August 7, 2008

Whenever it takes me a week to write again the past entry seems to have happened in the distant past....not sure what that means. Will try to fill you in on this week. If you didn't note, Gail put some pictures on before my last post - quite a few in fact. She's only got 5 weeks till delivery (hopefully for her)...don't know how much she'll be able to do after that - it will be busy.

Last Friday after I left the Internet cafe I went to New York Kitchen and had a toasted bagel w. cream cheese AND cheesecake (huge piece)...I was a bit queasy on the matatu ride back to Nkokonjeru!!!

The power at the convent has been out for 8 days - O.K. now I've said that and won't keep repeating it. I'm sort of getting used to it, but not saying I like it. The hospital electrician said yesterday that the sisters owe for 4 months of electricity and they cut them off! I wondered why it was just the convent -

We had some kids from a High School in Mukono come on last Saturday - very nice young men. Our kids did a great job of entertaining! Even a mini soccer game with non-walkers! The kids borught bags of stuff to give away - sort of looked like they went around the dorms and got unused stuff and used clothes...much appreciated tho'. Soap, notebooks, shoe polish, TP - think they are all going home next Friday and will get more. The teacher said they boys come from pretty wealthy families and they decided to bring them to PH to see how poor and disabled kids live - not sure if I appreciated that!(sort of like we were a poor people zoo?) At the end she bought fresh donuts from the bakery and gave them to her boys to eat while they were still at PH! Ate them in front of the little kids - the kids didn't beg but you could see them wishing! A little toughtless I thought - they should have waited till they got on their bus. But, all in all, it was a good group. They said they'd be back with their dance group; and they sang "Bless This House" to our kids, which was really cute.

Was reading Newsweek - guess Ugandan food prices aren't so cheap - while one egg is only .13 a dozen is $1.50 - and $1.90 in the U.S. (per Newsweek 7/14)...a 1 lb. loaf of bread in the U.S. was $1.37 - $1.38 here! So with the difference in income food is EXPENSIVE here!! I just don't buy very much - available fruits and veggies are low - pineapple $1, avacado .10, beans are cheap, but rice is high (imported)...most try to eat and grow matoke bananas, sweet potatoes, cassava, yams as subsistence foods.

Sunday I washed clothes and got the math test copied. Went down to PH and got into a ball game with the kids - called "net ball" but w/o a net - played w. bare feet on the grass. It's sort of more like keep away and passing a basketball - did O.K. but I didn't know the rules - very limited foot movement allowed - can't even pivot - it was fun tho'. Sr. Sara played too. Went for a nice walk to end the evening. I'm eating my bigger meal at noon now while it's still light! (said I wouldn't mention my outage again!)

Monday was rainy and I was feeling glum - "Rainy Days and Mondays Always Get Me Down" - anyone remember the Carpenters? Gave the math tests - am amazed at the span of knowledge - from not being able to count to doing division. Need to really have a remedial math class - will see if it works into the schedule for next term - might shorten up class time too, and keep it more focused! But do I want to add more teaching hours? I was swamped this term!

After class I got my grades done - took longer than I thought it would. Got a little subjective with my "effort" grade..probably not completely fair, but also not fair that some try SO hard but are behind because they have never gotten the help they needed! (I can justify almost anything).

Tuesday I discovered that my radio has a pretty powerful flashlite - much better and easier than the kerosene lantern. Listening to the BBC coverage of the Olympics which is sparse but better than nothing! Things I miss right now - back to school sales, end of summer, Olympic coverage, electricity - and the week at the lake! Enjoy it all guys!!

People ask about what to send or what I need - actually, I'm doing very well - even buy "expensive" Chinese toilet paper! Think what it must cost to ship TP from China to Uganda!!
I do really enjoy the packages and letters tho' so don't stop! If you'd like to send something for PH the best way is to get money to Corky and he deposits it and I can get it out of the ATM in Ugandan shillings - really slick. (his e-mail is donwesterman@westermanlumber.com if you're interested). If you need ideas - $5 will provide school supplies for a term (3 terms/year); $10 a uniform or school shoes - almost none of our kids have school shoes - or any shoes!; $25 - school fees for a term for primary; $40 - a special Sunday dinner - chicken, rice and fruit; $120 - school fees for a term for secondary (they are steep); $135 - settlement pkg for graduates of our vocational school - In December we should have a few who are ready to go out - they don't have families or families are really poor so PH tries to provide them w. some tools of their trade and a little money to pay for rent for 3 mos. I'm not begging (I hope) - just some ideas if you're interested - and if you're not, that's O.K. too.

Tuesday CBR was slow, but Moses and I had a good talk - mainly about his view of America as "paved with gold". Having just finished Nickle and Dimed I could assure him otherwise! As we were leaving I went to check out the owner of a vehicle parked at PH (always sign of visitors). It was a man sent by Cheshire to check out the 10 schools in the area selected for Inclusive Ed and he was expecting a guide! No one had called - again, really bad communication and faith in their program dropped lower (if possible). Moses agreed to help them out and I insisted they reimburse him for his time (they did). Sr. Goretti was gone to a funeral up north and Sr. Sara wasn't familiar with the schools at all (and I don't think she wanted to go). After all that, I went up to Sheri's site (past town and up a big hill) - the Duke "boys" set up an Internet cafe there - it's a bit off the beaten path, but hope it gets business. For now, they just use the two computers they had. Stopped to watch the band - they are learning the Dutch National Anthem because a friend of the director (he's Ugandan) from Holland is coming for a visit. There are two medical students from Holland at the hospital for 3 weeks and they came out to sing along - it really is a small world!! Holly is doing very well with her trumpet!!!

Seems strange not to have to rush this week w/o classes. Am working hard to get all the grading done and the report cards to the respective teachers so they are done before Friday - last day of the term. Kids are staying till the 16th tho' (hopefully) to work in the gardens.

Weds. a.m. I helped the kids sort beans - it's really time consuming - they use them for food and while shucking them awhile ago, they got rocks etc. in them. Some others were peeling casava for lunch. Not a favorite food, but we're having a bit of a food crisis right now - corn meal is almost out so they are trying to stretch it! We had some visitors from Holland who are working for a month at a nearby yogurt 'factory' (one room) and wanted to see if they could rent space on the bakery trucks to expand their market - couldn't, in fact the bakery would like to get a 2nd truck but can't save enough $ because PH is so needy (per Sr. Benna). They took me to see their operation - very small but interesting! They also give cows to local families IF the family agrees to take in an orphan! Quite a deal!!! I really like their yogurt and get it when ever it's available in Nkokonjeru - it's the drinkable yogurt which is most often available here - I've gotten quite used to it.

Sort of funny incident w. a resident - his name is Mulondo and he's about 16 (no one knows). He's quite severely retarded, mute and schizophrenic....and he wants to eat all the time (but is super skinny)...very active, too. He'll steal food from anyone he can - even caught him going into the bakery to steal buns! He came from a village where he was an outcast - ate garbage (still does sometimes) and was beaten pretty severely. Brought to PH by a priest. Anyway, he went into the sister's house and got into a cake Sr. Benna had just finished decorating for an order - he got caught and only got a corner off, but Sr. was SO mad! Mulondo usually listens to the OT (Nelson) - his one good "friend" - but has been getting more and more bold (maybe because of reduced food).

Spent this a.m. digging with the kids - got some big blisters to prove it. They weren't very enthusiastic - esp. after 2 hours - sisters had to keep after them. Clearning a plot and planting beans so they can eat in November just doesn't do it. I think it's important that they help. If they were home they'd be digging every day!

I'm really excited about my weekend away to see some new territory, visit w. Maria and just get a change. It's been a busy couple of weeks and helps to get a new perspective! Plus next week is the family week at the lake and I'm feeling a big blue about missing that! Have fun and take lots of pictures! Would love to see the cousins together!!!!

Thanks again for the wonderful letters and packages...much appreciated!!! And for your thoughts and prayers which really keep me going!