Wed. March,29,.2012

        It seems like years since I’ve written!  Part of it that I’ve been  busy..and returning home late enough, during the hottest time, that I have no energy left..but mainly because I’ve been having so much trouble getting my e-mail connection that it’s taken up all of my extra time.  So you who have e-mailed me these last two days, I haven’t been able to open it..or reply! (Kathy…I wanted to read your message so much!)  I will try this to see if I can send this as I have in the past and hope that it will work.  Tomorrow Jarold will come to work on changing my server?..anyways, I will be changing my e-mail address to yahoo.com. I think, because Comcast is not co-operating anymore.  Jerold says it’s not working well in Uganda..and once “it” recognized that’s where I was, it gave up on me! 

I am now trying to get this posted (Sat. 31?) I have my e-mail   address…     steviebe1@yahoo.com

I will try to condense this because so many things seem to have happened that it would take forever.

        Basic highpoints:  Had some great teaching moments at True Vine when I got to do the activities that I had hoped to do with my Hungry Caterpillar stories.  The children are so receptive, as well as the teachers and it certainly was a “high” for me! (Ina,,,I wish you could have been there to see how excited the children were with the story sequencing that you spent so much time helping me prepare!)I got those goosebumps!

        Then spent about 2 ½ hours with Daniel and Noah (met him 5 years ago..and I keep not recognizing him and feel so awful!  I remember that time so vividly…yet can’t get his face.  That;s been one of my most difficult things,,,the Africans all have the same skin  and hair color.  I try to see distinguishing characteristics  and match names with faces, but I’m failing quite miserably. (Just like I seem to be failing remembering Ugandan money….I have provided any laughs over my errors!  Today was probably good for the most laughs, however.  I wanted to buy some bananas..and I asked Sue how much they would be.  I misunderstood what she said…and what the lady said when I asked  how much 1,000 shillings would get me (I thought she showed me only one and I wanted 5…so I gave her 5,000 shillings.  She gave me two “hands” of bananas…..which is the bunch they grow in…about 30!!!!!!!Everyone laughed that the lady could close down her stand and go for a vacation now!  I gave about 8 to Peter to give to the children. 1-2 to the four  people in the car,6 to Lawrence, etc. And had plenty for me (more than 5!)  So that was all for about $2.50.  Bananas and a huge joke on me!

        I received a wonderful e-mail from a very generous couple at church who responded to my e-mail about  the 67 three year olds who were sharing the little wooden chairs or sitting in plastic ones that were breaking.They offered to pay fr the 27 new wooden chairs, plus  the salary of a helper for some time.  God is so good !I’ve been frustrated trying to get hold of Elizabeth at Hope4kids…my computer wasn’t working(Chuck…my last e-mail was to you ..then couldn’t contactElizaberyth!  Then,when I tried to call her, I ran out of air time!!!

        Another fun experience was going shopping with Sue for LaBon, the boy she is going to sponser.  We had Andrew helping find the right shop for the right things, What fun watching LaBon’s face: riding in a car for the first time, trying on shoes for school (like Cinderella…trying to find the shoe that fits just right)  We learned about first class and second class stores (hint: second class is WAY less than 1^st…we call them “second-hand” (>:)

I read my story to all five classes today at Juba..my first time really involved in these classes.  They ,of course, loved the book as well..and helping to make “eating” noises, slurps,etc  .Even the P2’s(about 7-8 -9year olds) enjoyed it,  They don’t have story time…no books.  But I found them very interested in the pictures on the calendar I left: America scenes.  I explained all of them  and decided to try to find more things to share with them like that.               

   Tomorrow we go shopping for Jessica, the 2^nd child Sue’s going to sponspr.  She’s 6..and has a HUGE  smile and a contagious giggle!  It should be so fun.

I won’t write anymore now because I’m not sure I’ll be able to get it on the Blog.  I sure hope so.Hope you are well.  Please pray my communication gets fixed.  Jarold is a 20 year old genius…wants to be a :geek”!(>:

p.s.I have since found this  didn’t get sen   so hopefully it will now…the 30^th.  Didn’t happen again…maybe today?!  I need your prayers!!!