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This morning we made a quick stop, Lynette, Karen, Jerard (the driver) and I on the way to the school. We had to stop and pick up a few things before we arrived at the school. I got a couple of dresses for the girls and some outfits for mom’s boys. Today we were wrapping up the profiles, shoes and working on the library. My morning was filled with taking pictures and I had so much fun with it.

The students and chaperones went back into the villages today to continue working on the houses they are building. I have heard amazing stories about the villages, the treks to get there and the people that live there. I have heard they are well taken care of including good food and conversation.

I now answer to Mzungu, Auntie Nicole, Mummy and Sister Nicole. Everyone calls us Mzungu so that’s a given. The staff ladies and volunteer women call me Auntie Nicole to the children and mom’s boy Bashir called me mummy today. I think that they like visiting the school the couple of days that I am here. I hang out with them but they are pretty self contained. I had to do work for profiles and picture taking. I tell you… the book of pictures that I brought has given them hours of entertainment. They just look at everyone and point and giggle at times. It’s great. I have given out pictures to people if I see them and have a pic of their sponsor. All three boys came today all dressed in their school uniforms. I just knew to wear red today and we all matched. They were happy to see me and I was so excited because I had never seen the other two boys smile before. When I met them last November I tried and tried and tried to get them to smile for a picture and they just wouldn’t. I asked Grace, why don’t they smile, she said that they probably don’t know how because they don’t have anything to smile about. HOW SAD! This is the family that I was sobbing after I met them. They seem happy and healthy now. It’s great to see them playing with the kids and cruising around. Bashir walks around with my book of pictures all day. He’s the keeper of the book and I just send his brother, Kasoro, to get it when I need it. They are excited to come to church on Sunday.

I saw Judith Awuma this morning. I was so worried because the dress that Michelle sent was sitting on the couch with some other items when I arrived. I picked it up and asked why it was with the mosquito net and these other things. Sylvia said, “This is Judith”. I asked her how she remembered that this dress was for her? She said that I had told her, but that had to be on Monday. I couldn’t believe she remembers all of these things. Amazing. Judith was very excited to get her blue dress, green shoes and mosquito net. Thanks Michelle.

I also say Deborah, sponsored by Shirl Jones and family. I had mentioned that I wanted to see her if she was close. What I didn’t realize was that she doesn’t attend this school and they had to bring her from a different part of town. She was so excited to get the picture of her sponsor and a few other goodies I gave her.

I know I always talk about Scovia because she is so cute I am always looking for her. Plus she gets done with school early at about 12 so she is always just hanging around while I am doing things. She comes and sits with me while I interview people. She hits me up for sweets all the time. So today, I finished my lunch and still had some french fries so I took the tin to go container with the fries in it and took it to Kasoro (mom’s middle sponsor), the little boy(the younger brother) and Scovia. I gave her the tin in her lap and they all shared the fries. They were so excited. Well after that was over, she took the empty tin and walked over to the water well. This little one, she is about 4 or 5, pumps the water, captures it in the tin and uses it as a cup to have a drink. I couldn’t believe it. I thought it was the sweetest thing.

The students came back from the villages and the school erupted when the kids got out of class. They were running around, singing songs, playing jumprope and Reed even was spinning the kids around and he had a waiting line. You can tell the kids really love having everyone here to play with them.

That’s a wrap. I’m tired.

Nicole