Today I had the pleasure of driving through the lush and gorgeous Mabira Forest. It is one of the very few tropical rain forests in Uganda. Along the road there were workers on the Tea Plantation picking green succulent newly green tea leaves and sugar cane plantations everywhere.  Unfortunately these plantation Barons have ravaged the rain forest land and much land around Jinja, but the countryside is gorgeous.  You see, the tea we enjoy is picked by hand, every day of each year.   It is grueling work in the sun, but tea is loved around the world so the work must go on.   Unfortunately de-forestation has happened to make this possible for consumers.

I loved seeing the street vendors grilling chicken and meat on a stick, when a bus approaches and begins to pull over all the chicken vendors attack and shove chicken in the windows.   It is a real sight to see for sure.   The fruits here are so beautiful and perfect. It appears as if anything you stick in the ground grows well and becomes a mature plant quickly.

I traveled with our volunteers and got them settled for the first two days, then I had to go about my own work here.

I stay modestly in Jinja.   I don’t need fancy to make me comfortable.   The guest house I’m in now is clean, comfortable and inexpensive.   I had to come back here because the owners have become my friends.    In October, Lawrence, the sweet pastor who runs the guest house, died, leaving behind his beautiful wife Prossy and children.   I was so sad to learn that the virus had taken one of my dear friends.   Such a hard thing to learn.   It seems odd without him here, but I’m thankful to be here to talk to Prossy and we enjoy sitting on the lawn talking about life in the late afternoons.

When I drove up her 10 year old daughter was mopping the porch bent over with just a rag squeezing it out each time and beginning again until the painted porch shined.   I can’t even imagine our children working so hard in America.

Across from the guest house is a very large compound with a big house where a Muslim family lives.  The man has 4 wives, and they are preparing a wedding today.   I should not be able to sleep tonight with the Ugandan celebration and shrill trilling, and booming music on amp until dawn.  Fun fun!!

This morning the rooster with the broken cock-a-doodle-doo woke me with his sick rendition of a wake up call.   I’ll have to try to make a short sound clip haha

I will be headed out to be with the volunteers today but I shall let you all in on the rest of my work tonight.  I’ve had a few sleepless and stressful work days.

From Rainy Jinja…