Saturday, January 30, 2010

Humor?

I have reached a point were I am trying to find humor in the negative... sometimes it is more cynical than I might want to be, but funny none the less.



For instance... there is a nice gentleman who has been trying to help us find a home. He must also be a ferry busy gentleman, as well, because he will say, "I'll be there at 2:30" then at 3:30 call and say he will be there in 15 min. thirty minutes later he will finally arrive, but only have a few minuets to give us, so we haven't really had anytime to see much. Kent has heard him tell others that he will be there in 15 min as well, like it is a standard response, something similar to "in a minuet" in the states. So now we laughingly (most of the time) add several hours to what ever time he says and have begun looking for other resources to help us learn the town.



Another example might be dinner... we knew that there would be a lot of rice in Uganda, we assumed that there would be a lot of beans too. We LIKE beans and rice and were looking forward to eating it. We were NOT prepared for noodles. We have rice and noodles with EVERY meal that they cook for us. Usually they will serve some kind of protein as well, chicken (with bones) beef and pork (with bones) goat (with bones) OR eggs. Most every thing is delicious, if you can get past all the bones. They will also serve a veggie too, usually some type of cooked green or cabbage. Once we even had Motoki - which is a type of banana that they cook.

So at dinner we laughingly as one another.... "Noodles and rice, or rice and noodles?"



Still another humorous out look.... I have 4 girls, that is 8 arms and 8 legs and 4 beautiful faces. I bet that if I counted there would be 30 - 35 mosquito bites on all of them combined. Not bad... until you realize that 20+ of those are on Curly's right arm/hand. I jokingly say that her arm was an all you can eat blood buffet for the mosquitoes. Poor thing, she really doesn't react very well to them either. They don't come up as little, itchy, red bumps, they are huge and swollen so bad that they are yellow almost. I'm afraid we are going to use all of our hydrocortizone and After Bite on her arm in the first week we are here!



So that is going to be on grandmas "to send" list.... anything that will repel mosquitoes. I think we will be willing to try ANYTHING!! I have seen bracelets, patches and a whole gamut of other products, and we are willing to try them ALL. I think what makes the bites so mysterious... is that Curly and Sweet Pea were sharing a bed, and a mosquito net: one was barely touched, the other was nearly eaten alive! I've taken pictures.... just to prove to you that I am NOT exaggerating.... but it may still be a while before I get them posted.... some of the stuff I need is packed in ONE if the FOURTEEN trunks stacked in our living room!

OH well.... this frustrating phase of the adjusting will hopefully soon be over.... and we can go where ever we want, when ever we want, we can cook what ever we want, how ever we want, I can use what ever towel I want to wash, or dry or bathe. God has been faithful to give us the grace needed for each day, every day!

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Culture Shock...

I not sure what that is really. Seeing that I have never been in another culture before. The closest thing that I can relate to is people that don't know J.sus, and how they live their lives..... that always shocks me.

We spent our first day in our new home city yesterday. It was a long, bumpy drive to get here. I'm not sure how to describe it... other than just that...... LOOOOOOOONG and BuMpY. We left the Capital at 6:30 am hoping to miss traffic. it worked for the most part. We did come across a bus wreck (apparently they happen often), there was one fatality. Kinda strange. Over all it took us 5 hours to get here, maybe it will be better when we are driving ourselves and there is more conversation, and less sitting and staring. Oh and more leg room.... it was a tight squeeze with all of our luggage and stuff.

When you stop in the small towns, on the way north, people run up to you waving their wares.... a woman with peanuts, the man with the cold water, the young boy with meat on a stick, not to mention the bananas and fruit. It is really hard to say no. Good thing that Kent is stronger than I am.

One of the problems that we are facing is money exchange. Here they only accept Hundreds that are 2003 our newer. In our haste, even though we knew better, we didn't check the cash that we were taking, and we ended up with lots of "dead" money. We will make the time to check next time.

Here in our Home City it is hot and very dusty... which may mean that it will be warm and muddy come rainy season. There is no grocery store... we asked to see the supermarket and were taken to a convenience store that had electronics, peanut butter, TONS of cookies and a few canned goods. Oh and lots of dollar store plastic. I will have to revert back to my batch cooking days (which was only one month) and try to plan WAY ahead for other items, and get them when we are in the capital.

There are little stores everywhere. They are only about the size of a large walk in closet, but they are packed out with stuff. Lots and lots of dollar store stuff. Plastic lawn chairs, plastic baskets, plastic tubs, plastic cups and plates, plastic buckets, PLASTIC PLASTIC PLASTIC.

I have only seen one store that has actual woven baskets. Another oddity is that each store will have several shirts or bags or what ever they are selling but NONE of them will look alike. EVERY shirt hanging, or every skirt they have is different. That is one way to help people be individuals. I am curious to know were they get their goods from. Are they Dollar Store stuff that wouldn't sell, or maybe they are all from good will.... who knows.!

People stare at us every where we go, I think they are afraid of us. English is hard to understand here. The was that was here for so long hindered people's education. Kent definitely wants us to have language training, at least for a little while.

I want to put up pictures.... but I haven't taken very many. Once I have a better feel of the culture, (and it has quit shocking me) I will try to take some. Plus I need to install my picture program on my PC so that I can edit them and make them smaller.

We are doing well here in the guest house... They fix us meals, and do the laundry.... a girl could get use to that kind of living, even in a dry and weary land. :) Some of the dishes they serve have been interesting and the girls have a hard time eating them, but so far we haven't had to eat anything that would beat the guinea pigs (?) what we had in Peru.

Write more later......

Saturday, January 23, 2010

The Journey

After frantically packing and sorting all of our earthly possessions, we finally narrowed down what we "needed" to take to Uganda. This process took 6 months and started when we first moved from our duplex in Waco. We were finally able to leave Waco on Tuesday afternoon, and head to Dallas. In our U-haul we had a total of 14 trunks, three check-in suitcases, 4 carry-on suitcases, 6 backpacks and one camera bag. That is it! Nothing more. No crate is coming with extra goodies, no containers, nothing. I had wanted to do a cute blog about how all I needed was 14 trunks.... that's all I need. And these - these 4 suitcases. 14 trunks and 4 suitcases that is all I need..... And this..... (it is from the "Jerk") However everything went so fast that barely manager to snap a picture of the U-haul once it was loaded!!

OK I am still suffering from Jet lag and I feel as though I am rambling....

Anyway, we made it to Dallas and enjoyed a night at the GREAT WOLF LODGE thanks to Gram and Pop. Tue night Honey and the kids played in the water while I spent a few precious hours with my best friend. Wed morning, I played with the kids while Honey spent some time with his best friends. It worked out perfectly!!

Wed Afternoon, we headed to the airport. Checked in ALL 18 pieces of luggage (NONE were over weight!) and then proceeded to head through security. Anyone who has traveled lately knows that there are LOTS of things that must be done in order to pass through security, one of which is to take our all lap tops and liquids. In the rush to get 4 suitcases, 6 backpacks, a camera bag, 6 pairs of shoes, ump-teen jackets and neck pillows and 4 little girls, not to mention my laptop, I forgot that we had and additional laptop in one of the suitcases......... that didn't go over well. However, they helped me get it out and re-ran my bag through the x-ray machine. They were nice and didn't even complain about the fact that I didn't take my liquids out of the bags!! GOD'S GRACE and ANSWER TO PRAYERS!!

We climbed on board the airplane and headed to London. Emma threw up, only not on me. She managed to make it into the barf-bag, so traveling was still pleasant. Later, Hannah lost her lunch as well. Emma had and excuse... I gave her medicine that made her gag.... Hannah, well I'm not sure... Neither am I sure why on the next flight Sarah threw up as well.... I guess when you are exhausted and plane sick that is the result.

We almost missed our connecting flight in London. We went to terminal B and had a snack, brushed our teeth and hair, and freshened up. After a while our flight still wasn't listed so we went to ask. It is was at that point that we were informed that we were in the wrong terminal. The BA people graciously allowed a host to take us down to the -4 level (that is four floors below ground) were we raced through the longest hallway ever. Then we went back up to the 2nd floor, through the airport, back down another elevator to ground level. They were making their "last call" for Forester when we arrived.

All of the over head bins were full, so our bags got to ride "1st class". I always thought that they had those little curtains up so that the regular people couldn't see what fun "perks" that 1st class received. Now I think it is to keep the number of empty seats a secret. NO ONE was in first class! and they don't allow you to move up either.

We finally arrived in Uganda around 10:30 pm Uganda time. We waited in a long line to pay for our visas. We picked up ALL (yes all ) of our luggage! No lost bags this time.... PTL. Then we loaded up in a van. SOME HOW...... we managed to get ALL, every last piece of our luggage in the van, and there was still room for us. Not much room, but we didn't have to ride on top!

The guest house we are staying in right now is nice. It has been cool, in the evenings. It rained the first night/morning we were here. I have no idea what time it actually rained, since we didn't get up until 12:00 PM. But it was awesome. The windows were open, and you could hear the storm in the distance, and as it moved closer the sounds were amazing! All I could think was.... "let it rain, let it rain, open the flood gates of heaven, let it rain!"

We walked to a little grocery store (once we were up and attem). Then went home and played games.

Today we went all over town, acquiring things like a cell phone, sim cards, adapters, and checking out some of the stores. They have a store here that might be compared to an OLD WAL_MART. No produce, but they had everything else under the sun. (Oh and just so you will feel sorry for me..... we were about three blocks from home when Emma threw up on me, this time it really was all over me.)

Well we have been up since 3 or 4 AM.... honey and the Kids finished a game and had cereal at that time..... and now I am feeling very sleepy!!!

LOVE YOU !!

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Quick up date...

Life has been so busy around here.... I'm not quite sure why..... it might have something to do with the fact that we are moving to AFRICA in a few days. This after our whirlwind Christmas visits. Time has a way of getting away from you. I should be in bed right now.... it is 1:30, but I am SO enjoying the quiet that I just can't seem to make my self turn in.

SO in case I haven't told you lately, or in case you need reminding GOD IS AWESOME!! He works in mysterious ways!! I don't even know were to begin...... how about our house. Not or Waco house, our Uganda House.

Houses, we have been told, are EXTREMELY hard to come by in our town. There are a lot of non-government organizations that are based there, so houses are snapped up as soon as they become available. not only that they are expensive. Our budget for rent was originally $1000 - in a third world country!

In my mind, I have been prepared to live in a small 2/1 house. However, my loving husband and Kids have been praying and asking God for a nice house. Not that I haven't, but, he has really been asking God to more than we could ask or imagine!

So we received an email on Monday.... that a house was available NOW and if we wanted it we needed to send three months rent RIGHT AWAY! We thought that this was the more that you could ask or imagine house.... it had 4 bedrooms/3 baths. I didn't even know that big houses existed in our town. So we jumped on the opportunity. But with the time differences and other things, our money didn't get there fast enough, and the house was rented by someone else.

WELL, that is OK cause GOD has something better (we believe)! There is a NEW house with large bedrooms (we think there are 3) and two bathrooms and a large kitchen (which is unusual in Africa) plus it has a GARAGE and a fenced in yard!! Keep in mind that Africa "new" is probably not the same as USA "new" - in the sense that it will still probably be made from cinder block. and have cement floors, but never been lived in!

It still needs a little bit of work to be finished, and they are going to use our first 3 months rent (which is already in place) to complete it and it should be ready when we get there, if not shortly there after!! Isn't that AMAZING!!! God is so GOOD!!!!

Another blessing...... I have been praying for a new camera. Mine is over 5 years old and has taken THOUSANDS of pictures.... and was really on it's last leg. Plus my "big lens" quit working this summer. So I had a few things on a "wish list". TODAY we get an email that there is a girl in our church that has a new camera for sale, with two lenses, and a ton of other goodies. We talked about it, and decided that it was too good a deal to pass up. We got a new Camera!!! When I went to pay for it, the girl said that there were SEVEN other people that were interested in it, none felt that it was the right time. One looker even prayed about it, and felt that God told him no.

GOD ANSWERS OUR PRAYER AND KNOWS THE DESIRES OF OUR HEARTS!!!!

OK one quick story. I'm not sure that I can make this should as funny as it was, but I am going to give it a try.

So Curly Sue and Snuggle Bug were smelling a candle in my room. SB was rubbing her finger on the wax, when CS said, "OH no....." At which point I look up to see what is going on. I think she is going to comment on how her sister's is going to smell like a flower or something. Instead she says "...... now it's gonna smell like finger." (referring to the candle)

Hope you gotta good smile from that one, and were encouraged by the rest!!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Goin' away party #2 - Waco crowd

Let me know if you want to come and I will send you the rest of the info..... address and such.

Here is the info for our Waco Send off

You have played a special part in the Forester family's lives. That is why you are invited to come and join us in sending them off to Uganda! We are beginning at 6:30, but are planning on praying at 8:00. Please join us for burgers and hot dogs or just come for the prayer part. Let us know when you RSVP if you'll be able to join for the meal or not.

Really hope you can come!!

This was supposed to be sent via evite, but there were too many "technical difficulties", please respond with your "Yea or Nay" so we will have enough food for all!

Thanks,Becky & Andrea

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

A post from Kent

This was written for a supporter update, and I thought you all might enjoy reading about God's provision!

So we spent an early Christmas with Becky's family in Lubbock. The girls absolutely enjoyed the snow storm on Christmas Eve! Well just before lunch on that day we loaded up the car and slowly made our way to my mom's in Oklahoma. That is usually a 4 hr drive in normal conditions. Because of the ice and snow it was far from normal!! We made it to Seymour, our usual halfway stopping point, in just under 4 hours. I must tell you that Becky had continually asked if we should turn around. As we slowly pulled out of Seymour it literally looked like a war-zone...abandoned vehicles and semis littered the roads and ditches. I started at that point to also wonder if we should have turned around!! It usually takes 1.5 hrs to drive into Wichita Falls from Seymour...it took us 5 hrs. It was the craziest time I can remember being on the road, but...as we inched our way around "jack-knifed semis" on two-lane roads we saw a large set of lights coming toward us. It should not surprise you to hear that a huge snow plow showed up in the middle of nowhere,and I mean nowhere, and led us practically all the way into Wichita Falls. We ate dry cereal in our hotel room (thank you Lord!) for our Christmas Eve dinner, but we were together. And we did make it to my mom's for Christmas Day lunch.

Also, wanted to catch you up on our financial situation. Whoever has been praying...please continue! Since our last update we have seen over $20,000 come into our "one-time" needs. That means we only need about $6,000 more to meet all of our projected "one-time" needs! It has been all God. I mean that. None of those finances that have come in were from our potential resources. The Lord has again reminded us He has called us into this and He is planning to provide for us. I hope to learn that once for all, but praise God He has been long-suffering with me until then. We hope to gain another 5 families for our monthly support team, so please keep praying with us.

Be Blessed!!

Send off - #1

OK.... You are all invited to our Lubbock, TX "send off". Here are the details:

Trinity Church Chapel
7002 Canton Ave
(University & Loop 289)
Sunday, January 10th
3:00pm - 5:00pm

Light snacks
a few tears
and tons of hugs!


We would love to see you there!!