Sleep and healing

God is so gracious; I had a good night's sleep last night, which had been elusive for a couple weeks.  Last night I decided to not go to class since every class involves stairs, and I didn't think my ankle would appreciate that.  My ankle is much better this morning, but I'm glad I've given it another day to recover.  As a bonus, this gives me more time to work on my proposal.

This was in my morning reading:  "When I said, 'My foot is slipping,' your love, O Lord, supported me."  Psalm 94:18.  Is that perfect or what?!

Palm Sunday

I'll have to tell you about Palm Sunday services here next year; today I went to preach at Mukono College (high school) at the request of my friend Rev. Christopher.  I did see people with palms around campus as we were leaving, however.  

We were originally to go two weeks ago, but the school had exams for the students, so we deferred until this week.  It rained overnight, so I was desperately praying for clear skies as we traveled this morning, because I suspected we'd be taking bodas, the small motorcycles that dart around.  There's a lot not to like about them; one of my primary issues is that women generally sit sidesaddle.  This, to me, is just an invitation to fall.  We did indeed have clear skies, and we did take bodas to the school.  Rev. Christopher instructed the driver to be very, very careful, and he was.  He only went about 40 kilometers per hour - other bodas were flying by us.  I did NOT sit sidesaddle.  Getting on and off was not exactly graceful, and while an interesting experience, I do not care to replicate it.

Rev. Christopher gave a wonderful introduction - among other things, he had the students guess how to say my last name.  Those kids did better than some of my classmates!  They liked the sermon, and pleaded with me to come back.  I'm not quite sure how it happened, but I think the sermon ended up being way longer than the 12 minutes I had rehearsed (African sermons are generally at least 30 minutes).  Hallelujah!

Coming back, we took a taxi, which is a van licensed to carry 14 people.  At one point I'm sure it contained at least 16.  It dropped us off a little bit from the school, and Rev. Christopher asked if I would rather walk or take a boda.  Hmmm... I opted to walk.  Perhaps I should have taken the boda, because I managed to trip and sprain my ankle right nicely.

So, once again, the intrepid Joan has stepped up to the plate to take care of me.  I'm not quite sure how to tackle tomorrow.  I have to conquer steps to get out of the Honours College, and to get to all my classes and the DH.  Right now walking is a challenge.  I guess it's just an opportunity for a miracle!

Better!

Hallelujah!  My stomach is (mostly) back to normal, I'm looking forward to eating (though not at the DH), and can hold a thought for more that 30 seconds.  What a relief!  Thanks for the prayers, e-mails, and thoughts:  God answered the first, and the last two made the last week bearable.  

I attended both classes yesterday, which made me more tired than I anticipated - I can't say that I was able to pay attention to the presentations in the second class.  The poor lecturer:  this is a combined class with the BDs, so there are about 50 of us that he paired for the presentations.  The last three classes he's been asking how many presentations are left.  I'm starting to think that he wants to be done more than we do.  He's been fabulous though.  I hope that 1. I can do well on his exam, and 2. that we have him again in the future.  He's currently teaching a class on John and Romans that I'd love to take from him.

Next on deck:  finish the preliminary proposal, memorize the semester, then start exams on 12 April.  I've not looked at the draft schedule because it can change, but will post the final when it is published.  We have a 'holiday' for Good Friday and Easter Monday, but that Monday should be reading week anyhow, so academically, Easter isn't too much of a break this year.

Nice night!

Better, slowly by slowly

Thank God for medicine.  After the first dose of meds yesterday, the fever and aches went away.  I'm still a little distressed that the clinic only gave me two doses of Immodium, but had extra to supplement as needed.  So:  if you're feverish, sweating, tired, lethargic, and have a stiff neck and/or back, you probably have malaria.  Just so you know.

The current challenge is that I should be eating to help the medicines not hurt my stomach (more), and frankly, food really doesn't interest me.  Joan, and others, are force feeding me, but the dining hall has never been less appealing.  I am taking tea three times a day to get the milk that I need (because African tea is made with milk, vice just adding it)... I can't drink any more warm whole milk.  I'm still sleepy and lethargic, and am appalled that going to the DH for tea and conversation wipes me out, but all told, I'm 200% better than yesterday morning.

The best news is that another group of visitors just left, and said that I looked "bright."  So I'm encouraged.  Now I just need energy and enthusiasm to tackle school again.  The funniest news is that my RA stuck her head in the room last night to say hello, and asked how I was.  Joan told her that she must be the only person on campus who didn't know I was sick.

And if I ever doubted that I fit in here, being sick dispelled that.  My phone has never rung so much or received so many text messages from my classmates, and I've never had so many visitors.  My heart is full.

It's official: malaria

MOM - I'M FINE.

In hindsight, when my friend Tom asked why my arm was hot on Saturday night, I should have known it was a fever.  When I slept on Sunday and Monday, I should have listened to Tom when he said that I had malaria when I complained of being hot and tired and having a headache - he would know better than me, right?  But I paid good money for a prophylactic that I thought would keep me safe.  But a simple blood test and a 15 minute wait proved me wrong.  Let's just say that last night was rough, and leave it at that.  If I had listened to Tom and gone to the clinic earlier I could have avoided some pain, but now I know.

The intrepid Joan, my steadfast roommate, is taking such good care of me, getting me food, water, and milk (whole milk!  Wow, that's hard to drink!).  She's forcing me to eat so I can get off the naughty list.  If your stomach felt this way, you wouldn't want to eat either!  But Agrace pointed out that medicines made for the tropics are strong (again, she would know), so I need to eat/drink up.

Today a third of the class came to visit me, and from the texts I've received, I think at least half the theology department knows I'm sick.  I'll play hooky today and possibly tomorrow, then need to hit the ground running on Friday; we have to have our research proposal done by 9 April, and exams start 12 April, which includes time to study.

Still blech, but made it through the night

Thank God for prayers and Pepto-Bismal (and Jillian, who had it).  Still not quite sure what's going on; the intrepid Joan was going to take me to the clinic this morning, but it's raining.  I know I don't want to go out.  I think the fever's broken (it was 101.1 at one point), and my stomach has (mostly) subsided.  Still concerned about the upper respiratory stuff, though. 

Stomach flu. Blech!

I'm sick.  I have no idea what's going on, but am not enjoying life right now.  Am quite thankful for friends who are taking care of me; if I don't feel better in the morning, I may go looking for treatment (I never got cleared to go to the clinic, something I will remedy during the short holiday).

Please pray for a quick recovery; I really don't have time to be down and out like this.

Blessings!

Flu. Bah!

"Flu" means a cold.  Blech.  We had our GMEC meeting on Saturday, which was actually a lot of fun.  The lectures were good, food was good, fellowship was grand (though the boys from Ggaba beat us both in volleyball and soccer).  It was a long day, and I was tired.  I thought I was tired just from lack of sleep.

Apparently not.  I've got some kind of head cold, which is not terribly fun. I'm not bad off, mind you, just not having a blast with it.  My friends where have been great (aside from insisting that I get tested for malaria - I think being tired and headache are two of the major symptoms)... Margaret brought me supper last night, and wouldn't let me reimburse her ("it's what we DO, Jess-ca!").  I've slept most of Sunday and Monday, which has been great, except for the not studying or writing my research proposal part of it.  I'm hoping I can be a little more awake today, but it's 6:30 AM, and I'm already feeling a nap coming on.

I was supposed to preach at a school on Sunday, but that has been deferred for a week, as there was a program going on.  That actually was God's provision, for aside from not feeling well, it positively monsooned Sunday morning.  

Nice time!

New muzungu in town

As I mentioned below, the interviews for the May intake students were held today.  Apparently, there was a muzungu among the potential students (though I didn't see her).  She's from Colorado, I believe, though she's been working in the Diocese of Rwenzori for several years, and will be joining the M Div program in May.  My friend Margaret has been working with her there in children's ministries, and is beside herself with joy that she's coming.

Wouldn't you think I'd be happy to hear this?  I mean, I'm the one who (intermittently) complains about being treated like a Limited Edition American Barbie (a toy you're glad to have, but it's treasured, so you don't play with it - I'm not saying that I'm a Barbie in the least!), because while everyone loves me, it's at the community level, and few have gotten to know me in the individual, Western sense.

Remarkably, I'm finding that I like having the distinction of being the only muzungu studying here full-time.  I"m not sure I'm ready to share that yet.  Fortunately, I have time to process that and God has time to do a major tune-up on my heart, because apparently some only-child flaw is emerging.

The upside is that there will be someone I can talk with at my usual American speed.  :)  Unfortunately, since it's the May semester, there won't be any USP students here, so we'll be the only muzungus in the DH, and therefore still easy to see.  Or be missed.  Hmmm.

Of curtsies and grammar

First some background:  for at least one of the major tribes here, tradition dictates that women kneel in front of the men as a sign of respect.  At various times during my time here, people have told me that I need to conform to this cultural norm.  I have declined, and though unstated, really don't see that ever happening.

Today when I went into class, several classmates were already there, and said hello to me as I came in, so I did a small curtsy.  My friend Beatrice laughed and asked when I started kneeling.  I assure you there was no kneeling on my behalf.  So I demonstrated what a real sweeping curtsy would be, then did the little one again.  I was having flashbacks to ballet lessons when I was what, six years old?  And have you ever tried to do a sweeping curtsy in a denim skirt?

The other day, I was walking to supper with my friend Isaac, who had missed class the day prior, and was asking what he missed.  We have one class in which the lectures are, let's see, less than ideal.  However, that day, we actually had a really good lecture.  I told Isaac that "she actually teached us!"  Teached.  I have no idea where that came from.  The semester must be drawing to a close, because clearly, I'm getting a little loopy.

For better or worse though, I do have the makings for coffee in my room, and therefore am fortified for the sleepless nights that are required to stuff an entire semester's worth of information in my head.  And a really big mug.

Intake interviews

Today is the day in which the faculty convenes panels to interview prospective students for the Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology (BTSDT).  This also means that classes were cancelled, as most lecturers were involved in the interviews.  I'm grateful for the time to work on other things, but we only had one class today.  But others had more, so they appreciate the grace that much more.

We didn't think our lecturer was involved in the interviews, so some of us went to class to see if he would come (nope).  During the wait, the conversation naturally turned to when the class was interviewed, and they reminisced on the experience.  Then they turned to me.  "Jess-ca... were you interviewed?"  

Well, I was, but not by the panel.  When I came last January to submit my application and visit the school, I was interviewed by the Dean.  I was incredibly nervous, and expected a real interview.  As God would have it, I had a delightful conversation with the Dean over tea, in which she did most of the talking, and she warmly welcomed me into BTSDT.  I'm not sure how well that went over, but it's true.

Then people started asking me when my bishop was going to send more Americans here to study.  He's not the only Anglican bishop in the States, people.  However, I am grateful that they think this has worked out well enough that they want more of us to come.

End of semester countdown

One class finished - woohoo!  Here's to more wrapping up sooner rather than later!  :)
Three weeks until exams.
One preliminary proposal to write pre-exams.  Supposedly one group assignment coming Friday (I voted for a test).
One big GMEC meeting on Saturday.  One more meeting for said meeting.
One sermon to preach on Sunday.  Oh, and one sermon to finish writing.
Perhaps five new mosquito bites.
And most importantly...

Five more weeks until the holiday!  It's only two weeks, but I'm very much looking forward to decompressing at the Muhima's.

In honor of Saint Patrick's Day yesterday, I wore green, and explained the day to several of my friends (which included telling a Patrick that it was his day).  He was honored.

And the crowd went wild

Oh my.

Today, during the discipleship time, we had a meeting to elect the new leadership for the Ggaba Mukono Ecumenical Contact (GMEC, pronounced GMAIC with a soft 'g'), a relationship we have with Ggaba National Seminary (Catholic), going back to about 1965.  We meet a couple times a year for fellowship, sharing academic papers, and football (soccer) and volleyball.  Since they don't have any female students, we can't play the sports, but can serve as members of the committee.  Though the chair  must be ordained, and though unsaid, presumably male.

We elected the chairman easily enough.  When it came time to nominate for the secretary, some of my classmates were above me in the gallery (balcony) campaigning for me.  I shushed them, because I don't want to be the secretary.  Things are so formal here; their minutes are practically transcripts.  I have no desire to strive to match that.  So the secretary is from my class.  Then we were nominating representatives from each class:  BD I, BD II, MDiv I.   Xavier Grace stood up and said, "I nominate Jessica Hughes."

And the crowd went wild.  I mean, the entire chapel yelling and applauding.  I was mortified.  Still am, for that matter.  I feel the love, but wow.  Several people told me they were so happy that I'm doing this. When I asked why, the answers were a mix of "because we love you" and "we're happy you're serving with us."

Both reasons just bless my socks off.

Fun times!

Saturday night was the International Students Day Dinner and leadership handover.  Since I haven't attended any of the international students association meetings, I was a little embarrassed to attend, but desperately needed some fun (and good food).  Both was had by all, and I'm glad I went. 

There were students from Kenya (the largest group), Tanzania, Congo, Sudan, Burundi, Nigeria, and the US (just me and Dan Button, the patron).  Naturally, there were speeches in the handover, and we had a time in which each nationality sang one verse of their national anthem.  We learned that there are about 500 international students on campus, and the administration will be creating a coordinator position for us, and providing an office.  My American is quite surprised it wasn't there before, but I'm thrilled that it's coming to pass.

I don't know the second verse of our national anthem.  In fact, I've not sung it in so long that I was actually wondering if I would remember the couple words that were fuzzy in my head.  Dan had the smashing idea of singing "America the Beautiful" instead, since it's actually about the country, and not a battle with Britain.  I also noticed that though everyone else's anthems were sung in their mother tongue, they all included the name of their country.  Except us.  Hmm...

And the food at the Mukono Resort Hotel is very good.  I had rice, meat, chicken, greens (collard, which were fairly bitter), pasta, chipati (akin to a tortilla), pineapple, and watermelon.  And a soda.  Ahhhhh.  Oh, we had cake too.  Ugandan cakes are notoriously dry, and the icing is very similar to fondant, but way sweeter.  What a treat!

The best quotes came on Friday

"Jessica, be serious!"  I mean, really.  I don't hear that one too often.  I about fell apart laughing.  This came from my friend Tom, in the lunch line, because I didn't know the population of the US off the top of my head.  As of July 2009, it was 307,006,550.

"You people have got to tell me these things!"  Me, after our lecturer on Friday told us that Monday is International Women's Day.  No one tells me when the national holidays are.  I find this particularly tragic, as there are no classes on national holidays, so I would love to know when they arrive.  But the class was one in which we are combined with the BD I class, so there were 50 of us in the room, and everyone laughed, including the lecturer.

Democracy in action

It’s election season… Friday we voted for the Guild presidency, as well as the Members of Parliament, which included candidates for each faculty (department), and the international students.  Polls were to open at 8:30, and in African time, we got in line about 10:15 (we got there about 9:30).  My American has been coming out the last couple days, and I didn't comment about the delay to the election officials.

To vote, one must show your school ID, then be verified as being on the rolls.  It took a few minutes to find my name, which was exciting.  Then they hand you the requisite ballots:  Presidency, MPs, and then your faculty reps.  Walk over to the chair that has a basin, so you can vote and no one can see you (because we were at the football pitch (field)).  Then, walk in a counter-clockwise circle, depositing your ballots in the appropriate box.  On the way out of the circle, dab your finger on the ink pad to prove you've voted.  It was great to show my blue pinky whenever anyone asked me if I'd voted yet.

Election campaigns here rival those in the US.  The Ugandan presidential elections are in January 2011, and students are already voicing their preferences.  The UCU elections have been similarly advertised; once the candidates submitted their names, they were vetted by the Electoral Commission to see whether they met the requirements (Anglican, acceptable GPA, required number of signatures on election petition).  Once vetted and approved, then the campaigns began.

Posters went up EVERYwhere.  Candidates came around to classes to stump.  Candidates held rallies to launch their manifestos.  At 9:14pm Thursday night, the night prior to the election, and there was some kind of rally going on, complete with very loud music and shouting and carousing. 

I’d been warned that the election results will be announced as the ballots (paper, of course) are counted, and that the carousing and victory celebrations will be going on for quite some time.  The rain prevented the worst of it, though I did hear some yelling as I went to sleep.  

Tea and the dorm

I need to preface this by explaining that here, the world stops twice a day for tea, at 10 and 4.  People are still amazed that I don't take tea (when it's really hot, I can't drink a hot beverage like that, aside from it not being my habit).  They don't understand that as a nation, Americans don't do it either.  I tell them that they are quite British, and since my ancestors left Britain, that's why we don't have tea time.  They're not quite sure whether to believe me on that one.

One of my friends decided that I was to host tea in my dorm’s common room.  I can do many, many things, but anything in the domestic realm generally isn’t up my alley.  I can throw a baby shower for 35 people… as long as it’s at the church.  Have two friends over for dinner?  That can make me apoplectic.

I had nothing for tea, and went to the supermarket to get coffee, drinking chocolate (for me!), milk powder, sugar, mugs, bread, and margarine.  Remarkably, I already had a kettle to boil water (to use in washing clothes and boiling eggs).  I was a bit skeptical about the powdered milk, which bears a stunning resemblance to baby formula.  You want me to drink that?

Happily, it actually works well, and I’m experimenting with it... it's fabulous with the drinking chocolate, which is becoming a favorite after-dinner, pre-coursework drink.  Yum!

Quotes of the week

“You’re so hardworking… I’ve never met an American like you!”  Hellen, our RA, commenting that she’s impressed that I get up early every morning.  You would too if you had chapel at 7:45 every day.  Keep in mind that her comparison group is the USPs undergrads who rotate through each semester.

“Why would you lie to the authorities?”  Expressed in disbelief when I produced my passport as proof of my age.  I love that no one here believes I’m this old!

“Your assignment is due tomorrow, right?”  Dr. Opol, successfully getting quite a reaction out of the class, especially me, after he had given us an extension earlier in the week.  I cannot begin to describe how unfunny that was.  He was pretty amused, though.

Birthday showers at the Honours College

Oh my.  These people are freaks.  Yesterday was Agrace’s birthday, and the guys came and locked her in her room.  She had a key (not sure how they neglected to think of that one), and escaped.  The poor thing was tackled by one of the girls in the hall, who then sat on her until the guys prepared the water, then came to carry her away.  My contribution, in addition to taking pictures (I’ll try to post them, but all I had was my BlackBerry, so the quality won’t be great), was to put the shower cap on her head so her hair wouldn’t be ruined.  She thanked me.  :)

There’s a theologian in one of the guys’ dorms, and he asked when my birthday is.  Once again, I’m thanking God that our long holiday takes place over my birthday.

I actually was making decent progress on my liberation theology paper before the interruption, too.Oh my.  Sigh...

I can see clearly now, the rain has gone

Yep – the sun made an appearance today!  I was finally able to get three shirts and a skirt off the clothes line.  I had a window of opportunity Friday afternoon, but they were still damp, so I let them stay.  Bad move, because it’s rained ever since.  The sun’s coming out this (Monday) afternoon made the mud be sticky in only a couple places, which thrilled me to no end.

I had one spill on one of the hills here at the Honours College last week after one of the monsoons.  Fortunately, no injuries other than a sore ankle, and more importantly, no spectators.  Just a very dirty denim skirt that I can’t wash yet because it’s been raining.  But hills and mud are not a good combination, and there are plenty of both.  I really don’t move around at night when it’s been wet.

Dr. Opol, my African Theology lecturer, acted like he was going to give me a hard time about my request for an extension on our paper this week, then quickly agreed.  God bless him!  He also talked to the dean about my completing a paper rather than sitting for the exam (which they call papers), and she agreed.  God bless both of them!  He gave me a choice of a 12-page paper and a take-home exam, and I chose the take home.  I’m grateful that he talked to the dean, because I wasn’t sure when I was going to find time to go see her.