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Blog 4
Day 3 - Our first Community Outreach.
The second day at school was a breif morning encounter with the kids. It's a national holiday as voting for the local Mayor was taking place (voting in Kampala was ceased when rigging became apparent. Typical Ugandan politics at the moment). Benedict - my close 2nd favourite person at CALM, drove us to a local woman who makes a living making and selling jewellery out of beads. The beads themselves are individually wrapped sliced sheets of paper. Haggard, stoney and donning only 1 tooth, the grandmother of 6 could have been mistaken to be 80. Turns out she'll be 60 in September, 3 years older than the national average. After showing us her technique of slowly and tightly wrapping triangles of paper round a needle and stuck down with PVA, she gave us a go. It was surprisingly difficult and it took all of us quite a while to ge the nack to make our contributions to a standard worth selling. We helped her for around an hour or so in the baking heat, while large butterflies and secretary birds danced in the hot thick air around us. This work required concentration, but Ali was completely distracted, as always, by the introduction of little children to the scene.
The 5 or 6 toddlers, no older than the age of 7, were tiny and filthy. Their clothes were torn to rags and clearly the only set they had to their names. Naturally by the small clan of mysteriously pale faces gorping at them. Yet they were all under this woman's care, and a teenager who helped sell the beaded jewellary. They lived by a beautifully shaped tree that was blooming bright red flowers and pea pods of some description. Facing this tree was their mudhut. The roof was corregated sheets of metal. We asked to take a look inside. Turns out it was too pitch dark to take a look inside. All we could do was blindly feel around and try to politely stammer the coughs induced by the strong smell of urine.
This was a shock to the system. This was the first time we saw poverty, suffering and frankly appauling living standards at first hand in Uganda. Despite this the woman was using her remaining tooth to fill her otherwise lacking smile often. She humbley welcomed us over and over. She joked with the CALM workers who have supported her by donating pigs and offering to enrole some of the children at the school. Her work was also exquisite; the bead necklace I bought Phil was pretty by any standads. Yet it was made by rolled up Cocoa-cola posters and old calenders dipped in varnish. We were all so moved, and we enjoyed helping her so much that we are to become weekly visitors and keen helpers for her business. After we said our thankyous and goodbyes we headed back to the school for some lunch and a breif interaction with the children. Luckily we got there in time to sit in on their church service, which takes place in the brand new main hall still under construction. African gospel churches have a reputation for being charged and full of energy. And certainly Uganda pastors are prominant figures in society. The Jolly Mercy school church service mainly consists of pastor Sergi shouting "HALLELUJAH" followed by the kids screeching "AMEN!" Very entertaining and enjoyabe to watch.
What I have lined up for the rest of the week; tomorrow we have a guided tour of Kampala. We aim to find a much quicker internet cafe so I can upload the photos of thus far. Saturday we have ben invited to attend an "Introduction Party"; one of the CALM volunteer's sister is showing her husband to the family for their approval. Then Sunday we will be shown a variety of temples caterred for all religions, followed by a culture show! A lot to take in and a lot to look forward to.
Will be updating soon! Leave comments and messages please :)
Miss you all and have you all in my thoughts
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