Beginning the Easter celebration, Good Friday, the local people in the Farview community acted out the stations of the cross, singing, praying and walking through the fields carrying the cross. Very moving to watch...
Katy and Abbi clearing out a classroom of desks so we could begin working on it...notice no ceiling.
Taking a quick break to rest before hauling the rest of the desks out.
This is dear "Mamma Ester". The "Mommas" made us a delicious spread of food everyday for lunch! It really was amazing. Ester was one of the most jolly, dear women I've ever met.
Ok, not sure what to make of this guys! Did you call each other this morning and wear the same this purposely????
Mount Fletcher, the largest town before getting to Farview School. Always lots of people walking around. Similar to other African countries, the people walk along the side of the highways (dirt roads in Uganda), dangerously close to the cars whizzing by. In fact, we saw a person lying on the side of the road one morning who had just been hit and killed by a car...it was terrible. I'm sure this must happen frequently. The saddest part is many of these are small children walking alone. It really is the fastest way for them to get from one place to another because most don't have cars, but treacherous!
A very rundown building in Mt. Fletcher...believe it or not, people were actually living in here.
Came back to lodge after working at the school and saw this!
Adorable calf just munching away...don't even know where he came from. Didn't belong to Andrian and Angela.
A view of what they call the front of the house. I call it the back.
Another day of work...one of the local people help Diana and Amanda work on the ceiling. Amanda's gotten very good at using that saw!
This was a sight to behold!! This machine is digging three large 12 or so foot deep holes for the latrines. Before he arrived, there were countless people digging holes by hand to no avail. The ground was so hard (granite imbedded in the ground) they would have dug for 3 years and never gotten close to finishing! After driving around looking for a "digger", the third time was a charm. There is no phone book to look up "digger" and call them over, you just drive around until you find one and then beg. The first "digger" we found promised he'd be there by 3pm that day...well by the third day and no digger we were running out of time. The second digger we found on Good Friday (Easter is a huge holiday and NO BODY works practically the whole week prior). The digger was available, but the driver was completely drunk by 9am! No digger...the third digger we found said he'd be there later that day and, well, no digger. The next morning as we drove up....BEHOLD....the sound of rumbling could be heard. We all raced over to see what it was and ALAS! THE DIGGER WAS THERE!!! Took him one day and the holes were done! Praise the Lord!
A view of the community surrounding the school.
The old latrines...the smell would knock your socks off from across the field! UGH!
Abbi and Katy walking back to the school yard from the latrine holes...we were all very happy this day!
A double rainbow (can't make out the top from the pic, but check out the bottom).
This is Angela, Andrian and little Nika! Our hosts at the Tsi Tsa Falls lodge. Incredible people...almost felt like family by the time we left....
Sitting around the outdoor fire eating another delicious meal made for us by Angela and Andrian. This was what we did every night. Can't think of much I'd rather be doing than that!
The weather was glorious every day and the companionship of these new friends was priceless...
Looking up at the Africa sky...wish you could see what we saw! The stars are like nothing I've ever experienced in my life. Literally took your breath away! Billions upon billions upon billions of twinkling, glowing stars...the Milky Way like a swath of a paintbrush it was so thick...the Southern Cross was always directly above our heads as if it was there to guide us along this amazing adventure...it was like someone had sprinkled tons of glitter over our heads...
What's wrong with this picture? Dog, dog, dog...GOAT!? Do you think Billy has and identity crisis?
Just kidding Billy...
Sweet Zion...liked her the best.
Good ole Huxley...
This is one of the bathrooms in our lodge. Angela and Andrian had redone a lot of this house. I love the stone sink and the mosaic tiles!
My (and my roomie's) bedroom. There were actually six beds in here! Definitely more comfortable than I had anticipated. Actually didn't know what to expect...
One of the
outbuildings...
where the guys stayed.
Anyone for a game of Bananagrams????
The very cool fireplace in the family room area of the lodge. Angela and Andrian would cook over this a lot. But always a nice warm, glowing fire going....in fact, so warm once, that when trying to dry our shoes by the fire, the rubber treads melted off!
Today we took a walk down to Tsi Tsa Falls. This amazing waterfall is on Angela and Andrian's property and is the main reason why they bought this place.
Ahhhh....our first glimpse of the falls. We could hear them from the house. Such a soothing sound...
Here they are...The Fabulous Five!
Me...just had to get in at least a few of the pics so people would believe I was actually there...
Wally and me...
Brian (Dominique's husband) and Diana
Liz and Brian (other Brian)
Heading down to the falls...a long, windy trail...
Wally checks out these very cool rock formations...
A closer view....
Amanda, Seth, Diana and Wally....
We could actually walk behind the falls.....
Behind the falls....
The "Fantastic Foursome"
A closer view...
Climbing behind the falls to the cliffs on the other side....
A little dark, but Wally behind the falls....
The daring ones (Christi and Seth here)....jumping off the cliffs into the pool below the falls...I was definitely not in this group....
Yah, yah...you're cool...Jimi and Wally getting ready to show off their courage as they jump together (Amanda also scoping out the drop..."should I or should I not")...
Watching the first jumpers from below....
Wallyyyyyyyyyy............
Sethhhhhh...........
Seth again...very fancy.....
Abbiiiii......
Amandaaaaa.......(fully clothed!)
Wally AND Seth......
Crazy kids.....
Swimming under the waterfall...
Lady Lion greats Abbi.....
Did I mention they were crazy to swim under this!!???
"Invigorating", says Wally.....
"The water's just fine", says Seth....
Getting ready for the soggy trek back...
John with his Mizzou rain slicker...what? Afraid of a little rain???? Aren't you from Ireland???
The Missouri group (and John the Irishman, of course).....
"Got ya!" Billy eating the bulbs....
Billy eating the bush.....
Ahhhh....came back to this....food, drinks, friends and fire......
Andrian and Angela's fabulous garden....
Lady Lion's favorite thing to do...
Andrian (left), Liz and Diana....
Another water collection container....
Hunjiswa (Hoon-Gee'-Swa), a sweet gal who helped Angela around the house. She lived in the neighboring village. Here she's carrying Nika in typical African way. We just loved her...such a lovely lady....
Our dinner cooking on the fire (from left...Andrian...
Dominique, Brian A., Diana, Seth, Amanda, Brian V., Liz, Jimi and Janet)
Andrian tending the meal...
A closer look at our delicious dinner.....
You don't see this much....Billy licking the grill....
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