Gone Shoppin'

Today, while Joel was off building a fence, the kids and I went to the market. Every Wednesday there is a second hand clothes market. We went in search of some jeans for Joel. We only brought one pair since we were told he wouldn't be wearing them often. Let's just say he is in need of some work pants so...off we went.

The house we are staying in now is a brief walk to this market, so we set off on our stroll. It's downhill on the way there, so on the way back Dade picked out a lollypop and Dara a small chocolate bar (it made the uphill trek more bearable). This is a picture of the road on the way down.

Notice how deep the ruts are in the road! This road is really not the best example because the ruts can be straddled okay, but since I had my camera - I took the picture. It's amazing how strong the vehicles here need to be. Interestingly enough I don't know that I've seen even one American made vehicle. Is it that we don't export to Africa or the vehicles we have at home just couldn't "off road" well enough to survive here?

Anyway, the clothes market looks like this...

Every seller has their pile. Some will have neat stacks, some will even have them hanging on make shift poles. Others will just have mounds you can dig through. Robin, I could have used you in a serious way. I walked around with the kids looking for piles of jeans. Most of them were for women but I finally found a pair of trousers (did you know that the rest of the world calls underwear "pants"?! I have to alter even my English in order to be understood. :) It was fun. The kids each bought a hat for $1 a piece and Joel's trousers were in really good condition and were $3.50. Even having bought them so cheap, I know they were more expensive for me because we're Mazungus (white people). It's just part of life here and it's okay. They were worth the price.

I think I'll start trying to take pictures of the different, unusual signs I've seen. Here is the first one. It's of a toothpick wrapper from Kenya...who would place the initial "BM" on something that goes in your mouth?...and why does it need to say "hygenic"?...just some observations. :)

p.s. A few people have asked for an update on the abandoned baby, Daniel. Dara and I did so well giving him up. Lucy brought him to us and we held him and hugged him "goodbye" and gave him to her. She took him to the hospital were he was picked up and taken to Kampala to a baby's home. We received an email a couple of days ago saying that he had malaria! We felt awful that we had no idea. He's doing much better now - with medicine and everything. We talk about him from time to time with fondness. Thank you for your prayers.