Yikes

OK, I just came from Namatala School where I held classes with over 100 students at a time. When they go to get books, it is like a swarm of locust taking over the land. Thank goodness I have some time here, because their system needs a serious overhaul! The good thing, I did a surprise visit and hundreds of books had been checked out by the students, as well as many, many by teachers. The kids on the schoolgrounds are sitting around reading. It is working, but needs some fine tuning. Oh my, does it ever! Less bodies and more space. :)

Fast backtrack: I forgot to mention that Tom did go pick up my brown sandles (that he and Paul thought looked like the bus driver's) from the police station. However, today I have them on with a long black skirt and when I walked past a group of high school boys, they all stared at my feet. Perhaps I will send them to the bus driver!

In Mokono, we stopped and visited with Wilberforce and Sarah's two children, Mitch (girl) and Billy Paul. Billy Paul reminds me of Mercy - just the sweetest spirit. Mitch is wonderful too, but more outgoing and funny. It was great to visit with them. It shocks me to see them as teenagers, as they were seven and eight on my first visit.

It was nice to get 'home' to Mbale Town. I checked through the boxes to see what the thieves made off with. Of all things, they took the label maker we use to mark shelves - like they know what to do with that! Also, they took most of our presents such as pencils, etc. Anything that looked Christian, they left. As I went through it I was saying they deserve this and that, but Wilber told me they deserved forgivness. :) So much for my attitude!

My first night I wasn't sleeping well. In the middle of the night I decided to take a sleeping pill. I had forgetten to take water to my room. I then got up to flip on the light switch. No electricity!

Wilber and I went into town yesterday to eat. The story: The thieves are using my razor at present, so I was looking for another. I went into several groceries and pharmacies, but no luck. I even tried to pretend I was shaving my legs in case they didn't get what I was saying. Finally, a lady from Wilber's church was working at a pharmacy. She sold me two surgical razors (without handles). I told her I would be at the front of the church Sunday having Wilber pray for me since I would probably chop my legs off. She just laughed. Later, Sarah told me that African women don't need to shave their legs. Only men use razors for their faces. Duh!

As Mercy and I were walking to school this morning, we passed lots of large groups of Namatala students. As we passed, I would break out in "Making Melodies in My Heart" - which produced massive amounts of laughter and then kids singing the song as they walked on up the paths.

Later, we picked up Mercy from school. Wilber asked her what she did today. She replied, "I learned many good things and I shared them." She is the most polite, well mannered child. I could talk forever about Mercy-Mercy, as I call her. I wish I could take her home for a visit with my granddaughters.

In the mornings, while it is still dark, the sounds of Wilber singing and playing his guitar filter into my room. Sarah and I then join him for morning devotions. If I write too much about it, I will probably be spilling tears all over the keyboard. There are just not words to share the blessings of sitting with the Okumus as they sing and worship. It is like waves of God's presence rolling over your soul. Wilber then shares some scripture and we pray together. It is truly indescribable. I wish I could package it and send it to you through email.

Time to sign off. :) Please keep me in your prayers. I have decided not to go to Nairobi, as they have had many killings in the last few months, including some beheadings (ouch!). I just don't feel safe taking a bus through Kenya. Now, the problem is changing flights. It seems I will need to take a flight out of Entebbe about 8:00 at night to Nairobi. Then I will catch the 11:30 flight out of Nairobi. It doesn't make me nervous, but do not look forward to being in either airport that late at night. So, just keep me in your prayers as we work out the details. I am planning on returning to Texas a week earlier, as I won't be spending time in Maasai land.

Hope you are having a good time enjoying your electricity, toilets to sit on, Chilis, Dairy Queen, diswashers, washers, dryers, etc. I don't envy you actually; I love my time here! Cheers for Africa and America!

Love,

Trudy