Sick Days =(

Monday - today.. Thursday afternoon:

Well let's see, two quotes come to mind when I reflect on these past couple of days:
I've had a serious "case of the Mondays," and "what a perfect day for a slice of humble pie."

As Sunday evening began winding down, ill symptoms began winding up. Achy muscles, clammy hands, throbbing headache, sore throat, weakness, prickly feeling all over.. A fever blister decided to make itself at home on my lip on the plane ride over, so I should have taken that as a warning that something worse was in store for me. Luckily I survived the bus ride home, but it was all downhill after that.. thus my "case of the Mondays."

Slimy little mutant alien germies for "StreptoGooeyVille" arrived on Sunday afternoon, made a ruccous Sunday night, aaaaall day Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and yes, they are still here today. The last few days they have built at least five huge bonfires in my body. It seemed that each time I fought off one fever, another made itself at home hours later. I Think these little boogers are stubborn like me too! Every time I swallow, they resist my attempts at their departure by stabbing their little pitchforks in my throat, hanging on for dear life. Ouch.. :/ I hurts! So my slice of humble pie is focusing on NOT complaining about getting sick, and being patient that this too shall pass..

What took place while I was making a long lasting "impression" on my bed:

Monday
The missions group gathered for breakfast, fellowship and a daily devotion, then organized all the meds for another medical clinic. That day they spent the afternoon at the slums here in Kampala. Slums house the poorest of the poor, so I can only imagine.. From word of mouth though, I heard that all went exceedingly well, and roughly 350 people were helped. (Mom stayed behind and played nurse for me.. thank goodness for her! It's bad enough being sick, but being this sick without mom to take care of you... yeah..)

Tuesday
After the same morning routine, the group (mom included this time) went to visit our "One By One" sponsored school for the disabled in Kampala, and gave out de-worming tablets to the 120 children that attend. Apparently they put on a nice little show for us "ma-zoon-goos"- foreign visitors- and then there was play time that followed. Mid-afternoon the group then left and did a little shopping at one of the local markets, then bussed over to the area of the Acholi tribe (who also live in the slums) and gave out over 1,000 de-worming tablets, plus a little treat to those who came.

Wednesday
I was feeling on the "ok enough to sit up" side, so I joined the group for breakfast, fellowship, worship and devotion. My plan was to stay behind and rest up, but I was talked in to going with the group to "One by One's" sponsored school (the one we visited briefly the first day). Tho the decision to go was bad for my current health condition, it was an experience of a lifetime! The children preformed for us by dancing and singing. They even did some native dances which were so neat! (I got some great video footage- to be posted in Youtube at a later date) I was fading fast though, and ready more and more to go home. Without me knowing, they decided that at the end of their performance, they would surround me in prayer.
WOW is about all I can say.




They called me forward and had me sit as they all laid hands on me. Imagine, over 80 children, plus the teachers and our whole missions group surrounding little ol me.. I couldn't help but cry. And I know God heard them!

I've been prayed over by so many people the last few days.. So much love, it's amazing!

The bus dropped me off after we left the school, and the bed became my home once again for the remainder of the day and night. Another fever, but this time not even fluids would stay down :/ I struggled all night to sleep but nothing. All I could do was pray..
What was difficult tho is that tears kept coming, and when tears come, so does dehydration and a hotter head! (I don't think I've ever had to give myself a pep talk to keep from crying before... hindsight, it's kind of funny!)
Anyway, by about 4am I finally managed to sleep.. if I weren't better by 6 tho, mom would have taken me to a clinic. Honestly, that's where I thought I'd be right now, but God listened to the many prayers out there (THANK YOU ALL!!!) and did His work in those 2 hours.

While I was sick Wednesday afternoon, the rest of the group visited a hospital here in town. There they have multiple units, one in particular that hurts the heart to visit.. The burn unit.
I have had a lot of experience with the burn unit at Fresno Community hospital in CA, but from what I'm told, it is nothing like that here. And the stories behind the burns.. goodness! People here will throw battery acid on someone else simply because they "don't like them" or are jealous of them! And if you have such a disfigurement, people shun you.. You become an outcast. Again, I can't imagine..
Anyway, the group was able to visit with people of all ages who were recovering from surgeries and illnesses, and love on the mamas who had their newborns.
(Jan, one of our fantastic team members even had a newborn named after her! She's a grandma! :)
When the team left the hospital, they bussed over to a convent where a lot of older folks are housed, and spent some time visiting with them.

Today
Mom and I stayed behind (with 2 other girls from our team- Hannah and Amy- both are running fevers) and the rest of the "One by One" group set off for another medical clinic.

More to come...