One Third Through!!! 12-12-08

First, thanks to Gail for posting the pictures...first set of CDs got lost in the mail so it was a LOT. Hope you enjoyed them!!!

We are officially through 8 months at site and 1/3 of the way through the 2 years! Don't know if that's healthy way to look at it, but it works for me! I could wax philosophical but the blog is long and I'm not very good at being philosophical....it has gone fast. Gail said someone asked if I'd changed - and I sure hope so!!! I think I'm more patient and tolerant - you have to be here or you'd go crazy! (or maybe I'm just crazy).....it's been a great experience so far though I miss home a lot (especially at this time of year).

Will review the week - it's gone SO fast. Last Thursday was the Epilepsy Clinic. The nurse saw 46 people!! 10 new!! She is amazing - I was exhausted! Seizure disorders are so common here.

The kids are working on a Chistmas Program for the 14th....they have put so much into it. THere will be dancing, singing, and a Nativity Play (Black Nativity?).....Josephine and Kasule are working very hard. I've mentioned Josephine before...she's about 18, in a wheelchair, will be a Senior next year at a good school, bright, sings beautifully and is incredibly talented. She's composed some original songs...one in English I'd like to send to Michael W. Smith!! I broke my "no donations till the day before I leave" rule, and sprang for some material for costumes (Sr. Goretti and Sr. Sara are sewing like mad), a keyboard guy an a sound system guy (all very cheap).....determined to give them every advantage. They really want to prove that disabled kids can put on a quality program - and if rehersal is any indication, it will be great. Pray for us Sunday (14) - esp. that the power doesn't go out!!!

Holly sent a message that she and her friends summitted Kilimanjaro Weds. a.m. for sunrise....she said it was the hardest thing she ever did mentally or physically (and she'd just finished the Marathon the week before). Last day they woke at midnite, hiked 8 hours to see the sunrise at the summet, hiked down 5 hours to camp, slept 1/2 hour and then hiked another 3 hours down to lower elevation. The lack of oxygen was really draining she said! BUT THEY MADE IT....

Friday I went w. the Sisters Nairobi, Kenya....of course, we started late (anyone who reads the blog won't be surprised). I got to the Sister's house at 5 a.m. ( as arranged) and they were frying chicken and making chipatis for the trip! We did leave at 5:45...got to the connect point (Jinja) at 7:00 (meeting time) but the matatu didn't come till 8:45 (they rented two matatus instead of a bus)....again, no surprise - no one even gets upset (which still surprises me). What was a surprise was that I had to get a visa at the border which slowed us a bit and that the roads in Kenya were SO bad. Apparently many of them were badly damaged during the violence last January after their elections....from Jinja to Nairobi is 350 miles and it took us 15 hours!!! And very bumpy and dusty.

But, the scenery was beautiful on the trip - lots of small mountains (Great Rift Valley)...at the tops of the hills there were groves of pine trees (made me think of no. Minnesota)....massive tea plantations...miles and miles as far as the eye can see broken only by villages of workers' huts. It seems very peaceful though we went through some burned towns and UN tent cities....

We arrived in Nairobi about midnite - downtown is lovely - two lane roads and tree lined streets, parks, stores w. plate glass windows and manikens w. fashions (it's funny what you really don't miss till you see it again), but also enormous, awful slums. We got lost and got to the convent at 1 a.m.!!! I roomed w. a nun who's a nurse at Nkokonjeru Hospital (55?)...was a bit akward at first but she's really great.

The Profession ceremony was absolutely fabulous - worth every bump on the road. It lasted 5 1/2 hours - the sermon was given by a Kenyan Cardinal who talked for an hour!!...but it didn't seem long. Lots of dancing and singing - more like a cultural event. Except for three elderly priests I was the only muzungu!!! and that doesn't seem strange anymore. Sr. Veronica seemed very happy to see everyone - we got to meet her parents. Her village had hired a bunch of matatus and they were all there!!! Lots of speeches and food!

The trip back was slow - got home about midnite. Can't tell you how much fun the sisters have together. Lots of time on the matatu for me to ponder the strangeness of me taking this journey w. 13 Sisters - and how comfortable I felt about it!!!

Monday was a holiday - another of the rotating Muslim holidays (end of Haj). They never are sure what the actual date will be till it happens (???). Pretty slow day for me....spent some time reading Omnivore's Dilemna (thanks Jessica)...really interesting but he's pretty down on "conventional" farmers....he doesn't know the ones I know!!! Tuesday we had a visit from Dr. Antonio's assistant...lots of great suggestions for improving our CBR program - my head hurt after that one!!! Wednesday was another whirlwind trip to Kampala w. Sr. J and Sr. Melody....both had a LOT of business to accomplish, but our major task was to take a little girl to the orthopedic hospital and meet there w. the supervisor at 11 a.m. (more about CBR and outreach....it's apparently the buzz word now - esp. sponsoring parent groups to help other parents of disabled children - it's a good idea, but will take some time and work). The little girl's grandfather refused to go with her as a caretaker (as he'd promised) so Sister finally found an aunt who'd go which made us 2 hours late for the meeting (surprised?) but it went O.K. After the hospital we went downtown for various things but Sr. Melody and I got caught in a downpour while shopping for material for costumes! Didas went also (the shoemaking teacher) to check out a little store where Sr. J had taken some shoes for sale - the guy sold them and is very interested in getting more, so that was good news.

Most of the time at PH otherwise is helping where I can w. the program....had supper w. Holly and Shari last nite to plan our Christmas PCV get together in Nkokonjeru. Days are never dull! I'm waiting for the Holiday lull actually.....

Hope you are all well and Christmas plans are progressing. We hear lots about the economic problems in the U.S. (and elsewhere).....our thoughts are with you guys and hope everyone can hang on. Best wishes to all for a wonderul holiday season w. family.

Thanks so much for cards, letters, packages, thoughts and prayers......they mean SO much. I'm really glad I have the London trip (to see the Skluzaceks) December 27 - makes missing Christmas easier. Give every little one a hug for me!!!