Millions of children soon will head off to a new school year. It is important to ensure that students are in good health before school begins. When scheduling health care appointments, don't overlook a dental check-up for your child. A dental examination is as important as booster shots and should be a regular part of back-to-school preparations.
Regular dental check-ups and preventive dental care,k sucha s cleanings and fluoride treatment, provide children with "smile" insurance. Routine dental examinations uncover problems that can be treated in the early stages, when damage is minimal and restorations may be small. This helps prevent painful, chronic conditions and saves money. Schedule an appointment for your child before the busy school year begins. A bright, healthy smile is a great way to start the first day of school.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Healthy Teeth, Healthy Heart
More and more research shows that oral health is linked to heart health.
Around 700 different types of bacteria can be found in the mouth. If you fail to use your toothbrush and floss enough you may suffer from poor dental hygiene. If you have bad dental hygiene, you could end up with bleeding gums, gingivitis and other oral diseases which are caused by the bacteria in your mouth.
Plaque that is not removed causes an increase in bacterial count in your mouth. That bacteria then goes into the blood stream and contributes to heart disease.
People that regularly visit their dentist and take good care of their teeth are less likely to have heart problems like cardiovascular disease.
Until a cure is found, it is recommended you take care of your teeth by brushing and flossing them regularly.
Around 700 different types of bacteria can be found in the mouth. If you fail to use your toothbrush and floss enough you may suffer from poor dental hygiene. If you have bad dental hygiene, you could end up with bleeding gums, gingivitis and other oral diseases which are caused by the bacteria in your mouth.
Plaque that is not removed causes an increase in bacterial count in your mouth. That bacteria then goes into the blood stream and contributes to heart disease.
People that regularly visit their dentist and take good care of their teeth are less likely to have heart problems like cardiovascular disease.
Until a cure is found, it is recommended you take care of your teeth by brushing and flossing them regularly.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Soda Attack: Soft Drinks, Especially Non-colas and Iced Tea, Hurt Hard Enamel
As summer temperatures rise so will people's thirst. Unfortunately, many people will grab a pop or iced tea instead of water. It isn't just cola's empty calories – about 150 per 12-ounce can – you should worry about. Many of these beverages harm enamel, the protective shell around teeth.
A pilot study of the effects some of these beverages had on enamel, appearing in the July/August 2004 issue of General Dentistry, the Academy of General Dentistry's (AGD) clinical, peer-reviewed journal, found that over time, exposing dental enamel to carbonated beverages and non-carbonated canned iced tea weakens and permanently destroys enamel.
Results from the study, which exposed healthy dental enamel to a variety of popular beverages over a period of 14 days, found that non-colas and canned iced tea were especially harmful. They contain flavor additives, such as malic, tartaric and other organic acids, which are more aggressive at eroding teeth. Root beer, which contains the least amount of flavor additives, was found to be the "safest soft drink to safeguard dental enamel."
About 27 percent of the beverages consumed by Americans are soft drinks, the study notes. Overall soft drink consumption has steadily increased over the years and remains on the rise, contributing to an increase in oral health problems, namely cavities. In 1977, 12- to 19-year-olds drank 16 ounces of soda a day. In 1996, this same age group consumed an average of 28 ounces a day.
Soda consumption has increased from approximately 20 gallons per person per year in 1970 to more than 50 gallons per person per year in 2004. The American Beverage Association has stated that soft drinks account for 28 percent of overall beverage consumption.
Soft drinks and canned beverages are constant features of daily life, and the approximately $50 billion the industry rakes in each year suggests it won't go away anytime soon. However, soda can be enjoyed in limited quantities. J. Anthony von Fraunhofer, MS, PhD, FADM, FRSC, lead author of the study, says that soda consumed "at meal times is less injurious than when consumed alone and continuous sipping is more harmful than the whole drink taken at one time."
According to AGD spokesperson Cynthia Sherwood, DDS, soda's combination of sugar and acidity can be damaging to teeth. Though the level of risk varies from person to person, Dr. Sherwood says, "Repeated exposure of soda through sipping over a long period of time increases the risk of getting a cavity."
Dr. Sherwood adds that drinking soda through a straw may help reduce the amount of soda that comes into direct contact with the teeth. She also recommends that soda drinkers rinse their mouths out with water after drinking and use toothpaste that contains fluoride.
Fact:
A typical 12-once can of regular soda contains approximately 10 teaspoons of sugar.
February 2007 InfoBites Academy of General Dentistry
A pilot study of the effects some of these beverages had on enamel, appearing in the July/August 2004 issue of General Dentistry, the Academy of General Dentistry's (AGD) clinical, peer-reviewed journal, found that over time, exposing dental enamel to carbonated beverages and non-carbonated canned iced tea weakens and permanently destroys enamel.
Results from the study, which exposed healthy dental enamel to a variety of popular beverages over a period of 14 days, found that non-colas and canned iced tea were especially harmful. They contain flavor additives, such as malic, tartaric and other organic acids, which are more aggressive at eroding teeth. Root beer, which contains the least amount of flavor additives, was found to be the "safest soft drink to safeguard dental enamel."
About 27 percent of the beverages consumed by Americans are soft drinks, the study notes. Overall soft drink consumption has steadily increased over the years and remains on the rise, contributing to an increase in oral health problems, namely cavities. In 1977, 12- to 19-year-olds drank 16 ounces of soda a day. In 1996, this same age group consumed an average of 28 ounces a day.
Soda consumption has increased from approximately 20 gallons per person per year in 1970 to more than 50 gallons per person per year in 2004. The American Beverage Association has stated that soft drinks account for 28 percent of overall beverage consumption.
Soft drinks and canned beverages are constant features of daily life, and the approximately $50 billion the industry rakes in each year suggests it won't go away anytime soon. However, soda can be enjoyed in limited quantities. J. Anthony von Fraunhofer, MS, PhD, FADM, FRSC, lead author of the study, says that soda consumed "at meal times is less injurious than when consumed alone and continuous sipping is more harmful than the whole drink taken at one time."
According to AGD spokesperson Cynthia Sherwood, DDS, soda's combination of sugar and acidity can be damaging to teeth. Though the level of risk varies from person to person, Dr. Sherwood says, "Repeated exposure of soda through sipping over a long period of time increases the risk of getting a cavity."
Dr. Sherwood adds that drinking soda through a straw may help reduce the amount of soda that comes into direct contact with the teeth. She also recommends that soda drinkers rinse their mouths out with water after drinking and use toothpaste that contains fluoride.
Fact:
A typical 12-once can of regular soda contains approximately 10 teaspoons of sugar.
February 2007 InfoBites Academy of General Dentistry
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Reds Dread the Dentist
Researchers from the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio found that reheads were twice as likely to avoid visiting the dentist compared to brunettes.
The study looked at 144 people between the ages of 18 and 41, 67 of whom were natural redheads and 77 of whom had dark hair. Participants were asked to complete a survey, ranking their fear of dental pain and how likely they were to avoid dental work.
The study, published in the Journal of the American Dental Association (July 2009), drew on previous research that found that people with red hair are more sensitive to dental pain due to a gene which contributes to their hair color. Experts also believe that reheads require larger doses of anesthetics to numb their sensation of pain than people with other hair colors.
AGD Impact October 2009
Redheads, have no fear, there are stronger anesthetics out there now. We can keep you comfortable.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Uganda Mission 2010 Video / Slideshow
Here is a video slideshow of the highlights of Bonnie and my trip to Uganda. We have about 1000 photos so it was hard to choose which would make the cut on this video. Stay tuned for a photo gallery. In the meantime, turn up your volume and enjoy...and consider sponsoring a child.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Assimilating Back into American Culture
The past week has been more difficult than I expected it to be. Both Bonnie and I have seemed to struggle with resuming life as usual. We're not sure life will ever be the same after what we've seen.
We notice how much we (us Americans) are distracted by "things" and not focused on people or our relationships with them. We seem to be in such a hurry. Perhaps that is what makes life go by so fast.
We seem to have our priorities out of balance. What are we choosing to spend our money on? Is it more important than using that money to educate a child and give them a chance at life?
Bonnie and I miss the lingering handshake that is customary in Uganda. We miss the way Ugandans speak without contractions. It's not "You're welcome", it's "You are welcome" - and it is charming and endearing.
We miss our team, all very diverse people, personalities, backgrounds, economic statuses and ages. But all people who easily got along with everyone out of love and compassion for humanity.
While we don't know if we will every return to Uganda, one thing is for sure. Uganda will forever remain in us. I pray that we will never resume to life as usual, at least not mentally or spiritually. For we can't effect change in our communities if we don't have another perspective to consider.
If you have ever had the inkling to travel abroad or participate in some kind of humanitarian effort, I strongly encourage you to do it. With all that has gone on in Haiti and Chile, the opportunities are not scarce. It is worth every vaccine, all the paperwork and travel arrangements. It is worth making arrangements for your children and household. It is worth the mental calesthenics of packing creatively.
What makes it worth it? The smile of relief and appreciation on the face of the person whose needs you have met. And that, is priceless.
We notice how much we (us Americans) are distracted by "things" and not focused on people or our relationships with them. We seem to be in such a hurry. Perhaps that is what makes life go by so fast.
We seem to have our priorities out of balance. What are we choosing to spend our money on? Is it more important than using that money to educate a child and give them a chance at life?
Bonnie and I miss the lingering handshake that is customary in Uganda. We miss the way Ugandans speak without contractions. It's not "You're welcome", it's "You are welcome" - and it is charming and endearing.
We miss our team, all very diverse people, personalities, backgrounds, economic statuses and ages. But all people who easily got along with everyone out of love and compassion for humanity.
While we don't know if we will every return to Uganda, one thing is for sure. Uganda will forever remain in us. I pray that we will never resume to life as usual, at least not mentally or spiritually. For we can't effect change in our communities if we don't have another perspective to consider.
If you have ever had the inkling to travel abroad or participate in some kind of humanitarian effort, I strongly encourage you to do it. With all that has gone on in Haiti and Chile, the opportunities are not scarce. It is worth every vaccine, all the paperwork and travel arrangements. It is worth making arrangements for your children and household. It is worth the mental calesthenics of packing creatively.
What makes it worth it? The smile of relief and appreciation on the face of the person whose needs you have met. And that, is priceless.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Out of Africa
Out of Africa
March 7th still…. (with the time change, etc)
When we flew out of intense humidity and heat in Africa, we were looking forward to the rumoured snow and cool weather of London.
After an uneventful and quick 8 hour flight (thanks to the makers of Benadryl), we landed in London and were met by a shocking cold. We marveled at how different weather can be from locale to locale. All of us Americans were looking forward to a Starbucks at the international terminal so we were disappointed to see that it was closed for remodeling or repairs. We went to Pret’s instead and had coffee and chocolate crossaints. They were AWESOME!
We all visted in the terminal waiting for our connecting flights. Some were L.A. bound, some Oregon and Colorado. Time seemed to fly by and next thing you know, it was time to board our respective flights. We made a huge circle holding hands and prayed and thanked God for the people he brought together and the incredible experiences He allowed us to share. A lot of hugs, a few tears and exchanges of emails later, we boarded our flights.
I spent the better part of the 10 hour flight back with the head of the inconsiderate man sitting in front of me on my lap. Once, he forcefully pushed his back seat back even further, so I said to him, “Sir, you are too far back, please!” He said something about me bumping into him every 5 minutes. I told him it was impossible because I’ve had to lay sideways in order to have room for my legs (which are not very long!).
The longer I sat there, the more ways of telling him off I came up with in my head. So I decided, it would probably be better for me to move to another seat. Luckily it wasn’t a full flight.
People, my appeal to you is – if you go on a flight, whether it is long or short, remember there is a person behind you with limited space. Don’t make it worse by forcing your seat to recline horizontally. If you want to lay flat, spend the money and fly first class. And if the person behind you bumps into you a few times, it’s because there is limited space to move around in. They are not intentionally trying to make you insane. Thank you!
Once we landed at LAX, the 4 of us (Bonnie, Me, Eric and Tim) were thrilled to be home. We all found our bags and also saw Sharon Osbourne at our baggage claim. Appearantly, she was on our flight from London. Customs was a breeze although the line was long.
Then we made our way up the ramp and were met by our families, smiles, welcome home signs, hugs and kisses. The boys both looked bigger but Joey has noticeably changed a lot in the last 2 weeks. I couldn’t stop hugging and kissing them. It was good to be home.
Once we reached our house, I walked in to more welcome home signs and tulips (my favorite) and hyacinths (I also love those). Then I knelt down and kissed my kitchen floor. Thank you God for giving us this amazing place to live in!
I took a much needed and anticipated shower and then we went out with the Jones’ family for a quick bite to eat. Although, I ended up not eating too much. I looked at my hubby and boys…and was full.
My cup runeth over!
March 7th still…. (with the time change, etc)
When we flew out of intense humidity and heat in Africa, we were looking forward to the rumoured snow and cool weather of London.
After an uneventful and quick 8 hour flight (thanks to the makers of Benadryl), we landed in London and were met by a shocking cold. We marveled at how different weather can be from locale to locale. All of us Americans were looking forward to a Starbucks at the international terminal so we were disappointed to see that it was closed for remodeling or repairs. We went to Pret’s instead and had coffee and chocolate crossaints. They were AWESOME!
We all visted in the terminal waiting for our connecting flights. Some were L.A. bound, some Oregon and Colorado. Time seemed to fly by and next thing you know, it was time to board our respective flights. We made a huge circle holding hands and prayed and thanked God for the people he brought together and the incredible experiences He allowed us to share. A lot of hugs, a few tears and exchanges of emails later, we boarded our flights.
I spent the better part of the 10 hour flight back with the head of the inconsiderate man sitting in front of me on my lap. Once, he forcefully pushed his back seat back even further, so I said to him, “Sir, you are too far back, please!” He said something about me bumping into him every 5 minutes. I told him it was impossible because I’ve had to lay sideways in order to have room for my legs (which are not very long!).
The longer I sat there, the more ways of telling him off I came up with in my head. So I decided, it would probably be better for me to move to another seat. Luckily it wasn’t a full flight.
People, my appeal to you is – if you go on a flight, whether it is long or short, remember there is a person behind you with limited space. Don’t make it worse by forcing your seat to recline horizontally. If you want to lay flat, spend the money and fly first class. And if the person behind you bumps into you a few times, it’s because there is limited space to move around in. They are not intentionally trying to make you insane. Thank you!
Once we landed at LAX, the 4 of us (Bonnie, Me, Eric and Tim) were thrilled to be home. We all found our bags and also saw Sharon Osbourne at our baggage claim. Appearantly, she was on our flight from London. Customs was a breeze although the line was long.
Then we made our way up the ramp and were met by our families, smiles, welcome home signs, hugs and kisses. The boys both looked bigger but Joey has noticeably changed a lot in the last 2 weeks. I couldn’t stop hugging and kissing them. It was good to be home.
Once we reached our house, I walked in to more welcome home signs and tulips (my favorite) and hyacinths (I also love those). Then I knelt down and kissed my kitchen floor. Thank you God for giving us this amazing place to live in!
I took a much needed and anticipated shower and then we went out with the Jones’ family for a quick bite to eat. Although, I ended up not eating too much. I looked at my hubby and boys…and was full.
My cup runeth over!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
On the Road Again...
Sunday March 7th
At 6:30 am this morning, we headed back to Kampala. This is a 5 hour drive. Oy! The hotel packed us boxed breakfast which included a hardboiled egg, a slice of watermelon, a juice box, a dry doughnut and small sandwich with a “mystery” spread inside, an orange, a banana, and a slice of cake (similar to a pound cake). We munched along the way, but there was a lot of untouched food.
About 2 ½ hours into our drive, one of our 2 busses got a flat tire. Actually, due to the conditions of the road in Uganda, I was surprised this was our first one. Both busses pulled over and Bonnie and Kent decided to collect all the untouched food and put it in a bag. Across from us were 2 small modest buildings with teenage boys walking around. Bonnie and Kent walked up to one of the buildings where a mother came out and greeted them with these words: “How did you know where to stop?”
Not really understanding the meaning of her question, they said, “We have a flat tire and we have some food to share because we are not going to eat it and we don’t want it to go to waste.”
The mother replied, “No, how did you know where to stop? I’ve been praying all morning for someone to stop and pray with me because I’m very sick. God cause you to have a flat tire right here so you would pray with me.”
Wow…they were blown away. She invited them into her home which is the size of my master bathroom in Moorpark. The home was filled with teenage boys. While she accepted the food offering, that was secondary to her. She wanted people to pray with her. So they did. She was so thankful, she started worshipping God.
As Bonnie and Kent headed back to the bus, you could see the woman on her knees in her doorway praising and worshipping. For all of us, it was a very profound experience.
We resumed our journey back to Kampala and once in town, we saw a witch doctor and his followers walking the streets, chanting and waving tree branches and torches that seemed to be smoking. Oddly, the witchdoctors face was painted a chalky white. It was quite a site to see, but it didn’t freak me out. I know he has no power over me.
After lunch, we headed souvenir shopping. We stopped in “Africa Village” which is like a small outdoor collection of souvenir vendors. We tried bartering, but most of us felt awkward so we didn’t try very hard. But they will discount an item for you if you ask. I loaded up in one store, spending about $44 American dollars. The store owner, with a big smile, said “Thank you so much, you’ve made my whole day!” Wow.
After that stop, we stopped at the Kampala mall which is similar to our malls – a collection of shops and food court. They also had a market in there so I bought some coffee and a spice mix that I’ve been enjoying while eating in Uganda.
Once we got home, we had to creatively pack our luggage, shower and then we headed off to the airport at 8 pm.
The send off was bittersweet. Many hugs and tears laced with promises to keep in touch.
I managed to get eaten alive by mosquitoes the last day, so I was itching like crazy and looking forward to a Benadryl induced coma for the flight home.
London….here we come!
At 6:30 am this morning, we headed back to Kampala. This is a 5 hour drive. Oy! The hotel packed us boxed breakfast which included a hardboiled egg, a slice of watermelon, a juice box, a dry doughnut and small sandwich with a “mystery” spread inside, an orange, a banana, and a slice of cake (similar to a pound cake). We munched along the way, but there was a lot of untouched food.
About 2 ½ hours into our drive, one of our 2 busses got a flat tire. Actually, due to the conditions of the road in Uganda, I was surprised this was our first one. Both busses pulled over and Bonnie and Kent decided to collect all the untouched food and put it in a bag. Across from us were 2 small modest buildings with teenage boys walking around. Bonnie and Kent walked up to one of the buildings where a mother came out and greeted them with these words: “How did you know where to stop?”
Not really understanding the meaning of her question, they said, “We have a flat tire and we have some food to share because we are not going to eat it and we don’t want it to go to waste.”
The mother replied, “No, how did you know where to stop? I’ve been praying all morning for someone to stop and pray with me because I’m very sick. God cause you to have a flat tire right here so you would pray with me.”
Wow…they were blown away. She invited them into her home which is the size of my master bathroom in Moorpark. The home was filled with teenage boys. While she accepted the food offering, that was secondary to her. She wanted people to pray with her. So they did. She was so thankful, she started worshipping God.
As Bonnie and Kent headed back to the bus, you could see the woman on her knees in her doorway praising and worshipping. For all of us, it was a very profound experience.
We resumed our journey back to Kampala and once in town, we saw a witch doctor and his followers walking the streets, chanting and waving tree branches and torches that seemed to be smoking. Oddly, the witchdoctors face was painted a chalky white. It was quite a site to see, but it didn’t freak me out. I know he has no power over me.
After lunch, we headed souvenir shopping. We stopped in “Africa Village” which is like a small outdoor collection of souvenir vendors. We tried bartering, but most of us felt awkward so we didn’t try very hard. But they will discount an item for you if you ask. I loaded up in one store, spending about $44 American dollars. The store owner, with a big smile, said “Thank you so much, you’ve made my whole day!” Wow.
After that stop, we stopped at the Kampala mall which is similar to our malls – a collection of shops and food court. They also had a market in there so I bought some coffee and a spice mix that I’ve been enjoying while eating in Uganda.
Once we got home, we had to creatively pack our luggage, shower and then we headed off to the airport at 8 pm.
The send off was bittersweet. Many hugs and tears laced with promises to keep in touch.
I managed to get eaten alive by mosquitoes the last day, so I was itching like crazy and looking forward to a Benadryl induced coma for the flight home.
London….here we come!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Safari Day 2
March 5th
Safari and Saying Goodbye
Today we headed out to safari before dawn. Our goal was to find lions eating their breakfast. We drove about an hour into the game park and saw amazing animals again! We drove right up to giraffes and hippos. We didn’t see any elephants today in the game park but did find 2 lionesses walking the plains. They were not even fazed by us being so close to them. We got within 10 yards of them but not any closer as they could’ve jumped in our bus and had us for breakfast. They were beautiful!
The surrounding water bucks (similar to our deer) were very still and hyper-aware of every move the lionesses made. If they got too close (about 50 yards away) they would take off running away from them. It was fascinating.
We did the land safari in the morning and then after lunch and our last team devotional meeting, we waited until it was time for our water safari.
While we were waiting, noticed a family of elephants right next to the grounds of our hotel. They are incredible creatures and we enjoyed watching them roam around us.
When it was time for the water safari, we loaded on the sunscreen (man it was hot today!) and got on a boat and headed south on the Nile River. On our 4 hours boat ride, was saw about 100 hippos, a bald eagle, 10 crocodiles (one of which was 18 feet long), all different kinds of vibrant and colorful birds, the land animals that came to drink from the Nile (i.e. Wort hogs, bucks, etc) and monkeys.
We headed to the base of Murchison Falls and got off the boat to take pics on rocks a few yards away from the falls.
The nature channel can’t even accurately depict what we saw live today. It was epic!
Tomorrow we head back to Kampala to pack and then head to the airport. Our team has been talking about how much we are going to miss each other and we’ve been making plans to stay in touch. Although we are all from different states, backgrounds and personality types, we’ve all gotten along so well and have had a wonderful time getting to know each other the past 2 weeks. They’ve been like family to us. So we are all getting a little sad to go home, but excited to be home at the same time.
It has been an amazing trip.
If I don’t get to post tomorrow, hang on. I will post once I return home from our 18 hour flight.
Thanks for following along!
Safari and Saying Goodbye
Today we headed out to safari before dawn. Our goal was to find lions eating their breakfast. We drove about an hour into the game park and saw amazing animals again! We drove right up to giraffes and hippos. We didn’t see any elephants today in the game park but did find 2 lionesses walking the plains. They were not even fazed by us being so close to them. We got within 10 yards of them but not any closer as they could’ve jumped in our bus and had us for breakfast. They were beautiful!
The surrounding water bucks (similar to our deer) were very still and hyper-aware of every move the lionesses made. If they got too close (about 50 yards away) they would take off running away from them. It was fascinating.We did the land safari in the morning and then after lunch and our last team devotional meeting, we waited until it was time for our water safari.
While we were waiting, noticed a family of elephants right next to the grounds of our hotel. They are incredible creatures and we enjoyed watching them roam around us.
We headed to the base of Murchison Falls and got off the boat to take pics on rocks a few yards away from the falls.
The nature channel can’t even accurately depict what we saw live today. It was epic!
Tomorrow we head back to Kampala to pack and then head to the airport. Our team has been talking about how much we are going to miss each other and we’ve been making plans to stay in touch. Although we are all from different states, backgrounds and personality types, we’ve all gotten along so well and have had a wonderful time getting to know each other the past 2 weeks. They’ve been like family to us. So we are all getting a little sad to go home, but excited to be home at the same time.
It has been an amazing trip.
If I don’t get to post tomorrow, hang on. I will post once I return home from our 18 hour flight.
Thanks for following along!
Monday, March 8, 2010
The Nile...It Ain't Just a River in Egypt
I’d like to start off by thanking all of you who have commented on my blogs. I appreciate the compliments about my writing, however, I have noticed many typos and grammatical errors. I typed most of them late at night, so my editing skills weren’t very sharp. Thanks for liking the posts anyway!
March 4, 2010 (new photos just added....click on them to enlarge)
1. The Nile River originates at Lake Victoria in Uganda
3. The Nile River is HUGE, like the Mississippi
4. The Nile River has a waterfall
Once we crossed over, we checked into our hotel and ate lunch. I ordered Nile River Perch with saffron sauce. It was DELICIOUS!!!! Then we got ready for our evening safari.
Our bus for the safari had a canopied roof so you could stand up in the bus and look at the animals while being protected from the sun…and potentially the animals. Our guide showed up with a shot gun, just in case the animals (or one of us) got out of hand.
• water buffalo
• water bucks (similar to our deer / rams)
• Jackson Heart Beasts (if an antelope and a horse had a baby…it would look like a Jackson Heart Beast – a horse faced animal)
• Warthogs
• a herd of giraffes
• hippos
• amazing yellow birds
• amazing bright cobalt blue birds
And, oh yeah… as we were driving along, an elephant strolled by and crossed the road right in front of us. It was SOOOOO UNBELIEVABLY COOL!!!!!
Even the reptiles here are cool! We came across and orange and blue lizard that was beautiful! And I hate lizards.
I can’t wait to see what our safari holds for tomorrow!!!
March 4, 2010 (new photos just added....click on them to enlarge)
We left our accommodations at 5 am to head for the game parks which are about 5 hours away. Waking up at 4 am was brutal. Luckily, our teammates woke us up as neither Bonnie nor I brought a watch or cell phone with us. We have been relying on them the whole trip.
As we got close to our destination, we stopped where the Nile River has a waterfall. So, the Nile River… I’ve always associated it with Egypt and Moses. Otherwise, I didn’t know these other facts. For example,
1. The Nile River originates at Lake Victoria in Uganda
2. The Nile River flows from south to north, which is not the normal flow of rivers
3. The Nile River is HUGE, like the Mississippi
4. The Nile River has a waterfall
The Nile River’s waterfall is called Murchison Falls and it is amazing! The wide Nile narrows and falls down this rocky channel. The rocks are huge and the water fall is powerful and loud. We sat there and watched it for a while. The rainbows formed from the falls are vibrant and spectacular. The water spray from the falls was a welcomed relief because it was “Africa hot” today!
Again, I wish so much I could post the pics but you’ll have to wait until I get back into the States. Between me and my teammates we probably have about 3,000 photos! We are trying to figure out the best way to share them with each other and post some on the internet. So stay tuned. Some of the shots are phenomenal.
After the falls, we made our way to the game park. We needed to cross the Nile River with a ferry, so as we were waiting for it, I went and touched the Nile River with my hands and feet. It was awesome!
Once we crossed over, we checked into our hotel and ate lunch. I ordered Nile River Perch with saffron sauce. It was DELICIOUS!!!! Then we got ready for our evening safari.
Our bus for the safari had a canopied roof so you could stand up in the bus and look at the animals while being protected from the sun…and potentially the animals. Our guide showed up with a shot gun, just in case the animals (or one of us) got out of hand. As we were leaving the hotel grounds, we saw many baboons. They were so cool! In the game park, which is thousands of acres of protected land along the Nile River, we saw:
• water buffalo
• Jackson Heart Beasts (if an antelope and a horse had a baby…it would look like a Jackson Heart Beast – a horse faced animal)
• Warthogs
• Monkeys
• a herd of giraffes
• hippos
• amazing yellow birds
And, oh yeah… as we were driving along, an elephant strolled by and crossed the road right in front of us. It was SOOOOO UNBELIEVABLY COOL!!!!!
Even the reptiles here are cool! We came across and orange and blue lizard that was beautiful! And I hate lizards.
I can’t wait to see what our safari holds for tomorrow!!!
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Officially the Last Day in the Bush
March 3, 2010
Today, the ladies of the group (including myself) left at 7:30 am for Bethany Village where we were scheduled to do dental work on the orphans. We took the 30 minute boat ride across Lake Victoria and we were concerned that it would rain on us. This time, the boat didn’t have a tarp covering us and the clouds were dark!
The men attended the graduation ceremony for ARM sponsored students. These kids graduated from high school and “university” (our equivalent of college). The students considered it an honor to have “Muzungus” at their ceremony.
Our boat ride to Bethany was so peaceful. The water was very calm and the lake was smattered with fisherman looking for Tilapia.
Once we got to Bethany, we walked to their clinic lugging my 2 suitcases full of dental equipment. Once we got there, we set up a makeshift dental clinic on the patio of the medical clinic. It was amazing to do dentistry outside, especially when it started raining! Luckily we were kept dry by the roof. But, it is cool to say that I did dentistry outside, in the rain, in Africa!
I saw 3 patients at a time. Bonnie, Mary and Janice were very helpful in keeping the “clinic” running smoothly. Bailey kept the kids busy playing games and passing out stickers. I extracted 30 teeth here as well. With the exception of a couple of kids, they were very stoic and hardly showed any emotion during the procedures.
Due to time constraints, we had to turn kids away. This, of course, was heart breaking considering how much they needed our services.
We did get rained on during our boat ride back to Ggaba and the waves got a little choppy. Bonnie struggled a little with motion sickness but did manage to keep her lunch!
Upon our return, I was introduced to 2 of the 3 kids I sponsor through the program. I was thrilled to meet them and gave them the gifts I brought for them. The gifts consisted of a back pack, soccer ball, pump, flip flops, oral health supplies, fruit and vegetable seeds, a bible, pencils, pencil sharpener and eraser. They were delighted to receive them
I enjoyed talking with them. John, now 19 years old, reminded me that I have been sponsoring him since he was 11. He expressed his sincere gratitude for my sponsorship and I was touched. He is a very bright and good looking young man who liked to laugh at my jokes. When I asked him about school, he said he’s planning on going on to university. When I asked what he would like to do with his studies, he replied that he’d like to become president of Uganda one day!
And you know what, I think he can do it! Just think - $35 a month of an investment in this child has allowed him to dream big and have a chance at accomplishing his goal. I told him that I looked forward to coming to his graduation and he smiled a HUGE smile.
I also told him that I would be delighted to host the future president of Uganda at my home in California. He laughed and said that he was on his way to “being somebody important” and he would definitely come visit me.
My other sponsored child, Jemima, is 11 years old. She was shyer, as is common in this culture. We got to know each other a little bit and I was touched that she kept saying, with all sincerity, how happy she was that she had this opportunity to meet me. For these children, meeting their sponsors in person is like meeting a super star. They consider it an honor and a privilege to meet the person who is giving them the opportunity to receive an education. Jemima came with her sister and her father. He was so thrilled to meet me too! He just kept thanking me for sponsoring his daughter. The sincerity of their gratitude really touched me in a way that I can’t even put into words.
We visited for about an hour and then our team went onto our next destination, another slum known for its darkness and association with witchcraft and Satan worship.
We drove about 45 minutes away from Ggaba into that slum area. ARM has a church and school right smack in the middle of this area. The teacher, Rebecca, who gave us a tour, told us about one of their 16 year old students, Michael, who was kidnapped 3 weeks ago in an attempted human sacrifice. The Satan worshippers were looking for a virgin to sacrifice. By the grace of God, they let him go because they noticed a scratch on his leg. The in order to be a proper sacrifice, the victim cannot have shed any blood. How they would know that, I don’t know. I spent most of my childhood with scabby knees. Luckily, the noticed the scab on his leg and let him go.
Rebecca called him out of class so we could meet him. What a sweet boy. We prayed for him and thanked God for sparing his life. He was appreciative. The school moved him out of the area where he was living and put him closer to the school.
In the US, we teach our children “stranger danger” techniques (what to do if a stranger tries to take you). In this area of Uganda, they have to teach the same things. It just makes me sick thinking about it.
That night, our team had a debriefing and we visited with Pastor Peter who prayed for us and with a Texan, Helen, who just arrived here and bought a condo to live in. She is in here 60’s and felt that God was calling her to come here to teach the kids. So, she sold everything she had in Texas and now lives in Uganda and will be teaching at one of the schools! Wow, that’s a leap of faith.
Today was our last official day of ministering to the people of Uganda. Tomorrow, we will head off to safari to have a little fun as a team. I can’t wait!
Today, the ladies of the group (including myself) left at 7:30 am for Bethany Village where we were scheduled to do dental work on the orphans. We took the 30 minute boat ride across Lake Victoria and we were concerned that it would rain on us. This time, the boat didn’t have a tarp covering us and the clouds were dark!
The men attended the graduation ceremony for ARM sponsored students. These kids graduated from high school and “university” (our equivalent of college). The students considered it an honor to have “Muzungus” at their ceremony.
Our boat ride to Bethany was so peaceful. The water was very calm and the lake was smattered with fisherman looking for Tilapia.
Once we got to Bethany, we walked to their clinic lugging my 2 suitcases full of dental equipment. Once we got there, we set up a makeshift dental clinic on the patio of the medical clinic. It was amazing to do dentistry outside, especially when it started raining! Luckily we were kept dry by the roof. But, it is cool to say that I did dentistry outside, in the rain, in Africa!
I saw 3 patients at a time. Bonnie, Mary and Janice were very helpful in keeping the “clinic” running smoothly. Bailey kept the kids busy playing games and passing out stickers. I extracted 30 teeth here as well. With the exception of a couple of kids, they were very stoic and hardly showed any emotion during the procedures.
Due to time constraints, we had to turn kids away. This, of course, was heart breaking considering how much they needed our services.
We did get rained on during our boat ride back to Ggaba and the waves got a little choppy. Bonnie struggled a little with motion sickness but did manage to keep her lunch!
Upon our return, I was introduced to 2 of the 3 kids I sponsor through the program. I was thrilled to meet them and gave them the gifts I brought for them. The gifts consisted of a back pack, soccer ball, pump, flip flops, oral health supplies, fruit and vegetable seeds, a bible, pencils, pencil sharpener and eraser. They were delighted to receive them
I enjoyed talking with them. John, now 19 years old, reminded me that I have been sponsoring him since he was 11. He expressed his sincere gratitude for my sponsorship and I was touched. He is a very bright and good looking young man who liked to laugh at my jokes. When I asked him about school, he said he’s planning on going on to university. When I asked what he would like to do with his studies, he replied that he’d like to become president of Uganda one day!
And you know what, I think he can do it! Just think - $35 a month of an investment in this child has allowed him to dream big and have a chance at accomplishing his goal. I told him that I looked forward to coming to his graduation and he smiled a HUGE smile.
I also told him that I would be delighted to host the future president of Uganda at my home in California. He laughed and said that he was on his way to “being somebody important” and he would definitely come visit me.
My other sponsored child, Jemima, is 11 years old. She was shyer, as is common in this culture. We got to know each other a little bit and I was touched that she kept saying, with all sincerity, how happy she was that she had this opportunity to meet me. For these children, meeting their sponsors in person is like meeting a super star. They consider it an honor and a privilege to meet the person who is giving them the opportunity to receive an education. Jemima came with her sister and her father. He was so thrilled to meet me too! He just kept thanking me for sponsoring his daughter. The sincerity of their gratitude really touched me in a way that I can’t even put into words.
We visited for about an hour and then our team went onto our next destination, another slum known for its darkness and association with witchcraft and Satan worship.
We drove about 45 minutes away from Ggaba into that slum area. ARM has a church and school right smack in the middle of this area. The teacher, Rebecca, who gave us a tour, told us about one of their 16 year old students, Michael, who was kidnapped 3 weeks ago in an attempted human sacrifice. The Satan worshippers were looking for a virgin to sacrifice. By the grace of God, they let him go because they noticed a scratch on his leg. The in order to be a proper sacrifice, the victim cannot have shed any blood. How they would know that, I don’t know. I spent most of my childhood with scabby knees. Luckily, the noticed the scab on his leg and let him go.
Rebecca called him out of class so we could meet him. What a sweet boy. We prayed for him and thanked God for sparing his life. He was appreciative. The school moved him out of the area where he was living and put him closer to the school.
In the US, we teach our children “stranger danger” techniques (what to do if a stranger tries to take you). In this area of Uganda, they have to teach the same things. It just makes me sick thinking about it.
That night, our team had a debriefing and we visited with Pastor Peter who prayed for us and with a Texan, Helen, who just arrived here and bought a condo to live in. She is in here 60’s and felt that God was calling her to come here to teach the kids. So, she sold everything she had in Texas and now lives in Uganda and will be teaching at one of the schools! Wow, that’s a leap of faith.
Today was our last official day of ministering to the people of Uganda. Tomorrow, we will head off to safari to have a little fun as a team. I can’t wait!
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Idi Amin's indirect influence as a torturous dictator
Monday March 1, 2010 and Tuesday March 2, 2010
Today we took a 4 hour drive northwest to Mmubende to visit more villages. Bonnie arranged to stay back and go back to the baby house and then spent the night with Christine Atherstone, a missionary we know who lives here.
The ride to Rakai was scary at times due to the constant rainfall and muddy conditions. There is a reason Ugandans pray before departing on a road trip! But Moses, our driver, would put stunt car drivers to shame.
At the first village, Muleete, we met Pastor Wilson who has planted over 72 churches and schools to date. He has an incredible life story. Back in the times of Idi Amin’s torturous rule ('70's), he persecuted preachers of the gospel. Amin’s soldiers would scout local villages to look for pastors or believers and put guns to their head and tell them to stop or die instantly. Those who refused were either shot right there in front of everyone or imprisoned.
Pastor Wilson was imprisoned in a tunnel that had no windows and a solid gate on either side of the tunnel. There were hundreds of men in there. They were held captive for a total of 96 days with no food or water. He won’t speak of the atrocities that occurred in that tunnel in order to survive.
About 5 days into their capture, the gate was opened and a soldier announced “Tomorrow, 70 of you will be executed” and then closed the gate. The prisoners, knowing it was their last day started worshipping God and continued to sing and worship all night. The next morning, the gate next to Pastor Wilson was being jiggled open but the soldiers were not able to open the gate. It was jammed. So they heard the soldiers walk to the other side of the tunnel and open the other gate. Can you imagine the horror of the prisoners hearing their approach?
The soldiers pulled 70 men out of the tunnel, executed them and then stuffed them back into the tunnel and locked the gate. So now, for the remaining 91 days, the prisoners were locked in the tunnel with rotting corpses.
Take a break right now and process that. This is persecution for your beliefs.
On the 96th day, when they were released, Pastor Wilson thanked God for sparing his life and devoted himself to preaching the gospel and taking in the orphans of Uganda. He personally currently cares for 27 orphans in his home. The churches he plants are responsible for caring for thousands of orphans.
He is an amazing live testimony of dedication to the Lord and His work here on earth.
At the Kachungwa project, the men of our mission group assemble 2 HUGE water tanks to capture the rainfall and supply the school and orphanages with much needed clean water.
Pastor Wilson told us that in this area, 1500 kids die EACH year due to Malaria and other diseases that come from the unclean water. These 2 water tanks will likely save many lives.
While they did that, we spoke with the ladies. They clapped in excitement when I was introduced as a dentist from America who came to see them. It is very odd and humbling all at the same time. I taught the ladies about the importance of keeping their mouths clean because it is the gateway to the rest of the body. They were very receptive to the information and were so excited when I passed out toothbrushes, toothpaste and flossers. One lady even jumped around in her seat, laughing and clapping.
Two other ladies in our group spoke as well about business and then we prayed for them. Because they were so thankful for the information, they broke out in spontaneous worship songs and just blessed us with 20 minutes of singing and dancing. A drummer heard them and came in to add percussion with his African drum. It was amazing!
That night, we spent the night in a “hotel” which was really a “no-tell motel”. It was really quite disgusting but we survived it and went back to Kachungwa the next day.
The following day, while the men finished the water tank project, Janice, Mary and I set up a dental clinic in the church. Yesterday, prior to leaving, I screened 400 orphans and students. Today, the surrounding villagers heard I was at the church and showed up because they wanted to be seen as well. It is very awkward to have people bowing before you in appreciation for looking after them. They are so grateful and bowing is a sign of respect.
I ended up removing 30 teeth either due to infection, gross decay or fracture. We had to turn a lot of people away due to time. But we passed out a lot of pencils and toothbrushes and toothpaste.
As we were packing up, I was called over to look at a little girl who is very sick. She was sleeping in the church because she and her mom were kicked out of their village because they didn’t want to catch whatever the little girl had (which is unknown because she can’t afford to the doctor and there isn’t a doctor for miles).
The little girl was sleeping and the mom and sister were wiping her with cool rags. She has a high fever and an extended belly much like the malnourished children here do. However, family members say that they do feed her and she does eat well, so they don’t know what is wrong with her. Of course, I wasn’t much help but they wanted any doctor to look at her. The best I could do was pray for her and they were eager for it. Their faith is all they have.
Many of the people in the church surrounded her as I laid hands on her and we all prayed. It was heartbreaking to know you can’t do anything for her and she will likely die in the next few days.
As we headed back to our bus, we could barely board it as the kids had surrounded it and were singing praise songs thanking God for bringing the Muzugnus (white people) from America to care for them.
The pastor thanked us for leaving our families and risking our lives to help the people of Uganda. He got choked up and I did too. They really appreciate our efforts there and were so grateful.
How grateful are you today? Do you know someone you can help without expecting anything in return. Try it. It’s an amazing feeling!
Today we took a 4 hour drive northwest to Mmubende to visit more villages. Bonnie arranged to stay back and go back to the baby house and then spent the night with Christine Atherstone, a missionary we know who lives here.
The ride to Rakai was scary at times due to the constant rainfall and muddy conditions. There is a reason Ugandans pray before departing on a road trip! But Moses, our driver, would put stunt car drivers to shame.
At the first village, Muleete, we met Pastor Wilson who has planted over 72 churches and schools to date. He has an incredible life story. Back in the times of Idi Amin’s torturous rule ('70's), he persecuted preachers of the gospel. Amin’s soldiers would scout local villages to look for pastors or believers and put guns to their head and tell them to stop or die instantly. Those who refused were either shot right there in front of everyone or imprisoned.
Pastor Wilson was imprisoned in a tunnel that had no windows and a solid gate on either side of the tunnel. There were hundreds of men in there. They were held captive for a total of 96 days with no food or water. He won’t speak of the atrocities that occurred in that tunnel in order to survive.
About 5 days into their capture, the gate was opened and a soldier announced “Tomorrow, 70 of you will be executed” and then closed the gate. The prisoners, knowing it was their last day started worshipping God and continued to sing and worship all night. The next morning, the gate next to Pastor Wilson was being jiggled open but the soldiers were not able to open the gate. It was jammed. So they heard the soldiers walk to the other side of the tunnel and open the other gate. Can you imagine the horror of the prisoners hearing their approach?
The soldiers pulled 70 men out of the tunnel, executed them and then stuffed them back into the tunnel and locked the gate. So now, for the remaining 91 days, the prisoners were locked in the tunnel with rotting corpses.
Take a break right now and process that. This is persecution for your beliefs.
On the 96th day, when they were released, Pastor Wilson thanked God for sparing his life and devoted himself to preaching the gospel and taking in the orphans of Uganda. He personally currently cares for 27 orphans in his home. The churches he plants are responsible for caring for thousands of orphans.
He is an amazing live testimony of dedication to the Lord and His work here on earth.
At the Kachungwa project, the men of our mission group assemble 2 HUGE water tanks to capture the rainfall and supply the school and orphanages with much needed clean water.
Pastor Wilson told us that in this area, 1500 kids die EACH year due to Malaria and other diseases that come from the unclean water. These 2 water tanks will likely save many lives.
While they did that, we spoke with the ladies. They clapped in excitement when I was introduced as a dentist from America who came to see them. It is very odd and humbling all at the same time. I taught the ladies about the importance of keeping their mouths clean because it is the gateway to the rest of the body. They were very receptive to the information and were so excited when I passed out toothbrushes, toothpaste and flossers. One lady even jumped around in her seat, laughing and clapping.
Two other ladies in our group spoke as well about business and then we prayed for them. Because they were so thankful for the information, they broke out in spontaneous worship songs and just blessed us with 20 minutes of singing and dancing. A drummer heard them and came in to add percussion with his African drum. It was amazing!
That night, we spent the night in a “hotel” which was really a “no-tell motel”. It was really quite disgusting but we survived it and went back to Kachungwa the next day.
The following day, while the men finished the water tank project, Janice, Mary and I set up a dental clinic in the church. Yesterday, prior to leaving, I screened 400 orphans and students. Today, the surrounding villagers heard I was at the church and showed up because they wanted to be seen as well. It is very awkward to have people bowing before you in appreciation for looking after them. They are so grateful and bowing is a sign of respect.
I ended up removing 30 teeth either due to infection, gross decay or fracture. We had to turn a lot of people away due to time. But we passed out a lot of pencils and toothbrushes and toothpaste.
As we were packing up, I was called over to look at a little girl who is very sick. She was sleeping in the church because she and her mom were kicked out of their village because they didn’t want to catch whatever the little girl had (which is unknown because she can’t afford to the doctor and there isn’t a doctor for miles).
The little girl was sleeping and the mom and sister were wiping her with cool rags. She has a high fever and an extended belly much like the malnourished children here do. However, family members say that they do feed her and she does eat well, so they don’t know what is wrong with her. Of course, I wasn’t much help but they wanted any doctor to look at her. The best I could do was pray for her and they were eager for it. Their faith is all they have.
Many of the people in the church surrounded her as I laid hands on her and we all prayed. It was heartbreaking to know you can’t do anything for her and she will likely die in the next few days.
As we headed back to our bus, we could barely board it as the kids had surrounded it and were singing praise songs thanking God for bringing the Muzugnus (white people) from America to care for them.
The pastor thanked us for leaving our families and risking our lives to help the people of Uganda. He got choked up and I did too. They really appreciate our efforts there and were so grateful.
How grateful are you today? Do you know someone you can help without expecting anything in return. Try it. It’s an amazing feeling!
Friday, March 5, 2010
Bethany Village
Sunday 2/28/10
Today we went to Gaba Community Church for services. It was just as you would imagine an African church service to be - a long joyful worship celebration. We look like total stiffs compared to them. It was really fun to watch and to let loose and participate.
Pastor Peter spoke about God’s sovereignty and it was really powerful. The church actively participates in the sermon by shouting “Amen” and “Praise the Lord” whenever the desire strikes them. It was a lot of fun.
After lunch, we took a 30 minute boat ride across Lake Victoria to Bethany Village, the prettiest of ARM’s projects. We pulled up to a scenic dock and were met by palm trees. After a short walk, we came upon the different homes where the orphans live. Each home has about 15 children living in it and a house mother to care for them. The houses are well kept and the children well behaved.
What is missing in these homes in a father figure. There are so few men compared to women here mostly due to the AIDs epidemic. They are in need of married missionaries to become house parents in these homes to model married life to the kids. So if you feel a calling to do that, contact ARM.
Bethany has a medical clinic that is only really stocked to treat certain things for the orphans. It’s better than nothing but it is not a fully functional clinic. They also have a church and school onsite. The area seems well maintained, they even sweep the dirt roads!
We learned more about their child development program which develops the orphans spiritually, physically, emotionally and behaviorally. They are intentional in the school and it’s very nice to see my sponsorship dollars at work.
To learn more about these villages, visit the ARM website.
Today we went to Gaba Community Church for services. It was just as you would imagine an African church service to be - a long joyful worship celebration. We look like total stiffs compared to them. It was really fun to watch and to let loose and participate.
Pastor Peter spoke about God’s sovereignty and it was really powerful. The church actively participates in the sermon by shouting “Amen” and “Praise the Lord” whenever the desire strikes them. It was a lot of fun.
After lunch, we took a 30 minute boat ride across Lake Victoria to Bethany Village, the prettiest of ARM’s projects. We pulled up to a scenic dock and were met by palm trees. After a short walk, we came upon the different homes where the orphans live. Each home has about 15 children living in it and a house mother to care for them. The houses are well kept and the children well behaved.
What is missing in these homes in a father figure. There are so few men compared to women here mostly due to the AIDs epidemic. They are in need of married missionaries to become house parents in these homes to model married life to the kids. So if you feel a calling to do that, contact ARM.
Bethany has a medical clinic that is only really stocked to treat certain things for the orphans. It’s better than nothing but it is not a fully functional clinic. They also have a church and school onsite. The area seems well maintained, they even sweep the dirt roads!
We learned more about their child development program which develops the orphans spiritually, physically, emotionally and behaviorally. They are intentional in the school and it’s very nice to see my sponsorship dollars at work.
To learn more about these villages, visit the ARM website.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Straddling the Equator
Saturday 2/27/10
This morning we took a 2 ½ hour drive to Rakai which is southwest of Kampala along Lake Victoria.
Lake Victoria is the 2nd largest freshwater lake in the world. The first being Lake Superior. Lake Victoria is beautiful but the waters are murky. But that doesn’t stop fisherman from catching Tilapia out of it. Lake Victoria is also where the Nile River originates. We will get to see that later on in the trip.
On our drive southwest, we stopped at the equator and took pictures. Bonnie and I have a picture of us straddling the equator, one foot on the North Hemisphere and one foot on the South Hemisphere. It was very cool.
We also saw a demonstration of the magnetic pull at the equator. There were 3 makeshift sinks – one north of the equator, one on the equator and one south of the equator. When you poor water into the sink north of the equator, water will go down the drain clockwise. When you are south of the equator, water will go down the drain counter-clockwise. When you are on the equator, the water drains straight down – no swirling!!! It is awesome to see it in action. What is amazing is that these portable sinks are only a few feet apart so it’s wild to see the difference!
We encountered some rain along the way but nothing major today. We are here during their rainy season so it rains some each day. There has been some nights of heavy rains but during the day it’s not too bad. The biggest problem related to the rain is the mud. There are no paved roads here so it’s very muddy when it rains.
The first school we visited in Rakai is in the middle of nowhere. There is literally an open field and a concrete building with no doors or windows covering the openings. Most buildings like these have tin roofs. One of the classes takes place outside so there are tables and desks outside and then an outhouse.
Speaking of outhouses, I’m sure many are you are dying to know if we’ve used the poncho. Luckily we haven’t had to yet. But the bathrooms here leave much to be desired. They are stalls with a hole in the ground the size of a baseball up to the size of a softball. There are no flushers, no lights and no running water…so forget the toilet paper. Luckily we were given toilet paper and wipes by some of you, so thanks! They came in handy!!!! If you’re wondering, yes…you squat over the hole and hope for good aim. Our quads have gotten a good work out.
So, back to the school - the children are lovely. One little girl ran up to me and clung to me the whole time I was there. The school feeds them a mid-morning breakfast of a slice of bread, an egg and hot milk. After they ate, their choir performed for us. Their voices were incredible and their joy in performing for us precious.
We passed out the pencils that were donated by the girl scouts and the kids loved them. On our way out of the school, they walked us to their wire gates and waved us off. Outside the gates were 2 boys who are not sponsored through ARM and they just stood there the whole time we were there and watched the school kids. They were dirty and unkempt. We noticed a stark difference between sponsored children and non sponsored children in terms of cleanliness and even just the hope versus despair on their faces.
I wish so much that I could upload the pictures. When I get back, I’ll put together a slide show of all these things.
We visited 2 other schools and then stopped at Trudy’s village where Trudy’s mom and other family members prepared a feast for us. They made way too much food. The feast that was prepared for us was what they would make for a wedding celebration. It was yummy. The pineapple here is sooo sweet!
Speaking of food, there is no lack of food here. There is lack of money to buy the food due to poverty but there is no lack of food. In fact, the portions they eat and serve us would be enough to serve me and my 2 sons! The servings are about twice the size you would get at Cheesecake Factory. The diet is very starchy and a little protein, which is more expensive.
Trudy’s family was very gracious and hospitable. Their property was smattered with banana trees, pigs, coffee trees, jack fruit trees and their family cemetery.
Tomorrow we will go to Gaba Community Church which is pastored by Peter Kasirivu, the founder of Africa Renewal Ministries.
This morning we took a 2 ½ hour drive to Rakai which is southwest of Kampala along Lake Victoria.
Lake Victoria is the 2nd largest freshwater lake in the world. The first being Lake Superior. Lake Victoria is beautiful but the waters are murky. But that doesn’t stop fisherman from catching Tilapia out of it. Lake Victoria is also where the Nile River originates. We will get to see that later on in the trip.
On our drive southwest, we stopped at the equator and took pictures. Bonnie and I have a picture of us straddling the equator, one foot on the North Hemisphere and one foot on the South Hemisphere. It was very cool.
We also saw a demonstration of the magnetic pull at the equator. There were 3 makeshift sinks – one north of the equator, one on the equator and one south of the equator. When you poor water into the sink north of the equator, water will go down the drain clockwise. When you are south of the equator, water will go down the drain counter-clockwise. When you are on the equator, the water drains straight down – no swirling!!! It is awesome to see it in action. What is amazing is that these portable sinks are only a few feet apart so it’s wild to see the difference!
We encountered some rain along the way but nothing major today. We are here during their rainy season so it rains some each day. There has been some nights of heavy rains but during the day it’s not too bad. The biggest problem related to the rain is the mud. There are no paved roads here so it’s very muddy when it rains.
The first school we visited in Rakai is in the middle of nowhere. There is literally an open field and a concrete building with no doors or windows covering the openings. Most buildings like these have tin roofs. One of the classes takes place outside so there are tables and desks outside and then an outhouse.
Speaking of outhouses, I’m sure many are you are dying to know if we’ve used the poncho. Luckily we haven’t had to yet. But the bathrooms here leave much to be desired. They are stalls with a hole in the ground the size of a baseball up to the size of a softball. There are no flushers, no lights and no running water…so forget the toilet paper. Luckily we were given toilet paper and wipes by some of you, so thanks! They came in handy!!!! If you’re wondering, yes…you squat over the hole and hope for good aim. Our quads have gotten a good work out.
So, back to the school - the children are lovely. One little girl ran up to me and clung to me the whole time I was there. The school feeds them a mid-morning breakfast of a slice of bread, an egg and hot milk. After they ate, their choir performed for us. Their voices were incredible and their joy in performing for us precious.
We passed out the pencils that were donated by the girl scouts and the kids loved them. On our way out of the school, they walked us to their wire gates and waved us off. Outside the gates were 2 boys who are not sponsored through ARM and they just stood there the whole time we were there and watched the school kids. They were dirty and unkempt. We noticed a stark difference between sponsored children and non sponsored children in terms of cleanliness and even just the hope versus despair on their faces.
I wish so much that I could upload the pictures. When I get back, I’ll put together a slide show of all these things.
We visited 2 other schools and then stopped at Trudy’s village where Trudy’s mom and other family members prepared a feast for us. They made way too much food. The feast that was prepared for us was what they would make for a wedding celebration. It was yummy. The pineapple here is sooo sweet!
Speaking of food, there is no lack of food here. There is lack of money to buy the food due to poverty but there is no lack of food. In fact, the portions they eat and serve us would be enough to serve me and my 2 sons! The servings are about twice the size you would get at Cheesecake Factory. The diet is very starchy and a little protein, which is more expensive.
Trudy’s family was very gracious and hospitable. Their property was smattered with banana trees, pigs, coffee trees, jack fruit trees and their family cemetery.
Tomorrow we will go to Gaba Community Church which is pastored by Peter Kasirivu, the founder of Africa Renewal Ministries.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
AIDS vs. Malaria
Hey guys, we just returned from back to back "out of town" trips. Here is the post from Friday 2/26/10.
AIDS vs Malaria
At breakfast, Johnny, the Executive Director of ARM, told us about a man he met who lived in the epicenter of HIV/AIDS. Growing up as a boy in Uganda, he remembers his village and a neighboring village having animosity toward each other. Back then, and still today, the villages of Uganda were steeped in witchcraft and promiscuity.
One day, the neighboring villagers came over and put a curse on the village. The following week, three people on his street died. The villagers believed it was because of the curse so the leaders of the boy’s village went over and put a curse back on them. The next week, several people in that village died.
In Ugandan custom, when there is a death in the community, someone from your family must attend the funeral to pay respect to the dead. He remembers for a period of time, his family was going to funerals nightly!
As it turns out, these people weren’t cursed, they were dying of AIDS. It was spreading rampantly due to promiscuity.
Unfortunately, this problem remains today. One of our leaders, Trudy, is a native Ugandan who now lives in Minnesota. She has lost 6 siblings to AIDS and currently has another sister afflicted. Most of the children under the care of ARM have lost their mothers and fathers to AIDS. If these orphans were not taken in and cared for under ARM sponsorship, they would be “street kids” left to wander the streets, susceptible to child sacrifice as recommended by witchdoctors, who believe that sacrificing children will bring prosperity and heal illnesses.
Can you imagine if you and your spouse died today, how would your young child survive? I know you are finding this hard to believe but trust me. I am seeing these conditions with my own eyes.
Today we drove to Masaka, about a 2 hour drive, to a hospital known for treating pediatric AIDS. Prior to our visit, we met with the Chief of Staff and his nurses and other hospital facilitators. He mentioned that in addition to the AIDS clinic, he wanted to bring awareness to the rest of the hospital. While focusing on the AIDS crisis is worthy, he feels that the “glamour” of AIDS (helped by people like Bono, etc) overshadows the bigger crisis in the area, Malaria.
As it turns out, more kids die each year of Malaria than of AIDS. Malaria is a preventable and curable disease. Parents just don’t recognize the symptoms or can’t afford the treatment which consists of a pill regimen.
So, we decided to see a few wards of the hospital.
We started in the AIDS clinic, where the waiting room is outdoors with just a small roof to cover the seats. It was full and most patients there, young children, have walked to the clinic by themselves due to not having caretakers (likely, parents died of AIDS or Malaria). I saw a 7 year old girl holding hands with her 4 year old sister and she is clearly mothering her as she wipes the dust off her dress. The sadness in their eyes is heartbreaking. It’s as if they are just going through life’s motions. There is no joy or spark in their eyes.
There are also grandparents who have brought the children they care for due to the death of their parents.
The hospital staff encouraged us to pray and encourage their patients, so Johnny, our fearless leader, started talking to the 150 people in the waiting room. This hospital currently treats 10,000 AIDS patients. There are no beds for this ward. Patients just show up for their medicine and wait their turn in this waiting area.
As he started talking, through an interpreter, you can tell he was empowered by a higher source and started preaching the gospel message of Jesus’s love for us. Everyone clapped and shouted “Amen”, throughout his message. The faith of these sick and dying people is amazing. Even a Muslim grandfather stood up and thanked us for encouraging the people of the community.
Our team passed out quilts made by a church group in Minnesota. This brought so much joy to the patients. And they thanked us profusely and bowed on one knee as we gave them their blankets. One mother was so excited to receive a blanket for her daughter that she jumped up and down and laughed with pure joy!
After that we headed to the maternity ward which consists of about 20 beds in one room. You give birth there in front of everyone. There are no private rooms, no monitors, no ice chips and no cribs. Just you, your family and everyone else giving birth that day. After you have your baby, you bundle it up and it stays on your bed with you.
We passed out blankets there, too. They were overjoyed. One lady sat up to give one of us a hug and we noticed that she had 2 blankets but only one baby on her bed. As we went to get the extra blanket, someone else told us that she was having twins and was currently laboring to get the other one out!!!! Hello?! She was so thrilled to see us that she wanted to sit up and hug us during her pushing!!!
At the other end of the room, I noticed that a few ladies hadn’t received a blanket. So I walked over to give them one. One lady, covered only from the waist down by a sheet, thanked me for the blanket profusely. She had no baby on her bed. It died during childbirth. So here she is now, in the same room as mothers with 20 new born babies, just having lost her child. It’s unimaginable to us in the States.
Then, we headed to the children’s ward. Before entering, we were warned that this was going to be a difficult thing to see. The stench as we walked into the ward was stifling. Parents littered the hallway holding their sick and crying children. This is also one big room with 2 dividers. There are 52 beds but 87 patients admitted, so mothers hold their sick children in the hallway.
The listlessness and lethargy of the sick children is heartbreaking. If a child had any energy, they cried tears of pain. Most of our team was brought to tears. Medications (read “shots”) are given in the hallway in front of everyone else.
We prayed for the children in the bed area and passed out beanie babies that were donated to me for the trip. The mothers were thrilled to receive the gift, the children too sick to care.
As we were leaving the ward, we were stopped by the parents in the hallway who told us we couldn’t leave yet because we hadn’t prayed for their children yet. These people were desperately coveting our prayers. So, of course, we prayed.
Needless to say, the bus ride home was very quiet as we mentally processed what we just saw. There is no way to prepare for that experience. There is also no way to accurately describe it. I hope this gives you a glimpse.
Today, hug your child. Praise them and be grateful for their health. No matter what you are going through today, these people are experiencing worse…everyday.
Friday, February 26, 2010
A Fish Out Of Water
A Fish Out Of Water
Today I went to Wentz Medical Clinic for the day to do dentistry in their “clinic”. I use that term loosely because there is one room with a dental chair and very few dental instruments. There is no dental assistant. Thank God, Dr. Ken, one of the part-time dentists there was there to help me. Bonnie ended up going back to the Loving Hearts Baby Home and as the day wore on I became jealous that I wasn’t holding those precious babies all day!
Dr. Ken is a fantastic dentist given the conditions within which he works. Although his accent was thick and culturally, Ugandans are very soft spoken compared to us loud Americans, we got along well. He warned me that they “improvised” a lot due to lack of funding and supplies.
This, of course, was the understatement of the year. This place makes the Free Clinic look like a state-of-the-art facility. There is an x-ray machine but I don’t know why, we didn’t take one x-ray all day. As far as I can tell, no one gets one. They even have a computer (I think the one I used to own in 1990- j/k) but I wouldn’t see a need for it since we didn’t turn it on.
There are few instruments and once they are used, they soaked in water in a plastic basin in the sink until we run out. Then they get sterilized. I wasn’t invited to see the sterilization area (hmmm…) but the instruments came out hot so something was done to them. There is no bagging of instruments, no wiping down between patients, no cold sterile and no patient bibs. In addition, we literally used the same handpiece and bur all day on everyone. He used my Lysol anti-bacterial hand foam to wipe it down between patients, I think mostly to appease me. We also used the same 3 plastic suctions tips all day (remember, there is no cold sterile so they just soak in bloody water in between patients).
There is no articulating paper, just bite and grind. There is no floss. There are no toothbrushes (only the ones I brought). The toothpaste I brought was prescribed as a fluoride treatment. Teeth that would have been surgically removed in the US are “man-handled” until they come out.
I did a root canal - there is no rubber dam and the endo files have caked on debris from previous use. If you feel pain during treatment, that’s too bad. There isn’t enough anesthetic for you to get more than one injection. In fact, you’re lucky that you got one at all. Many patients had work done without being numb (not by their choice).
Did I mention that the suction apparatus barely works. It’s more for looks, I think. The overhead light went out mid-day. Luckily, I brought a camping headlight to illuminate the working field. After lunch, the dental unit stopped delivering water to the handpiece and the air/ water syringe but that didn’t phase Dr. Ken and it didn’t stop us from doing fillings the rest of the afternoon.
Needless to say, it is SO DIFFERENT here. I asked Dr. Ken to alternate procedures with me so I could learn from him. He stated that he’d prefer learning from me but then acquiesced when he started to gather that, as a spoiled American dentist, I was completely out of my element.
In terms of the overall experience, I realized how wasteful we are in the US. They use EVERYTHING here, even when it’s unusable. The money just isn’t here to live or practice any other way. Dr. Ken loved the gauze I brought but used only one 2X2 until it was barely recognizable. I offered him more but he refused. Whenever I mixed IRM for him, which they use as a base under amalgam fillings, he told me I mixed too much. Mind you the mix I made was about ½ of what I would have mixed back home.
I find myself feeling guilty that we have so much and are so wasteful with what we have. Considering the treatment environment and experience, I also find myself awed at how grateful our patients were that we would see them!
Back home, we practice within medico-legal considerations. In Uganda, you get what you get and you wouldn’t even dare question the doctor. In the US, the doctor gives you all your options. In Uganda, the dentist tells you what you’re going to get and expects no crying or carrying on. We cater to our patients much more in the US.
Overall take home message today…thank God each day that you have access to the caliber of care that you do. Thank God that you have choices. Thank God that you live in the land of plenty and consider donating to those who are not as fortunate to have been born on your continent. We have it good!
Tomorrow we will take a 2 ½ hour bus ride to another town where there is a big pediatric AIDS hospital. We will be delivering blankets to the kids and loving on them. If you’re like me your probably wondering why they would need blankets in Africa. Isn’t it hot?!
The weather here has been great. It’s not too hot but very humid. Today it rained on and off all day and tonight was very cool. Bonnie and I both put long sleeves on!
We will be spending tomorrow night in the town by the hospital so, we won’t have internet access. I’ll post again in a couple days.
Thanks for following our journey!
Today I went to Wentz Medical Clinic for the day to do dentistry in their “clinic”. I use that term loosely because there is one room with a dental chair and very few dental instruments. There is no dental assistant. Thank God, Dr. Ken, one of the part-time dentists there was there to help me. Bonnie ended up going back to the Loving Hearts Baby Home and as the day wore on I became jealous that I wasn’t holding those precious babies all day!
Dr. Ken is a fantastic dentist given the conditions within which he works. Although his accent was thick and culturally, Ugandans are very soft spoken compared to us loud Americans, we got along well. He warned me that they “improvised” a lot due to lack of funding and supplies.
This, of course, was the understatement of the year. This place makes the Free Clinic look like a state-of-the-art facility. There is an x-ray machine but I don’t know why, we didn’t take one x-ray all day. As far as I can tell, no one gets one. They even have a computer (I think the one I used to own in 1990- j/k) but I wouldn’t see a need for it since we didn’t turn it on.
There are few instruments and once they are used, they soaked in water in a plastic basin in the sink until we run out. Then they get sterilized. I wasn’t invited to see the sterilization area (hmmm…) but the instruments came out hot so something was done to them. There is no bagging of instruments, no wiping down between patients, no cold sterile and no patient bibs. In addition, we literally used the same handpiece and bur all day on everyone. He used my Lysol anti-bacterial hand foam to wipe it down between patients, I think mostly to appease me. We also used the same 3 plastic suctions tips all day (remember, there is no cold sterile so they just soak in bloody water in between patients).
There is no articulating paper, just bite and grind. There is no floss. There are no toothbrushes (only the ones I brought). The toothpaste I brought was prescribed as a fluoride treatment. Teeth that would have been surgically removed in the US are “man-handled” until they come out.
I did a root canal - there is no rubber dam and the endo files have caked on debris from previous use. If you feel pain during treatment, that’s too bad. There isn’t enough anesthetic for you to get more than one injection. In fact, you’re lucky that you got one at all. Many patients had work done without being numb (not by their choice).
Did I mention that the suction apparatus barely works. It’s more for looks, I think. The overhead light went out mid-day. Luckily, I brought a camping headlight to illuminate the working field. After lunch, the dental unit stopped delivering water to the handpiece and the air/ water syringe but that didn’t phase Dr. Ken and it didn’t stop us from doing fillings the rest of the afternoon.
Needless to say, it is SO DIFFERENT here. I asked Dr. Ken to alternate procedures with me so I could learn from him. He stated that he’d prefer learning from me but then acquiesced when he started to gather that, as a spoiled American dentist, I was completely out of my element.
In terms of the overall experience, I realized how wasteful we are in the US. They use EVERYTHING here, even when it’s unusable. The money just isn’t here to live or practice any other way. Dr. Ken loved the gauze I brought but used only one 2X2 until it was barely recognizable. I offered him more but he refused. Whenever I mixed IRM for him, which they use as a base under amalgam fillings, he told me I mixed too much. Mind you the mix I made was about ½ of what I would have mixed back home.
I find myself feeling guilty that we have so much and are so wasteful with what we have. Considering the treatment environment and experience, I also find myself awed at how grateful our patients were that we would see them!
Back home, we practice within medico-legal considerations. In Uganda, you get what you get and you wouldn’t even dare question the doctor. In the US, the doctor gives you all your options. In Uganda, the dentist tells you what you’re going to get and expects no crying or carrying on. We cater to our patients much more in the US.
Overall take home message today…thank God each day that you have access to the caliber of care that you do. Thank God that you have choices. Thank God that you live in the land of plenty and consider donating to those who are not as fortunate to have been born on your continent. We have it good!
Tomorrow we will take a 2 ½ hour bus ride to another town where there is a big pediatric AIDS hospital. We will be delivering blankets to the kids and loving on them. If you’re like me your probably wondering why they would need blankets in Africa. Isn’t it hot?!
The weather here has been great. It’s not too hot but very humid. Today it rained on and off all day and tonight was very cool. Bonnie and I both put long sleeves on!
We will be spending tomorrow night in the town by the hospital so, we won’t have internet access. I’ll post again in a couple days.
Thanks for following our journey!
Thursday, February 25, 2010
An Overwhelming Day
Wow, I don’t even know if I’d know how to put today into words. Let me start off by saying that after a team meeting and briefing, we were taken on a tour of a few of ARM’s projects in the city of Kampala.
Our first stop was the “baby house”. This ministry called Loving Hearts Babies House takes in abandoned babies. The home currently has 5 babies under 12 months and one little girl 18 months old. When mother’s give birth to a child that they either can’t afford or don’t want, they abandon them. Often leaving them in the streets. The police and local clinics work with the home by notifying them so that they can take the child in and nurse them back to health. Karo, the 18 month old girl, weighs under 8 lbs. She is the cutest girl ever but is so malnourished and failing to thrive. She has been at the house for 2 weeks and has shown tremendous improvement thanks to this wonderful place.
What a way to start the morning! Talk about getting serious! The children are beautiful and behave typically for their age. They want to be held and played with and rocked while drinking their bottles. In fact, many of the toys they have are very similar to what my boys played with at that age. The sponsorship for this home was donated by a Southern California family. But they continue to need donations to keep this valuable service going.
The caretakers are phenomenal and genuinely love these children. It was quite humbling so see such pure love.
We ate a delicious lunch there. It was basically some beef stew; rice, beans, some kind of green cabbage and a tomato and avocado salad. It was very good!
After that we visited the Wentz Medical Center where we saw a boy suffering from malaria and learned about the medical challenges in the community. They do have one dental chair with equipment and I will spend some time there tomorrow.
After that we visited the Gaba Bible Institute where a friend of ours is the principle and then went to do a heart wrenching project….pass out food (thanks to Children’s Hunger Fund – an amazing organization) to the needy in one of the slums of Kampala.
Everywhere we go, we are attract kids as if we were rock stars. Kids call out “Muzungu!! Muzungu!!” and wave at us. Muzungu means “white”. Many of these kids have never seen a white person before so we draw quite a crowd of followers. Most of the kids grab our hands and walk with us and want to touch our skin and grab the men’s arm hair (Ugandan men don’t grow hair on their arms). They also wonder if our skin color is real or if we’ve painted ourselves.
Everyone is very friendly and the kids love having their picture taken because they want to see it immediately on our cameras. The kids who can afford to go to school learn English so communicating with them is not too difficult.
To many of these kids, meeting a Muzungu is a privilege because they think all white people are rich. Some of them have even bowed at our feet as a sign of respect.
The slums are indescribable. Pictures and explanation do not do it justice. People live in rented homes the size of my boy’s bathroom with many, many family members. During the day, the kids run around outside and play in the street where goats, chickens and cows roam freely. The streets are littered with trash and when it accumulates, they burn it. There is always an odd odor in the air, although, I was expecting it to be worse, so I don’t find it offensive at all.
Streams run through the slum but they are loaded with trash and animal excrement. But that doesn’t stop the kids from exploring them. We even saw children playing “king of the mountain” on a sand hill that must have been left over from a construction project.
Illnesses in this area are rampant due to the conditions and poverty. One lady I met, Anna, who we delivered food asked us to pray for her leg. She broke it 5 years ago and couldn’t afford to go to the doctor to get it fixed so she has been lame for 5 years. She sits in her doorway and watches life go by. Her leg is deformed where the break is and remains significantly swollen when compared to her other leg.
She also asked us to pray for her daughter, Sara, a beautiful 17 year old who has been having pain in her left breast for some time.
We also visited Patricia who is likely younger than me and has been experiencing noticeable tremors for 7 years. She can’t do anything because it makes her dizzy. She also can’t afford to see a doctor (Wentz Medical Clinic charges $1.25 for a visit; the other hospitals charge $15). So, she lives with it and continues to give a contagious smile. But she believes in the power of prayer and asked us to pray for her.
As we were leaving the slums, kids followed us to our bus. I’m struck by how amazingly beautiful they are. In Hollywood, they would immediately have agents. But they will likely continue to live in these slums their whole lives.
That is why Africa Renewal Ministries (ARM) is so wonderful. Through donations (92% of their sponsorship comes from the US), they currently house, feed, nurse and educate 5200 kids in Uganda. Their goal is to have 7000 kids under sponsorship by the end of the year.
For what we ladies pay for a pedicure each month, you could be saving a child’s life, literally. About $40 a month feeds, clothes, educates and covers the medical expenses of a child who should have every opportunity in life as our own children do.
Please consider them when making charitable contributions. I’m seeing it with my own eyes. These are organizations that work.
I have so many pictures to show you but the internet here is dial up and pictures don't load well. So, when I have better luck, I will post some.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
First Impressions
Everything has gone smoothly so far. It was very cold in London but we managed knowing that we would soon be on the equator!
All of the African people we met on our 8 ½ hour flight to Entebbe airport were lovely! We met a man named Ceasar who had been on a business trip to Spain and was returning home to Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. He was very congenial and proud to tell us all about his country and all that we would encounter. He even told us about the history of political unrest but reassured us that conditions are stable and that we should have no problems.
Our flight had a lot of young children and a lot of missionaries from various organizations. I noticed a Caucasian husband and wife who were likely in their 50’s, who had adopted 2 African children (a boy and a girl) when they were infants. The seemed to be roughly 5-6 years old and they were returning to Africa for the first time for a visit. They were so sweet!
All of the travelers were very polite and well dressed. I realized how causal and often aloof we are in the US.
As we deplaned, we were struck by the humidity. Since we were all wearing our London gear, we soon began to feel uncomfortable, but at least it wasn’t too hot. And wouldn’t you know Bonnie and I were bit by mosquitoes within the first 30 minutes of landing! Luckily we are both taking the malaria pills. Malaria, a preventable and curable disease kills 320 Ugandans a day! Yes, that’s right A DAY! Mostly, this is due to lack of education on how to reduce the risk of getting malaria and getting treatment.
All of the team and their luggage arrived safely and we were met by Africa Renewal Ministries (ARM) staff with buses to take us to our guest house. Along the 1 ½ hour ride from the airport to our cottage, we saw a lot of nightlife, mostly men, hanging out, listening to music at local pubs and even gambling! I spotted a small “casino”. It looked like our US laundry mats except with slot machines.
The nightlife seems to go well into the night as we we’re driving through town at 1 am and the party seemed to be in full force. We noticed very few women out and even noticed an obvious “lady of the night”.
As we drove along Lake Victoria, the breeze was refreshing and we were thankful for it. While we drove through darkness, I did notice that the silhouette in the distance looked much like Southern California’s hillsides with scattered lights. I can’t wait to see what it looks like tomorrow in daylight.
Our guest house is very nice. Bonnie and I are sharing a room to ourselves. Our beds have mosquito nets and a fan! We feel very blessed to be in such nice accommodations.
All of the African people we met on our 8 ½ hour flight to Entebbe airport were lovely! We met a man named Ceasar who had been on a business trip to Spain and was returning home to Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. He was very congenial and proud to tell us all about his country and all that we would encounter. He even told us about the history of political unrest but reassured us that conditions are stable and that we should have no problems.
Our flight had a lot of young children and a lot of missionaries from various organizations. I noticed a Caucasian husband and wife who were likely in their 50’s, who had adopted 2 African children (a boy and a girl) when they were infants. The seemed to be roughly 5-6 years old and they were returning to Africa for the first time for a visit. They were so sweet!
All of the travelers were very polite and well dressed. I realized how causal and often aloof we are in the US.
As we deplaned, we were struck by the humidity. Since we were all wearing our London gear, we soon began to feel uncomfortable, but at least it wasn’t too hot. And wouldn’t you know Bonnie and I were bit by mosquitoes within the first 30 minutes of landing! Luckily we are both taking the malaria pills. Malaria, a preventable and curable disease kills 320 Ugandans a day! Yes, that’s right A DAY! Mostly, this is due to lack of education on how to reduce the risk of getting malaria and getting treatment.
All of the team and their luggage arrived safely and we were met by Africa Renewal Ministries (ARM) staff with buses to take us to our guest house. Along the 1 ½ hour ride from the airport to our cottage, we saw a lot of nightlife, mostly men, hanging out, listening to music at local pubs and even gambling! I spotted a small “casino”. It looked like our US laundry mats except with slot machines.
The nightlife seems to go well into the night as we we’re driving through town at 1 am and the party seemed to be in full force. We noticed very few women out and even noticed an obvious “lady of the night”.
As we drove along Lake Victoria, the breeze was refreshing and we were thankful for it. While we drove through darkness, I did notice that the silhouette in the distance looked much like Southern California’s hillsides with scattered lights. I can’t wait to see what it looks like tomorrow in daylight.
Our guest house is very nice. Bonnie and I are sharing a room to ourselves. Our beds have mosquito nets and a fan! We feel very blessed to be in such nice accommodations.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Strangers in a Foreign Loand
So, you wouldn’t imagine England to be so different than the States given that we speak the same language. But clearly…we are tourists here. We are hyper-aware of everything including driving on the “wrong” side of the road, the very cool English accents and the way everyone looks at us. They can SOOO tell we are rookies around here. For example, Bonnie called shotgun in the cab, but sat it the driver’s side by accident!
Everything is seems so charming and fascinating! We walked over the bridge on the River Thames and I believe took pictures of “the castle” in Windsor (we ventured out in the dark of night so, it could’ve really been anything, but it looked cool!)The money seemed a bit of a challenge (converting pounds to dollars). That’s one thing you take for granted at home. You know how much a dollar is worth when buying an item and can easily tell if you’re getting ripped off or not!
We ate at Brown’s pub and restaurant. We had our hearts set on “Bangers and Mash” but they were sold out! Argggghhh! So we decided on fish and chips and a pint of cider. It was all yummy.Back at the hotel, I managed to trip the circuit by plugging in my computer with the converter so my team got a nice laugh out of that one. And this morning we couldn’t figure out how to turn off the shower! We literally had to have someone from housekeeping come turn it off! Oy!
And the comedy of errors are happening in a country similar to ours! Can you imagine once we get to Uganda?
On Our Way to London!
Genesis 12:1
The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.”
Bonnie and I arrived to LAX’s Tom Bradley International Terminal around 4:00 pm. After a teary curbside good-bye with my boys and our husbands, we made our way into the terminal to weave through the maze of queue lines to get to British Airways bag drop off. Since our husbands had already taken care of checking us in at home and printing our boarding passes, the details of our trip were not on the forefront of our minds.
So when I walked up to the counter and the nice man asked me what flight number I was on, I was clueless! So I said “I don’t know!” and I looked back at Bonnie and she shrugged her shoulders too! So we just laughed and laughed.
As we got settled after checking in, Bonnie and I discovered just how much of a leap of faith this has been for both of us. Both of our lives are so busy and full that we haven’t really had time to read our itineraries or to consider how we would be getting from Heathrow airport in London to our hotel! We also realized that neither one of us knew what our fate would be once we landed in Entebbe, Uganda. Would there be a van there to pick us up? Would our trip leaders be there to greet us? Are we supposed to call someone when we get there? Both of our answers to all of those questions were…”I don’t know!” and then we’d laugh!
This trip is truly in God’s hands. In fact, I also realized that I had forgotten to put luggage tags on my checked bags! Oh well, I guess if I’m supposed to do dentistry there then I will. If the bags don’t make it, then God had other plans for us.
As I type this, we are sitting at gate 104 waiting. Our flight is delayed almost an hour. Judging by the amount of people seated in this area, we have a full flight tonight.
Prior to settling into our gate, we ate our “last” Mexican meal at Camacho’s in the terminal. It was divine and just as good as the one at Universal Citywalk. A chocolate craving should kick in at any moment so I am thankful for friends and neighbors who loaded me up with chocolate and other snacks for the flight!
At dinner, Bonnie and I discussed how surreal this all feels! We can’t believe we are about to go to Africa! Who would’ve thought?!
We also find the people watching at the airport fascinating! I like to see what people are reading as they wait patiently for their flights. It also seems like most people have smart phones and are either checking their messages or playing games on them. Bonnie loves seeing all the different ethnicities all in one place. The international terminal is quite exotic!
Next stop – London!
The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.”
Bonnie and I arrived to LAX’s Tom Bradley International Terminal around 4:00 pm. After a teary curbside good-bye with my boys and our husbands, we made our way into the terminal to weave through the maze of queue lines to get to British Airways bag drop off. Since our husbands had already taken care of checking us in at home and printing our boarding passes, the details of our trip were not on the forefront of our minds.
So when I walked up to the counter and the nice man asked me what flight number I was on, I was clueless! So I said “I don’t know!” and I looked back at Bonnie and she shrugged her shoulders too! So we just laughed and laughed.
As we got settled after checking in, Bonnie and I discovered just how much of a leap of faith this has been for both of us. Both of our lives are so busy and full that we haven’t really had time to read our itineraries or to consider how we would be getting from Heathrow airport in London to our hotel! We also realized that neither one of us knew what our fate would be once we landed in Entebbe, Uganda. Would there be a van there to pick us up? Would our trip leaders be there to greet us? Are we supposed to call someone when we get there? Both of our answers to all of those questions were…”I don’t know!” and then we’d laugh!
This trip is truly in God’s hands. In fact, I also realized that I had forgotten to put luggage tags on my checked bags! Oh well, I guess if I’m supposed to do dentistry there then I will. If the bags don’t make it, then God had other plans for us.
As I type this, we are sitting at gate 104 waiting. Our flight is delayed almost an hour. Judging by the amount of people seated in this area, we have a full flight tonight.
Prior to settling into our gate, we ate our “last” Mexican meal at Camacho’s in the terminal. It was divine and just as good as the one at Universal Citywalk. A chocolate craving should kick in at any moment so I am thankful for friends and neighbors who loaded me up with chocolate and other snacks for the flight!
At dinner, Bonnie and I discussed how surreal this all feels! We can’t believe we are about to go to Africa! Who would’ve thought?!
We also find the people watching at the airport fascinating! I like to see what people are reading as they wait patiently for their flights. It also seems like most people have smart phones and are either checking their messages or playing games on them. Bonnie loves seeing all the different ethnicities all in one place. The international terminal is quite exotic!
Next stop – London!
Sunday, February 21, 2010
My Last "American" Day
I woke up this morning acutely aware of all the "lasts" I will have for a while. For example, my last hot American shower and using the 50 products after the shower that I normally use to get ready. (It's hard being a woman!). My last "American" church service for a while (the whole church prayed over me and Bonnie as we prepared for our departure). My last "American" sandwich, although, I had prosciutto so technically, it was an Italian sandwich.
I guess my mind was subconsciously preparing me for a complete shift of cultural experiences. I have been out of the country before (ie. Mexico, Italy, Canada, etc) Yet, somehow, as I prepare for this trip, it feels different.
I'm also keenly aware of the wonderful people God has placed in my life. I'm blessed to have wonderful neighbors who posted "Bon Voyage" signs on their garages for me to see on my way to church this morning. I'm blessed to have friends and family who dropped off snacks and goodie bags for my flight. And I'm blessed to have wonderful patients who have put aside their own needs so that I can help others overseas. In fact, these darling girls and their girl scout troop collected over 1000 pencils, erasers and sharpeners for me to bring to the kids there. And my neighbor and their girl scout troop collected pencils and stickers too!
I have plenty of pictures to post and I haven't even been there yet! However, I have just packed my camera and since I'm leaving for the airport in 45 minutes, there is no way I would be able to post them right now. Maybe later while I'm waiting for my flight.
Well, here I go! I'm going to go outside and watch my boys play basketball until we leave for the airport.
Stay tuned!
I guess my mind was subconsciously preparing me for a complete shift of cultural experiences. I have been out of the country before (ie. Mexico, Italy, Canada, etc) Yet, somehow, as I prepare for this trip, it feels different.
I'm also keenly aware of the wonderful people God has placed in my life. I'm blessed to have wonderful neighbors who posted "Bon Voyage" signs on their garages for me to see on my way to church this morning. I'm blessed to have friends and family who dropped off snacks and goodie bags for my flight. And I'm blessed to have wonderful patients who have put aside their own needs so that I can help others overseas. In fact, these darling girls and their girl scout troop collected over 1000 pencils, erasers and sharpeners for me to bring to the kids there. And my neighbor and their girl scout troop collected pencils and stickers too!
I have plenty of pictures to post and I haven't even been there yet! However, I have just packed my camera and since I'm leaving for the airport in 45 minutes, there is no way I would be able to post them right now. Maybe later while I'm waiting for my flight.
Well, here I go! I'm going to go outside and watch my boys play basketball until we leave for the airport.
Stay tuned!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Help! I'm lonely! Follow me!
I know many of you are reading this blog, but are not officially "followers" of the blog. If you are so inclined, please sign up to become an official follower. This helps me know who may be reading this and I can write specifically for my audience, if there would be something of interest.
For example, if I know which dental friends of mine are reading, I might post something like "the steriziliation out here in Uganda would send the CDC into a tail spin..." or if my neighborhood friends are following, I might say something like..."thanks for keeping an eye on my boys while Dom works out in the garage. CAR!!!!" :)
Anyway, I think you get the idea.
Well, today is Saturday. It's 8:19 am and I'm avoiding getting out of bed. I have so much to do!
In 36 hours, I will be boarding my plane to London. I can't believe it's here already! Occasionally throughout the day, I find myself having a flash of reality and saying "I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M GOING TO UGANDA!" and I freak out for a few minutes and then get back to my routine.
I'm virtually all packed, just have a few items left to get and pack. I need to go to Costco to stock up for my family. I also need to stop by my office and meet a patient whose girls and girl scout troop managed to collect 1000 pencils and erasers and pencil sharpeners for the kids in Uganda! I'm so impressed by her efforts to support me on this trip.
The kids in Uganda don't take anything for granted and are not wasteful. They use there pencils until they are small little nubs. You see, they don't have a surplus of anything and they don't know when they will get a new pencil again. So they use their supplies wisely.
This is a foreign concept to us Americans who live in the land of waste and plenty!
These girl scouts were so touched by that bit of knowledged that they wanted to send the kids there a supply of pencils. They set a goal and made it happen through corporate sponsorship. I'm so excited to give the pencils out and to bring home video and photos of me passing out the pencils to smiling children.
Tonight, I hope to have my "last supper" American style. I'm craving a steak and baked potato. How blessed am I that I can indulge my cravings...
For example, if I know which dental friends of mine are reading, I might post something like "the steriziliation out here in Uganda would send the CDC into a tail spin..." or if my neighborhood friends are following, I might say something like..."thanks for keeping an eye on my boys while Dom works out in the garage. CAR!!!!" :)
Anyway, I think you get the idea.
Well, today is Saturday. It's 8:19 am and I'm avoiding getting out of bed. I have so much to do!
In 36 hours, I will be boarding my plane to London. I can't believe it's here already! Occasionally throughout the day, I find myself having a flash of reality and saying "I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M GOING TO UGANDA!" and I freak out for a few minutes and then get back to my routine.
I'm virtually all packed, just have a few items left to get and pack. I need to go to Costco to stock up for my family. I also need to stop by my office and meet a patient whose girls and girl scout troop managed to collect 1000 pencils and erasers and pencil sharpeners for the kids in Uganda! I'm so impressed by her efforts to support me on this trip.
The kids in Uganda don't take anything for granted and are not wasteful. They use there pencils until they are small little nubs. You see, they don't have a surplus of anything and they don't know when they will get a new pencil again. So they use their supplies wisely.
This is a foreign concept to us Americans who live in the land of waste and plenty!
These girl scouts were so touched by that bit of knowledged that they wanted to send the kids there a supply of pencils. They set a goal and made it happen through corporate sponsorship. I'm so excited to give the pencils out and to bring home video and photos of me passing out the pencils to smiling children.
Tonight, I hope to have my "last supper" American style. I'm craving a steak and baked potato. How blessed am I that I can indulge my cravings...
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