Mrs.O's writing room.

Last January I decided to lose weight.  Jeanette's advice; "Eat an apple, it boosts energy and ebbs hunger". I tried it but each time, I would swear I had an apple, I just didn't know where it had disappeared. Clare's advise; "Drink warm water, it is filling and it warms the tummy". Apart from several trips to the bathroom, this advice didn't make any sense, I was still hungry. Then I discovered the Daniel Fast . Quite apart from losing weight, I desired a more intimate walk with God. A fast without an agenda ends up being a diet plan. I liked the idea of seeking God while disciplining my body. No sugar, no meat, just vegetables and water. It sounds torturous but it's not so bad, just a little bit. I started the days in prayer. At every turn there was a temptation but having a reason to fast - things to pray over made it possible to get through the days. I felt extremely drained the first days, my head pounded, I visited the ba

There was a time I thought British Airways was calling my name to board a plane back to Uganda. Things that were seemingly normal baffled me, the addiction to coffee for example, I didn't understand why it ruled the world. A cup or the lack thereof dictated whether one's day went well or not. While tea did a fantastic job keeping Ugandans calm (maybe too calm), here, life didn't begin until the "cup of coffee", then there were bursts of energy and sudden flat valleys or near zombie-ish states. Then the "I'm late" panic. Just like Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland, there was no time to spare, no time to chat. Run here, run there, run everywhere, one needed a reminder just to breath.  Grim faces in the bus, snarls on the train. I made sure to keep to myself lest someone lashed out. I avoided eye contact and didn't smile unless I knew the person. There was hardly a support network to speak of especially when one needed help with child care. No

I stared at the news flash on my computer screen Friday morning. I remember thinking, the timing couldn't have been worse. Christmas will not be merry. Those kids could very well have been mine, Adam Lanza too. I picked my kids up that afternoon and hugged them tighter. It is easy to worry about their safety at the daycare and school. I pray for them constantly to avoid going kuku. This country is so big, there are vast numbers of people facing troubling issues of one kind or another. It is a "lonely society" - that doesn't help. The man across the road, the neighbor 2 blocks down, the woman in the grocery store.What do they do? What are they thinking? Do they have family? What trials are they facing? The official response is "I don't know and frankly, I don't care. I've got issues of my own". We need to reach out, to break down the barriers and remold the culture. God is calling us as believers to cross that line. He is calling us to care e