Yesterday Ella and I went into Kampala and picked up her passport!! Thank you Jesus that it’s finally done! After five months of chasing signatures, letters and what not, she now has her passport in her grubby little fists :-)
I had no idea that four year olds got so darned excited about passports but this kid was thrilled! But when you think of it, a tiny book with your picture in it is pretty exciting when you’re four I guess, especially when it means that you can go to Montana to see your Granny and Grandpa.
There was no problem picking it up other than the lady “interviewing” Ella was pretty rough. Ugandans are hard to figure sometimes. They seem, as a general rule, to genuinely like children but manage to scare the crap out of them just the same. This lady was hollering her questions at Ella, telling her that I was NOT her mom but her auntie, while Ella was saying, “No, my mommy, no my mommy” over and over again until she finally gave up and hid behind me. Yah, I don’t blame her! Then she was chastised for not knowing her fourth name, “Mukandoli” even though she knew all three of her other names!! Poor kid. She was happy to get her passport though. And so was I!
I will be making an appointment with the U.S Embassy today for her Visa and hopefully get an interview soon. We have her passport pictures and the form so we are ready!
A first happened in the Halland household this Tuesday – extensions! I enjoy putting Ella’s hair in twists and then making pony tails but her hair is really just to short still for a proper pony tail. Enter extensions!
I get many grand hairstyling ideas when I’m at church on Sundays, surrounded by women with many interesting hairstyles. Some of which I know that I could do myself! So often I find my mind wandering from the sermon and focusing on my fellow congregates hair instead…. Yes, I know. I’m bad.
Last Sunday I decided that Ella needed extensions in her hair. So Monday Sarah went and got me some fake hair and Tuesday morning showed me how to start a braid. Tuesday afternoon Ella sat in front of two movies while I put extensions into her hair. She’s spent the rest of the week standing in front of the mirror and jumping up and down and shaking her head, making her hair flop. She is delighted with her “beautiful hair”.
I was not too thrilled with the outcome and am already itching to take it out and try again but nope- I am forcing myself to leave it in for at least a week. But wow, the possibilities with extensions are endless!
Pony tail on top of the head
Two pony tails on the sides of her head
Ponytail at the back of her head
Side view of the ballerina with the ponytail. I think this hair due makes her look older!
I went to all the expense and trouble last week of getting my dogs and cat their rabies boosters (along with other vaccinations) and who hauls off and bites somebody yesterday? Ella! She gave a “friendly bite” to her best friend Janet whilst I was on the phone to my mother explaining to her what a nice child Ella was. Seriously! Oopsy! Janet’s a sport though and the only reason that her and Sophia reported it is not because Janet was hurt, but just that no one is supposed to bite - EVER.
Ella did eventually get a spank as a reminder not to bite her friends – even if they’re just playing. She knew exactly how she wanted her spank, too. With mom’s hand and her shorts up! We made a compromise :-).
At least she didn't go for Janet's throat, like the dogs do with each other!
Ella has decided that we should change her diet. All she wants to eat these days are toast, candy and popsicles!
Polishing off a popsicle
Fortunately our little Sanyu is a bit more health conscience….
… and has added carrots to her diet! (yah, it’s weird!)
Ella has also turned very aquatic lately. Why this is I do not know. In order to fulfill these inner needs we set up her little wading pool in the front of the house where she splished and splashed to her little hearts content all of Saturday. She even swam on Sunday when we got back home at 5pm and it was a little cool out!
I’ve noticed a few patterns in the adoptive families in Uganda who I’ve met. These patterns relate to adoptive families who are missionaries living in Uganda and are adopting Ugandan children. However, I have also seen these patterns amongst other adoptive parents in different situations, as well.
Observing these families and different situations (and what the Bible has to say about them) has also changed and developed some of my beliefs on adoption.
All of the families I know who have adopted from Uganda have adopted at least two children. The only exception is a family whose adoption of their second child failed as they returned to the States and they are still trying to get him.Does this tell you something about what a huge blessing it is to adopt these children? Even I am planning on adopting a second time – not only because of the huge number of orphaned kids here that need families but because another would bless my and Ella’s lives (not to mention my extended family and friends) tremendously.
The adoptive families I have met seem to be the people with the best excuses on why they shouldn’t adopt. Be it because of a terminal illness of the adoptive parent, a single parent, the older age of the parent/s, an HIV+ child, a large number of children the similar age in the family, or just large families in general, these are the people who seem to adopt.
It really reminds me of the verse in 2 Corinthians, where Paul is talking about his “thorn in the flesh”. What a great excuse that thorn would have been to “exempt” Paul from the ministry! “ But he [Jesus] said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Cor. 12:9
Yes, this does cause others to shake their heads at the “irresponsibility” of it all, but us with such obvious “thorns” are the ones who are being blessed!
Sadly, it was other missionaries who kept discouraging me and warning me not to adopt Ella, because of all the unknowns and “inconveniences” she would cause, the “detriment” or “liability” she would be to my ministry, and it just makes me cringe. This causes another verse to come to mind, 1 Corinthians 1:26-29.
Paul states, “Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this word and the despised things – the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.”
So perhaps this why those of us “fools” are adopting! When we adopt, there is no
question as to why it works because it’s obvious that it sure ain’t because of us!
I am continually amazed by the number of missionaries here in Uganda who have not adopted. Honestly, it just blows me away. Many have struggled and prayed for biological children while orphanages and babies homes are filled to the gills with adoptable children who need homes. So many “normal” missionary families with no excuse not to adopt, yet they don’t! It’s really discouraging and sometimes I think that we “missionaries” are the most faithless Christians there are. This generalization would definitely include myself. I’d probably be around the top of the list!
As time goes on, I am becoming more and more passionate about adoption. Is it a calling or a command? My beliefs have changed radically since adopting. Before I would have said that it was a calling – just because I had that calling didn’t mean that God called everyone to it though (How PC is that??!). Now I believe it is a command, just as the Great Commission is a command.I don’t believe that what Paul meant by “caring for orphans”was simply to build them an orphanage and give them money to survive and be educated!
Rather than offend folks with my rather strong opinions on this subject, I hope that I can instead challenge and encourage them, especially while I’m on furlough.
My daughter, dogs and I have a pretty darned good life here in Entebbe. We have good friends, a great swing set, a zoo only a five minute walk away (where you can actually pet the monkeys!), 20 acres of Botanical Gardens right next to us where our dogs can run and chase monkeys to their hearts content, cheap fruit and veggies, and a 30 hour a week job. So mom can be home with the tyke a lot, enjoying all of these wonderful things.
There are times of wondering if I’m depriving my daughter and dogs of certain things that most Americans take for granted.
Example one are nice parks and play areas. I see pictures of children playing in parks in the States, sliding down the slides, climbing through the tunnels, running across the little rope bridges, playing on the monkey bars, etc. and I think of how much Ella would enjoy something like that. Here in Uganda nice, safe play areas are not a high priority for children and simply don’t exist. It’s almost like people in third world countries have more important things to spend their money on than children’s play areas…
Because it’s been awhile since I’ve been back to the States, and was never a mother of a kid there, I haven’t noticed it as much but lately I’ve been thinking. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to take my kid somewhere to play without having to look out for nails, broken things, spikes, trash or even a sleeping person zonked out somewhere? Yes!
The solution to this lack of outside play equipment seems to be just to build one yourself. One that you can do the upkeep on, keep clean and have a wall around to keep people from moving into it. So far I have an AWESOME swing set, with hopes of a sandpit, slide and perhaps (if I’m lucky!) a big culvert for my child to play in. The neighbors have plans of building a fort so between the two of us, we’ll have a pretty decent play area! Never take the nice play areas in the States for granted tho!
Example two are my dogs and their lack of proper “farm dog experiences”. For example, getting really good and dirty, eating horse manure (a delicacy!), rolling in all sorts of manure, riding in the back of trucks, running along on horse rides and just running around sniffing, tasting and feeling all those wonderful, enticing smells of the country.
But, I was reminded this week of what my dogs do have. Monkeys! Lots of monkeys to chase and bark at and go crazy over. This can keep a dog occupied for hours and I even witnessed something else this week that my dogs enjoy, thanks to monkeys. Monkey poop! Yes, apparently monkey poo is even more of a delicacy than horse or cow manure. At least my dogs didn’t roll in it!
These little dudes like to come and sit in the bamboo trees that hang over our house and swing set and tease the dogs unmercifully.
You can see his teeth in this one – he was laughing!
Chillin’ not far from my head while the dogs go nuts
The dogs put on a good performance by running around barking frantically, leaping up and trying to climb the wall. They truly are ferocious beasts. So, thanks to these ornery old monkeys, my precious doggies aren’t too deprived of some of life’s simple pleasures.
Another thing that my dogs can enjoy here that they couldn’t in the States is simply the thrill of frightening people half out of their minds. Even my sweet little Sanyu gets a huge kick out of tearing up to people growling and barking, with the hair on her back sticking up. Imagine the fun if the person runs screaming from you! This would never be tolerated in the States. You’d have one dead dog and a lawsuit!
Oh yah, and Bridger does ride on the little boda, which is almost like the farm dogs that get to ride four wheelers in the States!
So yah, my kid and dogs aren’t so deprived after all… :- )
Ella was well over her party hangover this Sunday so I made another cake and we took the remaining GALLONS of juice and plastic cups to Sunday School. It was really hot yesterday and all the kids were in one class together so there were a lot of kids and plenty of juice to go around.
The beauty of Ugandan birthday parties is that kids are happy with only a handful of cake – they don’t need their own entire piece complete with paper plate and fork. Which was a good thing since there were a lot of kids and not a huge cake!
The Cake, minus the four candles
The crowd – there were a lot of kids!
“Uncle Peter” introducing the little birthday girl, “Halland”
Our faithful Sarah, lighting little Hallands candles
Cutting of the cake
Little Halland got severe stage fright and could barely blow out the candles! It was a good thing that Sarah was there to help her cut the cake ;)
The birthday girl got to serve the cake. She was very serious the entire time.
But boy did she enjoy serving the cake!
Very seriously of course. Oh what power you have when you have the cake plate!
Blessed and Ella. Blessed is such a cutie! I work with his dad.
