After dinner, I asked Jennifer to tell me something about each of her four siblings.

"Kalokwerka [her 5-year-old brother] is humble. Sharon Achan [about 3]is cocky, so sometimes she bothers Kalokwerka," Jennifer said as a big smile spread across her face.

"My mother sometimes steps in," Jennifer says.

At those moments, the clever Sharon waits to see who will get the blame. Almost says, their mother says, "'Kalokwerka, leave her alone.'" Jennifer said.

Jennifer explained that while their mother talks with Kalokwerka, Jennifer takes Sharon aside and talks with her. These two youngest siblings are afraid of Jennifer's oldest sister, 17-year-old Alice Laker. "She is stern," Jennifer said.

Her other sibling is 5-year-old brother Okeny. "If a boy hits him, he'll want to hit back," Jennifer said.

Then, there is Jennifer's mother. It is clear that Jennifer misses her dearly, that their relationship is both strong and tender. Jennifer thinks about what she likes most about her mom. Finally she says: "I like to sleep on my mom's lap."

As the hour approaches 9 p.m., Abitimo and Jennifer head back to the house in Germantown to get a good night's sleep.

March 30

Jennifer went to a meeting tonight of Girl Scout Troop 663, accompanied by Abitimo, my 5-year-old daughter, Olivia, and me at the Finley Recreation Center in the Germantown area. The primary goal: Introduce Jennifer to some kids her age.

She hasn’t had many chances to build a circle of friends since she came to the United States. Because she is a 15-year-old at a second grade academic level, and because of her frequent trips to the Wasington DC area for medical treatment, we decided on individual tutoring for Jennifer. Those sessions take place at Abitimo’s house, where Jennifer is staying. Girl Scouts seemed an obvious social outlet.

Although she wanted to go, Jennifer seemed shy at tonight’s meeting, which was held in a hot, upstairs room that magnified the noise made by Troop 663 and a second troop of younger girls. Abitimo sat beside Jennifer interpreting what troop leader Sylvia Goldsmith and parent assistant Dominique Bonds were saying about a forthcoming camping jamboree.

A treat came next. Instead of chips and juice as a snack, the girls made smoothies. Jennifer and my daughter watched as Bonds’ 15-year-old daughter Samantha Scott put ice, strawberries, bananas, ice cream and other ingredients into a blender. My daughter, not keen on loud and sudden noises, ran away when the blender started. But she ran back afterward and pronounced the smoothie, “mmmm.” Jennifer did not want to taste the pink-colored beverage. I’m guessing not many drinks in Uganda are pink.

At times, as she sat in her blue jeans, short-sleeved top and new prescription glasses, Jennifer fit right in with the girls around her. But it also was apparent that she was sizing up the situation, as usual. Jennifer must have figured out what she thought: She’d like to go back to Girl Scouts sometime soon.

March 21

My wonderful husband Tim once again drove Jennifer to an appointment with Dufresne in Chevy Chase. Dufresne continues to be pleased with how Jennifer’s is healing from the surgery. He takes out remaining stitches and staples. Even though the staples are a common medical supply, even though they cause less damage to Jennifer’s hair follicles than do stitches, I still have trouble looking at them and not thinking that someone swiped them from a desk drawer.

Dufresne decided to give Jennifer six weeks to heal, then he will decide what to do next. He might repeat the entire tissue-expanding process so he can expand tissue from her scalp to further lower her hairline, and use expanded tissue from her chest to keep rebuilding her lower face.

I cannot begin to express how much I admire and trust Dufresne. He is a skilled surgeon, a gentle man, and a compassionate soul. He is doing all he can for a girl who has had few breaks in her life. So many folks in the Philadelphia region and metro DC have helped Jennifer.

God surely is smiling down on this 15-year-old.