Back in Kampala at the Logogo Mall. I am in town on a strange errand...there's a guy who works at the appliance shop at the Katelemwa Orthopedic Hospital who lives in Nkokonjeru. Sister Juliet hopes to start a simple appliance shop at Providence Home (PH), but of course, we need a grant. Have a possibility but we need $ numbers for tools, machines, etc. Anyway, Joseph is meeting me at a Shell station somewhere on the outskirts of Kampala to go to an Italian shop where they sell 2nd hand machines to make things like Cerebral Palsy chairs, stands, braces, crutches, etc. I can't imagine I'm going to be much help, but he isn't getting it done by himself. Hope I can find him...this Kampala thing really is not my bag!
Did get my old phone number back on my new phone...(old one was stolen in downtown Kampala on Saturday - see why I don't like going past the mall in Kampala?). However, last nite I washed my pants w. my "new" phone in the pocket! Thought I could maybe exchange it but the gal at the desk caught the water in the screen (sharp girl), so I had to buy ANOTHER new phone. Have to take my old/new one to the Noika headquarters somewhere to get it fixed and don't have time today. So if bad luck comes in threes, does stupids come in threes, too, because I'm due for another one? Oh, well, at least I drowned it the day before I was coming to Kampala and not the day after!
Next week we are at Language Training in Mityana (nw of Kampala) from Tuesday to Sat. and I might meet up w. Maria on Saturday afternoon - they are at a different place - different language. I'm not looking forward to it (Julie, thanks for the indexcards!!)...really have a lot of things going on at PH (plus classes to teach), I am not progressing in my language skills and probably won't pass the test AGAIN!, and I really don't like traveling through Kampala! Stop whining - right! Maybe the break will be good for me.
I guess you don't know about my phone - just looked at my scribblings. Saturday (the 5th) I came to Kampala to shop and go to a PC 4th of July get together in Gabba (a suburb of Kampala). Got the shopping done great, met some PCVs at the New York Kitchen and had cheesecake and coffee and bought some bagels, then went to the Taxi Park..had to walk from the new to the old parks and on the way felt someone bump my back. I looked and the zipper on my backpack was open and the phone gone! I confronted the guy behind me but of course he denied it! Even made him pull out his pants pockets (I was MAD), but he'd already passed it off. I don't go down there often and have gotten careless...never should have left it in an outside pocket even tho' zipped in. Tried to go to the PC party anyway, got to Gabba, but wasn't sure of the directions to the field, didn't have a phone and was bummed, so came back to the taxi park to get back to the mall, to get a new phone..but couldn't get my old number back till a workday, which is part of why I'm here today (sorry that was so random...). Final conclusion - I need to be more careful with my things, and Malls = good; downtown Kampala = bad!!! Biggest problem is re-creating my phone numbers since I was also too stupid to keep a list (maybe that was #3).
I've been sleeping poorly lately - lots on my mind that I can do nothing about at nite so Sunday sermon message was a good one for me..."come to me all that labor and are weary and I will give you rest". Have been sleeping better! Spent a lot of Sunday washing (sheets, ugh) and doing class preparation for the week..it takes a LOT of time (all you teachers are going - "yes, so what?"). Trying to incorporate newspaper articles into English and doing two math sections - more advanced are doing simple story problems...it's hard for them, but they are really trying!! The English is good for my Lugandan vocabulary. I translate new words from English to Lugandan because some are pretty shaky in their English. In Tuesday's Math class one of the girls, who does great multiplication, said she can't do division. Worked w.her to show her that it's just "backward" multiplication and after some problems, she said "I got it"...such a great moment.
No Muslim call to prayer Monday a.m. - bad deal - no power! It was actually off two days. It stormed Monday early a.m. - the rain did cut down on the dust a bit. My concrete floor is painted "red oxide" - they all are - and it 's pitted so really catches the dust...looks dirty all the time.
Water problems continue..am urging Sr. Goretti to fill out the water grant application - it's hard for them, but I'd help! Have to take my time. City water is very unreliable (have it at the taps maybe 3 days/week). Kids have to go about 1/4 mile away to a dam or a bore hole up the hill. Not far by Ugandan standards, but there are only about 1/2 that can go so they have to do double duty! We really need a well!
Another random thought: (are you ready?) Got to the taxi park in Nkokonjeru at 6 a.m. and the taxi left to pick up some people WAY out in the village - but it did leave by 6:35 (here by 8:30). However, the driver and conductor (door/money guy) kept getting on and off and switching - I never understand it. Holly and I talk about being pawns in a giant game and nobody has told us the rules...spend much time and energy just trying to figure it out (and probably never will!). Monday a.m. I was feelilng very homesick - maybe it was the phone theft - just wanted to go home for a day, get lots of hugs and come back.
I shouldn't whine about electricity in my apt. The bakery is really in a pickle..did finally use the generator (v. expensive). All the sisters were helping in the afternoon to maximize production so I tried. Was bad at shaping rolls, but managed to find my niche cutting out donuts! It's hard work - they are on their feet all day and many are disabled and have crutches so just lean on the table. Also, there is a team of medical people from Italy at the Nkokonjeru Hospital to do plastic surgery (no tummy tucks - cleft lips and palates, burn scars, etc.), and they can't operate w/o electricity - very frustrating for them. Very nice people - they are here till Friday (and power came back on last nite so they are working now).
Holly, Sheri and I went to the sisters' 6:45 a.m. Mass on Tuesday because her mother was having surgery yesterday. Haven't heard - but havent' had a working phone either!!! Will call her later.
Sr. Gorerri and Sr. Sara went to their fields to pick coffee Tuesday to make some money...I wanted to go but it was CBR (Community Based Rehab day) so had to stay - next time. The yield was poor they said - lots of bush and unripe berries..did bring back some yams and sugar cane for the kids. Sisters have gardens all over but they aren't very well cared for. They hire gardners, but absentee landlords don't do well. CBR was slow - it's depressing, but I'm really hopeful that our grant will work out and that Dr. Antonio will get some money in Italy for surgeries....just have to be patient.
Speaking of patience...no wardrobe and very little progress. My friend from the Town Council was there yesterday when I stopped - he continues to harrass him, too. Said the problem is that the money is gone and he can't buy more materials...very frustrating!!! But another lesson learned...when do I know enough?
Duke engineering students came by to see our vocational school machines Tuesday afternoon...nice kids. Our sewing machines are used by students from another school - Mother Kevin Vocational School (also Little Sisters) and they use them rent free. Their teacher doesn't supervise them well and the machines aren't being oiled and are squeaking. I asked the sisters to talk to her and they said I could do it, so I did. She said she didn't have any oil...I said repairs were WAY more expensive than oil...so she marched over to the shoemaking machine and took Didas' oil without asking and used it. She didn't return it tho' and while she was at lunch one of her students stole it! And of course she's not replacing it...very frustrating!!! We hope to get material on Friday (in Kampala) and start next week with the 2nd year students making some shirts for uniforms.
Was sitting talking to Sr. G and S after they got back from coffee picking and they were eating cold steamed "pumpkin" (tastes like acorn squash) for "lunch" at 4. A guy stopped by and said there was a wire down at PH that was causing the whole electrical problem for Nkokonjeru (wasn't), but I told Sr. G she was a troublemaker and she started to sing "One day at a time, Sweet Jesus..." - and laughing. Just priceless.
Holly and are continue to go for walks - she's running. So I walk away and when I see her coming back I start walking back. She's getting fast tho' so now I'm running with her at the end...once she's been out about 20 minutes and up the big hill and is half dead I can almost keep up w. her for about 1/2 mile!!!
Done - sorry to be so random. I seem to be getting even more random which is scary! Things continue to go well...have a lot of things pending and to do, but maybe the week "off" next week for language training will be a good break.
Take care - thanks for the thoughts, packages, letters, prayers...they really keep me going!!! Good luck Melanie and Happy Anniversary Cork!
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