Well, It's been a while...

It's been a while since I last posted a blog, but I wanted to give a little update since we've been State side. We are still duking it out with the IRB board in Uganda. It is exhausting to be dealing with people who argue over the minute details. However, I refuse to let it dampen the success that we've had with the foundation. They seem to be very pleased with the work that we did, and are already starting to implement some of our recommendations. It's weird to have people actually listening to my opinion.

For Dustin and I there is no rest for the weary. We have to start writing up a formal report, search for grants, and facilitate some of the recommendations. I will be teaching a class this semester, so I have to get prepared for that. The most exciting thing is that we have decided to raise some money for the foundation for next summer. For those of you who have been keeping up with the blog, you might remember some of the people that we met along the way. David, the phenomenal young man who had been sneeking into school because he couldn't pay, or the old woman who was caring for eight children, four of whom were abandoned at her home and four who's parents had died of HIV. These people were so generous with their time and knowledge, we feel that we would like to be able to help these people as we meet them next summer.

So.... now the tricky part...We are asking people to donate money to the foundation for this purpose. The great thing is that it doesn't take very much. We managed to pay David's school fees so that he could finish out his high school education, and it only cost $150. He was in tears when we gave him the money. It costs that much for an elementary age child to go to school for a year. We left almost all our clothes with the grandmother for the children because they were dressed in rags. Some of them are not going to school and some of them are. It's also difficult for them just to have enough to eat.

Having said all this I hope you are encouraged. No amount is too small. A dollar goes a long way. You might also remember the time we interviewed a prostitute. Her going rate was a dollar. We gave her ten dollars for her time so that she could go home early that night. We probably gave her as much money as she earns in several days. Let me know if you are interested. You can contact me by email, it's listed in my profile with this blog. Or you can call me. Or you can get in touch with my mom, and she can direct you.

She's actually been a great help in motivating all this.

P.S. and if you donate, it's tax deductible.