Plantian/Banana Soup

Here is a photo of one of the meals that Florence prepared. The soup was delicious and filling.

The protein dish on the right is essennene, roasted grasshopper. Also very tasty. You can't stop with just one!!

Here are two photos of my friend Florence. She made this, her first quilt project ever, as a lap quilt for her mother, who is 80. Her mom used to teach tailoring to ladies in the village, but Florence never took up the activity then. Now she studies patterns in the books we have. She has a friend who gives her cotton fabrics to use in the quilts. A different set of fabrics each month, what a blessing.

Now Florence is working on her 3^rd top!!! She will put the ones she has finished together soon and will have a new quilt for herself or for her kids. One daughter is already asking for one for herself. Guess I'd better get going and finish the two I have started and make one for Moses. Nothing like a little nudge to keep moving.

Learner Ali

Some of you may know Ali, the man who does gardening and night guarding for me. He began going to school to improve his English about two years back. Last year he began attending adult education classes at Makerere University.

He graduated well from the introductory class and now is enrolled in the two year program aimed at helping adults achieve their O level certificate. After so many years without having formal education, he is now learning mathematics, geography, history, English, physics, chemistry and science.

He has done really well and is understandably proud of himself. I think his family members are all proud of him too. I know I am.

Small business, Uganda style

Some of you may be wondering if I had lost my mind, buying a boda (motorcyle) and others may have thought I've come a long way.

Actually both may be true. I bought the boda so that a young friend of mine, Nasser, could begin his own business. He is buying the boda from me and will likely own it by this time next year. He works very hard, 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, unless it is pouring rain. (If the rain is light and the passenger willing, he works even then.) He is managing to save money towards the car he wants to buy as his goal is to be a special hire (taxi) driver.

Nasser has named his boda "God's Glory" a much better name than any I ever gave to my cars. He takes really good care of it. Our contract gives me free rides whenever I want. A really good deal for me.

This is the photo of him on the boda a few days after we bought it.