The somber Uganda update

Once again I’m really overdue for an update. It’d be easy to write it off as me being busy or blame other mitigating factors but really, it’s because I’m not sure what to say but when I start to think maybe there is something to say… in fact, I have a lot to say now.

The boys started school on Monday here. I have never seen children so excited nor ever been so excited for them to go. They love it. I’ve stopped by to see if any need help with homework but it’s always done before they come home. These boys are so motivated and supportive of each other. Teaching them has really made me realize how much I take for granted in my own education. I’m eager to return to school. But really, it will take work and I mean a lot. I screwed up royally for three semesters and at a community college for God’s sake. If that doesn’t read “stupid”, I’m not sure what would. But I’m going to try and give it another shot and the counselor I emailed sounded positive but I guess that’s her job right? Anyway this isn’t really relevant to the things I want to rant about. Before I left I told many of you, I didn’t like how often Africa is portrayed in a negative light. I don’t think that anymore. Africa is portrayed in that light because it’s the only way we’ll listen…being guilted into sending money… Everyone here asks for money or sponsors. No really, everyone. People introduce their selves to me just to ask for sponsors. It aggravates me. Children and sometimes adults just ask for money. People look at me and they see a dollar sign. It makes me angry. But I don’t blame them. I’d do the exact same if I was in their shoes (or if I was them because many don’t have shoes). So as annoyed as I get with it, I understand.

Hypocritical as it may sound, part of the reason I’m writing is to ask for money. There are about a million ways to send money here and have it benefit someone. But the best way, I think, is sponsoring a student or better yet a school. School used to be free, when Amin was in control. Good teachers were common at every level. Now public education doesn’t exist. And private school is expensive. But we could afford it, even I could just with money I spend on useless crap. And I’m a college student. I know the economy is down and blah blah blah. The truth is when you and I decide we want to make a difference, we will. I could make excuses all day for why this month isn’t a good month to give, or why I’d like to but those 1am Sheetz trips seem to deplete any extra money I have. Yum, Sheetz. You can definately support one student and most of you could support several.

Normally, sponsorship is done by selecting an individual and they receive the money. This is good and normally effective especially if there is communication between the sponsor and student. This involves commitment. Not just a pledge to send money but taking an interest in the individual. Depending on the academic ability and age of the student, you could be committed for 4 years or 12 years. School fees and individual needs vary. This may sound harsh but the goal of sponsorship is to stimulate the economy and development of all of Africa. If you sponsor a student who only completes primary because either you or in rare cases the student dropped the ball- you‘ve both wasted your time and money. If you take on the responsibility of sponsorship, you damn well should stick with it. If you said you’ll send $10 a month. Do it. Every month. Even if that means you skip four meals over the course of a month, or walk to the store instead of driving, or take a coffee fast. Your brain and bladder will really thank you if choose the coffee fast . A small sacrifice on your part makes a huge impact on their life. $10 a month is around 18,000 Ugandan shillings. That’s not quite enough to cover all school fees but it’s a great start.

Last week, I went to the graduation party of a Suubi lady’s daughter. She was graduating from Makere University, (one the best around) as an educator. That party was more like a wedding than anything else. The whole community celebrated! The whole community took an interest in her development over the years. She was sponsored by other Ugandans who made the financial sacrifices for her. Now, She’s returning to the north where she already has a secure job and a full class waiting to learn. Her achievement is impressive both for her personally and for the community. She studied hard and she applied herself fully. The community was behind her encouraging her and her sponsors faithfully paid for her schooling. Now she’s giving back. Did you ever see that movie Pay It Forward? Or do you remember all those commercials about feeding a family on a dollar a day? Well, it’s not true in Uganda- in Uganda you can feed a family for $1.12 a day. $410 a year. Family’s here aren’t small either. The average family is close to eight or nine people. That’s $.13 a person a day. Go count the change in your couch and see how many people you can feed. For around .80 a person, the whole family could have meat. Meat is for special occasions here, though honestly with the cleanliness of the butcheries and the way the meat sits in the heat all day I’m surprised the meat gets eaten at all. I don’t eat for less than $5.00 a day ever at home and it’s usually around 5 bucks a meal.

I realize that this is topic likely is not something you want to read about in an update from the kid you very generously supported to send him to Africa. For me, this topic is easy to tune out and ignore at home. I’m asking you not to ignore it. Consider supporting either an individual student or supporting a school. Supporting a school is great because even though not all of that money is placed in the hands of students, all of it is used for education.

I want to tell you about a woman here in Uganda that has understood what it really means to take what she has been given and give it back to the community. Sarah is a Rwandan whose parents fled to Uganda just before the genocide. She grew up poor but, she found sponsors. A couple from Chicago agreed to support her all the through school in Uganda and then pay for her to go to school in the US. However, after Sarah finished secondary school rather than going to the US for college, she decided to stay in Uganda and help street kids. Her sponsors agreed to use the money they would have used for her to go to college to take fifteen children off the streets, into a home and school. These are the boys I mentioned about teaching English to during the week. Sarah has put her education on hold for because she believes she needs to help the people here. I mean, how awesome is that! After a few years, she may still go to the US for school. Aaron and Kendra (Sarah’s sponsors) have greatly impacted over twenty lives by sticking with the commitment of sponsorship. Right now, Aaron and Kendra are going through a really tough time. Over the past year, they have had medical problems and by God’s grace have figured out how to still sponsor these boys.

I know much this is just a long ramble at least, I’m explaining some of what is going on, right?I’m curious to see if any of you are willing to sponsor students here in Uganda. I know students who could use the funds and schools. Either way works for me but I’d really encourage several of you to considering banding together and committing to a school. Write me a note or send me email if you are and we can talk about how to set it up. If you want saving strategies, I’ve had time to think of those too . Thanks for reading folks.

P.s. to Mrs. Knopp, through Professor Bland ( implied names are those of my English teachers from Kindergarten through college) and my mother. You are all wonderful. I sincerely apologize for my grammatical structure and I do not believe anyone should hold you accountable for the manner in which this update is written.

Okay so over the past few days of writing this, I’ve received several encouragements to post an update, I guess because you didn’t know I was writing this one eh? Well, anyway, if you still have energy after my rant. Keep reading.Since the boys are at school, I had more time to explore Jinja and find things to get involved in. We have here a couple of African teenagers who come around and help out with different things. One of them, Andrew, has lost both of his parents likely to AIDS and his thirteen year old sister has AIDS as well. She also contracted TB. These two diseases are often paired up here in Africa even though statistically someone HIV is not more likely to contact TB. The living conditions here are simply a breeding ground TB. Agnes was re-admitted to the Jinja Children’s Hospital for blood transfusion for severe anemia and to monitor her reception of streptomycin for the TB. (just in case you didn’t know: HIV/AIDS destroys immune system. TB turns lungs into Swiss cheese and they fill with blood. Anemia is where your body just doesn’t make enough blood.) The hospital is great because, it’s free. Even some of the medicine is free. But the price is there is only one pediatrician and other general care doctor who rotate days and nights. The rest of the staff are mostly students either medical or nursing. So really “monitoring” a condition is hard to do. Agnes was lucky to be admitted to a private room where as the other two wards are simple open rooms filled beds and cribs. There are more people that just wait in the halls for care because the hospital is so full of patients and so understaffed. Over the past week I’ve watched Agnes’ TB move into the final stage. She’s coughing blood now. A lot. She was supposed to be released yesterday but because of the coughing blood, they transfused another unit. She needs another drug. TB can often become resistant if only treated with one drug and that appears to be what’s happened. However the better drugs simply aren’t available here. So please be praying for her. (Monday update: Agnes is continuing to rapidly decline in health.. The ARV’s are not working and she is constantly spitting blood into a bowl now. Some of has a thick mucus lining from her lungs. I do not expect her to live more than two weeks. It sucks.)

Being at the hospital has opened up a door for me to volunteer though. I’m only doing simple stuff and mostly working with outpatients but I really like it. Over the past week, I’ve found some different organizations around town and gotten the chance to learn about their missions and it’s really encouraging. If any of you come to Jinja, ever. There is a great restaurant called Ozzie’s run by an Australian woman and that lady makes the best and biggest cinnamon rolls, I’ve ever had. (Sorry momma. Your waffles are better though. )

Joe and Melissa were married on the Nile last week. And last night was a huge party for them with all the Suubi ladies. It was a beautiful wedding and a great party. I’ll hopefully have pictures sent to my mother so she can upload them and show you. Uploading here is impossible. Anyway, I miss home a lot. I’m still glad I’m here and everything but Clay was right when he said that at one month I’d really want to be home. I think about home often. Even though, I’m growing my beard out here-it doesn’t really grow much because of the heat so unfortunately I won’t look like Grizzly Adams when I get home.

Anyway I love you all and I’ll keep you posted on the condition of Agnes.