A wonderful Day in the Neighborhood!

Today was a great day! We both slept well and woke up rested though it is now 11 at night and at least I am beginning to wear down. Once again youth is winning as Little Lizzy is still going strong! We awoke to more interviews. This is taking more time than I anticipated so after about an hour, Liz and I slipped away to the kid's house. At least twice along the way, she pulled me out of the road and out of harms way. I was too busy looking for the perfect shot and believe me I found plenty. I love hearing the kids come running out and yelling Mzungu at us as we walk by. They all come out waving and smiling. As we get close to the house the kids start coming out in groups running up to us. It really does make your day! Our plan today was to paint. We were saddened to hear that only a portion of the courtyard had been plastered and therefor was ready for us to paint. Liz's initial hope was to paint Bible verses over all the walls of both courtyards; the one in the boys section as well as the girls. Instead only a very small portion was ready. In usual Uganda style "manana" really does mean "manana's manana". So we had on our least favorite skirts and tops and were ready to take on the task. This way if we got covered in paint we wouldn't mind so much. At least that was our original thinking.

And so we got to the house and asked Steven (the houseboy) for the paint and the rollers. He started to pour the paint into a tub and it was like watching glue being poured. The paint was SO thick. I knew then we were in trouble. And that was even before I dabbed my roller in and applied the first coat. Then I knew I was in serious trouble. My roller sucked up the paint like there was no tomorrow but it refused to apply any of it to the wall. At this point the kids are all trying to tell me how to paint, like I've never done it before. Seriously, Liz had painted a huge section and I was still on my first little part. And now this small section of wall that has been plastered began to look as big as the Great Wall of China and I am wondering how two little Mzungu's will ever get it painted. Knowing that we need the night for it to dry I know we cannot leave until it is completed. And knowing we leave in three days does not help. So I continue to put my useless roller into the paste like substance and do my best. Now we've painted as high as we can both reach and the wall looms above us reaching to the sky (OK, maybe not that high, but it sure looked it at the time). The only ladder is at Phil's house so we look around for a good substitute and they come up with this little wooden bench that is probably held together by one tiny nail. As I stand on it for height I just know I am going to come crashing down to the ground. But since I've been eating bearly nothing for the last month it holds me up. I breathe a sigh of relief and continue painting. However, even that is not tall enough so we proceed to the next best thing. We roll over a big plastic barrel used to hold water and once again I say a silent prayer and step from my wobbly wooden stool to my even more unsteady barrel. And continue painting. But by now my neck and my arms were really tired. (Sidebar: I just jumped a mile and Liz is standing on her chair because this huge bug just landed in my lap!) Just at that moment Samuel Aguma came to my rescue. He took the roller, now on a makeshift pole that Emma had manufactured and painted the rest of the high places for us. He was my knight in shining armor. He did a great job and had a smile on his face the whole time. He was such a gracious young man and if not for him, I may not be moving tonight. What a blessing he was to me. Then Agnes Anyakun took the roller from Liz and she painted for quite awhile and did a great job as well. All the while the kids were gathered around watching us and John Bosco was our photographer. Courtney and Brian he has gotten really good with a camera and he really enjoys taking pictures. I barely get in the gate at the house and before he confiscates my camera! Finally we were finished and by this point I was thanking the good Lord for the "Manana's manana" mentality of this country! I was covered in paint (which does not come off easily and really takes a good scrubbing and the loss of at least one layer of skin!) from head to toe and my skirt had a few new decorations (hand prints) compliments of Liz. We decided to head home to clean up and then head back to the kid's house just for an opportunity to play and be with the kids. And so we headed out with Samuel Aguma escorting us so we wouldn't get lost. What a great kid. When behind us we heard a chorus of kids yelling that Susan is at the Kid's house with the "Shoe Man". So we turned around and went back. She then told us she had a surprise for us tonight and we should go home and clean up and she would meet us at Phil's (he is at the airport picking us Jack). SidebarL By the way I just killed the big bug with Liz's shoe so for those of you who were worried about us we are now going to be fine!

So off we went again, this time by ourselves, without an escort. We got back to Phil's about five minutes before Susan and were trying desperately to get the paint off, with no success at all when she came in and told us we had to hurry. She wouldn't tell us where we were going but assured us that we could go with paint on our hands and that they had Coke where we would end up. And with that we were off. We had little Phiona, Adrian, and one of our older girls, Rose Naigaga, in the car with us, so I figured if it was safe for them she couldn't get us in too much trouble. But then if you know Susan there is no telling... We got on the road headed toward Jinja and she asked us where we thought we might be going. I had an idea but was a little hesitant to present my point of view. Finally I spit it out and suggested that we might be going to meet Pious, the one she has been introduced to. And sure enough that is where we were headed. She veered off the main highway and we went through this little village and then she stopped in front of this cute little house. She was smiling from ear to ear as she took us into her house and introduced us to her "husband". As you walk in the house you walk into a living room. Off the living room to the right is a sitting room. Both rooms are beautifully furnished but in a very welcoming manner. To the left of the living room is their bedroom and the only pictures on the walls are of the two of them at their introduction party. Behind the living room is the kitchen and to the left of that is a room which right now houses Keith's (her baby boy) chickens. Eventually the chickens will move outside and this will become Keith's room. The house has a one car garage attached and it is perfect for the two of them. I have to say that Pious was really a nice guy. He was so good with the kids; both loving and playful at the same time. He was so helpful to Susan and it was evident to me that he really does love her. He was very appreciative of all that I did for her when she was in the states last October and when Susan went into their room to nurse Keith he sat in the living room with Liz and I and conversed. I told him that he better take good care of her or I'd come back and have a talk with him and his response was that he loves doing just that. He has a good sense of humor and from what I could see he takes good care of her. He was gentle and kind and she looked really happy. I have to say that I doubted that he really existed but after tonight I know he does and I know they make each other very happy. She was the most relaxed I've seen her since I've been here. So it was a really good surprise for us. Liz did say at the beginning that she was not up for, and did not want to go, to another burial. This was much better. Both Liz and I found it to be a very enjoyable night and felt right at home in their house. At the end of the evening they both drove us home and Susan made sure we got into Phil's house and showed us how to lock up so we would be safe til Phil and Jack get back from the airport.

I also had a great time tonight teaching Phiona and Adrian how to sign "I love you". I always thought that would be a simple thing to teach but getting their little fingers to cooperate was not so easy. So while I was teaching them this, Susan taught me how to say I love you. It sounds like Gwendino (the I is long) and is spelled Nkwendainho. So we spent at least 10-15 minutes saying "Gwendino" to one another and then signing the message. It was really fun and kept the kids entertained for awhile. Susan did cook my favorite things tonight, bless her heart. We had fish, potatoes, rice she mixed with awesome spices, beans and matooke (OK, four out of five's not bad). I am always amazed by how much Adrian can eat!

I may not blog tomorrow night as we may have three of the girls come stay with us for the night and if they are here I don't want to take time away from them to blog. But I will Blog on Thursday for sure. And in closing Nkwendainho!