The Fine Art of Dining

Every evening, except Sunday, we have our dinner with one of the cottages of anywhere from 5-10 children and their mama in the dining hall.  Technically that is with 105 children plus their mama or their dad. We have one dad who with his wife is in charge of 17 teenage boys.  We also have one mama who is in charge of 14 teenage girls.  That is what I call a super sized challenge!  The rest of the cottages have 5 - 10 children from the ages of 3 to 13.   Most are in the 5-10 age group.

The Ugandans are very soft spoken people.  It is hard to hear them.  It does not  help when your own hearing is fading. The young boys and girls all look alike because they all  have their heads shaved. I remember this when I was here to do medical clinics. They do not have a word in their language for male or female.

We have dinner with one family for 3 evenings so can familiarize ourselves to the children..  Some have nice English names, some the challenging Ugandan names.

At dinner the children and there mama, portion out the food.  The guest  table is set with a tablecloth and cloth napkins to match.  We wait in an area close by until one of the children comes to take you to their table. Some will have you stop at the sink to wash your hands before sitting down.  Sometimes the mama says grace and sometimes one of the children will say grace in their very soft voices.  The meal time is in silence or only necessary talk.  Classical music is playing and the children eat very, very slowly. We have asked for smaller portions so in order that we do not finish too soon it has come to cutting the food in smaller and smaller portions, one bean at a time.  How many bites can you get out of a bit size piece of pineapple.

The first night I was here I was served more than I wanted.  I didn't realize the reason there was a
plate covering my food that before  I started eating I  could put what I did not want onto the extra plate and it would be divided up and served to the children who might want more.  That first dinner I couldn't help thinking, " there is a poor child in Africa who may not get dinner, I can't waste this."

The meals have been good.  The meal has its protein, carbs, vegetables and fruit.  I have had plenty of  avocado, papaya and mango.  Oh, I must not forget, sweet, sweet pineapple. We did have liver one evening and I am sure I will get that treat again as they rotate the meals every 2 weeks.

After dinner the first week we went to our assigned cottage to read to the children .  The week of games we read before lunch.  Then we are done for the day.  Elaine and I got all the eye checks done over 3 afternoons.

The first week of GAMES went well, but every evening we have to tweak the schedule.  We have older boys we sent them for a 2 hour walk one day. The older girls are helpful, but the boys just got the smaller ones riled up.

Next week anther mini missionary is coming.  Our expectations are high.  He is younger and a coach so we are praying he will get us through the next week.  We are to old to remember the games we played when we were young.  This is a creative adventure as we do not have a whole lot to work with.

The Internet here is a challenge, some times we have it and sometimes not.

This week we are staying in the village as there was rioting a couple in Kampala. It is Saturday so it will be quiet and I can nurse my cold.