I landed in London yesterday afternoon, what a change from Uganda. Last night I showered, with hot water, and went around the corner for fish & chips and a pint. Wow! My senses were immediately reset. All the veggies I want are available, the electric stays on, there are traffic lights, and the air is free of diesel fuel and charcoal fumes. Don't think I could ever take these things for granted again. London is a very cool place and very romantic. I can't wait to return with Deirdre and do the full immersion. There are pubs everywhere...everywhere, and they are [View Full Entry]

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Yesterday Ben and I returned to the Katanga Slum to conduct a coaches clinic. Ben made an excellent presentation on soccer coaching strategies. Ken asked me to talk about nutrition for athletes and coaches responsibility to serve the community. It's difficult to promote eating a balanced diet and hydration when the players are lucky to eat at all and are forced to consume contaminated water. We did, however, end up with a very spirited and valuable session. tomorrow I will leave "The Pearl of Africa" and will be hanging with Big Ben by late afternoon. What I have found in Uganda [View Full Entry]

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There have been brief but heavy downpours every two days. I awoke in the middle of the night Friday to find the floor in my room and bathroom covered with bugs with wingspans about three inches! Thought they were mesquites so I was franticly stomping on them. They were all over the hallways the next morning. I later learned they were White Ants, a local delicacy. The market was selling them in many different prepared ways Saturday. The hotel staff are all in the late teens and early twenties and they work from 6 A.M. to at least 12 A.M.; [View Full Entry]

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It's been awhile since my last entry. I've been kept busy since departing for Gulu Thursday and the power is often out. Wednesday I saw my girls play in a league game; school is all-year and is in session after a brief two week break. The game was played on an outdoor court at the YMCA and was heavily attended by a respectfull and NON-INTERFERING group of family and friends. No insults, sideline coaching, or berating the officials. It was the first time I enjoyed a sporting competition in a long time. They lost, but the game was hard fought [View Full Entry]

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Rebel members of The Lords Resistance Army had visited this Catholic school for girls many times. They had come for cloths, food, and blankets - took what they wanted but never harmed anyone. One cool night, the nuns and girls were soon to learn there was much different about this visit. This time, the rebels wanted more, much more; they wanted the girls...all 140 of them! Over the pleas from the nuns, the crying and struggling girls were taken away. One nun, Sister Rachele, would not give up. Sister followed the rebels, constantly pleading for their return. She recounted the [View Full Entry]

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Today was much more upbeat. After my morning PE class I went to the private girls school to teach basketball. Over sixty girls are on the team. Unless someone has an academic commitment everyone is at practice, everyday. The courts are outside, as there are only two indoor courts in all of Kampala. If rain comes play continues unless there is lightening. My girls were so precious and eager to learn. I introduced myself as Michael Jordan, former player with the Chicago Bulls. I don't know why, but they had trouble believing me. Once we returned to reality a great practice [View Full Entry]

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Didn't have internet anywhere this weekend and there were several power outages; very common here. Friday, we did a lot of running around meeting TKL partners and gathering equipment. The absolute coolest people here are the motorbikers. The preferred form of transportation is walking, bikes, taxi vans, and motorbikes; in that order. There are no traffic lights and very few stop signs. The country is energy efficient as well; no air conditioning anywhere-; estaurants-banks-hotels...anywhere. Meals are cooked on open fires or wood-burning stoves. Saturday was soccer day for the childre [View Full Entry]

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No words could describe what I saw and felt today, I could barely hold back tears. I visited two schools I will be coaching basketball in or assisting teachers begining Monday. The Nabawanuka all girls school and the Beupa School in the Katanga Slum in Kampala. I will let the photos speak to you. [View Full Entry]

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"Are you going to Uganda?" she asked with a serious tone while inspecting me. "Yes" I replied. "Are you African?" "No". You look like us." "I feel like one of you." "Good," she replied with a bright and welcoming smile. "Now, you are one of us!" After learning she is a teacher and exchanging other pleasantries she proclaimed; "I want you to have an exciting journey. That is my wish for you, a safe and exciting journey. You will love Uganda and it will love you!" So began my connection with Uganda while boarding at Heathrow. I was picked up by [View Full Entry]

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I'm in London's Heathrow Airport. After a very restful six hour trip (slept most of the way), I'm still a little blurry eyed. A nine-hour lay over (yippie) and I depart for Entebbe. Nothing much to report yet except the people hear are so nice and I could listen to them talk all day. Oh, and the dollar is much weaker than I thought. [View Full Entry]

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