Date: Sat, 19 May 2007 11:10:53 +0000
Hi to all:
Sorry it has taken so long to send a message, but we have had trouble getting our computer set up. We had to go to the Mission office to get set up and to our Humanitarian office which is at the church) to send the e-mail, but the address above should work now. We are finally able to find our office and the mission office. The driving is crazy and of course on the other side of the road. Ron, just yesterday, started driving. It is unbelivable - there seem to be no rules to driving on the roads. There are people cars, boda boda's, taxi's and today we even saw a cow on the road running along and of course chickens and you name it. There are literally thousands of people milling around with huge bundles on their heads. the roads are narrow, dirt and very rutted. The earth is very orange and the guard at our flat has to wash our truck every day.
We have been out to the villages twice - unbeliveable. The conditions people live in are shocking, but now I am getting a little more hardened. Yesterday we drove out to one village to look at a pig project. We are considering working with a local group to help 50 local village farmers start a pig farm. We met in a funny little office and then toured the pigery. Little kids and people of all kinds come out of the brush to look at us and follow us around. One of the women in the village was sharing her house with 100 or so chickens. We have also check out a upland rice project, that looks like the right kind of partner we want to help. These people are so poor, and even past that. No shoes, dirty, and not farm equipment just picks and there own hands. We also particpated with the Calls in a "HAND OVER" ceremony, that is when the humanitarian project is finished and you hand over what we have helped them with. It was held in a village, outside under a tent, with many people speaking and little kids and dogs running around. The mayor of the village even came and spoke. They served refreshments, but it would be hazardous for us to eat anything, so we thanked them and left.
This is going to be very very interesting work. We arrived last Monday morning and President and Sister Call picked us up at the airport, as we walked outside to meet them, we saw monkeys playing and swinging on the trees outside the airport. The ride to Kampala was interesting. Beautiful lush vegetation, but shocking proverty everywhere you looked. Out house is fairly nice. Quite big at least 3 bedrooms - so come and visit. We have a cleaning man that comes on Tuesday and Fridays and a guard at the gate - who patrols the grounds, both are church members. We lose electricity often, last night it was off from about 7:00 pm to about 7:00 am this morning. We also are without water periodically, so I filll water bottles with our filtered water and line them up on the cupbord and fridge for a supply. Yesterday the guard and the cleaning guy - climbed a huge avocado tree and picked some of the bigiest avocados I have ever seen and threw them down for me to take in the house and ripen. All vegetables, fruit, dishes, & such have to be washed in a solution of bleach & rinsed in a solution of bleach. What a drag to wash & dry dishes again. I have shopped with Sister Call at two grocery stores. That is an interesting exprience. I am so glad to have her show me the ropes.
Last night we had dinner at the mission home. Sister Call invited all 3 couples that are assigned here to dinner. (we are in the minority big time) The mission home is beautiful with wonderful native art in the rooms. The home even has a swimming pool. We have spent quite a bit of time with the Calls trying to get oriented, driving out to the villages to check on possible projects. but now he is acting Mission President, he is very busy. However, we are expecting a water specialist to come here from Utah and we have some ideas for protecting some already existing wells.
I know I am rambling on, but there is so much to tell. So goodbye for now. Send me E-mail - I miss all of you. Kiss the kids for me. Hope Ryan arrived safely home. LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU SO MUCH and really Miss our wonderful home. Love for now, Mom
We have been out to the villages twice - unbeliveable. The conditions people live in are shocking, but now I am getting a little more hardened. Yesterday we drove out to one village to look at a pig project. We are considering working with a local group to help 50 local village farmers start a pig farm. We met in a funny little office and then toured the pigery. Little kids and people of all kinds come out of the brush to look at us and follow us around. One of the women in the village was sharing her house with 100 or so chickens. We have also check out a upland rice project, that looks like the right kind of partner we want to help. These people are so poor, and even past that. No shoes, dirty, and not farm equipment just picks and there own hands. We also particpated with the Calls in a "HAND OVER" ceremony, that is when the humanitarian project is finished and you hand over what we have helped them with. It was held in a village, outside under a tent, with many people speaking and little kids and dogs running around. The mayor of the village even came and spoke. They served refreshments, but it would be hazardous for us to eat anything, so we thanked them and left.
This is going to be very very interesting work. We arrived last Monday morning and President and Sister Call picked us up at the airport, as we walked outside to meet them, we saw monkeys playing and swinging on the trees outside the airport. The ride to Kampala was interesting. Beautiful lush vegetation, but shocking proverty everywhere you looked. Out house is fairly nice. Quite big at least 3 bedrooms - so come and visit. We have a cleaning man that comes on Tuesday and Fridays and a guard at the gate - who patrols the grounds, both are church members. We lose electricity often, last night it was off from about 7:00 pm to about 7:00 am this morning. We also are without water periodically, so I filll water bottles with our filtered water and line them up on the cupbord and fridge for a supply. Yesterday the guard and the cleaning guy - climbed a huge avocado tree and picked some of the bigiest avocados I have ever seen and threw them down for me to take in the house and ripen. All vegetables, fruit, dishes, & such have to be washed in a solution of bleach & rinsed in a solution of bleach. What a drag to wash & dry dishes again. I have shopped with Sister Call at two grocery stores. That is an interesting exprience. I am so glad to have her show me the ropes.
Last night we had dinner at the mission home. Sister Call invited all 3 couples that are assigned here to dinner. (we are in the minority big time) The mission home is beautiful with wonderful native art in the rooms. The home even has a swimming pool. We have spent quite a bit of time with the Calls trying to get oriented, driving out to the villages to check on possible projects. but now he is acting Mission President, he is very busy. However, we are expecting a water specialist to come here from Utah and we have some ideas for protecting some already existing wells.
I know I am rambling on, but there is so much to tell. So goodbye for now. Send me E-mail - I miss all of you. Kiss the kids for me. Hope Ryan arrived safely home. LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU SO MUCH and really Miss our wonderful home. Love for now, Mom
PS Tell Jonathan I will get some pictures of the king of the jungle for him. It seems every year the mission president takes us all on safari - hope that stays the same when the new mission president arrives in July. We are also going to Johannesburg (sp?) South Africa in September for a conferance for all Humanitarian Directors in Africa. Sorry this is so disjointed, but I am hurrying. I am at the mission home and need to leave so they can lock up. PLEASE SEND LETTERS ETC)
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