Tuesday in Kampala - on the way to Language Training - 7/15/08

Sorry I didn't get a blog done on Sunday - Bakery Internet was down and thought I'd just wait till I was in Kampala today. Holly and I left at 6 a.m. to come do some things and go on to PC Lanuage Training in Mityana (NW of Kampala)...will be there till Sat. I'm going to miss my little apartment and my projects at Providence Home.

Sat at the gas station in Kampala that was to be our meeting place on Weds. for two hours and guy was a no show! Phone "not available"...bummer. Puts that project (appliance workshop) on a WAY back burner!

Thursday English class went well - had a celebratory lunch w. Holly and Sheri (3 mos. at Nkokonjeru). Holly made egg salad sandwiches (mayo packets from home)...and I contributed the Cheetos (thanks Julie)...good time! Went back and Sr. Groetti and I explored part of a storeroom and found some fabric, 3 sewing scissors, threads, etc....so the kids can start actual sewing practice! Had to stop in the store room because we were taking the shoes for sale (13 pair)down to the Sisters' shop in town. Very exciting moment (for me)...one of the boys took them on his tricycle (a big "wheelchair" w. a large front wheel and worked with hand cranks). Didas (the shoemaker) was really nervous...kind of like having your first child go off to school.! Hope we sell some...we oly make a small profit,but at least it's a start. The Sister in charge ofthe store wanted me to get it on the loudspeaker announcements so I had to find the community "announcer" who was up at the parish church getting ready for Sunday's Church Anniversary Celebration (111 years)....also, put signs in English and Lugandan on the store's doors!

Good to get something accomplished today!!! Sometimes progress is so slow and so many "side trips". 2nd nite in a row that power went out around 8 p.m. Went through the box of sewing supplies from the storeroom...very dirty and disorganized....even found some usable bobbins!! What treasures!! Teen rally at the parish church - singing to a keyboard till the power went out!

Friday was a busy day - busy here is not like the U.S. because everything takes so long to do - guess that's "busy". Had English since we'll be gone on Monday (fabric shopping)...trying some Lugandan to English translation work -that's part of how we learned. O.K. but some don't read - Itry to helpthem asmuch asIcan.

Italian medical team left -such nice people...was glad to be able to say goodbye. Took my box of sewing supplies down to PH and the kids are excited. Teacher didn't come till 1:30 but the kids kept busy cleaning the room, moving in a cupboard and table and 3 sewing machines! Got a padlock for the door, too! The teacher gets there and he's talking about"problems"...he now wants to move more machines, the kids don't want blue, one girl wants a tight skire (they will be gathered)...I told them to be grateful for what they were getting as a gift and if they didn't like it they could join the other vocational program which is much more fast paced, they HAVE to pay school fees and those kids look down on PH kids! No more whining after that. The teacher needs to stop encouraging the kids to complain -he won't do anything. I'd love to hire someone else. Sr. Benna said they had another teacher last year who was good and came on time, but he stole stuff!! The complications
never end!!!

Went down to he carpenters - what the heck! Guy from theTown Council was there and said he hadn't seen my guy in 3 days and I should just get someone else -and he had someone right there who could do it for the same price (surprise??). I decided to goforit -so tired of waiting and being upset ("tuition expense"). Only paid part this time...my "friend" said he's file a police report to get my $ back -he's a Police Commissioner forwhatever that's worth.

Sr. Goretti was telling me about how she raised money as a teen - she'd go to the market and get the biggest cheap dress she could, wash it, take it apart, make two dresses and sell them! I wish the PH house kids had that kind of initiative - but they also have no "seed" money - an interesting idea for another project!!

Expensive week w. 2 new phones and a new wardrobe - anniversary presents?

Back at PH I helped the sisters try to fill in the application for the water grant - so funny. They keep arguing about what to say - plus they have to be honest! I tell them to just fill it out and stress that the residents are disabled and elderly...makes us unique and more needy! Hope they get it done and turned in next week while I'm gone.

Saturday I washed and cleaned, went briefly to a Music and Drama day at St. Anthony's Girls' school (on the convent grounds), and then went with Holly at noon to do AIDS testing at one of the Landing Sites -they are villages on the shores of Lake Victoria where the fishermen live w. their families. Long way back on bad roads...went in the Ambulance; one bench seat in the back (no equipment). The landing stire is awful...gray board shacks, gray sand,it was a rainy gray day, kids with extended stomachs (malnutition(. It looked like a very not nice place to live -especially for the women - so many kids and lots of drunk men. About 75 came around for the information and about 50 got tested...results come in 15 minutes and then they get the results and counseling (by Ugandans). Ten were positive - the percentages are higher at the lake becasue of poverty, isolation, ignorance, etc. They can then come to the hospital for further testing (CD4 count) and possbible medication. I really admire the Project Hope workers - sitting in a little hut testing, or counseling in the ambulance - little privacy - and some awful heartbreak!

Sunday was the big church anniversary celebration (I thought maybe they were celebrating Corky and my 40th which was Sunday)...38 weddings, about 50 Baptisms, 60 Cnofirmations (some from PH), the Bishop and all sorts of dignitaries. Mass only lasted 3 hours (that's good). Very well run w. lots of workers with shirts and nametags, a medical tent...moved right along. Went back toPH and got Doreen and some other kids and came back when the crowds were down. There was an "icecream man"...has frozen fruit gelato on the back of his bicycle...very good! Corky called in the midst to wish me a Happy Anniversary and got to talk to Riley for a minute who said he's been at Ruby's....Sat. nite was Melanie's goodbye party (to her breasts before her mastectomy)...Riley stayed overnite w. Grandpa!

Sunday nite, Moses, the great CBR volunteer stopped by my apt....he was sick (malaria) and his wife was sick and their new baby was not well. Said he couldn't afford Coratem...I was SO tempted to give him $ but just can't. 1) it's a huge, black hole and never ends 2) it messes with the way things would be w/o us. I know just our being here makes a change, but I don't want to meddle too much. If I do give someone a little, I do it through the Sisters. Finished Jane Goodall's "In the Shadow of Man" (v. good) and know what happens when you mess w. the natural order! Butit's very hard sometimes!

Monday a.m. Sr. Goretti, Sr. Melody and I took the truck and went to Kampala to get fabric for the tailoring uniforms (thanks Anne). Right before we leftI got a call from my LC "friend" who wanted me to stop by the police station - I did - they had my carpenter in jail...he looked awful, and I felt awful. He promised to repay me! Got a call about 10a.m. and they had 80,000 sh.! Never thought I'd see any - apparently someone owed him for work done and the police collected it. Holly was nice enough to get it for me since I was gone.

Trip went well,though Sr. Melody had a million errands to run all over town...I felt so sorry for the driver! Got the fabric - small alley with lots of very narrow fabric shops - interesting! Think what we got is O.K. - it was sort of a blur. We also went to the wholesale district to get some bakery supplies - so crowded and busy! Got back about 7:30 and got ready for this week.

I know I'm going to miss being part of the projects at PH this week, but the change and perspective that comes with that might do me good...I get a little intense. MY new wardrobe should be done when I get back. I'm not looking forward to the language study and re-test tho! Hope to see Maria at the end (she's at a class in the west with her language group).

Congrats to Don and BArb Jackson - saw you had a grandchild!

Not sure what access I'll have in Mityana, but will try to write next weekend when I come back through Kampala on my way back to Nkokonjeru. Thanks everyone for the packages, letters, messages, thoughts and prayers...it goes well.