Day 33 - Days Go By

I just can’t get over how fast the time is going by, really. The 2nd wave volunteers will be here in 2 weeks and I can’t even believe it. Days are starting to move faster as we get more and more busy. As of now there are only 51 days left, I’ve already spent 33.

I’m so happy that we are finally beginning to work in the clinics and that we have Simba Stove projects going. We got started on the Simba Stove at True Light secondary school today. Amber, Heidi, and I went and successfully built a foundation for the stove. We decided to do two big holes instead of the generic one big hole and 2 small ones because of the amount of food they will be cooking. We kinda of came up with our own design to accommodate the situation and we feel like it’s going to work well. We made the stove with two fire sources because we wanted to make absolute sure that the stove would provide the help that it’s designed two. Although our goal is to be able to use 1 fire source, we are better safe than sorry, especially when they are providing the materials. Part of our problem is that we have never been able to make and light up a stove. We are still waiting for the one at Seya to dry enough to start a fire, but we think we are just going to go up on Thursday wether it’s ready or not because we NEED to know if it works or not. It’s been almost 3 weeks since we built the stove, it should be dang close. I was very satisfied with the design and our workmanship of the foundation, it was our first time without having Dan there who happens to be very skilled in building and woodworking. It’s really exciting to be really making stoves, finally doing the things that we came here to do. I beginning to feel accomplishment already.

We also visited the Mehta Hospital today and took a tour. Annette, who I think is the Senior Nurse, forgot to make the list that we requested be made last week. She told us that she would have it done tomorrow. As soon as we can get the list the sooner we can get people working there. The hospital itself was the same song second verse of Kawolo Hospital. As far as medical things are concerned everything is super scary over here. It’s not easy to walk into the hospitals, let alone imagine having some sort of operation that could potentially save your life but be the most unpleasant experience of one’s life. The conditions are absolutely horrible.

When Jackie and I were walking through Jinja yesterday we talked about how spoiled we are to have what we have. Spoiled doesn’t even begin to describe what we are and what we have. It blows my mind each day as I walk through the towns how different things are. I’m not sure I’ll ever totally get over that fact, it’s just too much different to ever forget. We are so blessed to have what we have, nobody even realized unless they’ve seen what I’ve seen and/or worse.

Need to use the restroom? Yeah, don’t plan on a public restroom or even latrine unless you can find a place and pay them some amount of shillings. Porcelain? Get real. Need some medical attention? Don’t plan on the place being sterile or full of amazing doctors. Need a garbage can for that water bottle? You’re walking on it. Entertainment? Leave Lugazi. Clean drinking water? Boil it or buy it. Want running water? Don’t bet on it. Warm shower? Negative. Electricity? Neither. Washer and dryer? Dream on. Security? Get an armed guard. Want to go to the grocery store and pick up some food? Good luck with that, whatever you find. These are just a few things to think about when it comes to what we have and take for granted. People just have no idea! I’m going to croak from now on when I hear people complain about what they don’t have or complain about anything when they have everything. If people could spend the time that I’ve spent here in Lugazi, Uganda, they’d realize what they have and what these people are missing.

I had the opportunity to upload a bunch of pictures, 83 to be exact. I also updating my blog with my most recent entries. I hope people are enjoying my run-downs, they are pretty crazy. I hope to continue to get amazing pictures. I felt like the ones I just loaded were some of the best so far. The pictures of the kids are my favorite, they are so cute and the look in their eyes tells so much about them. I downed 2 Pepsis today and it felt so good. I think I’m addicted while I’m here. The problem is that it’s the closest thing to home food that I can get my hands on. Also it’s like a big treat at the end of the day. Well, that’s all for tonight. On my way to bed, but maybe I’ll get some reading in before then. Until tomorrow.