Greetings from Uganda!

The first week of volunteering in Uganda has gone by fast even though we are in a world where things are much slower. In many ways I feel like I’m at big kid church camp. It’s just camp is just on the River Nile. A few nights we’ve heard the hippos as they come out to graze.

The Team House that we are staying in has 6 bedrooms, each with its own toilet and shower. We have a solar panel system for electric power and hot water. It’s the end of the dry season, so we’ve had hot, sunny days which means a warm water shower.

Dr. Carena from Waco, TX and her mom, Christine, are here. They have been coming for seven years. Dr. Kevin from CA and his friend, Danon, a videographer, are here. Allisa and Chelsey are nurses that are repeat visitors/volunteers. We have all our meals together and share limited wifi and clothesline space. Two very important online activities.

Most Ugandans have been given American sounding names. Richard is the mechanic and welder. The sound of grinding metal rings out all over RG as he works to complete the 180 hospital beds needed for the hospital that is being constructed. We hauled four extra pieces of luggage over that contained a portable digital XRay machine. We were glad TSA didn’t ask us to operate it. We did stir some interest flying into Casablanca, Morocco. We had an overnight there and they wouldn’t let us take it into Morocco. They locked the stuff up in customs office. Which worked out fine because that kept it safe overnight and yes, a little “money for coffee” the next morning and we got them back to continue on to Africa.

The vision of RG is to have a medical school and eventually a hotel/resort here on the Nile. We sat with the McCalls and listened to how God has provided as they were faithful to make this happen. Amazing stories, especially considering it wasn’t that long ago this area was overrun with the LRA, Lord’s Resistance Army. Genocide, slavery, and total destruction of the country ensued. Many of the workers have horror stories of their lives, running for safety, education and life totally disrupted. The 140 orphans at this campus are some of the casualties. HIV/AIDS has also taken its toll on the population.

The children are finding a new normal. Though they may look ragged and poor, this life affords them a bed, food, clothes, education and… safety. They have care for their wounds-physical and spiritual. They are loved and protected. These will be Uganda’s leaders. We want them to be educated and compassionate and not use terror to rule.

I organized a ward full of donated medical supplies that I could hardly identify. I taught a sewing class for the mommas as they begin to sell crafts. They use a Singer treadle sewing machine so no button-hole feature, so I taught them how to make a buttonhole by hand. My mom would be proud.

RG has expanded their agricultural with a hope to be self sufficient. Emmanuel hatched their own eggs and the chicken flock has more than doubled. This means protein for a diet of mainly cassava, rice and beans. Each momma gets a chicken a week to cook for her kids. A highlight of the week was when Doug offered to kill our weekly chicken. They use a what we would consider a dull knife and chop the head off. Doug did the spin and snap move. They were so impressed that he was asked to demonstrate for the mommas and drew quite a crowd! Again, my momma would be proud.

These wonderful people are full of love and  potential.  It makes a person feel good to be able to assit others who are not in a position to return the favor. We feel so blessed to be able to help. We are all in this world together.

A Lovely Mystery

When the Good to Go gang takes off on a mystery trip, we always have a little fun with guessing 1) where we will spend the night and 2) how many miles our round trip will be. The travelers get some very vague clues from the trip flyer. Remember this is mystery as in they have no idea where they are going, not a murder mystery event. 

From the travelers perspective, it’s all about adventure and experiences that one might have rejected if given the choice.  It’s the fun of the unknown and what will be around the next corner. From my perspective as their Fearless Leader, it’s all about taking folks to places they didn’t know existed. Enjoying their trust to find activities and attractions that are fun and varied with a little something for everyone.  I find these gems though networking with peers, reading travel articles and keeping my ears open. 

No one guessed where the “Love is a ... Mystery” trip would wind up. There are lots of things in life to love and we found many of them in Merriam, Kansas. Maybe you’ve seen the sign as you were driving the interstate to Kansas City.  We took the time to explore and this is what we found.  We love music. A visit to K.C. Strings enlightened us on the entire construction of stringed instruments. From the wood, through the carving, to giving a violin, viola or cello it’s ‘voice’, this process is hundreds of years old. We turned it up a few notches with a visit to Guitarlamp studio where a rock and roller spends his off stage time engineering unusual lamps made from the body of electric guitars. Strum the strings and it lights up.  The artist’s “playroom” and rock and roll themed apartment has been featured on a number of TV shows including HGTV. 

We love nice smelling stuff and we got a nose full at Mixtures. Maybe you’ve seen these boutique candles and spa items in gift stores. We saw where they are all made by hand with love.

We love food and we took a trip down memory lane at Strawberry Hill, one of the few bakeries left making potivica, a swirly, tasty pastry. We had an ice cream soda made just like they used to make them. It almost spoiled our dinner appetite. Almost. 

We love our blue jeans and Lee has a great museum about the way our romance has evolved. We love history and the Mchaffie Stagecoach stop on the Santa Fe Trail allowed us to step back in time. We love getting acquainted with new friends and traveling with our old running buddies. 

No one guessed Merriam, but we had a sweetheart of a little mystery trip to visit!

A Chicken, An Injection, and Weather Conditions

“I need to borrow a chicken.” This is my text message that went out to friends in the OKC area. Some responded without a flinch, others I could tell, paused and answered, “This is Patti Beth, right?” Then they understood. A girlfriend called on Friday and asked what I was doing. I replied that I was looking for a hen to borrow for a speaking engagement; I was filling out vaccination records, and working on the cast for the HarBer Village Murder Mystery. Just a regular day in my world.

Let me back up. My alter-ego, country girl Willamae, was to speak to a women’s group at a church in Edmond. This had been planned for months. My theme was “Being a Chicken Christian” and I carry in a live chicken.

The other part of our to-do list is hubby Doug and I are excited that the pieces have fallen in place, although a bit last minute, for us to do a mission trip to Uganda. This tiny country requires a yellow fever vaccination. We both have had it, but it’s been over ten years, so we decided to get a booster along with updates on Typhoid, and some other shots. Here’s the tricky part, the only place we could find that could get the vaccine, before July… was in OKC, and the nurse made a special appointment for us at 8 am, Saturday.

Then the weather report came in calling for ice and snow between here and OKC last Friday night. We decided we better cancel Friday night’s plans and get to OKC to be there for the needle. Miss the shot, we miss Uganda. Since the worst of the front was reported to be between Grove and West Tulsa, we opted to get ahead of it and stay the night in Oklahoma City.

Now, what about the chicken? I wasn’t sure that “Sparkles” was up for this long of a road trip. Plus, now we would be staying in a hotel. Trust me, after all this animals on the airplanes business, I was thinking maybe I could sew a little vest for her and she could be my “comfort hen.” (Have you seen the YouTube with the turkey on the plane??) I’m not sure how to mute a chicken; I did have one that wanted to sing with the choir at one church I entertained. I pinched her beak together, but she still made a joyful noise.

So, surely, I could borrow a chicken on that side of the state, right? So the hunt for a hen began. I’m striking out in my search, and as we are driving trying to beat the reported ice and snow, I call niece Jena Beth and tell her I need poultry. (She is never surprised at the things I ask.) She is at a basketball game, trying to hear me over bouncing balls and squeaking sneakers. I tell her where I’ll be speaking and I can hear her shouting into her phone “Holy Trinity Lutheran Church? Yes, a chicken. A LIVE chicken!” as she puts out an all-call to OSU sorority sisters. Who in turn shared it on their Face Book posts along with comments like “Here’s something I never thought I’d say...”

The all-call worked and a lovely buff Orpington was located 15 minutes from the church. So we survive the drive, the hotel stay, the shots and go pick up this golden colored girl. Sparkles was a star, there under my arm. She clucked on cue into the microphone. She was so relaxed, at one point her little eye went shut and her head tilted over… she was asleep! But her big moment came when during the part I’m talking about all the virtues of a chicken, she sings out loud and the ladies react. I’m guessing what is going to be on the floor under her, but she surprised me. She had laid an egg! Or dropped an egg to be more exact! It didn’t break, and of course, everyone thought it was planned. What a performance!

As I returned Sparkles back to her home roost that night, it seemed the other hens were waiting up for her. She commenced in, clucking about her adventure. 

There is some meaningful travel message in this true story. It might be about being flexible when you travel. Or there are still wonderful people in the world to help in the time of need. Or it just might be that I’ve got a chicken lovin’ momma in heaven who is still looking out for her little crazy chick.

Cruising Back to Oklahoma

We have hula'ed home from Hawaii. We left in the snow and returned in the snow. I guess I should not have rubbed the three week cruise in so much, because as it turned out our temperatures were a bit on the cool side for the islands. But it didn't require knee socks or gloves, just a beach towel to cover up with.

It's always fun to hear folks complain about how good the food is as we wait for our dessert to be served. Everyone in life should have a couple of weeks in a row beyond living at home that someone makes their bed, empties their trash, straightens their room, and cleans the toothpaste out of the sink. Chocolates on the pillow and the toilet paper folded to a point are little touches to make cruisers feel special. Throw in towel animals decorating the room, from monkeys to swans, and the fun begins.

I'm often asked what my favorite cruise line is and I have to answer that it depends on the cruiser.

Different cruise lines appeal to different people for just as many different reasons. Tell me more about what you expect from your  cruise and I can give you a better answer. There are many cruises to the same destinations, but the experience may be quite different.  The price doesn't always tell you whether it's going to be "better" or not, so check out more than the bottom line. Review the itinerary and think about how active and demanding the cruise will be. Are there ports of call everyday that will require you to get up and around? That may not be very relaxing, if that is what you hope for. Are there several days at sea? That might be a bit boring, if activity is what you are looking for.

A tip for selecting a cruise, it's commonly understood that the longer the cruise, the older the passengers. There are many exceptions to this generalization, but it makes sense that people that are retired or no longer working a regular job are the ones that can afford to be away for multiple weeks at a time. This doesn't mean it won't be fun, it is just something  to consider. Which also can give one a clue about what kind of passengers to expect on a short cruise. But I have maneuvered around wheelchairs and strollers on the same ship. I will say that is another bonus to traveling with a group, as it's fun to have some of your own people, with similar tastes, onboard.

 The old adage holds true, "You get what you pay for." Some cruises offer a lead-in price that is very reasonable, then once onboard, the bill starts to add up as you pay for drinks and photos and shore excursions and exercise classes. Other cruise lines roll out a higher booking price but there are inclusions like wine with dinner, gratuities, and port charges. That is the sketchy thing about booking a cruise online, sometime the "not included" items aren't revealed until the commitment is made. You want to know upfront so you can be prepared and not do a "last night statement under the door meltdown".

I love to cruise. Whether we hula in the sunshine or chill out under a beach towel, I hope you will be Good to Go.