Nkoko, Nkoko ... Mbuzi

Greetings from Uganda. Michael and I arrived on Friday morning, and we spent Saturday at the Child Life Center in Kabalagala. At 3:00 on the dot, a few dozen children showed up, all smiles. No doubt they had been looking forward to this all day. Michael led them in the first activity of the day--a game that is as American as apple pie but unkown of here: Duck, Duck ... Goose, except to make it setting-appropriate we used the Ugandan words for chicken and goat, nkoko and mbuzi. The game was a big hit. About 7 of them at a time sat in a circle at the center of the courtyard to play, while the others sat and watched, screaming and laughing. They thought it was fun to tap Michael as the goat, until he slipped and fell and got a pretty nasty strawberry on his knee. I'm not sure if the game taught them any life lessons, but I'm sure the sound of laughter was audible all across the city of Kampala. --Carrie

More Art

The girl who drew the piece entitled it 'The Hunterman'. She wrote these words about her subject:

The hunterman is muscular
He was going to hunt a wild rabbit.
He is strong and firm.
He is hunting to get skin for making clothes.
He is hunting to get meat.

Children's art work...

Whilst in Kabalagala, Uganda recently, I spent a lot of time with children who were serious about the business of 'creating'. Each day we would meet and get to work on our pieces of art. The work was collaborative and each child would take the time to appraise or give advice to others. We didn't have tables or desks or chairs and so the children sat in what looked like yoga positions for long periods of time. I was amazed by their skill and enthusiasm. Some of their work took more than 4 hours (not all in one go) - such an example is below - the picture entitled 'Magic Pots'.

These pieces of work are for sale at tomorrow's fundraiser in a silent auction at the Rohs Street Cafe, Cincinnati. I hope they get sold for a good price. Someone asked me in an incredulous voice the other day who would buy these children's work. The answer is I don't know. Whilst we are relying on charitable hearts I can also firmly say that I believe these pieces of art are worth every penny and more than will be paid for them. And of course all the money will go towards opening our school. What an invaluable contribution these children have made to their own lives and the lives of others.

Children's art work

Property secured

We have found another property in Kabalagala. The same price but bigger and in some respects in a better location. We are very close to some common ground - big open grassy space with football goals, so PE lessons will be fun. I can't bear to think about it because it makes me want to be be there and see it for real. Imagine how this place will look when it has lots of children in it. Expect to see such photos from Feb 2007 onwards.

Simon - our teacher

The photo of Simon is coming - just having problems uploading it.

Our teacher

So the bad news is that the splendid house (see photo some entries back) that we hoped to get for our school will not be given to us. I am not sure why. The ministry of education in Uganda make landlords renting property or lands for the purpose of schools sign a 3 year agreement with their tenants that they cannot break but which their tenants can. Maybe the landlord was scared off by this. I am not sure. So please keep your fingers crossed for us. Paddy is working very hard to secure us another property.

But there is good news. We have appointed our teacher. Officially. His name is Simon, he is a talented teacher and is particularly gifted in the area of music and dance. Hopefully one of these days Simon will write something for this blog but in the meantime cast your eyes on his photos. As Dickens would say, 'He is a fine figure of a man' - don't you think?