LOVE IS LOVE- That's All!

Only minutes ago, a very tiny 3 mo. old baby boy was in my home with his sister and their grandmother. Do you recall in the Blog entitled“A Call to save babies in distress” the telling of the little one whose mother was critically ill with malaria, so I brought him home to feed and bathe and dress but most importantly to teach the young sister how to bottle feed her then 5 week old brother? I had chosen June 24th (my sister Theresa’s birthday), as his birth date as no one seemed to recall the exact date, and with the mothers death the next day went any hope of finding out.
I had sent clothes via a fellow worker and had reports that the baby was doing alright, but encouraged them to bring him in for us to see.

Well, today the grandmother, the very loving and protective 11 year old sister “Immaculate” and the sweet little one came to Public Health for immunization and weighing .Now at 3 months of age the baby weighs only 71/2 lbs.. He was screaming in hunger and had no fat at all on his little tiny frame.
Giving an intramuscular injection to such a tiny baby is not physically difficult, as the muscle is certain to be found yet, heartbreakingly difficult, not wanting to hurt the little one . But I did my job and then brought the family to my home for what was very much needed; food and education. My wonderful helper Bernedette bathed the baby as Immaculate looked on, while I boiled the cows milk, with which they feed the child. We powdered and pampered him, then dressed him in one of the “onesies” Bill had sent Michael some nine months ago. Then we put on a warm little knit dress that Carol recently sent from the thrift shop (Remember they cross-dress children until they are about 3 years old, then it’s pretty much skirts for girls and pants for boys)
Anyway he gobbled up the milk, while I, again, instructed the Grandmother and sister on the art of bottle feeding (smile).It was hard for me to let that baby go, knowing that the Grandmother had 5 orphans at home and one of them, this dear 11 year old sister was the primary caregiver to this baby, who needs lots more attention then she is able to give. But (don’t get nervous Janice) , I packed a little care package and sent them on their way with instructions to bring the baby to Outpatient Dept. this Sat. for HIV Testing

That is a whole other story ,as I just found out that the mother was HIV+ and the child had been born at home with no testing and/ or treatment given. .Now we have a whole new issue to deal with, whether this baby or any of the children in the family are positive.
.
The endearing photo's is of Immaculate, the baby’s sister carrying him home on her back. She is devoted to her baby brother, but at 11 years is too young for such a responsibility and, of course, has stopped going to school.

The heartbreak of these situations where there are so many AIDS Orphans can at times feel overwhelming, but when I look at the love in Immaculate’s eyes when she looks at her baby brother, I am reminded that the heart has no barriers to age or income;
-------------LOVE IS LOVE —that’s all!

Good Day ---This is God

My dear friend Lynn sent me this exquisite Cross, handmade by a very talented friend, but sadly it broke in the shipping. I just super-glued it, the best I could and it now rests beautifully over the bed in my guest bedroom. As the walls here are so thick, I had to have a special hole drilled to hold it. Don't want it to fall and break yet again. Thank you Lynn, I love it and I love you!
----------Marie

To:            YOU

Date:         TODAY

From:        GOD

Subject:    YOURSELF

Reference: LIFE

This is God.  Today I will be handling All of your problems for you.
I do Not need your help.  So, have a nice day.

 -----P.S.  And remember...

If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do Not attempt
to resolve it yourself!  Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box.
I will get to it in MY TIME.  All situations will be resolved, but in My time, not
yours.

 Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it by worrying about it.
Instead, focus on all the wonderful things that are present in your life now. 

 If you find yourself stuck in traffic, don't despair.
There are people in this world for which driving is an unheard of privilege. 

 Should you have a bad day at work; think of the man who has been out of work for years. 

 Should you despair over a relationship gone bad;
think of the person who has never known what it's like to love and be loved in return. 

 Should you grieve the passing of another weekend;
think of the woman in dire straits, working twelve hours a day,
seven days a week to feed her children. 

 Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance;
think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk. 

 Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror;
think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine. 

 Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what is life all about,
asking “what is my purpose?” Be thankful.
There are those who didn't live long enough to get that opportunity. 

 Should you find yourself the victim of others bitterness, ignorance,
smallness or insecurities; remember, things could be worse.
 You could be one of them

 --------I love you~
------------God   

LAKE -BUNYONYI-YET-AGAIN

Why are we still going in circles?




These pics of "Dug Out Canoes "really belong under the next two blogs, but I couldn't make that happen. They really are pretty awesome, when you consider they were once a tree. Now they float beautifully on the water carrying people and supplies from the mainland to the islands


Dug Out Canoes are a Blog within themselves!

Lake Bunyonyi-- Bushera Island July 2008

While the girls were here,, most managed to spend, at least, a day at one of my favorite places; Lake Bunyonyi, I was invited to join Eveline, Marieke and Lisa and. since I had been to Bushara Island, one of the beautiful islands on the lake, I became the unofficial tour guide for our mini trip to Kabale from where the lake can be most enjoyed. -----When the girls returned from their boating expedition, they snapped me unaware sunning and relaxing on the pier

We stayed in Wyedeh Tree House where another bed was added to the three already cabin, as it is a large room with a spectacular view of the lake.
Remember it is an ecological camp with only solar and wood burning power; which means one needs to notify the management what time you want to shower, so they can bring Geri-cans of hot water ------Just hanging out with friends is fun anytime, but here--well -it was perfect!

After eating dinner in the” Swallows Restaurant ( now that’s a double meaning if I ever heard one, as Bunyoyi actually means “Land of Little Birds” , you are given a kerosene lantern to walk to your cabin. ---Hard to say if sunset or sunrise is my favorite time on Lake Bunyonyi

A favorite memory is the next morning when coffee and fresh mint tea (for me) was delivered to our deck and we sat outside enjoying the morning sounds of the birds and the local people crossing the lake for Sunday service.
I had fallen in love with this place in March when friend Carol and I had visited here, but now became the unofficial tour guide to Lisa from the USA, Eveline from Holland and Marieke from Germany.

The girls decided they could manage a dug out canoe alone without a guide but quickly found the canoe much heavier and more difficult to steer than they ever imagine, resulting in gales of laughter and a short excursion mostly in circles.

Swallows Resturant (how cute is that)
It was a bit too cold for me to brave the lake but Lisa did and happily for me dove back into the lake, after finally getting dried off a bit, as I had knocked my books into the lake. Lisa was my hero and Sue Monk Kidds “When the heart Waits” was saved for yet another day.
O, speaking of Sue Monk Kidd; if you have not yet read her first novel “The Secret Life Of Bees”treat yourself, then follow it up with “The Mermaid Chair, which I knocked off in a couple of days.

Back to Bunyonyi-----the food is great and everyone seemed satisfied, not just me. The girls shared some wine as we sat around a luminous fireplace and conversed with a woman on holiday . It is the kin d of place one comes back to time and time again, as this woman had over several years. I expect I’ll go there occasionally over the next year and a half, whether with friends or “with myself” (‘ala Iyanla Vanzant)
On the way home we had a flat tire, which came at an opportune time as there were Baboons to greet us in the road.

Enjoy the scenery, the fun and the beautiful young woman, I now call friends.
-------------------------------------Marie

---Marieke may be German, but I think she looks a bit like Christopher Columbus discovering a new world!

More from Lake Bunyonyi = July 2008

-------Here is Lisa, our Beauty Queen and only one brave enough to go swimming.

-------My hero Lisa saved the day and my books by diving into the very cold lake to retrieve them, when I carelessly knocked them into the water.

------Eveline fills up the hot water for her own shower. What a view!

------Don't ya think I'd make a great commercial for Bushara Island?

------Here we are all nestled in our beds--see I told you it is a big room

From your left: Marieke, Lisa, Marie ,Eveline

-----Who needs Queen Elizabeth Park--We had Babbons in the middle of the road driving home from Lake Bunyoyi

---JUST FOR FUN----

Dear Friends

Lots to tell but not much time, so I have just sent a couple of pics to make you smile. Here is Michael resting safe and sound on my back. Precious, huh? Not so in the getting there, as the other shots will show.
These pics really crack me up! The visiting girls ask me to show them how I carried Michael on my back-Ugandan style. Well what I couldn't see until I saw these photo's was the look on Michael's face-HA
I am able to tell that Michael knows I am new at this and he is very tolerant, but these pics show a look that says "Does she have a clue what she is doing? O, dear God, please don't let her drop me!"
OK, some of you may know I have a cervical disc problem, which occasionally causes me mega-pain. Mostly I keep it under control with stretching exercises, yoga and not lifting heavy objects. This particular day, I was in pain, not knowing only 3 days later I would be diagnosed with pneumonia.
My wonderful Dr. Kim in La. California, had gifted me with the set of "Cupping Technique" therapy, which works on the same principle as acupunture. ------- It really works!
Since I can't reach my back and Michael seemed unwilling to learn how to do it (smile), a dear Nursing student and friend-- Jennifer, offered to try. Well, it definitely helped as I was able to go on an Outreach the next day and test 169 people! Unfortunately by the next day, I knew I was really sick and the achy-ness was not just my chronic neck/back discomfort, but the start of the Pneumonia which soon inhabited my left lung.
In any case, I recoverd very quickly following three nights of IV antibiotics, but as I mentioned previously Michael did not respond and was then admitted in the Pediatric Ward and treated successfully for Maleria, as well as pneumonia. Bless his little 16lb. body.
This picture of me getting this Asian therapy with Michael looking on, belies how very sick we both really were. What fun!