No sleep and lots of work! DAY 1 in Uganda...(June 17th 2)

** We are not able to take pictures of any official building, military, police, etc. So may of the pictures in this post are just general ones that we took this day.***


When we arrived at the hotel near the embassy it was still very dark outside. We were unable to see any of our surroundings. We visited with Geroge and Christie over toast and tea. However,at 720ish we loaded back into the van and drove out of the compound and saw Uganda for the first time. It was everything I prepared myself for. I think living in Naples, Italy has prepared me for Uganda. I have not had "culture shock" like many do. In many ways, parts of Varcaturo, Castle Volturno, and Lago Patria look a lot like Kampala. It took about 10 minutes to get to the embassy. George and Christie stayed in the van with Jadon and Adah while Jason and I went inside. They open at 730, knew we were coming at 730, and still did not open the doors until 750.  George needed us to be done with this appointment by 815 so that we could get to the lawyer by 900. Talk about pressure. At 8:05 we decided that I would leave and go with George to the law office and Jason would stay for the appointment. So I checked out of the embassy went to the van and was informed that we needed to take a boda-boda to the law office. I was like "WHAT??? I am wearing a long skirt, I don't do motorcycles and especially NOT with a stranger...." SO I told George I needed to clear this wild act with my husband and back inside the embassy I went. (trip #2) Getting into the embassy is a circus act. Searched, searched, scanned, searched again, and then given a badge.... Crazy thing is, I did not even take my purse. I only was carrying my passport! 

So I rush inside, find Jason, and tell him he needs to decide quickly if he wants to sacrifice my life or his life on the boda-boda! He choose to sacrifice his own. So out he went! While waiting another 20 minutes to be seen, I chatted with a family who had been there 3 months trying to finish their adoption. WHAT??? Talk about pressure under fire right from the get go! As the mother spoke I started to pray. 'Dear, Lord, bless this family and get them what they need, and if it be your will please allow this to not be our story as well. She gave me two documents. One for the children's medicals and the other is a list of items that we must bring back to the embassy at the time we apply for their visas.

While the lady was filling out the medical forms, she asked me the children's full names. I had no idea what their full names were. She looked at me suspiciously when I told her that. Then I felt like I needed to back peddle a tad and tell her my life story on why I had no idea what their full names were. Good grief, I have been in the country less than 4 hours at this point..."No, Ma'am I do not know their full names, because they are each different since they are coming from the kingdom of Buganda." Then I got an even stranger look and thought at this point  I should just shut my mouth. She refused to give me the medical forms without their full names, so back out the embassy I went. 

As I was running back to the van, I saw Jason, George, and his sister Joy arrive back from the law office...all on boda-bodas! Joy was able to give me their full names and back into the embassy Jason and I went. (Trip #3)

We waited 35 minutes this time...UGHH! Right from the start we are seeing that the embassy is going to be the hardest part of the process. After she gave us our forms, we were on our way to exchange money, grab a cell phone card, and a few things from the store. 

I had 15 minutes in the store. By this time, I am hungry, and tired. I cannot even think straight. I about lost it in there. This is what went in the cart: a bag of pasta, a loaf of bread, a bag of rice, some milk, and jelly. What was I thinking??? I was not thinking....My brain cells were most certainly off duty!

After loading back up, it was time to rush to Bombo. As we got further from the city center things began to look even more interesting and "slum-like". Along the way we saw lots of road side plant vendors, furniture makers, and of course fruit markets!!! Love me some fruit/ vege markets!!!

WE were suppose to arrive in Bombo for the meeting with the probation officer (social worker), Joyce, at 2:00. Off course we were running late. As we arrived closer to Bombo, the road turned to gravel.  About 20 minutes of gravel road and we arrived at the probation officer's office. We sat with Christie, Joy, Joyce, and two others as they spoke with us about our family and the reasons we desire to adopt from Uganda. This meeting was not coached for us. We had no idea what to expect and only knew of the meeting since our arrival. I actually was very intimidated by Joyce. I thought she had it out for us. And then just as I began to worry A LOT,  she stated " It is good for me to hear these things. We think you are the perfect family for Duncan, Faith, and Mark, but I needed to make sure." Oh. bless. my. soul! I needed to hear that from her. 

WE loaded back up into the van to make our way to a fruit stand. We purchased mangos, watermelon, and pineapples for ourselves and the children's home. Now we were on our way.

 Next on the agenda...MEETING OUR KIDS!

banana trees

boda-boda

ladies ride side-ways on bod a-bodas (even crazier)

Jason, Geroge, and Joy returning from their bod a-boda ride to the lawyer

road side nursery

another road side nursery...coal is laying on the ground in the sacks

slums

gravel road to Bombo

Gas station we are frequenting on our trips to town for business

Children we saw near the probabtion officer's office

Fruit stand we shopped at...

Tons of pineapples...

Kids are excited about the watermelon.

A storm is rolling in...We brought rain. They tell us we brought them a blessing.