---Happy Valentines Day -Again

Dear Friends

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!! This is also the one year anniversary of Diana and I landing at Entebbe Airport, Uganda , to start our 3 years as “Lay Mission Helpers”
Who would have believed a year ago that my Valentine Photo would be of me with my New Love-Baby Michael?
This photo was taken on our first excursion to Kisoro and I borrowed a front carrier from Edith, my friend who owns the Supermarket. It worked quite well and you can imagine that this mazunga ( me ), with her beautiful brown baby was quite the novelty. What made it even more fun was that I was accompanied by 3 young Ugandan men as we attempted to shop for two teenage AIDS Orphans who were just starting Boarding School.. It was indeed a true Ugandan experience!.
Speaking of the Boarding School, the first day at St. Paul’s School was quite memorable. . Justine thought I should go with her so as to experience the total effect and, boy, am I ever glad I did! Imagine your vehicle pulling up to the gate to find scads of boys with all their belonging scattered out, awaiting entry. Each boy had a metal trunk to hold his belongings and a rolled up mattress to sleep on. Inside the metal trunk were socks, underwear (I sure was glad to have the young men pick those out) and varied school items like a scientific calculator and a mechanical pencil box, a ½ a ream of lined paper for personal use(What the heck is a”ream” anyway?)
I was so proud of the purchases I had made for Godfrey and Gelvis, but was quickly put in my place by the Headmaster when he requested to see the “broom” each boy was to have brought ,as well as the package. of computer paper each boy is required to bring, not for their own use mind you, but for the office .In truth it didn’t have to be computer grade paper, copy paper would do as I didn’t see a single computer on the grounds.
The Head Master ask what US State I lived in and when I replied Arkansas, he informed me I was mispronouncing it and it was , indeed, pronounced,, R-Kansas.
So later that day when I returned with the brooms and copy paper he hailed me as “Ms. R-Kansas. “O, gosh yet another nickname but at least it is better than being called Mazunga all the time (smile).
Otherwise it has been a quiet week in Lake Wobegone ( opps another lifetime.)
With no further HIV Outreaches because we are out of the Test Kist from Dr. Kevin and , though we have tried to order them from the Minister of Health, we only received a package of 100 and that often doesn’t even cover a single village.
This may be the last you hear from me for a while as my “leave” starts next week and because Carol arrives in Entebbe Feb. 19th and Bill in Kigale, Rwanda March 7th, I have needed to break up my time off. Which is fine with me as I get some holiday time with Carol, then home time, then to Rwanda to pick up Bill and trek gorilla’s, then home again and a final safari for all of up to the noted Queen Elizabeth Park, before we drop Carol of at the airport .
Lots of fun things to anticipate as tourists but also here on St. Francis grounds. We (Bill, Carol and myself) have pooled our resources to give the AIDS Orphans a party on March 15th.. And Baby Michael is to be Baptized on Palm Sunday. Although it is the culture here to have one godparent, a woman for a girl and a man for a boy, Fr. John’s knowledge of Canon Law allows me to be his godmother and that way I can always be connected to him, no matter how his life plays out.
My friend Cynthia was able to track down the Christening Gown first worn by my sister Theresa ,given to her by her godmother, my cousin Peggy Neimeyer some 54 years ago and then worn by several other babies, including Theresa’s daughter Heather when I was her godmother some 32 years ago. .
I, also, will be equally adorned in a gorgeous Ugandan traditional lavender pink creation that my friend Immaculate had her tailor make especially for me.! What a truly festive Palm Sunday it will be with both Carol and Bill here to share this event .(keep your eye out for photos, it will be hard for your eyes to feast on such splendor –smile)

Marie

----------- Happy Valentines Day !

Dear Friends

======I had another Valentine Blog ready to go but it just won't go, so instead you get to look at the sweetest Valentine Baby ever---Michael !!!

---Since we don't have any Sears Photo Studio's here, I used my table , a festive Valentine (I also used it for Christmas-ha) tabelcloth and , of course, the star himself.
-------------------------Mama Michael

--------GOD IS GOOD !--------------

Dear Friends

A couple of weeks ago we had an ART Day on AIDS Orphans Saturday.

In some ways similar to the World AIDS Day ART Day but with some variations. First a woman from Holland named Carolyn, the wife of a volunteering surgeon, is indeed a qualified artist herself, so had more material from which the children could choose. There were crayons and colored pencils and individual paint palettes and nice big paper on which they could be as creative as their little hearts desired.

No rules, no theme, just have fun! Carolyn had also cut up pieces of brightly colored construction paper which could be glued onto the paper as a form of art.

My job seems to be that of the organizer usually leaning toward the disciplinarian when they don’t follow the rules (ha). But with several assistants, two being my young friends Emmanuel and Osmante, we were able to assist each age group toward the completion of their masterpieces.

At one point I realized there was not enough material to go around so I brought out all the stickers that friends(Ellie, Joan and Carol) had sent me. To tell you the truth I expected a room full of stickers here and there with no rhyme or reason but, boy, was I ever pleasantly surprised. The children spelled out words of meaning to them, then outlined them with stickers—it looked so cool! I have enclosed some for you to see and enjoy.

Another thing that impressed me was how quickly the kids got the concept of ART. Sharing with each other , so all could have many colors, Actually looking at and admiring each others work and just a whole lot more smiles filled the room than our first attempt in December.

I am not an artist by any means, so I really appreciated the pointers from Carolyn for future projects and the help of talented, caring assistants .

Even “cleaning up” went smoother (meaning I didn’t have to do it all myself-ha).

I loved the messages the children turned into art and I hope you will appreciate them as well.

All for now, so much to do to prepare for the first day of school on Feb 5^th.

Then , of course, my personal preparations for my visitors Carol Balderree and Bill Northrup, who arrive respectively on Feb. 19^th in Kampala, Uganda and March 7^th in Kigale, Rwanda.

There will be so much to share with you all as we travel around Uganda, especially trekking the Rwandan hills to see the Gorilla’s. Can’t wait!

Blessings

Marie

------My absolute Favorite----and done all in stickers sent by Carol Ellie and Joan. Thanks!
-------------Kids hard at work "creating" their masterpieces.
------I just hope and pray this picture comes out better than what I am seeing on the screen
------- Such a beautiful work of Art, too bad you can't see the artists equally beautiful smile.
----------Carolyn (the artist from Holland) with helpers: my friends Osmante and Emmanuel.
Sorry I don't recall the other helpers name.
I just love this one done in gluing pieces of paper on the canvas. Monica gets right to the point
-----------------------------Care for the Orphans---That's all!"
-------An attempt to mirror the scenery that I view every day--lucky me!
---------------All the Art was hung up in the Public Health(where I work) for two weeks, then either taken home or it now wallpapers my home.