Back in Uganda....and MARRIED!

This is my new family.  Grace, is my husband.  Edith is my boisterous 11-yr old daughter, and Timothy is my surprisingly sly 11-yr old son.  Just to eliminate confusion (kind of), Edith and Tim are not biologically related, but they've grown up together since age 2, when Grace and his late-wife (Edith's biological parents) took Tim into their home.  Edith introduces Timothy as her "twin". ha!

So, to jump right into things, since that is how I do things, apparently...ha!, the basic story is that I left Uganda at the end of August with a ring on my finger, and a plan.  I visited my family to get them on board with my marriage to a man they hadn't met, and to get their help in planning a cross-cultural wedding.  I then returned to NYC to move out of my apartment in 2 weeks, move in with a neighbor, start working, and prepare for life, work, and a wedding in Uganda.  The fall seemed at times to fly by as I worked 12-14 hour days, but also seemed to crawl as I was away from my man.  Torture.

Thankfully, talks about me working for Fount had already started and Michelle and I realized that I either could work part-time in NY for 4-5months, or about 8-9months full-time in Uganda.  So, with some of my time being spent fundraising and grant writing, I should be able to help find the funding to keep me here a year.  It became clear that my personal goals were lining up with the ideas and goals I had developed during the summer with my teams.  We had finally found a pattern that was much more efficient and productive, and I was/am anxious to fully develop it.

So, I came back to Uganda in December, and spent the first few weeks planning the wedding, attempting to move into our home, and preparing for my family's time here.  It was a crazy, but fulfilling time.  My family came in the week before the wedding, and then went on safari while we went on our honeymoon.  It was an amazing time, and you can read more details on my personal blog, which is in the works...TBA. 

We returned from our honeymoon, and jumped right into leading a team of 6 from the US, who came to work for Fount.  They led a skills camp for some of our disabled students....sports, jewelry and embroidery, and photography seminars.  It was a fun, but exhausting 6 days!!!

Once they left, we finally began to fully move into our apartment as a new family, but quickly began to prepare for Edith and Timothy to return to their boarding schools.  They left, and I have been working on getting my groove work-wise ever since!

I think I can be honest and say that this much change in such a short amount of time is taking quite an adjustment.   You can read more details of this process on my other blog, but this one will remain exclusively committed to talking about Fount's Vocation work.

I am excited to be able to spend a full year here in Uganda.  I have large goals for my time here and look forward to seeing them accomplished one at a time....and, that is what you'll hear about as you follow along. Welcome back...thanks for reading!

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?

Back in Uganda, summer 2010!

I have arrived in Jinja, and looking forward to a great summer!! I am here early, and my team will arrive in about a week! I will spend the next few days settling in, getting organized, and preparing for the work we will do this summer. I am also going to take a few days to travel in Tanzania with my friend Becky, and arrive back in time to meet my team.

I have already had 2 big accomplishments, 2 things I have not done until now...although this is my 5th trip to Uganda.

The first? I drove!!! I had a friend pick me up at the airport in Entebbe, and with much encouragement, decided to drive us through Kampala and all the way to Jinja...about a 3-hour trip total. Yes, there were a few perilous times, including knocking a man's hand with the mirror as he walked in the crowded streets of Kampala, having the same mirror knocked by a passing boda (moped), and hitting a curb in a parking lot. The last may sound innocent enough, but was the tipping point for me after having several intense moments leading up to it. ha! Thankfully, my teacher was patient and calm, and BRAVE! Again, after much encouragement, I "got back on the bike" so-to-speak, and made it through Kampala and all the way to Jinja. I think my years driving in New York City definitely prepared me for the chaos and traffic of Kampala, but there is still something perilous and scary about being in a place without crosswalks, where they drive on the left, have very few lights, and amongst mopeds who are literally weaving in and out of traffic with no concern.

The second accomplishment? I cooked dinner and dessert on my own, without help, and without getting sick, here in Uganda. Again, big deal, right? Well, for those who know me at home, I don't cook alot as it is....not that I cannot cook, but that I choose not to most of the time. But, here there are no fast or pre-prepared options, so everything must be done by scratch. And, learning what is and is not available here is a challenge. And, when you can't drink the water, you have to be extra careful with how to prepare things.....I learned alot in February watching Lori and Rini cook dinner each night and was thoroughly impressed. But, until last night, had not tried it myself. Well, I did it, and had 2 native Ugandans for dinner, who both enjoyed it alot. What did I make? Baked ziti with my own version of homemade sauce....and apple crisp, a classic American dessert. It was great! I am proud and already thinking of what to cook next.

I am feeling very empowered at the moment. ha!

The good and the hard

The main focus of this blog is to show you the work as it happens here in Uganda each time I come back. But, it is important to state that working here is challenging. I read often about how other organizations approach their work, looking for ideas and inspiration. There are many different approaches from doing temporary relief/individual gifts to setting up a western-structured and led program, and every thing in between. The way Fount has chosen to work is unique, as it’s vision is to empower indigenous organizations to run their own work the way they envision it, while providing support, resources, training, and guidance. What this means theoretically is that the organizations remain self-sustaining and will grow their capacity to flourish…and it will help the leadership to grow as leaders as well. What it means practically is that it can be difficult. It means that we have to get inside the cultural parameters and navigate difficult areas where western ideas conflict with African. It means communication is paramount and when it breaks down, problems occur. It means being disappointed when things move a lot slower than expected or things change direction. It means both sides building trust when things are difficult. And it means that hard decisions have to be made. It is just a fact of life, but will ensure that Fount is protected and remains true to its vision, and that the African organizations will be empowered rather than enabled.

Back in Uganda

So, as some, but not all, of you know, I am back in Uganda for the month of February. In an effort to move towards someday working for Fount of Mercy full-time, I am trying to spend more and more time in-country, building our Sewing Hope and other vocational programs. I am very excited to be back!

The purpose of this particular trip is mainly to do follow-up from the summer, prepare for the coming summer, and to generally solidify on paper what our work is...so that we can apply for grants, document our work more intentionally, and continue improving what we do here. I am working closely with Lori Acton, Fount's International Development Director, who lives here full-time.

Traveling here would have been uneventful, had I not hurt my foot the day before I left. And, as always, I procrastinated and had to not only clean my entire apartment and pack, but I also had errands to run and shopping to do last-minute. That, combined with hobbling through airports, did a number on my foot, so I spent the first few days mainly at our apartment, setting up meetings and preparing for my work.

It has been good to be here without being responsible for a team. Don't get me wrong, leading a team here is some of the most fulfilling work I do. But it is also intense and every moment is accounted for. Figuring out a "real" life here has been really good....slower. As I consider being here more, I need to figure out how to really live here. Lori and Rini, Fount's intern, have been great at showing me their daily life...where they shop, etc...and they cook amazing food using local fresh ingredients!!!..another first, as I am used to eating out every night.

Pictures, taxi park, and Makere University

Pretty soon, I will be able to post without issue, but today is my first attempt at uploading pictures from the slow-net computer lab. So, they may be small....bear with me.

The first is of one of the cool displays in the Amsterdam airport, where I had a 3 hour layover before continuing into Entebbe. I have never seen so many seed packets in one place....shelf after shelf of them...which I suppose makes alot of sense in Amsterdam, but it still took me by surprise. I resisted the urge to buy them, mostly because of my desire to save money for ugandan jewelry and fabric, but also because I know my HUGE lack of a green thumb.

The next picture is of the DREADED "old taxi park" here in Kampala. This was taken last night as Judy, Georgette, and I ran errands through town with my friend Peter. I asked him to take us to see it, but was sure to add that I only wanted to look down on it from above. I only enter this heinous place when absolutely necessary!! ha!! that sounded dramatic, but really after squeezing through the vans you see there (called Matatus. They are the public transportation system here..more on that later), which are inches apart and all moving in different directions, you either are so thankful to be alive that you never want to go again, or you simply stare and marvel at the shear brilliance of how it works....to me there is no rhyme or reason, but to them, it is organized and somewhat efficient. Oh, and a side note for those of you who are judging me and saying how I am not saavy or cool for my feelings on the taxi park, I saw an old lady hit by a Matatu in the taxi park last year....not cool!

So, I did brave actually entering the park with Peter this morning. He is in the last picture you see here. We visited Makere University, where he recently finished his degree in English literature. It is a HUGE campus, and VERY fascinating! I especially liked the art department, where there were many final projects on display and tons of sculpture around the grounds. The library and bookstore were cool too. Mostly, it was just great to get a picture of where Peter has spent the past 3 years, and what his life was like there...it is a HUGE accomplishment for him to have completed his course work!

Arrived!

At last, after about 24+ hours of travel, I have arrived in Kampala, the capital of Uganda....along with Judy and Georgette, the first of 5 amazing volunteers to come work with Sewing Hope. We have spent the last day overcoming jetlag, getting our barings in the city, and now, braving the internet cafe to send greetings out to our loved ones and supporters.

I must report, for those who have traveled with us, or in Africa in general, that the internet cafe here in Kampala is much improved....much faster and generally easier to navigate, though Georgette is having issues as I speak with her email. ha! But, even with these improvements, my brain is still not much-improved, as I have forgotten to bring the cord for my camera. So, I will have to wait till the next posting to show some of the interesting shots I have taken.

What is in store for us? Tomorrow, Waiswa Peter will be joining us for the day to work with us on our luganda and lusoga language skills and generally help us prepare for our work next week. Then, I will visit Makere University with him, where he has just finished his coursework in English literature. I am anxious to see what the university is like and what his life is like here in Kampala. He is one of Nalongo Sarah's sons...she is the teacher at MOHM, the organization we will be working with next week.

That's the news....only negatives so far have been accidentally ordering 2 egg and toast breakfasts instead of "2 eggs and toast", and seeing Georgette's life pass before my eyes while attempting to cross the treacherous streets. No harm done, really.

Thank you!!

You are either here because you know someone who is traveling with us to Uganda this summer, you have supported Sewing Hope during the past 2 years, or you are just curious to see what we're doing...No matter how you got here, thanks for coming to our blog.

Sewing Hope is a program within the non-profit Fount of Mercy which provides vocational training to the women in several Ugandan communities. On July 2, our first team will leave for Uganda....followed on July 25 by our second team. We will be updating this blog every few days throughout our trip so that our amazing and numerous supporters can see our work and what their generosity has gone towards. We are able to go to Uganda with tons of supplies, well-prepared classes, and excitement because of those of you who came to our event in April or gave money or supplies since then. We can't thank you enough and hope to show you how important your donations are in the lives of these Ugandan women and the children they care for.