Arriving In Kitgum Uganda, Plans 7/16/09

Hey you guys! We've finally just arrived in Kitgum! The flights went pretty well and I feel like I'm pretty much back on a schedule already from sleeping a bit on the 2nd flight from brussels to Uganda and then last night at the hotel! But then it was a seven hour drive back from Entebbe which is where the airport that i flew into is. the last 2 hours is on a dirt road and the ENTIRE trip does not have any stops for food, so we had to pack little lunches for the ride up. The trip is going to be good! The schedule she has mapped out for me so far seems really great and I am excited about getting started monday! The first thing I will do is help at the orphanage monday morning and then with the choir on monday afternoon! She says the orphanage is right down the street and there around about 50 kids most under the age of 3. I'm glad its close because I will be able to spend any of my extra time there! Melinda was saying she was talking to the founder of it and she said that she was worried that the house mothers weren't giving the children enough attention, so I'll be so glad to be there to help and hopefully be a witness to them. Women here are very undervalued, polygamy is widely practice and about 85% of the work is done by women, today is just the first day and I know I will come to learn so much more! I gave Melinda all the things I brought like the cake pans, grits, m&m's, chapstick and what not and she was thrilled! One of the ladies(florence) from the bakery was here and when I pulled the cakepans out she looked SO pleased,she loved them!! One thing i've really noticed here so far is that you don't see any toys, there is kids EVERYWHERE -way more than adults- and they don't have toys, melinda says thats typical and that kids dont' ever have toys here... I'm excited to be able to change that a LITTLE at least...but just wish I had more. I'm going to be doing vbs's with the children in KITGUM next week, and then in two different BUSH villages the following two weeks and in between I'll be squeezing in time at the orphanage, and choir practice! Well, I guess that is about all for now, Thanks so much for all your prayers already, I can feel them!
Katie