today is saturday and i MUST do paperwork, i have been avoiding it all week. i would rather stand in the burning sun, surrounded by biting gnats in the middle of nowhere than spend an hour at a desk sorting out receipts and trying to make sense of my own notes. well, there is a reason why i can't make sense of my notes....mostly because they are written while i am riding, and if you are familiar with the roads in kampala, you understand that the potholes are large enough to swallow a vw!
yesterday we went to naguru 'remand center'. i think we are developing a really good relationship with the staff.....they supplied paperwork to verify that sweet deniz had been returned to her parents in west uganda. YAY.....the child had been found wandering the streets of kampala after someone had promised her an education....well, you can imagine that scenario. she left her village thinking she would improve her life, and instead found herself in a children's prison with no means to return home. we're so glad we could help. we were told her parents were so happy to see her they couldn't stop crying for joy. i love a happy ending! little 6 year old collin was transferred to a facility for young children....thank goodness. i'm thinking this is a facility we just might have to visit soon.
the girls were thrilled with their hygiene items, knickers, and flip flops. it really doesn't take much to make them smile. they have requested bread, popcorn, nail polish, vaseline and sugar for next week. i'm sure we can manage that!!!! we brought bananas for everyone and some footballs (american soccer balls) for the boys. also some toothbrushes for the new residents. we need to buy sandals for about 20 boys for next week. seems as if we are endlessing shopping for footwear and are always supplying toothbrushes and toothpaste! hint! hint! anyone reading this....nail polish, flip flops, toothbrushes! always needed! always appreciated!
we spend a lot of time shopping, for food, for footwear, for medicines and hygiene products....and it takes so much time because there isn't any super sized walmart or dollar tree.....oh how i miss the dollar tree! the other day, it occured to me that our vehicle always smells like hot bananas....probably because there are always many, many clusters (for us, bunches) of bananas in the back seat and/or in the trunk. not just a few and nor just once in a while, but ALWAYS....we deliver them everywhere we go....regular size bananas, mini bananas, muchas bananas, andrew eats them all the time....he says "here, eat one". this country literally runs on bananas. as you might know, the local favorite food is matoke...steamed, mashed green bananas covered with a ground nut sauce. i don't care for it....sometimes the sauce has mushrooms in it, once it had dried smoked fish in it :P you will taste it when you come and you can decide for yourself. people sell yellow bananas on the street and also peel them and grill them as a snack. bananas everywhere. i guess we grow up loving the foods we eat as children. i have a friend here who cannot believe how americans eat so much peanut butter. i tell her that eating so much peanut butter makes sense to me, but not eating so many bananas. my mother used to say "to each his own". well, gotta go.....time to make banana pudding for tomorrow's company.....now that's the way to eat bananas! luv y'all....
yesterday we went to naguru 'remand center'. i think we are developing a really good relationship with the staff.....they supplied paperwork to verify that sweet deniz had been returned to her parents in west uganda. YAY.....the child had been found wandering the streets of kampala after someone had promised her an education....well, you can imagine that scenario. she left her village thinking she would improve her life, and instead found herself in a children's prison with no means to return home. we're so glad we could help. we were told her parents were so happy to see her they couldn't stop crying for joy. i love a happy ending! little 6 year old collin was transferred to a facility for young children....thank goodness. i'm thinking this is a facility we just might have to visit soon.
the girls were thrilled with their hygiene items, knickers, and flip flops. it really doesn't take much to make them smile. they have requested bread, popcorn, nail polish, vaseline and sugar for next week. i'm sure we can manage that!!!! we brought bananas for everyone and some footballs (american soccer balls) for the boys. also some toothbrushes for the new residents. we need to buy sandals for about 20 boys for next week. seems as if we are endlessing shopping for footwear and are always supplying toothbrushes and toothpaste! hint! hint! anyone reading this....nail polish, flip flops, toothbrushes! always needed! always appreciated!
Easter will be here soon....i would really love to do something special for the kids at the safe house (everytime i say safe house, i think of the denzel wasington movie...NOT the same :) !) it would be awesome to go to church with them and then provide a full meal with chicken and veggies and milk and dessert on real plates! maybe if y'all will pray with us for that, it will happen....for sure i will buy them candy....don't think they have chocolate bunnies or peeps here, haven't seen any. if anyone has any ideas, PLEASE let me know....there are 35 children ranging in age from 8 to 15 and they appreciate everything and anything!
we spend a lot of time shopping, for food, for footwear, for medicines and hygiene products....and it takes so much time because there isn't any super sized walmart or dollar tree.....oh how i miss the dollar tree! the other day, it occured to me that our vehicle always smells like hot bananas....probably because there are always many, many clusters (for us, bunches) of bananas in the back seat and/or in the trunk. not just a few and nor just once in a while, but ALWAYS....we deliver them everywhere we go....regular size bananas, mini bananas, muchas bananas, andrew eats them all the time....he says "here, eat one". this country literally runs on bananas. as you might know, the local favorite food is matoke...steamed, mashed green bananas covered with a ground nut sauce. i don't care for it....sometimes the sauce has mushrooms in it, once it had dried smoked fish in it :P you will taste it when you come and you can decide for yourself. people sell yellow bananas on the street and also peel them and grill them as a snack. bananas everywhere. i guess we grow up loving the foods we eat as children. i have a friend here who cannot believe how americans eat so much peanut butter. i tell her that eating so much peanut butter makes sense to me, but not eating so many bananas. my mother used to say "to each his own". well, gotta go.....time to make banana pudding for tomorrow's company.....now that's the way to eat bananas! luv y'all....
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