perspective

Isaac is away at Uganda Martyrs University tonight, where he has a dorm room. Thankfully his classes are aren't scattered throughout the week, so he'll only be gone for two nights a week. I realized suddenly that, although only about an hour's drive apart, we're in different hemispheres :) The equator cuts right across the highway he takes on his route to school.

Another bit of perspective I got tonight: I was walking along the dirt road we live on to pick up yogurt, milk and a phone calling card. I bought yogurt and milk (a small amount, in a bag) and the total was 4300 shillings. 1000 shillings is about 40 cents American. I pulled out a 10,000 shilling note (the equivalent of 4 dollars American). My change should have been 5700, or a little over $2.

This small shopkeeper did not have $2 in change. He asked me to please wait a moment while he left and went to other shopkeepers asking for the change.

You realize how little people live on here when $4 is a big bill to break ...