Apr 12th Update

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Greetings, Everyone!
 
It is really humid today - everything I can do to just sit here. We haven't had rain for about 5 days, so it's gotten really hot (back in the 100's), and threats of rain, but nothing concrete yet. Pray for rain to cool it down!! Thanks.
Well, I've been here 3 months today. Seems like such a short time when you say it, and then to see all the things the Lord has done since then, it seems like it's been more like 6 or 8 months.
This past weekend, I went away for a little R&R in Mbale. (I try to get away once every 6 weeks or so.) I stayed at the Mbale Resort (think Motel 6) for 2 nights and ate "American" food, spoke with some other Americans who came to the restaurant at the resort, read books, sat in front of a fan a lot, and generally acted like I was in America instead of Uganda. It was a good break. Actually, having a flushing toilet, a sink to wash my hands easily, and a shower were wonderful luxuries (even if the shower only gave hot water at a trickle and the toilet ran all the time). One night they were making barbecue at the restaurant and I thought, "Wow! Just like America." Okay, not quite. First, the barbecued goat was pretty tough - I didn't end up eating more than a bite. Second, the roasted banana was really not my cup of tea.Third, the chicken was not done in the middle (common in American barbecues, too, eh?). For breakfast, though, they had American small boxes of cereal. I'm not normally a cereal eater, but Frosted Flakes were so good, with cold milk. (You can't get cold milk here - it's either hot for African tea, or the kind that sits on store shelves and lasts forever...room temperature. So, cold milk was amazing!
On to other things that have been happening:
I was served some untreated water last week (and told it was treated). After a couple of runs to the bathroom (no pun intended), I took Immodium and was fine an hour later. That evening, when explaining to Auntie Betty (Rogers’ wife) what had happened and that I was going to only have rice for dinner so as not to begin again, she commented, helping me know she understood what I was saying, “Oh, your stomach was disorganized.” I guess she’s right – it was pretty disorganized. What a great way to say you're sick to your stomach!
Brenda, our oldest girl in the orphanage, had malaria this week. She was so sick. Our nurse, Mary, had her on a drip and after 2 days she was stronger and last night she was finally able to join us again for devotions in the evening. Charles (one of the boys who is a twin) also got malaria last week. He was better after only a day and a half - apparently did not get it as badly as Brenda. Rogers' son, Prosper, who is almost 5, was in the hospital last week for 3 days with malaria also. There are SOOOO many mosquitoes right now - I probably have 30 bites on my body. They are so bad, it's no wonder the kids get malaria. Please pray for protection and that we endure this season of rain and thus mosquitoes. (I know, I told you we wanted rain right now, but it is the rainy season and thus the worst for mosquitoes.)
I have included a picture of our worship team. The person with her back to the camera, is Betty (Rogers' wife); the girl closest to us is Garreth, a teen who is a single mother, the girl in the pink is Peace (one of Rogers' and Betty's older girls) and the 2 children are Brenda and Ben - our 2 oldest kids in the orphanage. They have been practicing with the worship team and really enjoy being up helping to lead people into the presence of the Lord. I can't remember the name of the young man in the back - he has just been coming to the church for a few weeks.
The big girls at our house (Mary, Peace and Prossy) told me the other day that they saw a white person and "it's interesting how all white people look the same." Isn't that great? We think the same way - people from other lands all look the same. So funny to me, who thinks all white people look so different from each other.
The children are doing so well at school. It is amazing to hear their English improving on a daily basis (English is the official language of Uganda, so it is imperative for them to know and understand it). Sometimes, now, even before I get done saying something to the group, 4 or 5 of them will respond - they have understood what I said! It's great! There is so much improvement.
Thanks again to all of you who think about us, pray for us and give your financial gifts so this ministry can continue. You are prayed for by our staff each week, and the children and staff talk about how wonderful you are. Thank you. We will, literally, be eternally grateful.
Love...and talk at you next week!
Laurie