# 38 July 16th- Thursday

-Team Teaching
I had a late start today. I’ve pretty much given up on my morning runs. I need to get back into the rhythm. I had a nice cup of coffee to start the day. I’ve been looking forward to giving my Gulu students the letters from my WHS students and today was the big day. It made the day an especially long one because we had 4 classes and a lot of downtime before I could give the letters to my students.
At the hotel, the movie Pursuit of Happiness was playing. I’ve seen that film once before and I feel a sort of hope and sadness when I watch it. That mood pretty much describes where I’m at right now. I feel that this experience (coming to Africa) was a good decision, but I’m longing for home and wondering if I’ll ever return to this place. People are starting to recognize me in the street and call me by name. In some small way I feel like I am a part of a community. Some of the teachers have been asking if I will return. My only response is, “If God wills it.” I don’t want to return without Lisa and the girls, but I would love to come back here someday. Next year, Gulu will become a city. I wonder if in the future they will establish an international school. If so, I’d love to return in that capacity.
The classes are trudging along slowly. We have been discussing the formation and location of the Block Mountains. David is working to resolve the issue with the lack of notes for students.
During a break in the afternoon I asked Okali John to show me the computers in the science building. He said there were some in a room that were not being used. When we entered I was shocked to find 26 computers that are sitting unused while teachers waste away the hours under the mango tree. The room has a generator, fans, a blackboard, and 26 unused computers that are collecting dust. Okali said that they did not have the software to run them. I assume they will need a server as well, but come on!!!!! This is madness. I resolved to give Patrick a call to see if Schools for Schools can help get this lab up and running. Even if teachers had to pay some small fee, like 500 US per hour to gather maintenance fees, it would be well used. I’m going to try to get it running by the time I leave. That only gives me one week, so say some prayers.
At the end of classes, students gathered around to get a letter from a WHS student. I gave a few stipulations. They are not permitted to ask for marriage or money. They laughed when I mentioned that. We passed out the letters, boys to boys and girls to girls. I stayed behind to answer questions from the students. One boy was very disappointed that his letter was written in pencil. He thought it was pretty rude to write in pencil. Another girl was shocked that she was asked if she had a boyfriend. A few asked me what a skateboard is. The boy who received a letter in pencil asked if he could rub out (erase) the letter and reuse the paper to write his letter. Funny stuff!!! Most of the students wanted to know how to pronounce the names and to confirm that they had in fact received the correct gender. I told them to meet me on Monday with the letters completed. I intend to take their photos in front of the Schools for Schools science building on Monday. I brought a Schools for Schools button for each student. I hope this works well. One thing I had to discuss with them is that the letters are addressed to Anaka Secondary students, because that was the school we supported. I explained that I thought it would be better to get a letter from students I know than from strangers at Anaka. I hope my WHS students are fine with it. The road to Anaka is long and bumpy and I don’t intend to go out there.
I didn’t get home until about 7 pm. After dinner some friends went to Bamboo for trivia night. I didn’t really want to go out. We’ve had a few festive evenings here, but I think I’ve had my fill.