uganda

Johnny is drumming in Boerne, TX. I've been entertaining myself, mostly with good music and reading. My Mom was in town for a conference, so much to my delight, I saw her and my brother briefly last night. The brevity was due to the fact that I was dizzy, so my family came to me. My brother picked up Mom at her hotel by the airport, endured Houston traffic, hit a delay due to a car wreck, and ran way late. Since he had to work last night, they could only stay at our house for 20 minutes. But he and Mom made me laugh, and 20 minutes is better than nothing. My family is the best.

Did I mention that I managed to nearly choke on a taro chip? It was too big for the circumference of my throat - you're supposed to chew! It did go down, but slowly and with major pain. I freaked out. Today my throat is sore and swollen. Due to Coach Dad's advice (on the phone), I've been drinking cold liquids (to reduce swelling) - ice water, aloe vera juice, and smoothies. Johnny's Mom gave me the coolest rocket blender which is supposed to be easier than a normal blender. Not when I am involved. I managed to spill half of the smoothie ingredients on the counter, even when I called Johnny for verification of the process. See, I am a visual learner. Johnny will give me a rocket blender tutorial when he arrives home. For now, I am using the normal blender. I guess I'm not that hip.

After the chip fiasco, my attitude has been ugly. I've muttered things like, "Isn't it enough that I'm trudging through a health treatment feeling sick? Must I gag on a chip and feel discomfort every time I swallow?" I've repented often. Actually, I seem to need to repent a lot more lately, or I'm more aware of the need. Eventually the light bulb of gratitude clicked on - I did not choke. My throat will heal. Smoothies are pretty tasty.

So I'm back to reading - the Uganda blogs. Our friend Keely is one of the bloggers. She and the other writers are doing a wonderful job of opening my eyes to a more urgent crisis than a sore throat. I have cold liquids, food, and medicine at my fingertips, even emergency care, but do the children of Uganda? My health is weak, but I will heal. Will the children with HIV/AIDS? I've been reading. And praying. Finding peace that here alone this weekend, I'm in God's hands. The beautiful children of Uganda are in God's hands. He is asking you and me to help, to feed, to clothe; to give so they can have clean water, medicine, and a good education.

As much as I love The New York Times, I wasn't finishing the paper each Sunday, so I canceled my delivery ($28 per month). I can read it online. I've pared down my other periodical subscriptions to the bare essentials. I decided to check out most books at the library. I believe all of that money is better spent on children and their families who cannot afford to own books or much of anything. I'm certainly not wagging a finger at y'all. There is much more I could do and perhaps I'll get there. I'm just sharing ideas that should have occurred to me long ago.

I added a Compassion widget to your right. Click and see the children. Read the blogs and see more. I'd love to be a Uganda blogger one day. Or a Rwanda blogger. Our Compassion child - Denise - lives in Rwanda. She has a brother in India. I'm thinking she needs a Ugandan brother or sister soon.

.....A few photo repeats because Johnny and I think Denise is a lovely, sweet young lady:
[click to see larger]

[Denise and her grandmother in Rwanda]

[a more recent photo of Denise on our fridge - the upper right corner]

Tomorrow I'll keep myself occupied by writing a letter to Denise, and to my patient pen pal. And write a thank you note to a friend from our Church who hand-delivered a hot meal to me this week. She was my other vivid reminder that the Church is to feed one another, quite literally.