Today’s observation Saturday April22, 2023 from Uganda; A love St

Because there are so many of us, getting from point A to point B becomes a process. Mornings come early and nights can be either early or late depending on how the adventure wrapped up that day. We have two vans and a car that we burden down with what seems to be tons of equiptment , food to give away, glasses, clothes and other needs for our grandma visits and the island ( yesterday we took a ton of supplies by boat to the island)Everything is pretty remote so you dont just " run home " to get anything. Today we went to Kikondo, for the third day. Everywhere is a long long drive. This is a small village with a church and a school. ( We came to help all three of these.)when we would drive into the village, down a long narrow holler past a prison with lots of holes and interuptions( cows, goats,motorcycles children and chickens) The road itself followed along acres and acres of farms which are manned by prisioners in bright yellow uniforms with guards present and some guards hiding incase of an attempt to run away. Our original plan was to do a half day today so the children at the Church of God from Kikondo we visited could do a presentation for us and for us to also present Bibles to local pastors as well as school supplies for the school leadership. However we have to be super flexible and ready to accept change...(like real life at home) so yesterday I fell about lunchtime over a bench in my long skirt. I was able to catch myself and just had bruises but in about an hour I was having trouble moving my arm and was in alot of pain. I wrapped it in an ace bandage I had on from twisting my ankle the day before. We worked the rest of the afternoon but I was having difficulties because I need two hands to use the instruments at my station....back to being flexible. So after yesterdays afternoon they took me to a small clinic to get an xray and found out I broke my arm at the elbow. I had to get a cast and was trying to figure out if we could even do an eye clinic with out being able to do retinoscopy ( my station) at that time we still had three more days of clinics left to do. I want to say that everyone has been so flexible and loving; I said oh Honey do you think...and my husband volunteered to be "my arm" today for my left side if I could handle doing the hand tools on the right side. So that's what we tried today and it worked. I can honestly say I dont think the procedure has ever been done this way before, and surprisingly it still worked. The plan is to do the remaining two days of clinic in Kasubi on Monday and Tuesday after a day of Church and a travel back to Kampala tomorrow. I have been blessed by my husband for 37 years, he has been my soulmate, my helpmate and even a co worker at some jobs. He spent time beside me in the Air Force before we married. Today he was my arm. I needed two today... he filled in the gap. He has been so loving through this all. We were able to see a lot of patients overall but not as many came today due to rain. We met a lot of people who need cataract surgery ( not as many this trip) but more in the village today. Today and yesterday there were several people who who already lost all thier sight due to glaucoma or injuries. We are blessed in the USA that we have access to needed help quickly. Also today we had a ceremony to present gifts to the Church there. We brought many school supplies, and two solar power kits to be able to have services if it is dark outside, and to use for things that require electricity. We presented Pastor Pheobe a stack of 14 Bibles in the Lugandan language, which she was greatly apprciative of. The children also did a singing program for us. After, some of the team went on a fun canoe ride where they saw a varity of birds; kingfishers, egret, and many storks. As well as movator lizards, and monkey movement. They also saw the the source of the Nile river, this is where Lake Victoria dumps into the Nile. For He will save the needy when he cries for help, the afflicted also and him who has no helper. Psalms72:12 The day was full. We all are well. We have been Blessed !!! Dr. M.