January 30, 2010 - less than 2 months to go!!!

I started this and then the computer went off - and w/o saving - fortunately I wasn't too far. You just re-group and move on. I'm getting better at it!!!

Called yesterday to wish Emma a Happy Birthday (she wouldn't talk to me - not a morning person)...but Gail said it was -4!!! It's HOT here - around 90 and very dry and dusty - eyes, throat, etc. all full of dust! UGH. My toe is much better and I finished the antibiotic w/o any stomach problems (yet) - YEA! So there's good and bad (as everywhere).

This will be long - sorry - going from Thursday to Saturday (today) - you can skim. I'm keeping the record mainly for myself. If I didn't have my handy notebook to record every day I'd never remember what I did! I keep a journal too, but that's more personal stuff.

So, onward. Last Thursday I was a the PC office - Got back and Sr. Juliet had sold the big male pig for 250,000 shillings ($125). But she took 50,000 out because one of the noviates had a very sick father who needed medicine (47,000)...I was a tad annoyed since the pigs need food, but what can you do? Next day I got an e-mail from Corky about a $250 donation; I got the 500,000 shillings and gave it to Sister and told her that God had multiplied her good-hearted donation times 10!! She was so happy - and rushed off to say a rosary! And saved her from borrowing from me to send the kids back to the Special Needs School in Kenya (and many other things).

On Friday, Becky and I took two boys, Simon and Edward to the eye clinic at the Jinja Hospital...both are in wheelchairs. We got there at 8:30, and got a good spot in line (and they kept to the numbers they handed out -YEA). Dr. came at 10:30, but that's O.K. Simon had an eye inflamation and Edward needs an exam for possible glasses. No meds in the hospital pharmacy so Becky and I went into town to get them (and shop and have lunch - truck went on to the Kenya school so we had lots of time). We did buy the boys lunch when we got back - more substantial Ugandan fare. Both boys are in wheelchairs and the hospital is not handicapped accessible - quite a job!!! Truck didn't get back till 5:30.

P.S. Becky has a blog that she does daily (when there is power)...www.beckyrainbowinuganda.blogspot.com - if you want a different perspective. She has an individual internet connection on her laptop and is very dilligent about writing and adds a picture a day. Becky is trying mightily to organize the infirmary - she's determined!!! Hopes to repaint it too!

Never thought I'd say it but I'm ready for school to start (of course I''m not teaching). This holiday is too long - 2 months - and all the kids left are so off schedule it's chaos...no one wants to work anymore. Most of the older kids who are leaders are gone, too.

Saturday I washed and cleaned and Sr. Juliet and I finally finished the Hilton Grant Application - lots of little pieces cut and pasted (literally) to the application!!! That's what they said to do in the directions! Crazy! Sister Juliet has been to the Regional Office in Kampala twice to get advice from the Sister in charge of Projects and she asked if there'd ever been another application for Hilton (which is ONLY for Roman Catholic Sisters who work w. the poor) - Sr. Margaret said yes, some years ago, and it was approved, but the money was "lost" - wouldn't elaborate - lost, as in money transfer, taken by another organization - too scary to contemplate!

Sunday was really slow - I'm getting slower and slower. Got called down to PH to sell a pair of shoes, got the milk money from Oketch (kid taking care of the cow); he's really not interested in the cow and production is still down. There's a new man starting next week, thankfully! Cut some grass for the chickens and found out there were two new pigs!!! Sister bought a new male from a departing priest and he sent along a female he's having trouble getting pregnant - guess he thought he could let it live at our piggery till it got pg - not going to happen!!! (although it is now Saturday and the pig is still there eating for free - they keep saying they are "coming" to get her). Have to keep repeating, "it's not my problem...I'm handing it all off" - works for awhile!

Monday was a LONG Kampala day...went in w. Sister Juliet. We stopped in Mukono at the Noah's Ark Orphanage - I wanted to say goodbye to Peter (the man from Holland who runs it); he had boxes of Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes to give us (we could only fit 8 but will get more another time). These are from the U.S. We sat and talked a bit - he's having problems getting any cooperation from the government, Red Cross, UNICEF, etc. despite keeping 120 orphans from all over starting as babies....said he'll just rely on his own donations. It's frustrating, but pretty much par for the course. Maybe those organization work well on catastrophe's like Haiti - I hope so!

Dropped off the computer for repair, went to the Liliane office to pick up a disabled girl (Grace) who is homeless, and then stopped at an organization that works w. displaced refugees. The director had met Sr. J somewhere and now has an older man who came from the Congo years ago and has now had a stroke, and was abandoned by his family. He'll be a handful, but Sr. Juliet said PH would try, if they give some support. Then, found out we had to take the computer elsewhere (virus problem)- traffic is SO bad. After that we went out to Entebbe to give the grant application to Holly's dad who's returning and will mail it in the US so we meet the Feb. 1st deadline, and picked up Becky's good friend, Jen. Jen was here in November when Becky came (she has been in Uganda before and works w. a small charity from the UK) and came back for a week for Becky Birthday (the 26th)!!! It was all a surprise for Becky! She'd texted me 2 weeks ago and we'd been making plans. After a few more stops we got back to Nkoknjeru about 7 and called Becky down for tea...she was really overwhelmed!!!! After that we all went to the farewell party for the Australian Doctor at the hospital - didn't stay long, tho' the music went on till 3 a.m.!

Tuesday was a holiday and a nice slow day. Jen brought me a big box of Marks and Spencer mixed chocolates - heavenly!!! Tuesday nite Becky had planned a dinner party at her apt. for her birthday - really a nice gathering. The Sisters, Nelson, Sula, the Doctor....she'd made a casserole and 2 cakes in Holly's little camp oven!!! (and Jen brought an apple cake). Lots of great food and company.

Wednesday, Jen, Becky and I took the boys back to the Jinja Hospital. Simone's eyes were better after the drops. I took Edward for his eye exam but the person who does them is on leave for a month and (you could guess this)...the key to the cupboard where the equipment is held is with her!!! So we have to come back in a month. Sister sent Juma (a boy in vocational school) home w. us - not sure what the home is like - we just put him on a bus. Great kid - always full of laughs - but also some problem behaviors. I'll miss him and his smile! The three of us muzungus had lunch in town. Then took Simon to his brothers home near Mukono - very nice place. We're hoping that as he gets some basic tools, he can start a small repair "shop" there. Also got to stop for a bit to visit w. Sr. Goretti who's recuperating at a convent near Mukono - she looks good! I miss her a lot.

Dick Murray (Corky's cousin) and his wife Bea, are back in Ethiopia for 3 months and he's coming to visit Uganda Tuesday - I'm excited to show him Nkokonjeru and compare w. his experience in Ethiopia.

Reading Notes from a Small Island (England) by Bill Bryson - hysterical!!! Shariing his thoughts w. Becky and Jen.

Thursday was another marathon day in Kampala - started as a trip to CoRSU for one but people just keep adding on - not sure how they all know the truck is going. It means a later start and lots of stops so we get to the hospital later and have to wait longer, but in Uganda, you can't refuse anyone!!! Dropped Sister J and a dad and girl off at the Blind School in Kisoga to check it out; dropped off 2 Sisters at different spots in Kampala, dropped off a disabled girl trying to get to Soroti for school, stopped again at the Liliane office to drop off Grace, who's coming to PH (we picked her up Monday) but she'd forgotten her school records, etc., then took the boy (and Mubiru who was meeting Sr. Bridget) to CoRSU. The boy's name is Benebwa and he has really bad osteomyletis in his leg. He was on the street and someone brought him to the hospital. Dr. Antonio is treating him, but he had no where to stay (everyone then thinks of PH)...he's a nice kid but really sick right now. He was just there for a review (seen about 1:00) and then we picked up Justine who'd been at the hospital for about a week for review and improved diet - needs protein, but there's precious little in the diet of village people. She is doing very well and her femur is strong enough that Dr. A plans to take off the brace in Feb. We re-scheduled all reviews and pending surgers for Feb. 16 - we'll make that trip efficient (I hope).

On the way back we got the chicken meds, checked on Grace (who was not ready to go and will have to take a matatu), tried to get the computer, but it needs virus protection so we'll have to get that another day (waiting was out of the question - several hours and we were all - esp. those in the back - slowly roasting alive). We stopped at a really bad part of town for Benebwa's little bag of belongings and then in Mukono for Justine's meds before dropping her off WAY back off the road - and back to PH dusty and tired!!!

Becky and Jen had moved her to the apt. next to me. She had to leave her big apt. because a couple is coming for a year and is now my next door neighbor!!! I was listening to Becky and Jen talk in the truck Weds. and think one thing I really miss is the easy conversation of people who have known each other a long time and know each others history and families! It's to be treasured!

Friday was a slow day (thankfully)...it's too hot to move very much. Our banana suckers look parched - may have to water - UGH! Sat in for awhile on a class Cheshire is holding at PH for teachers in the area. It deals w. teaching disabled children, and is the 3rd in a series, but they are teaching them the Braille alphabet!!! Incredibly complex and I left - we have a Braille Bible at PH and I shared w. them Genesis and Exodus. They were amazed at all the little dots so close together and the bulk of the books!!! Sort of an exercise in "hands on" which is what they should be focusing on in teacing slow students!

Holly fell running and scraped her hand badly so I wrang out the last of her laundry and visited, bought "groceries" and retired to read. Went for a walk w. the Australian Dr. and Holly after 6 when it was a bit cooler, but you just drip sweat!!!

Now am in Mukono at the internet cafe and you have mercifully come to the end of the week's "adventures". After Dick's visit I'm on a strict schedule to get all the PC paperwork done and clear out my stuff to leave. Nice thought! It's been a great time, but I'm tired and ready to come home. Miss everyone!!!

Thanks again for everything - hopefully, Gail will have some pictures soon - sent a CD awhile ago and then my camera card w. Holly's dad. See you all soon.

Little Over 2 Months to Go - 1-21-10

It's counting down - know I probably shouldn't count days, but it's hard not to....still lots I want to do!

Today has been "interesting"....can't resist telling the story while it's fresh! Wanted to come to Kampala to finally pick up my new passport (ordered in October!) at the Embassy - came on Monday but the Embassy was closed (but that's another story)...today the first matatu to leave Nkokonjeru was later than usual (no one going anywhere) and we got into bad traffic nearing town. Got to the connecting park and the matatu to Gaba had gone so I waited...and waited. Finally gave in and took a taxi cab after much disagreement on the price. Got to the Embassy and was in line to register and a Ugandan lady budged ahead of me (a national pasttime). I was very adamant that she get behind me...I didn't say it, but thought, "I am an American citizen and this is MY Embassy!". Got inside and they kept asking if I had an appt. I said, "no, I got an e-mail (in Oct.) to just come and pick up my new passport"...well, they've apparently changed their protocol since October and I did need an appointment! I was ready to cry and pull the trump card - "last week I was at lunch across from the Ambassador and chatting w. him" (which I was, at COS)...but they relented and gave me the passport and punched holes in my old one so I could keep it. THink I looked pretty pitiful!

Took the matatu back to the taxi park, then a matatu to near the PC office when a torrential downpour started - got soaked on the way to the office, but it's O.K. Have a problem w. my right big toe - ripped the toenail awhile ago bumping into a rock in the sidewalk and just recently it's been hurting so I had to get antibiotics from the nurses (we'll see how that goes - she said it's a mild one for skin infections - Dicloxacillin for the medical folk - so hope there's no stomach trouble). Blogging now and then will turn in my SPA report (hope it's O.K. since it's all longhand) and return to Nkokonjeru via Mukono PO!

O.K. Back to end of COS (last THursday).On the taxi to Mukono we stopped at a police check and guess there's a new law (or an old law that's seldom enforced) that no live chickens are supposed to be inside the taxi. The police woman confiscated 3 chickens and fined the driver 3,000 shilling - which we guessed was for oil to fry the chickens!!!

Power was out for 5 days while we were gone - back on when we returned tho - YEA! I had to go "grocery shoppping" in town - got a pineapple, a papaya, 2 small eggplants, 4 tomatoes, 3 bananas and a small cabbage - for 3200 shillings - ($1.60). If I stay in the village I'd be rich!!!

We're having a problem with animal feeds, but we need to sell a pig and start selling eggs - they are coming! Becky is doing the ABC class with the little kids and I'm so glad it's her and not me - she's working HARD....even teaching the Hokey Pokey!!!

I'm starting back to "work" slowly. Sister "found" the Hilton Grant application in our Nkokonjeru PO box (the PO here has been resurected)...lots of work to do since it's due in the US on Feb. 1!!!! Our initial proposal made the cut but now the work of completing the application! Where do they get those questions?? Friday Sr. was working weeding the new bananas and said we could do it Sunday - she loves farming - her stress reliever!!!

Reading A Lion Among Men - the 3rd in the Wicked series - I'm really enjoying it but need to re-read Son of a Witch - starting a library list for when I get home.

Chickens are starting to produce and we're going to give a bunch to the kids and then start selling to the bakery - YEA!

Saturday, Becky and I went to Mukono to do errands and had a lovely lunch at the Colline Hotel..so "civilized"!!! Had supper at Shari's - stuffed green peppers - very good! A very nice day!

Sunday was also pretty quiet. Shari was helping me take pictures off my camera cards for a vidoe for COS - we all are supposed to send in 10 pics, but I have very few (on 2 cards) w. me in them!!! Also, we're putting together some prints from the Lira introduction into an album for the bride!

Monday was my first trip this week to Kamapla - if I had had a day like that one even a year ago I'd have cried - now it's just "oh, well, some good came of it". I got on the early taxi - left Nkoko at 6:15, changed taxis and was at the Embassy to pick up my passport by 7:50!!! Amazing! But the Embassy was closed - a Holiday the guard said. I asked "WHAT HOLIDAY, PRESIDENT'S DAY?" He asked around and it was MLK Day - got by us all! Came back into town, looked for some material but didn't find what I wanted, took a matatu up to near the PC office and walked over. It was also closed so I couldn't turn in my SPA grant report, but the volunteer lounge was open and I did e-mail and got my Oct. - Dec Quarterly Report done, got into some good conversations and got four new books to read. Left and got some groceries, prints and bought two solar power lights for Moses and Kinene - they also charge phones which is a problem when people don't have power. We saw them at the Conference - theres a Retired Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV - which we will be soon) who works for the distributor here. Got to Mukono and the PO and had a great package from Anne w. Newsweeks and Messengers - things are really coming late, but I'm thrilled w. a Nov. 2 Newsweek! Saw my letter in the Messenger in print (and many other good ones - well done!). I was so excited about reading the magazines I got on the wrong matatu in Mukono and was going to Katosi instead of Nkokonjeru....fortunately, they both pass through Kisoga, and I looked up from my magazine as we rounded the corner turning away from Nkokonjeru. Yelled at the driver to STOP and had to sheepishly get off and walk back to the center of town and wait for the Nkokonjeru matatu. But it was a good day!

Finiahed LION and started The Curve of the World (from the PC lending library) - dreadful book about a Coke rep on his way to So. Africa when his plane goes down in the jungle in the Congo; a local militia group boards and holds them hostage; he escapes into the jungle (and is surprised that it's so dense and so big???); the other hostages get rescued but he's lost in the jungle. His wife and their son (who's 7 and blind) come to the Congo and go out to a the jungle to find him - in my estimation they are both so clueless they should stay in the jungle!!!

Esoteric questions: I had a problem w. The Lost Symbol - and so the did the PCV who read it after me - does anyone know how Sato got the video she shows Bellamy?

Holly's dad (Fred) and sister (Heather) arrived on Sunday nite and they came out to Nkokonjeru Monday - really seem to be fitting in well!!! They, too, are glad to see all the people in town who take care of us!!!

Tuesday Becky, Moses and Sula took 2 clients to CoRSU (I stayed back to catch up)- one new, a 3 year old bow w. really badly bowed legs and Justine. Marvin (the little boy w. pussing sores) didn't come a 2nd time after several calls so now he's off the list - darn!! Might send Moses out to see why but don't know if it's worth the cost. Without the 2nd course (6 mos) of meds for TB the lst (2 months) round will be wasted! Maybe he got better and they decided it was good enough; or he didn't and they gave up! So frustrating. But, Justine is doing really well - Dr. Antonio is very pleased!!

Wednesday a.m. we had a neat Welcome/Farewell for Holly's family at PH - little kids did several songs and dances - they love performing. I actually got a little teary thinking I won't know what happens to these kids. Then we went out to Kavule - the convent overlooking Lake Victoria - bad roads, but the view is just breathtaking!!

Sister sold the big male pig - YEA - he'd gotten too big to service our three smaller females and was eating a lot; so now there's money to buy more feeds for the remaining pigs. The two big females are pregnant - due in 2 and 3 months - and now we'll have to get a male to breed w. the 3 hybrid ones. I want to find a good one! Fred worked out an agreement w. Sr. Benna to sell eggs as we get them - so the chickens are becoming productive. The cow's production is down, but we got brewer's mash Monday, so we expect that to pick up. Vincent (the regular animal manager) still isn't back and the boy taking care of them is tiring! I'm still hoping he returns - we need him!

Apparently Sr. Goretti is leaving - she'll go to the assignment she was meant to have last year when Sr. Juliet begged the powers that be to let her stay. But, today, Sr. J is picking up a "new" worker for PH. I don't think it's a very choice assignment - too many problems - but they do practice obedience.

Tomorrow Becky and I are taking Edward, the boy who has bad vision and is in a wheelchair, to Jinja to an eye specialist...don't know what can be done, but Sister wants to try.

Hope you all are well - I'm not crazy about professional football, but "GO VIKINGS". How is the winter? Making it through? (like you had a choice) - it's really been hot, dry and dusty here! Take care - and thanks again and again for your support and prayers!!! I'm excited to be going home soon and seeing everyone!

COS Conference - January 14, 2010

This will be a short blog. I've been at the Close of Service Conference since Sunday night and it's been wonderful. The resort - Jinja Nile Resort - is lovely (check the website - you'll be impressed). We overlook the Nile (been doing a lot of that lately)....the rooms are enormous and very comfortable. Showers are HOT and food is great! We have lots of fresh vegetables, even lettuce, and a fabulous dessert table that specializes in chocolate! It will be tough to leave - I don't even feel like I'm in Uganda! I think I've even cleared my pores of the ever present red dust for a few days.

In session, we talk mostly about Readjustment (re-entry), jobs and resumes', interviews etc. It's well done. Guess many returning PCVs have a hard time coming back to America - too much commercial excess, no one really can understand their experiences, all parties have changed and things will never be the same..... It's a bit scary I have to admit. I wonder if I'll miss the chaos of Providence Home - I'm sure I'll miss the people, but we've done this before. I doubt I'll return, but you never know.

It's great to be spending time with all the other PCVs- there are 45 of our 60 left. Some have really done great things. A few are extending in Uganda for a year (hardy souls). Many are traveling for awhile and then going to Graduate School in the fall. Some are hoping to find jobs - a few are starting now, but most plan a month or two (or more) of just relaxing, visiting and soaking in the American life (and adapting to reverse culture shock). I'm rooming w. Sandy, an older volunteer, who is leaving early because her site has really been difficult. I'm SO grateful for Providence Home!!

My departure date is set as March 26 - so should be home March 27 barring airline problems....It's exciting to have an actual date. LOTS to do before then - reports, forms, physical, dental - not the part I'm looking forward to and will have to spend more time in Kampala than I like, but it's short term.

Long session this afternoon - our goods and bads about PC Uganda - now to get out for a bit to the pool before we all go back to site tomorrow.

Again, thanks for all your support, prayers and interest. It makes ALL the difference.

January 10, 2010 - 23 months completed!!!

Right now (Sunday at 7:00) we are all at the Jinja Nile Resort and I'm trying to get my blog done before dinner - have an unbroken streak and don't want to break it now! This is our 3 day Close of Service (COS) Conference. The resort is fabulous and after the trip to and from Lira and the time there it feels like heaven (people at the wedding were great - but more about that later).

Cannot believe I've only been back from Egypt 10 days - great trip, but I did come back w. bed bug bites from the "really nice" hotel - oh, well, could happen anywhere and they didn't come back w. me! I got back to Nkokonjeru around 1 pm on Friday the lst and bathed, organized and went down to PH. Sr. Goretti is back from the hospital (after hysterectomy and appendectomy) and is moving slow, but has her smile back!

I cannot believe how busy this holiday has been - 'course I've taken a few days off, too!!! We are still having rain every day, but afternoons are HOT! (sorry, all of you in U.S. and Europe). While I was gone Mulondo (the boy who always steals food) must have been out of PH stealing and got his hand whacked and his wrist is broken. Becky (the retired nurse from theUK) has been taking really good care of him, and they took him to Lugazi Hospital to get it set (compound fracture) and casted. Nkokonjeru Hospital had no doctor for the holiday and no plaster - Lugazi had no plaster but it's a bigger town and Sister could go buy some; Becky is amazed at health care here. They said that while they were at the hospital there were victims of a car accident brought in; it was decided to send one man to Kampala, but they couldn't locate the ambulance driver - located him finally, but the ambulance was out of fuel; his friends chipped in for fuel and then had to push the ambulance to the petrol station!!!! (the man died)

Saturday, the chickens produced their first egg! Jamil, the disabled boy who has been their primary caretaker, was SO excited...I'll see if I can send pictures from here tomorrow - it's almost time for supper now. I was helping him tie up greens for the chickens and saw it in a corner!! I cut greens for the pigs too - Sister gave a worker 2 piglets in lieu of salary, and we are trying to sell the big male and one female pig so Deb, Liz and Shirley can have their own rooms and then we'll breed them. The cow is doing well - the boy talking care of her is getting used to the job and she seems happier (and more productive).Jamil w. his omlette

Finished the book, Say You're One of Us - sad stories about African children (but pretty believable); now am reading Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol - fun and makes me want to go back to D.C. and see all the symbols!!

Sunday after Mass I met Becky at the hospital were she was trying to bathe one of our elderly residents (male) who's there w. pneumonia....he has no family and had a stroke in Sept. so he came to PH - can't talk or walk and is generally in bad shape. Later in the day, Sister and a truckload of kids went to the funeral for the mother of one of the residents - died of complications of HIV - dad died several years ago. The kids are young and it's really sad. They will be parceled out to relatives.

When we got back we learned that the old man in the hospital, Philip, had died. In the evening, Holly went running, and I went for a walk w. the visiting Australian Doctor (Nylanthe - 32). We talked about health care in Uganda - she feels the doctors are competent, but there seems to be no urgency of care and poor supply of medicines and equipment....makes it hard. She was upset about 2 children who came in recently after an awful house fire - one died and the other was struggling. The one surviving had lots of facial burns and they didn't put a tube down her throat - now she's having trouble breathing because of swelling.

Monday a.m. I typed reports and then we all went to Mass and Phillip's funeral - they buried him at the "potter's field" behind the church. Some people came from the school where he used to work and at lot of the kids came - it really was a lovely service and a beautiful spot. We all feel that he's finally at peace. Becky has been really sick but came to the burial....very simple w. a wood coffin lowered w. ropes.

Tuesday we had quite a few people for CBR; Moses and Kinene are really worried about the program after I leave - I think four years of having a PCV has made them dependent - I think they will be fine. Thanks to you all, I have been able to give some money to the program, but now we're trying to get some money from the local government agencies! Hope it works!

In the afternoon, Becky, Moses and I went out to see Serafina - she's been at her grandmothers for about 2 weeks for a holiday (for everyone). Moses made her set of parallel bars from "locally available materials"(small tree trunks) and we took some pictures....she seemed happy to see us! Just before we left for that trip, one of the other elderly men (John) at PH, fell and bumped his head - left quite a pool of blood. Nice to have Becky around to take care of him! Got him up and he demanded lunch so we figured he was O.K.

Fred (the business manager) has enrolled his oldest, Mark (4), who is one month younger than Riley, in boarding school for the coming term - he's so little, but people here think it's the way to get ahead!!!

Wednesday, we went to the Sister's Profession. It was in Jinja this year because the chapel at Nkokonjeru isn't complete (re-roofing project that started in June). Really a beautiful ceremony. The Sisters have so much fun together. There were 9 professing for the lst time; 7 doing final, perpetual profession, 12 at 25 years and 4 at 50 years! Becky and Holly went, too. It actually started on time, the sermon and speeches were short! It lasted 4 hours, but it was all about the Sisters and was very nice!

Thursday was Epilepsy day and we had 60 people - the usual, but it's busy!! Spent the evening tring to organize the milk money and plan for animal food purchases; don't know how I'd get it done w/o Fred who also had to get chicken medicines today. He went to Kamapla w. Becky and Sula, who were taking Mulonodo to CoRSU, the orthopedic hospital, to re-set his arm since he ripped off his previous cast. He is now scheduled for surgery at CoRSU on Monday.....

On Friday, Holly and I left at 6 a.m. and boarded a matatu to Kampala and took a bus to Lira which is in northern Uganda. Holly, Shari and Michelle are attendants there at n Introduction Ceremony (engagement) of a couple who live in Nkokonjeru but are from that area. They have 6 children (oldest 12) but finally have the money for the Ceremony!!! We got on a bus in Kampala that was supposed to leave for Lira at 9 a.m. but they discovered tire problems at 9 so we left at 11!!! I'm really learning to expect that sort of delay and not let it bother me (much). But, the trip was interesting - very full bus. There was a young man giving us all a gospel message a good share of the way (in the local language and others); a lady got on about an hour out of Lira and sat down right next to me and Holly and she kept moaning and shifting her position...very strange. Later I noticed she was pregnant but it looked small and high (so much for what I know). Just before Lira she squatted on the floor next to her seat and delivered!!! Quite the commotion. There was a nun just ahead of her who took charge (I was worthless)....actually, the baby just dropped out on the bus floor! They then took her to a local hospital....she walked off the bus and into the hospital w. the Sister and another passenger and holding the baby! They are tough up there!!!!

When we got to Lira we met Shari and Michelle - had to stay in town while the bride got her hair done and got to the family compound about 10 miles out at 10:00 - I bathed and went to bed! We were staying in a little mud hut w. a grass roof and sleeping two to a mattress on the floor. Bathing was rinsing w. water from a gerry can!
our hut in Lira

The next morning we met everyone and tried to help where we could.....the Introduction Ceremony was supposed to start at 2:00 but didn't start till 4:00 (to be expected)...the girls had to dress up and walk in w. the bride and her relatives and "search" the crowd for the groom!
Dinner didn't get served till 8 p.m. and they didn't have lights so it was interesting!! People had lots of fun tho' and danced till morning!
Holly, Michelle, and Shari in wedding costume

The Lira area was devestated by the fighting between the government and the Lord's Resistance Army for many years (stopped in 2006 and Kony, the leader of the LRA is now in the Congo), but the area is really poor....people were dressed up much less than in our area of Uganda. It's also VERY hot and dry.... The family seems to be one of the more prominent ones in the area based on the important guests who came, but it still was not as nice as one in central Uganda.

It was a late nite and we got up at 5:30, walked to the road, got a ride from a really nice man into town and got on the bus at 7:30 - got to Jinja around 2:30 and had lunch and waited for the shuttle from PC to take us to the hotel. Waited till 5 and then one of the girls commandered a matatu and we all paid to ride it out to the hotel. Hotel is lovely and after two nites in the grass hut w/o bathing I love it. Washed my traveling clothes in the shower by stomping on them - you really get creative!!!

Hope you are all well and enjoying the new year. I'm looking forward to visiting w. everyone for the next three days.....plus all the pampering!!! Not interested in resumes or job search or graduate school....we'll see what they have for us old folks! Really miss having Maria here but am rooming w. another older PCV, Sandy, who's lots of fun, too.

It's rapidly coming to a close - I can't thank all of you enough for your support, your prayers and your concern. It's been great but I'm definitely ready to come home!!!