WhatsApp call

Reverend Canon Ayume was meeting with several of us between the church services.  My phone was still on vibrate from the service and it kept going off.  I do not usually receive any calls, but I was glad I took the precaution.  I did not recognize the number, so I used the hang up and reply option to send a message I could not talk now and invite a text message telling me what is up.  No text reply.

This afternoon I learned that it was the person who was going to join me for ministry at the prison calling about the arrangements.  He had a new to me number which I added to contacts when I learned who it was.  Later I learned that he called via WhatsApp and WhatsApp did not pass the text message through because he was in call mode, not chat (text) mode.

WhatsApp

The other missionary, Leroy, had a visitor from California last year.  Luke is considering mission work, and his field of study is an area of need.  While visiting to ‘put his toe’ in the preverbal water, he was also planning to conduct interviews and take pictures with the intent of using his hobby of creating short videos to promote the ministry.  He also offered to make one for me.

We planned to meet via WhatsApp to discuss the video.  I struggled to find his contact in WhatsApp on my computer.  I gave up and started working on WhatsApp on my phone.  I found more contacts there, but not his.  I had to resort to the far more expensive option of a voice phone call, giving up on a video chat altogether.  Later, I learned that additional contacts can be found on the phone version because it can see the contacts of the phone and determine which ones have WhatsApp.  However, it will not present these additional contacts until you start a new chat.  This is contrary to the primary method of tapping the contact to start a chat.

Cat Feathers

A friend who is a Kakwa who has completed school and training as an evangelist noted the other day that I had a few “cat feathers” on my shirt.  I do have a cat, so it was not a surprise.  However, I was surprised to hear an educated person call a few strands of cat fur, feathers.  It appears that the word fur is not present in the Kakwa, and they borrowed the idea of feathers from the chickens that are everywhere.  There are plenty of animals (goats, dogs, cats, antelope, …) in the region that have fur.  They just do not have a word for it in the local language, so he never learned the English word; he did not know there is another word for it.

Redford

My host volunteers at the Redford Theatre.  The Redford Theatre started in 1928.  It is owned by the Motor City Theatre Organ Society.  It is operated and maintained entirely by volunteers.  My host volunteers to run the lights and was scheduled for a showing of a new film, Jack London, Son of the Wolf (2023).  Part of the movie was filmed in this historic building but attributed to a setting in Yukon Territory for the movie. 

None of the organ playing volunteers were present for this show; however, several of the actors and extras did attend.  The dog featured in the story was also present.  The producer took time to address the audience prior to the film.  I am grateful to my host for the opportunity to see his work and the show at the historic Redford Theatre.

Fun Farm

I have heard of the tulip fields in Mount Vernon, WA, USA.  However, I have never visited the fields.  Now that the tulips are blooming, I am in another city again (this time in another state). 

The fun farm is in Missouri, USA.  The fun farm has many activities.  It appears to be named for all the kid activities – a model village, petting area (goats), farm animals not for petting, challenge course, small gauge (but big enough to ride) train, etc. 

Fun Farm model village – past century school house

Fun Farm play things

Fun Farm turkey and hen

They also have tulip fields, which is why we visited.

Fun Farm tulip fields

Fun Farm tulip fields

Science Fair

A friend of mine is part of a small team organizing a science fair for the state.  He asked for support from the Order of the Arrow of which I am a member.  I only had an early morning meeting for one of the days he requested, so I went after my other meeting.

It has been decades since I helped at a science fair.  That fair was for a single elementary school.  This fair was for middle schools and high schools throughout the state.  (The equivalent of years senior-one through senior-six in the Ugandan school system.)  I did not get to hear presentations and evaluate the work of the participants this time.  My job was security, to keep people out of the room so the judges could meet with the participants, see, and hear what they were doing, so they could evaluate the work fairly.

Amazon

I was asked to bring copies of the same study Bible that I use.  The request came from two different bishops in Uganda.  The bookstore where I bought my copy is no longer in business; however, I found the Bible, and newer editions of it, on Amazon.  I could have ordered when I hot spotted my phone to access the internet in Uganda.  However, there is no home delivery in Uganda, only post office boxes.  Besides, I did not want to risk having it lost in international mail, nor pay the cost of sending a multi-pound item through international mail.  I know Amazon has something called Prime, but does that cover shipping internationally with DHL or some other priority shipping company with tracking services and a guarantee of delivery?  Will the shipping company deliver to a post office box?  I decided to wait and order it when I arrived in the US.

Pigs

5 17 Ministry also raises pigs.  Some of the boys that participate in the ministry programs help take care of the pigs.  They were busy attending to the pigs when I arrived to set up for computer skills class.  One of the pigs gave birth last night.  Two did not survive.  I have the impression this is not new, because they took it as normal and just removed the two dead piglets and buried them.  They also transferred the previous litter of pigs away from mom into the next bay so that only mom and the newborn piglets remained in bay2.

Pigs at 5 17 Ministry, born last night

Kenya

I was surprised to hear Kenya’s inauguration on the radio the other day.  I am accustomed to the US tradition of several months between the election and the inauguration so that information can be turned over and people appointed to various offices.  Not in Kenya.  Seven days after their supreme court ruled on the objections to the election and declared it to be a valid election, the newly elected president was sworn in.  No time to be a lame duck in government in Kenya!  Those who were voted out only had a week to clear out their office and meet with the transition committee to turn things over.  Sounds like they got it done too.

H4RI board meeting

I am one of five missionaries who have been sponsored for missionary visas in Uganda.  At the end of July, we all met with the Hope for Restoration Initiative (H4RI) board of directors.  The meeting was so the board could get a better understanding of each ministry.  Better than what our visa application said.  Also, so they could physically meet and get to know us.  We also had the opportunity to get to know each other and the ministries of the other missionaries.  It was a great meeting.  The other missionary from Koboko was also there.  The rest of the missionaries are serving in the greater Entebbe / Kampala area.  It was good to see the other missionaries and to get an idea of how we might work together.  It also gave the chairman of the board a better idea how to answer the Ugandan department of Immigration when they ask for follow-up reports on our mission work.