Free Babies

             I have had my fair share of requests to be taken to America.  It's either a marriage proposal or someone asking to be my friend so that I can take them to the US.  Yesterday, however, I was completely caught off guard with a request that I received.  I was walking on the road into town, and I greeted (in Lugwere) a group of women who were walking in the opposite direction.  One of them was so excited that I could speak Lugwere and she came up to me and started speaking really fast.  My Lugwere is not that good at all, so I had no idea what she was saying and just kept nodding my head and smiling.  She hands me her baby, says something about America, and then walks away.  I stood there like a deer caught in the headlights with a baby in my hands.  I was thinking, "Wait, did she just ask me to bring her baby to America?  She isn't really walking away is she? Ok, ya, she is." I had to run after her in order to give her daughter back.  I was shaking my head saying, "no, no, no."  I was trying so hard not to laugh, but I couldn't help it - this woman had just given me her child!  Thankfully, she willingly took her back, laughed, and then walked away. 
           Caroline and I were in Mbale over the weekend to do our grocery shopping, and we witnessed our first instance of mob justice.  We were in the taxi waiting to head home when we start to hear a lot of shouting.  We look at each other wondering what is going on and look outside the window.  There is a mob of people and we see one man in the center getting punched and kicked.  He managed to get away and he starts running past our taxi, and a mob of twenty people start chasing him…all laughing.  The man fell and tripped right beside the taxi and the mob took the opportunity to give him a few more punches and kicks.  Caroline and I of course start screaming, and everyone else in the taxi is just laughing.  The man finally got away and started running again, with the mob running after him.  They were all hysterically laughing because I’m sure it’s some sort of adrenaline rush.  Caroline and I just sat there anxious to get home.
            I have had one too many run-ins with pests these past two days.  I found another rat in my latrine this morning – it was in the same curled, “rock-like” position as last time.  Thankfully, I knew better than to pick it up.  I hit it with a broom and it scampered out.  Ew.  Last night, the power went out and I couldn’t see a thing in my house.  As I was searching in the dark for my flashlight, I stepped on a live cockroach in my bare feet.  Needless to say, I screamed like a little girl.  I washed my feet and then went straight to bed in the safety of my mosquito net. 
           That's all I have for now.  I finally got around to uploading photos:

Rafting...I look like I'm holding on for dear life

The waterfall.  Now I look like I'm having a good time

I love this picture because Wade looks like he is having a terrible time

The boat (from L to R): Rob, Sam, Wade, the greatest person ever (me), Paul, Chris, Layla, and Eugene

When our boat flipped

We were almost about to tip

There we go again - and I'm falling on top of Wade

The Nile

This kayak went from the source of the Nile all the way to the end.  So obviously, the guides said I had to get in it.

The neighbor kids brought me a dead bird.  So thoughtful.

The rat in my latrine.  Looks more like a mouse, but they call them rats here.

I decided to show the kids PhotoBooth on my computer - we had some fun