Hello again... it is Sarah this time. Jesse and Jason are gathering the steel for the kilns today so I thought I would get on here and update people on our progress. Jesse might have already mentioned some of our progress below, but since we only have this weekend, a full work week, and then another weekend left I will recap and fill you in on what is to come.
The pottery students are in two different locations. One is the women's village in Pece, which is a 1000 shilling boata ride (per person) there and back, and then other is the men's village, which is a 6000 shilling boata ride (per person) there and back. It is a lot cheaper for us to travel to the women's village, since it is closer and they can speak English (for the most part), so we mostly been working in the women's village.
Jason and Kari introduced the refrigeration pottery method to the women when we first got here and last week they finally got the concept down after many trial and errors. It was so sad to watch them work for an hour only to destroy the pots and start over, but now that they have it down they have many ready to fire on Monday.
Jesse and Jason found a place to buy bricks for a kiln and then we all carried them over to where we were going to build with the help of the children. It was amazing to see how strong this kids were considering that only get one meal a day for dinner. Here I was struggling in the heat with sweat rolling down me carrying two bricks (the weight of the bricks here is so different... it is about 5 American bricks to one Ugandan brick... plus they are so much bigger and awkward to carry) and kids were carrying 2 on their heads and running back for more like it was a fun game. The women just laughed and I would just turn and say that I was a weak muzungo (weak whitie) .
Jesse and Jason then started building the kiln and found out that we needed more bricks. So the day that Jesse couldn't get out of bed we went back, got more, and finished the kiln... except for the corrugated steel tops.
We also set up a deal with the carpenters to give the women's village free wood shavings. The carpenters needed to figure out a way to get rid of the shavings and the women needed shavings to fire so we introduced them to each other. So instead of the carpenters burning the shavings to get them out of the way they are now being used in a positive way.
Lets see... the day that Jesse was sick we also went to the men's village, which is incredibly difficult to get to. It is in the bush... the area that is unsafe to be at during the night for fear of rebel attacks. We had a translator that told them to get so many bricks and clay, gave them money for transportation, and then we will have them meet us now in the women's village for the women to translate and help us teach them what to do.
I feel like I am leaving so much stuff out because when you read it you almost think... it shouldn't take that long to do all that stuff, but time here moves SOOO slow. It is so hot and things are just not as accessible as they are in the States. It has taken so long to get the steel because we can never get there when it is open and still have enough time to travel with it back to the village.
This next week though we are going to officially finish the kiln and fire the refrigeration pots that the women have already made. Show the men what they need to build, as far as the kiln, and then have to women translate and show them how to do the pots. Then Jason and Jesse will need to build a box for the men to attach to their bicycle boatas so that they can transfer the pots that they build from their village to the market to sell.
My time here is up. I hope that gives everyone an idea of what we have been doing and what we are trying to accomplish while we are here. I also found a man who had enough money to open a shop near the market who has an amazing project started. He has a disabled man who works in the shop that cuts strips of paper. He then takes the strips of paper to the HIV/AIDS child mothers who make them into beads and then string the beads to make necklaces. The necklaces are sold in the shops and then the money is distributed between him, the disabled man, and the mothers. If it works out, I am going to try and set up something for him in America so that I can sell the bracelets for him and send the money back. This way he will make more money to employ more people and then more families will be supported by this simple concept of recycled paper for jewelery. We pray that it works.
The pottery students are in two different locations. One is the women's village in Pece, which is a 1000 shilling boata ride (per person) there and back, and then other is the men's village, which is a 6000 shilling boata ride (per person) there and back. It is a lot cheaper for us to travel to the women's village, since it is closer and they can speak English (for the most part), so we mostly been working in the women's village.
Jason and Kari introduced the refrigeration pottery method to the women when we first got here and last week they finally got the concept down after many trial and errors. It was so sad to watch them work for an hour only to destroy the pots and start over, but now that they have it down they have many ready to fire on Monday.
Jesse and Jason found a place to buy bricks for a kiln and then we all carried them over to where we were going to build with the help of the children. It was amazing to see how strong this kids were considering that only get one meal a day for dinner. Here I was struggling in the heat with sweat rolling down me carrying two bricks (the weight of the bricks here is so different... it is about 5 American bricks to one Ugandan brick... plus they are so much bigger and awkward to carry) and kids were carrying 2 on their heads and running back for more like it was a fun game. The women just laughed and I would just turn and say that I was a weak muzungo (weak whitie) .
Jesse and Jason then started building the kiln and found out that we needed more bricks. So the day that Jesse couldn't get out of bed we went back, got more, and finished the kiln... except for the corrugated steel tops.
We also set up a deal with the carpenters to give the women's village free wood shavings. The carpenters needed to figure out a way to get rid of the shavings and the women needed shavings to fire so we introduced them to each other. So instead of the carpenters burning the shavings to get them out of the way they are now being used in a positive way.
Lets see... the day that Jesse was sick we also went to the men's village, which is incredibly difficult to get to. It is in the bush... the area that is unsafe to be at during the night for fear of rebel attacks. We had a translator that told them to get so many bricks and clay, gave them money for transportation, and then we will have them meet us now in the women's village for the women to translate and help us teach them what to do.
I feel like I am leaving so much stuff out because when you read it you almost think... it shouldn't take that long to do all that stuff, but time here moves SOOO slow. It is so hot and things are just not as accessible as they are in the States. It has taken so long to get the steel because we can never get there when it is open and still have enough time to travel with it back to the village.
This next week though we are going to officially finish the kiln and fire the refrigeration pots that the women have already made. Show the men what they need to build, as far as the kiln, and then have to women translate and show them how to do the pots. Then Jason and Jesse will need to build a box for the men to attach to their bicycle boatas so that they can transfer the pots that they build from their village to the market to sell.
My time here is up. I hope that gives everyone an idea of what we have been doing and what we are trying to accomplish while we are here. I also found a man who had enough money to open a shop near the market who has an amazing project started. He has a disabled man who works in the shop that cuts strips of paper. He then takes the strips of paper to the HIV/AIDS child mothers who make them into beads and then string the beads to make necklaces. The necklaces are sold in the shops and then the money is distributed between him, the disabled man, and the mothers. If it works out, I am going to try and set up something for him in America so that I can sell the bracelets for him and send the money back. This way he will make more money to employ more people and then more families will be supported by this simple concept of recycled paper for jewelery. We pray that it works.
1 comment:
hey you two!
it's good to hear that you are doing well now. sorry to hear that you guys got sick. it sounds like an amazing journey that you are taking and i know that you will learn so much from it. stay safe and take lots of pics.
love you and miss you
amanda and kyle
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