Normal again...or maybe not.

Hi Everyone!!!!!

Life in the village is getting back to normal. It has slowed down some, since the missions teams have gone home.

This week Dorcas finished their term. Finals did not go as well as I had hoped, but in each challenge I learn more about the girls. Many of the girls were taken out of school at an early age to care for sick family members or to care for their brothers and sisters after their parents died. These girls are described as “uneducated;” they haven’t been taught how to study or that they can be successful. This truth became evident in their final examinations. I was sad at first and thought that it was my fault as a teacher.

Then I took a step back and realized that as a teacher I didn’t give them the tools that they needed to be successful. I taught them the things that they needed to know, but I didn’t teach them how to study and retain the information that they were given. I hope to start a study group at the beginning of the next term; maybe through this group the girls will learn how to study and retain the information they are taught. Please pray for these girls and for the staff at Dorcas they are facing many severe challenges financially, emotionally, spiritually and socially.

Since Dorcas is on break, my job here has changed for a little while. I will now be helping Bringing Hope to the Family (Dorcas’s parent organization) write job descriptions and a boilerplate, so that they can have these as reference materials whenever they apply for grant funding or they have new hires. I’m excited to help out in this way, and for the local community to see me as more than the “Cake Baker.”

Just for fun I thought I’d show you my new home. It’s very different from American homes, I miss lying on the carpeted living room floor and taking hot showers from the showerhead, but it hasn’t been a difficult adjustment. I’m thankful for what I have.

The Kitchen

The Courtyard - I stay in a room in the building on the right.

The Showers and Restroom - Showers on the left and restrooms on the right

My Room - It has one less bunk-bed in it now.

I hope you enjoyed the tour.

Talk to you again soon.

Love,

Joyce

Birthday...Ugandan Style

Hi Everyone,

Life has been busy here. An awesome team from California has been here since last week. I’ve been busy teaching and helping where needed. It has been great to get to know all the Californians.

I have also moved to Faith’s house, she is the director of Bringing Hope to the Family. Right now I’m sharing a room with 5 of the women from the CA team. It’s been an exciting time in our room. Today our light was finally fixed so we have light. We’ve been living by flashlight. According to some people I’m now having a more “African experience.” I have left the comfort of an in door bathroom to a hole in the ground and a real bucket bath.

It was a great blessing to celebrate my birthday here. We had the biggest party at Dorcas…I don’t know if it was intentional or if it just happened. I think it just happened. But we celebrated over a traditional Ugandan meal of millet, rice, meat, and my favorite part…a matooke birthday cake, which I didn’t get to eat, but I did enjoy the thought. I did enjoy serving it Uganda style and watching people's reactions. They either liked it or they didn't. After dinner we danced and had a great time.

But the fun didn’t stop there. When we came back from Dorcas the women from California planed a spa night. So, I enjoyed a foot massage and a facial that night; thanks to Kathleen the “Product Queen.” I have never laughed so hard in my life. Thank you to all the California Girls (Kathleen, Christine, Kristen, Anna, Karen, Jackie and Sandy)!

I also had the opportunity to help part of the California team put on a spa day to pamper many of the hard-working women of Bringing Hope to the Family. For many it was the first time to experience anything like it. The next day, I had a few of the local girls ask me to teach them how to give massages. I promised them I would.

It has been a wonderful this week serving with the California team; I’ll miss their laughter, excitement and love for the people.

I’m sorry I don’t have any pictures right now I’ll post them when I get them.

Talk to you again soon.

Love,

Joyce

La Gringa

The Cake

Hey Everyone!

I know it's been a while since my last post. The internet has been up and down this week; the terrorist bombs damaged the fiber-optic lines in Kampala, so the company has been repairing it this week. We are all well; we live 3-4 hours west of Kampala in the little village of Kaihura, so there is very little chance that we would be targeted.

So life has been good in the village. The first Embrace Uganda team left last Saturday, and another team arrives next week. So this week has been a week to recuperate a little.

Recently Dorcas had their third graduation ceremony; Dorcas doesn't have a graduation every year. They hold them every two or three years. This was the graduation for class of 2008 & 2009, so together they make up the class of 2010. There were 62 graduates in the areas of tailoring/design, nursery school teacher, carpentry/agriculture, general studies. It was a wonderful day for the graduates.

There were many speeches and gifts given and in the end there was cake. Only it was served Ugandan style. Normally we (westerners) would cut the cake into pieces and serve them on individual plates to everyone...Not in Uganda.

I was asked to bake a cake that would serve 80 people, so that's what I did. Little did I know that it would serve about 200 people. In Uganda, they cut a large piece of cake and put it on a plate. Then they proceed to chop it into little pieces, so that it doesn't resemble cake any more but a mangled mess. Then they serve it, and each person grabs a handful off of the communal plate and eats it with their fingers. (I'm grateful for forks, plates and napkins.)

Everyone enjoyed the cake; for many it was the first time that they had tasted a typical graduation cake. It was an unforgettable experience.

Here are some pictures of the cake making process.

There was cake everywhere. I burned 1 so I had make another batch. I ended up baking 10 cakes that day.

The cake was actually 8 small cakes put together.

I'm glad that I was not alone making this cake, Amos came and helped me from start to finish. We didn't have an electric mixer so we mixed everything by hand. He decided it was easier to mix the frosting African style...by hand. Thanks Amos; you're awesome!

It is amazing what you can create with a Ziploc bag...that's the only decorating tool we had.

Last but not least, the graduates walking in. They made their own caps and gowns.

Thank's for your continued prayers and support. Talk to you again soon.

Love,

Joyce

La Gringa

The Food

Hey Everyone,

I've had a couple of people ask me recently what types of food they eat here. Mom and Josue this one's for you:

On the plate are Beans (top left), Millet (bottom center and to the right), and Posho (the white stuff). The only thing missing is the Matoke, a type of cooked mashed bananas. I don't eat it because I'm allergic to bananas, so I can't tell you what it's like.

Millet is made from ground millet and cassava flour. It is a very sticky, flavorless, gel type substance; from my description I'm sure you can tell that it is not one of my favorite things. They usually eat it with their fingers from a basket. They role it into a ball and dip it into beans and/or roasted meat broth (goat or beef usually) and eat it. I have to swallow it whole without chewing it because it gets slimy when it's wet.

Posho is made from cassava flour and ground Maize. It has the consistency of very thick mashed potatoes, but it doesn't really have much flavor. I don't mind eating this; I usually eat this with beans for lunch when I teach at Dorcas. It gets old after a while, but it's food, and it doesn't taste bad.

The beans are very similar to pintos, but they season them with whatever they have. I've had beans with zucchini, beans with greens similar to collard greens, beans with onions. The first bite is always an uncertainty, but they've always been great. The Ugandans and the Mexicans know how to cook beans; Americans need to take lessons.

Mom, please don't make beans everyday when I get home. I miss lunch meat and turkey...turkey especially. I've heard we can get turkey in Kampala, but it's expensive.

Well, I hope you all can appreciate the variety of food that's available in the US. The next time you eat a turkey sandwich with all the trimmings do it with a grateful heart.

Talk to you soon.

Love,

Joyce

La Gringa

The Road

Hi Everyone!

When I was little my Dad always told me how difficult his life was as a little boy, and how he had to walk uphill both ways to get to school and home again. I always laughed and gave him a hard time about it. Well Dad, this week I've found it IS possible to walk uphill both ways to and from school.

The craft shop had a lot of work that needed to be completed, so I decided last week to move my sewing class from the craft shop to Dorcas. What I didn't realize when I made the decision was I would have to walk uphill both ways (The home I stay at is on one hill and Dorcas is on the next hill. I have to walk through the valley.) . So here are some photos of my walk; it's very scenic. I hope you enjoy it.

The Kaihura International Full Gospel Church (I think I got the name right)

The hill (My path up the hill is on the left.)

A mob of ants crossing the road

The view from the top of the hill

My final destination: Dorcas

My classes have been going much smoother and focused since I moved them to Dorcas. It is easier to teach without customers coming in all the time. This week we did a crash course on embroidery, I will put up those pictures when they finish their projects. Many of the girls did very well, some not so well. But embroidery is not for everyone. Patrick, Principal of Dorcas, asked me if I would teach an Adult Embroidery class, so we'll see if that will come about in the next few weeks.

The next month is very busy; first: Dorcas is having their 3rd or 4th graduation. Katie and I have been asked to make a cake to serve 70 people. We accepted the challenge. So pray that all the cakes come out of their pans without breaking (there is no wax or parchment paper here to assist me). Then in July, there are 2 Embrace Uganda teams coming, so we will be hanging mosquito nets in neighboring villages and doing other outreaches.

Life will be very busy in the coming weeks; I'm looking forward to it.

Thank you for all your support and prayers. I know they are making a difference.

Love,

Joyce

La Gringa

Life

Hi Everyone!

The last two weeks have flown by. It has been two weeks of joy and sorrow.

Last Sunday, I attended the funeral of Gilbert, the son of one of the Bringing Hope staff members. Gilbert was 6 years old when he died of malaria. I had met Gilbert the week before he passed away, so I didn't get an opportunity to really know who he was; but everyone ( his teachers, family, and friends) said he was a bright intelligent boy with a wonderful future ahead of him. It is difficult to see someone so young pass away; I tend to ask God why, but I know that God's plans are not mine, and He knows far more than I do, so I leave it in His hands. Still, it's a very sad time for Gilbert's family; please keep them in your prayers.

After the funeral, I looked around at all the children that were playing and I thanked God for the blessing that children are. And God continued to remind me of that blessing throughout this week.

I was reminded in the laughter of Anna Marie, the daughter of Zituni an instructor at Dorcas. She is a full of life and laughter 2 year old; who loves to eat bread, write and play. We always play together after class, and I love to watch her face light up as she laughs.

And again I was reminded in the big brown eyes of Joseph an orphan who came to Home Again about 2 weeks ago. Joseph was orphaned 3 days after he was born and no one knows who his father is. His grandmother tried to take care of him but was unable too. So at 1 month old he was brought to Home Again, and that's when I met Joseph.

When he arrived he was sick and emaciated; he was so skinny that his face looked like a little old man. There was no squishy baby to him. But I was so blessed the other day when one of the girls brought Joseph over to see me; I was so excited to feed him and just to talk to him. He is alert and gaining weight. He is still not the normal squishy baby, but he is doing much better, and his future is looking brighter.

I am so amazed at all that God does. Sometimes He chooses to take a life away before we think it's time; and other times He restores life when all seems lost. Why? I don't know, but I trust God through it all.

Talk to you soon.

Love,

Joyce

Aboli

La Gringa

Firsts

This week has been full of firsts.

My first First: I experienced my first Traditional Ugandan Church Service at the local church. It was different; first, they have all the visitors come up front and greet the congregation, and in spite of my protests of not wanting to speak in front of the congregation, I greeted the people. Second, there worship was broken up into 3 or 4 parts with someone speaking in between each section. Then the associate pastor got up after 2 hours and preached in Rutorro for a long time, then he had a the first altar call. I have to confess that I left after the first altar call, but I could here the service continuing as I walked home, and it continued while we ate lunch (The church is so close to the house that we can hear everything). It was an interesting experience, but I'm looking forward to going to church in Fort Portal next week.

My second First: I started teaching this week. It was difficult teaching through a translator at first and the crazy man interrupting my class was a comical distraction. It was actually pretty funny to watch Arthur (my translator that day) run the man off with a stick, only for the man to return again, and Arthur run him off again. But I got the hang of teaching by the second day.

The girls are very bright and are excited to be working with electric machines this coming week. I'm excited about next week also. I have been practicing on the machines to make sure they work, and to make sure I know how they work...I've never encountered so many different types of machines, Italian, American, British, and French. And all but one without instructions. Some modern but most from the 60s. & 70s. Awhhh, the joys of sewing.

My third First: I was asked out by a Ugandan. Katie and I went to Kampala on Thursday to do some shopping. When we were catching the taxi, some guy named Geoff came up and asked me to go on a "stake-out" and go dancing. I politely said no, then laughed as the taxi drove away.

My fourth First: Being greeted by random people on the street. I'm told that Ugandans love muzungus (white people), and it's common practice for them to stop and greet muzungus on the street. It was so strange to be greeted by, "Hey muzungu! How are you?" or being stopped by a had shake from these random men. But it is common practice here so you shake their hand...smile and laugh and keep going.

My fifth First: Being called by names that would be offensive in the States, but are terms of endearment here. Many men in Uganda find shapely women attractive; and Katie warned me that they are not afraid of letting you know it.

So Katie, Magda (a new volunteer from Poland that arrived on Thursday) and I were walking through the streets of Kampala when a local street vender yelled out "Hey Big Mama!" I just laughed at and kept walking. Not even 30 minutes later another man called out "Just My Size, come here. " I laughed to myself and thought about how angry that would make me in the states; but I'm learning to adjust to the cultural differences.

My sixth First: I have a pet name. The Kyenjojo region of Uganda gives everyone one of 12 pet names. After 2 weeks of being asked what my pet name is I can now answer. My pet name is Aboli...now all I have to do is remember to respond when people call me by it.

It's been a memorable week and I'm sure there are many more to come. The pictures are from my class, which includes the girls from Dorcas and the girls who work at the craft shop. Talk to you soon!

Love,

Joyce...Aboli

La Gringa