So much is happening

Despite the bombs and threat of more bombings, we were able to resume with eye camp. We went to three different hospitals; naggalama, nkokonjeru, and kawolo. What an amazing experience! At these camps we gave out 600 spectacles, screened nearly 2,000 people, and preformed 137 cataract surgeries. I can now recognize and diagnose a cataract and conduct a vision test. The people who received surgery were so grateful to be able to see again. Many have not had vision for 20-50 years due to the cataracts. After we would pull off the bandages, we would hold up fingers and have them count. Some laughed and cried that they were able to see movement let alone our fingers at a distance. One lady started giggling because she didn't realize that I was a muzungu until she could finally see again, surprise. My favorite hospital was nkokonjeru. It is a catholic hospital so I got to hang out and talk with nuns for two days straight. They are such humble and wise women.
Since eye camp, 2nd wave people have left and the 3rd wave has come in. We lost 13 people to 2nd wave and received 3 for 3rd wave. Currently, there are 12 people in the house. It is so nice and quite, but I do miss many of the people that left. We have resumed the HIV research. We are actually going to a secondary school today to hand out questionnaires to the students. I have been left in charge of the gardens for the rest of the summer. Last week, Clara and I went to buikwe to build a nursery garden there. On our way there, our boda driver tried to over charge us, but we wouldn't let him. He was angry so he hit every pot hole and probably created permanent damage on my tail bone since I was sitting on the metal luggage rack on the back. He also drove under low hanging trees and would duck at the last second so Clara would get whacked in the face. Finally, we reached Buikwe and met our partner Paul at his office. He assured us that the garden plot was just around the corner. After about an hour of hiking up a mountain in the bush we finally found the plot, which was located far outside the town's borders. It was taking so long that Clara and I played roadtrip games on the way there. We successfully assembled the garden and as a token of the women's appreciation they grabbed their machete and cut us down a 7 or 8 foot stalk of sugar cane. We wanted to share it with them, but they wouldn't take it. We had to haul the whole thing home on our boda so that they wouldn't be offended. As we were driving on the boda, we were trying our best not to clothes line pedestrians but we may have gotten a few. On sunday evening, we took about 40 plants to an orphanage in the next village, nkoko. The kids were so excited to recieve the plants and to create a little garden plot. Many of them ran up to me yelling "madam madam we know you." I had done an HIV/AIDS lesson at their school. They told me about all that they learned and how excited they were to have me as their auntie. Times like this are the most rewarding. We drew some lines in the dirt and I taught the kids at the orphanage how to play four square. Personally, I haven't played since 2nd or 3rd grade so we made up some rules. By the end, we had a really competitive game going. We had a tournament going because so many wanted to play. Later this week, we will be building a stove for an HIV group up in Lugasa. It is a rural village about an hour south. Also, we will be building a nursery garden with this group. There is so much good that can be done in this small village. The orphans and street boys that are on the soccer team found some land for a garden. I am excited for this garden especially. This boys are amazing. We play them every Wednesday and they never cease to amaze me. They are so full of love and never give up despite their circumstances. They are great examples to me. I don't mind the fact that they school me every week on the field, although, we finally did win last week. We may of had some help from the coaches though. In Najja, our team has created an Ag school. This week we will be bringing bee keeping supplies from Kampala for the school to start up a bee keeping and honey program. We are slowing integrating ag programs to the school so the children can learn vocational skills and the school will also be self sustaining.
Once again, I will say that I love Uganda and the work here. I now know that I want to do this for the rest of my life. I have never faced so many challenges in my life, but the challenges are what makes the work even more rewarding.