Saturday at Mukono

My Saturday trip.....spent the morning at a Life Skills Training Holly was doing for Secondary Teachers - moral support and to learn how it's done! We both decided that we feel totally incompetent for our jobs! Seriously, not sure how you'd train for this, but I've never felt so unprepared before!

Did get moved last Sunday and I really like the apartment - it's one L shaped room - about 12 feet on the longest sides, but it looks good. New paint job is great - soft white the top and the bottom 3 feet is saffron - very bright! It was a hassly getting it done, but worth it now. I was almost overwhelmed byt eh volume of stuff I have - some I brought, some has been sent (THANKS), some from Christine, some from China and Paul, some I bought here - it was intimidating getting it all put away, but except for the suitcases, it's done. Home for two years! I have my radio too and listen mostly to BBC Africa - mostly bad news about Ethiopia, Somalia, and So Africa and soccer games but it's fun!

Monday we had a visit from the International Head of Cheshire Homes from the U.K. He's retiring and on a last grand tour. PH was sponsored by Cheshire for some years and it's still in the name and things were pretty good then, but about 2-3 years ago they stopped sponsoring individual homes and have gone into advocacy and that was the start of PH's problems keeping up w. food, supplies, etc. Not sure why Cheshire still stays involved - the name is still on the stationery but they provide no support. They've gone into advocacy programs, like the school inclusion program, and then they want the "cheshire homes" to participate!!! Anyway, Sister Juliet had everyone cleaning and fixing for the visit....happens every time. It's hard to keep the kids motivated to work....you can see them sneaking away when they see her coming! But they are kids! He was late on Monday and the kids had no breakfast waiting - seemed like he should have waited. They usually have porridge (corn meal cooked w. water and runny) at 10 (no sugar) and at 2 and 7 they have posho - corn meal cooked till it's solid - and beans. Pretty spartan menu but typical for schools here. During the vacation (all of May) the older kids have been cooking and sometimes it's porridge at 12 and beans at 4 - and that's it!

The Cheshire guy did say he might have some contacts in the UK who could fund some water harvesting equipment (gutters around the boys dorm and tanks) and possilbly Community Based Rehab so I'm starting to put the information together. Unfortunately, I never learned how to do Excel! Gail always did everything for me and I played w. the kids! Had a crash course Weds. a.m. w. Shari on her organization's computer but power was out Weds., computer down Thursday so I didn't get to try it. Did last nite (Friday) and got some done, but need her help to finish....doing a budget and work plan and want to get them done.

Holly has been sick all week....thinks she ate something that gave her a bacterial bug....really down on Monday and just weak and in the bathroom a lot all week....it's a bummer and not much you can do about it.

I have actually been "cooking"....like eggs and very simple things, but I like it. Wash my dishes in a basin in the shower stall and have them dry on the top rack of a 4 tier plastic thing in the bathroom...it works! Shower stall is just a raised edge with a drain in the corner of the bathroom. Have a small hand sink in the main room. Cook on a two burner gas cook top - it's farily primitive but as I get a system it will be O.K. Went to the Mukono market today and got some carrots and green beans!!!

Wanted to chronicle my a.m. sounds.....birds start very early, at 5:30 the Mulims start broadcasting their call to prayer; at 5:45 is the first bell for the sisters to wake - have another one about 6:15 which is when the matatus start on the road and the truck come soon after (I'm about 50 feet from a dirt road - there's a tall hedge, but think it will be dusty in the dry season.), at 6:15 I get up, have my coffee and read the Bible...it's a pretty good schedule to start the day. I need to resume my lanuage work, but I'm stalling. Since Janet, my tutor, went back to college, I haven't looked at it. Have to re-test at 3 mos. and try to pass, plus it would help a lot - the little kids and the older people don't all speak much English and also, I could understand what they are saying!!!

Tuesday Sister asked me to go to a hospital in Lugazi to check on a girl from PH who went there for treatment of diabetes...I was really nervous about doing that but got ahold of a great nurse who spoke English and gave me lots of good information. Her blood sugar was way high and they were keeping her for a few days - her father was there w. her (but not very happy about it)....meals are 1500 sh./person/meal which is a lot for most people....why many have someone come and stay and cook for them if they will be there a long time.

Weather has been cool and rainy - actually gloomy some days. Lots of power outs - apparently some group is stealing cable somewhere around here! I've started heating water for my evening "shower"....pour hot water over, scrub and rinse...the hot water is heavenly when it's cool!

Wednesday the girls from Holland left after 3 1/2 mos. here.....they said it went amazingly fast! Had a nice party w. songs, speeches and sodas!!! I'll miss them....they were great girls and did a lot for PH and the kids.

I continue to be frustrated by what I'm not getting done - e.g, getting information, making a list of residents, writing proposals (slow due to lack of information). It takes forever to get it all together. Theresa Tulloch (she and her husband had a coffee business in Africa for 5 years) said that she was amazed when they got back to the U.S. and you could make a phone call, it went through and things actually got done!!!! There's always a language thing, too....not just Lugandan, but a lack of understanding. Not sure if that's why they talk so long when they explain something - if I say something and someone translates, it goes on forever. I'm thinking "I said that?". We expect that if we say something clearly and precisely, they will get it and it will be done - silly Americans!

Don't know what I'd do w/o Holly and Shari....they keep me grounded and make me laugh. Shari is teaching me Excel and Holly slows me down when I get racing! Many volunteers don't have that kind of support - or running water and electricity! I feel very fortunate....also, my site provides lots of opportunities for things to do!!!

Thursday was Corpus Christi and they had Mass at 8 and a big procession w. the host....lots of sisters and others joining in. The PH band marched w. them for awhile - quite a sight! Very serious and really nicely done..

Thursday I got my table - YEA. I've really been harrassing the carpenter - I thought it was pretty crude but Holly thinks it's cute and "rustic". At least I now have a table to use and he got the drop leaf right - have extensions on both sides so I can spread out. On Tuesday when we were in the PH truck I got another book case so the room is coming. Still need to get the wardrobe so I can put my clothes away and get over the suitcases.....he said this coming week (I've heard that before). The table took almost a month so I can go w. that - anything earlier is a bonus. Then I'm pretty done - am looking for a small reading chair, but that can come anytime.

Friday Sister asked me to take a girl (11) to the Cheshire Orthopedic Hospital outside Kampala.....again, way over my head, but she was pretty good at finding things. We had to switch vans in the taxi park to go out of Kampala....long journey and then we waited for 2hours to see the Dr. Actually, tho', it sort of reminded me of when I was a Guardian and would take a young girl to Mayo for orthopedic visits....except then I could drive and the roads were good. But now I know where it is and how it operates.....everyone just waits outdoors on benches....there is no privacy at all! Some pretty awful plastic surgery cases and lots of hydrocephalic babies...not sure why there are so many here. It was a tiring trip, but successful and she was a real trooper - led me through the taxi park!!! She said she'd go w. me again!
The computer was working when we got back so I worked till 7:30 trying to master Excel...got a start but Shari will have to help me clean it up on Monday.

Shoemaker has sold 3 pairs of shoes! YEA! He's still w/o electricity and so makes them w. a machine that he turns the wheel by hand. They are really nicely done tho'. Some return on our investment (actually a donation from China and Paul).

Dick, I'd love more books about Africa....we have lots of good discussion about aid and how it's been so ineffective in Africa - trillions of $$ - and now people are just dependent on it.....seems to be their solution to every need. They say that the people at the top are skimming off lots of the aid $$ - it sure doesn't seem like much has been done. They really need to focus on roads!! C.J. Criag (West Wing) was right!...transportation is awful here which affects the economy greatly.
I really don't know how they can "fix" things.....it seems hopeless, but it will just take a lot of time....and $$. Think they need to consolidate the funding agencies an get some direction and control. Jean, do you still have Economic Hit Man - Holly wants to read it. Also, would like to read White Man's Burden...anyone read that?

Time to go....have used up an hour. Have TONS of packages at the P.O. and need to rescue them by 4:00 when it closes and still have shopping to do. Left Holly's meeting at 11 but the matatu didn't fill till 12:30 so got a late start.....looks like it might rain again, too. Hope not till I get home.

Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers....things so well. I have down moments, but come back up again. I need to stop focusing on my "to do" list and be happy for the things that do get done! It will either get done in the next two years or not - I'll do my best, but some things will just be undone....and it's O.K. Love you all.

Saw in Kampala that the dollar has dropped to 1633 shillings!!! It was 1690 when we arrived in February! Can'[t believe gas is $3.80....good thing I'm not driving!