Sunday June 12th, 2011

It is about 11:16 in the morning here in Soroti, Uganda. We just arrived back home from church services. I went this morning with some of the young people that stay here with Joseph and Ann. It was about a 2 mile walk as best as I can tell, but they walk it every Sunday. It was a nice time a visiting along the way.

A lot has happened this past week. It included an overnight stay in Katakwi with Peter, the man who has been assigned to protect me, and a new friend, Becca, who was hired to drive me. After the first day of visiting our carepoints, we stopped at a cafe in Katakwi to eat a late lunch of rice, beans and posha. After lunch I noticed that they had a pool table, so I asked if either of them had played. Neither had, so we began what I would call the longest game of pool ever. It was so fun to watch them try something they had never done before. They began to talk smack to each other as to who was going to win. Becca won both games against Peter, but neither wanted to play me. It was fun to watch and they both enjoyed it.

On Friday morning we went to the market to check on purchasing some animals, but learned that they are still in a time of quarantine. So none were there for sale. You can however, still purchase chickens because one was shoved in my face as the man asked me to buy it. I graciously declined.

We headed back by the carepoints to visit with those we had missed. We bargained on chopping down two more trees that need to be cleared for the new soccer fields. That was interesting, but it got done. I had to get a little stern with the men. They think that because I am a white man, they can ask for prevailing wages. I don't mind a little, but over paying what the market bears is just charity. The money needs to be stretched over the entire villages not just to a few.

The plowing has began in one of the villages and is scheduled to start in the other two. As soon as they are done, we will begin planting potatoes that can be used to help feed the other kids that are not eligible to be sponsored. The parents have agreed to pitch in some money and to also provide a cook to help with feed the unsponsored kids. It is really coming together and the entire community is starting to work together to make it happen.

Please keep praying for me. I need your prayers. I feel them and they help.

With love!

Thomas Cox