I love sleeping for 16 hours straight...

So this is my bed. I went to sleep last night at 22:00 (or 10:00 pm, as we say in the states) and my roommate Marlee woke me up at 14:00 (2:00 pm) in the middle of dreaming. I walked out to everyone finishing eating lunch and talking about ketchup. I guess since I hadn't slept for about a week before coming, and then had only slept about 4 hours since Friday night, I caught up on my sleep. Here at Amani the rule is that you get to rest for your first two days, and then you start your shift. My shift is 7:30-1:00 pm. I work with the toddlers who don't go to preschool, and then I'm going to help my roommate Amy paint a mural for the potty downstairs - the under the sea potty, we're going to call it! We figure we can sing "Under the sea, I wish you'd go pee...under the sea!" Anyways, maybe I shouldn't share that sort of thing.


Last night, before going to bed, I heard what sounded like really heavy breathing/growling? Diana made fun of me until she heard it too - it was the birds outside in the trees. This is what they look like. Can anyone tell me what they are?













So I have FINALLY found someone who is comforted and blessed by the way I say "sorry" like a Canadian due to living with Mama Judah for a month - my roommate Diana from Canada tells me "good for you!" She says it makes her feel less alone. The two of us went to the market together. We went in on a Bicycle Boda-Boda - quite the adventure. Basically you pay 200 shillings to ride on a little seat behind a Ugandan for a couple miles. Bouncing along on the dirt road and looking around me at the Ugandan country side was absolutely lovely. After changing my dollars at the bank, we went to the market. I bought tomatoes, garlic, onions, cucumbers, a watermelon, mangoes and green beans for less than 5000 shillings, which comes about to about $2.50! The market is spread out beneath tents, and there are stands of all different kinds of fruits, veggies and - fish: lots of fish. You weave your way between people sitting on the ground, standing, sitting in their stands - women and children breaking beans open, setting out food, etc. I learned to count my shillings out and am beginning to get better with understanding the money here.


On the way home we climbed two on the back of a Boda-Boda motorcycle. The wind from driving cooled us off on the way home.


Back at Amani I played with the kids for a few hours. I'm falling in love all over again, with a new group this time. It's fun to hear their little Ugandan and British accents. An especial favorite is Steven, who gave me his noodle necklace this morning. I played on a blanket with babies, and then tugged about four toddlers around the yard in a wagon. They cried when it was over. Amani is really neat, because a lot of the children here have families, and the baby cottage keeps them here while their parents can't take care of them. Often fathers bring in their children because their mothers die and they can't take care of them. It is opening my heart to ministries that love the community, as well as the children. What an incredible opportunity, to give a child what their parents can't, and to love fathers and sick mothers, etc. in that way! It is helping my heart with how to think about Spendy - although it's hard to be here and not be with him.




This is Francis. We were buddies this afternoon. He stole my bracelet and cried when I took it back.






this is my roommate Marlee putting the Benjamin who we call "whiney" to sleep :). He likes to suck his thumb and hold onto your shirt. Marlee and I get along especially well. We make each other laugh almost constantly - not sure that's a good thing. I have three other roommates. Marlee is from Florida.







My Canadian, Diana.








This is Heather.














...and this is Jenny, my tour guide for my first day!
She taught me how to shower, what kids go where, where to put my food, and etc.







This is Steven. I'm head over heels.





Toddlers:

Lets hold our shirt up and show our belly for the photo Bobby!