/Friday Afternoon - Sept. 27

First, Happy Anniversary Greg and Jessica, Happy Birthday this week to Jamie and Naomi....and hope you all that can attend enjoy the family reunion. It's been a busy and interesting week here with school starting - I still miss everyone, but at least I'm busier!!!

Last Saturday a.m. Holly ran 14 miles! I started out on my bike 1/2 hour later than her and met her at the half way point w. water. I'm impressed!!! After the ride we met Moses, the CBR volunteer, and went to his home and then to a local school where Holly gave a baking class for 20+ women from a local women's group. She made banana bread and cake in pans over an open fire - the ladies were SO impressed they gave her a standing ovation (they stood to clap for her). A very fun and apprecitive group. Got back home @ 7 p.m. - we were both tired!

Sunday I went to Mass and got some time with Sr. Juliet to discuss things....a real treat. Set out on my bike for the village where the CBR guys were having a community meeting - it was supposed to be at 2:00, but they didn't show up by 2:20 and no one spoke much English and my Lugandan in poor so I went back home(about 3 miles). They called at 3:45 and said the people had said I was there and was I coming back? - NO WAY - it was too hot! (neither Moses' or Kinene's phone was working when I tried to call them at 2:00). Got my math prep done and copied. Frustrating, but I got my exercise for the day and the scenery was beautiful. They stoppped by PH later (7:00) when they got back - sort of apologized for being so late - Ugandan time!

Interesting evening at PH - Mom brought back her severely handicapped daughter and was trying to find a caretaker for her in Nkokonjeru. Last term she'd brought a young girl and paid her school fees in exchange for taking care of her daughter, but it didn't work out....too hard for the girl and the two of them did not get along. While the mom was waiting the girl from last term showed up with a letter from her uncle asking the sisters to take her in and pay her fees!! Got lots of conflicting stories from the two parties about what happened last term. (On Monday the lady decided to pay two other older girls at PH to help and Sister was trying to get a hold of the young girl's mom to see what was up!). People expect the Sisters to solve all their problems! I'm impressed w. how hard they try.

At the same time one of the boys came and said an elderly man from PH who'd been drinking in town had fallen and was brought back and was bleeding from his head. By then it was 8 and I went home (the Sisters even sent supper home w. me). When I got home found out that someone (I think a child) had dumped out one of my basins of herbs - be they were surprised when they got it home and discovered the bottom was full of holes!!

Monday school finally started - nearly everyone was here and they seemed happy to be back and busy. I continue to be concerned about tailoring - machines were not working, bobbins lost - and the room had been locked so must have been left that way after 2nd term! We are really trying to get a committment from those that should graduate - making a list of what skills they really need to know. It's tough to make it and most are pretty apprehensive.

Busy afternoon for the Sisters (they all seem to be). One of the older boys who has epilepsy kept falling and injuring himself, and one of the elderly men (different than above) had to go to the hospital w. convulsions - in the back of the truck!

I really earned my salary Tuesday (oops,I don't get a salary)! Got the bookkeeping teacher started then we had CBR. We are out of $ again for transport which is O.K. for now - I don't want us to be a "give away" program tho' I think the volunteers, esp. Moses, feel good doing that and I feel we need to stop outreach for awhile tilll we re-group and define our purpose and focus. They want to write a grant (the answer to everything?) and Kassuli (the Makare Univ. grad) will do it but I'm insisting we define our program beore he starts writing. Made for an interesting discussion. At 2:00 I left for Math class - I'd decided to make it more "fun" and we had play money and they got to "shop" for school supplies and make change. Have two groups for assignments and it seems to be working O.K.

After class I saw some people at the Sisters' house and there were 3 groups waiting to register for the term. Most of the Sisters were in Kampala and Sr. Goretti was resting - she's been down w. malaaria all week. So, with Kassuli's help we got that done (even collected some school fees!). Felt really useful today.

Reading "All Things Must Fight to Live" by Bryan Mealer - another Congo book by a journalist who was there 2003-6 - very interesting but stories of gruesome slaughter and total chaos!

Weds. Sr. J and I had some time to talk about grant ideas for the vocational (see, it is always the first idea). May not be successful but will try some. Nelson (the OT) came back and had broken his collarbone in a boda accident in Kampala over the weekend and will be out for 3 weeks, minimum! Holly and I took over his class of profoundly handicapped children this a.m. and Holly,Shari,Sr. J and I are going to try to keep it going while he's gone. He also works w. the elderly and they will really miss him.

Fun dinner with Holly and Shari - got to see some video clips of Riley and Emma on Shari's laptop and she did my picture CD for me so hope to get that mailed this weekend so might have some pictures in a few weeks! Shari had picked up some great packages at the PO....early Christmas! Lots of goodies and school supplies. Love it!!!

We talked a lot about our Western thought process (our bias) and how we like to question what's the norm, anaylyze, summarize and get to the point and move on...not the preferred process in Nkokonjeru! Much more tradition bound and talk about issues for a long time, but little gets changed!

Thursday English went well....I'm not getting better ...the kids are just getting used to me! And I'm adapting - having more stuff on the board that they can copy - would like them to converse more, but they are reluctant (except for 2 or 3)....'course that's my problem w. Lugandan - I know quite a bit, but I don't like to say it and sound bad.

Had a visit from the Administrator of the Katelemwa Hospital and another officer who came for a visit - they are starting a new program and hope to come out to the community and want to use PH as an site - YEA! Their ideas are what we were talking about in CBR - developing community leaders who can help families w. disabled children IN their communities...not always looking outside for help. They will bring out social workers and nurses and hopefully start parent support groups - sounds wonderful! Hope it actually happens! Also went over what we owe them - 5.2 million shillings ($3200). Seems small when you say it in dollary, but for PH it might as well be $5 million. But,they aren't pushing it so we're O.K.! Will still accept our referrals!

Had a nice chat before lunch (I always seem to be hanging around the house when the Sisters have lunch and they invite me in) with a Sister from Kenya about the craziness there in January and February. She lost family members and others had homes burned. She said gangs of young men destroyed and killed w/o reason!

Friday a.m. Holly did another long run (16 miles). We left at 6:30 and were back by 9:30 before it got too hot. Got home and showered and did some wash. Went down to PH and played w. Nelson's kids - teaching them "The Wheels on the Bus" - he said they should speak English! Did some painting and coloring and sang the ABC song about 20 times. Fun time for all.

Stopped by the house to return the key to the room and (surprise) it was just time for lunch! After that I checked out the tailoring (he was 1 1/2 hours late).....the 2nd year students are actually going to start making some clothes! They will start w. trousers out of the material left over from the girls' uniform skirts (Sr. Goretti made them) and we'll use them for uniforms for some of the boys! Should be interesting!

Which brings me to the present. Hope you all have a good weekend....thanks for your letters, packages, thoughts and prayers. We'll have our first Craft class Saturday afternoon - everyone is starting w. making themselves a mat (we have a teacher). I'm anxious to learn!

Take care - it's going well. Weather is getting hotter but nites are still O.K. GO MINNESOTA TWINS!! (had to add that). I'm sort of glad to be missing the election hype - will get an absentee ballot here and send it back - possibly via the Embassy which is quicker.

Pictures

Here are a couple of pictures that Kath had asked me to post. I will add some more to the flickr site later. The first two are from Up North...

Grandpa and his gang!

Just missing Jean and Kody.

Baby Tucker

Home at last!

Thursday/Friday - Sept. 18-19

Shari got the internet working at RASD so thought I'd add to the one I did Weds. in Mukono so the next one doesn't get so long....or I could just be less wordy! Rather give my $ to RASD anyway!!

The matatu ride home Weds. was a riot - they usually are entertaining. Met a stalled matatu outside Mukono so picked up a bunch of people (I wasn't going to complain since it wasn't our matatu that died!). Then in Kisoga (1/2 hour from Nkoko) they put on an old lady who had to be carried and was blind. I greeted her in Lugandan (Oli Otya, Nybo - how are you madam) and she started hitting me!! Her daughter grabbed her arms, but it was a shock - me in a few years!!!

Are waiting till next Monday to start classes (week late)..only 7/23 kids are here! We start Monday if it's still only 7 - I'm ready to go and they ones here are bored! Thursday I worked cleaning out more CBR files and went over Didas' purchases of leather (smells great) and did the shoe books. Went home for lunch - I got an avacado in Kampala (don't see them in Nkoko - out of season) and had my favorite guacamole in a chipati. Another new favorite (when there's yogurt in Nkokonjeru) is a banana smoothie - yogurt,banana and honey - yum! I'll bet Theresa is thinking I really have it good compared to her time in the Congo '82-'84! I do!! Cell phones, internet, packages full of goodies, electricty and running water - pretty plush!

It rained really hard and was very windy while I was home for lunch - then got hot and humid. I went down to PH to clean up the classroom and put up my new posters. The little kids saw me and wanted to color (P-3 and below get out at 1:00). Had to run (literally) home and get the stuff - didn't know what they would do alone in the room for long (about 20 kids). We had a lot of fun - they love colors, markers, coloring books, rulers, stickers, drawing on paper - Spent 2 hours coloring and reading - fueled by Tootsie Rolls (thanks Mary). And a big thanks to everyone who's sent supplies and books - they are well used!!! Found out that markers w/o tops last a long time in zip lock bags!

Listening to BBC the US economy sounds bad - Seems like the banks want to be bailed out! Not sure about taxpayer $ going to help someone who's made bad business decisions....doesn't realy encourage better business practices does it?

I went for a walk before dark and Moses was looking for me all over town (didn't take my phone). His brother's little girl is not doing well at the hospital here (the burned girl) and they decided to take her to Katelemwa in Kampala on a matatu!! Moses wanted a referral letter from PH which means we are responsible for the bill. I was torn on this one. It will be a long stay and expensive. jWe had talked last week about establishing a policy to limit PH's sare of the cost of any one child - maybe 200-300,000 shillings - that would get people started (they won't do a surgery w/o 150,000 down). We could help more people that way and also it wouldn't all be free. We decdided to discuss it at our next monthly meeting - but this is Moses' family and family is everything in Africa. Again, such hard decisions and no guidelines. I gave him the referral, of course, and we'll see what happens. The father looked so desperate and so sad. Only the mom will go - too expensive for both plus there are other kids. I wonder what she will do w. the baby? It's really makes you appreciate what we have in the U.S. Cannot imagine that little girl on a matatu...hope they load her up w.painkillers. They have to change at the taxi park, too!

Time to end - hope all are well. Will send again next week. Got some great pictures of the family up at the lake in August.....they look so good!! Thanks again to everyone for your thoughts and prayers.....despite missing home I'm doing well. Busy weekend w. Holly's cooking class tomorrow and the village outreach on Sunday so it will go fast. Then school on Monday!

Wednesday Post

I'm having a bad computer day - very slow. Holly and I were in Kampala for some school shopping (she teaches public health at PH and also Life Skills) and it was too slow to try to blog at the computer cafe in Kampala - now I'm in Mukono and spent 28 minutes waiting to post!!! Good thing I'm stubborn. W/o internet in Nkokonjeru I wanted to get this done today so I wouldn't have to obsess about getting it done over the weekend - lots going on this weekend! Saturday Holly is having a "baking clinic" - She's demonstrating how to make cakes and cookies in pots over siguris (charcoal stoves) for Moses wife and about 20 of her friends; Sunday the CBR volunteers are having an outreach in a nearby village - 5 k away and I'm getting there on my new bike.

Successful day today - our goal was to get to Mango Tree. It's an NGO that makes educational and health related wall hangings (posters) from plastic flour sacks....got some neat stuff for Public Health and the CBR office! Took us awhile to get to the place and had to use a regular taxi cab, but it was worth it.

Guess I didn't even tell about my bike - got it in Mukono last Friday on my way home. It's a used road bike - made in China - but I really like it. Quite a project getting it back on the matatu - they tied it on top but I could hear it screeching all the way to Nkokonjeru!

Saturday a.m. Holly went for a 12 mile run and I met her at the halfway point (on my "new" bike) with water and gel stuff. It was fun to ride a bike again! It had rained all nite, but the roads weren't too wet - all gravel, but pretty compacted. Just have to be on the lookout for potholes!!! On the return trip the side of the road was full of kids cheering us - felt like I should have streamers and be throwing candy!!

Went down to PH after I changed and caught up on the happenings. Think I've mentioned Josephine before - she's in S-5 (Junior) at St. Balikudembe's in Kisoga and is in a wheelchair (no use of her legs), but is a great girl, good student and always upbeat. She also has a beautiful singing voice. Anyway, she was in the dorm crying - going back to school on Sunday but short school supplies. However, the real reason she was so upset was because her family visit over the holidays was such a bust. She went to her brother's in Mukono and his wife was really mean to her - accused her of coming only to get money. So, she left and went to some other relatives, but they said the same thing, so she came back to PH early. She also got the news that her mom (who is diabetic) had a stroke and was partially paralyzed - lives too far away for her to visit. Really a depressing break. I talked to her awhile and she talked to the Sisters and think she felt better and then I took her into town to get some school supplies and snacks for school - small expenditure on my part but seemed to cheer her up. Can't help everyone but Josephine is really special - she's always been so upbeat despite all her problems - guess it was just too much this time.

Got the class schedule for the vocational school done in Excel all by myself - yea me!!! Am reading Heart of Darkness - pretty depressing but seems accurate after reading King Leopold's Ghost. Got some lesson planning done for English - not sure what to expect for Monday.

Sunday was a long day - went to Sr. Veronica's and Sr. Juliet's graduation - gone from 8 to 8!!! It was really good to see them again - Sr. Juliet is as scattered as ever - always running off to do some good work! I was so worried when Sr. J left but I've really enjoyed Sr. Goretti. Living in America with the scarcity of nuns, it's probably hard to imagine these nuns...they are vibrant young women w. a great support system and very responsible positions - and they are a smart, fun group! Lots of nuns doing traditional African dances during the Mass - also sang "Take it to the Lord in Prayer" and "Bringing in the Sheeves"!!! After the lunch tho' we had to go to Kampala (had the truck) to pick up Veronica - the young lady who was going to college - she'd gotten sick. Terrible traffic jams with all the parents returning kids to boarding schools! UGH!.

Also, Sunday was Olivia's baptism (Greg and Jessica's new little girl)...thought a lot about everyone that day - really missed you all. Some days are harder than others, and that one was harder than I thought. Heard it was great and Jessica sang beautifully. And that the dinner in Hampton was great....Jean and Kody even made it - just missing me, Ben and Curt!

Monday, we didn't have class (actually haven't started yet and it's Wednesday). Kids are arriving very slowly - I was actually prepared for English class at 8:30 but guess I'll have an extra lesson plan now. A bunch of the little kids skipped school Monday - no one got them bathed and ready Sunday because the sisters were all at the graduation....and they weren't very interested in going back to school either. Sr. G was angry and made them work weeding the shrubs -I helped for about an hour and a half. Once the Sisters move on the kids have a tendency to slink off....poor work ethic (course they are little). It's hard in a home like this - everything just comes in one fashion or another and you aren't as involved as you would be in your own home e.g. where if you don't work, you don't eat! Too many for the Sisters and matrons to supervise closely. But I think it will make life even harder for them when they leave. I got so hot hoeing I had to come home and bathe and change....but it's fun to do physical work. The older girls tried to tell me that some visitors were looking at me strangely because muzungus don't dig!! - that kept me going!!! Later went to market day with the lady who's going to teach crafts to get some palm leaves to make mats...I had no idea what to get but she sure did - neat lady. I'm excited to learn.

Started reading Chief of Station Congo by Larry Devlin (from Theresa). He was CIA station chief in the Congo from 1960 - 1967 - pretty amazing time - through Lumumba, Mobutu. Very interesting - the US really thought (thinks) they can decide who runs every country!!!

Tuesday CBR went well - the guys outreach is bringing people in - we refer some to Katelemwa, some to epilepsy clinic, some to Dr. Antonio's ortho clinic - we need a date from him desperately, but I'm afraid to call him again! Hopefully, it will get set for October. I'm going to join Moses and Kinene for a community program on Sunday - they call them "sensitizations" - they talk and answer questions and try to get villagers to understand disabilities better and be more tolerant.

After CBR Moses took me to the hospital to see his brother's 6 year old daughter whose clothes caught fire while she was sitting by the cooking fire. She's been in the hospital 3 weeks with deep burns over 50-60% of her body - torso down. Her legs are constricted and Holly said they don't do PT at this hospital. Moses wanted to know if I thought she should be transferred to Katelemwa. I said they should talk to the doctor, but I think you'd need an ambulance to transport her - I'd be afraid of infection. Her mom was there with her full time with a baby on her back and another small child - and two more at home - you just wonder how it will all turn out.

Had lunch with ALL the Sisters - Sr. Benna, Veronica, Melody, Juliet, Goretti and Sara - they are such a fun bunch - lots of laughing and telling stories. I wish they could all stay - 2 1/2 mos. w. Sr. J and then 2 1/2 mos. with Sr. G - I've been SO lucky to have them to work with. Amazing women.

Tried the internet cafe at RASD - Shari has worked so hard to get it back up - very slow and really couldn't even do e-mails. Bummer!

Well that's it till Wednesday night - probably it for the week. Will see if we can have English class tomorrow - depends on how many have arrived. Holly and I left early this a.m. (6) on the first matatu and were joined by Sr. Felicitas (my landlady and head of the convent), Sarah (our favorite seller at the market) and Didas (the shoe making teacher)! Didas was going to Kampala to get some leather for the lst year students and some goat leather for Doreen - she can't cut the cow leather because of her palsy but he's hoping she can make some purses out of goat leather - thought that was very nice of him to think of that.

Just ran out of time - panic!! But got it all back on w. more time purchased.

Welcome again to baby Tucker, congratulations to Olivia on her Baptism. Thanks to all for attending and helping Gail and Jesse! Corky said it was quite a site when Greg and Jessica pulled up at the lumber yard with Olivia and Emma in the middle and Dylan and Riley in the back of the Envoy going to visit at the hospital!!! Wish I had been there! Naomi and Jamie, you are in the last month....such an exciting time. I think of you all A LOT! I'll be glad when school starts and I'll hopefully be too busy to feel sorry for myself. It really helps that I like my site, I feel somewhat useful, the Sisters are great and I have Holly and Shari to talk to.

Take care everyone....just got a pkg. from Corky and Gail - thanks. I would thank you in an e-mail, but it's too slow to go back to hotmail. It's 5:30 and I'm ready to go back to Nkokonjeru and take a bath, put on my jamies and sit and read. Travel here is exhausting (and dirty)....but it was a good day and pretty productive so guess it was worth it.

Welcome Tucker!!!

A Big welcome to Tucker Michael Skluzacek born Sept. 11 at 7:09 a.m. weighing 7 lbs. and 14 oz. and 20 1/2 inches tall! Gail and Jesse went in at 3:30 and so it was pretty fast. He joins Riley (3 1/2) and Emma (1 1/2)....each baby has gotten progressively bigger!!! It was really an exciting moment. Greg, thanks for going over at 3:30 a.m. and Jessica for keeping the kids - it's difficult not being there!!! Gail called me about 11 when they were going in - hard to get much done that day!! Sisters were all praying for them!!

I'd actually gotten up early that a.m. (as usual) and was writing in my journal about how bummed I was to not be there and helping out - wrote 9/11/08 and all and didn't even click that it was "9/11" until I heard the news on BBC Africa! Really feel a LONG way away - physically and emotionally (guess, I am!).

Last Sat. as Holly and I were coming back on the matatu and bemoaning the absence of fall I noticed that the red dust had coated the leaves by the road very heavily - so we do have orange leaves!!! Really appreciate the occasional thunderstorm to wash things off and settle the dust!!! and cool things down.

Sunday went to a 3 hour church service - several adults were inducted into the Order of St. Francis - included the part time handyman at Providence Home so we went - the choir sang "I, the Lord of Sea and Sky" - I nearly lost it....remembering all of St. John's sending services!

Very quiet Sunday otherwise..didn't even go down to Providence Home. Worked on the agenda for the teachers' meeting, lesson plans and a schedule for the term....quite a project! I'm glad I live away from PH at the convent and have the luxury of a quiet day! Once school starts next Monday things will speed up tho'.

Our teachers' meeting went 2 hours and was certainly interesting. They want things to be like they have always been - wanted me to re-do the report cards and I'll make some modifications - they think people won't understand % (and may be right) so it has to say "out of 100"...more traditional! Maybe faculty meetings are like this everywhere - not enough money for salary and supplies, etc. I got frustrated arguing over every little thing and felt bad for Sr. Goretti since she's just here temporarily!

Got a surprise call Monday at 7 a.m. from one of the UC Davis group - is sending some money collected we can use to get food before the kids come back - YEA! Also, the stove people started Monday - it's a big project. Will send some pictures to Gail - could send via internet but it takes "forever" to download and I don't have the patience! Sorry.

Sr. Goretti had a funny story about an older man who came to PH on Monday and wanted to stay. He said he was sick and they took him to the hospital (couldn't find anything), the sisters got him a wheelchair but then started to question him - he looked pretty prosperous so they asked him what he could contribute. Guess he got out of the wheelchair and called a boda to take him home! "Resurected" Sister Sara said!!!

I was at the Monday market with some of the girls during the above circus. On market day all manner of people come and unload their merchandise on mats on the ground around the regular vegetable market area...sell clothes, food, fabric, clocks, pots and pans - anything you can think of. An amazing array of merchandise - gathers a lot of people more to socialize than buy. It hurts our shoe sales however, since they sell cheap shoes (often 2nd hand) for less than we can sell ours (but ours are WAY better quality).

Even got an ABC class squeezed in on Monday = smaller group but more one on one time - they are really trying to master the ABCs. Hope it sticks when they get back to school!

Tuesday was CBR day and not too busy, but we got a lot of organizing of files done in anticipation of an outreach the 21st at a local village and (hopefully) getting people notified of the orthopedic doctor's visit in October - I don't have a date from him yet, but hope he'll call this week.

I'm amazed at the stove construction - it was expensive but seems very nicely made and well reinforced. It's hard to moniter costs - did they really bring 10 bags of cement? Considered asking him to save the bags (we do use them for paper patterns for shoes), but got to him too late and some had already been taken by residents for starting cooking fires!

Got some cucumbers from the sisters and took some up to Holly and was sidetracked by a big thunderstorm with hail! Hope the new beans and sweet potatoes are O.K. Had a great time enjoying tea and popcorn at her home during the storm.

I'd been thinking for some time about sending a box of locally made baskets to St. John to sell at the Fall sale (they are made by a local women's group by ladies affected by HIV)...have poked on it, but Holly challenged me to get it done so I went back down to PH after the rain and got a box from PH (from a big boom box Nelson got for the elderly) and went down to the ladies store and got 21 baskets, and added 12 beads Holly had at her house and I'm done!!! Sisters are going to Kampala Weds. a.m. and I want to hitch a ride w. them to the P.O. in Mukono and avoid hauling the box on the matatu. Good to know I can move if I want to...have been pretty slow lately.

Weds. the 10th I really started to get nervous about Gail and the baby (her due date). Got the baskets mailed and picked up the money at Western Union in Mukono and checked some e-mails. Shari is working very hard to get the RASD internet cafe open - hope she succeeds soon. Is so nice to have it available!!!

Thursday, was Tucker Day!!! Hard to get settled...did have a fun ABC class tho' in between waiting for calls! Didas, the shoe making teacher and I went into the BIG storeroom to look for another shoe stitching machine - we have three in the classroom but only one works - guess at some point in the past someone came to "fix" them, took out some parts and never returned! Anyway, we found the machine, and some shoe making tools that we hope to clean up and give to students who will finish the two year course this year...had hammers, leather punches, etc. that are just a little rusty from no use. I'm determined to see some kids who've finished their 2 years graduate this December - they like to hang around. PH is a nice safe place for the disabled. It's not easy to go out and try to make it on your own, especially when you're disabled and your family lives in a village and can't help you at all...

Lots of other really neat stuff in the storeroom - Sister G. took some gardening tools, brooms, and said we'd have to go through it someday. There are two new electric typewriters....even an old court steno machine!!! Such an array of things that have been donated to PH over the years. Am thinking we could use the typewriters to teach keyboarding - not exactly the same but it's a start.

Anyway, we had a man come from Kampala Thursday to look at our two non-working shoe machines and give us an estimate to fix them...it's high but the machines are expensive to replace...very heavy duty w. big motors. We'll get the one out of storage and see if it works and may have one of the others reparied so the kids can really get to work.

Also,found some paper cutting scissors in the storeroom - the classes use them for cutting paper patterns so it was a neat find! But, I used them in ABC class - the kids aren't good cutters - don't think they have scissors at school - can you imagine 86 lst graders crowded in a little room with metal, pointed scissors??? I got into cutting paper dolls and paper doll chains and the kids were fascinated - simple pleasures.

Know this blog is sort of random - blame it on Tucker!!!

Another funny story about PH....on Monday, Nelson (the OT) came to Sister w. a boy, Mulgerwa, who ran away before Sister G came....somehow he came back. Looked like he'd been living in the bush and was really skinny. (he's done this before). He has epilepsy plus some other mental health problems and a very unhappy home. Sister got him a haircut and they cleaned him up and by Thursday he was on the run again! Also, have a deaf/mute boy who now goes to a school for the deaf in Mukono but was around for the break - he was missing several nights and someone found him sleeping up in a tree in town!!! You just never run out of stories at PH!!!

Thanks for hanging in there - know this was long. I was thinking I should do more descriptive prose, or talk more about feelings,but when I get done w. just the basic story (and it's all true),it's long enough!!! Hope you all enjoy it....it really is a wonderful place....very hard to explain and to manage - Sr. Goretti is counting the days (hours?) till Sr. Juliet returns! But, she said if she could have a 2 week rest she'd come back!!! I was so nervous when Sr. Juliet left but have also enjoyed Sr. G - she's got an amazing sense of humor and is always laughing at situations and herself!!! We're hoping to go to Sr. Juliet and Veronica's graduation on Sunday,but we'll see.

Sunday is also Olivia's baptism - I will really miss that too. It's hard being here sometimes - I knew that would be the case, just didn't know how hard at times. Thanks all for your thoughts, prayers, packages, letters, etc. Really helps a LOT. Providence Home thanks you too!!!

Saturday - Sept. 6 - It's a LONG one!

Sorry this is so long - seems like once I got back to PH there was so much to say!!! Living there is really a roller coaster - emotions are up and down; work effort is up and down, too. School won't start till the 15th so I'm still on "coast" mode! We were going to start the 9th, but the government apparently sent out two memos re: the starting date and Sr. picked the later one since Sr. Juliet should be back and also, we're short on food. Have a teacher's meeting on Monday so I have to get busy this weekend.

P.S. I did get my Language Certificate at training - now I'm an official, full fledged volunteer - yea me!!!

Was so happy to get home last Saturday - got veggies at the market and started soaking my clothes. I was exhausted from all the socializing - love sitting in my little apt. reading a book, listening to music - I get a nice cross breeze and it's really quiet at the convent!

Went down to Providence Home and the greetings from everyone were worth every minute I've put in here! Guess I am special!!! They spent most of the week in the garden planting sweet potatoes and weeding the new beans. Maria showed me the outfit she sewed...Sr. Goretti said she was a good tailoring pupil. Everyone was excited because Sr. Melody contributed bananas to last Sunday's dinner and they were having meat and rice this Sunday! Sr. Goretti said they all missed "mother" - I forget that the sisters are only in their late 20s and early 30s...but I don't feel like I have to take care of them they are so competent.

Sunday I washed clothes (let them soak overnite - they are REALLY dirty from Kampala - the water is just brown). Went to church and read some more. Taking it easy! Finally saw the monkeys that live at Mother Kevin's gravesite (she's the founder of PH - an Irish nun who came to Africa in 1903 and started a bunch of organization - quite the women - is buried not far from PH).

Monday we got going on the PH stove project with the UC Davis people (had been phoning about it last week). The stove that we use to cook for the children has totally collapsed - it's been going for some time. It holds 2 HUGE pots and one smaller one. It was made of brick and the mortar finally gave way. There is a local NGO (non-government agency) that makes an energy efficient, wood burning industrial stove - they are expensive but sound really great. The Davis group checked them out. The new stove will have an angle iron frame welded together to ease the load on the bricks (esp. where they rest the pots), wire mesh reinforcement, and angle irons around the holes where the firewood goes on the bottom and the holes will have metal doors for less heat loss. Also they will hook up the chimney's that are there - the smoke is awful now! Thanks so much to Dr. Norberto and Anna from Florida and the people of St. John's Church (my church in Minnesota). I even got the guy from the NGO to sign a contract saying he's complete it for the agreed price and would do any labor needed to repair it free for the next 10years!!! A novel concept in Uganda. Usually, they have some excuse why the price went up from what they quoted - i.e., "prices went up, I forgot to figure in transport, etc." and if you don't pay the new price they stop before they are done! Not always, but we have had some problems in the past.

Very intense CBR day Tuesday. Lots of people as a result of the guys doing outreach (thanks all who donated). Two hydrocephalic babies and a mom with a 5 yr. old hydrocephalic who needs to go for a checkup - that mom walked 8 kilometers to get some $ for transport to the specialty hospital in Mbale.
One baby (1 1/2 mo.) looked really awful - very skinny. Moses told them to come and get some transport aid (we gave them 1/2 the cost to get to Kbale - 10,000 sh - $6). I wish we had a better system and could go w. them. In the case of two moms the dads left after the babies were born - they think they could never have fathered a deformed child and it was a curse or she cheated on him! I wondered if the women will actually go or spend the $6 on food since they had families but guess that wouldn't be so bad either. It's usual that fathers (sorry guys) don't want to spend $ on disabled children since they will never be productive they say - moms carry most of the burden and have none of the family money!

We had our monthly CBR meeting, too - the outreach has gone well. Moses said people seem so happy to see them in the villages and they tell him they feel like they're not forgotten. Sister said she'd try to get to the next village meeting which would really impress people! We are still waiting for a date from Dr. Antonio for the orthopedic clinic he's going to do at PH - more people!!!

By Wednesday I felt like I was finally recovering from the week in Kampala - lost some momentum (and a lot of sleep). Since I can't do a PC Small Project Assistance Grant for a piggery (grant rules - no animal projects) am now thinking of trying to put one together to modify the vocational school for disabled students - lower tables, maybe some machine modifications, extra help (tho' salaries can't be covered). Now to find someone who can give me advice on how to do that - have some leads to start looking but it will be a project!

Have been working in the office cleaning out old CBR files - if we haven't seen a patient in 2 years they go into the "Inactive File" and if not seen in 5 years I'm burning them (Holly said that's the rule at the hospital)...really cleans up the binders - we could never find any old files anyway, it was such a mess!! Had a great ABC class - the kids seem so eager. Am getting some of the slow ones to try -think they are tired of being "the dumb kids". After evening Mass a couple of the girls came up to my apt. for "tea" and were impressed w. my layout. The gas stove really gets them!!! Instant flame - what a luxury!

Weather is turning warmer - have had some violent thunderstorms - start of the next rainy season? Shari and I need to get our garden in soon! I really miss the leaves turning colors....not much changes here except wet and dry!

Thursday was Epilepsy Clinic day. Florence (the nurse from Buabike) gave out meds for 36 people!! 8 were brand new (result of outreach). She is just amazing! Moses and Nelson were again great, translating and getting info on the new people. I just make sure we keep a list and everyone's books are there and ready for her. Moses even gets them in a first come/first seen lineup. It's really gratifying to see her help all those peole - and most are very grateful. One of the vocational girls came with her dad to get her meds (she's home for the holiday) and it was fun seeing here - we hugged - neat feeling to have a connection!

Side story - there are so many: The man who manages the animals (Clever) told us his brother died very suddenly and the Sisters were scrambling to get him his back wages so he could go home.....he lives way out west - farther than Kbale!!! They finally borrowed from the bakery (again). The cook's brother died last week after a long illness...lots of deaths. Reinforced the need for some income generating projects but our animal projects always seem to go bad. Pigs died, chickens were sick, cows we have now aren't giving any milk. Part of the problem is lack of funds to get meds, good food, and good stock and part is not really seeing the need to feed aggressively and get the stock to market fast - but w/o the funds to buy quality feeds you couldn't anyway - a vicious cycle. Anyone want to come over and give us a hand? Clever is a good man and you can see he loves the animals - even calf is not doing well and the "vet" in town can't help (he's just the guy that owns the feed store).

Sometimes all the problems and sickness gets you down, but you really can't let it - it's all a part of life here. It was here long before I came and it will be like that when I leave.

Holly had a bad day Thursday - their project (working with HIV/AIDS) is out of money and their "volunteers" are very unhappy (they were getting a stipend for doing visits, etc.). Some walked out of a meeting she held to explain things - like it was her fault!! At least the PH people are used to not getting paid (is that good?).

Finally, Friday - sorry this is so long. Washed sheets (and lots) and hung them up in the convent. Went down to PH and they were going to the garden so I came back to get my boots. However, before they could leave - always a process - it started to rain so the trip was cancelled. Went back and took my clothes in! Went down again and did some file cleaning - then back to put the clothes back up (sun shining). Had an ABC Class - some I never thought would get there wrote out the alphabet to "r" (as far as we are now) - then they get to draw. I label their pictures w. the English words and we hang them up - lots of fun but exhausting!

Got a disconcerting call from Moses (CBR volunteer). One of the moms with a hyrocephalic baby called him from the hospital in Mbale because they said she had to pay for the surgery. The poor gal is far from home (5 hours from Kampala) - probably farther than she's ever been - and they ask her for money! We had read (and had a copy) of a recent article in a popular Kampala newspaper that the hospital treated poor people w/o cost becasue they get so many donations - it was also on their website! I called them and talked to a social worker there and he said the article was written w/o their input and the website needed updating(really) They want a 750,000 sh. ($500) "contribution"! That's an astronomical sum here!!! He said they would start for 50,000 and a promise to pay later. They did take her - she was so desperate she told them PH would pay tho' it said clearly on the referral letter we couldn't - and told her she'd have to make payments when she came back for follow-up visits - how many follow up visits do you think she'll make with that demand? What happens to hydrocephalic babies from all those poor families -guess they just don't get treated! So, we have to tell everyone else they need at least 50,000 sh to go to the hospital - theymight as well tell them to stay home. I realize it's only $31 but that's probably all the cash a village family sees in 6 months!!


Holly and I came to Mukono this a.m. at 6:30 - wanted to use the internet but it wasn't open so went to the Colline Hotel (very colonial) and had a great buffet breakfast - made to order omlettes and brewed coffee!!! Much better already!

Sorry to be so long. Am really getting anxious for Gail to deliver - I feel really bad about not being there (she's due the 10th and Dr. Kivi said by the 15th for sure). Also, Jamie and Naomi have only about a month to go and Olivia's baptism is next week. Bummer - I MISS YOU ALL.
Keep me posted....thanks for all the letters/packages/donations/thoughts/prayers - every one makes a HUGE difference! It's a roller coaster, but mostly I'm up - fortunately, between the three of us one is "up" on any given day...helps a lot.

Take care - enjoy the fall colors and cool days and nights. I always liked fall the best....my favorite colors - or maybe it was the kids going back to school!!!