Decker’s Diary

on the Mission Field

Dear Friends and Family,I am home again for a while. If I could have, I would have figured out

how to stay a little longer; August is one of the school’s vacation months andso there is 90% chance for “kid time”. However, I am greatly appreciative of

bathroom facilities

—a “western toilet”—

upon which you sit; overhead hotwater shower; and, amazingly enough, a sink in which to wash my hands. Wetake so much for granted in the United States. I am already planning for myreturn to Abba House and what to do while there. I hope to be there in time to

help with their Kids’ Camp, in early December. Camp fees are costly, at

$35.00 each child; and although the Camp is on the same property as theHome and School, Abba House kids can only go if fees are paid.In my last newsletter I said a 50 KG bag of posho flour went from $25 to$40. Even in the time that I was there, that same bag of posho flour went upin price again to $50/ bag. Equally expensive, 50KG of sugar went up to

$125. A bag of beans is $100 for 50 KG. It’s getting harder to make endsmeet, considering the other expenses of the children’s home. Chicken pox

and measles have made their rounds, coughs and colds are common, and ma-laria makes itself known occasionally. Almost all of the beds are covered withmosquito netting, and that helps.

Birthday Celebrations

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We celebrated birthdays in Junefor all the kids

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seventeen

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whohad birthdays from January to June.Seven, who had birthdays in Julythrough September, were celebratedinAu-gust beforeI left.The October through December birthdays will be celebrated when I return. The first partywas with a crazy amount of food, cake, and presents. I tried to find a less costly party for the August celebration by taking everyone tothe zoo, a snack, and a taste of ice cream float;however, both parties cost about the same.

Dorm Mom

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I wasn’t in the garden much this time, but filled a position as “dorm mom”in the boys’ house, David Anthony House of Refuge (Abba 2). Last time, I

did not have much of an opportunityto get to know the kids. Equal tochurch retreats, the early morningsand evenings are the times to get toknow the people you are retreatingwith. Those times were something Imissed when I lived in an apartmentin Entebbe. The apartment did have aflush toilet and hot water for bathing, but I found I was willing to givethose up for the opportunity to live in

Abba House and be able to speak into the kids’ lives—

especially during themorning and evening devotions and free time.

September, 2011

Personal Challenges

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Before I left, I remember my prayer partner ask if I was going to take a jacket.I said no, because I was going to Africa; Iwould be at the equator. In the time that Iwas there, I ate those words a few times. Ithink I was cooler in Africa than I wouldhave been during the same time in the US.

The Victoria “lake effect” breeze kept tem-

peratures in the range of 75 to 88 degrees.I had different kinds of challenges thistime. Most were the critter kind. I hadnever known a bedbug up close before, andI now know that they make a tough itch tosoothe. I had just moved in when on thefirst morning I woke up to lots of bug biteson my legs. When we discovered the prob-lem, I packed everything to the middle of,or out of, the room and we fumigated. Themattresses had to be taken out and all bed-ding washed. We did that for three con-secutive weeks until there was not a bugleft, but the itch went on and on and on.The room that I have has roof and rafters but no ceiling, and all night long the ratsran along the rafters. The mosquito netcanopy over my bed did more than keepthe mosquitoes out

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it also caught the ratdroppings from falling on me. I was nextto the food storage room and many timesthe rats would steal something from thestorage and bring it over to my room to eat.Many times I heard rats rummaging aroundin my stuff or found a half-eaten tomato onthe floor. They even ate an opening at the base of the door for easier access. Insidethe room, I tried poison pellets, sticky glue,and peanut paste

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but a couple of nightswith one of the kittens actually did the bestat taking the enthusiasm out of the rodents.I may have to deal with them againwhen I return, but now there is a remedy.And by the time I return the cat should be bigger than the rat.

Barb Decker

I will support Barbara Decker’s work on the mission field with House of Friends in the following way.

___ Barbara Decker Mission Support (Monthly) $_________(One Time Gift) $________ ___ Abba House Project: Multi-purpose dining/kitchen & tables $_________ Missionary Quarters $_________ ___ Mission Trip Expenses to Uganda $_________ Camp fees $_________ Shoes $__________ Bibles $________ ___ Please send more information about House of Friends.

All donations are tax deductible. Please write checks payable to: House of Friends and send to P O Box 228, Alma, MO 64001Thank you for caring!