Hello from Wakiso/February 22, 2009

Today I gave a sermon at St. Jude's Church. It was impromptu but what I said, said it all. When Jacob fled from his mother's house to his cousin Laban, which was in a different place with different cultural values, his mother told him to learn new ways but not to forget his old ones. That is what it is like for the 32 PCTs and we are all struggling with ease for some things and tears for others. Since we arrived we have changed our language, eaten new foods, learn to do potty in a slit, bathed with a bucket, used a night bucket otherwise known as a chamber pot, washed clothes in a pan and ironed with a charcoal iron. We got our bikes and they came from the Woodstock recycling center I am sure. We live about a forty five minute walk from the center which is up hill one way and down hill another. The soil is red dust and there are no paved roads, Our shoes and clothing is always dusty. The weather is hot but not humid.
Our host family is lovely. They have two children which is good for us. Shafik is five and chatters to me and follows me everywhere. He loves my headlamp. Martha is the baby and she is very tiny for four months. Reste is the mom and she and Simon are together. Men here can have many wives, as does Simon. We have our own room, double bed and huge mosquito netting.
Yesterday we got invited to an African wedding with a tenant of our host family, Diana. She is a teacher and so lovely. We had to have permission from the PC because we went to Kampala. What an experience. The couple were from different Ugandan tribes so the husband's tribe,asar, did tribal dances and drumming. The African women are beautiful and most came in the traditional African dress which is colorful and worn with a huge sash. Ugandans are very welcominng and are thrilled to have us in thir country. They love when we formally greet them in Luganda and help us to say the words correctly. Own the taxi ride home where there were 22 peole in a 12 passenger van, I managed to entertain the passangers by practicing my Luganda, They were in stitches, There is an expression here that when you butcher the language... you have killed many cows which is exactly what they said to me. But we are committed to being here and to learning the language,. We will probablylive near Kampala because Steve and I decided that we wanted to have an impact on the country not on one village or school. Maybe I will be working with the Mynistry of Edcation developing national curriculm and countrywide school management which means I learn Luganada and live in the city. Steve has not yet been offically told what he will do but both the Ugandans and the PC have told us over and over that age and wisom and our incredible backgrounds will make a difference for the entire country becuase of what we do here. Now all we hav to do is deliver and learn the langauge and not get killed on our bicycles and did I mention our diet...matok, beans, rice, chapatti, more matoke, more beans and more startch, even the same food at the wedding. Tomorrow we will have phones and call our kids with the numbers
We are so lonely but surviving, This is a real challenge like nothing either one of us has ever had to face...even ice, snow and no power in Vermont. We were mildly excited that our home has power except that we had a torrential rain while we were out and had no power for two days. It was lucky the PC gave us parafin lamterns. Keep ckecking our blog. Shalom/webela frinds and family