Saturday, November 7, 2009

Am at Mukono bright and early Saturday a.m. - the guy opened at 7:15, I got a really good keyboard and it's working well - think this is one of those days where things work. It's been raining a LOT and the road in was pretty rutted, but there were 3 Sisters on the matatu which always makes me feel a lot safer. I told Jean, I feel like Anne of Green Gables - either "in the depths of despair" or "the heights of rapture" - depending on how things are going - I need to level a bit!!!

It's been a busy week at Providence Home - the end of last week I spent some afternoons rounding up kids to go dig/hoe (some were under their beds) - but, then I felt obligated to join them and didn't wear my gloves - BIG blisters!

I had a great weekend w. Beth and the PCVs in the area - nice to see some other projects/living quarters - I still like mine the best! Beth is really fluent in the language (she was PCV in Namibia before here) and I can see where it helps - I should have studied more!

Sunday nite Bert called - said Henry said "let's call Grandma in Africa" - he sang "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" - priceless.

School is going fast - next week is Revision (review) and the following week is Exams. The last week we're saving for practice for the Christmas Program (Nov. 29). Went w. the kids to "pull" beans Monday afternoon - again, after shagging them out of the dorms. Sister went to collect a stack of firewood she saw in our fields - cut illegally from the home's property (happens a lot). She'd been there Saturday and mentioned to our caretaker who lives there, that she would come Monday to take it; he (of course) denied any knowledge of the woodcutting!!! Well, Monday it was GONE!!! Sula followed the footprints and found it hidden in some bushes (and it was a big pile). The watchman stared in wonder!! They went to get it Tuesday a.m. and neighbors told Sister the watchman paid them 10,000 shillings to move it over the weekend!!! But he stays on - and he'll do it again. Sister says having him out there (it's far out) keeps people from stealing the crops (except him!!!).

Holly came back from Rwanda Monday night - they had a great time. Saw the Genocide memorial and even went to a resort on the shores of Lake Kivu - she said Rwanda was very organized and neat - very Euro/African! She lost her apt. key on the trip and Sr. Ambrose had to dig through the hospital's pile of extra keys to find one that opened it - keys are a constant problem here!!!

Had a cockroach in my bed Monday nite - I tried to deny it as he scampered over me looking for a way out - finally got up, turned on the light and sprayed him! UGH!

Having some zuccini and cukes from our garden, but the leaf mold is gaining - it's just been raining so much and think our American seeds can't handle the African climate and diseases!!

Tuesday the Sisters, Nelson, Jasimine and I went to the burial of an 8 year old who was coming to Nelson's Wednesday afternoon physical therapy. He was really crippled and could barely eat....sad case. His sister (11) also has sickle cell and looks bad too - such tragedies! Alex subbed for me in English class - I swear he does better than I do (also can re-explain in Lugandan). Had a great walk w. Holly - she books!!!! I feel much better and sleep better when we walk (and talk).

Wednesday I left at 6:30 to go to Mukono to use the internet - but the internet wasn't working. I tried the other internet cafes but no luck....came back and sat for over 2 hours punching the screen till it came on at 9:45!!! (Fortunately I had a book). Sister J was picking me up at 10 in the truck to go to Kampala, but (also fortunately) she started late (surprise?) and didn't get to Mukono till 11:15 so I got things done. (again the UP and DOWN)

Sr. Goretti and Sr. Juliet had stops in Kampala and Sula and I went to Entebee to the Orthopedic Hospital (CoRSU) to pick up Justine - she was finally going home!!! - after 8 solid months in the hospital w/o even a visit home for her or mom (or visits by the siblings at the hospital)!!! Dr. Antonio (the Italian surgeon) told me that after all that time of having the puss coming from the bone, he was desperate and tested her for TB - and she was positive (after having the regular coughing TB, if it's not treated, it can re-occur in other parts of the body). Her symptoms are not at all textbook for bone TB but one he got her on the anti-TB drugs she improved rapidly - she's walking a bit w. crutches and looks SO much better!!! She has to take the drugs for 8 months and then should be O.K. She was one of the first patients at the hospital when it opened in April and was nearly dead when she got there! She and her mom were SO happy!!! We took them home and it is WAY, WAY back off the road in the forest - and then we had to walk down a path! Their home is mud and small, but it's home. They have some nice coffee trees but mom told Sr. Goretti that they "pre-sold" their crop to cover costs while they were at CoRSU so no income this season. I'm sure they are looking forward to a return to normal life.

We had the Epilipsy Clinic on Thursday - almost 60 people!! Moses is still at his class and Kinene's Uncle died and he couldn't come, so it was a bit confused but we made it thanks to our nurse, Juliet, and Stella (a disabled young woman from PH who recently graduated from the University but hasn't found a job)....great helpers!!!

Finished reading Into Africa by Craig Parker -he is/was a Professor at the U of Minnesota! Did research w. the lions of the Serengeti and the chimps of Gombe in Tanzania. Interesting book. He says there's a "mal d'Africa" - African sickness - and that people who go back to the "boring, temperate world" long for the color, chaos and edginess of Africa!! I'm not so sure! However, as he got older (and enjoyed his creature comforts more) his stays got shorter! Now reading The Spare Room...short book about a woman who takes care of a friend w. terminal cancer..also good!

Sister J and Sr. G and I are working on a small proposal for wheelchairs and tricycles - three wheeled chairs that move w. hand cranks - very sturdy and handy for mobility in the villages! We had visitors from the Church of the Latter Day Saints and they said they may be able to provide some - would be fabulous!!! We'll see....they are made in Jinja, Uganda and are really well made!

Friday I got in one math class - a bit of a struggle - doing money counting and change - some are good, but some have NO clue. Had a long (and late) staff meeting and missed the 2nd Math class. Then, Nelson and I went to Kinene's uncle's funeral - very big crowd. When we arrived they were reading the condolence letters and a guy was still varnishing the coffin!! People bring cloths to wrap the body - some fabric, some barkcloth - and guess there were late arrivals, because they had to take the wrapped body out of the coffin and add about 6 more layers!! Then stuff him back in and proceed to the burial site. People here are buried in family graveyards....after the coffin goes in they fill the hole up w. cement - so wearing rubber boots to the funeral means you are a close male friend or relative and are shoveling cement! The man was 83 and there were lots of older people - they have the most interesting faces - all lines and curves from years of hard, manual labor in the sun!

Hope you are all enjoying the fall - well, guess it's technically winter. All is going well here (today) - we've sold a few more piglets, cow is producing well and the chickens are healthy! What more can I ask for??? Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers. Mailed my school election ballot on Wednesday (I was able to get the copy to mail via e-mail - YEA!)....pretty exciting!

Happy Birthday Kody and Henry.....Best wishes to you all.