Saturday - November 14, 2008

I'm in Kampala to do a few errands and talk to the bank people - again!!! They say they will fix my balance but it never gets done!!! Very frustrating! I got a statement printed (costs 5000 sh to get a printed statment for a month) and it says I should have 300,000 more than the ATM says - they say they made a mistake, but that was over a month ago! I'm trying to utilize Ugandan patience, but it's not working well.

Couldn't blog in Nkokonjeru (no power) so will get that done, too. However, the power went out two times since I started - had to start over. We are now on a generator so hope it holds! It's always an adventure. After awhile I feel my blood pressure rising tho' and I have to quit!

We had a great group of 14 people last weekend - from Holland. They are part of an organization called Bake for Life, started by professional bakers wives and they built the bakery here in Nkokonjeru and one in Budaka (north). They like working w. the Sisters - the Sisters get things done and are honest! Holly and Shari came for supper at the convent- it was really quite a party. Sunday they went to Mass and we had breakfast and they were off to other places.....the Sisters were exhausted.

Found a hymn in the book at the chapel that I just love - we've never sung it, but it's so appropriate (will just give you the chorus):
"God Loves a Cheerful Giver"

God loves a cheerful giver, give it all you've got.
He loves to hear you laughing when you are in an akward spot.
When the odds add up against you - it's time to stop and sing - Praise God!
To praise Him is a joyous thing!

Maria called me Sunday - she got an order for 700 wine baskets from Euchimi (big supermarket in the Garden City Mall)...she has really been working, walking around Kampala trying to sell baskets at stores. And she needs them made in 2 weeks!!! She really thinks big! Made me decide to renew my efforts to get some shoes sold - however, I'm sticking locally...I can barely make myself come to Kampala! Will try flyers in the schools (her idea) to send home w. kids and they will hopefully buy new shoes for next term.

Read Judy Picoult, Change of Heart and the Alchemist by Paul Coelho - very spiritual type books but good. Monday Holly heard that the mail was finally sorted (3 weeks worth) and so she went to Mukono and returned w. a bonanza. I have a lot of magazines, papers, books, etc. to read now!!! Got a Halloween package from Julie - even more appreciated since I had to wait! Lots of grandchildren pictures too - now to re-arrange my picture gallery - my walls are getting covered! Great painting from Dylan w. fall leaves glued to it!!! I really missed fall.

Sr. Juliet called an impromptu meeting of the teachers Monday afternnoon. We decided to have a parent meeting day in December right before the kids go home, but she's disguising it as a Christmas Program (Dec. 13) so they won't try to skip out thinking she's asking for $$ - which she will! She has lined up someone to do a crash, intensive tailoring course in December hoping we can get the four 2nd year students finished - the teacher now (who I've complained about endlessly) has such low standards - they re-did their shirts and they are still bad! He said they rush - I said he should be watching their every move! There are only four of them!!!

During break she's hoping to take me to see some of the 2nd year students' homes and see what opportunities there are for employment there and what they might need to get hired/start a shop. Hope it all gets done. There hasn't been a graduation since 2003 so no rush....we'll do one when they are ready and we can figure out what's appropriate for a re-settlement package (and if we have $).

I am planning to go to Kenya for Sr. Veronica's Final Profession of Faith December 6 - Sr. Juliet has hers here Jan. 6....really a big deal. They get their rings and are official!!! But there's lots to do to get ready. Will start finals in a week and get report cards done before we go.....that should keep me busy. Plus we have the orthopedic/CP clinic sponsored by Katelemwa Hospital the 25th of December at PH - lots to get done before that, too. Holly's marathon is next Sunday and I plan to be there - have some marathon cheering experinece thanks to Gail.

I really would like to spend some of the break time (if Sr. Juliet has time) to develop a strategy for placing kids in the vocational program. Some are so behind mentally and scholastically it's not effective and bogs the program down - but they need some socialization skills so they are here. We need to be more honest w. parents and parents need to be more realistic. Some of the kids who've been in the program 4-5 years (it's a 2 year program) can't run a sewing machine or make a pair of shoes, yet (or count). They don't pay fees or any costs (everyone thinks PH is free - it's shouldn't be....but old habits die hard). Sometimes, it's just a place for parents to put kids - no cost, no hassle. I know that sounds harsh, but our capacity is so limited an there's a waiting list. It's just hard to make those cuts...or devise an alternative strategy, like having them garden, but that's hard w. their physical disabilities. I feel we need to do the best we can and limit numbers. I realize people so want to think their child can do it (and some just want someone else to take care of their disabled child). However, I'm an outsider and a temp - it will go on LONG after I'm gone.

CBR was spent trying to decide how to mobilize for the Katelemwa Clinic...I'm having a hard time getting the volunteers to limit "invitations" to people with orthopedic needs and CP. They are really into epilepsy now - but the group coming doesn't deal w. that. I told them I'll turn people away if they aren't appropriate! I don't think they believe me, but we can't waste the doctor's time or they won't come back.

Best moment of Tuesday was at the end. Got a letter from Gail's friend Betsy and her 7 year old daughter, Jessica. Jessica sent a letter and picture for Vanungi (she'd already sent her some clothes). Vanungi is 7 or 8 and is very thin....bloated stomach and thin arms and legs. She has sickle cell anemia and is pretty slow. She has a huge scar on her head from a family member hitting her w. a charcoal stove (she never goes home now). But she is always cheerful and loves to help - she also likes to sit on my lap! Vanungi wasn't sure what to make of the her"mikwano" (friend) in America - really touching.

Wednesday a.m. I heard stories abobut one of the tailoring girls and a friend who were very verbally abusive to Sr. J. I talked to the girl a long time about her life - she's an orphan and is here caring for a 23 year old uncle who is hydrocephalic, blind and has CP so she goes to school free (who doesn't?). She also has a brother here in a wheelchair and guess her parents left them after he was born. They lived with a grandmother till 2 years ago but she died...anyway, her life is pretty hard caring for a bedridden young man. But she was really out of line. Thursday found out my talk had not worked - and she and the other girl threatened to get petrol and burn PH! The other kids were very frightened and Sr. Juliet reluctantly called the police and they were put in jail. There have been a lot of school fires in Uganda in the past year started by angry students so it's a serious threat! Yesterday, Sr. J. took them up to the program in Tororo (north) run by the former Administrator of PH. It was really sad - she was doing well in tailoring but think the whole caretaking thing (she's 15) got to her and she didn't know how to get out of it. I asked her if she wanted to stop taking care of him for awhile, but she said no - maybe she didn't know what would happen if she stopped!

Thursday afternoon Moses took me out on some home visits - I love my little bike!!! What a humbling experience. Lots of children who are severely disabled in very bleak circumstances....The most upsetting was a girl who is 16 (looked 8), doesn't walk, or talk, and very skinny. The grandparents are raising 8 young grandchildren w/o much for resources (parents are "gone" - don't know if that means left or dead, it's hard to know). The saddest part was that the family was sitting all together, but she was sitting on the ground a way away! We are hoping that they will bring her on the 25th to the clinic and will bring her broken wheelchair and we will try to get it repaired. Bad situation all around. We were way out in "the bush"....I never could have found my way back on the trails w/o Moses. Little kids scream when they see me - out there they never see a muzungu!!!

Friday was a slow day - opportunity for visiting...... Am trying to re-send the picture CD - the other one never arrived (or yet)....bummer. Will get that done today so hope Gail can add some pictures to the blog.

Hope you all are well. Please be really thankful this year - there are people a lot worse off than we are!( and Uganda, esp. around here is better than many places). Thanks again for the thoughts, prayers, and letters, etc. Not sure how the holidays will go, but on Dec. 27 I'm meeting Gail, Jesse and the kids in London for a week and am really looking forward to it!!!