Mrs.O's writing room.

The transition continues as I settle in, even then I can't help but think about all the things I miss back home. I miss listening to the 'morning show' on Sanyu fm, they have some really crazy topics for discussion each morning. In the building next to Rwenzori House there was a guy who sold pancakes every morning. I didn't buy them but I knew he would always be there as I passed on my way to work. (I miss the smell of Pancakes not the guy). Then there are those little boys who are in the mobile manicure, pedicure business. They are cheap, easy to come by and can do a great job if they mean to. I was looking at my toes the other day and thinking how miserable they are. I can't just walk out the door and get the job done for 500shs (less than a dollar) as I used to back home. I haven't yet ventured into these beauty shops but I doubt it would be less than 15 dollars (30k). I don't think I should even be trying to make the conversions because quite honestly it...

I took the bus today to meet up with some friends in Centre City. I was supposed to take a tour of the Kimmel Centre with them but unfortunately I was late and Mich didnt help much with all his running all over the place and trying to get into every hole. I was able to meet my friends after the tour so we decided to go to the library, not a good idea. Mich was not about to read or keep quiet for that matter so we had to leave. I have been thinking and one of my friends suggested that I should get Mich a stroller. That might make our lives less complicated in many ways, 1. I will not have to carry him on my back every where we go, 2. He will kind of be restricted in his movements and 3. We'll both be less tired at the end of the day, well I hope. On the ride back home there was a girl sitting opposite from me, she was obviously pregnant, probably 15 years old and she was sucking her finger. Hmmm! talk about babies having babies, that was not a very happy sight. Then the bus stopped ...

Judging from my previous postings it must be obvious that this Ugandan girl is getting settled. Atleast I haven't written anything dramatic, these past posting have pretty much been journeys within my mind and heart. You get to do alot of that when you are placed in unfamiliar sorroundings, thus the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness. Last Saturday, we took a brief break from the life in the city of brotherly love and headed to Washington DC. It was 2 hour bus ride organised by the International Students Programme, that was cool, it was a cheaper fare, you get to go with other "green" people and that makes its all the more fun. The best part about this trip was that a friend of ours Mercy, was going to be our tour guide and host for the day. Well there was nothing to write home about the journey but certainly lots to see when we actually got to DC. We were dropped off at the National Air and Space Museum, I thought that would be really exciting but unfortunatly the phy...

Its already Friday and I just realized the last time I jornaled was Sunday, hmm! I wonder if that's good or bad. Breaking news, yesterday I received a call from my pastor Bradd (gees! that sounds funny, its always been Gary). Anyway he was calling to ask me to join them in leading worship on Sunday. I freeked out, I know I had mentioned to his wife that I used to sing but eh! that was a bit too fast. I think I would like to first blend in properly before I start getting involved. He read between the lines and said, you might want to visit one of our practices first to which I responded very emphatically. Its very important to have your priorities right especially in this place. Sam has a class mate who came in when she was just about ready to have her child. The first time I saw her I thought she was a partner but no, she is a student. This place is really hectic book wise (I have mentioned that several times) you don't want to be having babies now. If you miss just one class y...

I'm beginning to think that either the Christians here are too luxed about working out their salvation or the Christians in Uganda are too "spirii". Last night we were invited to the Wharton Christian Fellowship (WCF) it took place in one of the apartments in Centre city, thats a bus ride away from home. The party was hosted by a nice guy called Kim David, he is studying for two degrees at the same time, people can really be sharp or is it having too much zeal for life?! He is studying for both his medical degree and his MBA, now how about that?, maximum respect I tell you. We were so looking forward to the event that we got there an hour and ahalf early.The communication we got was that it started at 6pm but as it turned out it was scheduled for 7:30. The host was nice, he invited us in and told us to feel at home while he went to buy food for the party. We watched TV and read some books, time went by and people begun to show up. The usual, introduce yourself, where you ...

Things are looking up again, my last blog must have sounded really sob but not anymore. Life at Wharton is pretty hectic right now, apart from the books, all the clubs are in the season of recruiting and advertizing. There is a dancers club, the whartones (singers), the writers at Kelly writers house, different business related clubs to name but a few. Students actually have their heads spinning trying to figure what club they need to join (for info and networking sake) and what would be nice to do. So apart from sorting through assignments there is the clubs. This has been fun for me because I on the other hand am rubbing my hands wondering what other club I can join, most of the clubs are open to partners as well. The down side is that most club activities take place in Centre City which means taking the bus and half them start at 11pm that pretty much says it all. One club though that is sane in every way is the kids club, we joined it and Mich and I had our first interaction with o...

Last night was a long one, I tossed and turned and failed to sleep. I was thinking again,feeling down because my life seemed kinda empty. Looking back over the period I have been in Philly, I want to have more meaning, something to do. After all the excitement of coming to the US, meeting new people, seeing lots of beautiful sceneries and my adventures, everything kind of becomes routine. So I was thinking, maybe I came to Philly too soon, I should have stayed home for a while longer and then Mich and I would visit Sam over Christmas. Now it was making sense because then I would be occupied, I really enjoyed my work at the bank and it was promising, I was just about to move into a new field, well atleast that is what my boss told me. Charity was there to help me with Mich, I still had the car, friends, family and ministry in the church choir. Things were going real well, now I was looking back with some kind of regret. Yet again I remember we discussed this with Sam and decided it was ...

Today started really late for me, seeing as Mich and I slept very late and were paying this morning. I was only able to leave the house about 1pm to run a few errands and also attend an introductory class on "Dance", I had been looking forward to joining this dance club so I made sure I had the location and time right. At 3pm the scheduled time for the class I call Sam to confirm the location of the lecture. I get there about 5 mins late, class is already in session, seats are all taken, people are standing at the back. I listen for a few minutes and figure something is definately wrong, for starters the person giving the lecture has a dog with her and she is discussing types of dogs and how they are not dangerous. This has nothing to do with dance thats for sure. I take some time and look around the class and they all have name tags and its a very serious setting. By this point Mich is restless and I'm getting abit uncomfortable seeing as I'm standing there with a li...

Today, five years ago America was changed for ever, completely and immensely. Just from watching the documentaries and listening to the stories of those who survived from the towers one cannot stop the tears from flowing. Its a very painful wound even 5 years later but the fear in the eyes of the Americans that day was indescribable and very real. I knew it was a terrible experience but now more than ever I see that it was something wicked, heartless and evil. Only God can truly bring healing to the Americans and only God can bring justice on whoever was behind this. May God grant healing and restoration and renewal to those who lost family and friends and to America as a country. I keep wondering about the natural events that took place after that, the tsunami and the floods in New Orleans, is God trying to get our attention?

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.Mine was ok, I'll think back to see if anything drastic happened but for now I just want to say hello and also say how much I'm missing home. Something happened to me today that has made me look at myself in a whole new light. I know that being alone is a healthy thing, well, not too often but once in awhile, here I'm faced with it, not exactly out of choice. Its happened to me quite afew times that when the house is quiet, say Mich is sleeping and Sam is in reading or not in the house my mind tends to wonder in all sorts of directions, I think alot. I have literally stopped and almost looked at my self (if that is possible, I guess in the mirror it is) but just the things I have thought are shocking. For clarities sake I'm not running mad, I didnt think of killing anyone but eeh you!.The thoughts can be really loud, just confirms that I need God every moment of my life. I will not tell you what I thought, I just wanted to confirm ...

Its been a quiet week and nice at that, nothing drastic just the everyday routine settling in. Monday was a holiday, labor day, it also happened to be Rachel's Birthday. Rachel is "our daughter" she is Ugandan, came in about a week ago, she is studying for her first degree and planning to be an Actuarial scientist. Don't ask me what that is but you might want to check it out on the Internet, when I first heard about it, I thought of aquariums and fish but no, they are not related in anyway.It has something to do with mathematics. She did her A levels at Namagunga and decided that Makerere was not the place to be so she applied to Wharton and was accepted. We met her and her parents before leaving UG and seeing as she is very young, is a first born and she is leaving UG for the first time, her mother thought we would be good company. We are pretty much family. I did a search on the net for the 'Navigators ministry" in Philly and I was able to get an email add...

I would like to thank you all for being supportive and for the wonderful suggestions on how to make life in Philly better for me and Mich. God continues to watch over us in more ways than I could have imagined I am really grateful and thank Him for being there for us. You may be wondering what has brought on all the praise but truly its just the way I feel His presence and in the things He does for us. I think I can confidently say that we have found the church where we will be attending while we are here. This might sound funny but indeed it is "Vineyard Community Church" the very first church I attended. Pastors wife with the nose ring, remember?!, speaking of I haven't yet met with her, we set a date for 5th, that is Tuesday. We've been to two other churches and as we visited my prayer was always that God would confirm it in our hearts. Today we went back to Vineyard and honestly it was simply amazing, nothing miraculous, just a peace and feeling comfortable there....

Today there was a trip organized for Wharton international students to go shopping at one of the malls out of town called "Franklin Mills". I'd been there once before with Sam but since I was nothing doing I thought I would go again. Franklin Mills is a maze, really really huge, like five times Game Store and some, so the time I went with Sam we didn't quite go all round. Of course I went with Mich, I happened to be the only black person and non student but it was okay. We were told we had four hours to walk around or shop. It went well until five minutes to the time we were scheduled to get back to the bus. Mich had wondered off, at the start I thought he was in the Jessy Penny store, we had walked in earlier and played a little hide and seek among the rack of clothes. I walked around once, then twice, by the third time I was getting freaked, I couldn't see him. At this point I decided to let the guy at the counter know I was looking for my little boy. The shop ...