Forever a Ugandan

Wow. It's actually here. Time to leave.

I can’t believe that week 12 is already here and that I’ve been in the country for 3 months now. This overwhelming realization has caused me to reflect and anticipate/dread what awaits me in the U.S. I’ve been getting emails and messages from home asking me if I’m excited to come back and that my friends and family all await my return. I am definitely excited to see my family and friends again and get back into the swing of normal life, but at the same time I’m absolutely dreading the thought of being in America. I guess it’s not so much the fact that I'll be in America, but more that I hate the fact that I won’t be in Africa. Life is so simple here. Everything is so, so simple. I never have to worry about what I look like or smell like. I roll out of bed, not having showered for a week and head out into town just like I do everyday. The thought of spending more than 15 minutes on my personal appearance seems like an absurdity. It really bothers me knowing that I will have to re-conform to take the time for myself to look "nice." I know I have a ridiculous amount of clothing at home waiting for my return, yet, why do I have so much when people here wear the same clothing everyday and are beyond grateful to have it? I've worn the same five skirts everyday for 3 months and I love it. Style doesn’t matter. Who says it needs to? I’m not ready for that to be imposed on me again but I know I need to prepare for this mentality change. For starters, I’m NOT excited to see white people again. Mbale is not a touristy location so seeing white people is a rarity. We were the first Mzungu (white) group to get to Mbale this summer so we had all sorts of people running up to us when we first arrived. In a way, I feel very protective of Mbale and the people, so I feel weird when we see the occasional Mzungu foreigner. When I went to Jinja, a more touristy city, I really struggled with seeing other mzungus. I REALLY didn’t like it. I was treated like a tourist and I hated it. The people tried to swindle me when I know quite well what typical Ugandan prices are and what is a mzungu price. I wanted to yell, “I’m not a tourist! I live here...I am a Ugandan!” The people in downtown Mbale know me now and don’t really try to swindle me like they tried to originally. I know their tricks. I know--I’m a Ugandan. Although my accent is too thick to understand and I’m fluorescent white, I am one of these people. I too, am an Ugandan. I have friends here, I go to the market here, I know the shop owners and boda drivers. I can speak their language (to an extent) and can communicate decently now. They all know me and call me by name when they see me around town. Most importantly, they love me. Love, not just in the way that you say that you love people in broad terms, but REALLY REALLY love. They hug me and squeeze me tight and tell me how much they love me. I don’t feel worthy of such sheer love and selflessness. They treat me like royalty, not just the first time we met but every time we reunite. Why can't we as other human beings to love like they do? It is unlike anywhere I've ever been or will ever go. These people have taught me so much about what love is. They have shown me how to be better a human being and go forward with a warm heart towards others. I hope I can always remember these lessons they have taught me.

My friends at the local internet cafe! The best milkshakes in Uganda!

My good friend Sarah at the cafe

This past week, I began saying my goodbyes and it's been a lot harder than I expected. It's really starting to hit me that I may never see some of these people again, or a very long time at least. I went up to the village on Monday and stayed until early Tuesday morning. Monday I taught a women's health lesson to a group of community health educators that will be assisting the community with understanding health problems. I actually got to teach the class from within the clinic!! That was so great! I'm glad I got to see it completed before I leave. That was a success in itself. I brought all the children pencils from the U.S. and distributed them in class. They were all so happy to have writing utensils--something they don't have except for a few 1-inch tiny little pencils that have been completely used up. I gave a little speech about working hard and that I would come back to check up on them in a few years. I made them all promise that they would use the pencils to learn to become better writers and English speakers.

All of the children with their new pencils with the teachers. We love pencils!!

With the headmistress of the school in the village that we helped complete

I had to get up early Tuesday morning and head to a meeting with the District Health Officer and I had to begin my long series of goodbyes. The first came when I left the house of  Timothy "Papa" and Sarah. They have been like parents to me in the village. They don't speak English very well but they love me like my own parents. Sarah will just sit and hug me for hours if I'd let her and "Papa" as I call him, is so sweet and giving. He has let us stay in his home every week since we've been here and their home really has been a second home to me. They have given all they have to feed us, allowed us to nail holes in their walls to hang our mosquito nets and help us in every way possible. When we ran out of funds to pay for labor on the clinic, Papa was out there digging and laying bricks. He is such a selfless man. The morning I left, I snuck out the back as to not wake the rest of the house, but Papa stopped me before I left. One of our partners, Tabby, had to translate for him. He wished me a safe flight back to America and asked me to remember them. He said, "You will always have friends here in Bunabuyoka and we will greatly miss you." The last part was what was most heart-wrenching. He said, "I have nothing to give you but a blessing that God will bless you as you have blessed us." The only thing he could say in English was "Thank you." He then took my hand and just smiled with the biggest, sweetest smile. I promised I'd be seeing them in a few years when I return and he just said, "Wanyala, Wanyala." (Thank you, Thank you).

All of my children were walking to school as the sun was coming up over the mountains and I took the chance to hug them and say goodbye before I was off to the meeting. MY little girl, Winnie, who is in most of my pictures, came to me and I crouched down to explain that I was leaving. Not that I was leaving the village again but going to the U.S. for a few years. I promised her that I would return and that I love her lots! She grabbed me tight around the neck and wouldn't let me go for a good minute or so. I had to peel her off of me and that's when I realized how hard leaving would be.

Dancing with the children one last night before I left to say goodbye.

The next day I went to say goodbye to the Naboa clinic that I volunteer at every week. They have been so willing to teach me and allow me to practice on patients. I know that any doctor in the U.S.  never would have let me practice on patients, but that is one upside to being white in Africa--they trust me to do everything. Joel was the Lab Assistant and Olive was the Lab Tech that taught me how to do malaria and HIV testing. Sarah was the nurse who allowed me to help with administering treatments to patients. They all asked me to return as a doctor after I finish school and I told them I'd do my best to come see them when return!

Malaria Testing at the Naboa Clinic

I said goodbye to Grace at the Child of Hope sick bed on Friday. Fortunately, there were no sick kids that day so we just got to sit and chat and play with her granddaughter, Gift. I have been working with Grace since the very beginning and she is the sweetest, loving woman who took the time to explain treatment and diagnosis of the children. She would even have sick children wait for me until 10am every Friday just so that I would get the chance to learn from all the various ailments and treatments. I will definitely miss her cheerful smile every Friday morning.

Grace and I on my last day assisting at the sick bed.

Playing with Grace and Gift

Saturday was a day that didn't require goodbyes, fortunately. Our team held a day of free HIV testing and I was the honorary HELP volunteer who was trained and apt to perform this test after my experience at the Naboa clinic. I even got to test some of my fellow volunteers. Out of 300 tested, sadly we had 12 that tested positive. We had counseling and treatment options waiting for the patients after all were tested. I was grateful for that wonderful chance to help increase awareness although mere days from leaving.

Sunday was pretty difficult. I had been asked to speak as part of the Sacrament Meeting program at church, seeing as it was my last Sunday. I will miss those people so much. Probably more than anyone else I've met in the past three months. These people are so incredibly humble and kind and have showed me what true discipleship is. They may not know the Mormon culture, or much doctrine of our church, but they know love and service. I've never seen a group of people so dedicated and willing to do whatever God asked of them. It has been the most humbling experience to see these people grow, even in the span of 12 weeks. I said goodbye to Dinah, a fifteen-year old girl who I've become so close with. She has been struggling with many items that I never had to face as a teenager. Life here is incredibly difficult for the youth but they are so strong. She gave me a trinket to remember her by and I gave her all of my skirts to share with her sister, Esther. Their family is amazing and I will miss them so much. Yassin has also been attending church with us over the past 3 weeks and meeting with the missionaries! He wanted to say goodbye one last time and he gave me a few gifts to remember him by. He was there the first week I got to Mbale and he's been one of the cutest, little friends I will ever have. I will miss him lots too.

Me with Yassin and his friends at church!

My friend Tyra at church

Love this kiddo!

My friend Elly

The church's newest elders to depart this year! Tyrel and Emma have become some of my closest friends this year. Such great, faithful boys.

Dinah and Esther Butali

Dinah is one of the sweetest girls! I'll miss her

The whole crew at church!

My good friend Bernard saying goodbye on my last day in Mbale.

I spent Monday at CURE Hospital helping with procedures and transcribing for the doctors as they did examinations and diagnoses. We didn't work together as much as I did with other clinics and projects but I still really loved the experience. I have been pondering my life goals and what I want to do so much more now that I have had these opportunities. I have such a clearer picture of what I want to do in my life and coming to the realization that I have the chance to do it. I know that medicine is what my passion is and that I'm meant to do it. I love it. I have never felt so compelled to pursue a career until now. This was exactly what I needed to motivate myself through my last year at BYU and preparing for a future in this field. It won't be easy but it will be incredibly rewarding, and there's nothing I'd rather do.

Today, I said goodbye to CFA as we met to discuss the future of the clinic. They've been great although we've had a long road of trying  to construct and establish this clinic. I know they'll continue to work to make it last! This clinic has been my baby and I have poured my whole soul into it this summer. I love the opportunity I had to create it and I know without a doubt that I'll return to check on it and work after I finish my graduate work. There is nothing quite has indispensable as health care and I know that these people are more than deserving of it.

I'm so grateful for my wonderful team who spent hours with me pouring cement and hauling rocks and sand to make our clinic. I have honestly made some of the best friends in my life and will always remember the wonderful example of service and love they were to me. We have really become a family and the thought of not seeing these people everyday breaks my heart. We've shared the most hysterical moments that will be remembered, quoted and shared forever. I love them and will miss them so much. We had the best team, the best home and best the summer.

My last night and our cook, Sam, made chicken curry at my request. Love this gourmet food-makin' dancin' fool!

I want to thank everyone who kept up with my blog this summer. I truly have the most amazing people in my life who supported me in my endeavors to come on this adventure. I know that I have been changed because of the little experiences throughout the past three months and know that none would have been possible without the support and encouragement of my family and friends. Life is just an accumulation of our experiences and I'd say my life is pretty dang awesome because of those I've met and the moments I've shared with them. This isn't goodbye forever but it is definitely a sad goodbye for now. As much as I look forward to a slice of pizza or a Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme, none of it quite compares to the beans, rice and chapati that has become my favorite food this summer. I would like to thank the makers of Cliff Bar who gave me sustenance when I couldn't bare the thought of posho and matoke again. I'd like to thank the inventors of baby wipes, without whom I would be a smelly mess on most days. Also, to Cadbury for providing me with a ugandan version of chocolate hope... when life needed an extra boost.

It is apparent how much our Heavenly Father loves these incredible people. It's been testified to me how special and blessed they are. They are happy despite the most difficult situations and continue to be optimistic even when their circumstances seem bleak. They are such examples to me. This has been the best summer of my life. I love the people, the culture, the amazing people I've been able to serve with. Regardless of my skin color and upbringing, I am forever a Ugandan. I am one of them and that will never change. Thank you for reading and keeping up with me. I won't be quite the avid blogger after this trip but I'll post periodically when I can. I'll try and do one last post when I get home to give a comparative analysis of the two cultures and acclimating back to an American lifestyle. What an amazing summer. Yet, I know there are far more adventures to come. Thank you for your love!

Ash

Wrapping up & Nearing the end...

Wow. It’s finally reached my one week mark. Yes, one week from today I will embarking on an airplane back to the states. I can't believe it's already happening. I'd rather just talk about what's been going on rather than what the next 7 days will mean. Here goes!

With what little time remaining, I am trying to be as productive as possible. So, the health clinic is complete! Well, as complete as we intended it to be when we began construction. There are definitely more setbacks than we were expecting. Unfortunately, I will not be able to see the clinic open. Working in Africa yields a lot of communication issues with the community and our partner organization. Also, African time plays into promptness of accomplishing our goals. EVERYTHING is ALWAYS late. I have yet to attend a meeting that our African counterpart was on time to. That's just some of the setbacks we continue to face. Essentially, the community is not able to afford the doors and windows and our partner organization has been very, very slow to connect us with the necessary government officials. What has been incredibly difficult is having to deal with formalities. We can't just set up meetings with those we need to talk with, but have to meet with everyone in the district and set good graces with them all before we can discuss our needs. It's just the way we HAVE to do it. Our original financial plan has also needed reconstruction. I will need to go back to the states and find foreign donors to help subsidize the cost of drugs and medical personnel seeing as the community will not be able to pay for these costs with user fees. I have also been working to establish partnerships with other local NGOs to see if they can continue this work after the departure of HELP International. It's sad that I was not able to complete all that I hoped to before leaving, but that's all part of international development--having to work with a developing country and their flawed procedures. I still love them, but it's difficult when we're under time constraints. My team will continue to work while I'm in the U.S. to ensure that the clinic opens before they leave at the end of August.

Our finished clinic!!

The view from our clinic window

Digging our disposal pit

Me teaching a women's health class from within the clinic!!

Answering lots and lots of questions about women's health--even questions from the men!

Aside from the clinic, I have been volunteering at my normal clinics and CURE Pediatric Neurosurgerical Hospital. I love it. Building a clinic was great, but ACTUALLY administering health care to specific, individual people is where I find gratification in my day. Even when I have to take a blood sample from a screaming child in the clinic or assist a doctor restrain a child to extract cerebrospinal fluid from the skull of a hydrocephalus patient, I love it. I look forward to preparing for my career in medicine as soon as I get home. This has been one of the most rewarding experiences because it has been reaffirmed to me over and over again that health care is my passion. These are the opportunities I know will continue to motivate me throughout my career and within my family. The need for health care is an indispensable privilege that we are given in the United States and I only hope I can continue to ensure that those in developing communities are given the same human right. 

Doing HIV testing in the Naboa Clinic by taking blood samples from all the women in the community

All the women came for vaccinations and HIV testing-- I did the HIV testing

Last weekend I spent at the St. Steven's Secondary School teaching a teacher training to for about 50 teachers in the district. I was not part of the group who organized the training but I volunteered to help teach the parents while the other members of the team taught the teachers. It was great to speak with the parents about being actively involved and supportive of their children's education. I gave specific examples about how my parents were supportive of my education and encouraging me to do my best and I am finishing my last year at the university and look to further my education. Parents really are the backbone to a child's education and helping them reach their potential. Unfortunately, this is lacking in Uganda and we are working to help them understand the significance of their involvement. They were all really responsive and eager to take what we had proposed to them and put it into practice. Sam did a great job in organizing the whole day!

One of our parent training demonstrations of setting up an obstacle course and having someone do it alone and then having someone assist them the whole way. This can be compared to how parents need to assist children all along the way of their education.

Sam and Cami doing a great job teaching the teachers on how to teach!

It's been a crazy, yet amazing week here in Uganda and I'm sure I'll get one last blog post written before I head home. I only have five actual days of work left and I'm booked until the end. I'll go to the school and hospital one last time, do a day of HIV testing and finish up clinic assignments before I pack up and head out. I'm not ready but I have to come to terms with it all. I love Uganda. I love the people. And I know that this experience will be one I'll always remember. Stay tuned for my last post in the next couple days. Tugende!

The Clinic, America's Birthday, & African Safari!

Wow! It's been quite the eventful few weeks and I apologize for the lack of details. Here goes at an attempt to cover it all. Be prepared for lots of pictures!

First, let me address the clinic. I went up a week ago Friday to help pour cement for the floor and the ring beam. I feel so well-versed in construction terms now! I'm not even sure if "ring beam" is a common term in American construction but I now know that in Africa, it is the concrete layer of cement that is poured on top of all the bricks to ensure the stability of the structure. The four of us girls only stayed for the afternoon to help build morale in the community and help with what little construction we could. We had a long meeting regarding the sustainability of the clinic and it's still something we are working to ensure. I've been meeting with government officials and partner organizations looking for someone to provide supplies and funding long-term seeing as the community is far too poor to pay for it all themselves. We're hoping to eventually hand the whole clinic over to the government but in the mean time, we will have to find donors to cover the pharmaceuticals and some type of compensation for doctors, nurses and health workers. Unfortunately, the government has put a few road blocks in our way of opening the clinic, but it WILL happen in the next two weeks. I have to see the clinic open before I leave! The next two weeks will be focused on developing a 10 year plan for the clinic prior to opening the clinic. I'll also be working with the clinics and sick beds until I go trying to get as much patient exposure I can before my African adventure concludes. I can't believe I only have 2 weeks left. I don't even want to think about it yet. Let's pretend I'm not leaving and talk about my exciting adventures here!

The clinic almost done! We've since heard that the roof has been completed and the floor has been cemented! Pictures to verify coming next week!

The men mixing cement

What a beautiful place! All of our hard work coming to completion.

Two weekends ago, Samantha and Mallory and I took a weekend trip to Jinja, a city about 2.5 hours away from Mbale just to get a change of scenery. We spent Saturday walking around the downtown eating AMAZING Indian food and walking around the shops. Sunday we went to the local LDS Branch where we saw part of the Lugazi team, which was a great surprise! I even saw Elder Chauya (my favorite elder that was transferred the week before from Mbale to Jinja!) An amazing story here-- We all took bodas to our hostel Saturday night and Mallory invited her boda driver, Julius, to come to church with us the next day. Not only did he come, but came dressed incredibly well and gravitated towards the members immediately. We heard from Elder Chauya today that Julius has agreed to be baptized on July 29! We are ecstatic! It's only been a week but the spirit works in marvelous ways to bring souls unto our Heavenly Father. I'm so excited for him!

The LDS billboard just next to the chapel in Jinja

Mallory and I on the other side of the billboard!

Our group has been talking about the Fourth of July for about a month now and what we would do to celebrate. Our cook, Sam, told us that he could make burgers which is quite the rarity around here considering that meat is not cheap nor do we trust its origin and preparations. We knew that we would have burgers but then the menu began to significantly increase. We all called dibs on who would prepare each dish and next thing we knew we had about 10 dishes and had invited about 15 additional people--the local LDS missionaries, neighbors, partner organizations, and other Americans in the area. I, of course, called the potato salad, my favorite 4th of July dish! It turned out surprisingly well considering that I took a gamble on African mayo. Tasted just like the real deal!! We set up a volleyball net and the missionaries played with some of our other friends as we finished preparations on the food. In total, we had burgers, potato salad, corn on the cob, sweet potato fries, watermelon, pineapple, pasta salad, baked beans, deviled eggs, coleslaw-- and amazingly it tasted REALLY American! We had to make a few adjustments, but it was by far the best American food I've ever had. That may be because I hadn't had red meat in 2 months or maybe I was just feeling incredibly patriotic being my first Independence Day away form the states... Either way, it was an amazing celebration of the fourth of July!

Sam, our cook, and David, our guard, making sweet potato fries!

The meat patties! I could not wait for my first red meat in months :)

Elder Briggs playing beach volleyball (with beach ball) with our neighbor girl in our front yard

Roasting corn on the cob

Our beautiful volleyball net and party-goers.

Look at all of our AMAZING American food. The best food I've had in years

 Immediately after our massive BBQ, four of us girls set out on our African safari for the following four days. We planned this trip a few weeks ago and had been eagerly anticipating it! Our friend Freddie scheduled a taxi to take us from Mbale to Kampala leaving at 10pm. After two incredibly angry chickens tied together beneath our seats, one large woman reclined fast asleep into our row and 4 hours of bumpy roads, we reached Kampala! We stayed at the hostel provided by the safari company. We got up a few short hours later to set out on our long day of driving to western Uganda ahead of us. Our safari group consisted of our adorable driver, Ronald, and three other American women who were here for research and studies for a couple months. We spent the majority of the day sleeping (after a sleepless night) all the way to Murchison Falls. It was a short hike to the falls and it was absolutely beautiful! My third set of water falls in Uganda and they get more and more beautiful each time. Ronald drove us over to our campsite where we would be sleeping for the next two days. Upon arrival, we were immediately welcomed with the shock of a warthog sleeping right in the middle of the campsite fast asleep. I screamed, "Pumba!" They told us that the warthogs were nothing to worry about. It was the hippos that should taken with utmost caution. In the states I have had my fair share of campsite stories warning campers not to leave food in the tent in fear of bears. Well, here in Africa, getting trampled by hippos in the night if you leave food in your tent is the greatest concern. That was enough information to persuade me to empty my backpack.

Us girls getting ready to leave for Kampala!

Top of the gorgeous Murchison Falls!

Third set of falls in 2 months!

The four of us with our driver, Ronald.

The next morning, we set out on our African safari! We had to take a ferry across the Nile to get to the wildlife preserve. There are pods of hippos all along the river and we passed them on our first of many crossings. In the Murchison Falls area, Baboons are EVERYWHERE. They're like the squirrels of Uganda--eating random food or sitting in the road. Again referencing Lion King I exclaimed, "Rafiki!" They are quite hilarious and adorably mischievous getting into trash cans and the backs of trucks. We drove along the grasslands for the remainder of the morning getting to see giraffes, elephants, hyenas, a lion, jackal, water buffalo, antelope, waterbucks, more warthogs, just to name a few!

The warthog in our camp!

The elephant that almost charged car!

The giraffes are my favorite!!

A hyena in the bush! Sorry for the poor quality here.

A jackal

Us with a pod of hippos behind us!

It's hard to see, but there are baboons all over the road just up ahead.

A baboon just chilling on the road!

We love safaris!

Going across the river

Water buffalo in the mud!

After a morning of safari driving, we set out on an afternoon river cruise. I kept saying, "This is definitely NOT the Disneyland Jungle Cruise! This is the REAL deal!" We spent a few more hours enjoying some of the most breathtaking natural beauty I've ever seen. I've visited quite a few National Parks in the U.S. and I'm sorry dad, none of those places even begin to compare to the beauty of the Nile at Sunset with Murchison Falls in the distance. Unfortunately, these pictures just don't do it justice. I took TONS of pictures and I'll spare you the frustration of loading them but I'll try and create a slideshow and post it. We saw plenty more hippos in and out of the water, crocodiles, monkeys and hundreds of gorgeous birds. I'm not much of a bird-watcher but they are so exotically beautiful. Our guide kept pointing out different species but I was just in awe of their beauty. The boat got us up to the base of the falls where we got to take some gorgeous pictures from the water in comparison to the pictures we took from up high the day before. Here are just a few pictures of our beautiful afternoon on the river.

A croc along the Nile!

Hippos are everywhere, in and out of the water!

Murchison falls in the background

My fellow travelers and I at Murchison falls!

From atop the boat watching the sunset. So gorgeous!

We left our campsite on Saturday morning and stopped at another falls along the way back to Kampala. We unfortunately got attacked by spiders and fire ants along the hike to the falls. It never ceases to be an adventure here in Africa! One night while in camp, I got to treat Sam for a hairy caterpillar sting. Apparently they sting leaving venom and prickly hairs in the skin. I got to spend the remainder of that night tweezing little caterpillar hairs from Sam's hand. Yet again, I'm meant to go into medicine!! I keep telling her that she's lucky she brought her walking first aid attendant with her to Africa otherwise she'd have one nasty gash on her forehead (which has now healed!) and a hand full of itchy, rashy caterpillar hairs. What a fun pair we are! Here are pictures from Karimu falls:

It was such an amazing weekend and we are back to our work here in Mbale! With nearly no time left, I'm trying to make the most of everyday. Uganda amazes me with its beauty and the amazing people here. I'll never want to leave, but unfortunately life needs to continue back in the U.S. I will return someday. SO, anyone who is interested, I'm already planning my trip back after PA school. Let me know if you're free for summer 2016!

Sorry for the incredibly long post, yet again. I have SO many pictures from the safari. For those who are interested, I'll have a video completed eventually so you can see more of the beauty here in Uganda. I can't say it enough, I LOVE this country!!