First of all, a HUGE thank you to those of you who have donated, our Paypal account just keeps receiving your gifts! You truly are amazing, thank you for your trust, your support and your generous hearts! Whether it is big or small, every donation helps make these great projects happen! We have also received five boxes in the mail, chocked full of school supplies, color crayons, pencils, protractors, books….you name it! I wish I could describe the hoots and hollers that are heard from these kids over a simple pencil. They are so excited over the smallest gesture or gift. It is really humbling to walk into a classroom with a handful of plastic protractors and they scream and shout because they will each have their own protractor, something of their own. Thank you Decorah Middle School and all of the students there for sharing your good fortune! Also Thank you to Faith Lutheran Church for the many wonderful books, the children are enthralled by them! They especially like the book called, “Amazing Grace”! ANOTHER box arrived today from Decorah Middle School today, just a few days behind the first batch; I was on my way to the village, to the building site, so I decided to take this box with me to the government school there. All I can say is, WOW! A box full of pens, pencils, markers and colored pencils and even the teachers were “oohing and aahing” over all the goodies. I had to explain how the mechanical pencils worked, but the best was a pen with a duck head on the top that “quacked” when you pushed down on the head. I really wish I could have that recorded, how the teachers laughed as they passed it around, each one trying it out for themselves and equally surprised when the pen actually quacked at them!
It has been a very busy week! The village Priest invited me to come and speak at church, to encourage the village members to come and help carry stones for the tank. After the discussion on the back of the motor bike with Sam and Didas and the lack of family planning that takes place, I thought, “This is my chance to spread the message to many!” We arrived promptly at 10:30 when we were told the service started and there was not a single person in the church, they started trickling in and somewhere around 11 the service started. Finally, at the end of the three hour service, they introduced me and invited me to speak, I first thanked them all for having me and then I explained that I love them, I love their village and that I want to help them harvest the rain water. “I want to help you, but I am asking for your help in return. #1 Smaller families for better lives. #2 Come and help carry stones to build the tank tomorrow morning.” There are posters in the health clinic that promote, “smaller families for better lives” and my translator went into great detail about being able to afford your children, being capable of providing necessities like mosquito nets, shoes, medicine and school fees to have stronger and healthier children, and better lives for everyone. The second request was met with cheers and laughter when I said, “Tubonane ajo mugetondo”, (see you tomorrow morning). Unfortunately, not a single person showed up to carry the stones besides myself and the men who were hired to build the tank.
We have finally found space to rent to start the crafting co-op! We are renting a nice, little room in Nturu Village, it is next to a sewing school and it is a clean, tidy room with plenty of space for our two machines, plus room to grow! When I paid the rent for the year they told me they would, “make it smart”, which I thought meant washing the walls, maybe even painting them. Turns out they meant painting the outside of the building and not doing a thing to the inside. I bought a broom and we are happily settled! We have four women there, already sewing and producing crafts. They are still learning about muzungu standards and I feel a bit like a drill sergeant as I inspect their work and explain why it is not acceptable or what needs to be fixed. Detail is not a strong suit here, but they are coming along….Colorful and beautiful pillow cases for sale and many bags are on the way!!! We will also have a crafting co-op branch in the village of Cyanika, where my friend has space that he is willing to let us use free of charge, we just have to “renovate”; buy a couple bags of cement, a load of sand to mix the cement with, paint to spruce it up and the labor to do it. No one works for free!
Last, but not least, we bought a motor cycle! Yes, that’s right. With the crafting being in two different villages, plus the tank being built in a third, we were paying every day for transport and supplies to be hauled back and forth. This bike will also provide jobs for two different men, they will share the bike and each week, they will pay me a small fee for using “my bike”, it’s more like a loan that they will “slowly by slowly” pay back. Another learning experience I expect! Life is full of them, particularly around here. Didas is also learning what I’m looking for in the crafting and will be the one picking up the crafts from the ladies, then out pedaling the goods to the various hotels where the tourists frequent.
Today I asked one woman to cut squares out of cardboard to use as patterns for the women to sew with. I did the first square 3x3 and showed her and then I explained that I wanted a 4x4, 5x5 and 6x6 cardboard piece cut. When I returned an hour later she had cut a 3x4, 3x5 and 3x6 piece! I remind myself regularly that these people are not ignorant; they are far from it, how else could they possibly survive with absolutely nothing?! They simply have never had the opportunity to do these things. Most have never used a pair of scissors, never been given instructions like measure, mark and cut a square. They are far wiser than me in the art of survival and we have much to learn from each other.
Today’s prayer went something like this, “God give me patience and chocolate! Please!” Amen.
I’m off to Kampala in the morning, looking forward to visiting with the ladies who make all those lovely paper beads and also seeing some friends there!
Thank you all for your love,
Bonnie
“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.”
If you'd like to donate to Resilient Uganda please choose from one of the following:
For a tax deductible donation:
Send a check payable to H.E.L.P. (our partner organization) to:
H.E.L.P.
1041 S County Rd 3
Johnstown CO 80534
Please include a note (separate from the check) indicating that the funds are for Resilient Uganda and then let me know you need a receipt and the tax i.d. number and I will e-mail it to you!
For a non-taxable donation:
Send a check payable to Bonnie Bzdok to:
Bzdok's
9161 Great River Rd
Little Falls MN 56345
or
Thank you so much, your donation will go directly to improving the lives of Ugandans and building projects of empowerment.
Wacozey Chaney! (Thank you very much!)
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