Rising In Love

Love Love Love to you!

These days, time for me seems to be standing still and flying by all in the same moment! People say there is this thing called 'African time' and I guess I am right in it now...I know it's been awhile since I posted here so I write a brief note today to check in and to say ALL is very well!



Betty is happy and doing great in her tailoring class, navigating her way well to the teacher's place and back home each morning and evening by way of the family bike! She has recently completed her first child's dress, sewn out of paper.


Joy finds this family...big brother Moses has returned to be with his siblings at the compound and together with Morning and Peter we prepare this week for their return to school next Monday.


Backpacks, school supplies, shoes, uniforms... every one and every thing is pretty much all ready to go! They are all sleeping on foams with blankets and mosquito nets to protect them, four fields surrounding their compound are being plowed this week to prepare for planting when the rains begin (maybe within a couple weeks or so), Rose continues to help little Stella (who's cough has healed) each day to learn to walk...



In almost exactly the same manner, Gideon, Naume and Martha prepare for returning to school.

Gideon is presently away visitng an Auntie who is sick in hospital and Naume recovers right now from malaria that we were Blessed to discover and treat quickly...I check in at the NGO a few times each week and become involved with what is going on there, we plan to visit the other 2 child families I met some months ago to begin work with them, I continue to discover and develop info for others about community empowerment and have been invited to give 2 workshops on the topic...it's ALL good, everything moves forward in a Lovely way at a pace that is Perfectly Peaceful! Priorities define themselves with clarity and I will likely be posting the update for the 'Project's page' on this site within another few days.



As for me, I am happy, feeling 'on purpose' and in exactly the 'right place', filled with gratitude to be 'here'. Many times I still find myself in awe of this remarkable gift in my life. Renewing and refreshing awakenings occur in me, I refine and expand, I Lighten, my dearest and longest held dreams and visions, some I had even managed to 'forget' were resting deep inside, stir within my soul now and birth themselves gently into my reality...



It's all beautifully simple and wonderfully inspiring. I am Rising In Love, sharing Love in ways I have only dreamed and imagined may be possible until now. I Love... who I am, who I am with, where I am, what I am doing... I Love. Everything and Everyone... including you!

Thank You Creator...

In Peace, Joy and Love
Catherine xoxo

Ps...A couple days ago when visiting at Betty's we used my camera to make a short video of the family singing a song outside in the compound...afterwards we all went in to the darkened hut to download and watch the performance on my laptop. It was soooooo much fun to see the eyes of these children grow 10 times in size and to hear the sounds of their laughter fill the space...oh yes, Morning's delightful giggle too!!! The world is opening up in a whole new way for this family...and for me too :)

Sunrise and Moonlight!

Peace, Joy and Love to you…


Earlier in the week, back in Bukedea, I sat at Betty’s compound and found myself explaining to the boys Morning and Peter as well as to Grandmother and Rose that Betty has been enrolled in a tailoring course for the next three months. We talked about details... including how she will use their new bike to travel daily to the course, how by helping to make it possible for her to fulfill her dream to learn a new skill I along with people back home are endeavoring to help them all well into the future, how the family may need to reorganize themselves to accommodate this change, how it is important that everyone play their part to the best of their ability, everyone’s role being a very special contribution to the whole.



I brought enough maize and millet along to feed them all for one month (we will replenish as time goes by…more than a month’s supply can spoil) ensuring food or the need to earn the income to purchase it will not be as serious a concern as usual for them while Betty’s days are filled with school. We turned our attention to school for the boys due to begin on Feb 4th and looked at their new backpacks filled with school scribblers and a couple pens/pencils along with a math set. We discussed having new uniforms sewed for them both. I happily learned that Moses, their 13 year old brother whom I have not met yet, will soon be returning to be with his family at the compound, and I assured them I will supply him with all they have received this day. The wind came up while we were sitting there and little Peter took it upon himself to stand closely behind where I sat sheltering me from the dust that blew from that direction. Morning, although smiling when I arrived, became very quiet and introspective as he took in all the new information and he and I shared a couple very serious and lasting moments staring into each other’s eyes. I told them how one day, still months from now, it’s likely I will be returning to my country and everything I am doing to help them now is intended to uplift life for them long into the future building upon their strength, courage and independence. Before I left, I asked if there was anything on anyone’s mind. Rose spoke saying that she wanted me to know they have no blankets to cover themselves through the night (…which at present can be quite cold… this being the ‘dry season’ it is a bit like living in the desert, the days very dry and hot, the nights cool). I thanked her and told them we will continue, we will keep taking steps to set them on their way well and I will try and bring blankets next time along with mosquito nets...( I also plan to bring them a few foamies, they currently have a 36” wide one that 5 of them share). As before with Gideon’s family, when I prepared to leave and started saying my goodbyes, the children presented me with a beautiful white rooster… the greatest most valuable and meaningful possession they have in this world to give.



I brought ‘Moonlight’ home and introduced him to Sunrise by placing him in the same tree that Sunrise has taken to spending the night in. By the next morning the two of them were inseparable and they have remained so every since. Whenever I look to see where they are or what they are up to, I find them following one another around each protecting and watching over the other as they navigate their way into their new large family that consists of a head rooster, a few other young roosters like themselves, a number of hens, a couple with several chicks and 4 guinea fowl all contained within the fenced compound.


Friends here are openly amused by my naming of and affection for my roosters…but I can tell within their laughter they understand completely and value for me the beauty and Love I behold in the reflection my ‘two boys’ are mirroring…

The day before I returned to their compound, Rose, baby Stella and I met at the hospital in Mbale to see to a check up for the little one. I had given Rose 10,000 shillings for transport money (to give you an idea of the context, she earned 500 shillings at the market selling water last week…the price of transport here has more than doubled in many cases due to the fuel issues caused by the situation in Kenya) and we had planned to meet at the front gate of the hospital. When they arrived right on time, tears came to my eyes. The two of them were dressed in their very best, baby had on one of the dresses I had brought for her before Christmas, (the other dress was tucked neatly in a bag in case of a need to change) they were both so clean and tidy, the absolute opposite to what I see when I visit them at home. I could only imagine how early they had gotten up that day and how much effort had been put into preparing themselves so wonderfully for coming in to town.



Happy am I to say Stella is doing quite well according to the Doctor. Although her head is large as the photos show, he explained to me that the operation already performed is working well at keeping the amount of fluid around her brain normal and at present her head is growing at a standard rate. He explained due to the fact that care for Stella was started after she was 6 months old, the bones protecting her brain had already grown to an abnormal size and this cannot be reversed. Likely above average in its size for life, over time as the rest of her body grows Stella’s head will not appear to be as out of proportion as it does now. The Doctor did a blood test and found Stella does not have malaria or pneumonia at present but does have a persistent cough so gave medicine to help heal that. We discussed her development, things like sitting up, pulling herself up, looking around from side to side, managing her head well, and he encouraged Rose to help Stella (who is now approx 20 months old) to learn to walk. He recommended a pair of shoes that squeak when she walks to help entice baby to enjoy trying to take steps. Rose and I found a pretty pair at the market afterwards… I had to smile as I watched Stella’s amusement and Rose’s joy with the new sandals, seeing as I had just remembered and shared my story about new shoes with you…



Among other things, I intend to work this week on the next revision for the ‘Project’s’ page for this site. I’ll try and bring us up to date and address current ACIO and community empowerment developments/issues as well as long term intentions for both the families of Betty and Gideon, etc etc etc...

4 months today in Africa! Wow, 2 more weeks and I’m half way into my scheduled journey. All the while I find my roots here deepening, growing stronger, and then there’s the family around me that appears to be emerging…!

Much Love to you from us all…
Sunrise, Moonlight and me!

The Sun Rises In Morning

Come away with me now and bask in the beauty of a smile, a very special smile...the Light of Beloved Morning! Please receive with me this great gift and know in this moment: Love you are sending through me is touching and nurturing this child and many others here…






With 2 bicycles loaded aboard the NGO truck (and all the other things I wrote about in my ‘Ps…’ last posting) and heading out of Mbale town yesterday in the powerful heat of mid day, 2 counselors and I set out for Bukedea to visit both the families of Betty and Gideon…


I hope you will enjoy a few more photos from the day...After both Betty and Gideon took pleasure in the inaugural ride on each of their new bikes, of course all the children in both families tried them out. I had to lift up and hold both Morning and little Peter on the seat as I jogged with each around in circles in the compound...ah, there was great laughter and joy! And Naume, Martha and Helen..they all glided their way with great ease and confidence...I was thinking how the wind in their faces was feeling...I was considering their sense of newfound freedom...! It was all together VERY fun!






At day’s end, Gideon sent the girls Naume and Martha to fetch something. Not sure where they had gone I asked him to explain and understood him to say that they were going to be bringing me a ‘coke’. ‘Oh’ I said, ‘don’t worry, I am ok, I have water in the truck.’ He said ‘Please let us do this for you’. ‘Ok, certainly, thank you…’ I watched as the girls ran here and there, I wondered where on earth they were planning to get a coke from…



Next thing I knew, the girls were coming towards me with a rooster tucked under Naume’s arm, the legs of which they were busily trying to tie…they laid it on the ground beside me. Oh… the penny dropped! A cock, not a coke, you say! (an ‘o’ sound is often expressed here as in the word ‘coke’)



Incredible! In Africa it is a great honor to give and to receive a cock (which I will refer to as a rooster from now on)! For me, receiving such a meaningful gift from a family of children who are living in rural Uganda in Africa reaches far beyond being a great honor…it is a deeply profound and most precious expression of Love and I will hold it tenderly in my heart forever.



I have decided I will call my new friend ‘Sunrise’ and every morning when he crows me awake I will remember with humility and gratitude the Light that shone this day!

Creator Thank You For Love…
Catherine

Ps...As I lay for sleep after the great bike day, I was remembering when I was a little girl and my parents bought me new shoes...Mom always found me such pretty ones and I Loved my new shoes. I would place them neatly beside my bed so that I could see them first thing in the morning when I woke. I was wondering how both families would be sleeping that night, or if they even could! Now, not only several children huddled together in each little hut but a bike leaning against the wall...hopefully shining brightly in the light of the beautiful stars above!

Kenya...

I know you are hearing about the pain Kenya is expressing. I have heard from people back home asking if I am safe, so I write about the situation briefly here to share about how what you may be hearing and seeing on TV is being felt where I am. Firstly, I feel very safe. If that changes for me and I feel guided to leave, I will do so immediately. I am grateful to be able to say I have met some very caring friends here who are watching over me and most willing to help me in any way I need, at any moment. Secondly, I know you know, please allow me to remind you… the sound bites you hear, the footage you see…I’d say chances may be high it is likely the most ‘saleable stuff available on the market…’ Thirdly, as for the politics of the moment…it feels quite out of my realm…I am reflecting however on what I learned and shared in an earlier posting about community empowerment …

’’Honesty’ has revealed itself to be the foundation necessary to support the emergence and growth of an empowered community…’



Kenya is the neighboring country to the east of Uganda, referred to here as Uganda’s gateway to the sea. From where I am in the east of Uganda, the western Kenyan border is over the nearby mountain range that is home to Sipi Falls and Mt. Elgon. I am told if I left where I stay right now I could reach that border by vehicle in around 1 to 2 hours from Mbale and arrive in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital city in a total of about 8 to 10 hours or so. Of course, I have NO plans to do that just now.



As a result of Kenya’s current situation the most immediate and ‘tangible’ effect felt here on the ground in Mbale has been the jump in fuel prices (I understand most fuel in this country normally comes by tanker truck from Kenya and although recently there were a few days when no fuel trucks crossed the border, they are now being escorted by military and moving safely into Uganda once again. I further understand, as back up, at present there is fuel being shipped here from Tanzania by way of Lake Victoria)…in some cases a litre of gas is up over 300% which has started to spill over as a rise in the price of goods delivered and services available by ground transportation throughout Uganda. I think domestic flights have been temporarily cancelled in the short term because of the fuel situation.

I witness people here in Mbale praying for Kenyan’s. Most seem to know all too well the potential extent of the deep and often fatal wounds on every level of life caused by violent aggression and war. Every adult I meet can speak of days they remember not so long ago when life here was full of brutality, fear and sorrow and they all seem joined in the awareness that Peace initiated and supported by an atmosphere of willingness, patience and dialogue is the only way forward when conflict and disagreement arise. There is a quiet feeling in the air here, people are watching and listening, very compassionate towards and concerned with the number of lives that are being affected by the violence in Kenya. Of the people I have met in Mbale several are from Kenya and so have family there. Cell phones being very common, there are many calls to Kenya presently and everyone I have spoken with here has said their families and friends there are staying indoors and are safe.




I join with you and ALL, with Kenyan’s and Ugandan’s alike, in prayer…
Trust Assures… Peace, Joy and Love Prevail…Cath xoxo

Ps…On Monday I will be delivering surprises to both the families of Gideon and Betty…a bicycle for each family, enrollment in a tailoring course for Betty, shoes for all the members of that family along with supplies to show the boys how to make a ball for play out of local available materials, some health care news for Rose that will help baby Stella, books and school fees for Gideon along with back packs for him, Naume and Martha…Happy New Year Indeed!!!

Pss...Much appreciation to you for the ‘Love Gifts’ you have sent that Pippin informed me about yesterday…
Truly, Deeply, Thank You With All Of My Heart :)