Mom

On Sat, Apr 9, 2011 at 12:25 AM, 

Good Morning…it’s Saturday here…it is very easy to lose track of time and day!  It’s a beautiful peaceful morning.  One load of clothes is out on the line, and another is washing.  It’s so nice to hang clothes out and have them dry quickly!  Had my smoothie, read my Bible, hanging out clothes……what a life!!!!

We toured the old GSF place the other day…our driver, Louis, was raised there, then he moved over here to the new one, I think it was 10 yrs ago.  The old place is one big house, kind of like the houses at the mission…..about the same size maybe a little larger and they housed 200, yes, 200 children!!!!  Lots of acreage so kids could play, but they out grew it.  (that house is very close to Global Theological Seminary where Fulkes are).

Samaritans’ Purse donated property for a new place and it is about 45 min away.   Instead of one big house, the kids are now housed in small duplexes – 8 or 9 kids and an “auntie . Louis said he liked the big house and the feeling of family.  The duplexes are functional, but not fancy.  All the housing has cement floors.

We went on to see John Fulkes at the Seminary…..it is smaller than what I thought and yet bigger.  Guess that doesn’t make sense!   The buildings are close together, and there are 61 men there now. They bunk in big rooms, just a cot and a mosquito net.  But the grounds are huge….sugar cane fields, maize, vegetables.    And it is all so lush and beautiful. From there we drove to the top of a mt somewhat like Pillar Mt and could look out over lake Victoria and the all the fields.   It was a hot day and I about melted in the van.  No A/C, windows down, not much of a breeze. Lake Victoria is the 2^nd largest fresh water lake in the world about the size of Uganda!  It is at 3800” elevation and we were way above that.

We met up with the FL team at a Chinese restaurant…..good food.  Chinese food in Africa!  Just seemed strange.  

There were some heavy thunderstorms during the night and the next morning. We were to go rafting, we being Deb and I , a couple of the missionary  girls and I think around 5 of the FL team.  But at the time we were to be picked up the weather was pretty bad.  Deb kept saying it would clear, but it sure didn’t look like it.   The FL team decided not to go, so we didn’t go either.  Yes, it did clear up in the afternoon!   Then a few more storms passed through around supper.

Did I tell you there is a tailor who lives here with his wife and kids?  His name is big David and he is quite the man.  He came as a young man, and now is working and raising his family here.  He does ALL the sewing: the kid’s uniforms, the guards clothes, bags and scarves to sell. He basically can sew ANYthing.  He is lame.  Debbie doesn’t know what caused it and when he first came here he was like that.  He walks some, but mainly uses a three wheel type bike that he pedals with his hands.  It is not unusual to see kids sitting on his lap, kids hanging on, kids pushing him so fast you don’t know how they keep from crashing!   He has the sweetest disposition too. 

Last night we went to Jinja where John and Rebecca Fulkes live.  Rebecca is Joan Burnett’s sister, and they are Frank Gardner’s daughters.  We hired one of the former GSF boys to drive us…..it gives them work, and we don’t have a vehicle to get around in.  It takes around 45 min and is a crazy ride.  Some of you Kodiakans remember what the drive to Saltery Cove was like when you could drive the whole way in?  A lot of the roads are like that!  Not exactly pot holes, just big ruts, no shoulders, and of course kids, goats, boda bodas and vans coming at you right and left.  I think it is even worse in the dark….the driver was great, but I’m sure my blood pressure was up!  You do get up on a bigger road that is somewhat paved….somewhat used loosely!   David told us that the road will be lined with large container/van/not quite semi type trucks….but they are on their way to and from Tanzania and Kenya and they park and sleep at night.  So the road is even narrower.

Rebecca had invited some of the local missionary ladies over for a “ladies night out”.  Debbie had brought two games of Bunko over….one for here and one to leave with Rebecca.  So she invited 12 ladies over and we played 2 rounds.  Was tons of fun and a great way to mingle with everyone because you don’t have to “think” when you play the game.  So you can talk and visit at the same time.   The ladies represented probably five different types of mission societies:  Baptist, Lutheran, Church of God, African Inland Mission, Global Outreach.   Most of them were young ladies….older 20s and 30s I would guess.

So that brings you up to date……a few more thoughts….just BRIEF!   I got to see the new babies home that a lot of people in Kodiak collected clothes/blankets for.  It has not received the occupancy approval yet…..I’m not sure what all needs done.  I asked if it was major work, but they said no.   A lady from a former mission’s team painted all the walls with mural type scenes very similar to the nursery at the chapel that Diane Harrison painted. In fact it looked very much like her work!

Deb and I stopped in the baby’s home for a few minutes, picked up some kids to hug and hold, and when I handed the toddler to the auntie I realized that he didn’t have a diaper on!   I had forgotten that Deb said they didn’t wear diapers!  

Some of the big kids who go off the compound for school, got home late because they had exams yesterday.   There were maybe 8 of them each wearing a back pack….another “Kodiak” sight.  Thanks to all who bought and gathered back packs for the kids here.

Thanks for reading……sue