Sunday, July 10th
In about ten days I will be able to sleep in my own bed, eat American food( think I am having an AMAZING steak first) and catch up on my DVR which is probably about almost full by now. We arrived in Mbale yesterday afternoon after what seemed like a very long ride from Kampala. This city is a lot different then Kampala. It seems to be a tad bit smaller than Kampala which means you would think there would be less traffic and sadly a bit dirtier. The most beautiful part is that out to the left of our hotel is a Mountain called Mt. Elgon. We are staying at a hotel here on on of the main streets in town. Thankfully they have screens on their windows which means we can sleep with the windows open at night and get the cool fresh air coming in. Tonight there seemed to be a storm happening off in the distance. There was thunder but mostly lightning occurring. We ate a a near by Indian restaurant and then came back to the hotel to rest and relax. All in all today was a very relaxing day. Most of the shops and things in the city are closed on Sundays so we were able to rest and prepare for the week ahead of us.
Tomorrow I will have my first boda boda experience which is a motorcycle. They drive the motorcycles and you sit on back holding on for dear life because they weave in and out of traffic and around the huge potholes in the street. We have seen the women here ride side saddle on the boda bodas and I have decided to be the brave and bold one out of the group and do the side saddle riding. I am praying that all of my dancing training and God have prepared me for this ride. I am ready and can not wait to tell this story. Who knows, this could be just the children’s book I have been waiting to write! Until tomorrow....
Monday, July 11th
Today started out with a lovely walk through Mbale to the school called Namatala. This school has a library in it that is about 6 years old. We were able to visit one classroom and sing a children’s song with them before beginning with the libraries. It amazes me every time we walk into a school because it causes such a commotion that the mzyngus are there. The kids all want to shake our hands, introduce themselves, feel their skin, and they love to see us act silly and crazy with them. After we visited for a little while, we got started on the library there. The task on hand for today was to make sure the entire library was in order. Since this library is several years old and will be restocked next year, we had to take out a lot of the books that were falling apart. We worked straight through the day because this library really needed the work. The books needed to be put back into order as well as dusted off because of all the red sand and dirt that is all over Africa.
After we finished in the later afternoon we decided to get an early dinner. We went to a place called Mt.Elgon restaurant. It is a beautiful hotel that charges way too much because they have a swimming pool and are closer to the mountain. They did have a great meal though which I was very grateful for. It is funny but one thing we have noticed is that things here in Uganda happen on Uganda time. This time is very different then American time which we want to happen right away because we are all in a hurry. Well here in Uganda, things happen when they get to it or when they do. There is never any rush and they actually sell t-shirts stating this. So we ordered our meals and had some time to relax. The special that I got today was chicken enchilada and boy was it DELICIOUS! It was chapati which is a tortilla like flat bread but softer then a tortilla almost more buttery, one of my favorite foods here so far, and amazing chicken inside. They had guacamole and a salsa with fried mexican like chips. It was fantastic!
Once we were finished there it was time to take the boda bodas back to the hotel. There were none so we started walking until enough came by that we could all fit on. Today in Kampala the taxis were on strike so it was a very big day for the bodas. We hoped on, two ladies to a boda, and started off down the road. I sat on the way back end and held on to the back as we went down the road. I had my sunglasses on and hair tied back and was just cruising along. Our driver did a very nice job and did not go to fast or in the pot holes. The other boda drivers like to get so close that I could have reached out to touch them. He dropped us off and I have learned another thing about Uganda. Ugandans think that they can charge myzyngus a special price and then Ugandans a cheaper price. We knew the boda should be about 1,000 shillings which is not even a dollar in the U.S. but because there were two of us maybe about 2,000 shillings. Except that when we got off the boda he told us it was 3,000 shillings which was obviously the myzungu price. So instead of doing that we paid 4,000 and hoped that this boda would appreciate our very generous nature and then in turn show kindness to others. All in all, it was a pretty good ride. It was quite thrilling to be able to do this and have the experience. The funny thing is that I have not given up on the side saddle idea, as well as now I want to take a boda everywhere. I have noticed that most people do not drive, they walk to and from where they are going or mostly take a boda. I think I may even have to start my own little boda company back in the U.S. and call it Busy Boda by Lani. It will be just for short little rides around town, and amazingly enough I have seen beds/mattresses/and even refrigerators being tied up to these things and hauled away.
The trip is going by so fast. We will be seeing the rest of the 8 or 9 schools here in Mbale until Thursday, then it will be time to head back to Kampala before we go out on safari for a day or two. I was told it might be a real safari like sleeping in tents at night. I keep praying that a cabana will become available or something just a little more comfortable then a tent on the ground out in the wild situation. Then the drive there is about 7 hours on Friday, a boat ride down the Nile River in the morning with a game drive in the afternoon on Saturday. Then a 7 hour ride back to pack up for leaving on Sunday. We leave bright and early for the airport the next morning, Monday,and wa-la we are back in the U.S. on Tuesday.
Tuesday, July 12th
Today was a great day! I appreciate your love for me, as people here in Uganda would tell you, but I mean it for you. Thank you for continuing to read about my journey as it is coming closely to an end. We began our day with a most delicious omelette here at the hotel for breakfast. We went out to Namaquaqua which is a school with a most lovely librarian named Hydrera. We began just helping her put away a few books, and get her library ready for restocking next year. We pulled a lot of books that had been used and loved a lot as I would say and either patched them up or took them to give away to the teachers. Next year most of the libraries that we have visited will be restocked with a large quantity of brand new books. These schools here in Mbale are also many years old and will be updated with a few of the new systems that are being used with the newer libraries. Another thing to realize is that these schools are sitting with 1-3,000 students at any time so their books are being used again and again.
After this school visit, we went on a walk up to the next school, St. Joseph’s. This school is just on up the road about 15 or so walking minutes, up and down the red sand/dirt roads. What I like best when we walk is that everyone you meet out in their communities want to stop to say hello and visit just a little. They are always interested in what we are doing, and also to say thank you for loving them and Uganda so much. It is here where you see many children not in school because they can not afford school fees or the ladies out doing the wash for the day. It is also on this path that I realized how badly so many kids need to be educated because we are continuing them on a cycle of not being able to be responsible in the world because they are not involved in school. An idea of a mobile teaching unit that would go from community to community teaching a select set of lessons: how to buy things at a market, how to understand money, how to cook and have clean drinking water, how to get from one place to another being safe, etc. Just the basic skills that a person would need to live day to day on so that they can be safe, healthy, and happy.
At St. Joesph’s we met Sister Maria Gavarti who is the headmistress and such a stitch! She is only one of many Sister Maria Gavarti’s at this school, and I just wonder how they tell each other apart. This library is run by a man named Michael that really is able to handle the children with discipline and love. A man and teacher after my own heart! This library was opened just a few weeks ago, and is already doing well. It was beautiful to be able to see how a library is put up and then is working so well in just a few short weeks. The students were able to show off their reading skills which was quite a joy for me to hear their beautiful accents reading books such as “Go, Dog, Go!” and “Cinderella”. Sister had us to her office after we spent some time in the library, and we had a most wonderful chat. She cracked jokes the entire time. Even as we were leaving, she told us a quick story how she was climbing and walking up in the mountains to go to another Sister’s burial for her mother and how she had to come home the next day, take a valium and go right to bed. You would have just truly enjoyed this woman if you were able to meet her.
We began down the road again as our driver Hamado was a little lost. We met up with some students walking down the road and little children from the village. We continued our walk and began singing songs with them as we did. Hamado arrived and it was time for lunch at “Chat and Chino” in downtown Mbale. This is a wonderful little cafe here in town that many people love to go and eat at. I ordered the nachos which looked amazing since I was nosy and asked the girl at another table what she was eating then continued to order the same thing. It was fried round small chapati( the thing I mentioned I enjoyed so much like a tortilla but better) with beans and cheese on top. Next, I added on some of their delicious red salsa like sauce.... and WALA! it was sooo good I might just have to get some again before we leave. Of course, there was some amazing avocado that came with it too! The Ugandan time set in here at the restaurant and we waited almost an hour just to get food. I’ve decided that they must do this so that you slurp your first soda down while you are waiting, and then have to order a second to have with your food.
We walked back towards our hotel and just about one block past to another school that we knew was going to need a lot of love. This school, Northroads, seems like a school that could use a lot of help. This school’s headmaster is currently in the process of being fired but in the meantime never comes to school. The librarian has changed many many times, and this school of 3,000 plus obviously is in dire need of direction. We found out today that the librarian has not been paid for almost the last 2-3 months. I do not know what I would be doing if this had happened to me. It would be a scary thought to know that I couldn’t afford anything. Being able to hear his story about this trying time, made me truly appreciate how even though things may be tough they can always be tougher.
After just beginning this library, we had to stop and decided to go back tomorrow in order to be able to finish. We went back to the hotel and got everything ready for this evening with Pastor Okumo and his family. This family is dear friends to our team as well as Trudy. They welcomed us into their home and we all had a most delicious meal together. I love to hear them talk, and hear Pastor Wilberforce’s stories about growing up here in Uganda as a young man. They are such wonderful people. After dinner, we all indulged in a little guilty pleasure that we have picked up here in Uganda. It is a nightly soap opera called, Mari Mar. Not only does it make me laugh because it is probably the lowest quality TV soap program around, but the people here are so into it. At our hotel, people come into the cafe just to watch the program and have a soda. They are all so tuned in, and so quiet during the show. It is an Asian soap that is dubbed into English, and wait here is the best part the dog talks( or you can hear his thoughts) and sounds like he is Hispanic like the Taco Bell chiuaua. It is so silly that I Iaugh mostly when watching it. I have a hard time following it because it reminds me of the old kung fu movies that are dubbed and they are done talking but the lips are still moving.
Tomorrow will be our last full day here in Uganda, and I am determined to ride a boda side saddle all by myself. I also am excited to visit some of the newer libraries to see how they are working as well as finish our big job at Northroads.
Wednesday, July 13th
Today was another wonderful day in Mbale. It was beautiful and the sun was shining brightly. We started out visiting two of the newer libraries and checking out how they were doing. We also were able to check in with the librarians to make sure that they were doing well. We also went back to Namatala and surprisingly enough spent a large amount of time there again. The librarian there has been around for several years and just really needs extra help. Libraries of Love has a very specific way of trying to run the libraries with a system that they know works well. For whatever reason, this woman just needs extra help because from the looks of things she just has a hard time understanding the system. So we were able to help again and try to make sure that things were where they were supposed to be.
While we were walking into Namatala today, we saw a very interesting thing happening. Caneing. This is where a teacher, usually a male, takes a switch and makes the student bend down on one knee to hit their bottom with the switch. The issue is that they usually have a line of children that this is happening to and they do it in front of all the others. As we made our way past, Trudy went up to the man and asked if caneing here in Uganda was illegal. It is illegal in the schools, but happens more often that anyone thinks or really wants to know. As one of the teachers explained to us, “ It is one of the ways most people communicate here.” He said that most adults were caned as children and were communicated why they did something and why it was inappropriate, but to show those feelings they got caned. He said that culturally it just continues, and is a normal part of life for the people and children here. I honestly am not sure on the whole thing. I think I need some time to marinate on these thoughts, and I would like you to as well.
After a lovely walk through town and another lunch at Chat and Chino, we were back off to Northroads. We were able to finish putting everything back into place and repairing a lot of the books so they would be in good shape for awhile. We realized that the card system needed some loving. We had a good 2 hours of just figuring and re-configuring the whole system. We got all the way through it, and just as it started to rain a little bit we were on our way back to the hotel. We had an earlier dinner complete with 2-4 blackouts that lasted a few minutes and then back to our rooms to pack up to head on back to Kampala in the morning.
I didn’t get to ride my boda sideways but that is okay, I did get to ride a boda and sit on the back! Mbale has been a wonderful area and I hope to maybe get some more time to spend here soon. I am looking forward to be able to visit with some of the children at the Mokono orphanage that we will be visiting tomorrow. I also am really looking forward to going on safari this weekend. We will be taking an early morning ride down the Nile River followed by a game drive in the afternoon. I am not sure able the situation for sleeping, currently we believe we will be in tents. Although, I am hoping and praying a little for at least the cabana option. The next time I will be writing I will be back stateside at home. I will write all about the safari, and my overall thoughts of this amazing trip. So please, pray for a safe journey home and for travel. I truly appreciate everyone being able to stay with me through this journey. Everyone has been really supportive and I can not wait to share some of my favorite pictures.
Love to all,
Lani
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