January has seemed LONG - and to those of you in sub zero weather I'm sure it's been longer. December was so busy, and then the trip to London....January has just been there. School starts in a week so it will be busy again and I'll wish for the slow days!!!
The pig shed (called a piggery here) is going well...I'm struggling w. the business end (as you'll hear later), but the work is going fast. I'm sending Gail some prints to put on the blog when she gets them - will send more back w. Corky!
In my last trip to Kampala I got Moses' church's Youth Group a 2nd soccer ball since the girls were feeling left out! I'd gotten one ball I thought they could share.....but I didn't realize girls in Uganda don't play soccer (same reason girls in the 60s couldn't play full court basketball - they are too delicate). They can only play a version of basketball called "netball"...he said they could use a soccer ball, but I may get a basketball since it was my mistake. I told Moses that baby Fiona (now 7 mos) would play soccer and he said "Never". I told him that in 13 years when he's watching her play to remember me!!! They are planning a game day on Feb. 8 so I can watch and take pictures.
Last Saturday Sr. Juliet and I went to get the wheelchairs donated by the Rotary of the U.S. and distributed by the Rotary in Uganda. We started late (normal), traffic was awful (normal), had to meet the rotary member at Lubago Catherdral - then we had to wait for another group, then drop off his car at his parents since it has "problems". We got to the pick up site at 1 and they'd left at 12! Went to another site which turned out to be the Luweezi Conference Center where we spent our first nite in Uganda!! (at last, someplace I felt I knew). We got our 18 chairs and had to take the other groups' 6 in the back of the little red pickup - piled high and tied - dropped off theirs and came home - nothing is ever a straight line project!
On Sunday I actually was productive - worked on my school syllabus for Eng. and Math and worte up the basic standards for tailoring (starts w. threading a needle and ends w. making a gomesi - fancy native costume)...you can check off "Introduced", "Practicing" and "Mastered" - I think it will help up track progress from term to term for each student. Couldn't type Sunday because Sr. Veronica had taken the power strip from the bakery computer and no one could find it and she was gone! I know all jobs have their problems but it just seems MORE here. Also, with the big girls help, I got a tentative list of all the residents...need to type that and have Sr. Juliet look it over...a productive day...and had some coloring time!!
There's been a lot of rain this week (so now I can't complain about the dust)...it's about 6 weeks earlier than it should be and the farmers are understandably nervous about planting. It rains for about 2 hours at a time and it's hard rain.
I'm re-reading Audacity of Hope by BO - I'm finding it more interesting than the first time. Teared up at the end of the Chapter on "Family"...he's talking about the guilt of being an absent dad (for me, mom, grandma)..."am I out saving the world or feeding my ego"? I can relate!!
Monday I met with the builder of the pig shed...he built Fred's house (the business mgr.) and a piggery at the local teacher's college and Fred likes him. But it's SO different from U.S. planning...he gave Fred the figures w/o visiting the site or measuring...just gives an "estimate" from the description. He said Monday he made a "mistake" and needed to charge 1/2 again as much for his labor (would guess that was when he realized I was a muzungu )...I said NO - and he pouted. We did some negotiation and I tried to get him to realize that there is a fixed amount and he's using it all!!! He appeared unconvinced! On Tuesday I talked to Moses about his "estimate" and learned that that's the way things are done here - the builder gives you a guess and then adds on as he goes along!! I was horrified! Fred said he told him this was a final deal, but I'm really concerned. He came the first day to start w/o a tape measure!! Oh, and they don't have any equipment...he needed to borrow hoes, a wheelbarrow and gerry cans from PH - and ours are really in bad shape!!! (the 2nd day he did have a tape measure). I got up at 3 a.m. and drew out a plan w. dimensions to give him, but not sure he appreciated my input!!!
Now reading an Anne tyler book, "Back When We Were Grownups"...53 year old woman going through a "what if I'd...." moment - I'm enjoying it!
Fred (and Moses) are finding it hard to believe that in America you set a quote and if prices go up or you underestimate the amount needed the builder eats the difference....Fred at least said it sounds like a better system, but "it's not the way things are done here!" UGH!
On Weds. the two students from Holland were helping at PH and they decorated wheelchairs w. balloons and stickers and took five chairs and a bunch of kids on a parade through town...it was GREAT and the kids loved it! I'll send a few prints of that, too...words cannot do it justice. I really enjoy their enthusisam and fresh outlook!
THursday, Moses and I went to Mukono so he could get a feel for the Rehab Clinic there...talked a long time to their PT who worked at PH from '94 to 2000 (and left w. bitter feelings)...he had some good suggestions about improving our program...he thinks (and I agree) that we should narrow our focus more and really be serious about following up on the people we see instead of the scatter shot approach we now have. We can't help everyone - there are just too many - but to use our little money wisely I think we need to work intensively with the ones we do refer. However, it's not "my" program - I'll be gone in a year and they will carry on....I'm getting better at letting go!
Friday kids started coming back - our rule was that they HAD to bring 20,000 shillings (very little - $12) to help w. food costs for the next term. Sister said that if they didn't they had to go back home - well, she's caving w. the sad stories - everyone here has a sad story (and you never know if they are true)...she's such a soft heart! We were supposed to have a teacher meeting at 9 a.m. but it was raining and NOTHING happens when it rains....so it started at noon and went to 3!!! Lots of discussion of getting the kids organized into groups that would be responsible for various jobs and having student leaders and teachers as supervisiors - it's a great plan, but it's going to be hard to turn things around. We'll give it our best shot!!!
That's the week....my favorite accomplishment (not really my accomplishment) was to get Josephine a new cover for her wheelchair. She goes back to school sunday and the seat on her chair was SO ripped (it's a really sturdy one and she wants to keep it instead of getting the newer, lighter one). Didas (shoemaker) came back Friday for the meeting, and he got some material and covered it for her - she was SO grateful she teared up! It doesn't take much to do good deeds here (less than $10).
Sunday we are having the Rotary people come to take pictures w. the kids who are getting the new wheelchairs - should be fun!
Hope you all are well...talked to Emma for a minute on Thursday to wish her a happy(2nd) BD - she wasn't impressed w. my singing! Hated to think I will miss her 3rd BD, too....some times are easier than others. Have had some great discussions w. Holly and Shari about that topic and fortunately, we still are "down" on different days!!!
Best wishes to all....thanks again for everything! Happy February!!!
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