Mirales can happen

Wow is all I can say. This week went from really bad to really great! Let me back track a bit.

There have been some things going on with the director of EAC that I don't agree with. I didn't have any intentions of mentioning this on my blog, but it has been one of the big frustrations a lot of us here have struggled with. As someone noted, it is obvious that the organization is run by young people (Wilson, the director, is 28). Abbreviated version: There has been LOTS of lying and dishonesty. Suggestions have been asked for and given and none have been taken. I mean lets get real here, I am very honest and have a big mouth so my opinions have been voiced based on my experiences. Hannah told me she loved my black and white boldness. I took that as a compliment, but I can hear my mother thinking out loud about how my mouth gets me in trouble. It's ok mom, I get it from my dad, blame him for being a lawyer and for me wanting to be just like him for so long. Anwyays, I had all intentions of sponsoring a child that I had gotten to know through the organization. Unfortunately, I don't trust sending my money through EAC and when I do decide to sponsor a child it will be through Compassion. I just had to remind myself and those around me that I did not come here to be caught up in this childish drama and I would not let myself lose sight of why I came here.

So between all of those issues and the passing of my grandfather, it made my week a little more complicated than normal. Saturday we had planned our Thanksgiving here. We invited all of the volunteers and then the Morris', who are a missionary family living here that Meredith knows. The Morris', Dan and Loring, have 3 kids, Aiden (9), Hannah (6) and Ben (4). They were such an awesome family and we really enjoyed having them around. The Ugandan volunteers loved learning about why we celebrate Thanksgiving and how basically its just a day to give thanks, eat lots of food and sleep. Meredith cooked the turkey. When I say we had a turkey, I mean we had to buy a live turkey from the market and then it chilled in the backyard for the night and was slaughtered the next day. No joke. Meredith signed up for the turkey acting like she had done it before. Well as we are both cooking away in the kitchen she confides in me that this is her very first turkey and stuffing. It turned out to be really good though. Dan said the only reason he knew that it was her first time was because she cooked the turkey the wrong way in the oven! I made macaroni and cheese casserole (of course!) and I must give props to myself because I think it was one of the best I have ever made. Either that or I was just really hungry. I also made fresh green beans with bacon and onion. The Americans were all ecstatic for real bacon. Hannah made mashed potatoes, Tara made apple pie and pecan pie and Loring brough this incredible apple and cranberry gilett. I am not usually a fan of Thanksgiving food (other than my aunts Reese's pie), but this year was definitely a success. It was also interesting because this was my 3rd year away from home for Turkey Day.

Monday we went down to the beach for the day. And by beach I really mean lake with about 10 feet of beach. We went down to Lake Victoria, which is about 15 minutes from the Entebbe Airport where we had to take Hannah. We ate fresh mangos and guavas and just hung around and chatted for a while. Then it was time to send Hannah on her way. It was sad to see her go, but she had been here for 3 months and was ready to get back. She really had a passion for what she was doing here and put all of her heart into the projects that we did. I definitely enjoyed getting to know her over the past few weeks.

Tuesday was our last day at Victory Primary School because the kids are breaking for the term until February. The kids there are cute and love when we are there. It is nice to realize how much we are needed at all of the projects that we go to each week. As tiring, hot, smelly and gross as some of them can be, at the end of the day I always remind myself of how much the little things we do really impact them in greater ways than we realize.

Charlie and Daniel are 2 American guys traveling through Africa with an organization called Mocha Club and they have spent the past week with us. Mocha Club is a really cool organization focused toward college kids, but anyone can join. The idea behind it is to give up 2 mochas a month and give $7 to Mocha Club per month. The money goes to 20 organizations throughout 7 countries in Africa: Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, Ghana, South Africa and Zimbabwe. They are traveling around checking on all of the projects and how they are being run, how they are doing, etc. They are creating videos and a blog that are being published on their website. I encourage you to visit MochaClub.org to learn more. If anyone is interested in being on my team let me know and I would love to invite you. Oh yeah and you get a free t-shirt when you join!

Anyways, then coming here was like a gift from God. Miracles really can happen. Meredith and I had really been praying for a change around this trash bin I call EAC, I mean not that I'm complaining or anything, and what do you know? We got two really awesome guys. Nothing beats some needed comic relief. We have spent the past 5 days together and you would think we had all known each other forever. Charlie has already taken to calling us the 'Fab 4'.

Brace yourself for the story you are about to hear. EAC has been looking to purchase land to build a new training center. Well after searching and searching that have finally found it. To some that sounds exciting, to me it says hmm this current organization is spiraling downhill so starting on a new project that will be much bigger sounds extremely idiotic. I mean what do I know though? SO. We go to Luwero, which is about an hour and a half from here. EAC got a little carried away and purchased 34 acres. Yep, 34. So we went out there to pray over the land. We were told we didn't have to do if we "weren't ready" or thought we might be the weak links of the team. I tried to talk Meredith into saying we were weak links. Let's just say I am glad we didn't though because this was a once in a lifetime experience. We were told to wear "jungle boots", whatever those are. SO we tromped through the jungle, while Meredith is screaming about hating nature, there are massive rain clouds over our head about to burst, cows are roaming freely, Charlie is playing the guitar and Daniel and I are re-wording songs with lyrics about the 34 acre jungle. Lovely. So we have been told that in the center of the land there is a thicket that is ruled by witchcraft. Witchcraft in Luwero is apparently a big thing and is widely practiced. Odd. Then again, TIA. So we have been told that people have tried to cut this area down, but when they went in with their machines they never came back out. Ok this is a small area, like I could run around this little circle in less than 30 seconds. We have been told that we should not try to take this area down when we begin building, but I assure you that will be the first thing Wilson does. EAC will then be haunted by these crazy witches and their nonsense. So anyways we get here and all the Ugandans start screaming at the demon possessed thicket. Of course I burst into laughter because I thought everyone was joking. Oh no, they were so serious. So we, the fab 4, are walking around this place like what in the world is happening? Is this even slightly serious? Well it starts raining. Just great. People are on their knees, CRYING and SCREAMING to these demons. As their chants get louder, the rain comes down harder. The 4 of us are laughing uncontrollably. Everyone is giving us mean looks because we are apparently being rude. I mean who knew people really ran demons out like this?? Part of the laughter was coming from the fact that we are drenched from the rain and it wasn't even worth trying to keep dry. I wish one of us had taken off running into the thicket as a joke, but I feel that no one would have appreciated that very much. This was the most bizarre thing I have ever seen in my entire life, hands down!

OK SO it is getting late and this post is getting long. I still have a lot to say so stay tuned to hear about how I have had 2 brownie sundaes, a fabulous milkshake, a bacon cheeseburger, a calzone and a chicken burrito in 72 hours. Plus Thanksgiving round 2 at the Morris', dragging Daniel to the markets while Mer and I shopped, babysitting the Morris kids and an interesting day in a very African church. TIA. Life is so good!!

One last thing, I won't be putting up any of my pictures until I get home because it takes too long, but promise I will do it!