Here we are again with no incoming email service and no way of knowing if it is working at all. We have seen some major problems in Uganda lately. Email service is only one of them.

When we were in Kampala last week there was a fuel shortage and much scamming at the gas pumps. You pay for fuel and they rig the pump to register more than what you received. There is a problem with a pipeline in Kenya that is broken, malfunctioning or what ever, so all fuel must be trucked in to Uganda. The port is two days away on bad roads. Stations are limiting the amount they will sell and have jacked the price way up. We are now paying $6 a gallon and the price is still going up. We can't always get fuel here in Karamoja and may run out of fuel for generators that pump water for the clinic and work site power sources. We are taking patients to Tokora daily in the Ambulance, and that takes fuel.

In two days we have had ten requests for assistance with supplying places or people with fuel. I guess everyone thinks we have our own tanks and have an unlimited supply. It makes us look like we are hording the fuel, but we really don't have extra to supply them with.

The Tricarico and Wright families are leaving next week for spring break and are fearing not having a source of fuel for their vehicles, to get them where they want to go. And we complain about the price of fuel in the States!!!!!

Also in Kampala last week there was rioting. We never saw any of it, except the sudden movement of many police and soldiers in trucks around town. We just thought some dignitary was in town and was being escorted by the soldiers. Later we heard that people had been killed and cars burned and there was looting. All this was targeted to Asians, who have been reported to have brought some forest land to grow sugar cane on. We at no time felt threatened or anything, of course we were not in the area, nor saw anything happening.

It is amazing what a sheltered life we live in the States. And how easy our lives really are. Everything at our finger tips or keyboards or cell phone call away!!! Here you never know what the next day or corner will bring! Only God knows!!!!

~Kris