It's a fairly cool day in Budaka...actually had to wear a sweatshirt this morning! We are all doing well today. Quite a few of our kids, as well as most of our staff, have been sick this past week, but most are back today and doing well. The only notable exception is Junior, who has spent the last 2 days at the hospital on drips for malaria. He comes home in the evening to spend the night. Junior rarely gets sick, so we all have been quite concerned. He seems to be getting better now, after 2 days of medication, so we are encouraged. All who have been sick have either had malaria, flu or a combination of those 2 things.
A Great Find for Cornerstone Bakery
We found vanilla beans this week! They are dried and are shs20,000 for 1/2 kg [$7.43 USD] (about $10 for a pound). I'm so excited to know they grow here and are available...at least in Jinja. I also found liquid vanilla in Kampala and it was shs20,000 [$7.43 USD] or a liter. We will see what is better and which is more cost effective for the bakery. It's so fun to have vanilla back in the bakery goods! Now I have to find a mortar and pestle so I can grind the vanilla beans...
We found the vanilla, along with other spices we have looked for, in a market in Jinja (about 2 hours away from Budaka). I have included 2 pictures of the spices we found. You can see cinnamon (looks like pieces of bark), as well as cloves and curry, coffee (not really a spice, you might say). It was a really nice market. As a matter of fact, I also really liked the way one of the seller of beans displayed his work - so colorful! Hope you enjoy the picture too.
Learn Luganda
We were following the car you have a picture of and I asked Pastor Rogers, "How do you say that word, and what does it mean?" Some of you are going to love this: the word is pronounced "fa - coo - bee - bee - yo" with the emphasis on the first "bee" sound. Okay, ready for the meaning? It means, "It's none of your business." Such a funny statement on a car. Now you know some Luganda, the most used Ugandan language after English. Abby and I say it to each other sometimes. Kinda fun. Some of you will take a while to process why...
2013 CALENDAR
By the end of October, we will have the 2013 Cornerstone Calendar ready for purchase. The calendar this year shows the effects of Cornerstone on the community, the church, the children, Rogers, and even some of you! Each month shows a different effect. Thanks to Matt and Dena who are designing the pages and providing helpful direction. I hope you all will get a calendar...and perhaps give them as Christmas gifts this year! For those of you at churches and/or schools (or just those who want to order many of them), we can let you know how to get boxes of them delivered to your nearby Costco to pick up and sell. Just email me if you are able and/or willing to take some to sell. They sell for $20 each, with all proceeds going directly to helping the children at Cornerstone.
Okay, enough for today - it's already after 5pm and I have to get back home before dark (dark is always at 7pm here near the equator!). Have to stop 2 places (the "supermarket" and the cheese* place) before going back, then it's 1/2 hour back home to Budaka.
*Ugandans don't eat cheese, so this was quite a find. It's expensive, but so fun to eat.
Thank you so much for loving us, praying for us, and giving to support the work that God is doing here. You are loved and prayed for also!
Laurie
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