Uganda News #1
A Report by Cynthia Margeson
Arlington Academy of Hope
July 12, 2006
Mulembe- After two weeks of travel and village life, I am in town of Mbale for one hour to communicate to the outside world. The group of ten visitors has departed today and so I am beginning the next stage of my stay when I will have Emily with me for two weeks and then in August, Catherine will be arriving.
Although John did not get the fireworks on the plane, thank goodness!! we had a Fourth of July celebration like none other. We officially dedicated and opened the thoroughly modern clinic (sans sink and running water, the water will be added) and the roomy house for the headmaster where the ten visitors stayed.
The new HM house is wired and we had electricity every night (twice it was supplied through Uganda Electric, and the other nights through generator power). It is located directly in back of the school so we could hear the children who begin arriving as early as 7 am. For them School is THE most wonderful place to be and many linger long after classes have ended (7:30-4:30). It was a very official and typical Ugandan celebration which started two hours late, people continued to arrive throughout the afternoon, featured many fabulous entertainment acts presented by various classes from AAH, one from a nearby nursery/orphanage and from two different parent groups. Finally it was time for feasting and dancing. Can you imagine how touching it is to hear the Star Spangled Banner sung by African students? There were many references to our independence and the head table was festooned with red white and blue banners and ribbons. The deejay (in charge of the sound system played the music loud and everyone danced and jumped and clapped and cheered for an hour. (No, Em and Liz I was not doing much dancing.
Holly and I spent two days reading the book which was written by Lorraine Gandy and explaining the reading challenge (PS please ignore spelling, I am trying to type fast as I pay by the minute and this keyboard is very stiff). The children are trying to understand the Reading Challenge and I shall be helping with implementing all of it in each class. Thanks to the fifth graders at ATS we have taken their idea of starting a farm. They (5th graders) gave us two goats which were named Arly and Hope.
Throughout our visit, we have received numerous chickens, 2 turkeys and 3 other goats, so I think the farm has been launched (as income producing enterprise we hope). Interestingly enough, I received one of the goats as interest from the chickens I had left behind. As things multiply and produce, you can trade up for your livestock, so apparently my chicken had produced enough and voila! I have a goat!! I named it U2 for Uganda and USA.
We have presented so many things over the past 10 days: every thing to wild cheering and the biggest smiles you can imagine. Those things included the Reading challenge, the hygiene kits from the girl scout groups. Dental floss was a brand new concept for them. Beatrice and Lauren presented 300 backpacks, one for every single AAH student. The teacher workshops were a great success. We started (half hour late) with 86 teachers and finished 4 hours later with 165!! That included some parents and townspeople to whom John talked. Dean has taken over 1600 pictures!! Sponsor pictures PLUS! Hopefully
All will be figured out. The pictures are on the way back. Profiles and sponsor letters will be sent to Arlington with Tim Laramy at the end of July. We have just been too busy to complete. Sue and Jen I will try to communicate who what where why when ASAP, but please be patient. Things are fluid here.
On three different evenings we took walks through out the hillsides of the Bumwalukani area. We were usually accompanied by at least 20 students. What a thrill it was for them when we would pass their home or meet other family members. There really is no need for Goldi’s here. Walking home is strenuous enough! Read: Americans were lagging behind the students who can manage these trails, paths with their eyes closed.
There was a group of 6 visitors who climbed Nusu with about 30 students. Andrew Laboke was the leader and there are many tales to tell of that journey, but I did not climb this time so I will leave it at that.
On Sunday, those who stayed behind Nusu went to churches (about 2-3 hours each) and made presentations and passed out clothing which had been sent in a previous container. Each church greeted was loud ululating and prolonged singing as soon as they noticed us as we wound our ways along the steep narrow paths. These are mud and simple churches, the language is not ours, but you can feel the most genuine and heartfelt love among the people there.
On Tuesday we visited 2 schools near Joyce’s home; one was the childhood school of Joseph Wangota and happened also to be the one where Papa Wamundu attended for a year or two and the other school was Joyce’s childhood school. Both schools greeted us warmly and were cheering loudly as we presented to them exercise books, pens and pencils, along with our soccer balls and a few recorders. We had a fabulous meal at Joyce’s and met with two of her brothers and one sister as well as her mother and father.
Today was our farewell assembly at AAH. There were a number of class acts and then three farewell songs from the choir which were sung through tears and were followed with hugging and sweet farewells. I have ridden in with the groups heading for Kampala, but as I near the end of this letter, I will be heading off to the taxi stand to ride back to the village. In a private vehicle (nonstop) it takes about 45-50 minutes. The taxi takes at least 90 minutes as they stop for more riders and drop offs.
Time allows me to only write these general letters, but I do want to thank you for individual emails which I will be reading every two weeks or so. I hope everyone is enjoying your summer activities and that your families are well.
Love to all-
Cynthia |
|