Day 12 Uganda: What if I don’t want it?

We have come to our last day in Uganda. As I sit in the airport waiting for our flight to be called, it doesn’t seem possible that this trip is over. It seemed for so long that we’d never get everything planned and coordinated much less actually leave for Uganda. Now we say goodbye with mixed emotions. We’ll miss this beautiful country.

It has been a very productive trip and, besides lots of work, it’s been great fun. Phoebe, Helen, and I laughed a lot about all sorts of things and that makes the hard work so much easier.

This morning we left our little AirBnb for Entebbe and almost immediately got stopped and detained for the president to use the road we had hoped to travel. Traffic was backed up for miles in all parts of the city. This made everything late, but no one seemed to mind and when we got to St. Dennis School, we were welcomed by those that remembered us and many new teachers and students as well.

St. Dennis Primary School, Lwengo, Uganda.

Josephine, the head mistress, brought us to each classroom to say hi to the students and be welcomed by them with clapping, greetings and song.

Head Mistress Josephine.

This was followed by a visit to the sewing room where the sewing machines from the Nanugongo, Uganda and Scotia Rotary Clubs were on display. We took photos of students and faculty admiring them and laid out the fabrics and supplies they will use to make 200 MoonCatcher kits.

Sewing machines at St. Dennis Primary School

Father Francis took us on a grand tour of the campus. There are so many new buildings and activities since I was last there in 2020. An impressive structure is underway in memory of a dear friend and supporter of the school. Some of the money for the project has been raised but more is needed so they started with construction of the building sites and will pause until more funds are raised. The new building will house an infirmary and nursing station as well as an assembly hall and prayer room.

Half the campus is a Primary school and the other half a vocational school. In the vocational school students study carpentry, welding, catering, cosmetology, fashion design, building, auto mechanics, and computer science. MoonCatcher friend, Frank Quinn, sent 70 sim cards with educational information on them useful for preschool right up to college. Helen had given the school one of these cards, so checked out the computer room to see what their resources are. This vocational school is truly impressive and almost all the students go on to find jobs after they complete their studies.

Auto mechanics at St. Dennis

My good friend and amazing traveling companion, Helen Penna, in the St. Dennis computer lab.

We taught grades 3-5 about menstrual management and the reproductive cycle. We gave out MoonCatcher kits and taught how to plot ones’ cycle. Phoebe asked if there were questions as she always does and after two or three fairly standard queries a girl named Hellen raised her hand and asked “what if I don’t want it?” Phoebe cracked up and explained that it’s not really an option and the girl laughed along with us as I explained that it was part of a healthy body. Phoebe tried the “it’s a necessary function in order to become a mother,” but Hellen wasn’t having any of that either. She stated quite plainly that that wasn’t in her plans either.

After the session she found me, introduced me to her sister and continued to giggle with me. I wanted to be sure she didn’t feel we were making fun of her and could see that she truly didn’t but rather felt comfortable voicing her feelings. I told her she has a right to her decisions and that it is fine to make choices that are different from those of her friends.

Father Francis provided a quiet room to change into traveling clothes and rest a bit. So lovely of him. He was concerned that he had nothing to give us, but I asked for his blessing which he readily gave, also reading a passage about safe travels. Then it was time to say goodbye.

We spent a little time buying crafts from vendors set up in a little area near the airport and the restaurant where we ate dinner. We were able to find some earrings and other goodies to sell.

After dinner Phoebe brought us to the airport for a tearful goodbye. She has been amazing. Everything that would have been so hard for us she managed to make happen smoothly and efficiently. She has a great sense of humor, so we were able to laugh at our mistakes and mishaps. The sign in the sewing building dedicated to Maureen says, “Grit and Grace”. Not only do they describeMaureen, but they are perfect for Phoebe as well. I