From America to Uganda to Ireland and so forth

Dear Friends ------------------------------------------------------------Jan. 21, 2009

Not sure what kind of a blog this will make as my emotions all over the place today; I woke yesterday (the 20th) at 6:30 am and sat bolt upright in my bed, as if someone had shook me awake. My first coherent thoughts were not of the soon to be inaugurated President Barack Obama, but strangely enough of my grandmother, my father’s mother Brigid McGee, who I had never met, as she had passed away, as had all my grandparents before my arrival into this world..
I had never known much about my grandmother until only months before my own father’s death, when he shared many stories of his youth in Ireland prior to his families coming to America when he was 13 years old.
It was only then I found out how much I was like my grandmother, as, apparently, she had been the midwife and village nurse, as well as the undertaker, preparing the bodies of friends and neighbors for burial. All this while raising a family of 10 children, along with her husband, my grandfather, Patrick McGee.
OK, so what does this have to do with anything? Yesterday (and today as well) is a bit of a puzzle that is still in the process of being put together piece by piece.
As I started my day, I recalled a rather innocuous dream I had about my sister and niece Jolie, but yet felt oddly disturbed by it. That remains one of the pieces of the puzzle that has yet to find it’s place in this convoluted mosaic called my life(smile).
Since I had awakened early I attended mass at 7:10 with special prayers said by Fr. John Vianney for Barack Obama, who noted that Obama’s father was from East Africa (Kenya) , as we are in Uganda.. I felt singular to be an American and I proudly displayed my Obama buttom all day long, as I eagerly awaited 7pm to view the Inauguration from Dr. Damian’s and Waltrauds home.------ Yet, the nagging uneasiness persisted , thru what should have been a carefree lighthearted day., including a birthday gathering for Carolyn, the wife of a visiting surgeon from Holland, as well as several friends joining us as we savored each glorious moment of the Inauguration of the 44th President of the United States of America.!

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I know I have already shared the wonderful experience I had with watching the election results on Nov. 4th : being the token American amidst friends from Germany ,Holland , England and Uganda. But as grand as that was, this was even better.. The excitement in the room was palpable. Everyone less interested in what Michelle Obama was wearing than actually hearing every word of President Barack Obama’s speech . We were all impressed with the music, the poetry, the speeches, but when President Barack was in view, all eyes, all ears were attuned to him, just him.
My favorite memory is when the master of ceremonies announced “Please all stand for –such and such--." Everyone (including me) in the room where I was, also stood . It was very impressive and poignant, the respect my friends here in Uganda , showed for this ceremony. I truly believe it was Barack Obama himself that elicited this response. It was above and beyond his typical charisma , this was the stature of greatness and we all felt it.
As I readied to leave that evening (we are 9 hours ahead of the States) they started to sing the National Anthem. How could I walk out when those from other countries stood respectfully at attention?, So with more feeling than I have ever felt while singing the Star Spangled Banner , with hand over my heart and tears in my eyes, I sang “For the land of the free and the home of the brave”.
Yes, I am happy to be serving the people of Uganda as a Lay Mission Helper, but I have never been more proud or grateful to be a citizen of The United States of America!


Still feeling a bit disturbed by waking so abruptly this AM , following strange dreams, I took time to pray and meditate (talk to and listen) to My Beloved Creator, requesting perhaps a little sense of peace before nodding off to sleep. As I tried to still my very active mind, I was filled with thoughts of a sweet baby pt. in the Pediatric Ward named Bridget (no, I did not name her after my grandmother Brigid, she arrived to St. Francis Hospital with that name already-smile). She had been with us for 8 days and was becoming weaker every day. Only 3 mo. old with a tentative diagnosis of Meningitis she was too weak to nurse, so was being fed via an NG tube. I had noted that her heart beat was irregular but seemed unable to get anyone to listen to what I had to say. That is not uncommon but at least when Dr. Ssenyojo was here, he would follow up on a pt. when I had a specific concern. Now, there is no Dr. assigned to the Pediatric Ward and there will not be one until March when Dr. Louie arrives from the States. I had sent several text messages to the Clinical Officer (like Nurse Practitioner) covering the Ward, but had no personal response, only a note on her chart that the irregular heart beat had been noted..
I prayed for this little soul and her dear Mama and made the connection between thoughts of my Irish Grandmother and this little soul that I felt would soon be joining her namesake in the heavens.

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Now the pieces of the puzzle of my chaotic day were finding their place: sitting up bolt-like at 6:30am, attending Mass, remembering dreams of my sister, niece and mother, celebrating the Inauguration of President Barack Obama with friends from other lands, taking the dolls to the tailor who need clothes (or perhaps added coverings) before being gifted to the AIDS Orphans next Sat., the 31st. All this plus working in the morning at Public Health. I had given up the afternoon in the Peds Ward to attend to other more pressing things. And to be perfectly honest, I couldn’t bear to see if Baby Bridget had gotten any worse, mostly because I felt my efforts to communicate her condition left me powerless to help her.
I was then led to an interpretation of Psalm 25 by Fr. William J O’Malley, which reads:

--------------God, shame is a gift I really never requested.
==========The sins of my youth, surely ,I paid for long ago----
==========as if payment could expunge a slight to one like you.
==========If anything, I have been humble, aware of my hedging.
==========too aware, too aware---to the point of paralysis.

==========If the benighted are to find light,
========== let them open their eyes!
========== If the crippled will walk,
==========let them start by crawling!
==========If the fainthearted are to love,
==========let them first give trust.

That is where I had gone wrong: I had not “trusted” that God was in charge! I had approached the day, even my fretful dreams, as if I were in charge. As if it were my personal responsibility to save Baby Bridget’s life, make every baby and mother feel loved and special, dress the naked dolls and personally come-up with another 15 gifts for the older girls (not enough dolls for every Orphan). I am surprised I didn’t think I should “personally” swear in Barack Obama as President of the United States, as well as give the Invocation, sing “My Country Tis of Thee” (certainly I’d out-shine Aretha Franklin-smile)’
No I had not trusted that God had the “Whole World in His Hands” and my job was not as decision maker but rather to allow my very human hands and heart to be used as He saw fit..

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I close with my prayer for President Obama and his cabinet and all of us that he has has elicited to share with him the struggles that lay ahead---------from Alfred Lord Tennyson, ”Ulysses”
======Though much is taken, much abides; and though
======We are not now that strength, which in old days
======Moved earth and heavens, that which we are, we are----
======One equal temper of heroic hearts,
======Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
======To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

------------GOD BLESS AMERICA (and Uganda and Holland and Germany and Baby Bridget too!)
----------------------------------Marie

ps : Sadly, on Wed., I found that Baby Bridget had joined my grandmother Brigid and President Obama’s beloved grandmother and all the Communion of Saints, at exactly 6:30am, the 20th, the moment I bolted upright in my bed. May her angel soul rest in peace!

--Once Upon A Time

Dear Friends

Once upon a time in a land far away, there lived an American missionary named Marie or Maria or Mary or even Mzunu (depending on who was conversing with her). Most of the time she was a happy missionary, skipping to work each morning to help those whom God put into her path that day but occasionally (only occasionally –smile) she felt discouraged or frustrated because of language (communications) and/or cultural difficulties and yesterday was one of those days.

In the Public Health Dept. was needed a roll of cotton (or” pamba ). She spent from 9am in the morning to 5 pm at night running hither and thither (thither?) to obtain this elusive roll of cotton, finally holding it in her hands at 5pm when the Public Health Dept. had closed for the day, meaning she needs to deliver it and accomplish yet one last step (getting a # from Public Health and taking it to the Pharmacy to file), on her day off.

Hum, the moral of this lesson is not yet clear: Is it to simply to purchase the cotton herself at 3,000 shillings ($2.00) or could it be to learn yet another lesson in patience and thank God for the exercise (about 4 miles of walking from hither to thither) ? Ha,, only time will tell !
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Seemingly between all the trekking and waking at 4:30 in the am the last two mornings with a very awake Baby Michael, exhaustion overtook me and I fell asleep while watching a DVD (The Great Escape—one of my all time favorite movies) at 6:30pm last evening. When I awoke the movie was over, with cookie crumbs on my shirt, I somehow changed into my pj’s , put the mosquito net on my bed and quickly returned to LaLa land-HaHa.

Michael was returned to Potters Village yesterday following a funfilled week of smiles, wonderful sounds of unintelligible words and lots of chasing after a crawling, skirt hanging onto, stand up toddler. My favorite memories are Michael dressed in a red vest, black pants and shoes crawling around the church and clapping his hands at Sunday Mass, as well as the morning cuddles that makes it impossible to stay mad at him for more than a minute. He is doing so well and seems to remember me, though we were separated by my 6 weeks absence in the States.

My first week back to work was joyous as I was truly missed and it felt like “coming home” Please, you, my dear friends and family in the States, don’t be hurt by this statement. I loved seeing and spending time with all of you, but I sometimes felt useless, as if I were just taking up space and time in your busy lives. Uganda is “home” now because it is where I have been Called to serve. I thank God that I am as healthy as I have ever been, have enough energy to chase a toddler or a roll of cotton all day long and get to hold and love-on sick children every day. Doesn’t get much better than that!

Jan. 31st is the AIDS Orphans Party and Doll giving day and I can hardly wait.. Over 60 dolls have been sent from the States to give to the children and I have been busy sorting them and getting them ready for this grand event. Finally the girls will have what is probable not only their first doll, but a doll of color. How thrilling!
In the future we will have a boys day with gifts of mini cars or balls or any other suggestions (smile) ?

I have kept a few specific dolls for chronically ill children in the Pediatric Ward , as well as a stuffed animal or two. Joan Dickerson gave me some finger puppets which I can use to communicate procedures to the children, not needing to makeshift with a pen and a thermometer, as I have in the past.(Ha)

It has taken me two years to realize that Uganda does actually have two seasons, not just the dry and rainy ones but summer and winter as well. Certainly not to the degree that we experience but when it is summer in the States, it is “winter” here, requiring a scarf or a light jacket in the mornings or evenings, stripping down in midday. Similarly, when it is winter in the States, it is “summer” here, rarely needing even a sweater. I own two pairs of shorts but I only wear them as house wear, never leaving my yard. Sandals are worn all year round (for those of us who wear shoes at all-ha) but in the “winter” I often add socks, looking quite dorky but feeling equally as comfortable.

Hope you enjoy the photos of an ever growing Baby Michael. He was on the payroll this week, as we have two tiny premature babies in the Nursery and his presence was requested to encourage the Moms as they cared for their bitty babies. It worked, as both Mamas’ were full of smiles yesterday.

I wish your week to also be full of smiles and perhaps even a hearty laugh or two.
---------------------------Marie

,

Is

-Michael

---spiffy

--or what

-------in his

------red vest

----black pants

---+ black shoes?

New Years Greetings from Uganda-2009

Dear Friends------------------------------------------------------------- Jan.4, 2009
My first Blog in 2009 is to summarize the last 6 weeks of my life: As you may already know; my dear cousin George (more like a brother than a cousin) left his earthly body , apparently from a sudden heart attack in mid-November. His two loving sons, Brian and David Tague offered to fly me to the States for the funeral, where I somehow (with the help of dear friend Sheba) managed to arrive at the Viewing at Donahue Funeral Home in Upper Darby , outside of Phila. only ½ hr. after it started.
Packing quickly with the help of Elisabet from Sweden, grabbing my passport and as much money as the local ATM would allow, off Sheba and I drove from Kisoro Uganda to Kigale, Rwanda, where I caught a flight to Brussells (they only fly 3 days a week, Saturday being one of them). Then from Brussels to Chicago, Chicago to Phila. , hopped a taxi cab directly to the funeral , arriving only 40 hours after my presence had been requested ,
I am very grateful to George’s sons for their thoughtfulness and open hearts. George’s “boys” were his life and he will be dearly missed by them, myself and all who loved him,
Today, Jan 4th would have been his 62nd birthday, so he is particularly present in my mind and prayers as I write this.
The Viewing Sinday evening and the Funeral Mass, the next day, were particularly meaningful, as George has been in the Navy as a young man and a Police Man in Upper Darby, Pa. for some 30 years This meant that he not only had the respect that Service men receive at the gravesite, but a two man police guard remained at attention, at all times by his body. It was a very impressive ceremony and there was not a dry eye, as this much respected, loved man was laid to rest
There is always a silver lining to any tragedy and for me to spend time getting to know George’s sons, as well as staying at Brian’s and his beautiful wife ( pregnant with their first child) Barbara’s, home was one of those specks of silver that showered over me. Also seeing and spending time with my sister Theresa, my niece Heather and seeing my niece Jolie and her two precious children; Tessa age 8 years and Bobby Hugh age 2 years.
It was really cold when I arrived in the States wearing sandals and minus a coat, but thanks to my cousin Mary, a new pair of black shoes became my mainstay, as well as a borrowed winter coat from my sister Theresa. The coat has since been returned, but the shoes remained on my feet all the way home to Uganda-smile.
While in the States (as it is referred to here) I jetted off to Arkansas to spend time with the most extraordinary friends any woman could be blessed to have: Cynthia made me feel so welcomed in her home (with a view of the Greers Ferry Lake), while Carol, Carolyn, Bonnie, Jennifer and Jeannie spoiled me rotten with all my favorite foods. Seeing Sara and lunching with Sharon was a bonus.
A mini trip to Subiaco Abbey where Rebecca Wilson Southard joined me for an overnite get together. Being at Subiaco is always special for me, having spent many years there attending “Heartsong” retreats for those infected and affected with HIV-AIDS . Yet even more meaningful was being with Rebecca, bursting with her third child, due any time, only months after her mom Teresa (see Teresa-A Woman of Miracles) went to the heavens.
Seeing Brian Cook, the first time since the death of my great friend James Anderson, was mixed—one minute crying tears of loss and the next laughing at ALL the memories of a man who loved and lived life to the fullest.
Ms Ellie, 13 year old friend of mine and to the AIDS Orphans here in Uganda, was surprised when I showed up at the Red Lobster to join her and her family , prior to her attending a cotillion dance looking breathtakingly gorgeous in a gown meant for a princess. She has given parties for the AIDS Orphans as well as assisted her entire family in sponsoring Godfrey for school fees. There is a hoped-for possibility that her 21 year old sister Emily will come here to volunteer next summer. Can’t wait!

My good friend Bill, who had visited me in Uganda last March, came, both to AR to see me and hosted me in his home in Nashville, Tenn, serving Pork Cops next to a roaring fire, with the house aglow in festive decorations and candles,. as I drove my old car (my 1994 Saturn with over 300. 000 miles) to Pittsburgh PA. for my friend Joan( thanks for the Lamb dinner-yummy) to use.
From Pittsburgh to Phila in a rented vehicle, them an Amtrax train to New York City to visit Heather. Highlites of my NYC visit were: to hear, for the first time, Heather singing Rock and Roll with her band “The Fifth”, see Heathers dear friend Marni , who I have known since she was 17 years old ,star as Christine on Broadway in “Phantom of the Opera”, see another dear friend of Heathers from Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Zoe sing with her band, in her “spare time” while pregnant with her first child and working as a full time M.D..
I, also, was able to see Laurie, whose wedding I attended so many Junes ago in the Pocono Mt. of PA, with her unbelievable adorable child Hunter, as well as meet Gregg Gentile, the great guy in Heathers life ( a guitarist in her band by night and a business man by day). Gregg’s mother, also named Marie, was my “date” to see Marni in Phantom of the Opera. Heather treated us to a pre-show dinner, across the street, where we had a star sighting (Chevy Chase) at the next table .
I did not have my camera on this trip, so I am completely dependent on friends and family for any photos that might have been taken.
I braved a snow storm while in NYC, which isn’t too difficult because of subways and the availability of food, shopping and entertainment at every corner. I attended a beautiful cathedral-like church called “Holy Trinity” only a block away from Heathers and attended two movies )” Australia “and “Four Christmases”
I was able to visit with dear friend Jim Brennan and his wife Elaine, in the village. Though Jim has had health problems for several years, his mind was clear and brilliant. I consider it an honor to have seen this dear friend of my heart. I always leave feeling better, centered and “on track” in my life’s journey, having spent time in his presence.
Returning to Philadelphia, prior to Christmas, I stayed with dear friend Michele Perilli and her significant other, Ed, as well as my cousin Mary and her husband and significant other for some 52 years.(smile). Mary and Dick are a rare couple, not just married with children and grandchildren, but together they, joyously, share their time and skills helping anyone and everyone who needs them (their goodness reminds me so very much of my own parents). I felt honored that they took me into their home and shared their family and Christmas festivities so openly with this little ( not so little anymore since eating constantly –ha) missionary from Uganda., I still savor the taste of the prime roast Mary prepared for me and her son, (and my godchild) Kevin, the day before I left. When I say I never could have gotten to the Philadelphia Airport, returned the rented car and lugged all my many bags into the airport, without their help, I am not at all jesting
A grade school friend , Eileen McCabe Malloy, gave a luncheon in my honor, where she and I with dear friend Peggy Quinn Garafolo joined by Gerry Sharkey Walker and Patsy Shoppit ? to remember school memories when we attended St. Margaret’s in Narberth, PA from age 6 years to 14 years .I was astonished at how Gerry and Peggy seemed to recall all the slightest detail (including Nuns names) while Eileen, Patsy and I could only gloss over the highlites (or in some cases lowlites) ha.
I also joined my old Nursing School buddy Phyllis Laudenslager- Gossin with her family, at the Rose Tree Inn to celebrate Phyllis’s birthday. The Rose Tree Inn, near Media, was a favorite hangout of mine, as Bill Ferguson and I frequented this establishment in the 70’s. It is where I learned I actually” liked “ salads and adored broiled scallop’s .
Michele now has been Cancer free for 4 years and finally has a man in her life ( Ed) that sees what a wonderful person she is and treats her with the love and respect she so deserves. Some 21 yrs and 18 yrs ago, respectively, I was honored to share the birth of Michele’s 3 children (Dylan, Ana Marie and Johnny) with her.
Many of you know that one of the things I so miss, living so far from the city in Uganda, is going to the movies. Well, I went frequently while in PA and NYC and brought back with me scillions of DVD’s of movies and TV series, both for myself and all the children. The AIDS Orphans Program does not, as yet, have a DVD player, but when we do, you will see the photographed faces of over 130 children immersed in everything from Sesame Street to Rin Tin Tin. Can’t wait!
Prior to this unexpected trip to the States, several boxes of Black Dolls had been sent to be gifted to the AIDS Orphans and the children in the Pediatric Ward. I just opened them yesterday and they are phenomenal! Soon we will gift the children with these dolls, taking and sharing many pictures with you. Just today, 13 year old Florida came by to visit after Sunday mass and I had her pick her favorite. Choosing from the Ragababies, each made and decorated by individual African-American children for our kids, or ethnic dolls from Joan Dickerson’s mothers collection or stunning African-American Barbie- dolls, was a hard choice for Florida, but she finally settled on a African garbed baby doll which cries when you turn it over.
So, now I am “home” and will start back to work in several hours, happy to be resuming my life as a medical missionary, here at St. Francis-Mutolere. .
Baby Michael is safe and sound at Potters Village Babies Home. I saw his beautiful face when I arrived and though a bit shy at first, he opened his little arms to me once he heard me speak and sing to him. .He walks holding onto furniture but has not yet taken his first unattended step. Perhaps that will be this weekend when I bring him home for a visit.-smile.
More very soon and, of course, lots of photos!
Blessings in the New Year
Marie
Ps I have included my favorite New Years Prayer, which holds more meaning for me this year than ever.