July 23, 2007

We had our weekly team meeting this week and I brought up my problem. I can’t pin point it but I get so frustrated and stressed at times. I struggle with living so close to people. I have learned I need my space and time alone. I need family time alone. I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST TIM & ANGIE AND I LOVE THEM. I am an ultra organizer, planner, and like to have some control. I need to let some of that go. I think it really is a bit of everything that piles up to make cultural stress, tiredness, and adjustment. I have also realized that I fear “failing” again. I couldn’t make it in Nigeria because of the isolation and now I am with people – what if I can’t do it?! I just cry saying it. I know the devil is trying to discourage and create disunity, so I will continue to pray, work through it, and be honest.

Did I tell you how tiring construction is? We needed tile so we went to the only two shops in town that sell tile in Soroti. They had about 10 total between the two shops and we didn’t like any of them. So Tim and Angie headed to Mbale one day to try there. They found one they really liked but they didn’t have enough and they could try to get more in Kampala but it wasn’t likely to get more of the same kind of tile. So they took their second choice. We liked the tile they got and ordered our own to be transported here. Today we finally checked the tile. We had to go through them one by one to find 70 tiles broken and half of them have no glaze like the sample one and feel like sand paper. I was so frustrated. Can’t anything be easy? Can’t I make any right decisions? I am so done. So do we send them back and chance finding another one we like and that they have enough of? Do we waste the time and money? We already have enough invested into these. We ended up keeping the tiles so we will see.

Kristine came home from Eugene’s burial in the village. They felt in the morning, drove two hours there, had a quick service, and drove two hours back. She was so tired. And Claudia is still sick. All we can do is pray for them, love them, and continue to help them.

John and Barb are doing well and we continue to enjoy having them here. I went and saw Barb teach knitting to about seven blind people and I was amazed. How impressive. Blind people knitting – I don’t even know how to do that. Barb is a good teacher and knows what she is doing. There is a man there named John Steven his wife died and felt him with five small children. He was a school teacher and put all his children through school. He went blind awhile ago after five years of headaches. He now takes care of his two grandchildren because the mother has left. I was so impressed with him. What kind of man does all of that – a godly one! John Steven is one who will get an orange orchard, and he sure deserves one.

Josh started primary school! He enrolled in first grade to learn Ateso. The people here think it is so funny. He tries to go for about an hour sometime in the morning. It is a class of 70 students – can you imagine? 70! And one teacher. Josh tried teaching one day because the teacher never showed up, but the teacher down the hall didn’t like that. The teacher didn’t come for two days because of a burial and the kids just sat there. Crazy, huh.

Jer. 33

Barb helped another little boy with CP (Cerebral Pulse). I met Chris at church on Sunday. He is about 9 months old and had Meningitis that caused CP. His mother brought him to Barb and Barb showed her stretches she should do with him. Barb said that he was much better than Eugene was.

Grace said another sentence today, “I makin nunuls” (I’m making noodles). She also loves to say “kilo”. She must hear me say that enough in market. Grace now calls Barb, “Barbie”. And to show Graces true character her new favorite is, “I not!”