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.