Hello to all! Hope you are enjoying 2009...hear it's cold in Minnesota. Very hot, dry and DUSTY here. I was cleaning my apt. Sunday thinking about how the dust just keeps coming back....was wondering if, by next Jan, I won't care and will let it go (Holly says "no, you're too compulsive")....we'll see!! You can wipe up the floor every day and it still looks bad! I've limited myself to 2x/week! Floors are concrete and painted a dark reddish brown so the light red dust really shows.
The week has been good. I'm in the Peace Corps office today using the volunteer computer - pretty fast!!! Yesterday I finally got Sr. Juliet to sit down and go over a Small Project Assistance Grant application I'd started in October for things for the Vocational School....she's been gone, or busy or distracted!!! She liked it and I wanted to bring the rough copy in to PC before I do any more work and see, #1, if it's doable and, #2 how much more work it will take before they submit it. If it doesn't fly that's O.K, but I think it should (am a bit prejudiced).
Last Saturday Sr. Goretti and I took a load of kids to a Thanksgiving Mass out in one of the villages organized by a lady called Mama Deo, who is a tireless worker for the disabled. We had about 18 kids in the back of the red pickup - Sr. G decided to take the really disabled ones...Ambrose, Innocent and Jamil who can't walk, Anastasia who has diabetes, HIV and sickle cell (and is really thin)...the ones who usually don't get to go anywhere - plus just about everyone else. The kids sang all the way there and back...Moses and his wife came along, too. There was a Mass, a large Baptism (15 kids), speeches and lunch.
I wish I was better at describing the day. As much as I read you'd think I could write! It was long, hot and dusty, but great!! There were about 200 villagers - very poor people, but they rented some tents and chairs and had a get together. There were a number of disabled children from the area that they introduced...many who have been helped through PH. The priest's sermon was interesting - he went on a tirade about unmarried parents asking for their child to be baptized. NO sugar on that talk! Lots of speeches, great meal - just so generous coming from such poor people! The kids love to go anywhere in the truck - plus got to eat matoke (steamed, mashed bannana)!!!
There was a time in the past when PH accepted the charge for all the hospital stays for the disabled and paid for transport for many, but we can't do that anymore....racked up huge bills that are still there. So, most will have to make some contribution - maybe next year we won't be so popular. We are finding that many people can pay some and I think it's good for them to make a contribution.
Funny of the week....Sunday Holly sent me a text that there was a cat dying on her lawn..I went over and couldn't even look. It was breathing, but really gone..yuk! Sr. Magwali stopped by (she's a nurse at the hospital) and she discovered that the cat had an enormous tapeworm (some coming out it's butt). Finally, the security guard took it away somewhere! Kids here get de-wormer at school and the local council gives them out free to other children!
Monday's morning coffe discussion at the convent was about a tribe in Northern Uganda that has a tradition of eating their first born. The Sisters say it's true - even if not, the fact they believe it is amazing! You never know what the conversation will be around their table.
Sr. Juliet hired a young lady to do a crash course in sewing with the four 2nd year students - she's really doing a great job. Tuesday we took the kids to Kampala to get material to work on - making jumpers, shirts, shorts and one outfit for themselves. There is one street (alley?) in downtown Kampala where you buy mateial, scissors, bobbins, etc. It's SO crowded and noisy...think the kids were a bit overwhelmed (I was and it's my 2nd time). We did well tho'...got the supplies we needed. They were supposed to pick out 3 Metes each for their outfit but they all choose the same fabric!! They have so little experience making decisions - all are made for them. I am still using money donated by Maria's family for the vocational program....nice to have for "special" events! We also got some new sewing scissors, bobbins, needles, pins, etc....I painted numbers on everything numbered now and they are each responsible so that "their" things don't get "lost" or stolen!
Nelson has stated his Wednesday Cerebral Palssy exercise class...has about 10 small children and parents who will come every week for exercies. It's a neat project sponsored by the agency that pays him....the parents seemed very motivated. Sister J took them around PH and after the parents saw some of the residents they said to her that their kids didn't seem so bad!!!
Ended Weds. w. Mass in the chapel and dinner at Holly's. As I was looking around at the little group in the chapel I was struck by how much I have learned to like these kids....their stories, disabilities, smiles, and how much fun they are. It's really not much of a hardship to be here! I do miss everyone, but it's a neat expereience!
Hope you are all well and surviving the cold. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers.
I'm excited to see Corky in February....wonder how he will "see" Nkokojeru and PH?
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