 |
 |
 |
||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||
|
 |
Posted December 12
I woke up late and hurried to get computer items together for my first day of work at the office. Bob had made specific requests that I backup the financial software for the orphanage, give Peter a new PC (Eric and Diana’s Dell is now the main GSF computer) and move parts and pieces around to give Carolyn a computer as well. It all sounded easy enough. The first thing I tried was moving the backup database from QuickBooks to my USB drive… the drive kept showing up and then disappearing. When I pulled it out is was burning hot! I still don’t know what the cause was but over the course of trying to use it this morning I think I fried the drive… with all my pictures and files on it L I keep remembering my surroundings and it puts my lost pictures in perspective. I still have the rest of the week so there is plenty of time to take more photos. Long story short… the entire morning was eaten up trying to simply move a 16MB file from one computer to another. One method after the other failed. Finally, my USB worked for a few brief minutes and I was able to successfully move the database they use for payroll, taxes, and every financial accounting of GSF from the old machine over to the new one. I needed to be ready to go to Jinja by 2:00 and I thought at Noon that there was no way that I would be able to get it all done. God blessed and prayer after prayer was answered. When I left, Peter had a new PC and new printer, and Carolyn had a working PC and printer pieced together and cleaned up from older parts. What a gift to have just been able to accomplish this one thing. I felt like a conquering hero. I got back to the guest house thinking there was still a chance to pull my files and Peter’s other backup files off my USB but it hasn’t worked on any of the 3 laptops that I’ve tried… Bummer. I’m thinking of sending it off to SanDisk when I get back to the States to see if they can rescue my pictures.
Bob and Carolyn invited me to attend the missionary Security Meeting in Jinja and I tagged along to spend the evening at their home and help with the PC purchase for the computer lab. On the way as we were driving through a nearby village we saw a big group of people walking down the road. When we got closer it was clear that they were all following a man on a bicycle who had a casket balanced on the back of his bike. Peter, who was with us explained that Ugandans all must be buried in the village where they are born. People will carry bodies for days if necessary and travel by foot to get their relatives home to their tribal land. This family had a bicycle and they were going the distance to get their family member home to be buried properly.
Crossing the Nile coming into Jinja we looked for crocodiles. Did I mention that the reason the orphanage is ‘safer’ from rebels is because the head of the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) won’t cross the Nile? Kony thinks he will lose his spiritual powers if he does.
The security meeting was sobering. There have been serious threats against the Christians in Jinja. There were written threats distributed to missions in the area. The missionaries are doing a good job of trying to be more culturally sensitive to do everything they can to work within this culture and not be a source of contention. I learned interesting things like men wearing shorts in Uganda are considered to be youths, walking around with a member of the opposite sex or driving in a car one on one suggests sexual relationships, even married couples show no affection in public, Ugandans don’t show open affection the way we do in the States to children or parents, if you talk about ‘pants’ they think you are speaking of underwear.
It was a delight to spend the evening with the Jacobsens in their home. They are a wonderful couple and so generous. We ate stew and drank Stoney (a local soft drink) and enjoyed some wonderful conversation. I showered by candle light and thought how much Alyssa would love this place with the mosquito netting stretched across the big beds. I gave her a call and we had time to talk and for me to share a few stories – Phillip, Charles, Owart, my computer successes and woes. I love to hear her voice… Oh how I miss my darling wife and boys! I wondered how Ethan was doing… what was he up to? I’m hoping to get gifts tomorrow but I’m beginning to worry a bit that I won’t have much of a chance to shop for them. Lord, help me bless my family as a result of this trip.
Blessings to you ~ Steadman
Steadman Harrison
|
 |
|
 |
|
||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||||
