Life in Mbale

Hello again! I'm typing this on my laptap at the Jenga office in the main street of Mbale. I finally got on to the airport today and my bag is in Entebbe and will be sent to Kampala tomorrow. Kampala is a few hours drive away so we're trying to find someone who is already heading through there who would be able to pick up the bag. Hopefully I should have my stuff by the end of the week! Hooray! I also found an ATM that accepts mastercard here in Mbale which is a big relief.

I am settling in well here so far, although things have been pretty cruisy and I haven't gotten my hands dirty yet. Just my feet ;) I am living in a western style house with three other girls; Jo & Tiff who "work" for Jenga and Penny, who works for another organisation here. They're all British which is good cause they share my fondness for tea! None of the "mzungu's" (white people) at Jenga get paid, they all volunteer full time and live off donations and sponsorship back home which means that all the money goes straight to projects and the wages of local people here in Mbale. Living costs here are quite cheap compared to Australia, but we still have to deal with rent, house expenses, food, transportation and day to day needs. If would like to support me and the work I will be doing over here, my bank details are at the bottom of the blog, along with other contact details. Any amount would be greatly appreciated and the Aussie dollar can go a long way here!

On Saturday, we went to a wedding which was quite the experience! Weddings in Africa are basically open community events and everyone is invited. Being foreign guests, we were treated like royalty and at the reception, we were seated in the bridal tent, despite the fact that we had never met the bride and groom before! There was plenty of singing and dancing and boy do these guys know how to celebrate! We were treated to a musical marathon and got to enjoy food prepared by locals in the village - it's not easy eating rice with your hands, but I'm sure I will adjust to it! Everywhere we go, people have been incredibly hospitable and will make a big effort to come up and say hello and that you're welcome there.

We went to a local church on Sunday which was really great, it was amazing to be in the middle of Africa, singing songs that we sing back home in Australia! It's always refreshing to experience church in the wider context and break out of the familiar box we all too often get stuck in. The people there were so aware of the needs immediately around them and all around the world. We prayed for the people of Tokyo among other things, and I realised how infrequently I consider other people and places in the world cause I get so obsessed with my own little world that I almost forget there is a much bigger world out there! I have a long way to go...

Today I am in the office and am about to be taken on a tour of the local market with Rose, one of the local staff here which should be fun! The next few weeks will be a general taste-test of all the projects Jenga are involved with and if I feel a certain pull towards a certain area, I can get more involved in that project specifically. I'm excited to visit a community health project and and adult literacy project later in the week. They are giving out goats tomorrow in one of the villages which I think we are going along to as well! If you want to know more about all the projects Jenga are involved with, visit their website at www.jengauganda.org

It's going to take far too long to put photos up on here, so instead, I will put a link to my Facebook album which I will try and update as much as possible! http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=281990&id=506806975&l=0ba726bebe

Please keep in touch and thankyou for reading...

Signing off from Mbale,

Louise xox