Malaria infections of World Racers living in Mukono: Six (out of six).
Showers: Cold, taken outdoors, with four walls, no ceiling, under an avocado tree.
Bathrooms: Squatties, outdoor, wood floors with holes the size of a brick.
Public transportation: Very crowded 15 passenger vans, imported from Japan, stripped bare, overcrowded and driven into the ground. Boda bodas (motorcycles turned taxis) that we cram two people on, plus the driver.
Contacts: Joseph and Frieda, aka “Daddy” and “Mommy.” They’ve adopted approximately a bajillion kids and are just about the sweetest married couple you’ve ever met. They pastor a church down the road from their house and have started a Christian school that has over 100 students. We were adopted into their already large family from the start.
Ministry: We take turns leaving the house at 5:30 am to ride with Joseph as he picks up kids for school. He’s not a bus driver; just a man with a van who promised to pick up kids who would have no other means to get to school. We bounce down red dirt roads to houses all over Mukono and when the kids hear the horn honking, they run out excitedly to jump in the van, all the while yelling, “Good morning, Daddy!” Kids fall asleep on us, sing us songs and ask why we wear trousers when we are obviously women.
After breakfast, we all go to school where we suddenly (and with the grace of God) become English, PE, math and art teachers. The kids are always excited to see us, climb all over us and play with our strange mzungu hair. They are cute, well-behaved (for the most part) and speak English very well.
On Tuesday evenings we prepare for home cell group Bible study with the other teachers. They tell us the topic and we brainstorm verses and examples to teach with. Then on Wednesdays, we each go with our translators to our respective cells, teach the lesson and answer questions.
Days off: Spent mostly in Kampala, the capital city, which is about an hour bus ride away. We go to coffee shops, eat crazy amounts of non-African food, catch up on internet and occasionally go to the movies.
Us: Recovered from malaria (we hope), still a white-skinned spectacle, a little worse for wear after three months in Africa and very, very excited about Thailand!
