Am in Mukono to use the internet cafe to scan and send some documents for Sister and thought I'd blog - not a lot of news, but it's handy!
Got back last Friday from Kampala and had power, propane for my hot plate (Sister and Sula -driver- delivered my new tank)....and Newsweeks and Messengers from Anne - good evening!!!
Last Friday while I was in Kampala the Bookkeeping teacher came (yea) but the kids didn't get the key for the classroom (it was in a basket in the sister's house)....they said they tried but it wasn't there (it was)! So, no class - classic case of "The Man With The Key Has Gone"!!! I had left chalk w. Doreen (if i leave it in the room it gets stolen), but not my key since there is a spare. On Monday a.m. I taught English, then went w. Sister to Kampala. So, the room was open but the 2nd Year Sewing Class couldn't find the key to the cabinet w. supplies - so no sewing (it was also in the basket in the Sister's house). Today I left my copies of both keys w. Jenifer!
Saturday I washed and cleaned - did some typing and class preparation - could make copies (YEA). I wanted to talk to Fred about finished the piggery but he hasn't been around when I am. Am I the only one getting frustrated? (answer, of course, is yes). In the evening we gave the elderly the sheets and blankets from the St. John Women of the Church -they were very grateful. Their rooms are concrete and about 10' by 6' - one single bed and a trunk....so the new bedding really brightened up the place!!!
On Sunday I went to nearby Kisoga for Visiting Day at St. Balikudembe's Secondary School where Josephine attends. She was thrilled to have a visitor and I took some sugar, cookies, soap, TP, juice etc. She doesn't get any family help so it was much appreciated. We sat in on some of the presentations (songs, poetry, dancing -very good) - the theme was Violence against Women. It's a common problem in Uganda - very bad here in the out lying areas - maybe a combination of poverty, frustration and culture.
It's amazing how much joy you can spread here w. little $ - Saturday I bought six eggs for Anastasia (she's the girl w. HIV, Sickle Cell, Diabetes and now TB and is really thin)...she was craving eggs (the matron cooks them for her). She was so happy - cost me $.65!! Look out Bill Gates! Great quote from Plato in a Newsweek article - "Be Kind; Everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle"!
On Monday Sister J and I went to Kampala - from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Lots of stops to retrieve some medical records, check on orthopedic appliances being made at Katelemwa etc. Last stop was at the home of a "grandmother" of two of the boys in vocationalschool. Actually, she's a relative long removed, but one of the boys' parents are dead and the other is one of 10 children and the parents drink, so she sponsors them. Just a lovely lady - their children have all graduated from a university, one lives in the U.S. , one is a nun, one is studying for the priesthood in Spokane, U.S. They just have a simple "farm" w. a few animals and crops; we met the dad - he has a little tailoring shop in the nearby village....but they are so generous and just really lovely people!!! They are here!
Very busy this week - CBR is busier - we're taking a group to Katelemwa next Tuesday so Moses is "mobilizing" (rounding them up), working on the piggery (we wrote up a contract to completion that spells out what needs to be done, what materials will be provided and has a late penalty clause.....builder was somewhat stunned! He hasn't signed it and it may not work, but makes me feel better!),doing budgeting for next year, teaching school and chasing teachers, grant writing - it's all sort of crazy but the time goes fast. I never appreciate the slow days when I just sit and chat until I don't have them....we are an unhappy lot!! Never satisfied!! (anyway, I am)
Hope all is well...hear you've had some Spring Days - gives hope!!! Thanks all for your thoughts and prayers - it really means a lot!!! Some days I love it here and others I can't wait to leave. Missed Riley's 4th BD last Saturday which was sad (for me) - 2nd one missed!!! Many more in the months to come. But I keep busy and feel useful - and the kids are such fun!!!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
Friday March 20
Came into the Peace Corps office today to use the computer and hopefully get some help with my Small Project grant for the vocational school. Kind of nice to have fast accesss to the internet!!!
Came to Kampala last Saturday to shop - haven't been to "town" since Corky was here and didn't do any shopping then so I had quite a bit to get. Also, Maria had bought a bunch of material for the tailoring students and I wanted to pick it up and bring it back - really nice patterns....very cute ABC print for children's dresses. We are hoping the students can make some things to sell.
Once back I went to the little shop where I make copies and get school suplies. Caro (the cook for the sisters) was there making copies for Sr. Goretti and I mentioned Sr. Goretti's name and Beatrice (the owner) said she had some other things for Sister and would give them to Caro to take back to PH if I would vouch for her!!! Thought it was strange having the muzungu do that - but I am a GOOD customer!!!
Read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See - good book (from book club) - read it in a day (and it wasn't even a slow day!).
On Sunday we had visiting day - not many parents came, but it's our first time. Sister had a meeting to explain our "new" rules....parents actually added some!!! The parents of one of the new residents came with birthday treats for all the girls - biscuits (cookies) and juice - just a really generous treat!! The girl (18) had a brain tumor removed some years ago and is slow and think they are just happy she has a place to be where she appears to be happy!
Classes seem to be going well - I know I'm going too fast for some, but most of the newer students are pretty sharp and want to keep them interested. Still gear down one Math worksheet for the slower ones - don't want them to feel bad about not getting it. Kids were upset about Monday's lunch - the cook (or whoever - it's tough to get down to the bottom for accountability here) forgot to have corn ground so there was no way to make posho (power was out) and they had beans cooked w. whole kernel corn - guess it's the staple in Kenyan schools - but many refused to eat it because "we don't eat that in Uganda" - guess they aren't really hungry!
Tuesday CBR went well - we're working on a "Workplan" for 2009 (well, we're a little late). Went down in the late afternoon after Math and Sister J invited me to go with the kids to dig sweet potatoes from the field plowed 3 months ago - we dug by hand to get one big one from each hill and left the plants intact! Another group was weeding around the banana trees and the less mobile ones were peeling cassava for lunch the next day - all seemed to be having fun and feeling pretty productive (maybe the corn/beans lunch motivated them!!!).
Wednesday was one of the down days - lots of frustrations. The plan was to go w. Fred to a professional farm outside Nkokonjeru to check their piggery but the truck had a flat tire; it got fixed but then they needed firewood to make lunch (lack of long - short? - range planning) and the boys who were to help needed to take porridge first; went up to RASD to e-mail while I waited and it wasn't working; back to PH - took 2 girls to town to show them where we buy brown paper to make patterns - got some mandazi (fried donut balls) for the class - they were SO excited! Finally got ready to go to the farm and called Fred and he was on his way to Kampala - ugh! Went to the farm anyway w. the driver (Sula) and saw their pigs - they are SO nice. They also said they do a "class" for piggery workers and want our new worker to take it when he arrives! (good things happened in the day, too). Came back and went up to RASD again (had called and they said the internet was one) - not working still! Stopped on the way back to see the house being built by an older gentleman from Portland OR who came here as a volunteer teacher and is staying - really nice, big house!! Went back to my apt. to take in my laundry and realized that someone had stolen my good black ECCO sandals from my veranda!! I was mad!!! I think it was some school kids taking a shortcut through the convent. Went back to PH to take one of the girls to town to buy hair vaseline (her dad had given her some $)....ended at Mass. Holly stopped by and brought mail - YEA! Then went to make supper and my propane tank was empty - and the power is out!!! (power is still out - Sunday to ????). Big bummer!!! Had to have cold coffee Thursday a.m. So, the day was full of ups and downs....somedays are like that - makes me crazy, but that's life in Nkokonjeru (and probably everywhere else - just seems magnified here because you have no baseline - e.g. predictable spots).
Thursday was much better - English class went well. We wrote a progressive story about how to tell a muzungu to make matoke (steamed green bananas) and then changed it to past tense - kids enjoyed the story! And the E-mail worked! Holly and I met and worked on a grant for training village health workers -we took my empty gas tank to PH and had lunch (Sister J was going in the truck to Kampala Friday and said she'd get it filled). Holly made me supper (since I can't cook) and gave me a thermos of boiling water so I could have hot coffee this a.m. - really sweet!!!
So, the plus side is winning!! (today). Hope Spring is coming to you all - our rain is still sporadic so we haven't planted our garden - maybe in a week. Next week Sister J and I are going to the grand opening of the new Italian orthopedic hospital in Kampala....I'm excited to see it.
Tomorrow is Riley's 4th birthday - can't believe it. Or that there are now NINE grandchildren four and under!!! Hope you are all well and life is good. Sorry if I complain too much - life is good here, too. Love the kids at Providence Home and feel useful and busy there - it's just that the pace of life and culture is so different! What did I expect???
Came to Kampala last Saturday to shop - haven't been to "town" since Corky was here and didn't do any shopping then so I had quite a bit to get. Also, Maria had bought a bunch of material for the tailoring students and I wanted to pick it up and bring it back - really nice patterns....very cute ABC print for children's dresses. We are hoping the students can make some things to sell.
Once back I went to the little shop where I make copies and get school suplies. Caro (the cook for the sisters) was there making copies for Sr. Goretti and I mentioned Sr. Goretti's name and Beatrice (the owner) said she had some other things for Sister and would give them to Caro to take back to PH if I would vouch for her!!! Thought it was strange having the muzungu do that - but I am a GOOD customer!!!
Read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See - good book (from book club) - read it in a day (and it wasn't even a slow day!).
On Sunday we had visiting day - not many parents came, but it's our first time. Sister had a meeting to explain our "new" rules....parents actually added some!!! The parents of one of the new residents came with birthday treats for all the girls - biscuits (cookies) and juice - just a really generous treat!! The girl (18) had a brain tumor removed some years ago and is slow and think they are just happy she has a place to be where she appears to be happy!
Classes seem to be going well - I know I'm going too fast for some, but most of the newer students are pretty sharp and want to keep them interested. Still gear down one Math worksheet for the slower ones - don't want them to feel bad about not getting it. Kids were upset about Monday's lunch - the cook (or whoever - it's tough to get down to the bottom for accountability here) forgot to have corn ground so there was no way to make posho (power was out) and they had beans cooked w. whole kernel corn - guess it's the staple in Kenyan schools - but many refused to eat it because "we don't eat that in Uganda" - guess they aren't really hungry!
Tuesday CBR went well - we're working on a "Workplan" for 2009 (well, we're a little late). Went down in the late afternoon after Math and Sister J invited me to go with the kids to dig sweet potatoes from the field plowed 3 months ago - we dug by hand to get one big one from each hill and left the plants intact! Another group was weeding around the banana trees and the less mobile ones were peeling cassava for lunch the next day - all seemed to be having fun and feeling pretty productive (maybe the corn/beans lunch motivated them!!!).
Wednesday was one of the down days - lots of frustrations. The plan was to go w. Fred to a professional farm outside Nkokonjeru to check their piggery but the truck had a flat tire; it got fixed but then they needed firewood to make lunch (lack of long - short? - range planning) and the boys who were to help needed to take porridge first; went up to RASD to e-mail while I waited and it wasn't working; back to PH - took 2 girls to town to show them where we buy brown paper to make patterns - got some mandazi (fried donut balls) for the class - they were SO excited! Finally got ready to go to the farm and called Fred and he was on his way to Kampala - ugh! Went to the farm anyway w. the driver (Sula) and saw their pigs - they are SO nice. They also said they do a "class" for piggery workers and want our new worker to take it when he arrives! (good things happened in the day, too). Came back and went up to RASD again (had called and they said the internet was one) - not working still! Stopped on the way back to see the house being built by an older gentleman from Portland OR who came here as a volunteer teacher and is staying - really nice, big house!! Went back to my apt. to take in my laundry and realized that someone had stolen my good black ECCO sandals from my veranda!! I was mad!!! I think it was some school kids taking a shortcut through the convent. Went back to PH to take one of the girls to town to buy hair vaseline (her dad had given her some $)....ended at Mass. Holly stopped by and brought mail - YEA! Then went to make supper and my propane tank was empty - and the power is out!!! (power is still out - Sunday to ????). Big bummer!!! Had to have cold coffee Thursday a.m. So, the day was full of ups and downs....somedays are like that - makes me crazy, but that's life in Nkokonjeru (and probably everywhere else - just seems magnified here because you have no baseline - e.g. predictable spots).
Thursday was much better - English class went well. We wrote a progressive story about how to tell a muzungu to make matoke (steamed green bananas) and then changed it to past tense - kids enjoyed the story! And the E-mail worked! Holly and I met and worked on a grant for training village health workers -we took my empty gas tank to PH and had lunch (Sister J was going in the truck to Kampala Friday and said she'd get it filled). Holly made me supper (since I can't cook) and gave me a thermos of boiling water so I could have hot coffee this a.m. - really sweet!!!
So, the plus side is winning!! (today). Hope Spring is coming to you all - our rain is still sporadic so we haven't planted our garden - maybe in a week. Next week Sister J and I are going to the grand opening of the new Italian orthopedic hospital in Kampala....I'm excited to see it.
Tomorrow is Riley's 4th birthday - can't believe it. Or that there are now NINE grandchildren four and under!!! Hope you are all well and life is good. Sorry if I complain too much - life is good here, too. Love the kids at Providence Home and feel useful and busy there - it's just that the pace of life and culture is so different! What did I expect???
Friday, March 13, 2009
Friday, March 13 - Past the 13 month mark!
Probably looking ahead to the end a this point is not a great way to look at things, but we now have 13 months in country - and 13 months to go (11 months at site).....it seems long sometimes, but at others it seems short! There is a group leaving in April, the first group we really got to know and it seems hard to see them go!!! We are already thinking about what we will do with all our "stuff" when we leave - give most away I'm sure.
I forgot last week to mention the U.K. eye workers organization - Sight 4 Africa....it was a very quiet week w/o them!! Blog will be short (rejoice).
They gave me a great book "The Man With The Key is Gone" by Dr. Ian Clarke from No. Ireland who started Kiwoko Hospital in Luweero (we visited there in training) in the late 80s....it's a very Christian perspective, but very funny in parts - esp. since I've been talking about jiggers, matatutus, frustrations etc. for the past 13 months....I think most will enjoy it!!! It was also a time when AIDS was a death sentence - must more hopeful today if people get tested and take ARVs!
Sunday, after the UK group left I washed, cleaned, did class prep for the week and re-grouped. One of the songs at Mass was "Take It To The Lord in Prayer" - seemed very appropirate - esp. when I am "tired and discouraged". It was International Day For Women, and the priest mentioned it but then went on to talk about Obedience (Abraham and Issac reading) and Suffering - think the Ugandan women have enough of obedience and suffering....they work SO hard. He also said that if a child turns out bad, it is the mother's fault! I don't think so!!! Had a welcome for the Holland girls in the p.m. They are really a fun group (3) to have around and play with the kids in the afternoon - the kids are loving it.
Had a slow week - lots of catch up to do after the eye clinic - classes went on as scheduled. Continuing fractions in Math and they "get" 1/2 of a circle, but have problems w. the concept of 1/2 of the class or 1/2 of the way to Mukono - difficulty seeing the abstract! Well, that's sort of concrete, but can't put it on the board!! At English on Thursday we were working on "Directions"...first tried mapping Nkokonjeru and giving directions but that was a really alien concept....they just say "over there" and give a head movement in the proper direction!!! Then we did a little science experiment following directions....that worked better! Still a learning process for me.
Pig shed is progressing....met again w. the builder and we need to get this stage done and then work on finishing the floor before the pigs can be bought and moved in. Apparently pigs try to root and "eat" the cement unless you put on a very strong finishing layer. Fred and I are going to a model farm nearby on Monday to check on their operation and pig varieties. This project has been such a learning experience - wish I had been more assertive at the start, but not sure it would have made much difference - the building is sound and looks good so that's a real plus! I think forcing the builder to have a plan and a set budget would have been a good learning experinece for him but not sure the outcome would have been much different!
Holly hosted a Peace Corps Trainee this week - new class in training. It was fun to look back on that time in our lives - we've come a long way I think! Had dinner together and that was fun....and good food! Weds. a.m. we all went down to PH to start digging our garden - it's been very HOT and DRY (rains have stopped) so it was really work swinging the big hoes....added some manure from our cow pile....we're keeping at it but won't plant till the rains really start (April??). Some people planted after the first rains last week, but seedlings are now dying - very sad. People say you can't depend on the seasons like you used to be able to....
That's it.....pretty slow week. Actually, it was kind of nice for a change. The heat really makes it hard to do too much. We dig at 6:30 a.m. and now have the soil all worked up.
Hope you are all well and Spring is starting....thanks for the wonderful letters and packages and for your thoughts and prayers! Means so much.
I forgot last week to mention the U.K. eye workers organization - Sight 4 Africa....it was a very quiet week w/o them!! Blog will be short (rejoice).
They gave me a great book "The Man With The Key is Gone" by Dr. Ian Clarke from No. Ireland who started Kiwoko Hospital in Luweero (we visited there in training) in the late 80s....it's a very Christian perspective, but very funny in parts - esp. since I've been talking about jiggers, matatutus, frustrations etc. for the past 13 months....I think most will enjoy it!!! It was also a time when AIDS was a death sentence - must more hopeful today if people get tested and take ARVs!
Sunday, after the UK group left I washed, cleaned, did class prep for the week and re-grouped. One of the songs at Mass was "Take It To The Lord in Prayer" - seemed very appropirate - esp. when I am "tired and discouraged". It was International Day For Women, and the priest mentioned it but then went on to talk about Obedience (Abraham and Issac reading) and Suffering - think the Ugandan women have enough of obedience and suffering....they work SO hard. He also said that if a child turns out bad, it is the mother's fault! I don't think so!!! Had a welcome for the Holland girls in the p.m. They are really a fun group (3) to have around and play with the kids in the afternoon - the kids are loving it.
Had a slow week - lots of catch up to do after the eye clinic - classes went on as scheduled. Continuing fractions in Math and they "get" 1/2 of a circle, but have problems w. the concept of 1/2 of the class or 1/2 of the way to Mukono - difficulty seeing the abstract! Well, that's sort of concrete, but can't put it on the board!! At English on Thursday we were working on "Directions"...first tried mapping Nkokonjeru and giving directions but that was a really alien concept....they just say "over there" and give a head movement in the proper direction!!! Then we did a little science experiment following directions....that worked better! Still a learning process for me.
Pig shed is progressing....met again w. the builder and we need to get this stage done and then work on finishing the floor before the pigs can be bought and moved in. Apparently pigs try to root and "eat" the cement unless you put on a very strong finishing layer. Fred and I are going to a model farm nearby on Monday to check on their operation and pig varieties. This project has been such a learning experience - wish I had been more assertive at the start, but not sure it would have made much difference - the building is sound and looks good so that's a real plus! I think forcing the builder to have a plan and a set budget would have been a good learning experinece for him but not sure the outcome would have been much different!
Holly hosted a Peace Corps Trainee this week - new class in training. It was fun to look back on that time in our lives - we've come a long way I think! Had dinner together and that was fun....and good food! Weds. a.m. we all went down to PH to start digging our garden - it's been very HOT and DRY (rains have stopped) so it was really work swinging the big hoes....added some manure from our cow pile....we're keeping at it but won't plant till the rains really start (April??). Some people planted after the first rains last week, but seedlings are now dying - very sad. People say you can't depend on the seasons like you used to be able to....
That's it.....pretty slow week. Actually, it was kind of nice for a change. The heat really makes it hard to do too much. We dig at 6:30 a.m. and now have the soil all worked up.
Hope you are all well and Spring is starting....thanks for the wonderful letters and packages and for your thoughts and prayers! Means so much.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
March already - 3/7/09
Looking back over my blog notes for the week most were about the upcoming/ongoing Eye Clinic....I was really nervous about the set-up etc., since neither Sr. Juliet or I had been here for the previous two and Sr. Veronica was laid up in Kampala w. a bad back (compressed discs suffered on a bad matatu ride a year ago- I can see it happening!).
Last Saturday afternoon Holly stopped by and three of the older girls came up to say "HI" and have tea.....they love it that they can use all the sugar they want!!! They are amazed at my stuff (sometimes I am too). Showed them all my new pictures....lots of grandchildren pics - they are wonderful!!!
Gave a tour to a group of visiting teachers from Sweden (I am really getting good at the PH tour - but still can't walk backwards and talk like the college tour guides)....the place looks so much better w. the new student leadership - dorms cleaned, grass slashed, beds made - really much nicer when you take people around. I tried my hand at "slashing" one day - using a stick w. a blade to cut grass - I was a total failure but did provide good laughs for the boys!
The UK opthomologists came on Sunday afternoon in the midst of a big downpour - the kids did their welcome indoors and we had a planning session w. the local volunteers. They visitors were a great group - lots of fun and VERY flexible!!! That seems to be true of most of the visitors....guess you don't come to Uganda (and esp. to PH w/o being a bit adventurous). Each day of the clinic we registered under the big tree by the entrance, then there was pre-screening, then people went to have their eyes tested in the bakery office (darkened by putting blankets on the windows w. clothes pins) and then saw the person who was measuring for glasses in the hallway...pretty efficient system. Monday through Thursday we had two testing and saw over 100 each day; Friday it was only one (Doreen, who was an absolutely trooper) and we saw 70! They said they really saw some "interesting" (and sad) things - damage caused by infections that could have been treated, injury, damage to the optic nerve - and some conditions that they said they'd only seen previously in text books.
We started each day at 7 setting up and they saw people from 8 to 5 or 6....really quite the system and lots of good work done. Steady stream of people all day! There were 8 but some went to a clinic in Jinja, the School for the Blind in Sorotti and then a two day clinic in Mukono.
Other events of the week - Monday nite the 3 new volunteers from Holland arrived and started to settle in. They are finishing a university degree in Occupational Therapy and this is their internship. They are catching on fast!!!
Problems w. the piggery - now the builder says we have to put a layer of finishing cement on the stuff that's there - and he didn't account for that in his "estimate"....no surprise there!!! Apparently pigs like to eat cement??? Also, the new coat will provide the slope for drainage - he didn't have a level so we're not sure where we are w. slope - he promised to bring it, but haven't seen him since!!! Fred has done a good job of trying to limit expenses by using timbers we had and old tin sheets from a building that was taken down, so we could have most of the "extra" covered (except the builder's extra labor costs which I'm reluctant to pay).....but it was such a busy week and I got so annoyed talking to him we put off any further discussion till next week. Life in the fast lane!!!
Thursday, we doubled up w. clinics w. the epilepsy clinic (regular monthly one sponsored by Butabeka Hospital in Kampala)...BUT, they brought out 12 students and their administrator (w/o warning)....SO, more tours and Sr. Goretti skipped teaching to cook for them - since Caro the cook for the sisters was making meals for the U.K. doctors and volunteers....the staff worked HARD all week. I was mainly a trouble shooter and gopher. The administrator from Butabika Hospital wanted to meet w. the local health authorities so I took her up to see Sr. Ambrose at the Hospital....Sr. J. was in Kampala and I don't know who the local authorities are! She seemed satisfied with doing that since apparently they have to notify someone that they were providing services in this area. All very confusing to me!!!
So, it has been a busy week - ate dinner w. the UK people and Sisters every evening. We went on a walk together one nite and a few evenings were spent at the local pub sitting on plastic chairs out in the street observing life around us. Lots of good conversation!! Holly and Shari joined in some of the time - very international suppers with people from U.K., Holland and U.S.
Anastasia is still in the hospital and does have TB - bummer - it's one of the most frequent opportunistic infections seen with HIV people....but not something that's easily treated esp. when you are as weak as she is....we'll have to see.
Hope all are well....heard it's warming up a bit! Spring can't be too far away can it??? Got a great package from Anne (lots of neat school stuff) and one from Bert and Naomi w. a DVD and pictures....w. all the pictures Corky brought I need to re-decorate my room!!!
Take care - thanks again for all your prayers, thoughts and letters.....
Last Saturday afternoon Holly stopped by and three of the older girls came up to say "HI" and have tea.....they love it that they can use all the sugar they want!!! They are amazed at my stuff (sometimes I am too). Showed them all my new pictures....lots of grandchildren pics - they are wonderful!!!
Gave a tour to a group of visiting teachers from Sweden (I am really getting good at the PH tour - but still can't walk backwards and talk like the college tour guides)....the place looks so much better w. the new student leadership - dorms cleaned, grass slashed, beds made - really much nicer when you take people around. I tried my hand at "slashing" one day - using a stick w. a blade to cut grass - I was a total failure but did provide good laughs for the boys!
The UK opthomologists came on Sunday afternoon in the midst of a big downpour - the kids did their welcome indoors and we had a planning session w. the local volunteers. They visitors were a great group - lots of fun and VERY flexible!!! That seems to be true of most of the visitors....guess you don't come to Uganda (and esp. to PH w/o being a bit adventurous). Each day of the clinic we registered under the big tree by the entrance, then there was pre-screening, then people went to have their eyes tested in the bakery office (darkened by putting blankets on the windows w. clothes pins) and then saw the person who was measuring for glasses in the hallway...pretty efficient system. Monday through Thursday we had two testing and saw over 100 each day; Friday it was only one (Doreen, who was an absolutely trooper) and we saw 70! They said they really saw some "interesting" (and sad) things - damage caused by infections that could have been treated, injury, damage to the optic nerve - and some conditions that they said they'd only seen previously in text books.
We started each day at 7 setting up and they saw people from 8 to 5 or 6....really quite the system and lots of good work done. Steady stream of people all day! There were 8 but some went to a clinic in Jinja, the School for the Blind in Sorotti and then a two day clinic in Mukono.
Other events of the week - Monday nite the 3 new volunteers from Holland arrived and started to settle in. They are finishing a university degree in Occupational Therapy and this is their internship. They are catching on fast!!!
Problems w. the piggery - now the builder says we have to put a layer of finishing cement on the stuff that's there - and he didn't account for that in his "estimate"....no surprise there!!! Apparently pigs like to eat cement??? Also, the new coat will provide the slope for drainage - he didn't have a level so we're not sure where we are w. slope - he promised to bring it, but haven't seen him since!!! Fred has done a good job of trying to limit expenses by using timbers we had and old tin sheets from a building that was taken down, so we could have most of the "extra" covered (except the builder's extra labor costs which I'm reluctant to pay).....but it was such a busy week and I got so annoyed talking to him we put off any further discussion till next week. Life in the fast lane!!!
Thursday, we doubled up w. clinics w. the epilepsy clinic (regular monthly one sponsored by Butabeka Hospital in Kampala)...BUT, they brought out 12 students and their administrator (w/o warning)....SO, more tours and Sr. Goretti skipped teaching to cook for them - since Caro the cook for the sisters was making meals for the U.K. doctors and volunteers....the staff worked HARD all week. I was mainly a trouble shooter and gopher. The administrator from Butabika Hospital wanted to meet w. the local health authorities so I took her up to see Sr. Ambrose at the Hospital....Sr. J. was in Kampala and I don't know who the local authorities are! She seemed satisfied with doing that since apparently they have to notify someone that they were providing services in this area. All very confusing to me!!!
So, it has been a busy week - ate dinner w. the UK people and Sisters every evening. We went on a walk together one nite and a few evenings were spent at the local pub sitting on plastic chairs out in the street observing life around us. Lots of good conversation!! Holly and Shari joined in some of the time - very international suppers with people from U.K., Holland and U.S.
Anastasia is still in the hospital and does have TB - bummer - it's one of the most frequent opportunistic infections seen with HIV people....but not something that's easily treated esp. when you are as weak as she is....we'll have to see.
Hope all are well....heard it's warming up a bit! Spring can't be too far away can it??? Got a great package from Anne (lots of neat school stuff) and one from Bert and Naomi w. a DVD and pictures....w. all the pictures Corky brought I need to re-decorate my room!!!
Take care - thanks again for all your prayers, thoughts and letters.....
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