Happy Birthday To CAROL!!!

-----My all time favorite pic of Carol and beautiful Lake Mutanda!!!!!!!!!!


Dear Friends
I had decided after my wonderful Christmas holiday overnight with Diana and Bert, that Lake Mutanda was the place to celebrate Carol’s Birhtday. So the plans were made, the cake was ready and our wonderful hospital driver Damecen drove us to our destination .

The crew consisted of Carol, myself , Robina and Justine, my Supervisor and friend.. I wanted it to be a simple celebration of Carol, new friends and old, and ladies only-smile.

When you arrived there, you either have to walk down a rather steep hill or an even longer distance, but flat to reach the Lake, where you are , hopefully, picked up by a pontoon boat and whisked off to the Lodge. We arrived at the Lodge via the hill but left via the boat. In either case, you best have your walking shoes on, or you’ll find it a difficult hike.

Carol enjoying sunset on Lake Mutanda
When you arrived there, you either have to walk down a rather steep hill or an even longer distance, but flat to reach the Lake, where you are , hopefully, picked up by a pontoon boat and whisked off to the Lodge. We arrived at the Lodge via the hill but left via the boat. In either case, you best have your walking shoes on, or you’ll find it a difficult hike.

I had arranged a simple birthday luncheon for the four of us and the employees all joined in for a chorus of Happy Birthday, Ugandan style. It was raining off and on and quite chilly but following our luncheon, we huddled into our Tent for conversation and a few simple gifts before Damecen again took Robina and Justine back to the Hospital, while Carol and I enjoyed this beautiful place. Carol blowing out the ? amt. of candles on her cake while Justine cheers her on.

The gentleman who built and runs this Lodge is named Powerman (yep, his Mom actually gave him that name-smile) He gives me and my guest a special (missionary) rate, as there is no way I could afford the average $100.00 a night rate. So for about 55,000 shilling a day ($35.00) I get room (in this case a self –contained tent) and three delicious meals a day. Besides all his other talent Powerman is a gourmet cook and I
actually tried and loved “pumpkin soup”.

It certainly may not have been Carol’s most raucous birthday party ever but I hope it was one she’ll always remember.
The next day before we set off on our journey to Rwanda to “fetch” Bill and trek the gorilla’s ( in the mist or otherwise) we took a canoe ride is a hallowed out tree truck, which besides being a real treat was also a bit scary as a storm started brewing before we were safe on land again.





Enjoy the photos and check back next week for the next chapter in “Marie and Carol’s Ugandan Adventure Continues”.-------------Marie

Carol sitting in our Lake Mutanda Tent admiring her shawl and bag--gifts from Robina(sitting behind her)

Lake Mutanda- Ah, in my own back yard

Carol looking at the mountains and at me-smile

Dear Friends

Lake Mutanda is so breathtakingly gorgeous; it is hard to believe it is in my neighborhood. No, I can’t just walk to it, even getting a ride there is a bit of a hassle. But it is so worth the inconvenience, that I intend to make it a regular feature in my second year here in Kisoro, Uganda.

Enjoy these beautiful shots taken while visiting at the Safari Lodge, which jets out, peninsula like into the lake as if it were made to become a Lodge from which all could view it’s beauty.

In previous Blogs I have shown you the wonderful self contained Tents which are part of the allure of this magical place, but today it’s an outside tour only, so wrap up cause it can sometimes be a bit chilly near the Lake..

-------------------Marie---------------.

Lake Mutanda in blue-----specially at evening tide.

Dear Friends

Having completed the first part of our holiday, Carol and I were ready for a little time in my home , before setting off again. Well the road from Kabale to Kisoro is exhausting and scary on a good day and this was no “good” day, as it was raining cats and dogs. Or in this country one might say ; goats and cows. The roads were muddy and slick and the view was less than it’s usual breathtaking self, because there was little view at all.

So, being an old hand at traveling in Uganda and trusting Sheba’s driving to the max, I decided to curl up in the back seat and take a nap. Carol, in the front of the van with Sheba, our guide, was a bit nervous but chatted pleasantly about the area and gained more knowledge about Uganda in 3 hrs., than I’ve cared to know in a year-ha

Well Carol realized she felt a bit nauseated but thought it just the road and altitude, but only minutes after we arrived home, we both realized she was indeed sick and, unfortunately, Carol realized it all to well for the next week

The up side of this illness was, it couldn’t have happened at a better time: She was in my home with the “conveniences” necessary to make being sick tolerable and I was working daily, so fairly out of her hair, as she recovered.

One day she was able to walk down to the Public Health Building, where I work and snap a few pictures of me teaching the Nursing students techniques and procedures of giving Immunizations to babies and Tetanus Injections to pregnant woman.(they receive a series of 5 , with boosters for any injury).

I had so hoped we’d be able to do an HIV Testing Outreach while my friends were here but it didn’t work out, but they did spend a morning with me at the local Primary School, as I distributed Albendazole (for deworming) to over 1000 children.. Now that’s a true Ugandan experience!.

Another Ugandan experience deluxe was during AIDS Orphans Sat.. when I bite down and realized I had broken a tooth in half. Now what was I to do? I am in the middle of no- where, 10,000 miles away from the best dentist in the world, Dr. Kemper from Quitman, Arkansas. Now this tooth consisted of little tooth and lots of filling and though it was not painful at the time, I knew something had to be done quickly or it would be. I asked my Supervisor what she advised and she immediately called our dentist (not really a dentist, but a lab tech that acts as a dentist by extracting teeth in emergencies). She said I was to meet him at the Outpatient Clinic at 3pm and he would open the dental room, just to give me some advice in how I might solve this dilemma..

So I was anticipating his telling me I would have to rearrange our plans so I could travel back to Kabale to see a dentist, as the one in Kisoro only does extractions because of lack of filling materials. When to my surprise and without discussion I was getting a novacaine injection in preparation for a temporary filling.!!!!!

When Carol (still not well at this point) and Robina came to the Clinic, I was shaking and very chilled. Robina thought I was fearful of the procedure but Silver (the non-dentist dentist)- assured her I was not afraid as I had no problem with the novocaine injection.

The truth was not “fear” I was experiencing, but rather “shock” that this was happening at all.! I couldn’t believe my much cared for teeth were now being drilled and filled by a lab tech named Silver (honest that is his name!), with narry a discussion, let alone a signed permission from me..

Well since Silver didn’t have any permanent filling material (yep ,Silver had no “silver”), he used temporary filling material, which continues in my tooth till this day. He is optimistic it will last until a Dutch surgeon named Dr. Ronald returns with some promised permanent filling material. I suspect he is probably correct, as I now gnaw on a home grown radish-smile... . .

We did have a nice Sunday outing, where, following church service at the Anglican Cathedral,( Carol is Anglican –Episcopal, as well as Robina ( a recent graduate RN and Jennifer (in her final year to become an RN), we ate at .my favorite eatery called “The Kisoro Tourist Hotel”. I had my much loved Pork Chops and Rosemary potatoes, while Carol opted for the fish, which though considerable bland, did not set too well with her still fragile digestive system.

In the photo of me, Robina, Jennifer and a hidden Michael asleep on a cushion on the floor, I am wearing one of the many new outfits that Carol brought to adorn my recently svelte figure. This particular creation had been my friend Becky’s and it must have been high quality, as it says it is a size 10.I think it is a mistake as I can’t recall ever wearing a size 10 – ha. Other shots are of me working or trying on my new wardrobe .

Enjoy the photos and tune in next time for Carol’s Birthday Celebration!.

======================== Marie

Marie and Carol's Ugandan Adventure continues

Behind the Huge Stork is the building I hid from the "Hippo's "!

Dear Friends
This blog is a picture gallery of the first part of my Adventure with Carol, but primarily of our time at Murchison Falls and Lake Mburo. We camped out all three night, but the first two were in a small tent (Murchison Falls) and the third in a large tent with two full size twin beds(Lake Mburo).
Both places elicited lots of laughing about Hippo’s and Wart Hogs and the difference between the two. I had seen these awful pics fellow missionary Diana had taken of Hippo bites and was quite aware they were considered the most dangerous of animal to humans, especially if you get between them and the water. So, I kept my distance, viewing them from a safe distance while they were swimming or from a boat

Well, we had been told not to leave any food products in our tent at night, as the Wart Hogs would tear apart a tent for a crumb of food. Knowing that the trail for both the Hippos and Wart Hogs went right past our tent, I dutifully left “sweet” snacking for the daytime
.
One evening while Sheba was teaching Carol drumming and Halimah attempted to teach me to dance Rwandan style, I noticed from the corner of my eye two large Hippos coming toward us from the trail. I ran (not such a bright thing to do in any case) behind a nearby building , as I was definitely between them and the water. I was comparatively hidden but couldn’t understand why no one else had chosen to escape a potential Hippo bite, but were, instead, all laughing hysterically. ..
Since Carol video taped the entire fiasco, I may as well admit that they were not Hippos, but , rather, two VERY large Wart Hogs, just out for an evening stroll.. Hence the laughter from my audience, as I scurried behind a very small building.


Then the next night at Lake Mburo we ask a Game Warden if anyone had ever been eaten by a Hippo there. He replied “Lots of people, but never him”, having thought we had ask if anyone had eaten Hippo, not BEEN eaten by a Hippo, which again caused a major laughter attack.
When he then took us to our tent ( it was pitch dark by then) we quickly realized we were ALONE in the middle of nowhere, again aside the wild games evening trail.. He assured us that the kerosene lantern (pictured in Carol’s hand) would protect us from any night time prowlers. What we didn’t know was the lamp burned out by midnight and what we indeed realized the next morning was that the Very LOUD, Very CLOSE Roar we heard at 3am was indeed a Hippo (or Hippo’s) walking past our tent..

On our way to our last stop (Lake Bunyoni) on Part One of our adventure, We did the Tourist stop of getting our pictures taken at the Equator line. It really is pretty cool (now that’s a pun for ya) to be able to straddle the equator line. I captured a mini video of the demonstration they do of how the water flows one way on one side of the Equator and the other way on the other side by using a flower petal, then they finish it off by showing how that same petal gets sucked straight down, when the demonstration is done on the Equator line .
--------Sorry, guess you’ll just have to take my word for it.
So, please enjoy all the Wild Game and wilder women (not really-smile). Next time you’ll get to celebrate Carol’s Birthday (and Carol) with me. Then we move onto picking up Bill at Kigale Airport in Rwanda and all our Adventures there, primarily trekking Mountain Gorilla’s.
Stay tuned! !!!
---------------Marie--------- ..

- Today is a Michael Day---continues

Dear Friends

On Sunday when I entered the “Today is a Michael Day” , I accidentally left out
A paragraph, which I will include today, along with yet other photo's of the most adorable of babies---Michael himself(smile).


This photo looks like he is having a Vision-smile. In truth he is mesmerized by his mobile, ala hanging toys from my mosquito net. (I have definitely learned to improvise since I have been in this country.

Well Michael acted like a true celebrity, looking at each girl as they greeted him and left their money in the basket. He even bestowed a couple of his heartbreaking smiles on them and chose to stand up in my lap for a good 4 minutes or so. In short, he charmed everyone there, if they weren’t already taken with the miracle of his birth and survival.

There was lots of clapping, singing and shouts of “Michael we love you”. Michael never cried or even seemed particularly overwhelmed with the adulation. He pretty much took it as his right, which is partially my fault, as I treat him as the Little Prince he is (smile).

At the end of Mass, Fr.ask that I might say a few words, so I thanked them and all the people at St. Francis as well as all my friends in the States that had sent him clothes and formula, while continuing to keep Michael and his future, as well as his present, in their prayers .I don’t recall exactly what I said. but I mentioned something about my Anglican (Episcopal), as well as Catholic, friends that had been so supportive .. This prompted Fr. John to a post Mass mini sermon about how we all all Children of the same God, we are all one family, whether Christian, Protestant (or as they say Pro-tess-tant) or Moslem. When he was finished I was tempted to shout AMEN! , but being a cradle Catholic, kept it to a bare whisper (smile)

----- Michael napping in his bed.

PS. Monday Michael was weighed, when he received his third of a series of required Immunizations. He now weighs Eleven pounds ( you read this correctly 11 lbs!!!)

--Today is a MICHAEL Day !!

Dear Friends Sunday-------------- April 6, 2008

I have this thing about doing Blogs in sequence of events, which I just must break today, as Baby Michael and I are on such a high, we just must share the JOY!

There is a girls secondary school not far from here called St. Gertrude’s, where hundreds of girls attend, most , if not all, board. It is quite a lovely school with well kept grounds , dedicated Religious Sisters and Lay Teachers and my priest and friend, Fr. John DeVinney says Mass there a couple of times a week, always on Sundays at 11:30am.

Well, Fr. John had told the girls about Baby Michael months ago and they had made a collection for his formula, as well as keeping him in there hearts and prayers. Fr. said now that Michael was bigger and stronger, would I consent to bringing him to Mass one Sunday, and today was the day. ----------------------------------

Maria Goretti ,Michael and Me Christening Day- Palm Sunday March 16, 2008

I Adore this photo of Michael! Carol calls this Michael in Blue. I even have it as my screen saver.

What an experience to have hundreds of girls chanting “MICHAEL, MICHAEL” as we entered the church. They all wanted to flock around him and touch him, but we kept it down until the Offertory, when Fr. John announced the collection was for Michaels needs and Michael would be on the alter for each girl to see when she came up (people come up to the front and deposit their offering into a basket , rather than passing a basket around).-------------------------

Me and Michael and his Faternal Grandmother outside awaiting the Palm Sunday Procession.--------------------------------------------------

Don't ya just love the look on Michaels face? I am not quite sure he approved of my lipstick that day(smile).

Before I sat down, I said Michael had something to say and as I whispered something in his ear and he mine (OK, that’s stretching it a bit) I said Michael ask me to shout “WAKOZE CHANE” which means “Thank you so much” which brought cheers of laughter and appreciation that both Michael and Mama Michael made an attempt to speak Rufumbira (their local language).

It was a glorious day that this mini Child of God, born at 0.9 Kg. (less than 2 pounds), three months early( 6 months into the pregnancy) was now a 9 lbs bouncing boy.. He is actually almost 9 months old but Sr. Vastina refuses to allow me to count his age that way. She insists he is 6 mo. old (she says you count from when he “should” have been born, not when he was born.). He is certainly not up to par with a 6 mo old, except cognitively, which I think he is closer to his actual 9 mo of age..

Outside following Mass was just as jubilant and and I started to wonder just how much this sweet baby could tolerate, but he held out to the very end, thrilling all with his graciousness (can a baby be gracious?). In any case, this was a Michael Day and he knew it and loved every minute of it.

When we arrived home he devoured ½ his bottle before exhaustion overcame him and he fell asleep mid suck (ha).

Again, I realize this Blog preceeded the Baptismal Day Blog, which besides being Palm Sunday, was also another” Michael Day”, but I just had to share this festive occasion. .

Blessing and Joy from Michael and Mama Michael
And as Michael said earlier “Wakoze Chane” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One of the Religious Sisters did this to Michael at the end of Mass when everybody was dancing. It reminded me of that well known scene from Roots
.

--Sunset on Lake Mburo---Uganda