HAPPY FATHER'S DAY - June 20, 2009

I just tried 3 times and waited 6 minutes for "new post" to appear - then called the kid to come and see and it opened right up!!! I think computers don't like me! I'm in Mukono on a quick a.m. trip (which is turning out to not be so quick since the computer hates me)...the bank/P.O./grocery/blog trip! I will be gone a lot this week and trying to cover all my bases before - will spend most of the rest of the weekend getting ready for and trying to find someone to cover my classes!!! Monday I'm going to Nelson (O.T.) to Mulago with some of his kids and Wednesday to Sunday is the Peace Corps All Volunteer Conference. The "committee" has to be at the office Weds. to do final planning - it's been a lot more work than I thought when I signed up (that happens often).

Onward - I'm reading a very heavy (scholarly AND big) book given to me by the Duke graduate student (Dan) - called Africa's World War by Gerard Prunier - it's about the fighting in the Congo after the Rwandan Genocide till today...massively footnoted and very detailed! Every one in central Africa (and beyond) was involved. The author is French and really doesn't care for any of the participants! (U.S. included - but also France's meddling)

Last Thursday I was in Kampala for a meeting on the AVC (All Volunteer Conference) when I blogged. The week has gone fast - after I got home I went down to PH (Providence Home) to "check in" and they delivered the re-furbished cabinet for the production sewing area - Sr. Goretti went on Friday to buy materials for uniform shirts for our shoe students and then for petticoats for Sisters for sale! The four kids really need to get better before they start the Sister's things - Sr. Goretti had them ripping apart the shirts they had made because of pretty sloppy work - they weren't supervised but they are supposed to be ready to go out and work....I keep blaming it on their teacher who is really sloppy (we do so need a replacement but none to be found in these parts). It's a struggle - also the machines keep breaking - we can get them serviced, but I'm not sure the kids are using them well w/o supervision (something they should also know by this time).

Friday I was up early to get ready for Math....it went much better today than last week. In the slower class we used fake money (cardboard coins and paper bills) to count money and make change, but they had a hard time w. the concept of fake money (or they are totally unfamiliar w. Ugandan coins/bills which is also possible)....I wanted to challenge the faster class but may have overdone it w. changing fractions, changing cm to metres and back and computing measurements. We'll keep at it! I had them figure how to cut a piece of material 2m long into 3 pieces - first transfer to cm and then divide - I think they were thinking, just fold it over 3 x and forget the measuring (not a bad idea!).

In the afternoon I walked up to RASD to use the computer and to talk to them about how to go about handling a possible donation of a sand water filter for drinking water (that's RASD's speciality). I came back to welcome Sr. Goretti home from shopping and see 2 girls (about 10) get questioned and then punished for stealing money from another girl's foot locker (they used the key to open it and take stuff - then found in their boxes). There is lots of stealing at PH and they don't see it as wrong if they get away with it! In class, I was asking about it and one of the boys said "we're poor, and other people have things...and we want them"....simple!

Satuday I washed and cleaned...hung our sheets and towels. I went down to PH about 9:30 and it poured!!! Good for the rain - it's been dry for two weeks and people were worried that the dry season had started early - lots of crops still in the gardens! My clothes had a Downy rain fresh rinse and were dry by 6 p.m.

I am constantly struck by the endless variety of the days here - on Saturday afternoon we were waiting for some people from a pharmaceutical company to come (they said 10 but it was 1)...we'd invited the North Korean doctors down to sign off on the meds the company was donating. Two of the doctors came at 10:30 (after the rain) and had a nice visit w. Sr. Juliet, but had to go. I went to town to buy some baskets to mail - certainly made the day of the lady in the shop (it's run by women affected by HIV/AIDS). The people finally arrived and it turned out to be a pharmaceutical company w. a nurse to see sick people - and the UBC (Ugandan Broadcast Co) who filmed the event!!! They saw some children from the community (thanks to Moses) and from PH - mainly flu, colds, malaria - and gave out meds. Some children from PH lined us just for the "give away" - one little boy cried because he wasn't sick and couldn't get any of whatever it was they were given every one else!!! They left some medications and we got to watch the promotional video (for us but mainly for the pharmaceutical company) on the news that night!!!

Sunday was the Feast of Corpus Christi and the bishop of Lugazi Diocese came to Nkokoneru for a big 10 a.m. Mass and then a 2 hour procession to various sites w. a large crowd to venerate the host.....they ended at PH. The Bishop then stayed for a little presentation and lunch (at 4 p.m.). Sr. Juliet put me NEXT to the Bishop - yikes! Fortunately he's traveled a lot and we pretty much stuck to his favorite places!

Monday after English, Holly and I joined someone from PC staff at the Ridah Hotel in Seeta where the conference will be held to talk to the staff - and esp. the chef. He was really nice and think we'll get more "American" foods this time - garlic mashed potatoes vs. matoke! I had a nice dinner w. the Duke kids - they are really fun and lots of good conversations. Gloria and Dan (the graduate student) are working with a local Savings and Credit Association, Alex and Loren are in engineering and trying to make charcoal out of coffee husks and other worthwhile projects...very interesting.

Tuesday I woke up tired.....still have bad dreams the nites after I take the malaria medication - (Methloquin)....lots of monsters eating people (ugh). CBR went well. We are going through the 2008 glasses' lists and having the "town crier" (he uses a sound system) announce the names of local people who haven't picked up their glasses yet on market day (Monday)- it's getting results. One elderly resident of PH got his glasses and was so excited he gave me four ears of corn!!! Moses went out to see the malnourished 2 year old and it's not going so well - she's lost weight since she left Mulago - they just don't have the food she needs. I send out porridge mix and dry milk, but it only last so long (and not sure if the girl gets it all).

In English I read a story w. pictures about building a house (I make copies for everyone), did "house building" vocabulary and then they had to draw their "dream house" - everyone drew such modest structures - and say something about it in English - it actually went pretty well!

There is a Sister from New Jersey, Sister Ellen, (about my age) staying at PH for 2 weeks - she's a Franciscan Sister of Peace and wanted to see how things work in African congregations - she's really a lot of fun and very energetic! (like I was at the start I think - I'm wearing down)

Holly has been really busy. She works w. Project Hope - a program that has volunteers who assist people affected by HIV/AIDS. She just got a grant to teach them (and some victims and some of Moses' community health workers) in First Aid - YEA! And she's organizing a 5K walk/run (get ready to pledge) on Aug. 1 to raise money to continue their teaching Life Skills (AIDS prevention and self-esteem) in the Secondary Schools!

Didas has just finished the shoe order (YEA) and put the 3rd new sole on my brown ECCO sandals!!!

Wednesday and Thursday were "catch up" days - actually, I did very little! Gloria (from Duke) and the mom and daughter from Florida who are staying 2 months in Nkokonjeru have been coming down some to help with the kids in the afternoon - the kids love new people and the attention!

Thursday nite I got a call from Sr. Juliet at 11:30 and she said she'd forgotten that Sr. Melody (who used to be here) was graduating from a 6 mo. program Friday and Sr. Ellen and I should go with her to the ceremony - leave at 7 a.m. She'd found a visiting Ugandan Sister who would take my math class - I revised my workplan - I was going to practice making change again and had gotten bananas to reward the ones who got it right (and eventually everyone)....dropped that plan since Ugandans really are not used to that sort of activity. The graduation was very nice but it was a LONG day . We met lots of really impressive Sisters!!! They do a great service here in East Africa!

So, now I'm in Mukono - sorry the blog is so long.....next week will be short w. the Conference. HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to all the Fathers - hope it's a good one and nice weather to grill!

Take care and thanks again and again for your prayers, thoughts, mail - just everything. It's sort of the mid-range of time and I'm feeling a bit deflated - but I still have lots to do and my grant to plan and distribute - plus help w. Holly's projects coming up and then the trip home! It will go fast!!!