Best Laid Plans = Change

Day 4. 9/12/2016

"Best laid plans = Change".  One thing about Africa is you can make a plan and think everyone gets it.  Pack it up for the day, pile in the car, fuel up, get water, shop for a part or two needed to fix something wherever we are going, some soap or other things for the village teachings and outreach. Confirming  all the plans for the people you will meet up with later for dinner.  Settle in for the bumpy road viewing all of the sites, comparing new with old - then it comes, "Sr  Teddy says she will not be there this afternoon when we get back from the village, she had to travel for a meeting". Really? Hmmm well, what about all the dinner plans we made with her and the others and  she wanted to cook? What about seeing this very important water project that was held up for 8 months that I absolutely have to see?"  "I don't know what happened and I have no air time". Okay, then we have to see her this morning, remember that was the original plan. When In Africa  - if plan A and plan B doesn't work you have to be prepared to go all the way to plan Z! I always tell the team  - be flexible!  Don't worry be happy! Haha!  "So, we go back...and see her now", I say.  "Here is my phone, please call the village and let them know".  Meanwhile we all need air time (for the mobile phones) as I can't get stuck in the middle of nowhere stranded for hours, walking for hours, separated from one of you as you have no way to call. Trust me friends it has happened, more than once!  While this is mildly irritating to me, it unnerves some people to no end. One might say, "well what about the village? Isn't that terrible to do to them? In reality, the first plan was to go in the afternoon as they have a lot of chores in the morning, fetching water, digging in the garden, cooking, cleaning and more. So this is a welcome relief for them as they also may feel they need to feed us if we go at this time. I don't want them using any of their few and limited resources on us as they barely struggle to survive. So all is well when best laid plans change!  I just take a big deep breath, several of them, and pray...."with grace and ease Nadine....go with grace and ease".  ----  Now, Come along, carry me along as we visit the deaf school H20 has supported with a re vamp of a rain water collection water system for drip irrigation to a greenhouse (originally provided by the Peace Corp), for vegetable gardening and income generation in dry season. All of our water projects are overseen by Tom Osborne, H20 Board member and hydrologist.  A year and many different plans were tossed about as to how to go about re vamping an in ground cement water storage area that collected rain water from the roof of the nearby building which also had broken gutters. The pump was broken and although the  greenhouse was wonderful and set up with drip irrigation lines it could not be used for years. In dry season there are no tomatoes available and this is one good cash income generation activity that could help support the school with food for kids and incorme to pay teachers.  Disabled kids in uganda and tossed aside as unworthy. Families do not want to put what little money or resources they have into them, so they literally waste away over time. These deaf kids are beautiful, creative, bright, energetic and overjoyed to work and help out with anything. If you could see them dance without hearing, feeling the ground move as the stomp jump, and dance. Feeling the drum beat as it vibrate thru the air. All in tune. And at the end they silently clap with waving their hands in the air. Such joy! And they won a contest in all of Uganda for this dance!  Unfortunately the school lost its donor funding and as with many things poor management (likely due to lack of training and education as as well as desperation) has left it floundering.  Hopes are with some of their farm land and greenhouse that income can be generated.  The school is now also open to paying students who are not deaf. Currently 74 total students enrolled (24 deaf). It is out of session right now so most kids are home, except for this one sweet deaf boy who escorted us around. For some reason there has been struggle with this project, the greenhouse cover tore apart in a severe storm, the rain gutter connectors were missing (minor inexpensive part) and water was not going into the tanks. So months went by...  As I arrive to assess, they now have it working and i  am able to view it and hear water flowing into the tanks as it rained last night. Yeah!! Sighs of releif and I have some good things to report.  They are growing squash very well in what was the greenhouse. They wish for another pipe to carry water 154 meters to the a bigger field. Currently they are growing sim sim well. We sent Teddy to farming gods way training and she was able to get 3 sacks of g nuts out of less than a quarter acre which is amazing!  Clearly we can see half started projects that have had bits of donor funding but never enough to complete. May this water and farming project finally take off!  The boys Denis and Bosco we and friends sponsored with university education in development took notes the whole time and have ideas of how to help guide some management. They are so excited to give back and use their education whenever possible to help others. This one on one time with them has been great for me to listen and hear their ideas, hopes and dreams!  Teddy is now our first project signed up to go to the meeting in Kampala on Monday - she must bring proposals and specifics in hand to discuss. Never do I want people to wait 1 month, let alone 10 months for me to come again to sort out a problem that could have been solved in a day for 10 dollars! Terence is also working hard on his assignment as to how we design the oversite locally of any projects implemented! I am so so encouraged!! Now,  Quickly come along....we need to get to the village now!  It is getting late and no time for lunch!  Which is A okay with the Ugandans travelling with me and their idea actually. I need to shed a lot of pounds and this is a great time to get to it!  This is also when the team has peanut butter, trail mix, jerky and chapati's for lunch on the road! Enjoy!   Here we go again...