December 3, 2008

I am up at RASD (it really is UP the hill)....had to try to connect to the blog four times but it finally worked...I'm trying to practice my patience!!!

Busy week gone by - Holly's friends from America arrived in Nkokonjeru on Wednesday - Lorraine was a PCV in Togo in 2004-6 and came w. her brother David to join Holly in the Kilimanjaro climb! Wednesday nite we ate in a local restaurant so they could try Matoke etc. then Thursday we had dinner at the convent w. Sr. Juliet and Holly invited some of her co-workers so we got to explain Thanksgiving (easier than explaining Halloween). Holly and Lorraine made a great apple pie over their gas stove -latice crust and all!!!

Was so excited about the success of the clinic last week, but in retrospect we have some problems. I didn't know they were bringing technicians to measure people for appliances (CP chairs and stands, caliphers, wheelchairs, etc.) and they ordered them right there....unfortunately we can't pay for them (and neither can the guardians)...now we have a problem of expectations. Sister J and I are meeting w. the Katelemwa people next Monday to see what we can work out....we should have been clear that people would have to contribute (which some cannot) - and they need help with how to use them. Bummer!!

Friday Holly and her friends left for Tanzania - quite an adventure. I left for Sorotti (NE).... got on the 6:30 a.m. matatu, got to Kampala at 9:00 and got on a bus which left at 10:30 (when full)....but it made a LOT of stops...in Mbale we had to get out and get a matatu to Sorotti...got there about 6:30 p.m. - hot and dirty!!! You get one stop to pee (outside) and at one stop where the vendors rush the bus to sell stuff - water, grilled meat on a stick, even pineapple on a stick (like the State Fair!).

It was fun to see everyone and the meal on Saturday was great....grilled turkey, mashed potatoes, fruit salad and macaroni and cheese (?). Also apple and pumpkin pies - very good!!!
Lots of good talk and played a game of bocce shoes - they didn't have balls so they improvised! Lavera's house is huge - I still like my little apartment tho'.

Left on the 6 a.m. bus Sunday(they come right to the house and pick you up)....got off in Mukono to use the internet and was back in Nkokonjeru by 4:00 - again, tired, hot and dirty!!! Went down to check out what's up at PH - Josephine is back from school and has started to work on the Christmas program set for Dec. 13 or 14....she's a real go-getter. They are even going to have a Nativity Play - our own Black Nativity!!!

I had left my Math exam to be copied when the power went back on ...got back and it wasn't on, but the lady had taken my exam to Kampala and copied it (great customer service) so we had it Monday a.m. Power was offfrom Tuesday till Tuesday nite - story is some people were cutting trees illegally and knocked down the poles and ran. The electric co. had no idea what was going on and had to survey the lines - finally found the three down poles, but had to get a crew from Jinja who came only in the afternoon every day (after lunch) till dark....so it took a week. It was very hard on the bakery!

Crazy Tuesday (yesterday)...oops...the power just went out but my draft saved to this point. YEA! Power re-appeared so am trying to finish! Back to Tuesday...it was CBR day and we got started, then the nurse came from PC to check my housing and visited at PH for a bit. Sister and I developed a job description for a business manager and then interviewed a guy who's been doing some bookkeeping for her and looks very promising. Then went w. the Sisters and Moses and Nelson out to see the little girl (16) who was at the clinic and got her legs casted. She's supposed to go to the hospital but grandparents said they couldn't go with her (you have to have someone go w. you to bathe you, do your laundry, cook, etc.) - Sister really argued w.them and finally the Grandfather said he'd go - so they will go with us Monday when we go there for our meeting! All the kids had so many jiggers on their toes - toes were almost twice normal size - has to be painful!! I soaked my feet in bleach water when I got home!! We also stopped to see another 8 year old girl w. "floppy" CP- mom said she was "born w/o bones!"....So many disabled children - seems like every other hut had a disabled child (and LOTS of children)! It's overwhelming!

Tomorrow is epilepsy clinic and Friday I'm going w. the Sisters for the weekend to Nairobi for Sr.Veronica's Final Profession of Faith...I'm excited to see Kenya (and hopefully get my passport stamped from Kenya) even if it is a short trip.

Hope all had a great Thanksgiving....be thankful for whatever you have....I am really learning to appreciate the good health of our children and grandchildren! It's not a given in many parts of the world!

Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers. Someone is waiting to use the computer (only one in the "cafe") so I'll close...more next week. Things go well....it's hot and dry but nites are still O.K. Better than the cold for me!!!