Driving Through a Riot

One day a co-worker and I were working out of the office. So we were in a meeting and when the that meeting was finished we were on the way to the next location and on the way we met some with rocks and burning tires in the middle of the road. So I look at my co worker and said do we continue or not and looked around and saw no Police or Army. We asked are we safe to continue and with not even thinking about it she answered yes very safe. So then we continued for about 2 miles then we ran into a different story. We ran into a Police Riot Vehicle so we both said we go back so we turned around and on the way back we found even more rocks and burning tires in the middle of the road. I was driving from ditch to ditch to get around it with people throwing stones at us the whole time and shouting “THIS IS UGANDA GET THE F!@# OUT” I THEN YELLED BACK TO THEM WE ARE TRYING TO GET OUT!! So when we got back to office we laughed about the whole situation!!

Teargas

On Holy Thursday I needed to go to town for some very important items of the Easter Holiday. So when I got up on Thursday morning I went to the computer and check to see if there were any riots and at that time there was nothing to be reported. So I made some food for the boy’s and myself. I then went back on to the internet to answer some emails and finish some work that I did not finish the day before.
During that time I kept on looking for updates throughout the morning and then I got and update a riot is going on right where I needed to go. So I called a friend of mine in the media and asked if it was safe to travel and she was like it’s ok because it’s was passed where you are going so I left and I talked to some police man that I met along the way and they also told me that I will be fine.
So I continued to go to my first stop, then I was on the way to my second stop. My boda driver went straight into the teargas area, so needless to say my eyes were full of teargas for the rest of my trip.
After all my stops I finally got home and washed my eyes out but they still hurt for the rest of the day HAHAHA!!!!!

Church

For the last couple of weeks the church that we go to has been getting ready to interview a family that might come and help our pastor. So during the last couple of weeks we have been preparing, because of the families short time in Uganda. We said that KIC Bugolobi (Kampala International Church)(Big a lo b) that we would move are service to 5 o'clock.

So on Sunday the 16th was like any other Sunday I was up making breakfast. Then because of the fact that we did not have church in the morning we watched movies. during the movies I was unaware that my phone was ringing because it was on Vibrate and sitting on my bed. So about 1100 o clock I was going into my bedroom and I picked up my phone and saw like 10 missed calls and 5 sms's and I am like what in the world is going on. So I started reading the sms's and they all had the same theme WHERE ARE U and ARE YOU OKAY. So I am like what so confused that this point. So then I started to call the people back and the 1st one I called was so happy that I called him back he begins to tell me the whole church was so worried because I was not at church and they even prayed for me out loud during church.

So I come to find out that the church was still going on in the morning as normal but the night service was a extra thing. So When I arrived at the night service I was getting hugs all night because they were so happy to see that I was ok.

Needless to say but my face was beat red all night because I was so embarrassed.

To be honest I was very happy that the people were so worried it really made me feel wonderful.. This church is one of the biggest things that I will miss in a couple of months. This Church is one of the biggest reasons that I want to stay because this church has been one of the best spiritual places in my life and its really like my real family in Uganda. In this church we have people that run NGO's we have people that work for the Embassies, and people that even have their own Business. But people here are all about the lord and making the other people in the church friends. So to be honest this church is one of my best friends here.

Movie

It is now October 26th man is this year flying by or what!!!
I was approached about 6 months ago from some friends of mine that work at the local newspaper to do a story about me. I do not know why but they think I am like interesting or something. So after that was done I got a phone call from a man in Europe saying that he is a friend of one of my friends at the paper and he would like to meet me. So I like okay whatever right. So I went to meet him and he told me he is a journalist in Europe. So I like okay how can I help you so he told me that him and a friend of his wants to make a short movie about me and my life. I agreed to it and for the last couple of days they have been following me around and taping my life. So it kind of fun but weird at the same time trying to act normal with a camera around you. So they after been at my work, my bible study group, going to my church, and just spending time with me and my family on family days.

BODA ACCIDENT

On the 1st Sunday I was back in
Uganda. My car was being used by
friend of mine. So we needed to
use a boda boda to get to church.
So it is the boda driver, Henry,
Nathan, and than me on this mo-
torcycle. On our way to church a
ton truck was driving in the wrong
lane for a change. He turned onto
the road that we were on , while he
was turning he was not paying any
attention to what he was doing and
hit our boda. I was thrown a little
bit and Nathan fell off and I caught
him and nothing happened to
Henry. We are all ok and we still
got to church ok. For the motorcy-
cle I do not know because I have
not seen him since and there was
some damage because it was not
balanced as we moved to finish
our the rest of the trip. It was the
1st boda accident and hopefully
our last.

home

I am back in Uganda!! I had fun in the usa but its nice to get back in normal life again! All is well and back to work!!

4th of July

Every year for the 4th of July the Embassy has a celebration.So this year it was no different, so the boy's and I went. It was a lot better then last year, this year they had a lot of entertainment for the kids.

Every year they have American foods, cake, and fireworks. It was very nice the boys got to see their first Fireworks they love them. They talked about the fireworks all the way home. I felt like I was back in America it was a lot of fun

We hope you all had a great 4th

NO WATER

When my parent where still here. We were out of water for a week, the reason was is that National housing company was building a house they broke the water pipe and did not tell anyone. So during the time that there was no water my dad and I had to go and look for water. So we took some buckets and started walking we found a place at sold us some water. We then took it home so we could do laundry after the laundry was finished we took that water and used it to flush the toilets. All the water we got we used 2 to 3 times before going into the toilet to flush it. During that time the power went out so for a half of the day we had no water and no power it was not nice. The power company came later that day and put the power back on. The sad part about this story its pretty common that's normal life in Uganda.

The day at the Equator

As some of you know my mom, dad, and sister came to Uganda to visit. Of course when your family comes to visit you have to show them around. So one day we when to the Equator, the Equator goes right through the Uganda, Kampala is about 2 degrees north of the Equator. So we drove 2.5 hours west to the Equator. When we got there I was very surprised at what I saw. There was nothing there, and I mean nothing at all about 5 stores that sell the same things. The reason that I was so surprised was because in America we would of made a huge deal out of it, you know make a day out of it. There was this stand there that you can pour water into a bowl, and on the south side of the equator the water goes counter clockwise, on the line it goes straight down, and on the north side it goes clockwise. There was this place to stop and eat so we went to see what they had and they were selling Rolexs the food there and it cost 5700 ugx I was in shock because normal price was 700 ugx. SO that was r day at the Equator.

Ambulance

As some of you all ready know, the Rotary clubs of area 8 in south Central Minnesota, and the local Mukono club in Uganda, did some fund raising to buy Noah's Ark Childrens Ministry Uganda an Ambulance for their clinic. The Ambulance will be used for many Life saving activities. One part of the deal was that we got to go with on a mobile Clinic duties. So when it was time to go the driver was on another job so I was asked to drive the Ambulance. It was a very nice time it is not a normal Ambulance like we would think about in the western world its a 13 seater Toyota Landcuiser. Made to go off road and deep in the villages of 3rd countries. Its was a lot of fun driving deep in the village.

shot's fired

Now that I am living in the capital city. I thought something like this would never happen. One night I was sleeping and about 3 or 4 in the morning a pack of 3 dogs were barking and howling. Then I got back to sleep with the dogs going crazy I then I heard three gun shots and the barking and howling were finished. To this day I have not heard a thing so I thought that was interesting has I looked for Max.

Getting Robbed

On Tuesday of last week I was drivin in Kampala and I got robbed. I was in jam and the weather was nice it was about 90 so it was not to hot and it was to cold for the a/c. So I had both windows down and a guy comes to me and starts hitting my car and kicking it so I was getting pist off right. So I grabbed him and told him to stopped it, I thought he was just crazy right!!! when I sat back down in my car I turned and saw this guy with his arm in the car taking my phone. So I looked at him and told him to drop it. So he took it and started running so I jumped out if the car and started yelling theive theive while I was running after him. By the way I almost had then about 3 to 5 boda boda drivers jumped him and got my phone back for me. So I gave them 1000 shilling each is about 50 cent as award and a thank you they were very happy and so was I. On sunday I was talking to some of my friends about it and they were just 50 feet away from were I was and we did not even know it how funny.

Corba's

We are under attack as of late with the Corba's. They're attacking a lot of the the workers here. We have been very lucky that no one has been bitten by one. In the last 2 weeks their have been 5 seen and 2 have been in the attack mode from the stories I been told. I have only seen the last one because I almost stepped on it. I was in attack mode on the last corba I tried to kill it but it got away. Lucky Him and I hate snakes very very much.

Delivering

It all started on Sat the 21st when we got the a mother ready to deliver. So a missionary stay home to help out. I was going to Kampala to help a friend.
At about 2030 on sat night I got a phone call from the manager telling me that there was a lady at the gate that is already to deliver. So I told him to let her in and I will call the people that needed to be called. It turned out that she was not ready. So she slept the night in the clinic and the next day she was ready to deliver. So the next evening she was just getting ready to deliver so I went down to take photo’s and to help if I could.
It was the 1st for this lady that one of the reasons it took so long and she was just married at 19 so she didn’t understand the whole process of child birth.
I was in the delivery room during the delivery. So I was the go for it guy and to me that was ok because I believe that you need that guy too. So when it was time I got to see the baby crowning. It was not like in EMT classes that I took on child birth.

Church + Rain

Church + Rain what can you say we do not think about it has a big deal. On Sunday the 25th my boy's and myself were in church. Church had just started and we started singing like normal and it is the rainy season so it started to rain, so we just continued to sing no big deal right its normal. It was not a normal day at church it was plan to do more singing than normal, so at this point we are into the service for about 1 hour now and the rain is continuing on and on and getting louder and louder. We are in a building with no glass on the windows and just a tin roof so you can imagine how loud it was. I was in the 2nd row about 5 feet from the pastor and I could not even hear him that's how loud it was. We just finished the last song and we were about a half hour left of the service when the pastor stopped the service and told us to go home. That was the 1st time in my life that church was cut short do to rain.
When we tried to leave very door was flooded, the whole inside of the building was wet and everyone was very wet themselves. When we were leaving we ran to the car so we were driving and we have to go up a dirt hill. I was half way up and was starting to lose grip I thought to myself sh@# I am in a mudslide. So I turned the wheel and got some grip back and just hit the gas and I made it though. It was a very exciting day!!!!!!!!

Returned Home to Uganda

I have been home for almost 1 Month now! The weather is great it's in the mid 80's to 90's most days it is the rainy season. Since I have been home I am trying to get caught up with the work.
One of the 1st days that I was back I was working in our Clinic and we delivered the second baby boy since we opened how exciting I thought. We had the 1st baby a couple of days before I got back. Otherwise it has been very boring same old same old.

Brad In Uganda

Toads

On the night of August 23rd I was walking back to my home and told max to get him and so kept on walking back homeand when I got home Max was foaming from the mouth and he was losing saliva by the gallon. So I want to my friend Mariska's house and I asked her do we have Poisonious toad she did not know. We then called Peit and he said yes then I gave the phone to Mariska to get the directions so I can help max.
So there we were in Piets bathroom she looking for charcoal pills and I am trying to make Max to vomit. If you were watching you would be laughing Mariska found the pills then I put pills in peanut butter then max would take them. So for the rest of the night I was watching him to make sure he was ok.

Riot's

The last week from Thursday until Saturday they're was a riot in Kampala the capital city. It was all trible related fighting but it was not safe for anyone to leave the compound. Here in Mukono we were all right in the middle of it all. So on Thurday I went to Mukono and they're were trees down and people running around.
They're were some killed in this whole thing. One day only 10 people were killed in Kampala and in Mukono 2 people were killed, so it was pretty serious.
If you would like to read more about it look on BBC.COM

Hello

I wrote more than one so please read them all. Now that I have internet at the house I am going to update more often so please bear with me.

Enjoy

Earthquake

I just finished vomiting and a friend stopped by to see how i was doing. Very nice of her because when you can't move it is a very borning place and I mean even your eyes hurt. Anyways sorry about that but we were talking and out of no where this huge bang and the ground shook for about 5 to 8 seconds it was crazy. I have worked 2city blocks from a fault line and nothing I come half around the world and have an earthquake.