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Sunday, May 31, 2009

The Week Before

Mandy and I have been counting down the days before we leave for our African adventure. Frankly we can hardly believe that it is actually going to happen. Now that Mandy is finished with school we have a couple of days to focus entirely on getting ready for the trip.

Yesterday we spent the day running up and down the isles of stores grabbing things we anticipate needing:
  • 3 bars of fruity soaps - Fights body odor 24 hours!
  • 7 sticks of deodorant - Rumor has it... Showers are available once a week
  • 1 giant mosquito net - Reminds me of an old sci-fi movie
  • 48 quarts of crystal light packets - To flavor the potentially gross water
  • 60 spf Sun screen- Apparently you can't get this in country (who needs sunscreen but the pasty, white college kids from America?)
  • 2 ponchos - No idea... they were 88 cents
  • Baby wipes - For Baby Mandy
  • Duct tape - For home repairs
  • Spray bottles - To keep cool
  • Pocket knife - To fight off lions, tigers, and... bears?
As you can see we are ready for anything. Hopefully our suitcases don't weigh over 50 lbs.
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Creating the Blog

So, I wasn't sure whether I wanted to blog or just send e-mails from Uganda. I'm still not sure, but blogging seems new and fun. I think I'll try it. Parents, we will also try to slip in a personal e-mail each week as well. Still, come here for more info.

I am writing this blog, hoping that it will let people--especially those who are a little nervous about this whole adventure--keep tabs on what we're up to. However, I also hope to have an amazingly exciting and wonderful time, and that's what I really want to share with you. So, once a week, feel free to check in and see what's going down in Lugazi, Uganda.
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Town Center

Town Center
This is the center of Lugazi. The top left office is the "Youth Outreach Program" It consists of about 15 ugandan college students. They were born in Lugazi, and were able to earn enough money to go to college in Kampala. They have decided to return to Lugazi and build up the community by starting a non-profit group that focuses on orphans, street children, and widows. They are an amazing group of people. I want to be more like them. I am currently working closely with them to write a business plan, and letters to governmental agencies and NGO's to help them raise enough funds for their projects. It's amazing how a little money can do so much good. We are hoping to raise $5,000 to build a carpentry shop and bakery to teach the children viable skills. I hope I can help them succeed.

Village Hut

Village Hut
Mandy went into the rural jungle villages to deliver baby kits to new mothers. Entire families live in this small huts. Sometimes 10+ people per hut.

Our Room

Our Room
After sewing several mosquito nets together we managed to cocoon our bed in the safety of mesh. We sleep comfortably and the geckos, spiders and roaches thankfully stay on the floor and the walls.

Not Exactly the Marriott but it's Home Sweet Home

Not Exactly the Marriott but it's Home Sweet Home
This is our room in the back of the main house. We are the middle door. The left door is the charcoal room, the right door is Sam's room, our day time guard

The Well

The Well
This is where we get our water. (Drinking water comes from a bottling company) We use this water to clean, shower, laundry and dishes. We add bleach and soap to kill the algae

My Best Invention So Far

My Best Invention So Far
I managed to rig a spout to a jerry can and attach a tube to the end. There were a few bricks lying around which makes for a perfect stand and "tiled floor". Now we can stand up, shower, and rinse. Who needs indoor plumbing?

Our walk home

Our walk home
We walk this street everyday to get home. The children run out of their houses, yelling and laughing.; They grab your arms and hug your legs. They have nothing, but are so happy. I want to take them all home.

Boda Driver Wanna Be

Boda Driver Wanna Be
These are the "Boda Boda" Taxis. We pile on 1, 2, 3, maybe 4 people. I have seen 4 people and 2 chairs strapped to the back going down the highway. Classic

This is a typical store front.

This is a typical store front.
Businesses here are extremely small. Most of them sell the same things and have way too much inventory. I am teaching a series of business classes to various groups to help them with book keeping and inventory management.

Mandy Sleeping in the Airport Next to Her Friend Ronald

Mandy Sleeping in the Airport Next to Her Friend Ronald
Fortunately we were able to catch some shut eye in the Amsterdam airport. Mandy was able to fall asleep knowing that she was being watched by the family guardian

Mandy In Amsterdam

Mandy In Amsterdam
On our flight over here we were able to spend a day in Amsterdam. Neither of us had ever been there so it was fun to figure things out. Here we are in the subway station heading out into the city. I love subways