Bugs for dinner?

Yesterday was creepy creature day. Let's start with the morning...

I know this is going to be shocking to my family but, for the most part, I've been able to get over my fear of spiders...I think. I'd still rather not see them and will kill them to keep it that way. But the irrational fear is definitely dwindling.

Yesterday morning I cleaned my room, hallway, and bathroom. Before then there were many spiders living with me and I didn't really care. But because of the African milipede incident the previous day I wanted a clean, clean place where those things won't come and hide (thanks Adam). Spiders got swept away, they crawled away, or I smashed them.

Although, there is one giant spider in my bathroom that I let stay. We made a deal: he stays in that cornor and eats all the other bugs he wants and I don't kill him. Maybe part of why I won't kill him also is because he is so big and high up...I'm not sure how to get him and I really don't want to deal with it.

During this cleaning process I had my windows open in my room so as to let in the breeze to dry my underwear that were laying on my mosquito net. Other clothes get hung outside to dry, not the underwear.

Then I heard a "plop" in my floor. It was a rather long blackish lizard. Cute. I'm not a lizardologist so I don't know what kind it was but it was different from what usually hangs out in my room. I chased it out my room and I'm pretty sure it went straight into Fr. Josephs room...still haven't told him. Haha.

Okay let me skip ahead to dinner..

I helped Christine prepare my favorite dish: greens and peanut butter. It's actually everyone's favorite dish here. In between cooking, dancing, and taking pictures of Fr. Emmanuel, the time had slipped past me. Christine said "Ahh Rannah, its almost to 7 and you haven't prayed evening prayer!" I'm always so thankful for Christine! This isn't the first time she has reminded me. A true friend, always making sure I get (and give) time with Our Lord.

I had to get a seminarian to open the door to the sacrasty. It was funny to watch him try to be gentle with the door to Jesus yet being really forceful because it was so stuck!

For dinner we had fish, kwen, macroons, and the greens mixed with peanut butter (Alur name has slipped my mind). And then came the white ants..

It rained heavy that afternoon so all the white ants came flying out. Fr. Emmanuel said I must be sure to tell everyone that they are not bugs but "flying food." It is a delicacy here.

I really can't handle those things.. Especially when so many fill the dinning room and fall in our food. To everyone else it's "food falling in food."

Everyone just laughed at my girlish squeals and frantic movements when they landed on me. Fr. Emmanuel was sure to pick everyone of them off as they landed on me or my plate. Good man! Maybe one day I'll get used to them!

A few days ago I did try to eat them though! I was in a town/village/place about an hour away from Paidha with Fr. Joseph. We had lunch with Fr. William, during which I asked what the brown stuff was. It was white ants mixed in with peanut butter. I love peanut butter and since I can't actually "see" the ants I thought I'd try. Hahaha. Oh boy, it was so gross. So so gross.

Fr. Emmanuel doesn't like it prepared like that either. He assured me that I next time I eat them it will taste better...they will be whole. No thank you!

After a short time at the dinner table I finally asked if I could leave! As the words "of course!" came out of Fr. Emmanuel's mouth I was already up! I grabbed a banana and quickly made my way down the hallway, covering my face from the ants flying everywhere. Laugh with me please.

There was only one white ant in my room. Of course it had to be in my bathroom right where I bathe! I washed it down the drain and took a cold rain water bucket bath.

Remember the giant spider I made the deal with? Well he decided to come on over, almost right above my head, to eat. I was visioning him falling on my head and the loud scream I know I couldn't help but make. But he didn't!

Here's a current picture of some bug free food: goat meat and a rolex. Hurray for another long bus ride! I'm overjoyed to be picking up Chelsea and Traci, high school sign language trachers, from the airport on Monday! I can't believe that they are really going to be in Uganda with me! They have assignments with the teachers at Boanerges Deaf Initiative, but they will have a couple of days to spare to visit Paidha as well!

Blessings to you all and thank you for the prayers!

Everyday is an adventure and a gift from God. My main goal for now and the months ahead is to simply be open to receiving from everyone - especially Our Father. Everyday is different and there are always many things for me to learn! The more I learn about the culture and language the more I see how much more I have to learn!

There is so much to soak in... God has been transforming my heart and mind through the people of Paidha. The vision of what He wants from me here is becoming more clear with each day. I am begining to understand many things that before I only perceived, and percieved wrongly at that. It takes a lot of "shutting my mouth" and trusting to understand certain things within the community.

My rushed heart to fix things quickly and take hold of the problems here has and is continuing to slowly drift away.. Realizing my powerlessness and need for Gods complete hand in doing everything! So that, through me, all things will be done by Him and in accord with His will. Ohh, the mess I would make if I fought this!

The things I once saw with my eyes as are now being seen in a deeper way through my heart.. in regards to the poverty and ways of helping. Many judgmetns or misconceptions of things have left me. What is continually being brought forth from God is the need for relationships and love. Simply being. Ahh there is so much to say and I have a lot of dificulty with words, especially when it comes to explaining things that can only be understood through experience.

Simply being here does in no way take over or get in the way of the desire to serve that God has placed within me, if anything it only increases this desire in a more trustful and pure way.

The kind of trust that Blessed Mother Teresa had in God, that He, through her, would do what He wanted. The trust that there would always be one more bowl of food and one more bed for a soul to rest in. The trust in His timing in everything. There were countless things that Bl. Mother Teresa prayed and waited for and knew that if it was to be it would, through Him. I ponder these in my heart as I continually pray and wait for a more active form of service to begin - all while knowing that it will in His time.

As of now, it is the time of receiving for me. One cannot give if there is nothing to be given! What would I have to offer the Alur people without first understanding the true needs that they have? The culture? Most especially, what would I have to give if not having God's divine plan being carried out? "Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence" - if you havn't read it, you might consider.

Love is so wonderful, universal, and can be given and received at all times. I have been receivng love from so many people. My friends here are wonderful and the Church comminity as well!

At times I miss my church community at St. Anns. I have enjoyed getting know people there over the years and seeing there faces often.. It brings me peace to remember everyone.. The priest, deacons and their wives, the extraordinary ministers of communion, youth leaders, sunday school teachers, all of the youth and children, those serving the hombound, the daily Mass crew, parish staff, and everyone else! Although I don't know the names of many who attend Mass at St. Anns, I cant forget the faces. There is definetly, for me anyways, a deep sense of acceptance and community there. I remmeber the small peace in seeing someone outside of Mass and just thinking "hey, I recevive Jesus with you every sunday." The most wonderful thing on earth.

This community and recognition of the people at St. Anns is now being deveolped here. Living at the church also helps a lot! I'm getting to know the parish staff, deacons, catechists, daily Mass crew - everyone. And the youth..oh my goodness...these kids come by the hundreds. How I will learn all of their names, I have no idea! I trying though. I ask constantly to tell me their names! Walking through the village I always here my name or "rabolo" (meaning banana) being called out. They run up and we chat. They giggle at the things I say in Alur and are always teaching me more things to say! Kids are SO wonderful. The joy and reverance from so many of these children druing Mass or just playing around the Church is something I have never seen before. A true recognition, from even the youngest, of who it is that is truly present in the Church and at Mass.

Playing with them is amazing. We have so much fun! Always silly faces, dancing, football (real football), singing, teaching me Alur, and of course learning names! My camera gets passed around as they dance and do crazy things. Then we watch the videos, look at pictures, and laugh so much! I could go on forever about so many of the children..

I look forward to the years to come watching these children grow, getting to know more families, building deeper relationships, and serving in the way God asks me to!

Please pray for the people of Paidha, the priests, and for me - that we may all carry out Gods will in our lives.

Blessings