Mid trip musings

Lately I'm thinking a lot about sustainability. How do we make our help last for these people? The computer lab training program is still in it's infancy, and they desparately need consistent quality instruction. Their teachers are doing the best they can, but they're not exactly trained in computer instruction. The students don't show up consistently, some due to other familial responsibilities or the chance to do odd jobs.

The street kids - they don't even get to eat regularly. On days where the boys don't have volunteers visiting, they typically head into downtown Kampala where they collect empty bottles. If they get enough, they can sell them for pocket change. They use this pocket change to buy food. They've never had a group as large as us come to visit. When we leave, things are going to go back to normal for them. While it feels amazing to contribute, to give them an extra meal, new clothes, soccer balls, these things are not long lasting. Will they simply be waiting, hoping, for a new set of volunteers to come and help them?

I have an awesome conversation with Heather, Michon and Linda about this today, and I'm glad to find people on the same sort of wavelength. We talk about people doing charity work for themselves and not for anyone else. About the competition to be the biggest Santa Claus; the hero delivering the goods. Everyone wants to do the jobs that will get them the best photo opportunity. I suspect that we're not going to find and implement the programmatic, sustainable answer for these people in the next two weeks, and I'm okay with that. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't start thinking about it. I've been feeling a bit like we're too busy patting ourselves on the back for the little we've done so far, sometimes. But sustainable change, that's hard work. So much more thinking and planning required - months, and years, maybe.

The bunk bed procuring adventure is a day that I will never forget and I loved every second of it. But I don't want the majority of my time here to be running around, buying things and then dropping them off. I want to spend time with people who need us, learning about them, or helping wherever they need the most help - even if there's very little "glory" in it.

The store down the road sells beer, and we pretty much clear them out of it at the end of our day. I stay up late drinking with Dean, Amy, Heather and Ian sharing stories - it is great to get to know each of them on a more personal level. Ian tells an amazing account of 9/11 from his own eyes in New York that sends chills up my spine. Heather talks about almost dying during childbirth, and some other stuff that I won't document in an internet blog, but I feel honored that she shares it with me. It feels good to connect with people.