Giving Meds to the Poorest of Uganda

OK, all together now: We had another “amazing day” today! It was our clinic day. We drove 30 minutes into the deep brush to a tiny village called Rwentuha. We set up in a mosque, so had to remember to take off our shoes each time we entered it. Idah told us that it was a giant step for them to let a Christian organization use their building.
We had several things set up in the yard area also. When we got there many people were already waiting for us. We had a Dr. with us and about six other helpers including an extra interpreter. All were Ugandan, so they could explain to people how to take meds they were given. We had purchased medicines with money that many people, including our church had sent to help us. It was truly a blessing! We had every thing from malaria, elephantitus, asthma, ringworm, vitamins and worm meds. The doctor sat in one place and saw over 300 men, women and children from the time we got there at 10 am to 4 pm!
One of the stations we had outside was to give out reading glasses. Many stood in line and tried on different strengths as one of our interpreters had them try to read from the Bible until they had the right ones! We gave out 88 pairs and had many still in line. They were disappointed but there will be another clinic soon.
There were many children there and our wonderful young ambassador, Luke, had a great playing many games with them and so much more. The rest of us took turns singing songs with them and having them sing to us. Jessica spent time with many sweet babies. One mother handed her baby to her and left for quite awhile. She probably went and stood in a line, but Jessica was beginning to wonder if she was coming back!
They also enjoyed the cameras and were so interested in getting to see themselves.
It was a long, hot day, but well worth every bit of it. We all thank God for the time we have had to share and help as many people in Uganda as we could!
Thank you so much to all who contributed to our trip in many different ways!

God's work in Kamwenge

Here we are in Kamwenge! A very small village in SW Uganda. We have had an amazing 2 days. I think I say that every time I add to my blog, but it’s true. Each day is as amazing as the next.
We started out from Kampala early Monday morning and spent the next 5 ½ hours driving to Fort Portal. After stopping at our hotel, we headed to Tooro HS and had a great greeting of singing and dancing. Since we were a little late, we didn’t have much time to spend with the students, but many remembered us from last year, which was so nice! After a light lunch, we saw a short presentation by Milton, the field director for the area. Then off to town to shop! Not for ourselves, but to get many needed items for a very poor older couple that we met last year. They are waiting for a sponsor, so here’s your chance! We were able to buy them a mattress, bedding, pans, dishes, rice, salt & sugar, wash pans and 2 loaves of bread. We also took a few items we had brought from home. We weren’t able to visit them Mon. because the time got late and we had a big downpour while we were in the pharmacy getting medicines for our clinic on Wed. Tues. morning we headed out to the elderly couple’s home (Paul & Theresa). We presented them with all our gifts. The biggest hit was a small mirror. Paul, 78 yrs. old, looked at himself and had a great laugh at his grey hair and wrinkling skin. Theresa didn’t even want to look! He said that he hadn’t seen himself in many years! Plus they were very excited about the bread, because they hadn’t had any bread for 5 years!! We enjoyed visiting with them and headed out to pick up more medications that we weren’t able to get the night before.
Next we were off to Kamwenge. We stopped in a small village before that and visited Anna’s family plus several people that we had met the year before. We were able to see the improvements in several people. Three ladies with elephantitus showed us how their feet had completely healed, but the disease is never completely gone.
Onward to lunch at the kindergarten school and vocational school. Another great welcoming! The little ones hid behind a vine covered fence and then came out singing and waving to us as the bus pulled up.
They sang for us and we all ate together. Next we were able to present bicycles, that our church in Ottawa had helped purchase, to the community facilitators. Lastly was a tour of the facility and on to another destination! Are you tired yet?
We went to dedicate a home that GFR had built for a widow woman, Harriet, who cares for 4 orphans. It’s a beautiful little brick home that she is very proud of! And of course, we listened to all the community leaders welcome us and give a little talk. They were all so happy to see us. Many had never seen a white person before!
Finally at 6:30, we headed back to our hotel in Kamwenge. Supper at 7, back to the room, take a shower in a dish pan, and finally getting ready to hit the hay at 10:15. Good night!
It was a God blessed day from beginning to end!

Building a Mud House!!

Hi everyone,

We have limited internet and to get the faster service, we have to walk to the GFR office a few blocks away. Then there are 6 people trying to get all their emails and blogs done, so I probably won’t get this done every day.
We have had an awesome 3 days, meeting our families, then 2 days working in a remote village helping a widow with 6 children finish building her home. We were expecting to build with bricks but as we walked up to the sight, realized that it was going to be a mud home! Most of the village people were there to greet us and we got to meet several other GFR sponsored families.
Our work started out with us heading to the water hole to get the water for the mud. We took “light” jerry cans, headed down a long, narrow trail into the bush, filled our cans with water from a spring fed spot, then attempted to carry them back along the trail to the home site. We were quite a sight, walking a few feet, stopping, walking, stopping, walking, and stopping. And needless to say, there were many people along the way, laughing at us! Each jerry can held about 5 gal. of water and we ended up with about a gal. or so on us, as we sloshed along!
We weren’t able to do much more on the home because they needed to get the tin roof on before starting the mudding. Then they also ran out of tin, so we got together and collected enough money for them to buy the remaining tin plus gas to go get it. All together it was 120,000 shillings or a little less than $60.
All there was left to do was play with the children!! What a good time! We sang a few songs for them and then got them to sing to us. We gave them a new soccer ball in exchange for their rag ball and we were able to share our bread with them after our lunch. We also spoke with a man with Aids, who was suffering with a severe infection in both legs. He had been to the hospital a few days before and wasn’t
able to pay the full bill. Plus he didn’t have the money to get the prescription the doctor had given him.
Luckily we were able to help him with less than 20 American dollars for everything. Then we headed home, which took 3 ½ hours because we ended up in all the rush hour traffic. Chicago doesn’t have
anything on Uganda when it comes to this!!
Today we mudded the home. Got about 2 ½ walls done, then they ran out of mud!! So we had our lunch, visited with the children again and headed home. Only took 2 ½ hours today. What a blessed experience, all the mud and people working together.
God is good!!
I can’t wait to get home to show pictures and share about how God’s hand has been on this trip with us everywhere we go.

First full day in Uganda 2009

Hi everyone,
I will try to do this more often than last year. We have better access to internet in the office of GFR. It's just a short walk from the home we are staying at.
Today we went to an International Women's Conference in Kampala, that our good friend Idah was one of the main coordinators of. Was very interesting and the praise team was wonderful. Being the first day, there were many people welcoming everyone, and introducing everyone, and thanking everyone. Plus they were all translated into three languages. We were suffering from jet lag, so found it hard to stay awake. So after lunch we headed back to the house and rested the rest of the afternoon.
Tomorrow we will spend all day visiting all the sponsored families. It will be wonderful to see them again. I will try to attach pictures in the future. Will have to have someone help me, so don't plan on it for a bit.
I want to thank so many people for all the prayers and donations. You are all so special and you can't imagine the good things we are able to do because of your support! Just keep praying that God will do much through us!
Getting late here and we have to walk back to the house in the dark!
God bless you all.