When the Homily is about Immunology

Good Morning Kampala

As I said my morning prayers today, I watched the sun rise through my window (And everytime I see I can't help but think of the having "The Circle of Life" song cued up). Our view is mostly obscured, but Kampala is a city set amidst a number of notable hills (originally seven, but now I hear it is has spread to nearly 20) and I am able to see some of those distant hills. However, many - likely most - Ugandans cook on some form of charcoal and wood and thus the sky is often obscured with woodsmoke which makes the sunrise all the more surreal. I did not think to snap a picture of it...maybe tomorrow. The smell of woodsmoke is a sort of alarm click for me each morning.


As you can see, we live like some of the most wealthy here in Kamapala. Sitting on the veranda, my housemates and I often spend those times nearest the conscious hours of home chatting with friends and loved ones. The delay of ten hours has made work difficult - for if I need an immediate issue resolved from Seattle I am forced to wait until about the time the lab is shutting down here for the night. Of course, this is the wet season here and ALMOST everyday we are treated to an hour or two of the sky absolutely evacuating itself of all moisture. The red dust that surrounds us (try walking through our house with a pair of white socks on...within a minute they are covered in a red-brown layer, it is impossible to avoid or fully clean) turns to a clay-like muddy muck. Streets turn to rivers that could be rafted...though decidedly not White Water, it is Red Water through and through.


I've also been chatting a fair amount with Stacy as she prepares to come here. We are looking very much forward to hanging out and going to church together on Sunday. Even my housemate Nabukeera (formerly Jessica) is planning to join us there. I was astonished that she said she so enjoyed herself last sunday...not having any particular religious affiliation she none-the-less sat through a very lengthy Hierarchial Divine Liturgy done almost entirely in Luganda. Brave soul, that one.

Remember Stacy in your prayers, obviously this is a huge life-shift for her.