Happy Fourth of July - July 4, 2009

Happy Fourth to you all. I'm celebrating by going to Mukono for the usual bank, PO, internet, grocery run, and to the Mall to make prints....lots of stops but I wanted to get the blog done here in Mukono - unfortunately, internet is slow and keyboard is really sticky!! But I'm grateful for the internet!!! Some of the group went to celebrate at an island off Entebe but I'm still tired after the conference and would just worry about my "to do" list - also, it's all young kids!!! NIce of them to even ask, but I'm better off at my little apt.

The All Volunteer Conference went very well. It was a strange transition back to Nkokonjeru after 4 days w. almost only Americans!!! Wonder what it will be like to be in America and then come back? It was rainy and cool when I got back on Sunday and I went to Moses's youngest's 1st Birthday Party (baby Fionna). It was fun but I always feel like a celebrity (it's akward) - it was Fionna's day. Guess it's an honor to have a muzungu come, but I'd rather just be a guest! Moses is leaving this Sunday for a 2-3 month course in Community Health Outreach - identifying, assessing, building simple orthopedic appliances out of local materials - a great opportunity for him and for PH! We'll miss him as will his family - means one season of no planting! So, it was a farewell party for him, too.

Our ton of brewers mash is infected w. maggots and had to be thrown on the fields - bummer!! The cow loved it and it saved on maize bran - we'll try again w better storage and maybe a smaller amount! Oh, the trials of farming!!!

Monday a.m. I jumped up when they rang the 5:30 a.m. bell - I'd forgotten about that!!! It was the usual crazy day. English went well - I went over some good information we got at the conference on malaria in Uganda. Then Holly and I went to a kick off near Mukono for a new service by MTN (phone co) combined w. Google to provide limited access to information on your cell phone (if it's MTN) - supposed to have weather and answers to agricultural questions - big promotional deal! We got a soda and a free lunch!!!

By the time I got back and got the afternoon "report", picked lettuce (about all that's left in our Garden except marigolds), and went to town to make copies for English it was 7:30!!!

Tuesday was a "low pressure" day - quiet at CBR. Sula brought in 500 day old broiler chicks - I'm watching his operation closely to see what we need to do - layers are slightly different but chicks are chicks. He had to put charcoal heaters in the room. They are fragile! Went for a nice walk to end a good day!

Wednesday I started digging up the garden - it's time to plant again - I was thinking it wasn't till Sept. but Sister said now. Not sure if we'll get it done - will for sure be smaller! Fred, Sr. Juliet and Sr. Goretti and I met to plan our chicken venture (100 layers) and to start planning for the Grant program. It was the last day for the two volunteers from Florida who've been staying at RASD - they came to PH about 3 afternoons a week to help Jude w. the afternoon classes and play w. the kids - much appreciated and enjoyed by the children.

Nice dinner w. Holly and the Duke "kids"...they added Chinese Eggplant and a Greek dish w. macsed potatoes and garlic (and other stuff) - really a taste treat. Sometimes (often?) we obsess about the food variety we're used to - Ugandan food is always the same and always bland!

Thursday was the Epilepsy Clinic - 58 patients. They brought 2 nurses and 4 students which left Sr. Goretti scrambling for enough lunch, but she always manages - more rice!!!! At lunch we were talking about Moses and I being gone for the Aug. clinic - they, of course, asked if I'd get matoke (steamed bananas) in the U.S. (NO!!) and what I like to eat there. Most seriously cannot imagine a meal w/o matoke or posho - I CAN!

Holly has really been working hard - she starts her First Aid classes on the 17th - 3, two day sessions - the first is for Moses (he'll come back) and 14 of his community volunteers - all representing different villages. It's a 2 day class and they get a village first aid kit - great service!!!

She's also organized a 5K walk/run for Aug. 1 to raise money for her organization, Project Hope, that works w. HIV/AIDS patients. They want to raise money to re-start Life Skills classes in the schools (basically HIV education, self - esteem, healthy living, etc.) - great cause also! I'm NOT running (many PCVs are) but she has a category for "Providence Home Pushers" - I'm in that one!! If you would like to donate you can send a few dollars to: Don Westerman, 103 Inner Dr., Montgomery, MN 56069 - I told all the kids at PH I'd sponsor their regiatration if they walked/got pushed - it's only $.50/student!!!

Nice supper of grilled cheese, leaf lettuce salad and pineapply - see I don't do that bad!!!

Friday (and Thursday) I had my first bout ever w. intestinal problems - not serious, but annoying - still went to PH! I really think my immune system and stamina are running down....am hoping my trip home in August will be a re-wind!

In the slower math group we talked about money and change and then used the play money to "buy" stuff Corky sent - motel soaps, toothpaste, toothbrushes, pencils and some suckers - they loved it. It worked well, but some still don't get it - and others would shout out their balance before they could figure it. Also, they are not good about waiting their turn - really a Ugandan culutural trait - people budge in line all the time (or yell over the waiting customers). They have coins in 100, 200 and 500 and bills in 1,000 and 5,000 - there are 10,000, 20,000 and 50,000 but they won't see those any time soon! Morning porridge was 2 hours late - they were chopping green in the kitchen and didn't think to start it - so the other Math class started at 1:00 (instead of 11). We did a review of what the money you need to start 100 layers to 5 months (when the start laying)....think the kids were surpirsed at the size of the capital outlay (about $1000!)...and we have a house already! That's why most peole just raise their own local breeds and "free range" them.

The sewing machine repair guy came from Kampala - organized by Sr. Goretti and funded by the SPA grant! YEA! Has to go back to get parts and it's always a leap of faith to give him money to buy the stuff and hope he returns! She knows the shop that recommended him, but you never know! We had a visit by the government Minister of ICT (Information, Communicaiton and Technology) on a swing through Nkokonjeru - of course, we have no technology, but what the heck - he gave Sister money for soap for the kids!!!.

Today I'm going to do my errands - lots of stops - and tomorrow I'm going to Moses' church at 10 (Baptist) and then in the afternoon we're using the truck to take him to COMBRA (the training center) along w. his wife and children so they can see it (an American touch)....

Thanks again and again for all your support and just for reading through my days - it really does help that people care - and maybe get a laugh!!! I'm really getting excited about my visit home in August.....it will be interesting!!! HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!