My Crazy Life!

Today, I went to one of our schools WAY off the beaten path somewhere near Entebbe. To leave the school, I caught a boda out to Entebbe Road. (I bought a cycle helmet yesterday - but, of course, it was at 'home'.) Eventually, I hopped off the boda beside the main road and caught a public transport taxi that was headed to Kampala (about 25 miles). I wasn't sure exactly where in Kampala it would stop, but figured eventually it would go to the taxi park. The ride took almost two hours because of a major - shut down - traffic jam. The van was a 14 seater - with 17 people crowded inside. I was at the back, against the door - experiencing major claustrophobia.

Finally, we made it to Kampala. I got out and looked for tall buildings to figure out where I was - feeling a bit lost in the crush of people and vehicles at the taxi park, though I don't mind being lost. I decided to just start walking. I finally spotted a small mall I recognized, and called Billy. He said to head up the hill to an eating place, where we would meet for lunch. As I tried to cross the street, there were literally hundreds of people in the street singing, yelling and dancing. It seems the King of the Buganda tribe was making an appearance, so a stage had been erected. Some men tried to sell me a badge for the honor of standing in the huge crowd. I declined - and started pushing my way back through the throngs in the direction I had come. Eventually, after much, much walking - I made it, and enjoyed a great lunch. Later, I met with Damallie, our head librarian at her school.

Finally, I had to catch a boda to get out of crazy Kampala traffic and back to the hotel, all the while praying ... OK, God - I KNOW I shouldn't be on this boda. I KNOW I should at least have my helmet on - so I will just trust you once again to get me home safely - and He did. He is good - all the time, though I must test His patience, AND overwork my guardian angels at times.

Last note: Prices here have skyrocketed in the last couple months. A kilo of sugar that was fifty cents is now $2.50. A bag of flour cost 4 times as much as it did. Gasoline that was already $7.20 a gallon has risen. There is a lot of unrest - different groups striking each day. The teachers had a sit-down today. They sat in their classes - but didn't have the students do any work, despite time for final exams. Schools aren't able to feed students as food prices are so high. The government funding has run out before the end of school. Some schools closed early - others didn't provide food. How common people pay for food, I'm not sure. I have heard many families are living on one meal a day. Please pray for this beautiful country and the many who are hurting.

Have a great weekend. I am planning on some adventure - of course.

- Trudy

Impressive! / Sad! / Tomato Frogs - what?!

I spent the day at our library in King's College - Budo, one of the highest ranked secondary schools in Uganda. The amount of reading happening was incredible. I opened book, after book, after book - and was shocked. They have just had a library one year, and most of the check-out cards were totally covered with names on one side, and overflowing to the other, as well! Wow! I am impressed!

A class was assigned to each write a report about an amphibian. One young man wrote about tomato frogs. The teacher checked it wrong and said he made it up. There was no such frog. He then went to his library, borrowed the book he had read about tomato frogs, and took it to her!

There are many refugees from Sudan at one of our schools. Every morning, the same three boys come to the library and look at their country on the map. They said it makes them feel better to see Sudan - even on a map.

I went yesterday for a home visit. Three young ladies (2 high school - 1 primary), sponsored by LOL volunteers, live with their grandmother. The grandmother had 13 children. 12 died of AIDS. To get to their home, one must walk/straddle a flow of 'water' through a narrow, long, claustrophobic, outdoor corridor. The four live in a tiny room, barely big enough for a very small mat on the floor, and two twin beds shoved against the walls, holding thin mattresses. The grandmother is large, and in poor health. All four sleep on the two mattresses. The girls are absolutely delightful and very appreciative of the sponsorship. I don't know how they would go to school without it.

God bless LOL volunteers for their service to the libraries and their outreach to others.

- Trudy

The story of Espra - a life touched

One of last year's volunteers visited with a young man at one of our schools and felt that God wanted him to stay in touch with this young friend, offering him help. Espra's family are refugees from the war in the Congo. His mother and dad are dead. He lives with his grandmother who is 68, a sister (probably 18), and a brother ( 10). The grandmother is not well. An uncle is their only support, when he does send money. Espra is 16 and in 6th grade. They arrived from the Congo four years ago. He didn't speak any English at the time, but is now in the top ten of his class - very bright young man. He is well liked at school and never a discipline problem. He walks to school - which was a ten minute ride on a fast boda, but he doesn't seem to mind. I visited with him yesterday and then we got on bodas and went to his home to meet his family. The headmaster suggested perhaps he could board at the school for a year, as those children always do better in school. The secretary is getting the figures together for me and I will let our 'donor' know. I talked to Espra's grandmother about boarding school. (Espra translated. She only speaks Swahili). She was so excited; she kept bowing to me and clapping her hands. I have told the school we will need Espra's grades every term and any comments. As we rode a boda together, Espra said, “I have never had a chance before; this is my first chance.” I tried not to cry the rest of the way. The brother was extremely sick. The grandmother said she thought it was typhoid, but they didn't have any money to go to the doctor. The Illinois group left some money - so I gave her funding to take the boy to the hospital to have him checked and get medicine. May God bless our volunteer/donor (who I will identify later if he and his wife give permission) and the Illinois team. -Trudy

Am I really breathing?! The ride from - - Hell!

First, I must say, after two long days of work, two of our first libraries (Namirembe and Bat Valley) look incredible ... or as incredible as possible when full of books carried home to dirt homes for many years. As I went through the books one by one, I realized we have learned so much in the past seven years. For example, books about the 80s, a book listing US authors - with a short bio of each - and one about little known vice presidents would not make it into our shipment now. We want books which will make children fall in love with reading. So, lots of weeding and reorganizing, but worth it. Next year, we will take a year off from creating new libraries and do major restocking in our 24 libraries.

It is difficult for me to even write about yesterday's boda ride, as I really am trying not to think about it. Hard to imagine from me - who loves to ride bodas.

I was leaving Bat Valley (a busy part of town) during rush hour. Jane offered to pick me up, but I knew she had a busy day - so I declined. I did ask the school guard if he knew the boda driver. He said yes, that he was a good man! The man took off - as we would say, like "a bat out of hell." The first three blocks we were zooming down a one-way street - right in the middle, going the wrong way. That would be terrifying in America, but here where two lanes become five lanes - with hundreds of bodas thrown in the mix - it was simply unbelievable. It was truly a matter of dodging fast-moving vehicles coming straight at us from all sides, as well as head on.

Finally, when we were out of that mess, he flew into any space he could find - fast turns left and right through tiny spaces. I can't count the number of vans and cars that I ran my hands down that were up against each side of the cycle, thinking I might need to brace against them to jump off. One time, the driver tried to zoom up against the curb and would have hit the front of a car - but jumped the cycle up on the curb, rode it for a ways, and slammed it down back into the street in front of the car. That said - I don't know why I didn't tell him to stop and let me off - other than we were moving fast and I was really afraid every minute that we were going to crash. A bit of shock, I think.

After making it to Namirembe Guest House, I decided to take a long walk to calm my nerves. I walked for over an hour up and down dirt paths and roads, cutting between houses. Once when I was looking for a path out of a group of homes, I ran into two high school boys. I said hello. One of the young men said, "I know you! You are the one who does Libraries of Love!" It seems he was a former Namirembe Primary student. As they walked off, I heard him say, "Ahhh - Libraries of Love." Nice!

In the evening, Noah and Jane's Bible study group met at their house. I have been there over the years when this group has met, so now they are my friends as well. Part of the study was about people serving as God's hands and feet. A statement by the leader touched my heart. She said, "When Trudy is staying in this home, Jane serves as God's hands and feet - providing for her, and keeping her safe." Later in prayer, I had to ask God's forgiveness for being my usual independent self - instead of letting those he has supplied, in this case Jane - help with my safety. Lesson learned, though I know I will still need to be on bodas at times.

It is time for a meeting with our Catholic Brothers who own a carpentry workshop and prepare our timber, after which I will be in working in Ugandan Martyr's Primary for the afternoon.

Thank you again for reading and for your prayers. As you can tell, I need the prayers - and they are working. God bless you my friends.

Would you send some electricity our way?

- Trudy

The simple things in life ... Ahhhhh!

This morning I just caught a boda to a hotel, as there is no water at the schools. Who would think finding a toilet could be so difficult. :) Try to imagine hundreds of kids at the schools, without water. We are without electricity on a regular basis - but being without water is much more difficult for me.

It is amazing how far we have come in the last seven years of creating libraries. As I went through the books at our first library, I flipped between laughter and horror at some of the books we sent that first year. I would go - - really??? There were books about (for instance) the '80s; little known vice-presidents, etc. These were not exactly books that would make beginning readers fall in love with reading. :) So, I cleaned the shelves of those, as well as totally damaged books.The library now looks great - but will need totally restocked next year. Today, I will do the same at Bat Valley - our second library.

In case you haven't heard, Billy and John Mary are taking me boda shopping on Saturday. I need a small cycle to move between libraries in Mbale. I hope I can find neon pink or something wild - 'Go Granny Go.' :) Every person here that I have told that I'm getting a boda, burst out laughing! Come on now! All I need to know is how to gas it and how to stop - right?! And, I need a really great helmet that my grandkids will think fits their 'crazy' granny! Of course, body armor might also be good. :) I realize bodas aren't safe (as I am preparing to take one to Bat Valley), but it is my means of independence here, so I will try to be careful, remembering that God is in control!

I am ecstatic that Mercy and Melissa are home in Kansas. I must admit, since they are family, it was especially hard to part with them. It was nice being able to call Melissa in the mornings just to say. "Good Morning" ... simply because I could. Mercy is hilarious. I'm sure her sisters are loving every minute with her!

Our second team left yesterday. It is hard to describe the impact our volunteers over the years have made. Picture a wagon wheel. The hub - Libraries of Love - 24 school libraries and one medical library. The spokes representing the stream of good works our volunteers and supporters have provided outside of the libraries- including: children fed, school fees paid, sports and play equipment provided, funding for hundreds of shoes, scholastic materials provided, university fees paid, Bibles provided, and God's love shown to adults and children on a daily basis in various ways - including: holding little hands, singing songs with hundreds, answering questions from students, offering smiles of friendship, going on home visits, and sharing laughter and tears with our Uganda friends.The rim of the wagon wheel - God. He is definitely what holds it all together and keeps it moving forward year after year to bless even more young people and adults here in Uganda.

There is so much I want to share, but I know your time is limited, as is mine. Thank you for keeping me in your prayers. My days are intense, as there is an extreme amount of work to do in a limited time. God has to renew my patience - whatever that is - :) everyday.

My love and best wishes to each of you.

Trudy

Return to Robbers AND an Amazing Team

The Illinois ladies are turning Ugandan, riding on boda taxis. OK - it was just one ride (no worry families), but it was fun!

June 11, 2011 - I should update you ... Many of you remember my story about the three guys who tried to rob me in Kampala last year. If you remember, one was shirtless and had a swastika tattooed on his arm. (Everybody should have a robbery attempt at least once a year , don’t you think?! ) The men were pressing me, and my bag, telling me they needed my money. I kept them busy talking to them about God and libraries until a headmistress arrived to pick me up. Her first words were, “Trudy, those were robbers!” A couple days later, I returned to the same place and walked down the hill to try to find them. I found them outside a ramshackle house. In the end, that house got torn down, and I paid for a new one.

I went back to find them last week. The swastika guy shook my hand, but another guy, Charles, came running and practically lifted me off the ground giving me a hug! He couldn’t believe I came back. I left Bibles with them last year, on my last day in Uganda. They are attending church, and seem like different men. The bad news: I asked them where they live as I didn’t see the house. Charles shrugged; so I would guess they are homeless. Two of the men have children. Debbie’s group has some extra items for kids (including a backpack), so I will visit them again next week and deliver presents!

I am not sure how to describe my second team – the ladies from Illinois. They are fantastic. Debbie Rhoades’s church, (Debbie is the pastor’s wife) and friends sponsor 55 Ugandan students’ school fees, and have sponsored these same students for 3 or 4 years. They also pay for 16 students’ lunches each year. This year, they brought endless wonderful items, including balls and jump ropes, for the orphanage my niece, Melissa, has been helping. They are also providing funding for 106 pair of shoes for students at Martin Nkoyoyo school. What can I say? They are definitely God’s hands and feet. To top it off, they are great company. We have had lots of laughs, and inspiring times of sharing in the evenings.

Today (the 11^th) the ladies worked from 9 - 4, without a lunch break - in a hot library. We didn’t slow down. Namatala Primary’s shelves were too long, so some time ago we had a carpenter divide each shelf into two, which meant all the books/shelves had to be reorganized because of the dividing. The ladies were troopers. At about 3, I told them I would arrange transport and they could go to the hotel. I would be able to finish alone. They refused. I reflected on the many long days I have done this work by myself, and I was so grateful for their help.

Namatala has classrooms of 200 students. Today we sang in a classroom with some kids that were simply jammed from the front to the back on long seats/planks! My mind always flips back to our small classes at home. The good thing - these children don’t know of classes of 25, so for them this is normal. It bothers us - but not them. How I wish things could be “equal” and they could have the same advantages as our American children.

This evening I will attend my first Mbale Rotary Club meeting, though I did meet with the president of the club last week. I can’t say enough good things about Rotaries. The ones that I share with in the Austin area do so many wonderful outreaches to various groups. They have my highest admiration.

Again - thank you for caring, reading, and keeping us in your prayers,

Trudy

Library #24 is a happening - and a grand one at that!

An incredible day:

July 5, 2011 - Our team arrived early at Bombo Road military base to create the high school library. It was interesting just getting through the two gates, as military men looked through the car.

We quickly went to work in the library room. It was hot and we were sweating! At 2:30, the headmistress announced we were having a grand opening. Surprise! Believe me - we were dirty, smelly, and not finished with the library. We made a mad dash trying to at least clean up the library, throw some books up for display, etc.

We then walked out the door feeling totally a mess. Greeting us was my friend (whom I met through the Okumus), Brig. General Charles Angina, and other military brass. We walked with them to a big hall where approx. 1,200 students were waiting! This grand opening was different from any we have had. An acrobatic group performed. They stood on each others backs, with the top person’s head almost touching the extra high ceiling. Their performance was simply incredible. They also had several dances, plus different military men spoke. The key speaker was Charles. He gave a long speech telling the students they need to remember 3 things to be successful in live (GOD): G -God must come first; O for obedience starting at home; D for a disciplined life. He even quoted scripture. Simply amazing speech!

Charles also has a farm where he raises cattle and pigs. When I was there, there were lots of baby pigs. I brought him a book full of baby pigs in dress up clothes, like tutus. My guess is that will be one of the most unusual presents the Brig. General has received!

We did finish the library - number 24! It is awesome!

Today we went to Bat Valley Primary, one of our schools that is six years old. We put the library back in order and did some rearranging of books. As I told my group, refreshing the older libraries is just as important as creating new ones. I would love to send you a picture of books that go home to mud homes, and have been seriously used for six years Oh my! It is definitely restocking time next year for all of our older libraries!

Better close … thank you for reading! Keep us in your prayers.

Trudy

A few laughs from Uganda

Wilber and Sarah's neighbor kids that come yelling for me to give me hugs everytime I am returning home or going out. They are the ones that help me over the wall sometimes. :)

All Things Ugandan!

It is easier to stomp your clothes in the rubber tub than to scrub them squatting.

If you wear skirts all week - riding sideways on boda motorcycle taxis is sometimes tricky, especially if you have bags! I am getting good at it, however. Friday - I am pretending it is America … blue jean day!

Power outages daily are really not bad. There is something peaceful about a night with no electronics, using flashlights (called torches) or lanterns. I highly recommend it! However, I do not recommend those during the day!

If my timing is wrong, and nobody is home yet - I can crawl over the high wall, even in a skirt. I get my friend, the neighbor boy to get a white plastic chair. I step into it, and sprawl up on the wall. Then Ryan hands me the chair. I put it over the wall and climb down. The neighbor kids just scale the wall without the chair - of course!

The first books to leave the library are always from the religious section (Dewey 200s) - especially the children’s Bibles.

Two runner-ups are Disney books and children’s dictionaries. They also love animal books.

When you go to the bathroom, you are taking either a short call or a long call.

A high school student stopped me today to ask if when babies are born in America, do they really hook them to a machine that tells what their profession will be.

America could save enough to pay off their national debt if toilet paper wasn’t provided every place people go! Think how much your work could save if everyone brought their own! Really! My last check every day - do I have hand sanitizer and toilet paper.

Lots of laughter:

• Sarah Okumu asked me if I have ever spent the night with a stranger. What she meant was a young lady will be here tomorrow evening. Is it okay if she sleeps in the other twin bed in my room. :)

• Mercy thinking she can teach me rhythm if I just follow her steps and body movements - not happening in this life ... maybe in Heaven :)

• Billy Paul said he grew up thinking baby incubators at hospitals were machines that installed knowledge. They don’t have such things here.

Isn’t life wonderful?! Thank you for reading ...

Trudy

Not a chicken bus - but just as crazy!

July 3rd, I was going by bus from Mbale to Kampala. The bus was to leave at 2:30. It left at 4:30. Now, you can't sit at the bus station, because Ugandans crowd in front of you (always) and you might not get a seat. (Even at grocery stores, several will cut in front of you - and the person(s) behind you shove their items in front of yours also - unbelievable!)

Back to the bus story. The bus came at 4:20. I tried to shove my way on - but in the end, there were only two left people standing ... a lady with a baby, and me. The conductor tried to get me to sit - but I figured it was more important for the baby and lady. Finally, the conductor ran a young lady off the bus (no ticket), and I had a seat!

During the time I was standing waiting for the bus, an elderly 'street' lady, who was filthy, asked for money. At first, I didn't give her any, but then I felt bad. I found her and gave her more than she had asked for. As the bus left, she was standing outside my window giving me this huge toothless smile, crossing her heart, and waving - while looking right in my eyes. I was so glad I donated.

The Elgon Flyer, a big bus, then literally flew down the road. I was almost getting sick, things were whizzing by so fast! The trip is supposed to be about 4 hours. About 1 and 1/2 hours out of Kampala, the driver stopped for a short call. I wanted to yell, “You can hold it. It's not THAT far!” Instead, almost the whole bus emptied out to head for the bush!

A short time later, we had to stop at the drive-through cafe! Our bus was mobbed by people in blue smocks trying to sell chicken, sausage, or beef on a stick, drinks, etc. Geez - it was already taking too much time!

We were then flying on - until we hit a HUGE traffic jam. A public transport van had had a horrific accident, so we were in a jam at Mukono for over an hour. Our driver got irritated and decided to take a back road in our giant bus! Big mistake! It was more like a path. At one point, people were telling him no - but we plowed on! One tire slipped in a cement culvert. Everyone on the bus screamed, as it tipped - including me!

Finally, we were into the absolute mad-house of Kampala night traffic. It is like a bumper car ring - only throw in triple the number of cars, add in people, motorcycles, bicycles, and animals, and you have it! The driver told everyone to get off at the city taxi park - which is one of the worst places to be at night, though I do take taxis from there during the day. I refused to get off, as did one other lady. Finally, he agreed to take us to his offices.

In the meantime, the young conductor (about 20 years old) kept asking if we had met. Eventually, I asked him where he had attended school. He replied Mengo Secondary in Mbale. Ahhhh! I asked him about the library in the school. He lit up and was totally excited telling me he remembered us putting the library in at his school, and my training the students how it was organized. How exciting is that - to meet him on a bus to Kampala!

He then became my personal protector. He decided I and my luggage would be safe with his boda driver. He ran to get him, and then helped load my suitcase in front of the cycle driver, and I climbed on the back. At 10:00 p.m., we were roaring through the streets of Kampala ... while I am thinking what a miracle it was that that specific young man was the conductor, and I had a safe (manner of speaking) ride home!

Cheers for Libraries of Love and the lives it has touched - including my conductor!

-Trudy