Smiles and tears part 1

This blog has now become a 6 way collaboration between the group as our days are so busy I'm finding it difficult to keep up.

We wake up at Joggies and after a small amount of grumbling about our vinyl mattresses and concrete pillows, make our way up to breakfast where we sing Susan "Happy Birthday" before she's truly even awake.

Our mzungu friend Harry was kind enough to loan us a cooler, so as we set out for our day we decide to make a quick stop for ice on the way.  Since the power had been off the night before this proved a difficult task, so we carry on with our plan to buy bikes for Moses, Cutie, and Saleh.

typical roadside market

bargaining for bikes

Abraham lashes the new purchases to the roof

Scott has fun test driving the bikes while Carly "bargoons" with the shop keep until we get the price we want and we are elated to leave with bikes for the boys.

We continue our hunt for ice to no avail so at the next stop we buy ribbons for the bikes,  because the only thing better than a new bike is a new bike with a shiny bow on it.

Realizing we have forgotten the donated gift bags for the kids at Joggies, we backtrack before our first home visit of the day.  Our brief stop allows time to attach the ribbons.

On our way to our first visit, we stop at a mall for banking and, ahem, ice. While struggling to get the ATM's to work, we decide to get a quick bite.  An hour later,  our chicken nuggets and fries arrive and we are successful in our acquisition of both ice and money.

a funky mall in Kampala

Our first family visit of the day is to Jackie's sister Farida, mother to Sara (14) and Moses (9), and step mother to Cutie (7).  She was kind enough to take Cutie in even though dad isn't in the picture.  This is indeed a rare kindness in Ugandan culture and has given us one more reason to help her out.

We navigate through a series of narrow alleyways until we find her small "courtyard".  We are kindly welcomed into her two room home. The children share the front room while mom combines her bed and their storage in the back room.  Cooking is done outside, and there is a communal pit latrine (washroom) for the families in the courtyard. 

meeting in Farida's home

cool dudes Cutie & Moses

Susan & Alan happy to be reunited with Sarah

We learn that Farida earns her income by making paper bags out of recycled printer paper and cassava paste.  She works from home and then sells her product to various vendors like chapatti stands and some of the local schools. She expresses however, that she is a tailor and would like her own sewing shop. She already owns a sewing machine.  We have decided that this is where we will focus our attention in the immediate future in an effort to help the family become more self sufficient.

After a lovely visit and excited reunion with the kids, we head back to the van to fetch the bikes for the boys. With the bikes on the roof of the van, thanks to the extreme heat Cutie's bike has blown a tube.  The locals walk us to the village's bike shop and in no time we are back in business. 

We expect the boys to be extremely excited when we present them with the bikes and we are surprised, and maybe even a little disappointed, in their reserved reaction. This demonstrates another difference in our cultures, as Ugandan children are taught to be very disciplined.

The boys attempt riding in their small courtyard but are not very successful.  We enjoy watching them anyway. Following some family photos, we say our goodbyes.