There's something to be said about the "Pearl of Africa." Uganda is so beautiful, although a visitor in January to the north might not agree, but the rest of the year Uganda is, for the most part, lush, green, and simply beautiful.
And the evenings do get cool. Even at the peak of hot season (which, it seems we have now passed), there was only about a week or two of very hot nights. Now, I'm not saying that you wouldn't want a fan other nights, but by very early morning, the air is cool and a fan would be too much in some months. We've registered as low as 62 degrees early morning outside during rainy season!
So this evening, the kids and I are sitting outside, loving it! A heavy wind came through earlier, threatening rain (it missed us - boohoo!), but cooling down the air temperature. Now, except that I'm sitting between our jerry cans which we rely on entirely for water these days, I could forget that it is hot season with the cool breeze and happy children running around outside. Gracie's sitting next to me, yelling with joy at the cool temperatures. Her yells and yelps echo through the neighborhood. I don't worry about disturbing neighbors as I did as much in the USA. There are odd sounds, smells, and sights around us all the time and everyone's business is everyone's business.
I know when all my neighbors are home as we notice everyone who passes by our house. The mzungus with the little children and African daughter who can't walk are certainly well known in the neighborhood and by now people are certainly accustomed to our sounds and noises. These homes are not built to keep temperature or noise in or out. That makes night times sometimes too noisy to sleep and life scarcely private.
So, as I enjoy the window of time when the air is cooler before the mosquitoes wake up for their night's work, to the music of Gracie's enthusiastic yells... I thank God for His blessings big and small!
Like the mom who just called me, who we met in Kampala. She noticed us with Gracie in a mall in Kampala and approached us. She has a son with severe cerebral palsy and hasn't known what to do with him until recently when she met a therapist in Kampala. She called me last week (right before the kids all got sick so I didn't get back to her) and during our brief conversation, she said that she saw the love of God in us the way that we love our Gracie and care for her. PRAISE GOD! THAT is why we are here as a family - the doors that open through our unique family are doors that would never be open otherwise. She just called again and I can see this is the beginning of a relationship between us. She has a heart for disabilities, wants to serve, and wants to meet the needs of her son. Pray for her and her precious family! Thank you God for placing us in the right mall with our Gracie at the right time!
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