It was a great trip, and I felt like I really got to know people and the way of life in Uganda even better than last time. My son Joey and I rented a simple house in a normal neighborhood in town, with neighbors amazed to have "mzungus" next door. A cadre of curious kids was always on hand to greet us whenever we opened the door. It was fun to watch them play with toys they'd made: cars made from water bottles and discarded flip flops, kites made from a plastic bag and string, a hoop made from an old tire. They loved my toys, too. Especially my camera. When I would take a picture of them and show them, they'd laugh uproariously.
Each morning, I would wake up under my mosquito net, and after crawling out, would begin washing our clothes from the day before. The dry season means dust, and it was really quite fun to see how much dirt came out of those clothes after just one day! Also, I was amazed how quickly everything would dry. Here's a shot of our bathroom with wash basins and "squatty potty."
About mid-morning, our director Tonny would pick me up with the SOVCO motorbike to begin the day's adventures, which included visiting the children at their schools, and bead ladies at their homes, spending time at the SOVCO office (looking at receipts and report cards, chatting with volunteers and whatever children stopped by, checking progress at the SOVCO school worksite, and eating lunch made over a charcoal stove).
Late afternoons and evenings, I often spent time at Tonny's home with his wife Beatrice and their adorable baby Dan. I experienced for the first time what it's like to be a grandma...and I love it! We spent lots of time together sitting on their doorstep and watching the life of the compound. Babies in Uganda don't wear diapers, and it's said that if they feel comfortable with you they will pee on you. Dan definitely feels comfortable with me! And I miss him so much!
No comments:
Post a Comment