Getting Ready to Move On

We have had a really nice time in Kampala.  On Friday we went to an the International School of  Uganda.  This is a supreme private school.  Many of the children have parents working for the government and are from all over the world.  We observed the 4th grade class of a Rotarian.  Their assignment was to discuss energy sources that power their homes in their countries of origin.  Very impressive.  They made extensive diagrams and models.  They showed where there were solar panels, turbines, wind producing sources, generators and any thing else you can think of.  It was wonderful to see houses of kids from the UK, Germany, Israel, the US, India and many others.  What a wonderful opportunity for these kids.  I met a teacher from LA who is teaching drama here and she went to the same high school as my daughters.  Though she is younger than they are, she knew them.  Small world!  There was another teacher from Rancho Bernardo married to the French teacher at the school and he is from the Congo. 

In the afternoon we visited the Christian University.  One of the professors was a recipient of  Rotary’s Grants for University Teachers.  He and his wife are here for a year.  A very interesting university and beautifully maintained. 

We had a small amount of time for shopping and then went back to the International school to hear Jane Goodall speak.  She is an incredible woman and we were so fortunate to get to hear her speak.

Yesterday was a day spent with our host families.  William and Beth arranged for me to go see a facility for AIDS patients.  For adults it is an outpatient facility and for children it is both inpatient and outpatient.  I met one of the doctors who came chasing after me to to give me a signed copy of a book he had written.  He has an amazing story.  He himself is HIV positive and was diagnosed in 1994.  His wife was also positive and died a couple of years later.  He decided he wanted to help AIDS patients, so here he is.  He is married again and working hard at this facility.  His book is questions and answers,  and pretty basic by USA standards.  However, for newly diagnosed patients, the book is of interest and probably very helpful.  We went to do some errands and then went to some friends’ house for the evening on the other side of town.  The whole family came.  No car seats here, and only passengers in the front seats wear seatbelts (except me!).  It’s scary to see little kids running around in the back seat while we are bumping along in traffic on roads in awful condition.  We had a lovely evening with some wonderful people.  It was an outdoor feast with abundant food and drink.  I did try some goat and it tasted like lamb.  Home at midnight…even with all the kids.

Today I went to Church.  It’s a Protestant Church and it was quite interesting.  The minister spoke about pornography.  Beth asked if I wanted to take communion….I said I would pass.  She said that you don’t have to be baptized to do that here, but I know that is not true in the States.  The team then spent a relaxing few hours at a local country club.  It started to rain, but we had lunch and it was relaxing.

Tomorrow we are leaving for Mbarara and then on to Kabale.  We will be back in Kampala on Friday,  late in the day.  Not sure that I will have any web access at all while we are upcountry.  It’s hard to believe we will be home a week from tomorrow.

Best to all,

Dale