Day 11: Adventure to Kampala!

So, I've let toooo much time go, between posts about our days in Uganda!  BUT... I've definitely not forgotten. :)  In fact, sometimes things come flooding back as if it were just moments ago that my feet touched those incredible red dirt roads.  In that same vein, there are so many things that are different about America, and well, me... since returning.  Ok, the America things really are no different than before I'd left; it's me that's changed.  And it's all for the better, but also not easy, sometimes.  For example, eating out for $50-$60 at a restaurant with the family just isn't as appealing as it was months ago. The same with shopping for items that are necessary but that many don't have the privilege of having... like being at a mall. I guess when you live for 2 1/2 weeks in a place where most people live on less than $1 per day, where kids in villages are not in school because it is too expensive, at $13/semester... your perspective can't help but change. I'm SO GRATEFUL for this perspective, as it won't let me forget the genuine and loving culture I've fallen in love with, the people I now call friends, and the great need that is out there. 

It's amazing, and humbling, the feel an entire country of people has, when most all non-essential (and some essential) material possessions are removed. You are left with raw, real life, and everyone on the same playing field.  It's really beautiful.  

view of the vast savannah and acacia trees, from atop our open-air jeep, on safari

Day 11 started with us needing to say goodbye to the Sole Hope Guest House, and all of the AHHHHMAZZINGGG staff and new friends we'd met!  We felt so loved and welcome at the SHGH, where we'd made our home for the past week. It was tough to say goodbye!

Leaving Joyce and Goretti at SHGH 

To meet the staff at the guest house, click here :)

So.  It was off to Kampala!  We had no IDEA the adventure that awaited, actually just a few miles down the Jinja roads...

Brian was driving us to Kampala.  We were headed for the Apricot Guest House, where we would spend the next two nights. It was about 11am when we set out.  

Almost immediately, Brian's van began stalling at irregular intervals.  We all exchanged wondering glances, but didn't have to wonder for long, after a lonnng stall.  Brian got us to a service station pretty quickly, after a series of stalls.  

We were about to get us a lesson in Ugandan Auto Mechanics. 

Firstly, though Brian speaks pretty fluent English, now all bets were off, as he conversed with the auto tech in Luganda or Swahilli.  It started to become clear that something needed to be fixed in his van, and they were going to try and fix it in the here and now.  

It turns out that the engine is under the front passenger seat.  Sooo Christy hopped out of the van, ha.

This checking of things out... went on for quite awhile.  Some of us snacked from our backpacks, as lunch looked very unlikely. Some of us rested in the van while it was worked on, and some of tried to read the days' news.  It was the day of the terrible tragedy in Charleston.

12pm... 1pm...  as a 'part' arrived and the men began to work on the van again (also asking Kerry's opinion of what the problem could be!), Andrea tried to grab the reins in the situation and control what she could, with a tiny, pre-pasted toothbrush. 

Love ya, Andrea!

2pm passed us by... 

As we sat at the station we were able to see LOTS of interesting things:

a goat running around

a biker holding onto the back of a semi as it pulled it along

loads and LOADS of bananas on a truck

a recliner on the back of a boda

The service station was right next to a Muslim school, and as school was let out for the day, we Mzungus, planted at the station got plenty of looks!

We started to wonder when we'd be able to get back on the road!  Finally around 3pm, someone in another van arrived!  We exchanged vans, and we were off to Kampala! It was about a 2 1/2 hour ride, if I remember right?

Kampala, Uganda's capital city, will make your head spin. The chaotic traffic on the dusty roads, with few street signs, and lack of any road rules, was startling.

Traffic was at a standstill, often, and children would come up to the van and beg for food and money.  There are SO MANY PEOPLE in the city of Kampala. They'd pry their little fingers right into a window, if it was open, to further make their point.  Heartbreaking.

Here's where we had to think about Helping vs Hurting.  Christy turned us on to an amazing podcast series, addressing just that: Helping The Hurting, which helped explain what to do in situations like this.  We generally didn't respond to this type of begging, but Sonya did share her surplus of peanut butter crackers, at one point! 

We did finally arrive at our destination, and were SO HAPPY to be there!  The accommodations were so lovely (HOT shower!)and comfortable! 

I got to share a room with my roomie, Nicole, again!

remnants of the dusty drive, 

AFTER face-washing,

prior to using this facial wipe!

bathroom

 our balcony

We noticed several adoptive families staying here :) What another eye-opening experience.  These dear people.  So obviously weary.  I found it heartwarming how Christy was able to reach out with her own adoption success story and encourage these determined, but tired moms and dads going through the lengthy and typically unpredictable adoption process.

Once we got settled, it was time to head out to N'dere, a cultural dance show.  Andrea and I were exhausted and my back (which was surviving - even thriving with all of the bumpy travel, up until this point, due to Prednisone), was so very fatigued and sore.  We decided to stay behind while the others went to N'dere.  I really had a hard time making this decision, as I'd been looking forward to it quite a bit and didn't want to miss one thing while in country!  But it seemed the right thing to do. 

Andrea and I decided to head out for some dinner.  Having heard rave reviews about Caffe Roma, from other Apricot guests, we decided that's where we wanted to be! So I went about asking various people around the guest house for directions.  After input from 3 Mzungus and 2 Ugandans (one of which directed me back upstairs to my room when I asked for directions!  Miscommunication, ha.), we decided we could walk there, eat, and walk back before it got dark.  

Shhh... 

Due to some great convo and a couple of comforts of home, 

it was one of the best Friday Night Dates 

either one of us could remember... ;)

Day 10: 1st Boda Boda Ride & Sole Hope Jigger Removal Clinic

Today was a day we'd all been looking forward to, with great anticipation - Sole Hope Jigger Removal Clinic!  But first... some of us just HAD to get a boda boda (motorcycle taxi) experience! We had a little time in the morning, before we left for the clinic, so we walked a bit down the dusty red dirt road and sought out a couple of boda drivers that we hoped and prayed understood that this was our first (except for Christy) ride!  "Please go sloww." Where did we go?? To the Source Cafe, for the best coffee ever, but of course! Our drivers were very kind (and slow, thankfully.)

"Click" for: Video of Boda Ride :)

Once we returned to the guest house, we prepared to travel to a school in rural Jinja, UG, to help with a Sole Hope jigger removal clinic.  The clinics are done every Thursday.  Staff and volunteers remove jiggers from the children's feet (and in severe cases, sometimes legs, hands, etc.)

Dru Collie, Sole Hope's Executive Director (and husband to Sole Hope's Founder, Asher),drove us from the Sole Hope Guest House to the Sole Hope Outreach Center.  The Outreach Center is where children can receive extended care for their jiggers, and even other health conditions. They also receive education there, since some are missing days, even weeks of school while they receive treatment.

Current Outreach House guests' charts

Unfortunately, the sad fact is that jiggers still carry an immense social stigma in Uganda.  About the time we visited, we learned that Sole Hope's rental agreement with the property of the Outreach Center was being terminated due to the owners learning that jiggers were being treated here.  Plans for location of a new Outreach Center are in the works!

From the Outreach Center, we drove to the school. First, Dru debriefed us a little about what our role as volunteers would be:

Mommas on a Mission: Locked and Loaded!

When we arrived, we were warmly greeted by lots of excited kids:)

We quickly realized what an efficient, well-oiled machine Sole Hope is!  Workers quickly set up for the clinic.  

We got to hang out with the kids (infectious joy!), and learn about how we would help. 

Christy, Nicole, Sonya, and I were foot washers.

  

Some elderly showed up at the clinic, as they had heard about it. Sole Hope removed the jiggers of over 150 people this day! 

Nicole

Andrea was able to be a comforter for the kids, handing out "sweeties" (suckers) and offering hugs and support. This was soo stepping outside of her box, and she was really worried about how she'd deal with this experience. I think we were all like proud Moms, watching Andrea reflect her Savior's love that day! Oh how He blesses us, and those around us when we are obedient!

jigger removal by Sole Hope staff

Paul, removing jiggers

Christy, comforting this little guy while 

he has his jiggers removed.

One of the Sole Hope nurses!

Kerry had the privilege of being a shoe-fitter for the kids once they were jigger-free!  She found this rewarding, especially when a little girl would light up with glee, upon spotting a fun pair of shoes with a "girly" denim pattern. ;)  It also brought sadness, when shoes ran out, and some newly-healthy feet were sent home, shoeless. :( 

 Sole Hope does return to the kids, another day, with shoes. But, your help IS desperately needed! 

Sole Hope starts with willing hands to cut out the shoe patterns!

So easy to help, even for little hands!

Host your own sole hope shoe-cutting party! 

Click HERE

After the patterns are cut and sent to Sole Hope, They are given to shoe makers, who earn a fair wage for their work.

Othello, head shoemaker!  He explained that he sews 18-20 pairs of shoes in his 8 hour workday :)

Next, soles are made from recycled tires.

Jigger free!  Headed home with instructions for family on how to keep feet healthy!

Tree-climbing, taken to a whole other level...! :)

This was a beyond humbling experience for me.  As a nurse, I think I was able to look past the painful removal process effects (for the most part; of course my mama heartstrings were pulled to see the kids suffer unecessarily!)... but so often seeing people in pain truly is something that we become accustomed to dealing with, in order to help others.  

It was incredible to connect with the kids and to just BE THERE.  Their initial apprehension as they took a seat next to a washing bucket dwindled as they trusted.  Smiles break down WALLS, y'all. 

A smile says, "I don't judge you." 

A smile says, "I care."

A smile says, "I'm no better or different than you.  

I'm simply here."

A smile looks past all color, age, culture, and circumstances. 

A smile says LOVE.

A video of our jigger clinic removal experience: