A Quiet Week

         It has been a quiet week at Cornerstone.  This can very rarely be said, with Cornerstone’s 30 children and 18 staff members and a neighborhood full of cows, goats, chickens…and other children, of course.  This last Monday, 26 of the 30 children left to go stay further out in the village with their clans.  They go as part of a government requirement that they spend 5 days with extended families during each school break.  Most of the kids were excited to go and see their friends and family but I have been feeling lonely without all the children and activity at the orphanage.  There IS such a thing as having too much quiet!

         Natasha, Vanessa, Isaac and Moses, however, have been around to help keep me occupied!  They are the only 4 children who have nobody in the village to go and stay with.  So, they have been getting to stay with Pastor Rogers, which is a special thing in itself.  They are allowed to stay up later than their normal bedtime, and can watch as much television as they want!  How much more exciting can things get when you’re a kid, right?  Plus, my mom and I had all 4 come and stay at our house last night and eat scrambled eggs, “sausage,” fruit salad and toast (I have to put quotations around sausage, because after all, it is Uganda), and of course, eat American pancakes this morning.  We played Candy Land, built Lego creations, watched a few episodes of Mickey Mouse cartoons, and ate bakery “mistakes” (cupcakes that are scarred by the oven rack or slightly burned on one part).  What a fun time it was together, and I can’t wait to see the other 26 come home tomorrow!  

A picture taken last week of Christine and Natasha being goofy :)

An Overwhelming Thankfulness

          The children showed a great appreciation for one of the Cornerstone employees this week. Uncle Guster, the dad at the orphanage, will be leaving Cornerstone soon, as he is going to finish his college education.  He has only been at Cornerstone since the beginning of 2012, but he has been a wonderful dad to these kids.  When we first told the children that Guster was leaving, there was silence and a lot of sad faces.  We told them that we would like for them to think of the things he had done for them, and to show their appreciation through cards.  Wow, were we ever surprised at the amount of things they thought of.  Everything from him making them bathe well to helping them with washing clothes to playing soccer with them during free time.  We actually had to put an end to the ideas because we ran out of time and free space in the cards!  How wonderful to see that the children see the impact of this adult in their lives.

         After putting the cards together, we also asked the children to consider showing thankfulness in another way.  We asked them to give some of their weekly allowance towards a few gifts for Guster to use in college.  They all agreed to participate financially (except for Isaac, whose 5 years old and apparently thought of other, greater uses for his money, like buying a Hot Wheels car).  All in all, the kids gave about 4,000 shillings (or $2 in printed Cornerstone money, which we then converted to real Ugandan shillings), and we were able to buy a ream of paper and 10 writing pens for Guster to use.  We collected these gifts and waited patiently to surprise Guster this past Wednesday night.  As he came back from town that evening, we had the children hiding underneath the desks in one of the classes.  Aunt Monicah and I asked him to come inside, and as he entered, the children jumped out and yelled: “Surprise!!”  He was definitely shocked and overwhelmed with the cards and gifts they had for him.  It was touching to watch the kids read what they had written, and present him with the paper and pens.  I think he felt appreciated, and the children definitely came away with another life lesson.  I hope that they are always thankful, not just for what they get, but also for what others do for them.  Although I have shown appreciation to other people in my own life many times, I also took away a new appreciation for thankfulness.  How wonderful to learn from a lesson that I am also teaching!

          

This is a picture of a group of kids (from left to right: Charles, Mutwahiru, Peter and Brenda 1) as they waited for Uncle Guster.  Behind them is one of the cards the kids decorated.  (I’m not sure why Peter is putting up his index finger, but there was a lot of excitement at this point, so who knows!).

Growth and Development

         I can’t believe we got back to Uganda only two weeks ago.  It’s wonderful to be back and be so near to the Cornerstone kids again. It’s awesome to see how all the children have grown older and more mature (well, most of them, haha).  I have missed being able to play Follow the Leader, Hot Potato, and Duck-Duck-Goose with them.  I have missed Wednesday Nights, where the kids are learning and sharing about their struggles with self-control and patience and other fruits of the spirit.  I have missed little Moses, who is not so little anymore, and his eagerness to tell me about the flowers by the side of the road and about his cup of porridge and about everything else going on around him.  Being with Moses and the other orphans as they continue to develop is one of my favorite parts of being back in Uganda!

         This week, Moses has been working on potty-training with Aunt Monicah and I.  Apparently, Moses is not yet big enough that he can manage the latrine holes without falling in.  So, his learning involves him going outside to a section of dirt or rocks in the yard, letting him take off his pants and having him pee there. For now he helps keep the soil in our yard healthy.  And one day, he will learn to use the latrines.  I am so glad that he is able to grow up normally now!

        

I took this picture yesterday when Moses and I were reading books together on my bed.  It’s so fun to cuddle up with him and read together!

The First Week

         What a great first week we have had in Uganda!  My mom and I were received so warmly by the children and staff last Saturday, and then again by church members on Sunday.  I had many Ugandans tell me that I am now “fat” (a way of complimenting by Ugandan standards, contrary to American culture!).  It is interesting and funny to be back in this other culture.

         Since Monday, I have started working in the bakery with my mom and Aunt Monicah (the mother to the kids at Cornerstone).  It was difficult for me to get into a rhythm of baking and cleaning and monitoring the goods in the oven.  I have only baked for fun before, so making sure each cookie and each slice of bread is exactly the same size and shape is an adjustment for me!  Also, the lack of running water (and electricity) just makes things take longer and be more labor-intensive.  But all-in-all, I think my learning curve is looking up J  I’m glad I get to be a part of this new business to support Cornerstone.

         The other major thing I’ve worked on this week is establishing time with Moses.  I am creating a preschool program for him, which includes reading books, singing songs, doing phonics flashcards, and of course, playing!  He was SO excited to come to my house this week, and play with blocks and cars.  Moses also got to read his favorite book: You Are My Sunshine.  Here’s a picture of him chillin’ on the couch with his book.  Isn’t he a charmer?

A Wonderful Surprise

         It’s so wonderful to be back at Cornerstone!  My mom and I have now been back in Budaka for two days.  I am so thankful to be back in my Ugandan home, with the Cornerstone kids. 

         As we came back on Saturday, we went through with the surprise (me).  I hid in the backseat, between 6 suitcases, under a jacket, during a pretty hot day.  BUT, it was so worth it to see the faces of the children as I jumped out of the car to surprise them.  Their excited screams and near-trampling hugs couldn’t compare to any discomfort during the drive in!

         As I stood outside the car, overwhelmed, trying to hug all 30 kids, plus 10 staff members, I felt two small arms wrap around my leg.  Moses stood looking up at me with a big smile on his face.  I picked him up and he grinned even more, and kept repeating: “Abby!  Abby!  Abby!”  I have waited 10 months for that hug!