Saturday, February 8, 2014

Dennis' Uganda Trip

From Dennis:
Summary of the highlights of the Uganda trip What a blessing that I was able to go and do work for God's kingdom. 
Beautiful country. Every morning we would wake up to the rooster crowing. 

 This is a house out in the villages. There is no running water or electricity. People farm the land around their house for food. They take it to the local market for a source of income.


I never knew pineapples grew on the ground.



 This is a lady we meat out in the villages. She was washing clothes and was gracious enough to take a picture with MaMa Jenny.


This is how they cook. An old car rim with charcoal; it works really well. No stoves or the conveniences that we have here.
 This is lunch one day. Banana's with cole slaw and sweet potato. You see the juice in the background that is fresh squeezed. Very good.
 This is Pastor Gordon's dad. He is 89 years old and has 33 kids. He lived a life of polygamy and had 7 wives. Gordon posted on Facebook just this week saying: "after hearing the gospel many times he broke down in tears and accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior. Praise God for the miracle of Salvation. "


 We stopped by pastor Gordon's mom and dad's house to visit his mom is in the tan dress.


This is Gordon's brother Richard. People there loved for their pictures to be taken and then look at them. Most people don't have mirrors so to see themselves is something.

Brittany is holding the chicken that I cut it's head off later in the day and Jenny plucked. So we could have some meat for dinner.


Church the first Sunday there. Pastor Brett preaching on marriage. A couple in the church was getting married two weeks later and it was Gordon and Esters one year anniversary that day.  Gordon was translating so it was nice because you could soak up what Brett was saying while Gordon was taking.


 Franko's pork was a Sunday treat after church both day's. The meat is lamb. The white stuff on the plate is a root that they eat over there I can't remember the name but it was good.


This is the radio show that Hoima Baptist Church does every Sunday for an hour. Since people can't get to church because of transportation this is all they have. This show reaches hundreds of thousands  of people every week. We went to a village and a man told Gordon: "you sound familiar." Turns out he listens to the radio show every week.

This is the start of the pile of fence poles.

 Our digging tool for the week. We would loosen the dirt up then scoop it out by hand.


 To cut the grass we used a slasher. No machinery. I even saw people putting up power poles. They dig it by hand and use about 10 men to stand it up.  In the back ground is a person's house. A family of four live there.

Bunya carrying one of many poles.
 Finishing one side of the fence.
This is at the kids home. They take care of 11 kids. They are always happy and loving.
 Another lunch meal. Rice and beans. Every meal had some kind of fresh fruit.
All the kids ate a plate of food this size even the young one's.


Every Wednesday Gordon has bible study at the local nursing school. This was one of the highlights of the trip. It was really nice to dig into God's word with other believers. It made me realize that even though we live in different cutlers; sin is sin and we all struggle with the same sin.
 Bunya and I wrapping up one side of the fence. 

 Gordon and I returning from the bible study. The bike is their main source of transportation.
 Jane, Brittany, Bunya, Gordon, and baby Grace just sitting around singing and sewing.
 Baby Grace finally warms up after a sucker and some banana bread. The green dress in by lap was made for Shannon by Jane.

 The kids coloring (shading as they would say)

 Renatta and baby Grace

 Our last Saturday there I bought all the kids a sucker. They were so appreciative.

 Maureen, Justine, Rose, Doreen, Marvin, Christine, Annette, Natasha, Sylvia, Nelson
 This is were the kids have church.
 Bunya and KaKa live behind the church in the building in the back ground.

KaKa keeps guard at night while we slept. He doesn't speak very good english but the love he shows for people is simply amazing.



 Sweet Rose poses for a picture
 Pastor Gordon and Esther
Goffery he is a bodda (motorcycle) driver. He took us out to the land everyday. That is their main source of transportation.  I saw a family of five plus the driver on a bike.
A mall in Kampla our last day there.
 Brett after a bodda ride on the way to the airport.

 London glad to say goodbye.


 The food was good on the plane rides. They would five us a meal then a snack about and hour before landing.
 In the seat in front of me there was a TV screen you could watch a movie or track the progress of the trip.

Pretend talking to grandpa. We had to stop on the way home due to snow. Went from 90 at the equator to snow. 




Friday, February 7, 2014

Broccoli and Cheese Quinoa

For dinner this week, I really wanted a carb. I wanted potatoes, or potatoes and cheese, something very casseroley. (Word?) 
So, I decided to make Quinoa. (Keen-wah) 

To find out more about the amazing benefits of Quinoa, go here 
But I wanted more than just the grain, I wanted some cheese, and I wanted to find a way to incorporate a vegetable. So........
I boiled the Quinoa. 

  • Steamed some Broccoli and bladed it up. 

    Added some cheese, and baked it in the oven. It was WONDERFUL! I would probably make this again very soon!!! 


    I realize this doesn't look super appetizing, but it truly tasted like a broccoli and cheese casserole with butter, cheese, and crust. 

    Most of all, I loved there were 3 ingredients. 
    Quinoa, Broccoli, and Cheese. 
    Nothing else. 


    The Cabbage Soup Diet

    I never announced publicly (Facebook, Instagram, blog, etc) that we were going to do this diet. Why? You know why. Because people, friends, acquaintances would "eat" us alive for trying a crash, always-a-fail, diet. And to be honest, they are right. It's not a realistic long term fix. This particular diet never claims to be. It's ruthless and HARD. I wanted to give it a try in hopes of a little motivation to keep losing. The diet didn't provide that, but I did learn a good deal from this way of eating.

    Both of us started last Saturday with Day 1. and tonight was our Day 7. I will list the diet below:

    from http://www.cabbage-soup-diet.com/eating-plan/

    A few things about the soup: 

    I made the Original Cabbage Soup Recipe  click the link to view the recipe. I modified it a bit according to taste, but never added anything not on the list. 

    I tolerated the soup for the first 3 days, and Dennis LOVED it all week. We just tossed what was left and he asked me to make it again soon. I don't know if I will, but he liked it a lot. 
    Also, it makes a LOT of soup, and if I did it next time, I would make the vegetables bigger, and I wouldn't use v8 juice, I would do something else. I've seen two types of recipes. 

    So........

    How did we do?!?! 

    Dennis: followed the meal plan perfectly! He ate plenty of soup. He followed the plan during the day at work, and at home. 

    Until Day 3. 

    Then, He STILL followed it perfectly during the day because he ate a sensible meal in the evenings. I was super proud of him, and in 3 weeks, Dennis lost a total of 11 pounds! 

    Shannon: 
    I followed it perfectly until the third day. Then, I began to want to hurl when I smelled the soup, so, I scrapped it. BUT........
    that doesn't mean I quit. I have succeeded. I have made a couple of rules for myself, and they are proving to be realistic and effective. In 7 days, I have lost 5 pounds. I have a LONG way to go, but I am determined to get there. 

    Shannon's Rules 
    1. No soft drinks (diet or otherwise) 
    2. No eating after dinner 
    3. I am allowed to eat something sweet (1 cookie, an M&M or two) to "complete" my meal 
    4. Portion control!!!! No over-indulging. (cutting my meal in half at dinner)
    5. Fried foods in MODERATION. 

    The BIGGEST issues I have had and will have is a desire to eat at night after dinner, but the sweet cookie or candy has helped me not want that. I do love Coke, but this has been strangely easy to give up. I don't even think I have suffered headaches without it. 
    I also LOVE Wendy's. I LOVE it. And I mean, I WANT it. I especially love the Homestyle Asiago Chicken Sandwich. I will have one again, with fries, and probably even a Coke with it. But not anytime this week or next. 

    With that said, 
    this week Daniel and I have been sick with a cold. And I broke my soft drink rule for a Coke. (Who wants water when their sick?) And I also went to McDonalds and had 1 cheeseburger, and Daniel and I SHARED some fries. In the past, I would have ordered the Double Quarter Pounder, a large fry and drink (fully sweet tea) and ate it. No second guessing. This time, although I was "messing up" I "messed up" better. I didn't eat to the point of gluttony, and I still lost weight the next morning. 

    For me, this is totally doable. And I am super proud. It is nothing I have done on my own, this has been totally of the Lord to help me and guide me. He has given me strength to be "full" of Him and less hungry for other fulfillments. This is mainly a spiritual battle and I am finally ready to fight! 


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