Wednesday

Wednesday, 12th

So the rain came, and when it comes, it comes in sheets with fierce wind and thunder and lightning.  And it sounds a lot stronger than it is because the rain is pelting the zinc metal sheets or hard ceramic tiles that make up most people’s roofs.  I saw people wearing scarves and jackets, like it was freezing, because it dropped to the mid 80’s. 

Who got a passoort? Yep, this guy!

People here at 882 were trying to find socks, and then wondered if they had even brought shoes to wear with socks.  It was amusing – both the weather and the people trying to survive in it.

One disappointing aspect to the rain, and probably the only one, was that Benny could not go play outside.  Well, we played in the morning, but after his nap, he kept grabbing the ball and hitting the door, and pointing at me.

To kill time, Benny watched Barney about 5 times.  He gets to excited – he sings, dances, claps, yells, like an 18 month old would bounce around in front of a tv, so excited to see something so colorful and excited.  I kept working away trying to get something done for Fr. Michael, and Benny giggled his excitement, letting it be known to the whole 882 building that he discovered something new.

As soon as the rain stopped, I got a call from Linda, “I will be at your place in 3 minutes, let’s go get your passport!”  I was so excited.  The whole way there, Linda kept warning me, “It might not be done, they might be wrong, there might be a problem.”  And the list of problems was extensive.  There could have been an error with the birth date, or the order that the name was in on the passport vs. the birth certificate.  There could be a problem with the wrong picture being on there, or the passport itself being in backwards order.  The city of his birth could be wrong, or they could have put the county instead of the city that he was born in – it had to be identical to the long birth certificate. 

And after waiting about 30 minutes in a different tent, surrounded by anxious people waiting for the same thing I was, I saw Rhita sneak in, wait five minutes, sneak out and then saunter off.  Another 10 minutes went by, and suddenly Rhita reappeared and said that we had to go, looking rather disappointed. “Oh no Rhita, I will wait as long as I have to wait, it is fine.” “We need to go now,” she said and as I exited the tent, she lifted his passport out of a huge brown envelope.  “Do not be too excited, there could be many problems with it, let us go back to the car.”  So we ran across the 5 lines of traffic, darting around boda bodas and taxis and hopped in Linda’s van.  We pulled out the long birth certificate, said a prayer, and started comparing.

Nope, it was perfect.  Really, really perfect.  I got on my tablet and emailed the embassy requesting a case number.  They wrote back and asked for the name and birth date on the passport, so I sent that.  They asked me to confirm the order of the name and birth date, and since I do not understand Lugandan, I sent them a picture of the BC and the passport so they would in fact have the order that they wanted.

So I sit and diligently and wait for a case number from the Embassy.  Linda is scanning my ruling and my medical forms and sending them to Alabama, and then she will run to the IOM and show them the passport and give them a copy.  I called Father and tried to arrange a trip to Masaka, but no such luck.  I have to be back Monday morning, and the drive is about 3 hours from him to me, and Sundays are obviously the most important day for a priest, so it did not work out.  It might work out for me to go back again on Wednesday though, after they read his TB.  Maybe for the weekend, and who knows after that.

My Alabama contact called and asked for an update.  I told her about the passport, and she said she was so excited for me, and that they were just discussing my case and that they did not want to jinx anything, but that it all sounded great.  The only time I believe in jinxing something is when Notre Dame is playing.  God gives us what we need, when He wants, and that is it.  God allows us to make our own decisions, He allows us to fail when we need to learn, and that is all.  We pray, ask His guidance, give Him our all, and our best efforts, and He meets us where we are at.  She asked what she could pray for, and I gave the only answer that would make sense, “Everything!”

I was so excited about the news of the passport, and I really wanted to call someone to tell them.  I tried calling Paul a half dozen times.  I text, sent facebook messages, and more.  And it is in times like these that I realize that I am truly alone here, living in a little bubble that people read about, and sometimes I can hear voices through the bubble, but that I am living this whole experience alone – yet totally dependent on prayers from the outside world, and the prayers and thanksgiving that I offer up after little miracles like the one today.  The feeling, and the odd realization, are both completely foreign to me. I have never been alone – ever.  And I am not alone really, there is a very loud 4 year old running around the room, but he too is in his own little bubble.  However, it is in the peace and silence that we found God and this experience has afforded me that right and opportunity. 

I find myself remembering a prayer that I said a few years ago, “Lord, you tell me that I will find you in the silence, but I am a mom of 5 children, there will never be silence when I need it.  They are young and impressionable and I need to find you now so that I do not screw them up, so that I stay sane and focused on the right things.  What do I need to do to find you in the silence?!?”  Watch what you pray for, you might end up in Africa, by yourself, adopting a child J

I feel totally blessed because I know that if it weren’t for all of the prayers, I would not be receiving these blessings, and I thank each of you for it, and I thank my grandparents, and Paul’s grandparents, who have gone on before us, and who are showering their love and prayers and blessings down upon us.

Benny gets his name from Paul’s grandfather, who came over from Calabria, Italy.  Benny was his name, and he was a saint on earth – a hard worker, loving and committed, graceful and kind, much like my own grandfathers. His name was Benny, not Benito or Benjamin, or Benedict, just Benny.  As much as I wanted to name him Benedict Michael Francis after two Popes and my favorite angel, I decided to keep the name Benny Michael Francis – 1 saint, an angel, and a Pope.  I imagine I will need them all for strength during the rest of my trip, and our time adjusting at home.

To close out my day, my friend, the New Zealand Red Cross Muzungo Conversationalist bid me farewell.  He said that he hopes, that in 3 weeks when he returns, that he will not see me, and we wished each other many blessings, and safe travels.  He has three children, the oldest a bit younger than me, and a great deal of wisdom about travel, governments, foreign aid and more.  He was the first person to speak to me, like have a real conversation with me, after 2 weeks of face to face silence.  I have no one to look forward to seeing at dinner every night, and I am sure that Benny will miss me being distracted.  God is providing more time for pondering His word I imagine.

Prayer journal:  He is my anchor.  As excited as I was about the passport, I know that I am not close to the end.  There is so much that can happen, and things still left to be done.  I cannot map out in my mind what the next few weeks hold, as much as I know the process.  This worries me.  Often times, in prayer, I see a picture unfold of what something should look like, or how things will go.  None of this happens regarding the end of my trip, the next few weeks, the journey home.  I know that He is the anchor to my being, the lover of my soul.  I always tell my children that I am the lover of their souls.  “Oh, I adore you, I love your soul.  Who is the lover of your soul? – Mommy!”  I do a bad job at a lot of things, but the one thing that I should be best at is loving the soul of my children, wanting to protect it, nurture its faith, and guide it to heaven.  I get caught up in daily life, and often forget to put this above all things – my focus has been reinforced.

“God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.  We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.  It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf.  He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”

-          Hebrews 6:18-20

Soundtrack song of the day –  Tighten Up – Black Keys  

Consecration to Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Be the One (with Mary), Day 21

The Novena to the Divine Mercy, Day 3 & The Novena to St. Joseph, Day 3