July Snapshots

Whoa.  July has zipped along!  It has been a fast and full month.  I've been teaching (and loving it) the books of Hebrews and 1 Timothy, and trying to step up my assistance with technology at the school.  (Regarding the latter, I've been updating the BBUC website -- take a look:  bbuc.ucu.ac.ug)  The older three kids are nearly through their second term at their school Aine'Mbabazi (exams around the corner).  Julia continues to astound and amuse with her rapid intellectual and physical growth.  Leslie continues to shape our house into a home in spite of frequent power outs and almost an entire month without running water -- in the dry season!

Dry Kabale Town

The dry season is not quite what we expected.  I, at least, envisioned hot days and nights with searing dusty winds blowing across the hills.  I got the dusty part right!  The roads and paths swirl with dust raised by tramping feet, blowing winds, and various kinds of traffic.  People frequently get sick during this time because of breathing in the dust.  White shirts are not advised (although somehow the Ugandans still walk across town and sit in church and school with shoes, clothes, and faces looking clean and bright!  How do they do it?!), and shoes end up with a reddish-brown hue regardless of the color they had when you first stepped off the porch.

The mornings and nights, however, are quite cool, and sometimes even cold!  The sun is intense from late morning through early evening, but the breezes are still cool, and shade or cloud cover is quite comfortable. The beauty of Kabale continues to encourage us.

One jerry can of water weighs about 40lbs.
Protase carries two at a time.

Access to water is definitely a problem in this season.  The absence of rain coupled with regular power outs (power is required for pumping water to the town and up our hill) and frequent problems with water pipes results in a serious water shortage for the whole community.  We ourselves have been without running water for almost a month, and our rain collector has been dry for weeks.  This means our worker and friend Protase joins the stream of people trudging up and down the hill with heavy jerry cans of water.  I can't even begin to estimate how many gallons of water he has hauled for us.  Oy!  We would be in dire straights without him.  And inside the house it means carrying bowls and buckets of water to the kitchen and bathroom for cleaning dishes and bodies and for flushing toilets.

Here are a few snapshots of some of the ways we've spent our time this July (remember you can click on them to see a larger version):

Our neighbour and head of security for BBUC, Benon, married, and I had the honour of being the chauffeur for the bridesmaids.  I loved the stark contrast of their fancy dresses and shoes against the backdrop of Kabale buildings and roads. The wedding itself was very much in the western (Anglican) tradition. The "Give Away," which happens the day before, preserves much more of the tribal culture, and is wonderfully joyful.

July is a celebratory month!  Micah (one of our teammates) had his birthday on July 2, America had her birthday on July 4, Jesse had his birthday on July 10, and we had our anniversary on July 11. The 4th of July was a fun time -- there was something special about remembering the history of our home country while being so far away.  In addition to hamburgers and attempts at fireworks, we also spent time singing, reviewing our constitution and the founding values of our nation, and re-learning how to play baseball!

Jesse turned 11 this year! This guy is growing in humour, intelligence, strength, and good looks. To celebrate, Jesse, Dr. Aaron, Micah and I spent a night on a local island called Bushara. We explored the island, stayed up late watching Legend of the Guardians, canoed out to Punishment Island, swung on rope swings and dropped into the (very) cold lake, and had a devotional and discussion about manhood on the dock at sunrise.  A highlight was the presentation of a flag designed by Jesse and Micah, and brought into existence by Jesse's grandma & grandpa.  (More about that on the kids' blog in a few days.) Another personal highlight for me was getting extended with with Aaron. On the actual Day, we celebrated with the Morrows and a friend named Gracious, eating chicken tacos & chocolate cake on the front porch.

Just this week, BBUC has been celebrating the life of one of their late lecturers, Prof. Joy Kyamunyogonya.  She was the Dean of the Social Work department, and apparently had a passion for cleanliness and concern for the least of those in the community.  In honor of her and in living out BBUC's motto of "Go and Tell Them," BBUC is spending the week imitating these ideals.  On Monday, we marched down Rugarama Hill and spent the morning picking up trash in Kabale.  This is a rare community service in this country, and Kabale is in such need of it! Yesterday we spent the Tuesday chapel hour worshipping God by cleaning up our own campus.  The remainder of this week will be spent visiting local hospitals, the prison, and other communities in need.  Pictured in the centre, by the way, is our Principal, Rev. Prof. Manuel Muranga -- he leads the way in all these events.