Pool Time

Here's a picture of me with 3 of our Cornerstone children.  All of these kids took care of their belongings and saved their allowance to come to Mbale and swim.  We are so proud of them for showing responsibility!

For none of them having been in water before, they all picked up on the splashing game very quickly, as you can see in the picture below :)  From left they are: Brenda 2, Mutwahiru, and Sarah.

As we were driving to the hotel, I asked them if any knew how to swim.  Only Mutwahiru, whose about 11 years old, answered "Yes."  I asked him where he had been swimming from, and he said "I haven't."  I asked who taught him, and he said "My mother."  I don't know if you've ever heard of learning to swim without any water, but this was my first time! 

This last picture is of Magdalene and I.  She's about 3 years old and was terrified of the water for the first 20 minutes.  But within a short time, she was jumping into the pool on her own.  When we got back to Budaka, she told me she was going to go back to Mbale again next week!

Teaching responsibility...hopefully!

This week we have started a new area of learning and discussion with the Cornerstone kids.  We asked all of them to tell us what responsibility is and what does it mean for each of us?  We talked about President Museveni, the staff at Cornerstone, and the children themselves, and how all the responsibilities differ.  My two favorite responsibilities the kids listed for their president: "He has to make sure everyone in the country gets food" and "He has to collect money from all of Uganda."  I love how kids think!
As part of this whole responsibility "study," we checked through the children's belongings to see how responsible they have been.  Those who cared well for their blankets, sheets, etc., are getting new pillows and sheets, while those who abused their things are getting the passed-down ones from their friends.  Plus, those who have seriously spoiled their things are going to pay part of their allowance money to get new ones.  My favorite part of giving out the new things to the responsible children was watching their faces light up.  John, who's about 10 years old, got a huge smile on his face and began jumping around the room :)  Now we will see if others can pick up on the theme and care for their things!

The Awesome Kids at Cornerstone

Our fruit of the spirit competition has just come to an end.  Ronald’s and Sarah’s rooms were the winners, each with over 130 stickers!  Each sticker represented one time someone in their room showed love, joy, or any of the rest of the fruits.  The kids in these two rooms were ecstatic to hear they had won.  Their prize is that this Sunday afternoon, they won’t have to rest (each day, the kids rest for about an hour and a half).  During that time, these 14 children who won will get to have free play with the sports equipment and make special crafts with me.  It’s so fun to do make a major afternoon event out of some coloring and a few balls. 

         No matter what time of day I am at the orphanage, there always seems to be something happening.  As I was putting the girls to bed one night, I laughed at something 5-year-old Margret said.  She looked at me and said, “Teacher Abby, you laugh just like your mother!”  She was dead serious and I couldn’t help but giggle at her very serious (and true) observation. 

         Another person I am so happy with is Moses.  He is making huge progress in the growing up process.  Beginning last Saturday, he has only worn “big boy” underwear and has not once had an accident!  This is such a big deal for this little boy, who only a year ago began walking.  He was wearing diapers all the time when I arrived two months ago.  But, he has a family of 29 children cheering him on, plus all of us adults.  He keeps telling Aunt Monicah, “I am a big boy and big boys don’t urinate in their trousers.”  Moses is also still going to school each morning, wearing his blue uniform and shiny black shoes.  Yeah for Moses! 

        

A big thanks to all of the people who support me monthly so I can volunteer at Cornerstone!  I love my work here!

Bath time for Moses!

Funny Children

A few funny happenings from the past couple weeks:

·      We just received our newest American visitor!  Ellen, a friend from the Portland area, has come to stay and volunteer for 3 months at Cornerstone.  The whole week leading up to her arrival, we were talking to the children about her coming.  They were praying for her and were so excited for her arrival.  My favorite question as her car came up the road was: “Is Teacher Ellen a boy or a girl?  Oliver keeps saying it’s a boy.”  Lol.

·      Moses is progressing well.  He is exhibiting some Terrible Twos behavior (aka temper tantrums), which is encouraging in that he is growing past the “baby” stage he has been living in since coming to Cornerstone.  Plus, Moses is now going to school every morning on his own, and is sometimes staying up until break time (about 3 hours).  Each day that he stays until break time, he gets a jellybean or skittle.  It’s a small price to see him trying to join his friends in school :)

·      David, who is about 9 years old, is quickly becoming the Cornerstone Children’s Comedian.  He has a quick mind and a hilarious sense of humor.  These last few weeks, he has been regaling my mom and I with imitations.  He “does” everything from my mom’s way of dancing at church to my “walk.”  When you find the Cornerstone boys gathered together and giggling, David is always in the forefront, providing some sort of entertainment.

·      Aunt Monicah and I had a really honest conversation with the children this week about showing the fruits of the spirit.  One of the boys, Bartholomew, who often has a short fuse, said: “I have a hard time showing joy.”  Then Charity, who often beats up on her friends, shared, “I’m not very good at self-control.”  As much as their honest comments made me laugh inside, I am so glad that they are becoming self-aware!

That’s all I have to share for now.  Have a great week!

-Abby