Sports, bites, Deborah, and owning women

Been busy, busy, busy.  Here's the latest haps!

So Sam and I went to another Uganda Cranes game the other weekend. We met up with Holly when we were there which was a good life choice on our part.  Both ladies are a grand time. We got our faces painted, partied on the field after the win and had the best of times. 

 I just got back from teaching at a secondary school called St. Stephens.  It's a really cool school and the students have been great.  We teach leadership and empowerment classes--and yes, last week we had the privilege of teaching sex ed.  Good times! haha However, our students are ALWAYS late to class.  So...this is Ryan, just waiting for our students to arrive. haha

 Awkward moment of the day.  What started out as a harmless mosquito bite turned out to be a month of a crater on my left shin.  It has legitimately been a month of this hole in my leg.  I have swindled an antibiotic so the infection will cease and desist.  I think it should start healing up now.

 For those of you who remember me posting about Deborah.  This is her!

 We met her in the Namatala slum.  She asked us if she could go to school and had very protective, body language.  We are still trying to get to the bottom of who is taking care of her and how they got her.  But she's now in school, a team member bought her a school uniform, and I went by on Sunday to drop off a math set for her (rulers, pencil, pencil sharpener, etc).  There are definitely still things to be done and progress to be made.  But she is in school and her smile is much easier to come out these days.

 At St. Stephens, we had a little down time.  I heard a bunch of hammering in one of the rooms close by.  I went to hear where the tapping was coming from and alas, a bunch of boys are sitting on the ground hammering, chopping and chiseling away.  AKA  Art class.  They're pretty good actually.  This is one of our students named Isaac.  We love him.

 Another student carving away.  He's more at the beginning of his project.  Isaac (the one pictured above) had already been working on his sculpture for two weeks.  This guy (below) was just starting today.

 This week we taught classes about development and empowerment.  I am clearly just creepily observing during Sams part, but we take turns teaching.  She'll teach for a half hour and then I'll pick up.  It's a lot of fun actually.  It keeps us on our toes trying to figure out effective ways to keep them engaged, figure out how much they're retaining and able to apply, etc.  I love it.

The three other volunteers that were up at St. Stephens and I had some interesting conversations during our time there.  I've concluded that living in Uganda kind of feels like I've time traveled.  Some of the things that they do just seems ...umm...old school?  Like, I can't believe there are still societies that function that way--it's something that I learned about in History class, but not how life has been for me.

For example, the women here are not equals with the men...at all.  I've noticed it more and more the longer that I live here.  It's odd and I find that it makes me a little feisty. haha I've had several men try to put me in my place a little bit (or just treat me how they would any other woman) and I can't help but not stand for it.

When I was at St. Stephens I was talking to a man in the village and he was telling me about marriage here in Uganda.  He said that when a man and a woman get married, there's really only one person--the man.  The man owns the woman.  I tilted my head to the side and said something like, "Really?  Owns. Like a chicken or a cow?"  He kind of laughed but didn't comment on it.  He continued to say things like the man picks the names of the children to remind his wife that he's in charge.  She wears a ring on her finger to show that she's owned.  Ugh.  I just looked at him and said, "But why?  Why do YOU own HER?  I don't understand.  I have ten fingers, two eyes, and a brain just like you.  Why do you think you should own someone like me?"  It's hard because I don't think we get through to them very easy on this point.  Like I said, it's like being back in time.  I still try anyway.

Tomorrow we're going to the womens groups that we've been working with and we get to see our bead ladies!!  We're working with some women in Namatala to start their own income generating project making beads and necklaces.  I'll try to take pics tomorrow so you can see.

Lastly, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for all of the those who contributed to our Indie-gogo site.  We were able to raise ALL of the money for the medical clinic and water filters.  My heart is so full and I thank you and love you for having such big hearts and contributing to help make these peoples lives better.  Seriously, from the bottom of my heart, Thank you!!