Saturday, March 17, 2012 Happy St. Patrick’s Day  !  This year I am not walking in the St.Paddy’s Day Fun Run…instead walked again to Tororo, exploring more of the side streets…and coming upon what I hope is the perfect belated birthday gift for Amy!  Of course, we were very hot and dusty…not like doing the Run! I had done my yoga and waited to take my cold shower til after our trip to town..it felt so good after that and such a good feeling to have clean feet for at least a short time!

                Last night we ate at Pastor Ruth’s and,of course, the lights went out so we ate by lantern light.  Delicious simosas made by Ruth that I’d had before when I came with the team last year.  They were something like eggrolls, some filled with beef and others vegetable..but a different shape.  Yum! And nice not to have to think about dinner.  I have found I do better eating more for lunch than at night as I’m too hot and tired then.  Bonnie,Sue and I all have different  styles so do our own thing. I usually have a version of fruit smoothie, or yogurt and fruit for breakfast when we leave around 8:30 a., if we don’t go until 1”00, I might have a couple of  eggs fixed different ways  and a piece of toast.(of course, no toaster.so cook it in a fry pan;for lunch, perhaps a toasted cheese  sandwich (not great cheese, but “passable”), peanut butter on toast or crackers..or on a banana(my “quick” breakfast at home!),,or a tuna salad, tomatoes,cucumber or sandwich.I bought some rice and spaghetti here, but think I’ll give it away as I can’t think of eating it with anything I have.  Pastor Lawrence..a very sweet,fun man who often drives us to the different sites, mentioned they only have rice at Christmas because it’s so expensive, so I’ll probably give it to his family. If I have any food left, of course, I’ll give it away along with the furnishings I paid for..a few pots and pans,etc.  My bed and sheets will go to one of the ladies I have sponsored plus I’ll see if they want any of my skirts.  It will be nice to travel back with LIGHT suitcases!

We had another fun and successful meeting with 8 teachers at Juba, along the same lines as our other ones,  These teachers all live closer to the school and travel “by foot”. Their questions were a lot about how we each reading,writing…in crowded classes…what to do when children don’t have pencils,how do you encourage your learners to love learning and like school,how best can we handle pupils who enjoy fighting while in the classroom. How can I help a child who doesn’t have books?.how can you help a child who is sleeping in a class? And how do you teach reading when story books are not there?  So you can see that there are many concerns that teachers everywhere have..and a basic one of NO materials.They asked a lot about what materials we use….They sure appreciated the materials I gave them..and learned about sticky notes plus some ideas about what to do with index cards.etc.  Next week I will try to go into all the classes with The Very Hungry Caterpillar books, leaving them there after reading it to the class..and then showing some other things one can do with it in subsequent  “lessons” I am beginning to speak a little more “African” so hopefully at least SOME of the children can understand me!

Will stop for now,  The electricity was off during the day, but now is on. Halleluiah!  Such a treat to not have to use my flashlights!(and my computer and Kindle are charged!)

Tomorrow we go to a village about an hour away for church and to give out dresses..Mon. I hope to see my teacher friend, Margaret.  I called her and she said she had been “longing” to see me!  She suggested I take a “boda ” but I think not!I hope to arrange for a car..or else “foot it”!  I apologize for the duplication on the blog the last time…having difficulty figuring out if it got posted, so guess it DID! Also excuse all mistakes, under technical duress at times! Stay well…….