When I stepped off the plane, I was not sure how I would feel being back in Uganda. I have actually been nervous about my return and the feeling that being here- just one person - was useless. But then, the doors of the plane opened and it hit me...the smell of fires burning triggered my memory of this 3rd world country. The smoky air and the 85 degree weather at 9 pm at night felt so familiar and good.
We traveled quickly to Iganga town. This is the main city of the Iganga District and where New Grace Primary is located. The town has considerably more people here than even 6 months ago. There are easily twice as many people in the streets and Peter tells me that there are many more children at the school...I cant imagine. The people are as nice as ever. Smiling and yelling "Sabo" (sir) and "Mazungu" (white person). We have walked the streets and met so many people out working on the street. We are at the Mwana Highway Hotel...I am staying in the room Linda and Teresa were in (I think - it was one of the girls rooms). When I got to the hotel, the armed man standing at the door (with an AK-47 slung over his shoulder looked right at me and said "hello". This is not common as usualy everyone tries to steer clear of these guys. He began to approach me and I just held out my hand to shake his. He shifted his body so that his rifle would slide behind him and he grabbed the barrel with his left hand. He put out his hand and shook mine and again said, "hello". Wierd and cool moment.
Peter's heart for New Grace is so apparent. Since we were here last time, the two classrooms they had under construction have been completed. One is a classroom and one is a boys dorm. The boys dorm needs 12 beds at approx. $135 each. A friend (you know who you are) gave me some money and I will be buying a couple of them while I am here. This will get the kids on mattresses on beds and off the floor. Peter, I guess, got the government to step up, and the restrooms are in much better shape. They have put concrete floors down and PVC pipe to carry out the horrible smell we experienced last time. A girls dorm is halfway complete with walls up (Peter has funded this entire project on his own). There is a mountain of timber to be used for the kitchen and a clapboard kitchen in the back yard area. The well (the hand dug one) has been capped and the color was much better than before. Peter and I went this evening to determine the site for the new well. I told him I prefered it to be in the front so others in the community can come for water as well. 200 shillings buys enough water to fill a 25 liter bottle. The locals carry these bottles all the way to downtown Iganga and home. This is a several mile walk everyday for clean water. Peter and I have discussed charging 100 shillings for the new well (they save 100 shillings) and it is a much closer walk for most of them. My thought was we could use this to pay for the orphans food. Thoughts?!? Please let me know what you think about this.
We travel all over the Iganga district over the next several days and will have no internet.
Will keep you updated as I can...you can count on Courtney as I will be talking to her often. Internet service here at the Mwana Highway Hotel is....spotty to say the least! (remember guys)
Brian
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