Settling down in Aringa

Hello All,

It’s been a few days/weeks since I’ve been able to send anything! I have now gotten to ESTA and have been getting adjusted to life in the bush of Africa! It’s difficult for me to get to an email source so I can send updates to the blog. The school has changed a lot since I was there last as many new, permanent, brick with tin roofed homes have been built, some even with solar (so I can read by electrical light instead of a candle/paraffin lamp). It pains me to say that I no longer have my old grass-thatched hut, it was burned in the attack that killed the missionary couple…There was just something about that hut that stirred all kinds of romantic sentimentality about living in Africa. A cement walled building just doesn’t elicit the same feelings. In any case, I am happy for the shelter that I do have (it doesn’t leak when it rains) and I am happy for the solar power. Some of the pictures that I’ve posted earlier will give you an idea of what things look like now, though there are many more buildings. The school is doing a good job teaching the youth in the area. The past graduates have developed a reputation as being hard workers who perform well on the job.

It was great to see familiar faces when I first arrived. Many of the old students have also gone on to become the school’s staff. This enables the school to provide some additional employment opportunities for the youth in this area who really are poor and appreciate any help they can get in establishing themselves. One of the biggest concerns for guys is saving up enough money to present a dowry to a perspective bride’s family. The 4-8 cows, 10 goats, and cash payments add up and can take several years to save up for assuming you have an income source. (Cows cost about $150, Goats $10, and the cash is often in the range of $300-500. It may not sound like a lot, but $1,000- $1,500 can take a good period of time to save for, though extended family usually helps out.) I’m glad I won’t have to cough up several years’ salary to pay for my bride, though then again, weddings in the west are expensive affairs…

So far the computer training has been going well. That was a big answer to prayer as I worried that it would take a long time to set up the computers, especially if there were issues finding hardware that I might need to set up or ensuring the electricity source was up and running. I
did have to replace all the cords to fit English style sockets. So I sat for an afternoon with a crude kitchen knife blade cutting electrical cords and wires and attaching them to English style plugs that, fortunately, were available a few towns over. I just had to make sure that all the wires went to the right connections. So far they’ve been working fine and until there are any minor explosions, I think we’ll be good to go! I was able to post this blog as we came to a town to pick up a printer today; the classroom is coming together.

There has been a lot of interest in the program we’ve set up as even government officials have expressed interest in coming to the classes so they can learn, “How to do computer”. Daily, I have been teaching a 2.5-hour class of school staff members, which also includes a couple other guests, in addition to shorter classes to 3 different groups of students. I am starting off with an Intro to Computers curriculum, aided by a textbook I bought before coming over here, and then I’ll move on to Word, followed by Excel, and then PowerPoint.

I’ve been blessed so far this trip in having no significant health problems, so pray that this continues. I have been enjoying things so far, missing home here and there, but I will see you all soon when I get back. Already the time has been flying! It was over 3 weeks ago that I took off! I hope you are all doing well!

Lots of love,

Nathanael

If you would like to send me letters, it’s probably safe to do so until the end of August (to allow sufficient travel time). My address is:

Nathanael Brice
c/o ESTA
PO Box 26
Yumbe
UGANDA
EAST AFRICA