploaded a new family picture from our team retreat in Jinja, at the bottom.  It’s a long way to scroll down but worth it if you want to see how much TALLER Luke is than I!!