Otyano? (How are you?)

The first part of our move has been getting set-up and oriented into the culture, learning the language, and establishing a daily routine.  Of course this will all change once we head for the village (Makondo/Jjaga), but for now, we have been staying with Bishop Paul Ssemogerere and working around the diocese and at Nativity High School in Kibengo.  The Kasana-Luweero Diocese is only about 1.5 to 2 hours from Kampala (compared to a 4-5 hour drive from Jjaga), so it is slightly more advanced when it comes to accessibility of items that usually can only be bought in Kampala.  The “shops” here have much more of a variety than the village trading centers. 
 

Luweero, Uganda 

This week we are preparing for talking to the classes at Nativity High School.  Kris has been asked to talk with the girls about girl things – staying in school and getting an education, and saving one’s self until marriage (or possibly for a vocational calling).  It is quite common here for girls to marry young at the ages of 12-14 (or to be given in marriage), and start a family, as they feel like that is their only hope in being provided for -- but education changes everything!  Now instead of being pheasant famers (which simply provides for “today”), education provides knowledge and skills to fulfill the realization of dreams, and breaks the cycle of poverty formally created by an uneducated society by extending advanced job opportunities and possibilities of entrepreneurship.  We have personally witnessed change taking place over the past four years in our travels to Uganda! 

Friday will be a “fun” day for the students and we have been asked, if possible, to provide a variety of sports equipment for the school.  The request includes footballs (i.e., soccer balls), volley balls and nets, and basketballs – these are the sports played here in Uganda, and currently the school does not have any of this equipment.  We will be traveling to Kampala tomorrow (about a 2-hour drive one-way) to see what we can afford to purchase out-of-pocket prior to Friday.  It is also to be noted that the need for new sports equipment is ongoing due to the rugged terrain, fields are not like those in America – they are hilly and rocky with lots of pokey sticks that tends to wear a ball out in no time at all and damages the equipment.  We do not have the money ourselves to purchase a lot, so if anyone is interested (or knows someone with a passion for sports who might be interested) in assisting with the purchase of sports equipment, for Nativity High School, a donation can be made to Nativity of Our Lord Catholic Church (note on the check what the donation is for and send it to the attention of Carol Sullivan). 

Omukama abakuume (May God be with you), 

Kris & Dean