Watch out for the chicks!

Hey Friends and Family,

For the past two days we have been traveling between Mbale and Tororo. We stay in Mbale and then drive an hour to the Tororo site for their training. It's always fun to drive through the country and pass by the homesteads and fields. Livestock are everywhere! They are not held in by fences here, they just graze at their leisure and if that happens to be in the middle of the road, so be it.

Yesterday when we were driving we almost hit a flock of baby chickens, they ran in all directions but when we looked back they had all survived. We were told by staff members that it is quite a big deal if you were to accidentally hit a cow. One of the warrior tribes in the area assumes that most of the cattle is theirs and they frequently raid cattle from other people. If you were to hit and kill one of their cows, they would come after you with their spears and guns.

Driving back to Mbale each day we see the children doing their evening chores. Kids as young as 3 and 4 are walking beside the road carrying small jugs (probably 1 gallon size) to fill with water at the closest pump (which could be miles away). I've also seen young children carrying bundles of sticks on their heads as they walk home. Kids who are older (8 or 9) frequently have a younger sibling (usually an infant) strapped to their back as they walk with their water jugs and sticks. I've also seen kids trying hard to wrestle the goats and get them to obey as they are bringing them back to the house at night. Most of these kids are not with their parents, they are with other siblings with the oldest looking after the younger ones.

During previous trips I have written about boda boda's- the motorcycles that people take and the drivers who operate them. The drivers always try to fit as many people on the boda boda as they can so they can make more money. The other day, I saw a boda boda driver sitting on the fuel tank of his motorcycle with 3 more adults on the back. A total of 4 people on one motorcycle! I'm always amazed to see the women on the boda bodas. They sit side saddle, it is not proper for Ugandan women to sit fully on the bike. So they balance themselves on the motorcycle, with their legs hanging off one side and usually holding a infant in their arms as the bike weaves around all the cars.

Always something interesting to watch-