The Last Few Days

Wednesday 5/23
    On Wednesday we went to Jinja! I was so excited because Jinja is how I first heard about Uganda, because that’s where Katie Davis lives! When we got there, we shopped at the craft market for about an hour then ate at Source Cafe. After lunch we headed to a waterfall, about an hour outside of town. We drove through rural villages, and got lost many times, but ended up at some of the rapids of the Nile! We mostly just looked around and took pictures, then headed back to town. 

The source of the Nile!

     Back in Jinja, we went to the source of the Nile! Our tour guide took us out on a boat to where the White Nile (the section of it that is in Uganda) and Lake Victoria meet. Although we all knew it was not the section of the Nile in the Bible, it was still cool and many comments were made about Moses in a basket. It was awesome.
    After the Nile, we decided to eat pizza before we headed back to Kampala. The pizza place was also a guest house, and when we walked in we saw Jared’s cousin! He knew he would be in Africa soon but didn’t know he would be there yet. He was with a group of Rochester and Pepperdine students who were taking a summer course in Africa. Although I did not recognize any of the Pepperdine students, it was neat running into them. We ended up playing a game of Mafia with them, then heading back. It was a good day! 

The Nile!

Thursday 5/24

Art supplies for the boys!

    On Thursday we took all of the aunts and uncles to lunch. We were introduced to a new drink called Novida, which is a carbonated pineapple juice! At the lunch we got to spend some good time with the aunts and uncles and give them attention while the kids were in school. What is inspiring to me is that the aunts and uncles ages range from 19-26, so around my age, and they are doing so much! My only job now is to go to school and work a part time job. The aunts and uncles typically attend university, as well as living at the homes with the kids, basically being their parents. All of the aunts and uncles are wonderful! They are also hardworking, caring, educated, driven, and smart! They love God and they have a passion for the kids they take care of, and their futures.     

Deo painting

         After eating we all took turns thanking them, and then they took turns thanking us. One of the uncles, Peter, started his words by saying, “Why is it that great moments only last for a short time?” He then explained how when we are there, the boys behave better, their grades go up, and they are more joyful! Peter, Geoffrey, Sam, Jackie, and Sarah were all so thankful, but we were truly thankful for them! First for all they do at the homes and for the kids. Second for welcoming us and becoming our friends! Before arriving I felt like it would be hard to connect with the aunts and uncles, but I was proven wrong. They have all been such a blessing!
    Thursday afternoon we headed to Bukesa, stocked with art supplies we had pack with us. We arrived at the home before the boys had gotten home from school and we set up the art supplies as well as books, stickers, candy, soda, and balloons! It was such a fun afternoon painting and coloring with the boys as well as reading with them. Uncle Peter had explained to me earlier that reading is not encouraged in Uganda like it is in America. It is good to read, but it is not pushed or by no means a focal point. This was surprising to me after this semester’s education classes, knowing how central reading is to any curriculum. It did make me glad, though, when the boys had requested new children’s books. The Bukesa boys love to read! They were more excited about the new books then even the paint or sodas. That night, David, the boy who gave me an ornament, handed me a note. Earlier in the week I had told him that my dad’s name was David, and he was so excited and said, “I am very happy because I have a namesake.” So in the note he had added, please greet Mr. David for me back in America. Which I thought was so precious that he remembered, and wanted to tell him hello. 

The boys loved the books we brought!

Friday 5/25 (part 1)

Wednesday 5/23
    On Wednesday we went to Jinja! I was so excited because Jinja is how I first heard about Uganda, because that’s where Katie Davis lives! When we got there, we shopped at the craft market for about an hour then ate at Source Cafe. After lunch we headed to a waterfall, about an hour outside of town. We drove through rural villages, and got lost many times, but ended up at some of the rapids of the Nile! We mostly just looked around and took pictures, then headed back to town. 

The source of the Nile!

     Back in Jinja, we went to the source of the Nile! Our tour guide took us out on a boat to where the White Nile (the section of it that is in Uganda) and Lake Victoria meet. Although we all knew it was not the section of the Nile in the Bible, it was still cool and many comments were made about Moses in a basket. It was awesome.
    After the Nile, we decided to eat pizza before we headed back to Kampala. The pizza place was also a guest house, and when we walked in we saw Jared’s cousin! He knew he would be in Africa soon but didn’t know he would be there yet. He was with a group of Rochester and Pepperdine students who were taking a summer course in Africa. Although I did not recognize any of the Pepperdine students, it was neat running into them. We ended up playing a game of Mafia with them, then heading back. It was a good day! 

The Nile!

Thursday 5/24

Art supplies for the boys!

    On Thursday we took all of the aunts and uncles to lunch. We were introduced to a new drink called Novida, which is a carbonated pineapple juice! At the lunch we got to spend some good time with the aunts and uncles and give them attention while the kids were in school. What is inspiring to me is that the aunts and uncles ages range from 19-26, so around my age, and they are doing so much! My only job now is to go to school and work a part time job. The aunts and uncles typically attend university, as well as living at the homes with the kids, basically being their parents. All of the aunts and uncles are wonderful! They are also hardworking, caring, educated, driven, and smart! They love God and they have a passion for the kids they take care of, and their futures.     

Deo painting

         After eating we all took turns thanking them, and then they took turns thanking us. One of the uncles, Peter, started his words by saying, “Why is it that great moments only last for a short time?” He then explained how when we are there, the boys behave better, their grades go up, and they are more joyful! Peter, Geoffrey, Sam, Jackie, and Sarah were all so thankful, but we were truly thankful for them! First for all they do at the homes and for the kids. Second for welcoming us and becoming our friends! Before arriving I felt like it would be hard to connect with the aunts and uncles, but I was proven wrong. They have all been such a blessing!
    Thursday afternoon we headed to Bukesa, stocked with art supplies we had pack with us. We arrived at the home before the boys had gotten home from school and we set up the art supplies as well as books, stickers, candy, soda, and balloons! It was such a fun afternoon painting and coloring with the boys as well as reading with them. Uncle Peter had explained to me earlier that reading is not encouraged in Uganda like it is in America. It is good to read, but it is not pushed or by no means a focal point. This was surprising to me after this semester’s education classes, knowing how central reading is to any curriculum. It did make me glad, though, when the boys had requested new children’s books. The Bukesa boys love to read! They were more excited about the new books then even the paint or sodas. That night, David, the boy who gave me an ornament, handed me a note. Earlier in the week I had told him that my dad’s name was David, and he was so excited and said, “I am very happy because I have a namesake.” So in the note he had added, please greet Mr. David for me back in America. Which I thought was so precious that he remembered, and wanted to tell him hello. 

The boys loved the books we brought!

Friday 5/25 (part 1)

    Friday morning the girls went to Sseko. Sseko is a sandal making factory just outside of Kampala. Many girls working at Sseko graduated from the Cornerstone’s female version of CLA, that I mentioned earlier. In Uganda, There is a ten month break between finishing high school and starting university. Sseko hires girls during this time to work for ten months, in which time they start a savings account for them, which they cannot access until they graduate university. They also give them a paycheck of half of the money they make to pay expenses, and help them save the other half to pay for their first full year at university! Sseko recently started hiring widows and other women in addition as full time staff. Sseko’s are sold in Africa, but also in some small boutiques in America, like Philanthropy in Franklin, Tn. The shoes are very fun, with leather souls and different pattern straps that you can change out and tie so many different ways! They are great though, because they profit goes toward the girls!
    After Sseko we went to Kampala Church of Christ to visit some friends of Katie. Her church back in Indiana started KCC and supports it so that they can give 100% of their contribution back to the community. We met with the preacher, Isaac, and three college students who were working with KCC doing Let’s Start Talking. The students were actually from Pepperdine! It was so crazy to run into Pepperdine students in Africa for the second day in a row in a completely different city.
    The rest of Friday is in the next post. Actually Friday night is split into two posts. One being the chicken story. The second being about goodbyes. Completely opposite from one another, yet they, together, composed a great and eventful last night in Uganda.

http://ssekodesigns.com/  

    Friday morning the girls went to Sseko. Sseko is a sandal making factory just outside of Kampala. Many girls working at Sseko graduated from the Cornerstone’s female version of CLA, that I mentioned earlier. In Uganda, There is a ten month break between finishing high school and starting university. Sseko hires girls during this time to work for ten months, in which time they start a savings account for them, which they cannot access until they graduate university. They also give them a paycheck of half of the money they make to pay expenses, and help them save the other half to pay for their first full year at university! Sseko recently started hiring widows and other women in addition as full time staff. Sseko’s are sold in Africa, but also in some small boutiques in America, like Philanthropy in Franklin, Tn. The shoes are very fun, with leather souls and different pattern straps that you can change out and tie so many different ways! They are great though, because they profit goes toward the girls!
    After Sseko we went to Kampala Church of Christ to visit some friends of Katie. Her church back in Indiana started KCC and supports it so that they can give 100% of their contribution back to the community. We met with the preacher, Isaac, and three college students who were working with KCC doing Let’s Start Talking. The students were actually from Pepperdine! It was so crazy to run into Pepperdine students in Africa for the second day in a row in a completely different city.
    The rest of Friday is in the next post. Actually Friday night is split into two posts. One being the chicken story. The second being about goodbyes. Completely opposite from one another, yet they, together, composed a great and eventful last night in Uganda.
http://ssekodesigns.com/