Pictures... a little of life in the slums

There is so much to share, but lengthy photo uploads with a lot of file failures means I likely won't have time to create the full post tonight. I wasn't going to miss the opportunity to share some of these pictures with you though... so be on the look out for more pictures and more information to come (tonight or soon!).

These first pictures are of "the market" in the Namuwongo slums. Obviously no Wholefoods, Publix or Fresh Market nearby - but trust me, this stuff is "fresh". The lack of refridgeration would certainly scare some away, but I've discovered that you can eat food (with mayo in it) that hasn't been refridgerated for several days... and it doesn't kill you! (Or make you sick....hmmm.... what would the FDA say about that?)






Papyrus strips tied together keep the sun off the matoke (small, green bananas... that taste more like potatoes than bananas).

TJ Maxx and Steinmart - eat your heart out! These ladies have it all.... well, not really, but if you want some "name brand" (yeah, right!!) flip flops, you can get them here.

But actually, these little stands are a lifeline to these families... most of whom hardly ever have enough money for food, much less school fees or uniforms for their children.

Hauling water is one of many kids' job. Another reason they often aren't allowed to get an education. Try hauling jerry cans and plastic jugs full of water every morning for a mile. It's exhausting! These kids walk through trash, sewage and harassing adults.

Today I watched a group of girls do laundry in small buckets for several hours (more on my wonderful Friday morning later) - so much work for these children.

One of the vegetable "stands" along the strip. The shallots really do look fresh and tasty. The couple of carrots in the foreground don't look so nice, though. :-)

Beans cooking in a woman's house (she's one of the women in the Nawezikana micro-business, and there will also be more on that later)... the ceramic charcoal "stove" is sitting right by the chair (you can see the arm of it) in the 4x6 room that is their home (5 children and two adults). The afternoon we went to hang out with her, the room was about 100 degrees because of the cooking... many cook outside.

August Update - to come soon....

Just a very brief update that I will be sending a "real" update out soon - with pictures (yeah - got pics off the photo card finally!). We've had consistent power outages and no internet connectivity so when I've been able to find spots to log in, it's been a rush to answer an email or two. Today I'm at the Lake Victoria Serena lobby for internet, but have some other work that I must do first....

Anyhoo - the quick update is that all is well here. I am healthy, happy and enjoying the time. I do have so much to share so am hoping for another internet day this week to update the blog. I really appreciate everyone's patience.

Miss everyone much!

Ice

So, last week I had my first (and I pray, last) episode with a bad, bad stomach thing in Africa. I ate something that went horribly wrong once inside of me!! And I discovered something I badly missed, albeit only circumstancially. ICE. Now, people who really know me know that I don't really ever need ice with my drinks - I'm happy for a room temp Coke or glass of tea - but when I was a child and got sick with a stomach virus my mom would prepare a cup of chipped up ice with a Coke or Sprite or Ginger Ale... we would sip it slowly and it always seemed to help. Let me tell you - water on a sick stomach is a bad time! It was just not what my body was conditioned to take in as an acceptable hydration option. It revolted... and not in a pretty way. I was sitting up in bed in the middle of the night wishing for a cold, ice-chip filled cup of soda. I was out of pocket for about 36 hours and really only began to feel better after a friend had picked up a Sprite for me at a grocery. Thankfully I'm back on my game - but I know one of the simple, small things from home that I do miss.

Grateful, too, for the power and internet to be back on for the moment. We've all spent the last week with no power, so that can probably go on the list as one of the other things I could say I would miss for the long-term...although, it's been really cool to see how successfully one can live without refridgeration, washing machines and lights.

All for now - will post this in hopes the internet connection has stayed up while I've been writing this!