Catching Up

We returned “home” to Gaba on Thursday night.  We had a couple of days off clinic to catch up.  Since Jim and I had missed our 23^rd wedding anniversary while I was on the road, we went on a long date on Friday.

On Saturday we took a trip to Jinja.  On the way we picked up our California friends, Beth and Kate Kirchner, who have been volunteering this summer with various organizations in Uganda.  They will continue helping in Uganda, then Zimbabwe before returning home.

Jessica, Kate, Joline, and Beth

At a coffee shop in Jinja we ran into Spencer Bogle (a former Pepperdine classmate of Jim’s younger brother Jerry).

Jim and Spencer

Next we visited our old friend Franco the monkey at Katie Davis’s Saturday program.  We also enjoy visiting with Katie and her girls.

Franco the monkey

 We ended our day in Jinja with a visit to Ken and Pastor Henry.  The local children really enjoyed our visit and so did we.

Gash & Gregston families with Ken and Pastor Henry

Visiting with the local kids

On Sunday we visited with friends at Gaba Community Church, then picked up our friend Henry (who is in his second term of Secondary School) from his boarding school to go shopping and have lunch.  He needed a formal outfit for his end of the term leaving party.  It only took seven guys to help him pick out the perfect suit, tie, shirt, and shoes.

Jim helping Henry shop

We then met the Gregstons at the Garden City Mall for lunch.  We were happy that John Niemeyer (who knew Henry from Restore Leadership Academy) could also join us for lunch.

Gregston & Gash families with Henry

After lunch, Henry went back to school and we joined the Gregstons on a visit to Mulago Hospital, where a little boy named Jamil (who they have been helping) is recovering from eye surgery.  On the way home, we stopped by the National Theater Craft Market to do a little shopping.  Back at the guest house we visited with Shakib (another little boy the Gregstons have been helping) and his family.  If you want more updates on Jamil and Shakib, please visit the Gregstons’ blog at www.dueunto.blogspot.com.

This is our final week in Uganda.  We will have mobile medical clinics in Bethany Village on Monday, Konge on Tuesday, and Namuwongo on Wednesday.  Then we will leave for Los Angeles on Wednesday evening.  It’s hard to believe our time is almost up.  But we are looking forward to seeing Joshua and Jennifer again!