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1. With Betty and Batwali at the House of Kindness Rescue Unit, Bunafu
2.Handwritten land transfer deal with signatures and thumb prints
3. Jill signing document.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
More about Bunafu
… continuation:
The TMU facilitator, Anthony, or Batwali, who, with his wife Betty is responsible for all the orphans in the area, made what seemed a comprehensive and articulate summary of the proposed deal. He spoke in Lusoga, however, so Peter translated for Camille and me ‘sotto voce’. Once the terms were agreed upon in theory, a statement was laboriously worked out and hand-written by one of the elders, with ancient carbon sheets between each of 3 pages, and with much advice offered by interested parties. Then the statement was taken around to each of the persons involved, for the signature of those who could write their names, and for the right thumb-print of those who could not. I found it interesting that some of the elderly grandmothers and grandfathers could write their name while their granddaughters could not ~ so much for free universal primary education in Uganda.
Peter and Camille had to sign on behalf of Teen Missions ~ then, to my great surprise, the statement was passed to me to write my name and then sign it, which I dutifully did. So, I am now an official witness to a land transfer in the bush village of Bunafu, Uganda! Life never ceases to amaze me with its unpredictability! I love it!!
Following the signing, and a fair bit more sitting around, a feast was provided to celebrate the occasion. It had been prepared by Betty, Batwali’s wife, who had taken no part in the official proceedings. The meal consisted of rice, potato, matoke (cooked banana, not sweet), rather bitter greens, peanut sauce and yummy cooked chicken that was not so athletic that you could neither chew nor swallow it, as happened 2 years ago in Bugoi. It was an unusually elaborate meal and the parts of it I ate were tasty. Since it was now 3pm and we hadn’t eaten since 7am it was fully appreciated. I’ve become fairly used to eating whenever meals happen, and also to eating meals such as the above, though the meat is unusual.
Before we left it became apparent that there was an expectation of financial remuneration for the officials and the family. So a lengthy discussion ensued as to who needed to be paid, how much and how to make the payment. We eventually left around 4pm ~ a fairly full day.
In the evening we went to Jinja to the internet café where I sent off the first part of this story to you, and Camille desperately tried to get in contact with TMI. Then back to Nakabango to wash off all the red dust in a shower that is either scalding hot or cold, then to dry my hair standing on one leg as I used the toes on the other foot to keep the plug of the hairdryer in the wall.
This morning Camille had a staff meeting, so I painted the outside of the two large metal security gates that form the entrance to the TMU compound. The colour was a charming battleship gray ~ now there’s a “designer colour” if ever I’ve seen one! The gates are solid metal and are deeply pitted with kazillions of tiny to sizeable holes, so it took some work to fill them all in with paint. Christian Ed would have been proud of me! I got a bit of help from Peter’s 4-year-old daughter, who painted happily for an hour or so with a feather she’d found!
In the afternoon I walked down to the Forrest Newland Rescue Unit, down the hill from the base. There some of the women that make the banana-stem pictures I sell when Jack and I make presentations etc. were working on various projects. It was so nice to finally meet them, after selling their work for some time (I then send the proceeds back to them to help them pay the school fees for their High School children). They were friendly, and most of them spoke some English. I photographed them working, so that will make a nice display.
Tonight Camille and I made some dish bags for some of the girls who are living in the dorm at Bunalwenyi which we’ll be visiting tomorrow.
Well, I’m being dive-bombed by a large black insect, so I think I’ll stop, snuggle under my mosquito net, which would not be much of a challenge for any mosquito with normal intelligence to penetrate, but which does protect me from showers of tiny insects falling on me from the light above….and turn off the light.
God bless you all,
Ja Ja Jello (the latest version of my name. Ja Ja means grandmother.)
The TMU facilitator, Anthony, or Batwali, who, with his wife Betty is responsible for all the orphans in the area, made what seemed a comprehensive and articulate summary of the proposed deal. He spoke in Lusoga, however, so Peter translated for Camille and me ‘sotto voce’. Once the terms were agreed upon in theory, a statement was laboriously worked out and hand-written by one of the elders, with ancient carbon sheets between each of 3 pages, and with much advice offered by interested parties. Then the statement was taken around to each of the persons involved, for the signature of those who could write their names, and for the right thumb-print of those who could not. I found it interesting that some of the elderly grandmothers and grandfathers could write their name while their granddaughters could not ~ so much for free universal primary education in Uganda.
Peter and Camille had to sign on behalf of Teen Missions ~ then, to my great surprise, the statement was passed to me to write my name and then sign it, which I dutifully did. So, I am now an official witness to a land transfer in the bush village of Bunafu, Uganda! Life never ceases to amaze me with its unpredictability! I love it!!
Following the signing, and a fair bit more sitting around, a feast was provided to celebrate the occasion. It had been prepared by Betty, Batwali’s wife, who had taken no part in the official proceedings. The meal consisted of rice, potato, matoke (cooked banana, not sweet), rather bitter greens, peanut sauce and yummy cooked chicken that was not so athletic that you could neither chew nor swallow it, as happened 2 years ago in Bugoi. It was an unusually elaborate meal and the parts of it I ate were tasty. Since it was now 3pm and we hadn’t eaten since 7am it was fully appreciated. I’ve become fairly used to eating whenever meals happen, and also to eating meals such as the above, though the meat is unusual.
Before we left it became apparent that there was an expectation of financial remuneration for the officials and the family. So a lengthy discussion ensued as to who needed to be paid, how much and how to make the payment. We eventually left around 4pm ~ a fairly full day.
In the evening we went to Jinja to the internet café where I sent off the first part of this story to you, and Camille desperately tried to get in contact with TMI. Then back to Nakabango to wash off all the red dust in a shower that is either scalding hot or cold, then to dry my hair standing on one leg as I used the toes on the other foot to keep the plug of the hairdryer in the wall.
This morning Camille had a staff meeting, so I painted the outside of the two large metal security gates that form the entrance to the TMU compound. The colour was a charming battleship gray ~ now there’s a “designer colour” if ever I’ve seen one! The gates are solid metal and are deeply pitted with kazillions of tiny to sizeable holes, so it took some work to fill them all in with paint. Christian Ed would have been proud of me! I got a bit of help from Peter’s 4-year-old daughter, who painted happily for an hour or so with a feather she’d found!
In the afternoon I walked down to the Forrest Newland Rescue Unit, down the hill from the base. There some of the women that make the banana-stem pictures I sell when Jack and I make presentations etc. were working on various projects. It was so nice to finally meet them, after selling their work for some time (I then send the proceeds back to them to help them pay the school fees for their High School children). They were friendly, and most of them spoke some English. I photographed them working, so that will make a nice display.
Tonight Camille and I made some dish bags for some of the girls who are living in the dorm at Bunalwenyi which we’ll be visiting tomorrow.
Well, I’m being dive-bombed by a large black insect, so I think I’ll stop, snuggle under my mosquito net, which would not be much of a challenge for any mosquito with normal intelligence to penetrate, but which does protect me from showers of tiny insects falling on me from the light above….and turn off the light.
God bless you all,
Ja Ja Jello (the latest version of my name. Ja Ja means grandmother.)
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Official witness to a land transfer deal in a bush village!!
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Hello dear family and friends,
I sadly left Amani yesterday ~ I had grown close to many of the babies, toddlers, volunteers, Mamas and staff. I had hoped to slip discreetly away, but Camille arrived as everyone who was available was having their weekly Bible Study on the lawn under the tree just by the driveway, so I was waved off by practically everyone! It was nice to be told by many that I would be missed and that they regretted that I had to leave.
Today I had a most unusual day.
A significant tract of land was to be formally donated to an AOSC Rescue Unit in a small bush village called Bonafu. Camille arranged for the meeting to start at 10 am ~ so we left at 9 am for the 2 hour trip there... this is Africa, remember. En route we went by the thatched hut of the elderly man and his wife who were making the donation to "pick them" and take them with us. They knew we were coming, but were still asleep when we arrived!
We arrived at 11 am after a wonderful, bouncy jaunt through the backwoods of Uganda, with so many sights and scenes to fascinate the eye. One day I'd like to drive through such areas in a rented car so that I could stop and take all the photos I'd like to (be warned, Jack!) instead of trying to take photos through a side window and at a random angle!
Of course, no one else had arrived for the meeting yet, so we were shown around the RU, and also around the substantial acreage that was being donated. I also visited the latrine ~ a "long drop" with a square hole in the concrete floor that was abuzz with flies ~ maybe you could say that desperation is the mother of bravery?
Gradually people started to arrive in individuals and small groups. It seems that many people in the clan had come to see what was going on and to have their say. At 2 pm(!) the meeting finally started. Camille and I and all the men sat on chairs. All the women, despite the age of some of them, and a couple of babies, sat on grass mats on the earth floor.
A presentation was made to explain what this was all about, questions were asked and answered, a new person showed up, so it was all explained again, the neighbours on either side of the plot of land had to be consulted, the area land manager made some comments (this was all done in Lusoga, but Camille's co-worker, Peter Nkutu, translated quietly for Camille and me), and finally an agreement was made to everyone's satisfaction.
(... to be continued. I'm at an internet cafe, and hope to get back tomorrow since there is no internet at TMU.)
FYI: I'll be leaving for Entebbe for a few days on Sunday, then flying to the Uk on Wed. Mar. 4th, and to Mtl. on Mar. 8th.... but I'll be talking to you again before then.
I love you all,
Jill
Photos:
Jill with favourite baby-friend, Isaac, aged 14 mths.
Fun on a boda-boda!
Friday, February 20, 2009
Babies, boda-bodas and the Bujagali Falls
Thurs. Feb. 19th 09
Hello everyone at last! We have had no internet connection at Amani for the past 2 days or so, but it has finally been re-connected.
Today I walked into Jinja to The Source café to use their internet. It took me 1 ½ hours to send one short e-mail to Jack to let him know I was still alive!! I have bought lots of exceptionally lovely batiks at The Source gift shop for re-sale, so come and see me after I return!
I’m coming to enjoy tootling around town on the back of a boda-boda (usually a motorbike, but it can be a bicycle). No helmet or anything fancy like that! Before getting on you have to negotiate the price. Another dilemma: the ride into town is SO CHEAP! 500 U. shillings or ~ 30c! So I personally don’t bargain too hard, because these people have to live, and want to send their children to school…. But I don’t tell the other volunteers!!
I want to tell you about the babies I work with.
In the morning I am usually in Baby Rm. A ~ the littlest ones. Here we have Helene and Michael, both preemies and very tiny for their ages of 5 and 6 months. Then we have Josephine who is a large bouncy baby of 7 months, Gift, a very agile little girl of 8 months who is close to walking, but too young to be moved up, Bonafamu, a little fellow with a ready smile of 14 months, Maria, a beautiful girl of 15 months who is interested in talking, but less in walking, and Debra who is 18 months, but has special needs, so she has not moved up to the ‘crawlers’ in Rm. B.
This week we had a new arrival ~ Baby M. is 6 to 7 months, but weighs only 9 lbs., and is very cute and cuddly. His Mum died of AIDS and he had been looked after by his two older sisters of around 8 and 12. \he has a large patch of ringworm on his head for which he is being treated. He has no sucking reflex, so has been fed by cup ~ probably a mixture of maize porridge with maybe some lentils, beans or peanut sauce…and maybe not. He is a hungry little boy and drinks down his milk with enthusiasm. He doesn’t like to be in his crib, however, and it seems that he was probably held by his sister much of the time. He may or may not be HIV positive… only time will tell when he has a later test. His father approached the Mama who had taken two of the Amani children for their check-up at the HIV clinic with a couple of volunteers, to ask if Amani would take him to look after. This means that perhaps he will go home eventually. Question: is it better for him to live in an institution, even a pretty good one, or with his family in abject poverty?
Interestingly most of the children at Amani are in the above situation, and apparently only about 12 children are actually currently available for adoption. Two American families arrived this week to collect their children for adoption. One family came with their 4 children, to adopt a 4-year-old boy who they have been trying to adopt for a couple of years. They have been hampered by an error in the paperwork in Uganda, so the only way they could finally adopt him was to move here and live here for 3 years which is what they are doing!! F., the little boy who has been waiting so long, was thrilled to finally have his own family. The other family has visited their adoptive son here at Amani a couple of times before, but this time the paperwork is done (almost) and the Dad and the Dad’s Mum have come to take him home. Little M. , 18 mths., is clearly already attaching to his new Dad, as is the Dad to him ~ it is very touching to see.
I was thinking about what I could tell you about my “ministry” here, and decided that it is best described as a continuous series of very small ministries ~ a warm hug or a ‘lap for a nap’ for a withdrawn or sad baby, wiping lotsa noses (they all get a cold at the same time) putting Maria and Bonafamu in a bouncer so they can get exercise for their legs, feeding lots bottles to babies and having a little chat, taking time to elicit a smile and conversation from them, putting Michael and Helene in a double stroller and taking them for a walk to get fresh air, down to the gate and back... and back, helping Gift practice learning to stand on her own, playing peek-a-boo and other little games… and so on.
None of it is riveting stuff, but these babies are so needy, and the Ugandan Mamas focus mostly on keeping them clean, fed and quiet, so the volunteers play an important role in giving these precious little ones the individual attention, loving physical contact and play time that they desperately need.
In the afternoon, almost all the 47 children go outside into the garden to play. A couple of woven straw mats are put out for the little ones, and the afternoon passes mostly with being crawled to and over by several babies or young children at a time, who frequently compete vociferously to take a nap on you for a while. It can actually get quite exhausting, though they are all so sweet, and so much in need of what we can offer. I am pretty pooped by 6:30 or 7pm when I finish, having started at 8am, but with a break from 1 to 4 pm.
Last weekend our friends John and Bridget, with whom I had stayed at Entebbe after my arrival, came down to Jinja for the weekend. They kindly took me out to dinner at “Gately’s” , a nice hotel/restaurant across the road from Amani. It was nice to be civilized and eat tasty food in a pleasant environment. On the Saturday we drove about ½ hour north of Jinja along a bumpy red dirt road to Bujagali Falls. We were delighted that our missionary friend Camille Hadlock was able to join us.
We had lunch at The Black Lantern that overlooks the start of the Falls from high above ~ a most attractive setting. The Falls are actually more like a series of serious cataracts than a vertical falls, and which are used by intrepid rafters and kayakers for expensive thrills as they whoosh over Category 6 rapids. We took a boat ride near the bottom of the Falls to admire different sections of the rapids from various angles ~ including standing on a small island in the middle of one section of the Falls with our toes right next to the water rushing furiously by. No Canadian-style guard rail or warnings. The Ugandans seem to reckon that if you are stupid enough to fall in, you probably deserve it!!
So, dear friends, my time at Amani is drawing to a close. Camille is coming to “pick me” next Tues. 24th, and we will either go back to the Teen Missions base at Nakabango (NB Liz and Mary: hopefully after a stop at the market to buy fabric and dresses), or we may drive to Kampala and visit Send-a-Cow to see what they might be able to offer the Rescue Units, but then returning to Nakabango that evening until the weekend some time. I am thinking of trying to spend the day at the Watoto Babies’ Home, called Bulrushes, one day before I fly to the UK and spend 4 days there with my sister and my Mum…. and then at last ~ home!!
Hope there will be a bit of Spring weather by then…. I definitely won’t be ready for winter again.
God bless you all,
Your affectionate friend,
Jill ..... wait!
I have some more news.... I have a new name!!
The Ugandan Mamas, many of whom I have become good friends with, find it very hard to pronounce "Jill", so they now call me....
*****"Auntie Jello"!!!!!******
(Sadly, this is actually rather too appropriate for certain portions of my anatomy!)
PS I'll post photos tomorrow. Gotta go and take a shower while it is free and the water is still running. The shower in my room hasn't yet worked...
Hello everyone at last! We have had no internet connection at Amani for the past 2 days or so, but it has finally been re-connected.
Today I walked into Jinja to The Source café to use their internet. It took me 1 ½ hours to send one short e-mail to Jack to let him know I was still alive!! I have bought lots of exceptionally lovely batiks at The Source gift shop for re-sale, so come and see me after I return!
I’m coming to enjoy tootling around town on the back of a boda-boda (usually a motorbike, but it can be a bicycle). No helmet or anything fancy like that! Before getting on you have to negotiate the price. Another dilemma: the ride into town is SO CHEAP! 500 U. shillings or ~ 30c! So I personally don’t bargain too hard, because these people have to live, and want to send their children to school…. But I don’t tell the other volunteers!!
I want to tell you about the babies I work with.
In the morning I am usually in Baby Rm. A ~ the littlest ones. Here we have Helene and Michael, both preemies and very tiny for their ages of 5 and 6 months. Then we have Josephine who is a large bouncy baby of 7 months, Gift, a very agile little girl of 8 months who is close to walking, but too young to be moved up, Bonafamu, a little fellow with a ready smile of 14 months, Maria, a beautiful girl of 15 months who is interested in talking, but less in walking, and Debra who is 18 months, but has special needs, so she has not moved up to the ‘crawlers’ in Rm. B.
This week we had a new arrival ~ Baby M. is 6 to 7 months, but weighs only 9 lbs., and is very cute and cuddly. His Mum died of AIDS and he had been looked after by his two older sisters of around 8 and 12. \he has a large patch of ringworm on his head for which he is being treated. He has no sucking reflex, so has been fed by cup ~ probably a mixture of maize porridge with maybe some lentils, beans or peanut sauce…and maybe not. He is a hungry little boy and drinks down his milk with enthusiasm. He doesn’t like to be in his crib, however, and it seems that he was probably held by his sister much of the time. He may or may not be HIV positive… only time will tell when he has a later test. His father approached the Mama who had taken two of the Amani children for their check-up at the HIV clinic with a couple of volunteers, to ask if Amani would take him to look after. This means that perhaps he will go home eventually. Question: is it better for him to live in an institution, even a pretty good one, or with his family in abject poverty?
Interestingly most of the children at Amani are in the above situation, and apparently only about 12 children are actually currently available for adoption. Two American families arrived this week to collect their children for adoption. One family came with their 4 children, to adopt a 4-year-old boy who they have been trying to adopt for a couple of years. They have been hampered by an error in the paperwork in Uganda, so the only way they could finally adopt him was to move here and live here for 3 years which is what they are doing!! F., the little boy who has been waiting so long, was thrilled to finally have his own family. The other family has visited their adoptive son here at Amani a couple of times before, but this time the paperwork is done (almost) and the Dad and the Dad’s Mum have come to take him home. Little M. , 18 mths., is clearly already attaching to his new Dad, as is the Dad to him ~ it is very touching to see.
I was thinking about what I could tell you about my “ministry” here, and decided that it is best described as a continuous series of very small ministries ~ a warm hug or a ‘lap for a nap’ for a withdrawn or sad baby, wiping lotsa noses (they all get a cold at the same time) putting Maria and Bonafamu in a bouncer so they can get exercise for their legs, feeding lots bottles to babies and having a little chat, taking time to elicit a smile and conversation from them, putting Michael and Helene in a double stroller and taking them for a walk to get fresh air, down to the gate and back... and back, helping Gift practice learning to stand on her own, playing peek-a-boo and other little games… and so on.
None of it is riveting stuff, but these babies are so needy, and the Ugandan Mamas focus mostly on keeping them clean, fed and quiet, so the volunteers play an important role in giving these precious little ones the individual attention, loving physical contact and play time that they desperately need.
In the afternoon, almost all the 47 children go outside into the garden to play. A couple of woven straw mats are put out for the little ones, and the afternoon passes mostly with being crawled to and over by several babies or young children at a time, who frequently compete vociferously to take a nap on you for a while. It can actually get quite exhausting, though they are all so sweet, and so much in need of what we can offer. I am pretty pooped by 6:30 or 7pm when I finish, having started at 8am, but with a break from 1 to 4 pm.
Last weekend our friends John and Bridget, with whom I had stayed at Entebbe after my arrival, came down to Jinja for the weekend. They kindly took me out to dinner at “Gately’s” , a nice hotel/restaurant across the road from Amani. It was nice to be civilized and eat tasty food in a pleasant environment. On the Saturday we drove about ½ hour north of Jinja along a bumpy red dirt road to Bujagali Falls. We were delighted that our missionary friend Camille Hadlock was able to join us.
We had lunch at The Black Lantern that overlooks the start of the Falls from high above ~ a most attractive setting. The Falls are actually more like a series of serious cataracts than a vertical falls, and which are used by intrepid rafters and kayakers for expensive thrills as they whoosh over Category 6 rapids. We took a boat ride near the bottom of the Falls to admire different sections of the rapids from various angles ~ including standing on a small island in the middle of one section of the Falls with our toes right next to the water rushing furiously by. No Canadian-style guard rail or warnings. The Ugandans seem to reckon that if you are stupid enough to fall in, you probably deserve it!!
So, dear friends, my time at Amani is drawing to a close. Camille is coming to “pick me” next Tues. 24th, and we will either go back to the Teen Missions base at Nakabango (NB Liz and Mary: hopefully after a stop at the market to buy fabric and dresses), or we may drive to Kampala and visit Send-a-Cow to see what they might be able to offer the Rescue Units, but then returning to Nakabango that evening until the weekend some time. I am thinking of trying to spend the day at the Watoto Babies’ Home, called Bulrushes, one day before I fly to the UK and spend 4 days there with my sister and my Mum…. and then at last ~ home!!
Hope there will be a bit of Spring weather by then…. I definitely won’t be ready for winter again.
God bless you all,
Your affectionate friend,
Jill ..... wait!
I have some more news.... I have a new name!!
The Ugandan Mamas, many of whom I have become good friends with, find it very hard to pronounce "Jill", so they now call me....
*****"Auntie Jello"!!!!!******
(Sadly, this is actually rather too appropriate for certain portions of my anatomy!)
PS I'll post photos tomorrow. Gotta go and take a shower while it is free and the water is still running. The shower in my room hasn't yet worked...
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Boat ride, Bible Study & Nanaimo bars!
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Hello dear friends and family,
I'm into my second week at Amani now...... time flies when you have lots of babies to feed, cuddle and play with, and nappies to change!!
Last Saturday we took some of the 3- and 4-year-olds on a boat trip on the Nile. Since there are 8 volunteers currently, we could take 8 children, though actually we took 9 because one sort of sneaked in to the group waiting to leave and we didn't have the heart to say she couldn't come. The children were over-the-moon excited. They go on outings on rotation, so each one doesn't actually leave the Amani compound very often. My buddy was Francis, aged 4, whose adoptive family are actually arriving from the States tomorrow.
We packed into the Amani mini-van and drove to the Speake obelisk at the source of the Nile ~ where the Nile leaves Lake Victoria on its 6,000 km (?) journey north through Sudan and the Sahara to the Mediterranean. John Manning Speke finally identified the "true" source of the Nile as being this very spot in 1862, because a substantial spring used to flow from this spot. This supposedly ended the centuries-long debate, however, Uganda's claim to the source of the Nile is still hotly debated by other countries further upstream.
The boat was just big enough to accomodate our group, and was close to the water. The kids loved it! We went out into the river and wandered along the shoreline and around some small islands, including one that has a huge square block of cement that apparently sealed the spring when they made a dam. We saw lots of birds, including a malachite kingfisher resplendant in orangy-buff in front and iridescent turquoise behind. We also saw a water monitor (lizard that can grow up to about 6 ft.), and, most exciting of all, a troup of velvet monkeys in the trees ~ at least that is what one person called them. My book refers to them as Vervet monkeys! We spent about 1 1/2 hours on the boat and found it a most enjoyable time for all. Francis liked watching the two fishermen in the long narrow boat thrown their net out into the water and pull it in again.
As some of you know, I led the weekly Bible Study for the volunteers and Mamas today. I am so grateful to all of those who were upholding me during the preparation and the presentation. I talked about God's love for us, and through us to others. I wanted to sing 'Jesus Loves Me' (the African version that has lots of hand-clapping) in Luganda ~ their local language. So, earlier in the day. I approached several Mamas to ask how to say it, and they all told me something different! I told them that that was too confusing, and please would they come up with a consensus.... which they did, and we all enjoyed singing it aat the B. Study. Siouxanne told me that she really liked what I had to say, and apparently the Mamas told her (and me) that they appreciated it too... so all praise to God!
On the surface, Uganda is a delightful country, but not far below the surface there is a lot of evil stuff going on ~ witchcraft is pervasive, endless duplicity and fraud, as well as many illnesses and deaths, not only from HIV, and not only Ugandans. I cannot walk safely outside the gate of the Amani compound at night. But I don't, so don't worry! So I feel that it is important to take the opportunity to teach when possible.
Tonight I went over to Siouxanne's house, which is a 10-min. stroll from Amani. S. is both the Amani nurse, and also the volunteer co-ordinator...so a busy lady. Being of "a certain age" as I am, we gravitate towards each other, amongst all the early-twenties.... who are nevertheless mostly very nice. Knowing I was coming from Canada, she e-mailed me to ask me if I could make Nanaimo bars (other end of the country, but O well!). I told her no, but that if she'd tell me what she couldn't get in Jinja, I'd bring it with me. So I did, and tonight we made them. The only bummer for me is that I seem to be as sensitive to chocolate as to coffee in terms of being able to sleep after ingesting them, so I'll have to wait until breakfast!
Several people have said that thy have been unable to add a comment to the blog.If you have something you'd like to say, you can always e-mail me at jjstafiej@gmail.com.
Much love to all, and I am praying for you all at St. Stephen's,
Jill
Photos:
~ Francis and me waiting to leave for the boat trip
~ Snowy egrets on water hyacinth islands on the Nile
~ looking at the 'velvet' monkeys
~ singing 'Yesu njagala' ~ Jesus loves me
~ singing 'Yesu njagala' ~ Jesus loves me
~ Chief Mama Lois reading People magazine to Gift
~ Bonafamu ~ a cheerful little lad who loves balls and cars
~ Shop sign in Jinja
~ suppertime for Baby Room C ~ babies who are able to walk.
Supper is rice and beans, eaten Ugandan style with the hands
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Some photos from Amani!
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Dear everyone,
Here are some photos of Amani. I haven't yet managed to get them to stay in sequence, but I'm sure that you can figure out which title belongs to which pic!
This morning all the volunteers scrubbed the toddler bedroom furniture ~ with toothbrushes!! ...to get between the cracks. Dislodged several cockroaches and lotsa spiders ~ my favourite passtime so far... NOT!! Never know what you're going to do on a missions trip!
1. One of my favourite little girls ~ Gift, aged 1 year
2. The pelican tree
3. Amani Baby Cottage ~ the house
4. Matthias and Francis with preemies Michael and Helen.
Some of the children are namen fter volunteers, or are named by volunteers, if they arrive with no name.
5. Mama Lucy with Debra. There are quite a few special needs kids here. I work with Mama Lucy most of the time. She is delightful and loves gospel music!
Blessings,
Jill
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Early days at Amani
Hello dear family and friends,
I've had 3 days at Amani now, and am just beginning to settle in and feel that I have the start of a grasp on how things happen here.
The Amani Baby Cottage is a large, two-story building of the Colonial era, located on a large plot of land with grassy lawns around it (the whole lawn is cut by whippy-snipper, then raked!), tall shade-trees with white pelicans and maribou storks in them and flowering bushes with brilliantly coloured sun-birds... it's all pretty lush and attractive. The building is old and not in great repair, but they have done a lot of work on it, and are hoping to have enough money soon to be able to purchase it.
I believe that 63 children have passed through Amani since it first started in 2003, and that they currently have 47 children, from two tiny preemies of 5 and 6 months to 5 years old. I have been assigned to Baby Room A for most of the time ~ the littlest ones who have not started crawling yet. The Ugandan Mama in charge is Mama Lucy, who is very nice. She plays Ugandan gospel songs in the nursery, and loves her 7 little charges. My responsibility is to generally do whatever needs doing... feeding bottles or meals of rice and bananas, changing clothing and especially playing. The volunteers seem to provide most of the entertainment and stimulation. I'll tell you details about the babies in a later edition.
Amani is located about 20 min. walk or a few minutes on a boda-boda, or motor-bike taxi, to the shopping area of Jinja. It costs 500 Ugandan shillings one way, or about 30 cents!! I actually took my first boda-boda ride yesterday to go with some of the other volunteers to purchase "rolled-paper" necklaces (ask Heather...). I won't tell you how much I paid for them since I'll be hoping that you'll buy some from me for an outrageously inflated price!!
My routine: I work in the morning from 8 to 1pm, I'm off from 1 to 4pm, then I work again from 4 to 7pm-ish. A lunch is provided for everyone that consists of any of rice, matoke (non-sweet, mashed bananas), peanut sauce, greens, lentils, "Irish", or regular potatoes, sweet potatoes etc. ~ so, pretty healthy. I am very blessed to have been given the only private room, (assigned by a fellow grandmother!) which even has its own bathroom! Breakfast fixings and lunch are provided, but I have to purchase the food for my supper and prepare it. I am feeling somewhat guilty because it is all rather 'cushy' compared to my previous missions trips. I'm used to the rigors of sleeping in a tent in the bush with no electricity or running water etc. However, by the end of a day of entertaining 5-month to 18-month-olds, much of it sitting on the bare floor, I feel sufficiently fatigued to take the edge off my sensitive conscience! Also the electricity is off sometimes, as is the water..... (will that do?)
There are about 30 Ugandan Mamas who care for the children, do the cleaning, the laundry, including cloth diapers (imagine that mandate!), the cooking, overnight supervision and folding of the laundry and so on. They are lovely ladies, and I enjoy talking to them as much as I enjoy the babies.
Yesterday I sat with the Mamas to eat lunch, and we talked about malaria. Unbelievably, they have it on average twice every year... and they just try to ignore it and come to w0rk anyway... O boy! There is a cheap (free?) medicine available, but it has horrible side effects, so people don't like to take it. They can't afford the better medicine that is available, that most Mzungus (white people) use as soon as they feel the symptoms coming on. I asked about mosquito nets, and I think they all have and use them. The difficulty for them and their families is that the mosquitos come out when the sun goes down (around 7pm), and they are still outside cooking then. They can't afford anti-bug spray. No easy solution to that one.
Well, that's all for now. I'll try to attach some pictures tomorrow.
God bless you all,
Jill
I've had 3 days at Amani now, and am just beginning to settle in and feel that I have the start of a grasp on how things happen here.
The Amani Baby Cottage is a large, two-story building of the Colonial era, located on a large plot of land with grassy lawns around it (the whole lawn is cut by whippy-snipper, then raked!), tall shade-trees with white pelicans and maribou storks in them and flowering bushes with brilliantly coloured sun-birds... it's all pretty lush and attractive. The building is old and not in great repair, but they have done a lot of work on it, and are hoping to have enough money soon to be able to purchase it.
I believe that 63 children have passed through Amani since it first started in 2003, and that they currently have 47 children, from two tiny preemies of 5 and 6 months to 5 years old. I have been assigned to Baby Room A for most of the time ~ the littlest ones who have not started crawling yet. The Ugandan Mama in charge is Mama Lucy, who is very nice. She plays Ugandan gospel songs in the nursery, and loves her 7 little charges. My responsibility is to generally do whatever needs doing... feeding bottles or meals of rice and bananas, changing clothing and especially playing. The volunteers seem to provide most of the entertainment and stimulation. I'll tell you details about the babies in a later edition.
Amani is located about 20 min. walk or a few minutes on a boda-boda, or motor-bike taxi, to the shopping area of Jinja. It costs 500 Ugandan shillings one way, or about 30 cents!! I actually took my first boda-boda ride yesterday to go with some of the other volunteers to purchase "rolled-paper" necklaces (ask Heather...). I won't tell you how much I paid for them since I'll be hoping that you'll buy some from me for an outrageously inflated price!!
My routine: I work in the morning from 8 to 1pm, I'm off from 1 to 4pm, then I work again from 4 to 7pm-ish. A lunch is provided for everyone that consists of any of rice, matoke (non-sweet, mashed bananas), peanut sauce, greens, lentils, "Irish", or regular potatoes, sweet potatoes etc. ~ so, pretty healthy. I am very blessed to have been given the only private room, (assigned by a fellow grandmother!) which even has its own bathroom! Breakfast fixings and lunch are provided, but I have to purchase the food for my supper and prepare it. I am feeling somewhat guilty because it is all rather 'cushy' compared to my previous missions trips. I'm used to the rigors of sleeping in a tent in the bush with no electricity or running water etc. However, by the end of a day of entertaining 5-month to 18-month-olds, much of it sitting on the bare floor, I feel sufficiently fatigued to take the edge off my sensitive conscience! Also the electricity is off sometimes, as is the water..... (will that do?)
There are about 30 Ugandan Mamas who care for the children, do the cleaning, the laundry, including cloth diapers (imagine that mandate!), the cooking, overnight supervision and folding of the laundry and so on. They are lovely ladies, and I enjoy talking to them as much as I enjoy the babies.
Yesterday I sat with the Mamas to eat lunch, and we talked about malaria. Unbelievably, they have it on average twice every year... and they just try to ignore it and come to w0rk anyway... O boy! There is a cheap (free?) medicine available, but it has horrible side effects, so people don't like to take it. They can't afford the better medicine that is available, that most Mzungus (white people) use as soon as they feel the symptoms coming on. I asked about mosquito nets, and I think they all have and use them. The difficulty for them and their families is that the mosquitos come out when the sun goes down (around 7pm), and they are still outside cooking then. They can't afford anti-bug spray. No easy solution to that one.
Well, that's all for now. I'll try to attach some pictures tomorrow.
God bless you all,
Jill
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