NicolesLetters.org

I just have to start by saying thank you. I received the greatest email tonight. Many of you know Julianna. She had forwarded my email to a friend of hers, Natalie. Natalie emailed me in support of what I am doing here. Thank you Julianna for sharing and thanks Natalie for the email. It is very encouraging to get emails from you all and then some supporting me while I am here. You know it’s tough during the day. The stories are so sad. If any of you are compelled to forward my emails on to other friends or family, please don’t hesitate. This is an amazing experience.

I am sending today’s information as a word doc.

Lots of love,

Nicole

November 15^th 2007 Thursday

Many of you have asked great questions throughout your responses to my emails. I have added answers to some emails but I think this is important information that some of you may not know.

My ultimate purpose is to support the ministry that Pastor Steven has created with Pastor Gabriel to have a safe and complete place for these children to go to school if they have a home to live in or to go to school and live there. He hopes to build a three story building, I think some engineers are coming here in January to find where to put the building, I have no idea how far that idea has progressed beyond that. They want to turn that into the school and turn the current school rooms into more dorms so they can support more children living there. The way we will financially do that is to get these kids sponsored for $35 per month. It covers food, shelter (if they live there), books, teacher fees, meds, etc. There is also a general fund to the foundation that will support things like chickens, farming i.e. growing corn, beans and rice…. they also need to build wells so they can support the water demand for farming and at the school. I am amazed as I learn of how they are creating this sustainable farm to feed these children. It’s slow growing due to money but they have great ideas. They are also looking for sponsors for some university students. This is a new opportunity for the ministry. The hope is that these educated people continue to be leaders in the community, teacher, pastors, etc. The government does not assist with school or any options for that matter and if they can’t pay, they don’t go. No student loans here! The cost for 4 years is about $5000 total. That could be broken down to about $100 per month. Don’t quote me on the exact amount. I can get more specific details. As I mentioned they haven’t done that yet. They did say it can be paid monthly though. Many of the people they are looking to sponsor are already attending the church and are involved for example I just found out my translator the first day, Margaret is one of them. I was so happy to hear that. She helped me so much with the children, getting their stories, translating, helping the children open up and be more comfortable, taking care of me. Most of them have been volunteering at the school this week to help with this process as you can imagine it’s a little chaotic with all of us muzungos (white people) here. Ha, ha.. I’d really like to help her. My understanding is also that they might be able to work at the school as it grows and they need more people, teachers, etc. As for being a sponsor, I have received many emails from people wanting to sponsor a child or a family. I have to get the specifics on the family information. I am sure it depends of the family. If you are interested in being a sponsor, please let me know, we can do paperwork when I get home but it is so encouraging as I arrive in the morning and tell the staff I received another email with a friend who wants to be a sponsor. They can’t believe that already people are wanting to help them and these beautiful children.

I spend some time today with Sara during the day. I wanted to know more about her. Grace translated for me. By the end of us chatting she was leaning on me and being cuddly. She lost her mother maybe a year or two ago. She has four brothers and three sisters; her father is a “builder” sounds like casual labor to me. I slipped her my fried chicken and fries to take home. I had just enough to stop my stomach from grumbling. I scurried around grabbing thing for her as she had to go home on the bus. I got a bag and gave her another pair of socks, the chicken in a ziplock baggie; I also took a picture with her with the Polaroid so she can take it home. She was so happy. I give her a little goodie to take home each day, even a pair of socks. Can you imagine? Tomorrow a new notebook. She loved drinking the rest of my orange fanta as we chatted. She said that she loves me very much and prays for me everyday.

After she left I found Angel and gave her the hard boiled eggs I smuggled from the breakfast buffet at the hotel. I know it sounds crazy! As I walk around the kids just follow me and herd around and it takes sometime for them to figure that I am going to spend some time with Angel. They just like to watch me. I have hundreds of eyes on me at all times. I just look around and wave to everyone I can and say hi and how are you. Angel showed me her trunk. They each have a little box at the end of their beds for their belongings, uniforms, etc. some have a lock, some not. They are tiny and beat up but it works. I asked her to show me what was in her’s. She showed me her school books and I started reading to her in English, obviously. I was reading her homework out loud and then let her take over. She did great. I let her warm up a little then I corrected some words but not too much so she wasn’t intimidated. She was enjoying the attention I could tell. I looked next to us for a minute as there was another girl there. I glance up for ONE second and she noticed and stopped reading to wait for me. It was so sweet. I told her more tomorrow but I wanted to show her a picture on my computer. I took her to the office and showed her a picture of my mom, grandma and I from a party at my house with the picture of her jumping rope in the background. She couldn’t believe it! She was so happy.

Regarding the shoes. I was able to bring about 60 pair of shoes. There are so many children they decided who was in the most need and went accordingly. They also purchased shoes for the sponsored kids from last years fundraiser. They gave some yesterday and some today. The kids were so excited. Even some of the kids didn’t get them and their friends were laughing and playing they were so happy for their friends that got new shoes. The kids that did get them were so happy. I came back in the room today from one of my little breaks… there was a woman there a grandmother. She is the grandmother of one of the children that I gave a pair of shoes to the other day. She came to the school to say thank you to me. I couldn’t believe it. I took a picture with her with the Polaroid camera and sent the picture home with her. She was very happy. These kids are so excited about the shoes and the kids get a kick out of the ones that are different. The ones that the school bought are uniform shoes, black leather so they are all the same. The ones I brought are all different so they have so much fun with them.

Today was a busy day there because I was there along with the staff. That means I was the photographer, getting stories and representative for the group. I worked on the spreadsheet to verify names, identification numbers and other details for a few hours so this email won’t go much longer. I wrote the top portion earlier today. There are a few interesting things I learned today. I always ask the child how old they are when I am getting their stories. Today I found that some didn’t know. They had to be about 5 years old or so, but I found out they don’t celebrate birthdays much here. For that reason some don’t know how old they are and we have to guess. I had a cute girl today with little stud earrings. I asked Godwin, my translator he is one of Pastor Steven’s adopted sons and is probably mid to late twenties. I asked him why some of the children have their ears pierced but just have a piece of plastic. It’s almost like a little piece of a dark toothpick or thinner in their ear like an earring. Just barely visible. He told me that in some very rural parts of Uganda still the witch doctors sacrifice the children. However, the parents pierce the ears of their children because if the child has some kind of “defect” i.e. earrings, something not perfect, scars etc… the gods will not want them. So these children are protected. Hence why in one of Michele’s interviews yesterday one of the boys was aware of these things happening and said that he was afraid of that. Some of these responses are shocking and open up a whole can of worms.

On a lighter note, I met Queen Latifa today. I had a little girl sit down in the chair and I said “What’s your name?” She said Queen Latifa. I laughed so hard. It was so funny. I asked her where she got that name. Well her name is Latifa and her family had given her that name to be silly. However she even had QUEEN threaded in her backpack. I got the biggest kick out of that. I asked them if they knew who Queen Latifa is? I don’t even know really I just said she is a celebrity.

Okay I have to check out for the evening. I have to get up early tomorrow. Too bad they are having the dance party outside my room again!

I just got another mosquito! HA!

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