NicolesLetters.org

Good evening everyone!

Okay now really. I’m serious when I say this time that I won’t be up to write much tonight as I am tired and just bruised my arm from saving away a mosquito. I look like I have a rash on my foot from mosquito bites from sitting out here in the lobby (the only place the internet works) last night posting to the site.

Today was a good day. The teams of students went to the villages and worked on building mud huts for two families in need. One family I heard has a house (now that’s relative term, remember.) that is like the Leaning Tower of Pisa but somehow I think it isn’t quite as sturdy. One location was far off the beaten path. Really far including a small path and walking in the rest of the way. I heard it was very exciting! I’m sure Marty has great pictures of that activity. Everyone said the people in the villages were just amazing. They had brought shoes to give out to the people in the community but they didn’t feel there were enough shoes to start giving out only 20 pairs. We are all stocked up for tomorrow and I plan on going with one team in the morning to a village not very far to give out about 80 pairs of shoes to people that don’t have anything. The kids at the school are looking good in their new kicks. They are on to me now and they walk up to me and point to their shoes to see if I think they can get a new pair. Some I take into the “shoe room” aka office others not. Just have to use my best judgment.

Mom, gave Grace her earrings. She loves them, she wore them around all day and she is very grateful. Your boy was here today. Bashir Matova. He is the oldest of the three boys and I did not meet him last year as he was out working to support the family …..ready for this… at age 11. The story goes that last year I was doing interviews and Grace remembered a family and called to have them come for sponsorship interviews. I had no idea the absolute need in this circumstance. The mother, she is very, very sick came walking with her two boys (like I said Bashir didn’t make it). They walked for two hours, Kasoro the middle boy walked with no shoes for TWO HOURS!!!!!!! It’s not like the roads are nice… and sidewalks? Forget about it. Well I can’t get into the whole story but the short of is that the mother is dying and the father is already gone. The boys will have nothing when they are gone and no home to go to. So, now they are in the program and when their mother is no longer around they will all live at the school. Sad, but true. So, the reason I didn’t meet Bashir last year is because he had gone to look for food and hadn’t come back in time to walk with them. Turns out the mother used to work until she was so sick and then he had to go work in people’s “gardens” or farms (often people have small plots of land to cultivate their own food) he would work in these places and sometimes not get paid. So he would go and fetch water for people and get paid maybe 25 cents. Then he would go a buy a quarter kilo of corn flour to mix with water and that’s what he and his family would drink as a meal for an entire day…sometimes two day. Can YOU imagine????? I can’t. Meeting him today I never would have thought that was his life. After I met his mother and two brothers I went around the back of the building and burst into tears and was sobbing and just couldn’t stop. I was so sad and couldn’t believe that human beings actually have to live like that.

On a lighter note, I saw him today, he was very happy to meet me and I showed him pictures of his sponsor (my mom) and got him a pair of shoes. Turns out they are the shoes that my grandma donated and he said… this is my grandmother. He looked at that book of pictures all day. I asked Grace if he could hang out and spend the day with me. He just hung out was so mature and kind. He can speak a little English, enough to say a few things. I gave him a few snacks and a bottle of water. He walked to see me this morning. Throughout the day I took a lot of pictures of kids for sponsorship and of kids that received shoes.

I know you already know this but of course Norah, Sarah, Robinah and Scovia are hanging out all the time. It’s so fun to have them around. I was able to get the translator for the Gulu area kids and told Scovia that Monique, my friend of 18 years, is her sponsor and gave her a picture. She was very happy I really could just take her around with me all day every single place I go. She is just the sweetest thing I have ever seen.

Phillip Kasajja came this afternoon. He was happy to get the atlas and book on football. I shared with him the pictures and his letter but he is hard to get a smile out of. Poor kid. He was the same last year when I met him. He doesn’t live at the school but is in such need that he is in the program. He’s the only one I have seen that isn’t very different. But I could tell he loved his items.

We gave out some of the underwear today donated by Keith Davis with Big Headed Underwear. Although it’s a lot more than just underwear. Keith donated more than 300 pieces for this trip and the kids couldn’t get to it fast enough. Not only for the kids though he also donated tanks for the teachers and matrons (dorm moms). They were so tickled that someone though of them! Usually it’s all about the kids. They were very excited to get something special. See pictures below. The reason why we gave those out today is because there is a very special boy that came to visit. Enock…. Keith and Bridget’s sponsor child. By the way, he wants to know if you will come visit him here. I told him maybe one day. I have him the book they sent and the letter along with a picture and he went off to the side where it was quiet to look at everything. He was very happy. He hung out the rest of the day with me also. He is very smart and articulate. We had fun talking but mostly he wanted to finish his thank you note for the shoes he received. He was honored to know that so many people were pleased with the items that his sponsor sent. He loved the video too! He watched it about 5-6 times.

I can’t believe I didn’t mention this earlier…. My friend, Tamara, is sponsoring Gideon Mugabi. He is so cute. I saw him today and gave him the picture of Tamara and a letter from her. He also got a new pair of shoes, well…later in the day, Lynette calls me over and says, “You have got to see this!” She tells me that Gideon was carrying around a shoe polishing brush in his pocket and as he is running around the playground would every once in a while, pull out the brush and clean off his new shoes. Sooooo cute!!! See attached picture.

I saw also, Nakawangi Jacklyne and she loved the video and watch from the Gomez-Poinachik family. She couldn’t believe that her one wish had come true. Last year she told me that her one wish in the world was to have a watch. Nope they never say, an IPod or a new car… They wish for life, health and maybe a soccer ball or school fees……….

Good night.

Nicole