This poem was written last week by one of our AMAZING translators, and our friend, Waiswa Peter. You can look back and see him in other posts, as he has been working with us for 3 years now. He recently came to me and expressed how valuable he thinks this summer's work has been, as we are finally "touching the places that can bring income". I agree. Here are his words...
Sewing Hope, Sewing Hope
By: Waiswa Peter, July 2010
Hum! Hum! Hum!
Goes the over worked sewing machine
With millions gazing zealously
The ambition to learn for a better tomorrow.
Though crippled by the roaring poverty levels,
But seeing uncountable rays of light after learning,
The African woman has been empowered
And can't let this chance go unnoticed.
Sewing Hope is sowing a ray of light.
You are sowing on no bare rocks
All seed owners in New York and
The United States around,
Ugandan widows and single mothers
Have felt your love pinch.
Income complications have been battled down
With new sewing skills flown in
Summer after summer.
Behind every strong man is a strong woman.
So, with a silent core voice
The African man sings Holla! Holla!
For the great Sewing Hope friends.
ALTA CONTINUA.
02 August 2010
01 August 2010
Boda mis-hap....
So, I hesitate to blog about this because I have so many family members who read my blog, but I wanted to give a "dose of reality" in this post and tell about my first, and hopefully last, boda mis-hap.
Yes, that's right, my boda went down on Saturday. First, I will say that I only have 2 large bruises from the incident....nothing more. I think my embarrassment was worse than the actual fall.
We were [slowly] going over a mound of dirt when a car slowly crossed in front of us. My driver could not figure out whether to go in front or in back of the car. We were barely moving at this point, and he lost his balance to the right, over-corrected to the left, and the bike went down. Since I was riding like a lady, side-saddle, I fell backwards, landing thankfully, on my backpack. Don't worry, my computer survived the fall too.
The most shocking part of the incident was that amongst all the spectators, no one came to help me up. I got up, dirty and shaken, to the tune of about 6 men yelling "Sorry!" "Sorry!" "Sorry!". Anyone who has spent time here will tell you that it is common for people to say simply "Sorry" to you when something has happened, like you trip, spill something, or such. It was so annoying to hear that from the sidewalks without a single person coming to help.
I have since learned that it might be because it is so common for looting to happen after accidents (talk about kicking someone when they are down), that no one wanted to be accused of attempting to loot, so they stayed away. I guess that makes me feel better.
I politely declined the offer of one man to help me clean off....ha!...and proceeded to walk the rest of the way to the shop.
The most ironic part of the story is that Lori, Vanessa, and I had talked literally the night before about how we feel that it is inevitable that at some point in time one must go down in a boda. So, this was my turn, and now I never have to experience that again. Dad, does that make you feel better?
Yes, that's right, my boda went down on Saturday. First, I will say that I only have 2 large bruises from the incident....nothing more. I think my embarrassment was worse than the actual fall.
We were [slowly] going over a mound of dirt when a car slowly crossed in front of us. My driver could not figure out whether to go in front or in back of the car. We were barely moving at this point, and he lost his balance to the right, over-corrected to the left, and the bike went down. Since I was riding like a lady, side-saddle, I fell backwards, landing thankfully, on my backpack. Don't worry, my computer survived the fall too.
The most shocking part of the incident was that amongst all the spectators, no one came to help me up. I got up, dirty and shaken, to the tune of about 6 men yelling "Sorry!" "Sorry!" "Sorry!". Anyone who has spent time here will tell you that it is common for people to say simply "Sorry" to you when something has happened, like you trip, spill something, or such. It was so annoying to hear that from the sidewalks without a single person coming to help.
I have since learned that it might be because it is so common for looting to happen after accidents (talk about kicking someone when they are down), that no one wanted to be accused of attempting to loot, so they stayed away. I guess that makes me feel better.
I politely declined the offer of one man to help me clean off....ha!...and proceeded to walk the rest of the way to the shop.
The most ironic part of the story is that Lori, Vanessa, and I had talked literally the night before about how we feel that it is inevitable that at some point in time one must go down in a boda. So, this was my turn, and now I never have to experience that again. Dad, does that make you feel better?
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