Matooked out and missing my family!

In a 24 hour span I have just been served four matooke (pronounced ma-toe-key) meals. Three times with chicken and once with beef. That doesn't include the posho, potatoes and beef meal I just finished eating at 10:45 p.m. tonight! Matooke (cooked bananas) and posho (corn meal) are Ugandan staples I have now been refamiliarized (inundated) with.

I have the visitor routine down. I greet them when first seeing them and we ask each other how we are, how home is, how the wife is, how the children are, how the church is...... it could go on and on. Then they show me into their warm home and have me sit down. Once I'm seated we greet again and all the members of the household come and greet me. The man usually sits and talks with me as the women prepare the meal. This could take 30 minutes or 3 hours as it did tonight (in the dark with no electricity). After eating and eating more they ask me to pray a blessing on the home and their family. I am then free to go to the next matooke meal.

I love the people and their hospitality but I'm also missing my own family!

I miss sharing all these things with my wife. I miss coaching Easton's last basketball game and taking him to his first t-ball practice. I miss waking up with Tyler early in the morning and cuddling on the couch with him. I miss holding McKensey in my arms and singing her a song before bed each night.

Ten more sleeps until I'm home!