I think I just realised we have a new 'normal'

I was out this afternoon with our social worker, trudging through muddy water and floating rubbish in the markets during an African rainstorm. While stall holders shut shop and tried to keep dry under tarpaulins or whatever small piece of shelter they could find, they watched on curiously as two ladies – a muzungu (white person) and a Ugandan ignoring the downpour walked huddled together under a flimsy and small umbrella trying to locate a sick woman and her child. Upon finding them, bystanders quietly observed our dialogue and the giving of treatment and the occasional wringing out water from clothing. It dawned on me…. This is my new normal.

Two days ago, my kids gathered and gave us money from their savings to help our guard get his nephews body back to be buried in his home village 7 hours away. One of my boys in tears as he gave all his savings – not because he didn’t want to part with his money, but because he felt for our guards loss – his third in the last few months. This is my kids new normal.


A fifteen year old boy who has had several conversations with Pete at our gate when he’s come requesting money to attend school and feed his family. What are you good at? Soccer. For the last four weeks we’ve had a soccer ‘coach’ for the boys. He’s now doing well in school. What to do in the many situations we have like this? This is Petes new normal.


Heartbreaking situations that send me to the bathroom in tears, and heartwarming situations that make it all worthwhile. Days that very rarely go as planned (awesome if you’re the spontaneous type!). Wishing we knew recipes that require sour milk, thankful for healthy chooks that lay yellow yolked eggs. Family jokes about squatty potties and playing games around the light of a lantern during power outages. The warmest hugs one could ever ask for, and learning cool secret code- like Ugandan handshakes. Bartering over prices and suddenly interested in exchange rates. This is my family’s new normal.


It’s not til I stop and think about these things that I realise how different our life now is, although it doesn’t feel strange or surprising – at all…. I think I’ve just realised we have a new ‘normal’, and it’s growing on me!