Frank becomes my personal boda boda (motorcycle) driver!

Amber: This week seemed to be a week of freedoms….Hooray! We have internet at the office now, however since it is run off the wireless phone network, it doesn’t work if too many people are using the network at the same time, but it’s nice to be able to check our email more than once a week and feel connected back home. We also finally bought a cell phone, which allows us to communicate with people easier. This is important since a couple of times people from the Kampala office wanted to talk to us, and someone would have to drive over to where we are staying to connect us. Also this week we got a boda boda (motorcycle). One of the staff had an extra which he has graciously lent to us. The only think is we are going to have to replace the shocks on it as every time we hit a bump (which on African roads is about 8 times a second), the wheel well hits the tire and makes an awful noise. I must say, if this bike was in Canada, no one would ride it as it looks, sounds and feels a bit unsafe, like it is going to fall into a pile of pieces on the highway, however we have been told it is one of the better ones around, and after being on a few others, we know it to be true. Driving motorcycles in Africa is quite different than in Canada. First of all, it is a full time job trying to zig-zag through the maze of potholes at 70 km/h, and avoid on coming vehicles that are also swerving trying to avoid potholes, all the while remembering that I have to stay left…Left…LEFT! Amber is my rear lookout (which is easy for her because she has to ride side saddle…lol) as vehicles also fly up from behind you and would run right over you if you didn’t move into the ditch. It seems there is quite a pecking order on the roads here. Bicycles hit the ditch for motorbikes, motorbikes hit the ditch for cars and taxies and everything better get out of the way for semi-trucks as they are not moving for anything! It’s been a learning experience in trusting that our lives are truly in Gods hands (kind of joking, …but not really), and although I feel confident and am quite comfortable driving already, I don’t know if Amber feels quite as confident in my driving ability, so please pray for her.

Well, I was eased in slowly to the teaching profession here. My first class only had 44 students in it. I’m teaching grade 6 Math and English in Makhai on Mondays and Wednesdays, and grade 5 English and grade 6 English in Bufukhula. The grade 5 class in Bufukhula is the biggest that I’ve taught, 123 students. It was quite crazy, because I think that they also have a difficult time understanding me. (and vice versa) I hope that this class gets easier because it was quite a struggle. It seems that the students learn mostly the same things as my class in Canada; Social Studies is the only thing that seems really different, as they learn about Uganda and other countries in Africa. Something that’s been very challenging to me is that some teachers here still hit their students, and in one case it seems it’s being misused. Please pray that I will find a way to influence change over this, as it’s very upsetting to me.

On Wednesday, Frank and I sorted some books that were donated to the Makhai School library. They have about 60 books right now (not even enough for a whole class to read). Many of them were donated by a team that came from the UK last October. The community is hoping to continue building their resources.

Frank: On Thursday, I helped make bricks. They’re made by putting mud into a mould that is built to make two bricks at a time. They then lay the bricks out to dry under banana leaves for several days. In April they will burn them to dry them even more. The locals seemed pretty surprised that a “Mazungu” (white person) could do manual labour. After every fifteen minutes they would say “Man you must be tired!!” to which I would respond “I am not quitting until the others I was working along side quit.” I don’t know if they were just being polite by letting me know I could take a break if I wanted, or if they actually think that we can’t do ANY manual labour (although it didn’t help that cause when I told them that machines make our bricks). Anyways it felt good to play with mud for a day,…it brought me back to my childhood. The community of Bufukhula is beginning to prepare for the team from CAP Church in North Vancouver that comes every year. They will be helping to finish two classrooms and build teacher’s quarters. That’s a lot of bricks needed by May! The teacher’s quarters are necessary because Bufukhula doesn’t have a very big population, so many teachers travel from far away. The principal leaves her house at 6:00am every morning to walk the three miles to school. School begins at 7:30am. Another teacher rides his bike 22km to school. I can’t even imagine!

Amber: On Saturday it was Valentine’s Day. It is only recognized by the people in town, the people in the villages don’t really know about it. We went with Vicki to pick out fabric for the dress that I’m having made. We found some, but I didn’t buy it yet. I’ve also chosen a pattern, which I’m very excited about. Frank also saw a traditional shirt that he likes.

We then went to the Oasis of Life restaurant. It was started by a British man and serves European food. It is a beautiful place and has awesome food (the best in town if you’re ever vacationing in Mbale, lol). Frank tried to order the crocodile steak on the menu, but the owner of the restaurant is the only one who cooks it and he is back in England right now. Hopefully we’ll have a chance to try it somewhere else before we leave here. The Oasis of Life also founded a church, but on Saturday they met on the back lawn to have a church service. It was packed and it lasted for about 1 ½ hours.

After that, we went to the Mbale Resort where they have an outdoor swimming pool. It was refreshing, as it was really hot. I loved some of the rules on their sign: Do not blow your nose in the pool and do not spit indiscriminately in the pool. Most people in Uganda don’t know how to swim because you can’t swim in most of the lakes and rivers here due to bacteria in the water, or crocodiles. There are only two pools in Mbale, and we’ve been told that the one in the sports centre is dirty. As it is, the water at the resort began turning the white parts on our bathing suits green.

This next week, Frank and I will begin playing sports with the children during school and I’m hoping to take over some library classes so that I can read storybooks to the children…one of my favourite things to do. We’re also getting two students from an American university who will be staying with us for 3 weeks. They’re taking a class about development, which was set up by FH and their university is partnering with it. They’ve been in Kampala taking classes, now they come to Mbale for three weeks to do some practical work, and then they’re off to Rwanda for more classes. It seems like a cool program. So far, none of the universities in Canada have accepted to offer credit for a program like this.

Creature of the week: a bat in our hallway (which we see once in a while, but never long enough to think about catching it).

We are thankful for:
· Continued health
· Friendships with staff here
· Messages and support from our family and friends at home
· God’s faithfulness

Please pray for:
· Parents here raising fees for their children in high school to go to school.
· Our continued partnership with the staff here finding ways to use our skills.
· Continued health and safety.
· Makhai and Bufukhula communities as they continue with preparations for development.