Thanks to You and 2007!

Thanks for the Christmas greetings and wishes I have rec’d over these past days…I appreciate being remembered by so many back home and it’s been great to hear about the celebrations and gatherings many have been having there!

Indeed, the recent days have been a very different time for me and I have enjoyed (for the most part…!) witnessing and participating in what Christmas means to many here!



I guess the festivities began on the 22’nd for me. I was invited to a ‘Christmas Eve‘ celebration ‘for the orphans’ on the ACIO land where the temporary building has now been roofed (the mud walls are soon to follow). When I arrived at the property I could see several hundred people gathered, many of them children standing about and over 100 adults seated inside the temporary building. Filling the air was lots of that high pitched ‘lalalala’ sound traditional women make when they are happy, excited, welcoming someone etc…A woman took my arm, there was music, we danced our way along, many people were smiling, waving, ‘Welcome, You are welcome’ was being called out over and over.



I was led around a fenced area, through an archway covered in blue tulle and down a red ‘carpet’ that lay on top of the dirt, to the ‘door’ of the building. Inside, everyone clapped to welcome me as I was led to the front and taken to a chair beside Vincent, the ACIO Director. There was much merry making, smiling and waving until someone with a microphone started in with the program. It was within a few moments that I was announced as…oh…no…really?…the ‘Guest Of Honor’! (As I continue my time here I am aware of and choose to sidestep connections and gatherings that seek to reinforce the historical, ingrained understanding that ‘white one’s’ are to be ‘revered and fussed over’ because they can/will provide all the solutions (including $$$’s) to the issues facing people. In my experience, one is not made the ‘Guest Of Honor’ here without connotation or expectation attached…then I remembered... Everything being in Perfect and Divine Order...'go with the flow' Catherine :)



True to Ugandan fashion, the event was filled with speeches, including a required one from me (during which I offered my gratitude and Love and then spoke briefly to the empowerment of the community and its shared goals as it continues moving toward realization through inspiration and self determination)… there was entertainment, singing, dancing, a testimonial from a child about what it is like to be a ‘total orphan’, and ended with a meal of rice, posho, and small pieces of chicken, pork (I think) and a soda!



The ‘Merry Christmas’ cake I brought along for the children was cut up in little square-inch-pieces and shared by the adults...more 'flow'..! (in the photo some children are enjoying crumbs that had been left on the serving plates) and the 200 suckers and 250 balloons I had brought were given out to the very happy, almost ‘beyond excited’ orphan children! I had thought that I’d be able to share some pretty and colorful photos with you, envisioning balloons would be bouncing in the air etc… haha, another lesson for me!



After they were given out I almost never saw any of the balloons again. Except for a few, most were tucked carefully into pockets or held within little tight fists…those balloons were of course THE gift most of those children would receive now and for who knows how long into the future. The balloons were treasures to them…very valuable treasures that the children would want to play with, sleep with, blow up and let the air out of as many times as possible for as many days as possible. As for the suckers…well, once distributed, all I saw of them were sticks sticking out of mouths beneath happy, smiling eyes!



After all the adult stuff was over I was able to do what I Love to do the most…to play with the little ones….we marched and danced around, were silly together, took lots of photos, and every now and then I’d call out ‘MERRY’….and a gleeful reply would come booming back to me ‘CREEZZMAAASSSS’!!! That was the most wonderful and happy part of the whole day, perhaps of all of these days, for me! (…except for the moment when I heard the sound of my brother, his wife and their children calling to me through the phone on the evening of Christmas Day…!!! Ahhhh…Thank you SO much! )



The next evening I was in the garden at the nearby resort enjoying some rest and relaxation after the busy and tiring day before. 2 little boys were hovering so I invited them over and soon they were sitting with me sharing their stories. The oldest, Moses, 11 yrs old, spoke for them both, told of living with his grandmother, of being a total orphan, not knowing either of his parents or ‘even where they are buried’. He was unsure what Christmas day would hold for them, he wasn’t sure if they would ‘even eat’. Not knowing if he was really saying it as it is (some children have a ‘story’ down and have been taught by adults here to reveal it quickly to any muzungu they see…) it was about that moment that I decided to order some food for us all and we would pretend that it was our Christmas dinner! Over meat samosas and chips, salad and sodas, we shared gratitude and laughs and dreamed dreams of the future when his friend and he would grow up to be pilots and travel to far away places like ‘Canada, the US, the UK, China, Japan and Australia’! (I did learn later on that Moses, rescued first as a baby and then once again as a street child has been through lots in his life including rehab. Currently he is in very good care, and yes, he was up to one of his former tricks of survival when he sat and shared ‘Christmas dinner’ with me...'flow...flow'..!)



December 25th morning I was warmly welcomed for breakfast with the family who live in a second home here on the property where I stay. The meal was lovely…fresh fish battered and deep fried, boiled irish potatoes, some sautéed greens and chapati’s. After some time and a rest, we all got dressed up and went to the resort where I treated them all to brunch and a day of music, partaking in the festivities there. It was a busy and fun day, many people were about, adults sporting new clothes and shoes, the only ‘gift’ they would have bought for themselves. I showed the 4 teenagers in the family how to use my camera and then lent it to them for the day to have some fun with…by the time we were heading home they had filled my memory card with over 200 photos and about a dozen video’s! Everyone was happy and very grateful… they called it their ‘BIG Christmas Day 2007’!


I have observed…Here Christmas seems to be based without distraction or sidebar on the remembrance and celebration by Christians ( many ‘Born Again’) of the birth of ‘Jesus, The Christ’. When greeting one another I overheard many people say ‘Thank God we were protected through the night to receive this wonderful day’. I have seen no decorations or wrapped presents in homes, there has been almost no mention of Santa, (I did overhear one person say that Santa was being tracked on TV and was somewhere over Spain at that moment…but of course around 90% of the population here have no power, so no TV either) maybe some children receive a ‘sweet’, like a sucker or candy, maybe a soda. Boxing day is a rest day, there are no sales, most stores are not open. The days are for ‘going to pray’ for some, and for family sharing time, not necessarily doing anything special, just being together at home, sitting on the grass in the shade of a tree, eating, relaxing, visiting. I seem to have found it refreshing in it’s simple and uncluttered way.



During this week we are now in, most people are continuing to visit with family, to rest, eat and prepare together for the next big celebration of New Year’s Eve. Management at the nearby resort has told me that there will be many people present there on the 31st to watch 10 minutes of fire works, the resort being one of the 3 places in town that have been approved to set them off.

I think I may take to the mountains for a few days tomorrow…we’ll see! Wherever I am, I will be reflecting on this year of 2007 with deep Gratitude for the many Blessings showered upon me! As we begin a 'New Year' I will be holding you and all of the beloved orphan children in Africa in my heart, envisioning Endless Uplifting and Love Filled Possibilities for us ALL throughout 2008!



Heartfelt wishes for Blessed Peace, Joy and Love Love Love to be with you…!

Cheers!
Catherine xo

Up Close ~ From A Distance

Yesterday 2 counselors from the NGO and I traveled once again to see the children, both the families of Gideon and Betty. I went bearing small gifts for them all, some used clothes that I had washed and ironed after purchasing them earlier at the open market in Mbale.



Betty was happily surprised to see the counselors and me again so soon after our last visit. She ran off quickly to find the boys, Morning and Peter. Rose and baby Stella sat with us and we started our visit by discussing the baby’s health care, in search of clarification. Since my last visit I had gone to the hospital and learned some information but had found a few of my details were askew. Please forgive… earlier misunderstanding led me to mix up a few names on my last posting… Rose is the mother of infant Stella, the child with ‘hyrdocephalus’. As I write this I am still not sure who ‘Josephine’ is or where I got her name from… perhaps she will surface soon, or, oh, did I just feel another blond hair turn grey :) With the confirmed info from yesterday, I have just been to the hospital again where I met with a very helpful and caring counselor. We are continuing to work together to bring the support to Rose and the care to Stella that they need.



Soon Betty returned with Morning and Peter, we all shared hello and gathered together for a visit. Before we had arrived I gave the bag of clothes to the counselor and asked her to please distribute them when she felt it was a good time. Soon, she started bringing out the gifts and handing each to the person they were meant for. Two flowered dresses for baby Stella, a couple blouses for her Mom, pants, shorts and a couple shirts for both the boys, a few blouses for Betty.



There was surprise and joy, there were smiles, except for Morning who maintained his serious and withdrawn demeanor during the entire visit. He did go and try on his new things within minutes of receiving them and came out of the hut to show us all... first the shorts and shirt and then the pants...wow, everything fit him very well!



When all was received, Betty knelt to me (a girls way to show respect) and spoke gently, seriously to me in her own language…’May you be Blessed’ the counselor translated, ‘May the work of your hands be Blessed.’



We embraced one another for a long few moments until we both giggled…I prayed her prayer…’Indeed, May This Girl In My Hands Be Blessed.’




On to Gideon’s… when we arrived we were told the children were at their property doing some work. What a wonderful very unexpected surprise to pull up there and see a small community effort in motion. Neighbors, big and small were helping Gideon and Helen to cut away and burn some of the brush outside and to start and clean up on the inside of their house. Naume and Martha were off somewhere with relatives. It was a happy visit.



We took more photos of the roof and discussed the extent of the work that needs to be done. Upon closer look we realized further information is needed as several of the beams that make up the roof trusses need replacing as well as all of the iron sheets. We’ll consult with a couple professionals to obtain guidance and receive a few quotes.



There were many neighborhood children nearby, so eventually we asked Gideon to come into the back of the truck where we could discreetly hand him a bag with a t-shirt for each of his siblings and a dress for each of Helen’s little girls. He was surprised, happy, grateful. After discussing a few other details about plans for the immediate future, we shared a hug. I reminded Gideon, we will continue to do our best together, step by step we will carry on, we will do what we can, when we can, keep heart. And there it was again, seemingly this 16 year old boy’s life credo…’I will never give up’ he said smiling.



As we headed away down the dirt road our driver turned the radio on. Immediately I could hear someone was singing a remake of Bette’s great song ‘From A Distance’ … and the message, and the timing, and the season, and the children, and the Love all came together in me and some tears rolled down under my sunglasses, my heart flowing over with Gratitude for the depth of connection and soulful gifts being shared on this inspiring, wondrous journey…




‘…From a distance, there is harmony,
and it echoes through the land.
It's the voice of hope, it's the voice of peace,
it's the voice of every man.

From a distance we all have enough,
and no one is in need.
And there are no guns, no bombs, and no disease,
no hungry mouths to feed…’

Many Blessings...and to ALL a Good Night!
Cath xoxo

Naume & Gideon~Betty & Morning

Hey Caleb! Here’s Jimmy, a new friend! He and his buddy Nero live at the hostel where I stayed this week! He sat at my feet while I was using the computer…I think he must have known how some days (though I know you are Loved and safe where you are) I am missing your presence greatly! Thanks Jimmy…and thank you Caleb for visiting me in my dreams! Hope you’re having fun in the snow! I Love you! xo



Being here is to be living almost completely in the moment as plans change or become delayed/move forward suddenly. I started the week knowing I needed to accomplish one specific task, yet to understand how it would come together. Faced with my visitor’s visa for Uganda due to expire on Saturday, weeks ago I had come to the idea that I would leave the country this week and travel to Rwanda (a neighboring country to the south) for a visit with a Canadian woman who has been working there. She has been living in a village of women and children, helping to uplift them and their circumstances for the last couple years following the genocide there13 years ago. After time in Rwanda I had thought I would re-enter Uganda, obtain a new visa and carry on with the projects I have underway here.



Monday I was at the NGO center in Mbale finishing up the booklet for the ‘Skills’ grad due to take place Thursday. After some discussion I decided quite spontaneously to take a ride to the capital city Kampala with a truck that was leaving shortly from the NGO. Last week it was reported that an outbreak of ‘Ebola’ had been confirmed in the southwest of Uganda along with speculation that it was spreading to other areas of the country. As travel to Rwanda would be on public transport taking me through the southwest of Uganda it felt best to put off that journey, go instead to the capital by private means to extend my visa and stay in Uganda until understanding more about the medical alert. So, by Monday afternoon, after saying a very quick, warm goodbye and best wishes to the ‘Skills’ group (as it was likely that I wouldn’t make it back in time to attend their grad ceremony), I found myself and my backpack in the vehicle heading to Kampala.



I enjoyed a few days stay at a little cozy hideaway hostel in east Kampala where I met and shared laughs and stories with fellow travelers from the UK, Germany and Australia. I’m grateful to have received quite quickly a 3 month ‘special pass’ that grants me multiple entry into Uganda should it make sense to travel to Rwanda or elsewhere at some point during these next weeks/months.



Although I returned to Mbale having missed the ‘Skills’ grad (I am told it was a great celebration and the participants were very happy to receive their sewing machines and booklets!) I was in perfect time to go on outreach to the district of Bukedea on Friday where I could accompany a local volunteer to 2 of the child headed households I have been wanting to reconnect with since our last visits.



First we traveled to see Naume and her brother Gideon. Wanting to understand more details about the children’s lives I asked them many questions and can now start to piece together how things are for them and where/how they are needing and asking for help. In this family we have 4 children whose parents died about 10 years ago, living together in one round grass roof hut (one sister has 2 infants of her own, so there are a total of 6 in the hut). 3 of the children are in their teens, Gideon (16yrs) is heading into S4 (about Gr11), Martha (14) and Naume (12) both going into P6 (Gr6) in January when the new school year begins. The children’s Grandfather who outlived his son cared for the children until his passing in 2004. Before his death he wrote his wishes which included providing for his orphaned grandchildren’s future. He gave to them land with a home on it, all of which is secured with the local authorities in the children’s names. They have not occupied the inherited home as yet, because when Grandfather died they were still quite young and so remained in the care of their grandmother, and, the home is in need of repair to make it habitable for them.


Together Gideon, Naume and Helen (the 24 yr old sister who has 2 children) and I went to have a look at their property located near to where they are now staying with their aging grandmother and a few cousins. The home on the property is a 3-room brick and mortar structure with iron sheet roofing. As can be seen in the photos it does need some TLC but once fixed up will offer the 6 of them a good amount of security and space. It is situated on several acres of land on which they can plant crops. The older sister Helen is willing and able to attend to the crops and household chores during the days while the younger ones are at school and all of them are ready to pitch in after school and on weekends. With some work they could certainly be growing enough food for themselves and to sell at market for income, self-support and independence being the primary goal for them all, now and into the future.


Gideon is a very bright guy and works hard at school. He has the dream to attend university and become a veterinarian just like his father before him. Gideon says he and his sister’s are now ‘ready to leave (where they are currently staying) at any moment’ and require help to make the home on their property ready for occupation. My goal here at present then is to organize all aspects of facilitating the repair of their home. Gideon is going to work on figuring out what materials we need and then we’ll be able to estimate the costs involved to get this project in motion. I have received a promise from ‘ACYC’ (the group I gave a donation to in my Dad’s name…on the ‘Project’s’ page above) to help with the labor to make the repairs. It’s also my idea to have some of the land around the home plowed by a local group who rent out 2 oxen for such a purpose so that crops can be planted as soon as possible and we can begin the cycle of planting, growing, harvesting, eating and selling/storing of food.

Further, to begin his next school year, Gideon requires help to cover the registration fee and the costs of books for S(enior) 4… about $100CDN. The younger children are in ‘UPE’ (Universal Primary Education), free primary education provided to all children from P(rimary)1 to P7 by the government. So both Naume and Martha have no fee requirements, just uniforms and school supplies costs, which we have already given to Naume. Because we are talking ‘rural’ and they are a fair distance from school and town, it would also be a good idea to help them acquire a couple bikes or perhaps even just one to get them going until their own income flow can start and it becomes possible for them to buy another one for themselves.


Next, we moved on to Morning’s where we found Betty home. Morning was on a couple hour walk to bring water home. Last visit, Betty’s Auntie had dropped off her 3 children, without food or money, for Betty to take care of. Since then, Auntie has returned and taken her children back home. Here also, I asked many questions learning more about their current circumstances as well as some of the ideas and dreams they have and need help with at this moment. The primary caregiver Betty, will soon be 18…because of her responsibilities she completed school up to P5. Then there is Moses, who is 13 and currently stays with an Uncle but would like very much to rejoin his sister and brothers at the family home. Next is our Morning William who is 10 and heading in to P5. Then we have little brother Peter James, 8, who is entering P3. As well, there is cousin Stella, 29, with baby Josephine,18 mths who has hydrocephalus (swelling of the head). Josephine has been to a hospital in Mbale for care and medication since birth, but I learn on this visit Stella has not been able to afford the transport or medication costs lately so baby has not rec’d medical attention since Sept.

It’s my understanding, after the deaths of their parents and perhaps because they did not leave a ‘will’ the clan leaders of the area voted and secured the land that the children live on in the children’s names. Betty, Morning, Peter, Stella and Josephine all share one round grass roof hut (remember photos of the art work on the wall and the chicken roosting in an earlier posting), the roof of which needs repair due to being burnt from cooking indoors during extreme weather. Their paternal Grandmother is also staying at the compound and occupies a second hut exclusively. Surprising for me to see/learn, recently Betty and Stella have done digging for neighbors and earned the income to pay for help to build a third hut at the compound, an economical solution to the additional room they require for cooking and sleeping, especially when Moses returns to be with them. They’ve done a great job not only building this hut but coming up with the idea of it as a partial solution to their needs for more space. Ultimately the structure they require for cooking is a brick and mortar building with iron sheet roofing….the inside of a grass roof does not make for the safest cooking space and the weather, especially in rainy season, does not allow for very effective out door cooking. It is my plan to have the ACYC crew help this family as well and together we will build the structure they need early in the new year once I figure out and purchase all the materials needed. I have met a man who builds such structures and he will be supplying me with ‘plans’ from which I can estimate our needs and costs etc…



It is also within my plan to have some of their land plowed for crop planting, similar to what I described for Gideon above. I encouraged Betty to focus a little on herself asking her what she has in her heart about her future that she might like to tell me about. She said she would like to be able to attend training in tailoring, maybe 3 times a week in the local community nearby, so that in time she could begin to create greater income for herself and her siblings. We agreed she will look into the costs associated for this training and I’ll be following this up with her as soon as possible. At least one bike for this family is probably a great idea as well…they live pretty far down a dirt road off the main hwy, a number of miles from town. I bet a bike would sure be fun for Morning… clothes are first in order though and I’ll be buying some used ones at the market that I’ll take for them all next visit! (People use bikes as taxi’s here -boda boda’s- and also to transport just about everything... just today I saw a man with a single bed wooden frame standing upright strapped to the back of his bike…I couldn’t get my camera out in time, but one time I’m thinking I’ll do a whole series of photos showing what people carry on their bikes….it is amazing, truly! There is this great way people strap 2, 4, 6 or even 8 jerry cans on the back of a bike and ride home with them filled with water when they have to go long distance for it…)

While both Gideon and Betty each see to the details we need info about, on Monday I will head to the hospital where Stella has taken her daughter for care in the past. I intend to speak with the Doctors about baby Josephine and see how I can help arrange and contribute to consistent care and healing for this little one.



You can see I have lots of work to do and that’s not even to mention…ACIO now have their 70 irons sheets for the roof of the temporary structure, yeah! and, we’ve had some very inspiring empowerment meetings about the 3 additional communities...!

Hi Ho then...!

In Love,
Catherine




FYI…Re:’Ebola’…At time of writing, ‘Ebola’ has been identified in the southwest of Uganda. The area in the east where I stay is currently confirmed as ‘Ebola free’. Please share with me in sending Love and uplifting thoughts to those who are affected by this in Uganda, and everywhere. Thanks.

( some fragments from an article on the subject)
Overview of Ebola hemorrhagic fever
Ebola hemorrhagic fever is a severe, often fatal disease in humans and nonhuman primates (monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees) that has appeared sporadically since its initial recognition in 1976.
People can be exposed to Ebola virus from direct contact with the blood and/or excretions and secretions of an infected person, ( including saliva, sweat, and all body fluids.)
The incubation period for Ebola hemorrhagic fever ranges from 2 to 21 days. The onset of illness is abrupt and is characterized by fever, headache, joint and muscle aches, sore throat, and weakness, followed by diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain. A rash, red eyes, hiccups and internal and external bleeding may be seen in some patients.
There is no specific treatment for Ebola hemorrhagic fever. Patients receive supportive therapy, consisting of balancing the patient's fluids and electrolytes, maintaining their oxygen status and blood pressure, and treating them for any complicating infections. There is no vaccine for Ebola hemorrhagic fever.
The likelihood of contracting Ebola hemorrhagic fever is considered extremely low unless there has been direct contact with the body fluids of symptomatic infected persons or animals or objects that have been contaminated with body fluids

Skills Development Grad!

I am Loving early morning here! Often I wake between 5 and 6am (11 hours ahead of PST, that’s 6 to 7pm the previous day for people back home), the roosters are starting to crow and a great variety of birds are gently singing, filling the cool fresh air with their beautiful music. I think it’s correct to say that there are over 1000 species of birds in Uganda. Not being a ‘birder’ I can’t really say which kinds I've seen but, let's see, there have been many, they are all of the winged variety :) and many have colors as vibrant as the tropical flowers that grow everywhere! Sunrise is magical to me…those moments when the light of the new day weaves itself around the patches of clouds and contrasts so brilliantly with the fading darkness of the night before... particularly stunning! I have spent time in the north of Canada and loved the type of light there for it’s color and depth that you can almost reach out and hold…here there is a quality of crispness and clarity, a drama to the light that still catches my attention regularly even though, soon, wow, I have been here for 3 months!



I heard my first ‘song of the season’ the other day! A country/western singer from the US was giving it her best singing how it wouldn’t be the same without you here for the holidays, or something like that! I laughed to realize what I was hearing and how it literally seemed to be coming to me from a world somewhere far away. Usually by now, back home in public areas I might have been listening to ‘Jingle Bells…’ for a couple months already! Here, I observe decorations and the ‘usual stuff’ are almost non-existent so far into this month of December. I’ve seen one tree with lights and tinsel and it happens to be at a place where many muzungus visit. I think it’s accurate to say that consumerism for many is strictly on a ‘needs only’ basis and revolves first and foremost around food, maybe sometimes (for many, used) clothing.



I’ve read that about 2/3 of the over 27 million people living here in Uganda follow ‘Christianity’. In my travels I have met several who refer to themselves as being ‘Born Again’. There are also a number who follow ‘Islam’ and for many in rural areas, ’Animism’ remains an integral part of daily life. Tribal culture is varied and complex, there are at least a couple dozen different groups with different languages and customs found within the borders of this country.



So, this past week I met with the young locals as described in my last posting and began discussions about empowering communities… fun and exciting! Along with additional guidance and suggestions from my continuing research, we're getting together again today to further our idea exchange. Each of these locals desires to learn how to stimulate and develop grass root involvement regarding solutions in their own community for the orphan children within it. Further to ACIO and their work in Sironko, I am now involved with others in considering ways to uplift the orphan children in 3 other districts in the country!




The current session of Skills Development at the NGO is completing this coming week and I’ve been preparing a booklet to hand out to the graduating class! In it is info about poultry raising, goat keeping, knitting, crochet, quilting, jam making...plus a photo taken the day we made pineapple jam...mmmm, embroidery and making paper beads, all skills they have covered in their classes in addition to sewing and tailoring which have been the main focus of their training over the past 6 months. To aid them in their ability to earn future income, all participants will receive a sewing machine this week, sponsored by donors to the NGO. Indeed, the machines are the highlight of the whole course and to receive them will be a most empowering moment for all the clients! You may have read on the ‘projects’ page…all of these people are HIV+, were once very ill, have regained much of their health and are doing well on ART and food aid. Coming soon to the completion of the 1 year of the food aid they qualified for, the purpose of Skills Development has been to empower the clients to self sufficiency following the aid.



Over the time we’ve spent together, I have formed some deep bonds with many of these people, finding their joyful and Loving Spirits very inspiring. We’ve been creative together, we’ve learned about raising chickens and goats, we laughed tons and I’ve been privileged to help with the distribution of their monthly food aid.



Their individual and collective Love is a lasting treasure…
As ‘start up capitol’ is something many quest for here, one day in the class we talked about the idea of using scraps of fabric to create ‘shopping bags’ to sell. I showed the group a photo of one I had seen. Following our discussion, I went to a fabric store and paid 3,000Ush (about $2) for a decent pile of fabric remnants. I brought them into the next class and together we figured out how we could use the bits to make at least a few bags and earn a few thousand shillings profit on the sale of each…another income idea for them to consider in the future. The next morning, sitting at a desk in an office at the center, I looked up to see one of the class participants bowing her way forward into the room, her young son held by one hand, a little bag with 3 fresh eggs, in the other. She placed the eggs gently into my hand and said ‘Thank you for Love’.



‘Thank you for Loving us’ is something I have heard many times from this special group…It’s one of my deepest wishes that they can truly know what a huge honor, and how very easy it has been, for me to Love them. That, and how very much I thank them for the rich experience of receiving their Friendship and Love!

There are a few in the Skills Development class who, in addition to their upcoming tailoring business’ wish to start other income earning activities for which they require funding or micro financing. If you hear the call… please email me now.

Peace, Joy, Love…
Catherine xo

Empowering Communities 101

Around every corner, a surprise, a lesson…this morning I was walking from where I am staying to the nearby resort. I was heading there to catch up on writing and to have some breakfast since the power is off at home. As I walked along enjoying the early morning temperature and light, I thought I could hear the sound of crying in the distance. With each step the cries grew louder, eventually turning into wailing, getting closer and closer. I rounded the corner and coming towards me was a little boy, maybe 5 years old, dressed for school in his uniform. He was weeping loudly as he walked alone in the direction of the school. As we approached one another I slowed and asked him if he needed help. Tears were literally creating two streams down the little one’s face, coming together and dripping off at his chin. He looked at me briefly and without faltering one step in his stride, walked past and continued on, all the while crying out. There was a man a ways behind him who smiled at me as he came closer. When he arrived at the spot where I seemed to be fixed, the man offered to me ‘Madame do not worry, the boy is ok.’ I asked if he was the child’s father. ‘No, but I can see that the boy must have been caned by his parents for not attending school and is now on his way there early in the day to make good.’ I looked back to see the child going around the corner, the sounds of his remorse growing faint once again as he continued on his way.



An interesting metaphor…although I daily become more accustomed to my surroundings, life here continues to express itself boldly to me as ‘what is’ without camouflage or filter…and…whatever their situation or circumstance, most people here, from birth to death, seem to display astounding strength and courage as they carry on.



All week, I have been giving myself an accelerated course in ‘empowerment for communities’! I have been immersed in research concerning the topic, guided to some very comprehensive and enlightened material. Later today and tomorrow I will be meeting with some of the young locals I wrote about in a recent posting to go over what I have learned. With information I’ve gathered from my findings we will be starting a discussion on what steps they can take to begin organizing within their communities for the creation, development and implementation of solutions that address specifically the orphan children, single mother and grandmother concerns within them!

It’s been very interesting! Diving in to the topic of empowering communities has brought me face to face with lots of information about historical behaviors, approaches and attitudes concerning ‘donor charity and aid’ that have been applied in developing countries, seeking to address poverty and the causes of it. Much of what I have learned has helped me to begin to understand how and why, although in some instances it has alleviated poverty for a few in the short term, ‘outside aid’ continues striving toward succeeding in helping to eradicate poverty for many.

Desiring to ‘keep it simple’ for myself, I realize this…if I am looking at an effect and that effect is called ‘poverty’ then I want to consider the cause(s). The research, along with my own observations, starts to inform me. I learn, historically ‘poverty’ has been caused by the presence, to some degree, of the polar opposite of a very few conditions, namely honesty, health, education, enthusiasm and independence.




I remember learning and witnessing many times in my Medicine training these past several years… for healing to be present, the cause of an effect requires awareness (Light) and uplifting (Love), whatever form it may be taking.

So, back to empowering communities and aha, I realize, first things first! ‘Honesty’ has revealed itself to be the foundation necessary to support the emergence and growth of an empowered community. Simple sense. This then, is what the young locals and I will start with, exploring what ‘honesty’ means in this context, how it is achieved and maintained, how the meaning of words including ‘trust’, ‘integrity’, ‘transparency’, ‘accountability’, etc., play a role. Seems like a solid beginning as we move on to examine ways that will encourage and support community based initiatives that consider the orphan children, single mothers, grandmothers and ultimately, every one within their communities. Very inspiring stuff…so creative!



Blessings and gratitude to the many who have studied, written and shared extensively about the topic of empowering communities, offering a ‘neophyte sociologist' such as me ready access to their years of work and the resulting wisdom!

Love to All,
Nambozo!

Yes, I have received another name!
‘Nambozo’, a name of respect I am told, given to the Matriarch of the Tribe or Clan! I am honored and very grateful to the beautiful Lugishu people of ACIO for their Love.



…So, is it just me then or do you think I’m being urged to embrace ‘maturity’ this year? First, I arrive at the half century mark. Great! Next, I’m named ‘Kuku’ (Grandmother). Ahhh! Then ‘Namulumbi’ (2’nd harvest). Wow! And now ‘Nambozo’. Whoa!
All these indicators…and yet still, so often, I just feel like clowning around! xoxo