We can see clearly now and the rain has come!

Wow!  Our fourth day in Makondo already.  Seems like time is just slipping by.  The rains have returned after a brief absence and everyone says we brought them with us.  Hard to believe as today the sun is beating down with fierce intensity.  Two nights ago we had a lovely, long, and much needed rain. 

So, here's a brief report:

Day 1:  Wednesday, March 17, St. Patrick's day.
After a grueling and brutal drive from Entebbe, we arrived just in time to celebrate St. Patrick's day with the MMM sisters.  They are a group of Irish sisters who have created a small paradise in Makondo.  They have a clinic and run a mobile health unit.  We brought them green caps with "Kiss me, I'm Irish" and "Everyone loves an Irish girl"  written on them.  They loved the hats and wore them all evening.  The road from Kampala to Makondo was a nightmare.  Normally taking 3 hours, the drive took 5 hours because of non-stop road construction.  Every bone in our body got rearranged.  I think my femur is in my shoulder now.  Jill got to ride shotgun so she could have a better view of the uncomming traffic.  She really enjoyed gripping the sides of her seat and wondered how she would bail out of the van if the approaching truck decided not to move aside.  Michele and I stretched out in the back seats, thinking we really should give Jill a break and switch seats.  We didn't.

Day 2:  Thursday, March 18, Tour of St. Denis

   

After a wonderful rest in the new flats at the sisters' compound (mine has hot water!), we headed over to St. Denis.  Jill could hardly contain her excitement as we eagerly headed to meet the students.  The students lined both sides of the dirt road leading up to St. Denis.  Three boys on decorated bicycles escorted us to "Bishop Dungu Boulevard" the main path leading up to the school campus.  Once we reached the school grounds, the student body greeted us with traditional singing, dancing, and drumming. We met Christina and Jamie, the two Teach a Man To Fish Project Officers.  Christina's tour is up on Sunday, and Jamie will stay for one year.  After a brief welcoming celebration, Headmaster Charles (from now on known as "HM") took us on a tour to see the progress at St. Denis. 

 We saw the beautiful boys dormitory freshly named the "Shultz-King" Dorm and the two wings, "St. Albert the Great, The Cororado Room" (they will repaint the spelling), and the "St. John Bosco, The Evergreen Room."  The building is lovely and almost ready for students.  With HM, Fr.Kasoma, the two project officers, Jill, and Michele, we toured the St. Denis Self-Sufficiency Projects:  the dairy production business, the matooke plantation, and the new school supplies store or canteen.  The transformation that has occurred over the past year is truly amazing.  The school staff, in collaboration with the TAMTF project officers and the Into Your Hands Uganda staff, are changing the culture of the school from one of dependency to one of  self-sufficiency. 

I also got to meet with the contractor who built the dormitory.  He gave me a complete financial report on the construction of the dormitory.  James, our Project Manager, and Fr. Kasoma did a fantastic job ensuring that the dormitory was built according to our expectations.

That night at the Fr. Christopher Renner Library, we had a going away party for Christina and a welcoming party for Jamie where we met the new St. John the Baptist parish priests. The new sound system which Jill officially dedicated that morning was put to use for the first time.  The sound system was purchased for St. Denis with the Student Christmas Fund Into Your Hands donated last December.

Day 3:  Friday, March 19, Vision Screening at St. Denis

The library was transformed into a vision screening clinic, courtesy of Jill and Michele.  Over 190 students plus about 20 teachers and staff (including HM, Fr. K, and Fr. John Bosco).  The staff was particularly intrigued by the sunglasses.  Freddie, the computer teacher, looked dashing in his new shades.  Sr. Toni, a local Ugandan sister from the Daughters of Mary, came to follow up on the students identified for further treatment by Jill and Michele's screening.  Sr. Toni is an amazing optometrist.  She examined at least 60 students, some of which were prescribed eye-glasses or medication for allergies or eye infections.  She was also able, with her very quiet but authoritative presence, calm the excitable spirits of young teens waiting for new eye-glasses.  Through Jill and Michele's hard work and the dedicated team of volunteers in Evergreen, we were able to bring about 360 eye-glasses.

Out of these eye-glasses, 45 of them were distributed to students according to Sr. Toni's prescription.  Thirty eye-glasses will be made by Sr. Toni's clinic for the students who were not accommodated by the glasses available.  The remaining glasses were given to Sr. Toni who will be able to use them for others in need.  The day went smoothly thanks to the help offered by Christina, Jamie, Daniel, and Phillip, who are two German volunteers teaching at St. Denis for one year. Their help was invaluable. 

After lunch, I met with the Into Your Hands Uganda staff, Christina, and Jamie, in the new Into Your Hands office in Kyamukama.  Much to my delight, the young man running the store next door was Lugemwa Aloysius, our first vocational training graduate.  He is running the convenience store and is employed as a mason. 

Day 4:  Saturday, March 20, Day of "rest" and "relaxation" and surprise visitors.

Got up early this morning and headed to St. Denis to take the HOH student photographs with Jamie.  As we were rounding up our sponsored students, a strange individual came walking up the school path.  "Bloomers" made her way to the school, much to the delight and strange amazement of the children in the vicinity.  The St. Denis students were much perplexed by the appearance of this surprise visitor.  Dressed in fancy flowered bloomers, and wearing a much too small hat for the fierce sun, "Bloomers" made everyone smile and giggle.  Too bad Jill (known locally as Gel) was so lazy and stayed in bed at the hostel and missed out on all the fun.  The students gave "Bloomers" a big welcome as she toured the classrooms were the students were practicing for Tuesday's big Traditional Dance and Drama inter-house competition (think Griffindor and Hufflepuff in Harry Potter.)  Tonight we go to the rectory for drinks and a final farewell to Christina.

Personal Thoughts from Jill and Michele
Michele:  Even though this is my second visit and I thought I was prepared for the immense inner beauty of these people who live in extreme poverty, I continue to be overwhelmed by their happiness, generosity of spirit, and peaceful gratefulness.  I am also awestruck by the MMM sisters.  They don't seem to stop.

Jill:  I am amazed at how much is accomplished with so little.  We talk about making a "green" world.  Here they make use of everything, from using the matooke leaves for mulch to the cows and goats grazing the sweet grass by the side of the road.  Their gentle hand clasp as they say our name in greeting speaks volumes to the gratitude they feel towards our contribution to their well-being.  There is a real playfulness, sense of humor, and light-heartedness that contrasts to the harshness of their daily life.  Above all, what brings me joy are the smiles and a waves from everyone we come accross.