Little bare bums everywhere

I got to do something this week I never thought I would have the chance to do.  There are currently 88,000 missionaries out in the mission field and I was able to set-apart one of them.  This is the largest missionary workforce that has ever been assembled in the history of our earth.  Auma Lucky is from Gulu, a 6 hour drive from Kampala, and will be going to the Ghana Accra Mission.  She was a very sweet missionary.  President Chatfield always has so many meetings and interviews to do that it was wonderful to take this one little thing off his plate so he could do the dozens of other things necessary.

As I pondered a missionary force of 88,000 men and women I thought about the talk Elder Bednar gave for the Africa Southeast Area Satellite Broadcast.  He talked about how our current leaders of the Church have given a timely emphasis on the how each of use should be hastening the work of salvation.  He then cautioned: "We always should remember a fundamental truth: this work is the Lord's work, and He does the hastening.  Clearly, brothers and sisters, we play a vital role in helping the kingdom of God to roll forth throughout the entire world.  But, the Lord hastens His work, we do not."

He then asks two questions: "(1) Will we as individuals and as a Church keep pace with the Lord's hastening of His work?  Or (2) will we as individuals and as a Church insist on doing \things the way they have always been done, or the way we are accustomed to or comfortable with?"  These questions have me thinking of things I may be doing the same way I have always done them.  There is a great possibility there is a better way.  I think each of us can think of how we can hasten the changes we need to make to be ready for Him when He comes again.  The question for me is if I am becoming a better disciple of Christ or just going through the motions of being a missionary or member of the Church.

We were invited to another soccer game between the missionaries and the Iganga Branch.  Before the game I saw a teacher in a classroom but official classes do not start until next month.  School is out for December and January and the new school year will start in February.

The teacher gave me permission to take some photos.  Here he is teaching them mathematics and this is like a summer school.

Rita is a returned missionary from England and has lots of followers.  She came to cheer on the teams but wanted it to end in a tie, like the last game, because the losing team will pout.

A few pullups before the game.  I am out of the picture doing several hundred...

They do take their soccer seriously.  Here they are having a prayer before they go out and try and kill each other - like ward basketball.  Branch in red, missionaries in yellow.

Even the Iganga Relief Society president, Ida, gets into the act throwing in a wayward ball.

The game winning goal celebration, the elders had a goal lead but gave up two goals in the final minutes to lose the match.

Team photo

Sister Squire purchased and presented a game ball to the winning team.

Cute baby alert.  The Africans call this the "brown" baby because of his light skin.

The cheering section.

I was not going to leave Africa without trying some of the "street food" where you can roll the dice and see if your body will handle it.  I had the Bugembe Elders with me and asked where the best Rolex (a rolled up African like burrito) was made.  They told me so I bought them each one and one for myself.  The total of this treat for five people was the equivalent of $3.  Quite tasty but I make them better at home.  This is the griddle with charcoal in the bottom to keep it all hot.

He puts some cabbage, carrot and onion in the cup and slices some tomato then adds as many eggs as you like and pours it onto the pan.

Here is the egg mixture cooking and then he places a chapati on top and rolls it up.  Sister Squire chose not to partake.  Just like McDonald's you can have as many eggs and chapatis as you like and get charged accordingly.

Another one bites the dust.  Our very good friends, the Hansens, left Wednesday for home.  I would walk with Elder Hansen every morning when we lived in Kampala.  Starting from the left we have Pres and Sister Chatfield, Story, Hannan, Ekland, Hansen, Squire, Wallace and Chabra.  Everyone will be gone when we leave except the Chatfields and Chabra (who now do medical for everywhere except Jinja area).

Are you ever too old to play in a kids house?

This was a new one for me, beware of dogs at the pool.

Now then, can you ever do too many jigger projects.  I will not bore you with the details but I will share some of my favorite pictures.  The little babies don't wear pants until they are potty trained but they do get a nice bead set to go around their waist.

I loved the eyes on the girl on the right, don't turn your head just your eyeballs.

I had to meet with elders of the village.  The one I am shaking hands with was baptized but no longer goes to church.  He did bear his testimony to me however.  It was nice.

Cute girl eating jack fruit.  It is very sticky but the fruit is nice.

Even Sister Squire likes a good fist bump now and then.

They took over an hour getting all the jiggers off his feet.  They were on his toes and around the outside of his feet.

This is an plastic oil bottle and plastic bottle tops for the wheels.  I love how they make their own toys.

Hello

Dirty and lovely all at the same time.

The hydrogen peroxide soak while waiting for their turn to get cut.  The man on outside is the one with the really bad feet being worked on.

No end in sight, just cute kids everywhere.

Same little boy as earlier but now asleep on his brothers shoulders.

As you will see later, this one did not like the strange white people.  She was very cute.

This little girl almost threw herself off the bench not wanting the strange people to wash her feet and look for jiggers.

When they got rid of the razor blades I saw this girl cutting some of the jiggers off her own feet.

Here is my little friend a bit more upset with me being around her.  Just like when raising my kids, I have to go and get the camera to capture the action.

These two were twins. Both boys.

If Sister Squire had her way, he would be heading home with us.

We had one of the past mission office couples come with their kids to show them a country they fell in love with while serving here.  They brought along some hygiene kits and paid for the jigger cost to come out and serve.  President Chatfield's family is coming next week and they will do a jiggers  project for 100 kids.  I will be taking his meeting assignments while he spends time with his family.  Here is the final wave goodby.

As we were driving to the Elders home we saw this little naked boy with a water jug running across the street.  He was a bit nervous about seeing us stop to take pictures.  Here in Africa they have the kids carrying anything from a liter to a gallon jug based on their size and ability to carry water.  It is a family affair and they start as soon as they can carry a jug.

Back off and running

Sister Squire caught this shot just above our home as she was out for her morning walk.