Friday, May 29, 2009

Almost June - May 29,2009

Well, almost - hope the spring/summer weather is good and you're enjoying it. School there is about over - seems like that went fast! Our Term II technically started last Monday (25) but very few students are back so we're starting next coming Monday (June 1). It amazes me how they trickle in for weeks (even at the regular schools) - usually lack of money for fees, transport, supplies, etc. We had a teacher meeting yesterday and I'm going to split the Math class and teach two sections on Fridays - discussion on whether the slower kids will feel bad, but I just can't give them enough one on one time learning to count and add in the bigger group! We'll try it for a term and see - means I'm committed on Friday, but that's O.K. The groups alternate w. the craft teacher so it's a good time and means all are busy.

After two days "on the road" last week I rested on Friday - washed clothes and cleaned and took it easy (it's getting easier all the time). Our three new female piglets came on Thursday - they are really cute - and everyone is now in the new piggery. Everyone who sees it is just amazed at how nice it is - and we show it to everyone who visits!!! After all that frustration it's beautiful - thanks again St. Johns!!

Four students from Duke University arrived to help at Shari's site - two in engineering and two in finance. They seem really nice and anxious to get to work. It's interesting to watch them and remember when we were new! They are staying at the convent guest house so are nearby.

I got a bunch of Messengers from Anne - fun to read. A new SUBWAY - wow!!! Still wondering how the baseball team/tracksters are doing, but it's like a sequel story! Incidently I'm reading the 3rd of the Golden Compass books (The Amber Spyglass) now - the author definitely had bad feeling about God and "the Church"....mixing in the Newsweeks from Anne and Guideposts from Maridan for variety!

We ordered and got a new low table for the room that's used for the afternoon enrichment classes w. funds from the Holland girls - very nice and much better for wheelchair people. I was there yesterday trying to introduce them to Connect 4! We hope to get some laying chickens in June so the kids can learn how to raise chickens AND keep records. I have to get one more form in for the SPA grant (scanned and send this a.m.) and then will wait for the money - but FIRST we need to decide what we want to produce based on some kind of "market research" - everyone has ideas, but nothing to back them up! Not going that route again - we did it w. the small size shoes and that was enough! At least we have some time.

We are eating garden lettuce - very good - and Holly made zuccini bread yesterday!!! I'd looked and didn't see any on Tuesday and she looked and found 2 large ones on Weds. - they sneak up on you!!! The rest is going well; some not so well - peas - but it's been fun!

Saturday I traveled to Iganga (ne) to see Sandy - another senior volunteer who's working at a Teacher's College helping the 10 deaf students there. The trip was long (mostly lots of waiting for matatus to fill) but fun. We had a great lunch at a hotel in town that had an Indian restaurant. Good to see her and her site - nice rooms for living but outside pit latrine (ugh).

Sunday, I went to Mass at the big church - they are fixing the roof on the Sisters' Chapel and then finally got to sit down w. Sr. Juliet and get some questions answered! Made some calls trying to line up panelists for the All Volunteer Conference in June - people from our group have been wonderful about volunteering (or I'm intimidating)!!! Watched a local soccer match at the town pitch w. the Duke students - fun day also! In the evening I got to see the video Bert and Naomi sent of Riley's BD party and the St. Cloud family trip with Holly and Shari - so fun to see the little ones! Quite the characters!

Monday there was no school, but I walked around seeing what trouble I could make! Sr. Ambrose from the Hospital asked me to give a tour to the 3 Korean Doctors who are there (they are from North Korea!!! - staying for 3 months and maybe 3 years....I'd like to know their story). One is a neurosurgeon and was very interested in the kids at Providence - did a lot of prodding and checking reflexes, etc. He recommended acupuncture for some, but I need to clarify that - they don't speak good English and I wasn't sure if "puncture" was brain surgery or acupuncture (think the later).

Tuesday we had another HUGE rainstorm mid-day - effectivelly stops everything - slow day at CBR, but we planned a trip w. some kids to CoRSU orthopedic hospital for next week. Gave a tour to the Duke students. The man who made the stove stopped by to see about repairs - our cook has been jamming big logs into the openings and has damaged the front w. the hot fires and generally not using the stove correctly (has not wanted to chop the wood). We'll get it fixed but I warned him that next time, if it happens again, the cost of repairs will be deducted from his salary.

Wednesday I went to Kampala for a re-test of my urine test - and it was perfect, but had to see the Doctor anyway - sort of a waste, but nice to know that the PC nurses are really cautious. Having good medical coverage is priceless here!! My blood pressure was 110/65 - I'm SO healthy!
Went on to Mulogo Hospital to see Justine but she can't leave till next week - ugh! They are waiting for some blood work - mom had to go out to a lab in town and pay for it to be done! I'm hoping we can get her discharged on Tusday when we are in town - they really don't have any idea what her "problem" is - they keep saying she's "weak and malnourished" - well, she's been in the hospital for 3 months and food there is expensive! She looks much better than when she first started after Nkokonjeru Hospital, but I want her to see Dr. Antonio and then go home for awhile and fatten up.

Thursday was our Teacher Meeting - I really dread those. Everyone has to talk endlessly about everything - Ugandans feel they HAVE to say something in order to be recognized and recognition is very important, esp. to the men! No such thing as a quick meeting! But we got the schedule done and think I got them to look at "outcome based" curriculum - what do these kids really need to know to be successful? Let's be practical!

Didas (the shoemaking teacher) is back after his stay in Mbale to repair his house(feel down in the rainstorms there) - his wife is back in it now and a little happier - and he's working very hard to get the shoe order filled for Stella Maris - it's fun to watch he and Simon in the workshop - they are very focused!!! I hope to do some clearing of rooms next week and get rid of some old, really not fixable sewing machines. Will use the treadle tables for the new machines and at least have things look better. We're rehabbing two old cabinets for use by the sewers - nothing fancy, but servicable! So progress is being made!!!

Hope you are all well - enjoy the summer! Thanks for everything - you all have been a great comfort and inspiration to me!!!! I'm going to Jinja this weekend - Jinja is really a tourist town (Source of the Nile, rafting, etc.) so will get some good Muzungu food!!!! And Holly is running in the 1/2 Marathon there on Sudnay - the real reason for the trip! Hope it goes well!

Thursday, May 21, 2009

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND! May 21, 2009

Hope you all have a great weekend and nice weather! I'm at the PC office in Kampala today - we have a meeting to continue to plan the All Volunteer Conference in May. Took the early matatu and got off at the mall and walked up - but I thought I'd try a new route - bad idea. I didn't realize that the streets in Kololo (ritzy community on a hill) loop up and down and don't connect!!! Had to go up and down and back up again!! It's all walled and gated so you can't even walk through - lots of embassies and UN type places - very lovely but steep!

Got a CD from Bert and Naomi of Riley's BD party and the family stay (minus Jean and Kody) at St. Cloud Holiday Inn in April - can't wait to watch it!!! I'm really starting to get excited about my visit in August and the trip to Lake Vermillion!!!

Satuday was our trip to the zoo - we actually got off on time (nearly), but the girls had to hire another matatu to add to the bus - too many people and wheelchairs. There were 53 people and 6 wheelchairs on the bus (capacity 40) and 16 people and 5 wheelchairs in the matatu (capacity unlimited)! The kids love the trip through Kampala and the traffic jam. The zoo is small but very nicely kept and they have enough animals - kids really liked the monkeys running all over! It was BIG day for them (and me). The don't have a giraffe or elephant but have most of the other big animals and nice spaces for them. Ostrich was another big hit! The trip was a gift from the girls from Germany who are OT students in Holland and have been working here for 3 months! They have been a fabulous addition to Providence and we'll all miss them a LOT!

Two Sisters in the elderly wing died - one Friday and one Sat. and at Sunday Mass both coffins were in the church (simple wood boxes). Sunday was a slow day - I'm starting to like the slow days! I went up to RASD to use the internet; it wasn't working but found out they are housing two new volunteers from Florida. They are here as part of Real Uganda - an organization that of arranges private volunteer work. It's a mom and daughter - mom grew up in Puerto Rico and this is a lot like there she said!

The Sisters in the chapel sang all nite for the deceased nuns - I woke up at 3:30 a.m. and they were singing Amazing Grace...that was the one song my mom requested and Jessica sang at her funeral. Got to thinking that her funeral was exactly 5 years ago to the day (it was the 18th here, but May 17th in Minnesota). Thought a lot about that day.

Monday a.m. the Florida people came to PH and I gave the tour....the girl wants to work w. children and I'm hoping she can help w. the afternoon classes the Holland girls set up - they trained a young resident who's going to try to continue the groups, but think it will be hard for one person and I don't have time to help. Moses and I went out to see Baby Nakato (the malnourished baby)...she looks good tho' I don't know if she's gaining. I bought some fortified infant porridge, powdered milk and sugar for them and told them we'd pick them up on June 2nd to take her to the Nkokonjeru Hospital to be weighed - hope she's at least at the 4.8 kg. she left Mulago as!

Monday nite was the celebration for the Holland girls. Josephine planned it all and it was really nice. Lots of singing and dancing and the handicapped kids (who they mostly worked with) joined in several numbers - well done!!! Late dinner at the convent after that!

Been reading Between Here and April by Deborah Kogan - strange book about a mother who killed herself and her two daughters - and a lady who knew one of the girls in elementary school and who was writing about it and about hormonal depression - very scary book!!! Now am reading the 2nd book in the Golden Compass series...fantasy is way safer than reality.

Tuesday was CBR and then the Holland girls had a "give-away" - they gave the kids numbers and as they were called they gave them clothes, shoes, towels...whatever. They have bought a lot of souveniers and need to cut weight in their luggage! Pretty exciting afternoon. The girls (Annika, Catharina and Verena) also left me w. some money to use and Nelson (our OT) and I have already decided on more low tables for the wheelchair kids, a nice set of adjustable parallel bars and some local laying hens to train some of the kids in Nelson's class about how to raise layers for income....it's fun to plan! Shopping here is not as much fun, tho'....always a project!

Wednesday I went to Mukono to use the internet, go to the PO, supermarket and bank. Actually, I was avoiding the final goodbye for the Holland girls I think! I also went to the NAADS District office (National Agricultural Advisory Service) hoping it would be like a US Extension Office, but it was a huge disappointment - have no information and really don't want any! They did suggest I try some local NAADS farmers - they are supposed to have demonstration farms, but get no funding and little help from the government, but I'll try. Some of Holly's Project Hope volunteers have NAADS signs by their places - signs even look bad. Guess the funding has been not used well for the department and money goes to already wealthy people instead of the guys out in the villages!

I had some other stops to make, but people weren't around so I was back by noon and did go with the girls and Sr. Juliet to Kampala for a last goodbye. We started 2 hours late because one of the older boys "forgot" to return one of their MP3 players and we had to track him down....Sisters were embarrassed and angry!!!

While we were making our stops w. them in Kampala I got a call from PC and my grant was approved!! YEA - but now the "work" begins....have to wait till it goes through Washington and I get the check but part of the program is to do some market research and see what we should make that would actually sell, some training, if we can find some "experts", to learn best practices in farming and marketing, lots of record keeping to do! And, we really need a new tailoring teacher too....Didas can handle the paperwork, but Matovu is just too undependable for me.

Fred and Vincent settled on 3 female pigs - from a local farmer but he has a bigger operation and they said the piglets are nice. 40,000 shillings each ($20) but only 1 month.....they planned to spray the house yesterday and maybe buy them and move them in today!!! YIKES! Things are moving. The cow purchase is just waiting for us to go "shopping" at a few places but first Sr. Juliet has to sell the old cow and she's either not getting the price she wants or they don't have the money or some other problem....should be soon tho'.

So, lots of projects upcoming and school starts next week - the kids won't actually arrive till the week after (or another week) so I'm not really ready but I'm working on it. Will have a teachers' meeting next week and I'm going to ask for more accountability and timliness!!! Also, will introduce the grant - we will be purchasing some new sewing machines and fixing up the shoe ones, but FIRST is the planning, research phase - that will be hard!!! And the bookkeeping teacher has to teach how to keep simple books. Everyone just wants to spend the money!!!! (so do I, but that's not how I wrote the proposal).

Hope you all have a lovely weekend and the weather cooperates!!! Life here is good - will be getting busier when school starts but it's been a nice break. Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers!!!

Friday, May 15, 2009

Friday, May 15

This should be short - since I blogged on Monday, but I want to get back to my weekend schedule. I'm up at RASD (Shari's site) and the internet is working great....I haven't been here in awhile - going well!!

I have been wondering if anyone could recommend (send?) a book about the effects of poverty on people's thought processes...esp. in undeveloped countries. I struggle to understand the lack of initiative and the difficulties getting things done when they seem like something so obvious, or the problem planning ahead! I read Nickeled and Dimed which was GOOD - and it talked about the brain chemistry a bit, but I wondered if there was something about Africa or Central America and poverty (send ideas to kathywesterman@hotmail.com or mail to Kathy Westerman P.O. Box 788, Mukono Uganda). THANKS.

On to the blog....lots of trips to Kampala this week which means I don't get much done here and sort of lose momentum! Tuesday it rained a lot in the a.m. CBR was very quiet - Moses and I had hoped to go see the babies back from the hospital but decided the roads would be too bad because of the heavy rain.

Sister Veronica had invited me to dinner at the convent - she was bringing four former PCVs who had been evacuated from Madagascar recently and were in Uganda staying w. a priest she knows. They were delightful! Three girls and one guy - and he's from Lakeville and a graduate of the U of M (and to Holly's surprise, also a registered dietician). Because of political unrest they were gathered and then had to go home suddenly - they were almost done but their stuff is still there and they didn't get to say goodbye's - really a bummer!!! Not a good way to go. We seldom hear much about Madagascar - they said Uganda is much more developed and LOTS more muzungus and Aid agencies.

Weds. Moses and I took three epilepsy clients to Butabika Hospital (the psychiatric hospital in Uganda) to get the baby pigs! Started late, (surprise?) but it was fun - pigs are small (2 mos), but look healthy! The hospital is BIG (1,000+ patients) but looked very nice and the people looked clean and healthy....the pigs are part of a project they are starting to help people w. mental illness get some income generated, but they are having a problem w. knowing how to follow up on distribution to see if they are cared for, so they are experimenting w. us!

Thursday the Madagascar Group was leaving and Sr. Vero sent me along as a "guide".....they wanted to go to the Bead for Life Village by Mukono and we got directions for Sula! I've wanted to go there and had the number on a scrap of paper! They have built 132 homes for women who have qualified and made enough beads and for long enough to be able to pay for them. Very nice brick homes with land for a garden by them! They also provide training in business practices and help them get started w. something else. It was odd having a village of just houses - very artifical...sort of like a suburb! We also went to the office in Kampala to learn more about their program...they have women make the beads, bring them in for approval and sale and then ship them to Boulder, CO for distribution (you can check them out at Beads for Life).

Dropped them off at the Annex Hotel and Shari was there!!! Small world. Then Sula and I went on to pick up signs for the truck and pick up Sr. Juliet. I got a call that one of the patients at CoRSU Hospital was ready to go home so we went out there and stopped in Mukono to get some more blocks for the driveway project - got back at 9 p.m.!

There are BIG problems w. the driveway the Holland girls are donating. The contractor (who seemed competent) told them the price using 3500 blocks, but it should have been 3500 sq. meters!!! The "correction" doubled the price - they were SO angry. Katrina argued w. him for an hour and he finally admitted his mistake and will pay himself to get the road to the gate but not do the connecting parts. He said his mother was sick and he was distracted!!! They really did well sticking to their guns - and Sister was right in there!

Shoe making is not progressing - Didas went home for a funeral (grandfather) and found lots of problems w. his home - it collapsed in the heavy rains in April - so he's still gone. Said he'll be back next week (I hope). Things just never seem to run smoothly - but at least we are moving sort of forward! Hope to get the pigs next week - but Fred has to convince our builder to come back and fix the gutters first (for no cost)....the water doesn't go into them - it just pours into the stalls!! Builder's mistake - we'll see if we are successful (Fred is local and not as forceful as Katrina)! No pigs till it's fixed! The cow shopping is waiting for Sr. Juliet to sell the old cow and she's been busy.....O.K. it has been over a month but I'm trying to be patient!

We have had a LOT of rain this week - mainly at night. Really bringing the "critters" into my house. Last nite I had a small snake (Shari insisted it was a big worm), and a giant slug, plus I heard cockroaches under the bed again.

This a.m. it was raining and I sat and read (re-reading Shell Seekers and really enjoying it - the main character is 64) - did some wash and cleaned - but was late for a meeting w. the Holland girls (actually I forgot - scary). They went over their project report. They did a GREAT job....they developed a form for screening the disabled kids' abilities and then created an afternoon program for them with the younger non-disabled children - movement group, creative group and games group - very nicely done! They made up a workbook for the OT to continue w. one of the boys who has been helping them. They are hard workers and really nice girls! They go home on Wednesday and we will all miss them a lot! Tomorrow they are taking everyone to the zoo in Entebbe!!! They rented a bus for 40 (and we'll take 60 plus wheelchairs). Really an event for the kids - they never see "African" animals and can't even identify them! Anyone seen the Disney movie "Earth"...sounds like it has some good animal stories?

Hope you all are well and enjoying Spring - can't believe it's mid-May. Was thinking about happy events to occupy my mind on the was home last nite - dark and quiet - and was remembering the 1999 State Baseball Tournament - so I can still remember some things - just not what I'm supposed to do today!

Monday, May 11, 2009

13 Months Done!!! 11 to Go...5-11-09

Hope you all had a Happy Mother's Day. I came to Kampala to have dinner w. my friend Maria and some other PCVs and now am at the PC office (again) hoping to complete the Small Project Assistance Grant forms and submit today (it's for some equipment for the vocational school). The committee meets on Thursday and I'll probably have to re-write (again),but am willing to do one more round. Lots of work (or at least a lot of thinking about working on it) for a small grant.

We have now been at site for 13 months - on the down side. Lots of COSers (Close of Service) people here today - fun to listen to them.

I was glad to get back to Nkokonjeru on Wednesday last week - hot, tired and dirty, but got a great bunch of mail - almost like Christmas!!! Did my laundry and went down to PH to check in!

Thursday was the Epilepsy Clinic - the nurses were having problems getting the meds. and didn't get there till 1:00 - lots of people waiting! But we were done by 4:00 - 60 people seen!
I wasn't at the last two - March was the eye clinic and April was Dr. Antonio's clinic so I felt a bit disorganized but it went well. Butabika Hospital has some piglets to give to clients so we took names and will go next Weds. w. four people to pick piglets up for them (and one for the kids at PH). We are requiring them to have 7,000 sh. to help defray the cost of transportation which limited the number who could go by this week, but also makes them have some investment in the process! Hopefully, we can get more another time! It was a project funded by people in the UK, but the original site they were supposed to go to isn't working out and the pigs are eating and multiplying!

The Holland Girls are having problems w. the driveway project - after the builder saying the estimate was complete (and he had letterhead!), and Sister J putting in 600,000 sh. for the increased price of stones, he said he's out of money about 1/2 way through! It's really sad, tho' it made me feel a little better w. my piggery issues! They are taking the kids (and me) to the zoo in Entebbe on Satuday for their parting gift....it's a long trip but should be fun. They are renting a bus! I'll miss them - they are really hard workers and great people!

Friday was a busy day and lots of learning....I started grumpy knowing it was a day to take peole to Kampala, assuming they'd be late and not feeling the best (I ate a whole small pineapple the night before - bad idea). One girl didn't show, but the other was on time!!! We dropped her off at CoRSU Hospital in Entebbe (she has a hunchback which requires surgery). On the way in I got a call from a Social Worker at CoRSU saying Justine (the girl w. leg surgery and osteomyletis) had been transferred to Mulago Hospital in Kampala because she was retaining fluids.....we were hoping to take her home that day!

On to Katelemwa Rehab center to pick up a wheel chair we took in weeks ago for repairs - it was ready (amazing) after many phone calls. Got a call from Sr. J - the mom or the two girls at Mulago called her and said they were discharged Thursday.

Sula (driver) and I stopped at Mulago then to see if they had left (they had) and to see Justine...what an experience! They had dropped her at the "Casualty Dept"...our ER...on Thursday afternoon and she was still there on Friday afternoon - the nurse thought she'd been moved to a ward....they just lost track of her! The ER ward was really amazing - big city stuff. A little boy died while we were there, and a man came in who'd been hit by a car dripping blood....a staff member was slopping some water on the blood on the floor and pushing it around w. a squeezie!!! Just big, busy and understaffed! Justine and her mom had no money, no phone (and no numbers) and hadn't eaten since Thursday! (you have to buy food there). They had given her Lasix and the swelling was down, but they wanted to do some liver and kidney tests - not sure what the outcome will be. I'll stop today and see how they are. We gave her some money to pay for the tests and food and left them there w. assurances they would be moved to a ward! After my grumpiness about the trip it was an eye opener that if we hadn't come that day they would have been very hungry!!! I felt so sorry for the mom - been at the hospital w. Justine for over 2 months! She looked haggard.

Sula said that we got quicker answers at the ER since I'm a muzungu and asked if he'd get better treatment if he went to America - had to admit, not unless he was wearing a suit and tie!!!

Long day - lots of other side trips - saw a lot of very sick people. Again, a lesson in gratefulness for all our good health.

Saturday Holly and I went to the 25th wedding anniversary celebration for Kinene (CBR volunteer)...Mass was supposed to be at 10 - started at 12 - lasted 3 hours - and then 2 1/2 hours of speeches - we ate at 5:30!!! TOO LONG!!!! Plus when we got back a shirt had been stolen from the clothes line on my veranda.....bummer. I think it's a couple of really dirty, skinny boys I see sometime in the compound. They took the blue t-shirt, but not the skirt - maybe they think they can wear it! Now I'm worrying about hanging out my laundry - darn!!!

Sunday a.m. got some calls - was up and started to review my grant stuff and realized I'd made an arithmetic error - good think I caught it!!! Got all the paperwork filled out I can - by hand, which I know will upset PC but it's impossible to do it by e-mail ( no internet at the bakery)....was getting upset again, but went to 8 a.m. Mass at the Chapel....I was spending most of the service "fussing in my head" about stuff, when at Communion time, one of our new residents, Edward (18) came crawling down the aisle to Communion. (the church has no ramps so they can't bring wheelchairs in). He's paralyzed below the waist, has damage to his optic nerve and has very poor vision and has never been to school. He didn't get picked up for the Holiday either. He was having a hard time w. his pants coming down as he crawled, but he was determined and smiled when he saw me! How can I complain? Every time I get down or bitter, I look at the kids at PH and their determination and cheerfullness and I feel pretty small!

So, life goes on - today in Kampala, tomorrow is CBR and I want to go out w. Moses to see the home of the two little girls who just got back from Mulago (Sr. Mulgawai from the hospital went Saturday and said there was no food at the home) - we will bring them in in 3 weeks to the hospial and weigh them - Barbara (the 2 year old) was 4.8 kg. when they were discharged (went in at 2.6), but I'm concerned about what will happen now!

Again, hope you all had a good Mother's Day. I'm excited that next year I'll be home for Mother's Day - still enjoying my time here, but I'm getting homesick!

Thanks again for all the thoughts, letters, prayers - they mean a lot!!!

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Wednesday in Kampal - 5-6-08

I'm in Kampala for my PC mid-service physial and decided to update the blog in case I don't get it done this weekend...but have to do w/o my notes! The only big plans for the weeknd are to attend a 25th wedding anniversary Mass/party for Kinene, an outreach volunteer on Saturday. Also, I really want to force myself to update the grant I'm writing and get it to PC office next Monday - the next review date for Small Project Assistance Grants is 5/14....it's a small grant for some new equipment and materials for the vocational school and I'm not even sure it's appropriate for "small project" but will try - may have to re-write again - I'm not good at rejection tho'.

After last week's conference I went back to Nkokonjeu Friday a.m. and pretty much hibernated for a few hours! I really enjoy solitude after lots of social time. Went down to PH and we had visitors - one was the MP (Member of Paliament) from our district - really nice young man (39)who's only been in office a year. The other group was from Bake for Life in Holland....they were doing the bakery tour and breaking ground for the new bakery in Sorroti....really nice people! The made some whole wheat bread that was great. It is fun to come back - everyone seems so happy to see you!

Friday was a holiday - Ugandan Labor Day - Interesting statistics in the paper - 70% of Ugandans work for themselves in agriculture; 13% have their own business (mainly small shops), 11% are temporarily employed and only 6% have full time jobs!!! The unemployment rate is only 3.5% but that's because so many are shown as subsistance farmers. 50% of university graduates ae unemployed! 25% of the urban youth workforce is unemployed (scary). Of the employed 16% have no schooling, 63% have some primary, 13% have some secondary and 6% have further education. Lots of rural, unskilled labor. The really prized jobs are with the government because there are usually "perks".

Satuday I went to Mukono to get the mail - got the jackpot. We've had trouble with the new Postmaster - he's never there but won't give the guy who does work the keys so he can't get or sort the mail, so it backs up!! It's the "big man" syndrome so popular here - if you have the keys you're the big man!

Read a good book sent me by one of the UlK. Optical people - Wizard of the Nile by Matthew Greene about Joseph Kony and the long running (over 20 years) upheaval in no. Uganda....lots of political dealing and tribal rivalries involved. Am now reading Smilla's Sense of Snow - read it years ago, but I'm really enjoying it this time.

Sat. afternoon I finally took my bike out and went out to see Moses and see what's up and plan for this week. Having the bike at PH makes it more difficult to use because when I get it all the boys want to ride it! Moses took me to see a neighbor w. a malnourished 2 year old (the bush is full of them).....father apparently got the child back from the mom in bad shape(she'd had run away with the child) . Moses stopped to see a neighbor w. a cow (someone from his church) and we gave her some money to give the child a cup of milk a day for a month (about $.13 a day).....hope we see an improvement in a month!

Sunday was a slow day - was planning to work on the grant but one of the sisters had the key to the office in her room and they all were napping (and I was undermotivated)....so I brought down the coloring stuff and had a coloring day w. the little kids - it's been a long time!!! Fred and I met and finished planning the pig food sore - we have to add a % of fish, cotten seed cake, salt, premix and whatever to the wheat and maize bran we have. Now to get the pigs and then moniter the feeding ....lots of people say they have "good" pigs for sale, but I'm going to be picky!

Lots of PC volunteers still in Kampala - physicals, people leaving, some illnesses, one got robbed, the lounge w. the computers is always busy! My physical is progressing well - had to stay till today (Weds.) to get my Mantoux read - my blood pressure was 117/70!!! Test results won't be back for awhile (pap smear test goes to the the US!!). Dental exam was just a cleaning - no cavities, but also no X-rays. So, I'm O.K. for another year it appears!

Thanks to Gail for putting up the pictures...for some reason I started deleting pictures (editing) AFTER I wrote out the list w. labels and corresponding numbers, so it was a project!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all you moms!!! Next year I'll be home for Mother's Day - doesn't that sound neat. One of the boys from our group was just in the lounge and is going home to Portland today for 3 weeks....has a stop in Mpls. I'm jealous, but my time will come

Thanks to all for your letters, and your thoughts and prayers.

Go Mallards!!! (Bert is still playing)....I miss baseball.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

New Picture CD

I got a CD with some more pictures today and have uploaded them to the flickr site. I'm working on getting some of the video Cork took while he was there uploaded but haven't had any luck yet. Who doesn't want to see crocodiles eating a dead hippo!?!?

-Gail