Well, today was the day I was supposed to head up to Mbale to begin working as a medical volunteer with FIMRC. But due to spotty Internet connection, I didn't get the message that I actually need to be picked up tomorrow.
We went to church this morning at the Jinja branch. It was a very nice building with electricity and running water and fans and a lawn! It also had wifi which was great because it allowed me to finally check my email. I attended sacrament meeting, where there were about 100 people, and about 12 of those were investigators. The full-time missionaries spoke about prayer, service, and how we can use the scriptures to learn God's will; they were sisters from South Africa and Kenya, and then the branch missionary. I had some trouble understanding what they were saying, but not too much. I'm getting better at deciphering what they say;)
After sacrament I went to a gospel doctrine class where we read in judges. The Old Testament can be difficult to understand, but everyone in the class seemed to know exactly what was going on. . . Haha. It was fun to learn from them. :)
After class, I had planned on going to relief society but discovered they had no one to teach primary. So, in about 2 minutes I planned a lesson and then proceeded to teach. (I guess all those TA reviews are paying off). The kids were all siting in tiny plastic lawn chairs, huddled around me. They stared up at me with big eyes, anxiously awaiting to hear what I would say. That didn't last long though! After only a few minutes they were wiggling in their chairs, and whispering to their neighbor, and soon some even snuck out! (I discovered after class that they had snuck out with some chalk, because the walls were covered in chalk scribblings and giant numbers). Once we finished the lesson, I decided story time would be better to keep their attention, so I told stories about Nephi building a boat and his family traveling to the promised land, and when the people of Ammon promised God they would fight no more and prayed to Him instead of warring. We sang a few songs and prayed and finally, the hour was up. I was relieved:)
After primary, I went to wait for my driver to pick me up to take me from Jinja to Mbale. I waited, and waited, and waited. . . But no one came. So I decided to check my email, and saw I had received an email the day before, saying I would need to be picked up the following day in Jinja. I suppose that is what happens when you don't plan so well. Thankfully, I had spoken with two undergrad nurses at church that day who are staying with a kind woman while they work in the pediatric hospital in Jinja. They were coming back to the church at 6 pm to use the computer, so if I waited around until then, I could ask to stay with them for the night. It actually turned out so great, because while I waited I was able to talk for a while with the missionaries (one from Utah, the other from South Africa), as well as many of the members. Sometimes crazy things happen but really good things result, you know?
By the end of the day I had five different options for places to stay: with either of the two senior missionary couples, with two different members, or with the girls from Canada. I ended up stay with the girls from Canada at a woman's home close to the church. The woman is the retired health administrator of Uganda, or something like that. She is a nurse and has been involved with geriatrics (as a nurse's aid actually), pediatrics, and basically everything else you can think of. She is one of the kindest woman I have ever met; truly, so so kind and generous. She made me a warm bed and hung a mosquito net for me, and provided sandals to wear in the house, and made me a hot meal, and opened her home to me, and told me to call her mama Catherine. Seriously, she is an angel and I love her.
The girls talked with me about the terrible, horrible, unsanitary conditions of the pediatric hospital there, and I was getting woozy just listening to their stories. The health care here is not good; it's terrible in most places. The clinic I'll be working at is good though, and for that I am grateful.
There were some unexpected challenges today, but they turned into blessings:) thanks to everyone for the love, prayers, and support! I'm so grateful to be here!!
No comments:
Post a Comment