Coming to 10:30pm, sorting, organizing, little piles in my room.. for him, for her, for them, take home, store here.. just inching along, getting it together to pull out early Sunday morning.
Accomplished lots in Mbale today, met with many good people on this Friday who helped push things for the children.. I didn’t travel anywhere beyond town, so everything was quick and easy.. bodas really are a great way to travel. You walk out of a shop and immediately several guys on motorcycles are trying to catch your eye to see if you want a ride.. and most times within seconds, you’re on the back of the bike and heading where you next need to go. It’s probably the fastest thing about a serious “Hakuna Matata” life style that just kind of meanders along or lays around in the shade many moments..
Started the day with a visit to a friend who works at a local NGO.. he’s been with me twice to Bukedea and is going to stand in for me, along with Vincent, when it comes to protecting the child family and their land as we proceed with getting a survey and legal registration for them. I dropped off copies of the papers we’ve received from the officials and exchanged a number of contact numbers so everyone can be in touch. By far, this is the most tentative and vulnerable situation for me to be leaving right now.. I ask all of the Angels to protect these children and their land.
Ran several errands in preparation to be leaving, including purchasing the remaining 11 mattresses required for the new beds, and how about 33 pairs of colorful plastic shoes for the children at the center.. 2,500 shillings each.. somewhere around $1!
Met with Vincent and reviewed plans and priorities for him and ACIO over these next months.. proceeding with ACIO raising the funds required ( a VERY steep 2M.. say, $850 or so.. ) for a survey and legal registration of their land, increased focus on income generating activities to support the children at the center with basic needs, areas where organizational improvements are still required including the re-working of the ACIO Constitution, continued focus and strategies regarding the dismissal of the case that has been delayed so many times these months.. and on.
Now home to an evening of organizing by solar power ( electiricity is “gone” tonight ) in preparation for my last visit, this journey, to the children and the center tomorrow..
First off, I’m going to see some caregivers who are participating in the heifer project and hear from them how their lives are being affected as a result.. and then I’ll trek up to the center and greet our little ones.
Today, I think we’ll have a impromtu party.. play with a couple new soccer balls I’ve reserved for such an occasion and two “Canada” frisbees, and how about some balloons.. then there’s those beautiful little bracelets my nieces made that all say “Love” and “Hugs” etc on them.. and amazing, this evening I just found over 20 Canada t’s we thought we had lost that one of my sister in laws shopped over the months for from a used clothing store.. they were hiding in the side pockets of one of the suitcases the Wagner’s brought over for me.. side pockets I didn’t know existed until about an hour ago!
Then to top things off we’ll hang some beautiful lamintated 11×17 photo posters I brought with me of many friends of the children in Canada, the US and even Australia who are Loving them and remembering them every day. We’ll put some in each dorm, create walls of Love for the children to wake to and view every day.. helping them to always know, goodness and Light are always watching over them, Love wraps them and smiles at them every moment..
A big, beautiful day.. this Saturday.
Blessings in Love,
Catherine