Workshops and Visits and Food, Oh my!

Imagine your life flashing before your eyes... That is what it is like everyday when we are in the vans. Our very skilled and daring drivers somehow manage to maneuver their way through the busy streets. It's something like driving down a one lane road (such as Rangeline) with 3 vans driving next to each other one direction, while another van is heading straight toward you, and at least 3 motorcycles weaving in and out... at a very high speed, and pot holes that have been said to have pot holes inside of the pot holes. Not only do they get us to our destinations safely, they also entertain us along the way, by pointing out things like a "hardware store" which was actually just a man on a bike with weird things for sale.  Moses (one of our drivers) cracked up laughing for quite a while at his own joke. Very funny!

Deb, Sandra, Sue, and Alex visited 3 jja jjas (grandmothers) in the morning to deliver food and talk about life. The first jja jja visited, Christine, met with us outside of her house under a gorgeous tree. She was very grateful for us and our gift of food. She asked us to pray for her many physical ailments.

Our second jja jja visited, we are pretty sure she said Margerine, but we are also pretty sure that's not her actual name... Margerine was wondering where she would find her next meal because she did not have money to buy food. Our gift of sugar was especially pleasing to her, so that she could add it to her tea. She also is suffering from many physical ailments as well as a lack of job or source of income. We prayed with her and are also planning to provide money for rent and materials to make mats that she can sell as a source of income. We also are trying to get her glasses to help her see when making the mats.

Our last visit was too far away to walk, so the public bus was arranged as our transportation. The four of us, plus our translator, were crammed into a bus holding roughly 18 sweaty people in a van that should probably only hold 12. Maria, the jja jja, lives in a dank home due to rain but insisted on inviting us in. She was so grateful to have us there and was simply amazed that we came all the way from the US. Upon receiving her bag of food, she immediately opened the loaf of bread, eating and singing a song of praise simultaneously. After praying for her health and new home (in the process of having one built for her, like the jja jja houses we have sent money for and also helped build), she wanted to accompany us to the bus stop despite the pain her hunched back and crippled feet would cause her. She said, "You traveled all this way, so I can travel this short way with you."

The trip back to Kasubi was on boda bodas, which are motorcycles with a padded seat on the back for one, two, maybe even three people. We held on for dear life as we were weaved through traffic. It was one exhilerating ride and definitely a memorable experience.

Denise worked in the Children of Promise office in the morning and then went on some additional jja jja visits after lunch.

MMmmmm. Lunch. The food has been so delicious. Lots of fresh fruit, pineapple, papaya, mango, pineapple, apples, and did I mention pineapple? YUM. (A phrase I said loudly at lunch and then quickly regretted once realizing how horribly American I must have just sounded.) For lunch we also enjoyed rice, crazy good chicken, potatoes, cabbage, squash of some sort, and something that looked like a thick tortilla... oh and an avacado that Laura keeps trying to leave out (but ate, as her mom would have wanted).

Laura and Sharon led a workshop for educators. It was very exciting to watch the adults join into group games. We juggled about 5 balls across a large circle, sharing much laughter. One of our balls was actually a skirt tied up - we are trying to encourage "out of the box" thinking. There is a definite lack of materials and we want to inspire creative thinking and problem solving for these amazing and intelligent educators. The education system here is set up as a lecture/rote memorization style of learning. We are stretching everyone's comfort zone as we encourage these hands on activities. The group discussion and collaboration the head masters shared was irreplaceable and inspiring.  There have been some minor issues with the language barrier, but I for one am learning to let the workshop go where it may instead of guaging "success" on my own desires for the workshop.

Carma, Kelsey, and Chelsea led a worship workshop. They had anticipated a workshop geared toward children, but were surprised by a much wider age range. They quickly regrouped and went with the flow. We can't share in as much detail since neither of us took part, but word on the street is that the workshop was a crazy good time. Carma said it was almost like being in a Zumba class as the students have become the teachers of dance... African dance :) Everyone reported having so much fun!

Shelby and Marvin are leading an IT/computer workshop. The experience was very rich for our leaders and they reported having felt that they were able to make a difference. They came prepared to share much needed information that could not have been generated solely here in Uganda.

ARE YOU STILL WITH US???


Good, give yourself a high five. We have reached what you really want to hear about... the update on our luggage. We received an addtional 4 bags. : \  Word has in fact been given that our luggage will arrive tomorrow!!!! Except maybe Alex, those have yet to be discovered. We are expecting to be blown away with excitement when we come back tomorrow to find ALL bags, including the mysterious bags of Alexandra C. Hammel. Hopefully they didn't get put on bus #436...

Good night and good day (cuz you all are probably all still at work while we should be sleeping)

Alex and Laura
YBCof-2012-UPPT
(Your Blogging Correspondents of the 2012 Uganda PP Team)