Week 4

Monday-VACCINATIONS!  It was an all day affair.  This is the last day of vaccinations in Mukono and all over the country except Kawolo hospital in Lugazi is going to keep going until Wednesday because there are so many kids that haven't received them yet.  Vaccinated hundreds, wrestled hundreds, got to know Karli, Elise, and Olivia better and was exhausted out of my mind, but it was a great day!

Tuesday-JINJA!!!  We were surrounded by monkeys!  We went swimming in Jinja at the Jinja Nile Resort and ate lunch there-hamburger, chips (fries), ice cream, singing in my soul, etc.  It was just awesome.  Because we worked all weekend we got to take weekdays off instead. 

Wednesday- We went to Kampala to see Brianne at the hospital.  We are all kinda getting sick of being ripped off by the taxi and boda drivers.  It’s ridiculous.  We asked someone on the taxi how much a boda should be to the hospital and they said 1,500 UGX and when we got there the boda drivers said 5,000 UGX…I think Kerri almost hit them…it was so frustrating it was almost funny.  However, Holley and Kerri and I got to know each other better, went out to lunch and got a nasty pizza, talked, went to the internet café where we learned about the bombing in Kenya and got emails from the embassy to be careful n’ stuff, and got to see Brianne who was doing much better than when Troy and I had dropped her and McCall off two days ago.  We went to a super market while we were there that had American food and freezers and I was captivated.  It was crazy.  I don’t think I’ve ever wanted ice cream or a snickers or Pringles so bad.  I’m not like that all the time while I’m here.  Usually I don’t care, but just to see it and be starving-it was just bad timing.  We got to speak with a really cool guy on our way back about some of the things we liked and didn’t like on the way back.

Thursday-Paramedic Program application is due (though I swear before I left everything was due the 15^th), so I spent the whole day applying for that (writing the essays and such) and talking to mom about getting everything in the mail and off from the house since they need hard copies.  I also went to the Muslim Health Center with people so that they could get tested for the parasite, which most people that went either have parasites or worms-only a few of us are safe.

Friday- Slow day…random work on project day.  Don’t even ask.  I don’t really remember.  I was tired.  I don’t really remember much other than some emails and meetings and phone calls.

Saturday- We went to Seya School on Saturday and helped out all day.  It was Lane, Stewart, Jessica, and me until Troy and McCall came half way through the day to help us finish up.  We dug all the trenches, carried all the quarry rocks down from the mountain-in the middle of PINE TREES, and filled the trenches with the quarry rocks from the quarry.   I’m still sore.  When I said PINE TREES, I meant pine trees, like pine cones, Christmas trees, smell of the mountains-pine trees!  One very small patch and the only ones I’ve seen here.  I got super sunburned, but vinegar is amazing.  The locals made us a wonderful lunch and we each got a half a chapatti, a scoop of beans, and some homemade juice.  It was fantastic.  We got all the work done with just the six of us and the locals.  Everyone else on the team was sick.  The parasite has done its damage and taken its toll on many people.  When we came back everyone got up and cleaned for half an hour and then Olivia and I went to talk to Eddie about a health campaign we are going to have in Najjembe and a party he is going to throw in her honor before she leaves so that she can try everything she hasn’t had in Uganda before she leaves and everyone in Najjembe can say thank you and good-bye.  Brianne came home!

Sunday-Called Eddie and told him to meet us at the taxi park so we could go to Mukono, but we filled our taxi and left before he got there.  So I called him when we got to Mukono and told him that when his taxi got to Mukono to walk up Kayunga road about a km, but when it was getting closer to starting time I told him just to tell a boda to take him to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  He finally got there.  He was late so I didn’t see him come in, until he got up to bear his testimony.  He’s never been to our church so I was really nervous, but it was really good.  He talked about how the enemy had tried to stop him since two weeks ago from when he met me and I invited him to come with me from coming to church with me, but he had finally made it and he was glad and how he thanked God and all this great stuff.  It was relieving and kinda funny, but beautiful and sweet.  The whole day was so spiritual.  There was a baptism after church and this time the room didn’t flood (…yeah!).  So far, great day...as always, more to come.