Holidays

The schools here have been on holidays for 3 weeks. In that time, we've had lots of the David Family kids coming to get help with studying and two girls coming for piano lessons. The P7s had holiday homework to do. The 3 P7 boys in David Family have come for help with SST and Math and Margret was getting help with biology and English. So I have learned a lot of random facts about African geography, climate, rivers, etc. I have also heard lots of imaginary piano. When the power is off, our piano doesn't work so Stella and Esther learned a lot of piano by hearing the notes being sung. Yesterday, they went back to school.

Our family is also finishing up school. I only have Health to finish and 2 final exams. We'll be finished by the end of the month!

Home schooling at the beginning of the school year

I Live in Africa

Saturday, we went into Kampala. I hadn't been in Kampala since December and hadn't been farther than 10 km away from home since February. Here are some signs that I live in rural Uganda.

• I don't think of putting a seatbelt on when I get into a car.
• Bumpy roads are normal; paved roads feel unnatural (but very nice)
• Skyscrapers scare me (actually buildings taller than two-stories are quite nerve-wracking)
• In restaurants, I'm prepared to be told that something on the menu isn't available. Sometimes only about half of what's on the menu is an option.
• I have trouble remembering what a shopping cart is called. (I was thinking shopping stroller at one point.)

I guess I'm going to be in trouble travelling downtown in cities in North America.

An Ironic Week

We had a few ironic incidents over the past week/week and a half.

A week ago last Friday, Aziza, in David Family, had asked about Zipporah. And we said we hadn't seen her for a while. Little did we know that she was at Jonathan Family. The next day, she showed up at our house. A little ironic, but wait until you hear the next one.

Two weeks ago, Dad was at a training conference in Kampala. The leaders of the conference came to Kasana with him to set up some new wireless things. They were here for three days setting things up. On Wednesday afternoon they left. As they were leaving it started to rain.
Fast forward an hour or two. I'm sitting inside our house with John, three of his friends and one of my friends. All of a sudden, the room lights up and there is a huge BANG! It sounded like a gunshot and my ears hurt after it. The roof was rattling and it had sounded like something had hit the roof. The boys, crazy as always, dived under chairs. I said to my friend, "I think that hit the roof." Needless to say, our hearts are pounding pretty fast.
Anyway, when we checked the solar inverter, it was, well, not working. The next day Uncle Gabe, the construction guy and Dad opened up our box. All the fuses were burnt. Our neighbour's power supply box exploded and our other neighbours' were burnt as well. And the internet wasn't working. So my dad is now trying to fix the internet and will need some more parts. The internet guys hadn't even made it to Kampala and our internet went down.

We have definitely had a pretty crazy week.

Special Needs Class

At the beginning of the school year, Auntie Kate, who heads up Special Needs asked me if I could help them with their baking class and their art class. I go Thursday mornings from 9-12 (usually). At 9, they do their welcome song and counting. If it's a baking day we go to Auntie Kate's house. So far we've made pancakes, cake, and pumpkin muffins. If it's an art day, we stay at the class. I've only been there for two art days. I've really enjoyed doing this. All of the staff are really great. It's amazing how the Special Needs Program went from just Hassan to a class of 10 kids and an outreach program in three years. Please pray for two kids who are in the hospital. One has broken his legs and the other had an operation.

Women's Day

Yesterday, was International Women's Day. All the kids got the day off school. Our neighbours, who are also associated with David Family had all the David Family girls over. We went at 12 and played a game called Luck of the Draw. It was quite a fun day. It was a New Hope version with things to draw like "people fetching water at the tower" or "so-and-so preaching". After that we ate lunch--hamburgers, chips, cookies, and soda. And after lunch we watched the first two episodes of Wind at My Back. Unfortunately, one of the girls has malaria so she wasn't able to come, but everyone else was there.

Psalm 113:3

"From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised!"

Strollers for Hope Family

Last year, my class raised money for strollers for Hope Family. Uncle Stu has bought three strollers -- two double ones and one single. Thank you so much to my class for raising the money. All of Hope Family is very thankful.