It's a great Monday morning here - it's just after midnight Monday for you on the west coast of the States - the sun is shining, it's about 75 degrees. I have just delivered banana and chocolate muffins to 4 places in Mbale, stopped to pick up 2 amoxacillan (sp?) tablets since I forgot mine in Budaka :(. But at least here in Uganda I can get any medicine without a prescription! 2 tablets were 200 shillings, or about 10 cents. Not bad.
Graduation
On Saturday I spoke at a graduation party for one of our church members, Difasi. He has gone back to school and received his bachelor's degree in veterinary science. He already had completed a certificate program some years ago in this discipline. The party began at 9am, which in Uganda means you don't come till 1pm or so. The first picture is of Pastor Rogers and I sitting and waiting...at 1pm. Notice there are no people there yet...The program actually began at 1:30. The 2nd picture is of Difasi coming through the "graduation arch." He is cutting the ribbon, signifying that he has completed his schooling. There were many speeches - mine was the first and I spoke for only about 10 minutes (with interpretation). At about 4:30, there were still speakers, they had set up another tent (for a total of 5) and all chairs were full. Abby and I left then - I was still a bit weak from the sickness last week - and talked with Pastor Rogers at 6pm. The speeches were still going on! The party finally broke up about 7pm. Too many speeches for me - I think there were 18 scheduled, and some of those invited others to come and say "a few words" while they were speaking.
Saturday Special
We had 4 kids again this weekend (on Sunday because of the graduation party) for games, books and fun together. I have included a picture of the 4 with me. They are, from the left, Brenda 2, Vanessa, Stephen and Bartholomew. They got to play with Legos and I made a video of them telling about the object they had made - trying to encourage creative thinking. We played a shape/color Bingo game, tossed bean bags into a basin and read books. At the end, they each get a treat. Yesterday it was a Jolly Rancher. The last picture is all of us looking in my (very dusty) mirror at the colors on our tongues! (For most of these children, it is the first time to see themselves in a mirror. Fun on many levels!)
Leadership Team outing
Last night we had the Leadership Team down (8 children - 2 are on suspension right now for behavior issues) and showed them pictures of the Mars Rover, talked about planets and stars, got online to show them what a parachute looks like falling from the sky, and had planned to show them Mars in the sky, but the weather didn't cooperate. Another day we will show them. It is so amazing to talk with them about outer space - they have no concept. We showed them a picture of the earth from outer space - really difficult to wrap their minds around. It doesn't look like all the drawn pictures they have seen.
A Visitor is Coming
We're so excited to welcome Ellen this Friday - she is coming to spend 3 months with us, helping in the bakery, teaching science for the 4th and 5th graders, hanging out with our kids, teaching Sunday School, and, I'm sure, many many other things. The kids, the church and the school are really looking forward to having her, as are Abby and I!
My body is on the mend...after changing antibiotics Friday...and I feel much stronger today! Thanks for praying! We have 3 with malaria right now - Brenda 1, Natasha and Isaac. Please pray for them. Also, continue to pray for Lisa who has TB. She's getting better by the day, but it is a long process.
God bless you all. Thank you for your support emotionally (emails, phone calls, fb messages), financially and spiritually. You are all great partners in what God is doing here in Budaka.
Laurie
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