Pulled to a conference

Thursday at Dean's Hour, the Dean announced that several of the lecturers were going to a conference to work on the liturgies for the Ugandan prayer book.  I went to the clinic for meds, and went to bed.


Then the Dean, Olivia, called to tell me that Rev. Omona was coming to get me.  They wanted me at the conference to help them.  Though I'm certain that they only wanted me there for my fingers and my laptop, it was an honor to be asked.  


The committee is chaired by Rt. Rev. Dr. Joel Obetia, Madi-West Nile Diocese, and there are also five canons, two priests, and me.  They committee is examining liturgies from the UK, Australia, West Indies, India, Nigeria, and Ghana for inspiration and guidance, and it's wonderful to listen to their discussions. There are fascinating conversations, such as naming ceremonies and the baptism service - the collision of culture and church.  Overall, there's a great joy and excitement at creating something that will be uniquely Ugandan, which is pretty cool.


I believe the work is scheduled to be complete in December, and published for use by Martyr's Day, June 3, so there's a bit of an aggressive timeline.  Next year is also the centenary celebration of the Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology, so the release date has special meaning on that front also.

Have an office! Have househelp! Have meds!

This week has been one of small victories:  


I have an office! This stuns and humbles me.  The upstairs of the old library is being partially converted to offices.  I have a small office at the top of the stairs (I think the assistant librarian's old office), and there's a larger room that other lecturers will share.  Canon Musiime told me he saw my office.  I don't know whether he has one, and he retired as the Diocesan Secretary of the Diocese of Kampala, and is a lecturer.  So, while I'm fairly embarrassed to have a solo office based on my race, it is nice.  Right now there's just a table and some chairs; when the desk arrives, I'll take pictures.


I have househelp!  Doug Fountain recommended Helen, a delightful woman who has worked for ex-pats for some time.  She will be coming three times a week to clean, do laundry, iron, cook some, and go to the market.  As she was telling me the vegetables available in the market, I never wanted a salad so badly!  She is better at cooking, and I am better at baking, so we shall be learning from each other when I am home.


I have meds!  I finally caved and went to the clinic to get meds for this "flu" that has been sitting in my chest.  I went to HR to learn how to be marked as staff, and they called to the clinic.  I filled out the staff form, and saw the doctor right away.  They've reconfigured the house a bit, and the logistical flow is much more smooth.


Of course, I've been on the meds for four days and I'm not sure how much they're helping, though it's good to know that I can go to the clinic.

"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.