Our fifth week in Uganda has brought us as many new experiences as our first week. On Wednesday, we started a new work project at the Ramogi Church of Uganda. Building a roof has given us the opportunity to learn new carpentry skills from the community members. The physical labor has been both demanding and rewarding.
We had our third community exchange during which we shared pictures and stories of our families and home. The next day, the female participants hosted their second woman’s meeting. The group visited the homes of two community members and continued to learn what it is like to be a woman in Ramogi. Meanwhile, the men also bonded by exchanging cultural values over Michael Jackson DVD’s (which the whole community seemed to love).
For Shabbat, we were very lucky to visit a local Jewish community, the Abuyadaya, who refer to themselves as a "lost Jewish tribe". After converting in 1919, the community faced oppression under the regime of Idi Amin who tried to wipe out the Jewish population in Uganda. Today, the Abuyadaya are thriving, with a population of 1,300. The community was very welcoming as we celebrated Shabbat services in different tunes and in different languages.
On our way back to Ramogi, we visited an early childhood education teaching college established by Seth Owino, who has been living and working with us on the compound. He has become one of our closest friends.
This week we began working individually on our mini projects. Some of us are working to cultivate land, others are teaching in the classroom at primary schools, while the rest continue to visit health centers. The mini projects allow us to explore personal interest while still giving back to the community.
Although we have been here for five weeks, we find that we are still learning about our partner NGO. Just yesterday we were able to visit two child-led households that are being sponsored by the “Give a Goat Program.” The goats are valuable to the households both as a reproductive source and as a long-term investment in the children’s future.
Today we are observing Tisha B’av through discussion and mediation. Some group members are fasting while all of us are reflecting on suffering in the spirit of the holiday. Today we were also visited by Amy Klein, a journalist who will be staying with us through Monday. We’ll have more to report on Amy’s visit next week.
Our last two weeks are promising and full of excitement and we look forward to further immersing ourselves in the culture of Ramogi before we return home.
See you soon,
VS Uganda 2009
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