"did jeet?"

february is proving to be another challenging month....meetings, reports, plans, budgets....YIKES! anyone that knows me well knows that these are not my 'things'! GEEZ, anyone who can sit at a desk for longer than 30 minutes has my utmost respect and kudos, because i don't know how they can do it. i have a short attention span when it comes to reviewing documents or amending constitutions and i admire people whose mind doesn't drift to an old bon jovi song or what they need from the market. it wasn't this bad in my pre-chemo days....but then in my pre-chemo days i was mucking stalls and riding horses and throwing bales! hmm, guess there are some things i really do miss about the farm! (not the snakes, i don't miss the snakes!)

speaking of snakes, i have not seen ANY in uganda except in the snake park. and that is good because i am still working through my fear of snakes. i don't think i am alone in this phobia. Pastor Jones says fear of snakes represents fear of satan. makes sense, i guess. i have just constructed a wall of steel wool in a cabinet in my kitchen! i am hoping that will keep some of the mice out. i trapped both mickey and minnie last night......Ewwww! you know, i don't fear many things......fear exists when faith does not! right? i have ridden horses whose sole purpose was to have me on the ground spitting out teeth (and a few did just that!), have bicycled down a volcano in maui, ridden a camel in the sahara, ridden a motorcycle into the andes, run down the inca trail from the sun gate at macchu pichu, been hot air ballooning above turkey, and sailed the tradewinds in the south pacific just to highlight the most fun things!! but seriously, rodents make me cringe and send me into a panic! what is that all about? it makes no sense.....mice are even cute but i am terrified of them! ii know, i know...it's childish and insane....there are people who seem to fear nothing, like that guy named Bear who had that t.v. show...and there are people who seem to fear everything. little joan, who is in pre-school and lives next door, also fears mice. it's nice to have a compadre, even a mini one....haha

i am so proud of patrick and ruhu......all of the children are in school. thank you Jesus, it is so wonderful.....street kids working toward their futures. we were fortunate to be able to assist in transporting them last sunday. it was a zoo! kids, foot lockers, mattresses, etc......all were bouncing with energy and talking a mile a minute. can you imagine something this wonderful happening? He reigns!! when we got to the school, the teachers thought that yubu, my driver, was a student (he is 31). they kept yelling at him to put his things on the table with the other children's things. it was so so funny. poor yubu, the traffic police always stop him, i guess they also think he is 12!! peter and i are still laughing about this....even yubu thought it was funny and chuckles when we talk about it...hahaha the kids were so so happy. they asked me if we would come every week to visit at least 20 times. i tried to explain that it was not allowed, but i would be there as often as possible. then someone asked if i would bring rice and matooke and meat like i did on thursdays. i said no, also not allowed. we all got a little sad and prayed. i can't wait for visiting day! what an opportunity for them, what a blessing from our Father! i miss them already. it was odd, but a few of the boys who have never been really 'huggy' with me, wouldn't let go of my hand. of course i had to swallow and smile. i think we sometimes do not know how important we are in kids' lives. if we give just a smile or a hug, it's something they may cherish for a long time.....so hug those kids!!!

i am preparing my first mexican meal for guests! next monday patrick and pastor william are coming to discuss our similar frustrations, make some plans and to pray for and with me as i work through heaps of the previously mentioned responsibilities. (have i mentioned my most recent partner quit with only 2 weeks until paperwork is due at the NGO board?) patrick will eat anything with salsa. i couldn't find any, but made a batch and it is SPICY! i will even break open my only package of tortillas...think i will make chicken burritos, refrieds, spanish rice, guacamole and of course...SALSA. last time they mixed coke and juice....yuck..haha. i am blessed to share time with these friends...God has been good to me. sorry y'all can't make it for dinner.....!!! the other day i said to peter: "did jeet?" then i realized only american southerners understand that one! i love y'all and miss you....!!!