"You don't think God's done surprising you, do you?"

That is the question that a wise friend posited to me Thursday night.  That statement is sufficiently profound that I am STILL pondering it.

Domestic bliss

Most people who know me now that I will never be confused with anyone who is domestically inclined.  I have a number of giftings, and domesticity just isn’t one of them.  I can get by, but that’s about it.

Thursday night, I was done walking, and didn’t want to go out for food.  So I decided to scramble the eggs that had been put out at breakfast.  That should be easy, right?  The cooker is there, the pan is there, the oil, eggs, bowl, and some veggies (onion, green pepper, and tomatoes) are in the fridge.

Except that I forgot that to work the cooker, it must be lit.  With a match.  When I was an acolyte, I loathed lighting the tapers because matchboxes and I don’t get along.  I can manage with a matchbook, but that’s it.  And what is staring at me on the counter?  A matchbox.

I managed to get the cooker into lighting mode, but it took three matches and countless attempts to get the match lit.  The match clearly has to be put close to the burner, and then it jumps with fire.  I then turned down the flame, but turned it down too low.  Like turned it off low.  Here's the evidence:

So, I did this dance three times, and the third time, I put the pan on the flame, cut up some of the veggies, threw them in, then the eggs.  I was concerned for how fast they were cooking, so I did what any sane person would do:  I turned down the flame.  Except that I extinguished it.  Again.  Fortunately, the pan was hot enough that it cooked the eggs (which are room temperature) through.

Now I’m really concerned for when I’m supposed to live on my own.  I wonder if they sell those lighting things we have that store the lighter fluid in them and eliminate matches.  If I can’t find them, I may have to acquire one or two when I come back in November.  Yes, I need to conquer my fear of close flame, but I also need to eat.

Sunrise this morning

The camera doesn't do it justice.

A note from the State Department

The State Department has just reminded us (via email) that "in light of the upcoming EURO 2012 final match on July 1, the two-year anniversary of the 7/11 bombings in Kampala, and U.S. Independence Day on July 4... to practice good personal security habits." 

Please pray for safety and peace as all these events come to pass. 


MOM - everything is fine.  This is a basic note they're sending to remind us to be careful, and it's a good reminder that in light of all that's on the calendar next week, we need to pray.

And the Smart Traveler program has an app! Who knew?

Next stop... Uganda!

I know I've been quiet on the blog front, for nearly a year!  In this year, so much has happened... so much so, that in enumerating things, I'm afraid I'll miss something!  I had the honor of serving on a Kairos prison ministry weekend in October, and once again am grateful and amazed at God's extraordinary love and grace.  I was able to return to the prison in April for the closing of another weekend, and was thrilled to see so many of my Kairos sisters there, many of whom had served on the weekend.  They were continuing to strengthen and deepen their walk with Jesus


In January I was ordained to the diaconate, and what a glorious, joyful, and humbling day that was.  In our snow-less winter, we even had the briefest snow flurry in the morning, which I felt was a gift from God just for me.  :)


The late winter and spring have been a flurry of activity in preparing to return to Uganda - leaving Booz Allen after ten and a half years, joining the Society of Anglican Missionaries and Senders (SAMS), support raising, selling my condo (in six days - I never saw that one coming!), getting rid of stuff, more stuff, and even more stuff, moving, serving at All Saints', and generally preparing to move.


The Lord has so graciously provided all that I need - transportation, a place to live, food to eat, money to live on.  This continues into the move, as well.  Being a novice at international moves, I procrastinated in finding a company to ship my books and things that won't fit in my suitcases.  I found a great company, and learned I needed a local customs broker to navigate the customs labyrinth; friends recommended one, and he'll even deliver the boxes to me.  Friends also suggested using a runner to get my work permit.  After all I went through to get my pupil's pass my first semester, I'll gladly pay the $75 fee!


One of the last pieces to fall into place is housing.  One of my classmates is serving at UCU in the chaplaincy, and it took him some good time (as the Africans say) to get his housing squared away; I was concerned that I may fall into the same predicament.  I called this morning, and was told that I'd be living in Josephine Tucker, the dorm I lived in my last semester.


This confused me for a bit - why would they put me in the dorms?  Then I remembered that there's an apartment to the right of the dorm.  The USP interns had lived there last year.  

I don't know whether this is a temporary or permanent solution - I'll determine that once I arrive.  I'm just grateful to know where to go when I get to campus at 1:00 AM.  I'm also grateful that it's closer to the buildings on campus that I will frequent, and that it's fairly quiet up on the hill, and that there's a chance the bedroom is on the back and therefore gets the morning sun...  I do feel sorry for Paul, the driver who will pick me from the airport, as he will do much of the heavy lifting up all those steps I've complained written about.

Graduation!!

I took a whirlwind trip to Uganda for graduation, and what a trip it was!  I also went to be interviewed by the University Selection Committee to work at the University.  While I knew this would be a fast trip, I thought the days would be relaxing.  Silly me.


The first flight was delayed because of air traffic congestion over New York.  The second flight was delayed due to the air traffic controller strike in Greece - we had to wait for them to return to work.  With all that's been going on in Greece, I never would have thought that they'd interfere with our travel.  Who knew?


I arrived at school midnight on Tuesday, and the interview was at 9:30 on Wednesday 29 June.  Well, they began at 9:30.  I hung out in the chapel with the other interviewees until I was called in around 1.  The interview went very well.  They interviewed me for "administrative support," not lecturer.  I'm still not very sure about what went into that decision, but I'll be helping out the school with technology-type stuff, liaising with the publishing companies that send books to students at the seminary (inherited from Rosie Button, another missionary), helping students with their English, and other duties as assigned.  My ego is still coping with not having the lecturer title, though I hope that I'll be moved into that role gradually.


Had lunch with friends, then I had to go to Accounts to get my balance (=refund).  Spent some time bouncing between offices, but ultimately had to return on Thursday.  I visited with more friends in the late afternoon, then it was time for bed.  Thankfully.


Thursday morning was chapel, then something in the morning that escapes me, then rushing to Accounts before the Commissioning Service (like a baccalaureate).  I forgot that this was going to happen.  Fortunately, the chaplain asked me to take a reading, because then I got to sit on the stage.  For the three-hour service.  Despite its length, it was a lovely service with Eucharist, and the time passed quickly.  Then supper with the Provost of the cathedral, then it was time for bed.  Thankfully.


Friday morning we were to report to the field at 8:00 so we could go through the metal detectors, then find our seats in the tents.  Someone had placed our names on the chairs so we knew where to sit.  Since there were in excess of 1,000 of us, I pity that team.


Graduation was a lovely affair, with the deans of the respective schools reading the names of their graduands. We had been given "Graduand" nametags as part of our graduation packet (mortarboard, gown, hood, invitations, nametag), and we whipped them off as soon as the Archbishop conferred our degrees.


That was actually fairly surreal - when our names were read, we walked up, and assembled before the Archbishop, Vice Chancellors, and other VIPs.  Those naturally included a half-dozen bishops, several of whom I knew, such as Bishop Muhima.  My name was the fourth one read, so I had a few minutes to search the faces and surreptitiously wave to the people I knew.  The we marched off stage right.


The video below is from Agatha, whom I had charged with taking both still pictures and video.  She did swimmingly, especially since she was doubly charged.

Then we all traipsed to our respective faculties to get our degrees and transcripts.  Apparently this is fairly rare in Uganda if not in Africa:  I have a friend who graduated from Makerere University, the top school in the country, and he's been trying to get his transcripts for months.  Combined with the bachelor students, there were about 60 of us trying to get our folders from poor Gertrude.  I cannot imagine how it went for the larger faculties, like social work or law.  That makes me shudder.

Then it was off to the international theologians luncheon.  Due to all the traipsing it started late, and since I had to leave for the airport at 5, I didn't get to stay terribly long.  Note to self:  when traveling for a major event, do not flit in and out quickly.


Despite all that, I'm so glad I went.  I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Home safe

Greetings from the US!  


I'm trying to figure out how to fix the clock on my VCR; sometimes the menu won't let me in, and apparently, this is one of those times.  It also took me rebooting my modem three times to realize that perhaps the Standby button was pressed in, and maybe that was why I couldn't connect to the internet last night.  Mercy.


I'm grateful for safe and easy travel back here, and that all the USPs got situated.  I still didn't sleep on either flight for any meaningful amount of time, despite being in business class.  Murphy's Law dictates that if there are two seats in business class that don't fully recline, you will pick one of them.  And I am powerless to resist Murphy's Law.  Mercy.  But at least I was comfortable while I was awake, and I am so, SO grateful for the frequent flyer points that made that seating possible.


Now to tighten the kitchen faucet, and continue to unpack...