Thursday, the 6th

Yep, the bathroom. It looks bigger than it is. If you sit on the toilet, you can do 2 things at once. Rofl. You can almost reach the sink from the toilet, so 3 things at once.

So Father Michael called yesterday to check on my plans for next week.  Originally, our goal was to get the passport application filed by Friday, and then for me to go to Masaka and Kitovu or Kitembe and hang out and kill time doing some work along the way.

But with Linda feeling very encouraged that my application for Michael will be filed quickly, we decided that Father would come and get me on Saturday, and that I would go to a few schools on Saturday, go to Mass with him in some of his outer villages on Sunday, and then on Monday, we would go to another school or two, and then I would come back.  I am not sure if this will work but we shall see.

One of the most important pieces of information he told me was that I will need to be prepared to speak several times over the course of the weekend.

In Uganda, on March 8^th, the whole country celebrates Women’s Day and Father wants me to speak on being a woman to the female students at the schools we are visiting.  It is so big, that if March 8^th is during the week, the whole country shuts down to celebrate.  Oddly enough (well not oddly, but Godly), I just finished reading a book on St. Monica and her life spoke volumes about the role of women and the vocation of women.  She was an example to all women, but especially women in Africa, as she herself was from Northern Africa. 

She was firm, loving, and exuberant.  She never backed down, and spoke her mind firmly and lovingly.  She prayed incessantly.  She raised her children with one focus in mind, getting them to heaven.  She had a pagan abusive husband, whom she prayed into conversion.  She had a wayward arrogant son that she followed throughout Europe and Africa, until he converted.  And after she saw him converted, and him and his friends baptized, she confessed that her work was done, that her mission was complete, and within a few short weeks, she passed on to her heavenly reward.  You should try to get a copy of the book, if you want the quotes and prayers and such – her life was really beautiful, and answer to those people who question whether or not God hears and answers prayers; St. Monica and the Power of Persistent Prayer, by Mike Aquilina.  If you are in Sacramento, I bought mine at the Easter’s Catholic Bookstore – go support them.

I tried to write about her all day, but the power was out, and Michael was feeling especially naughty.  The skies threatened to rain all day, and issues back home kept sneaking back into the fore front.  I kept praying my chaplet, that God just help me focus, but to no avail.  Even now, I stare at St. Monica’s face, and fail to put my thoughts of admiration into words that might touch the souls of high school girls.

I also was struck with the realization that I sometimes focus too much on being Michael’s teacher, and not enough on being his mom.  I am not sure if my homeschool friends ever have this happen to them, but I get in a teaching mode – 3 cars, can we count to three.  That is purple, can you say purple.  And then I must fight with myself not to judge his progress.  I was watching him in the grass today and thought, “He still only says mom and daddy audibly….”  But I was disappointed.  Oh God please forgive me.  I was disappointed that he calls me mom.  I somehow magically forgot that 2 weeks ago, he had never said mom, that three weeks ago, he was trying to eat out of his diaper, and that 6 months ago he almost died from malaria and was in the hospital.  How easy it is to become distracted and fail to recognize the little things.

Really, I sat around all day hoping to get a text from Linda that said the long birth certificate had been completed and that we would be headed for the passport office.  I have been waiting since Monday, when we got our written ruling, for the birth certificate to be complete.  I waited, and waited and waited, but the text did not come until 6 PM.  So we go tomorrow around 11.  I need to also get Michael’s head shaved as well, in order to apply the medicine, maybe go to Mass, so maybe we can get a few things done at once.

I kept checking the phone thinking, “Maybe Linda text.”  I would check facebook and think, “Maybe the kids messaged me.”  And then I would check the dreaded email to see if Paul or Linda or the kids had emailed me.  It isn’t even that I care what they have to say, it is just nice to know that they are thinking about you enough to send a message.  I get great messages from my father-in-law, my mom, friends from college.  They just help me to feel like the thousands of miles between me and home are not so bad.  Thanks guys!!!

Anyhow, I will write out my speech tonight, even though I have no printer, just for practice.  You can give me ideas and suggestions via email!

Also, of interest, I got in trouble with Harriett for not letting her in to clean my room.  She got mad and told Janet to yell at me. 

So Janet comes and says, “Allison, I know that you do not want us in your mom, but it is probably pretty dirty, so you should let us in.” 

“Janet, you can come in whenever you want.”

“So if you want me in there watching her, I can.”

“What?!?  I do not have to watch her.  I never leave the compound because I have nowhere to go, not because I am paranoid.  If she wants to clean the room, she can.  I have swept, washed all of my laundry in the shower, and I take out my garbage to the back.  I have nothing better to do, so if she wants me to clean it for her, I can do that.”

“Well what about the sheets?  Ours are not good enough?”

“What?!? (again with the shock of being grilled for no reason) Uhm, the day it rained last week, Michael came in and jumped on the bed with his muddy shoes while I ran into the shower to grab a towel for him.  I took off the muddy sheets, and since I brought extra sheet sets with me, and did not want to bother you guys, I just put on of those sets on.  I prefer your sheets because I accidently brought Jersey, not thinking about how hot and nasty they would be – I bought them on clearance for like $8, but put little thought into the fabric.  I have your sheets in my laundry pile.”

I love Harriett, she is like the master of the house, picks all of the fruits and veggies needed for meals, closes down the shop at night, and opens it up in the morning.  She speaks very broken English, but tries.  She is very humble and I have gone out of my way to help her when she will let me.  But I have been here a week, know everyone’s names.  Everyone is so sweet with Michael, but nobody will let me do anything.  They get mad when I bring my dishes from the dining patio to the kitchen, get embarrassed when I bring my garbage out to the pile.  But good gracious folks, I could be here for 10 more weeks, and I have absolutely nothing to do.  You play with Michael, and let me clean bedrooms.  My own room can only be cleaned so much.  I pack and repack suitcases for the fun of it.  As it is, I sweep every day.  I will attach a picture of the broom they use – it is like the brush I used to scrub the vinyl outside of my house, with a bamboo pole stuck into the hole and held in place with a nail.  Amazing.

I will go out of my way tomorrow to show her that I appreciate her, have her do some laundry (our agency frowns upon us doing our own because we are taking away jobs from Ugandans) have her clean my room, let Benny Michael wander into the kitchen to say hi.

Notes from my prayer journal:  I have let much distract me today, my concerns, my deadlines, things going on at home, things going on in my heart, little picky things that happen when you are at one place for too long.  I saw right through the problems I was facing, know that they come from satan who is just trying to body slam me, and take away my new found peace.  And I let those things get to me, I got angry, I wanted to exact revenge for these stupid people and stupid things.  I failed my first challenge this Lent L  Not that I did not try – I stared at Jesus and tried to focus, “For the Sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world, help me to focus my heart on your will, help me to exhale and see your hand on them, protect them from the devil, who uses them as pawns in his little games. Guide my heart to kindness and forgiveness.”

“Surely God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid.  The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.”

Isaiah 12:2

Soundtrack song of the day – Shiver – Coldplay

Consecration to Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Lover of the Heart of Jesus, day 15

The Novena to the Divine Mercy, Day 6, the meek and humble, the children