Adios, and A New Wonderful Friend

We bid our team goodbye yesterday and came into the hotel and fell into the chairs in the
“reception” area. We were really sad to see them go but exhausted to the point of collapse. We sat there for a while speechless (which for this group is almost miraculous) not because we had nothing to say but because it took too much energy to speak. Then we slowly got up and meandered to our rooms where we proceeded to veg out for a while. The team now consists of four – Judy Benson, Jaimie Piatnik, Liz Mendoza and me. Vicki Smith (a wonderful woman on the Tree of Life board with me) had connected me with a young lady by the name of Desire. She is the sister of a young man that Vicki sponsors. She has recently graduated university with a degree in social work. Anyway, we had asked her before we came if she would be able to join us for dinner while we were in Kampala. So yesterday she came out to the hotel and joined us for a meal. She came in and what a beautiful woman she was. Oh, my goodness, she was stunning. I’m trying to figure out what she was thinking as she walked into this hotel, not knowing us from Adam, and meeting probably the four weirdest Mzungus ever. Right away I think we all felt a connection and like we had known each other forever. She started to tell us what she does when we asked if she could back up and tell us her story. And so she began…

She is the oldest in her family. Her mother married a Muslim man and converted to Christianity when she was a very young girl. As a result of this, her father left her mom and married another woman leaving her mom with she and her brother and two other children. She said they struggled for years to survive. And yes, I mean to survive. To feed themselves so as to not starve. But her mother continued to rely on her faith and instilled this faith in her children. She fought for them to go to school and did whatever it took to make sure they got an education. They moved constantly because they did not have money for rent but still her mother kept them together. Now she has a university degree. She has adopted a baby girl she has named Gift and is passing that legacy on to another generation. She was amazing. She has the strongest faith and actually has been tested and put it into action. Just listening to her passion for people and seeing the way she lives and loves others was amazing to see. Around 10 pm we finally asked her to spend the night (we did not want her to take a boda boda (motorcycle) home in the dark and we all went to bed refreshed but tired. Sitting in that small group and sharing like family was really a wonderful experience. This morning Haji dropped us at the US Embassy and she went off to work. 

The US Embassy was an interesting experience. For me, I was a little surprised by how easy it was to get in. I expected much stricter levels of security. Maybe it’s because we all look so innocent (Steve, you can stop laughing now!) but we passed security, they checked our backpacks, wanded us, looked at our passports and sent us to the next station. They had a list of things we couldn’t take in, including computers and phones, so we put our stuff into a locker and were passed through the gate. When we walked into the compound, it was like walking into Utopia. It was beautiful. Once there we walked through a metal detector and were asked to take a seat. Sadly, the woman we were to meet was in South Africa attending an emergency meeting and was not there to see us. This would have been good information to have ahead of time, but it was good to see the procedure to get in so we didn’t feel anything was lost.

We dropped Judy and Liz at the bank to exchange money while Haji looked for a parking space. We ended up parking in front of the book store we had stopped at two weeks ago and so Jaimie and I walked in. We were hoping to see if they had collected the books for our secondary school but alas they had nothing. Meanwhile back at the ranch, Judy and Liz were done exchanging money and were standing on the street corner waiting for us. Two Mzungus, and money do not equal a good situation. However, they did have ample opportunities to pick up a man! Sadly, there were none they wanted. As they were starting to quake in their boots I was strolling through the bookstore without a care in the world. Last week as we were distributing Bibles I was surprised to learn that many of the Ugandans prefer the Bible in English as opposed to Lugandan. I really thought that buying them in Lugandan was the best way to go. So later in the day I asked Haji when he reads the Koran (he is Muslim) does he prefer to read it in English or Lugandan. Again, his response surprised me. He said the Koran was not translated into Lugandan and he couldn’t find one in English. So he hadn’t read the Koran in a while. I asked if he would like one and he said yes. So I thought for about two seconds and told him if I could find one I would buy one for him. I really believe I was supposed to do this. Many of you may disagree but I think as Christians we are called to love our brothers. I hope that by giving to him and loving him he may come to know Christ. When we gave the Koran to him today he was very, very thankful.

Then we went and visited the market. Liz and Jaimie were adamant that we only spend ten minutes. Well, that lasted about ten minutes. I love that market. I love walking around it and seeing all the wares that people have to sell. Most of them I have already bought on previous trips but I still love seeing what they make. Jaimie bought a mandolin (?) and serenaded us all the way home to Iganga. The words made no sense but she enjoyed strumming and singing. We then stopped in Jinja and ate again at the Source of the Nile and wandered those shops. Finally, we headed back to Iganga in rain like I have never seen before. It poured. It seemed the harder it rained the faster we drove. I had front seat honors because it is the only seat with a window that rolls down and the view is great… especially when you see the truck coming directly at you!!

While in Jinja eating there was a woman at the next table… a Mzungu. So naturally I asked where she was from and she told us she was from Witchita Falls, Tx. Small world! Turns out she is a nurse working in Jinja. So we started talking to her about Jaimie’s little boy that she sponsors and his ear problems and asked her advice on where she might take him. She immediately recommended a doctor in Jinja not far from the café and so off Judy and Jaimie went to talk to him. So after walking several blocks they walked in and met Dr. Charles, a pediatrician from Britain. He answered their questions and we have scheduled a time for him to see Paul on Thursday afternoon. We then went back and asked Phil if he would let us take Paul to Jinja to see the doctor and he said yes. It is awesome how this has all come together. Dr. Charles said that if Paul needs tubes or other surgery he has a doctor he recommends in Kampala and Phil has already said we can take him!!!

Finally we arrived at the Mum and they welcomed us with open arms. James and Steven were here so we sat with them and talked for a while and then went to our separate rooms. Little Lizzie did laundry Ugandan style in a bucket in our bathroom. Our bathroom now has laundry hanging everywhere. Tomorrow we are resting and then going to Musana to meet with Haril and Andrea for dinner. Very excited to sit with them and get to know them better. Every time I come I seem to meet new people and reconnect with others. I continue to say this country is wonderful. The people are kind and gentle. There is so much to love and as I get to know the people better and am sharing truly from the heart I know I am making life long friendships. I have been deeply blessed.

One last detail… there are several round a bouts in this country. Every time we come to one we start yelling, “Haji, Haji, Haji” and every once in a while he rewards us by driving in circles around them. With that we all raise our arms like we are on a roller coaster. He probably thinks we are crazy… I think he is right.                                                                                                  

Two Days Without a Blog is like a day without Sunshine

 OK, I’m back on line. It is only 5:19 on Sunday, and the first half of the team is headed to the airport to begin the long flight home! The rest of us are sitting on our beds taking a deep breath and preparing mentally for the next two weeks. For myself, I am very ready for a horizontal time out!!!

Friday morning we started by going to jail! They finally caught up with us and decided that is where we belonged. Can’t say by the makeup of this team that they have it completely wrong!! We were greeted with nothing but kindness and welcomed into their temporary home. As we walked into the general area where there were approximately 100 men all dressed in yellow shirts and shorts, and three women, they were all singing for us. We were asked to introduce ourselves and share a word. This was something that was not on our schedule – in fact we knew nothing about it. Steven has asked us if we would take part in this as this is a ministry he is trying to start. In hindsight it was such a blessing. We all loved it. And he was so thankful that we were willing to step into this with him. This team has really been willing to do whatever they’ve been called to do. And when someone has been called to do something the team has been really willing to follow where they led.

After that, we headed to Kyemba’s house for lunch. He could have fed a Roman army and had leftovers. We sat under a tree and ate all that we could, and even then there was a ton left over. The amount they cooked could have fed us for a week. He is such a wonderful man. He joined us in most of our adventures at Bulubandi and Top Hills taking an active roll in the building of the desks. Really I’m not sure we could have accomplished all we did without his active involvement. So we sat as a family and it was such a good time. We left there and headed back out to Kokombo where the team was really touched the first day. John went immediately to work continuing in the construction mode building shelves for the nurses quarters. The rest of us were in awe of a goat that had just delivered a baby. The baby was so stinkin’ cute! So small and so dang cute! We then all wandered walking among the kids until Glenn pulled out the magic guitar. At that point the whole crowd sat down and listened and joined in. He is like a magnet. I got to hold the baby and sit and relax. It was wonderful. We left there and headed back to Phil’s for a final goodbye. The team has really loved seeing their kids. They are such a beautiful group of kids. I loved seeing all the hugs and stories being shared back and forth. We all walked away with sadness that we had to leave them behind. 

Saturday we got up and headed to Musana a school headed by a young American woman. It is such a fabulous place; hard to believe it was started by three women in their early 20’s. The work they are doing there is amazing. Sadly, I was at the start of a migraine and I had to back out of the tour and spent that time sitting on the bus getting the headache under control. I’ve seen the place before and on Tuesday the four of us (Jaimie, Judy, Liz and I) are going there for dinner. I will have a chance to see it all and sit in conversation. I am so excited to do that. Our team was so impressed with all they’ve done in five short years. Wow is all I can say. Then we headed into Jinja for lunch and a little shopping (best guacamole ever) and then headed out to see the Nile. I have to say it is the first time I have ever squatted to go to the bathroom with the view between my legs being the beautiful Nile River. Kind of different to go to the bathroom with the Nile behind you and Bessie the cow in front! After all the girls peed on one section of the hillside Glenn then came over and told us about this great spot to walk down to the water. We all at once said we had just emptied our bladders in that exact spot. Glenn without missing a beat said, “I will be sure not to lick my sandals.” The Nile is so pretty. Somehow just knowing it is the place where Moses was put in the basket is so cool. It is also cool to see that the natives don’t think it is anything special. Haji then proceeded to take us on to Kampala where we spent the night. Kampala traffic is like nothing you have ever seen. It is worse than SA traffic I have ever experienced. And at a moment’s notice the roads may be closed and then you are sent to a detour that doesn’t resemble anything road like. Always and adventure. Especially with motorcycles pulling in and out. Not surprised that so many people are killed in accidents. It is crazy. It is definitely survival of the fittest!! 

Today (Sunday) we got up and went to Gaba Church for worship. The church had lost its power so the pastor just started preaching without any music or singing. His sermon was on not having sex before marriage. He talked to the men and the women and how they were to keep themselves pure before marriage. He was serious and humorous at the same time. He preached in English and his co-worker translated in Lugandan. After the service the screen announced that the next service started in 2:30 minutes. By then the power was back and so we stayed for the worship portion of the service. It was awesome as it always is. I love that part of the service. They are so joyful. After that we went to a nice Italian Restaurant where I ordered a wonderful cheese pizza and just about ate the whole thing. As a final stop Haji dropped the bulk of us at a market for last minute shopping and then took Glenn and Jaimie to go buy a second guitar to leave behind. We had the chance to shop in the rain which is interesting since none of the market stands had power. So we literally couldn’t see anything without the flashlights from our cell phones. Seriously after you walked in you could not see any of their wares to purchase. But it was fun to see.

Finally we came back to the hotel and let the team pack and change into comfy clothes to fly home. Please keep them in prayer for safe travels. As for the rest of us we’d appreciate prayers as well. We are on our last two weeks. It will be a slower two weeks but we will still be trekking on.

Love all of you and wish my family could be with me to experience this with me.

ANOTHER DAY’S USEFUL ENERGY SPENT

This morning we slept in. Breakfast didn’t start until eight and I think we all used the extra 30 minutes wisely. At least I know I did. I think it was the first night I actually got a full eight hours of sleep! Our day started at the Women’s Ministry where Irene’s husband Patrick measured us all so he could make dresses, skirts or shirts for us all. We had gone into the market yesterday to buy fabric and are all so excited to see the final product. We bought Haji and Kyemba (Chimba) who is a close friend of Josh’s, fabric so that Patrick can make them each a suit. I really was kind of hoping that Haji would pick out a pink floral print but he disappointed me and picked out something manly instead. After that the men went on the Bulubandi to finish up the desks and the other carpentry they had to do and us women stayed to make beads. I have to say they have it down pat. As for me, not so much. It is a simple process but it does take dexterity. It took my full concentration. The woman next to me was rolling a bead, nursing her baby and taking care of her three year old. It took all my concentration just to roll. They said they make about 200 a day. After day one, my fingers would be rebelling big time. So within the hour, everyone hitched a ride back to the school except Paige, Emily and me. We stayed behind and worked with the women awhile longer. Emily was determined to make more beads than Jen who was rocking! Paige had brought some different beads from the US and was showing them a new style of necklace to make. We had a really good time sitting under the mango tree making jewelry. We then walked back to the school with a gaggle of kids both holding our hands and trailing behind!

Bridget, a teacher at the school, (the one who yesterday told me she is looking for an American husband) set the photography team up in a beautiful spot with the added benefit of being shady. I have absolutely loved not being responsible for that aspect of this trip. It has allowed me to look at things through my heart instead of through the lens of a camera. They took pictures of all the classes except the nursery students so we now have only one class from each school to take after the team leaves. Meanwhile, both Judy’s were working on the Ambassador program, interviewing the kids and making new friends. Paige and Jaimie were busy helping in all areas and loving on the kids. When lunch time came around a little boy that Jen has come to love had no cup for the posha. Without a cup there would be NO lunch. So we went up to the little store and bought him a cup… $600 shillings, less than $.50 and a child got to eat. He was so thankful. One little girl, Gloria drew Jen a picture yesterday. Today she drew me one. As she handed it to me I asked her if she had a Bible. She answered no, so I asked if she would like one. I then pulled one out and gave it to her. She just smiled from ear to ear. This team has amazed me from day one. Their hearts are so good. We have had a plan, but it has changed by the minute and everyone has just gone with the flow. We have tried to see that everyone’s heart has been given the chance to do what they wanted to do. So today after lunch we distributed the goats and chickens to the kids who sponsors had provided the funds to do so. In Top Hills this was done as a ceremony. The goats and chickens were presented to the kids in front of everyone. Though we were thrilled for the kids who received them we were all uncomfortable for those who got nothing. So today we took the kids getting the livestock far away from the others and distributed them quietly. It was SO much better. We still experienced their joy but did not see the sadness on the faces of the others. Another lesson learned and implemented with great results. I do have to say, I am so glad I am not a chicken in this culture!!

Once the livestock was distributed we went back out to Kokombo. This was not in the plans but it was in everyone’s heart to go back. John had to build some shelves out there and everyone else just wanted to revisit with the community. John has done an amazing job. He is so talented and of course his “workforce” has followed his lead in perfection. So all the projects he had on his list are completed. And I am here to tell you they all turned out beautifully. It was such a nice picture to see our team and the men here working together as a unit to build. Even sweeter was all the kids peeking in to see the progress and just watch in awe as the pieces of the puzzle fit together to form a desk. While at Kokombo Glenn got to wander into the countryside and see where his guitar student Richard lived and Josh got to do the same with his new sponsored child. Richard had never touched a guitar before earlier this week. Glenn has been working with him this week and today he serenaded us with his new found talent. Amazing what one can learn in a week! For the last hour Glenn just played and sang. The kids and us just sat on the ground and listened and joined in song. I think it was the first time I sat down all trip. One of the women at Kokombo (Jackie) has a little girl named Favor. She is just under two and the sweetest little girl ever (except of course for my own)… She was running around like crazy with this huge grin on her face. Then she ran toward me with her arms outstretched. I picked her up leaned her head against my chest and she was out like a light. So I sat in the grass and rocked her while Glenn played and sang. There is something about these Ugandan babies that I just fall in love with. If I could pack her in my suitcase I would bring her home for all of you to meet!

 

So tomorrow we are going to a prison to start a prison ministry. Don’t have a clue what that will involve but Boss Sleepy Stephen has asked us to go and we have all agreed. We are putting together some things he thinks the prison needs (sharp knives, scissors, etc) that we will take with us. Ok, we are really taking soap, blankets, sugar, and other non-dangerous stuff. Can’t wait to see what this looks like as I’ve never done this kind of ministry anywhere. Then we are headed into town to do some shopping (the team still has some things to purchase for their sponsored children at Phils). After that we have all been invited to Kyemba’s house for lunch and everyone is so excited to go. Tonight we stopped by there, a surprise to everyone, and his wife had cut up some jack fruit for us to experience. He is such a good guy and though he is not tied to Tree of Life he has helped at every turn. He has been a huge help on the construction team and now he wants to provide US a meal. We have invited him to join us tomorrow night for dinner when all the Pastors come. Once lunch is over a few will return to Top Hills as John and Paige want to talk with the kids they have decided to sponsor and the rest will go to say goodbye to their kids at Phils. The evening will wrap up with our dinner here with the whole gang. I can’t believe the time is so rapidly coming to a close. Personally, I wish the entire team were staying for the full time. I’m sure the four of us will be running like crazy the last two weeks but we are going to miss our peeps a whole, whole, bunch.

I am now signing off and going to bed! Another day is over and the Lord has been so good to us. He has led us places and to people we never expected and HE said, “It is good!”

9/11/01 History Lesson

Another amazing day. We did get to sleep a little later not meeting til 8:15 and I think it is fair to say we all needed the extra few minutes. Then we hopped on the bus and went directly to Bulubandi. The men immediately stole the only shaded area to set up their construction site. So off the photography team went to stand in the sun with their first class. After one class we were all dead as were the kids. The past two days have rained and today the sun was out in full force. We were hot!! I will continue to say the group has it down to a fine art. But one class of 55 and we were ready to move on to something else. So Haji drove us down to the Women’s Ministry which was not very far down the road. The Women in this group support themselves by making crafts; necklaces, bracelets, mats, hats out of straw and other really pretty items. We sat with them under a mango tree and shared who we were. I am personally so thankful for birth control. Most of these women were mother’s to seven or more children. When Liz introduced herself as being both without husband or kids they all offered her one of theirs! I then told them that I had two kids but no grandchildren. I did mention that both my kids had given me grand dogs and they found that hysterical!! We then looked through the items they were selling. I then had three of the kids who were with us pick out bracelets they liked and bought them for them. They were so excited! I was too! Then a trail of Mzungus (what they call white people here in Uganda) walked single file back to Bulubande.

 As we arrived back Bashir (the cook) told us lunch was ready. Again they laid out a beautiful spread of Matoke, Rice, potatoes, papaya, pineapple and a ton of different vegetables. Oh wait, there was also a ton of beans! We all sat together and ate and then went back to work. Emily, a 12 year old on our team was invited to join one of the classes by a new friend so she and I went to a P5 (fifth grade) for some learning! Shortly after coming I was pulled away to help with pictures. It does take four. One to call their names (that was me) and even with my little helper Benjamin the kids all laughed at my pronunciation. The second person straightens their collars, Jen takes the pictures and Liz then records the picture numbers that correspond to the student. As that group continued to take the class picture I got asked to go back into the P5 classroom and teach about the United States. So I talked about the fact that the US had 50 states just like Africa has many countries. They asked questions about climate, whether or not we grew cotton, what we ate, and then came the zinger. I was not at all prepared for this question, especially out of the mouth of someone so young. The question was “tell us about your Pentagon.” I was stunned, and my next thought was I should have paid more attention in school. The teacher (who by the way speaks better English than I do and is looking for a good Christian American husband if you know of any) said what he means is “what can you tell us about 9/11”. I was taken aback… I started by telling them it was my birthday and because of that I remember the day very well. I remember exactly where I was when I heard and I went on to tell how as an American I felt about what happened. You could have heard a pin drop. First, this happened when they were just infants. Secondly, it happened in another country. And yet they were aware. I loved sharing with this class. It was so great to see the look in their eyes and how interested they were. Now having said that, Emily and I were there together. Emily drew the map of the US and she rocked. Every time someone asked a question she added it to the map. We tag teamed right through the lesson. 

While all this was going on Josh acquired a new child to sponsor. He and his father came to the school together today to get him registered. This was a really sweet moment. The young boy was so excited and his father was so grateful. Once again, a Mzungu had made a promise and kept his word. I continue to be in awe of the joy these kids demonstrate. Emily has connected so well with the kids. I have loved watching her interact with the children.

So tonight at dinner I was talking about what it felt like to hand out the chickens yesterday at Top Hills. I was telling the team that I can’t remember ever touching a chicken before, except taking it out of the package from HEB. I was surprised how soft they were. For some reason they reminded me of John Denver’s song, “Grandma’s Feather Bed”. With that Glenn starts singing that song. And I’m thinking half the team had never heard of it. But it cracked me up! Love his heart. Actually I love everyone’s heart.

So here is what I’ve learned. This team is a special group. I am so thankful that John and Paige are on our team. Paige keeps telling us she is not good at relationships. And then she blows us away at the way she is building them. She has the most amazing spirit. I can’t begin to tell you how blessed I am to have her in my life. John is just the same. Building the desks today I watched his ability to teach and then sit back and let the Ugandans do it. They accomplished the project. But to watch it all come together with us and them becoming one was just great to watch. I love this country and it’s people. They are so gentle and so kind. It’s still hard to believe that the team only has a few more days together. I am trying very hard to get them to stay the whole time. I really think if they didn’t have responsibilities at home they would all stay in a heartbeat. This country just does that to you. It sucks you in with all its beauty. 

Left Bulubandi and stopped in the market so team members could buy shoes for their sponsored children at Phils and to buy fabric so Patrick can make them something. The team urged Haji off the bus and had him pick out some fabric of his own. We are going to have Patrick make him a suit. He was thrilled. We are so excited to give to this man just a little something to express our thanks for all he does for us. What a character. Gotta love him and we all do.

I have had a chance this year to get to know the Pastors and that has been awesome. I love Haji and his sense of humor fits right in with the team. I saw him tonight for the first time without a hat – he has no hair. He has threatened to cut off Jaimies and add it to his head. So tomorrow we head back to Bulubandi to finish our work there. Wish all of you could be here with us. You would love every minute of what this country and these kids have to offer.

To my family I miss you bunches. As I’ve said for years, I love you all the way to God’s house and back times infinity plus one.

Here are a few more cute kid pics:

Gotta Catch Up on Posting

PICTURES, GOATS AND GAGGLES

Don’t know what happened last night. I did blog and sent it to Steve but apparently it did not make it to the other side of the world. Tonight’s addition will be short as we are all exhausted and yes, I can vouch for that! We went back to Top Hills today and I am excited to report that our fabulous carpentry crew completed all six desks. The desks look great and should last forever. John and Josh did a great job teaching the Ugandans how to do it, and the Ugandans did a great job in execution. Those desks are never coming apart. It was a well-oiled machine by the end of the day. So much fun to watch all the different people working together to accomplish a goal.



Meanwhile on the other side of the yard, Jen, Liz, Vicki and Emily put a huge dent in the photographing of all the classrooms. It was such fun watching them organizing the class pictures. The background for the pictures was the greenery behind them and these four it was easy to get the kids to smile. This too ran very smoothly and I have to give full compliments to the photographers!

The third group of us did the Ambassador program. We interviewed 14 kids for future sponsorship. This team included Judy B, Judy H, Paige, Jaimie (until she deserted us to go let Haji tutor her on Suduko) and me. We started with the usual first questions; name, age, date of birth (which most of them had no idea), etc. and then Jaimie asked for their favorite Bible verse. The first child mentioned a story and there happened to be a children’s Bible on the table (I had bought it to give to Rashidah, my sponsored child). She opened the Bible and asked the child to read it. Judy H came to life. The educator in her woke up and it started. After reading Jaimie asked if she had a Bible and when the answer was no, she asked if she would like one. This answer was an overwhelming yes. And so that became a part of the interview. I loved the way God is using this group. So as each child came up we asked them to read for us from the Bible. Not one had a personal Bible. And yes, each child said they would like to have one. So based on their reading level, we are buying them each one tomorrow. Pretty cool!

The Ambassador group finished earlier (I think we rocked!) and so we then went into the village with the Mercy bags, but not until we had distributed all the goats and chickens. Of course we had our gaggle of children with us; every hand was holding at least one child. As the day was wearing down and we were beginning to distribute the goats and chickens; I did mention (although quietly) that if we let the goats eat the chickens we could save a little bit of time. You’ll be glad to know this plan did NOT go into affect.

My little girls Rashidah is the cutest kid at the school. I know some of you may have a different opinion, but I just want you to know that you are wrong! The first day she was shy. Now she won’t let go of my hand. And her father is so grateful that we all come and help. He is such a humble man. And Pastor Baidu (Stephen) is the best. He has decided he is the Boss and I am the Goss. Tonight he fell asleep on the bus coming home so he is now Boss Sleepy Stevie. Such a wonderful heart. I just love him.

Meet Rashidah:



As you continue to read this, here is the blog that was supposed to get posted last night. Love you all. Thanks for thoughts.

DOWNPOUR IN UGANDA –BOTH FROM THE SKY AND FROM MY EYES!

Today (Monday) we started again at 7:30. For those of you who know me you know mornings are not my favorite time of day. However here in Uganda somehow it just happens. There is a team here from Australia and today one of the women was really missing her peanut butter. Well I happened to pack 8 small packages of peanut butter and I have no idea why. So I went back to my room and hand delivered my peanut butter to this young lady. She was so excited. Oyfho8tfguiopjo4r5ty6789lgvjnkkii (that was from Liz as usual causing nothing but trouble). She is trying to tell me she is not trouble but obviously from the prior sentence that is not true! We had a wonderful morning. We started our day in town so our team could buy the few items we needed to proceed with our journey. Then we stopped at Bulubandi so we could pick up the tools to make the desks and the Bibles we had bought for the mercy bags that we distribute. Once we arrived at Top Hills the lumber for the desks was in the process of being unloaded from the truck. Our timing couldn’t have been better. So the men went in one direction and the women headed off to take pictures of the different classes. We started with the nursery level. We took their very first (not only because it was truly their very fist class picture, but also because it was the very first time any class has ever had a class picture taken. I cannot begin to tell you how well behaved these little kids were. As we walked into the class they all stood up and recited something welcoming us into their class. Then they walked out quietly in two very straight lines and stood silently until we told them where to stand. Jen took the picture, Liz recorded the number on a sheet of paper and then we proceeded to individual pictueres. The kids were just so good! And Jen did such a good job! There was only one problem. Right after the class picture was taken the skies opened up. And it poured! And poured! And poured! Fortunately we made it to the classroom and ate while it rained. The interesting thing is that classes had to be put on hold because no one could hear a thing! The kids just sat in their seats and as soon as the rain stopped the teacher continued teaching!

After the rains stopped we started again. Jen photographed, Liz recorded and Vicki straightened all the collars. We looked like Lifetouch. They have absolutely nothing on us – except maybe professionalism and talent! Actually we did a great job. Tomorrow we will try to take the rest of the classes which include the individual Nursery pictures and P3 through P7. Meanwhile the men, led by John, cut all the wood and finished their first desk. May not sound like much but now that the model is completed the rest will just be a piece of cake. And they look great! The guys were so much fun to watch. What a team. And whoever it was from Bulubandi who was doing the sawing…I wish I had half his strength and endurance. He made it look like he was sawing a toothpick, instead of a 4” piece of wood! As expected they had a whole group of young boys standing nearby just watching. It was so neat to watch all the men working together. Later in the day Glenn pulled away and pulled out his guitar. This is a lot like a chick magnet –though in his case it attracts just about everybody.

Yesterday Irene had asked Paige if she would come see her home and so tonight on our way back from Bulubandi we did just that. She has a beautiful little home. She started singing and so we all joined in. Then we prayed over her home and then sang again. As we got ready to leave she told Paige that she was so happy that she honored her promise to visit. Wow. Sure am glad we did that!!! Then we dropped a few members of the team at Phil’s kid’s house so they could spend more time with their kids. The rest of us came back to the Mum for the evening. When it was time to go back to pick them up Judy Howitt and I drove back with Haji. I loved spending that time with him. He is such a great man and his sense of humor is wonderful. He has the team laughing all the time. This year for me has been so good because I have had time to sit and really get to know the Pastors. I love their commitment. Stephen Baidu cracks me up. He has me in stitches more often than not. And I love the heart that Wilson has. So in a nutshell that was our day. It was rich in love and I couldn’t be any prouder to be associated with a finer group of people. To my family I miss you terribly. To my WANA friends have fun this week. Love all of you.

Sunday in Kokombo

Hi everyone. Today was another amazing day. We went to church out in Kokombo and Pastor Wilson started by telling us the service would end by 1 pm. We started at 10 and to my amazement we actually finished before then. For those of you who have worshipped in Uganda the singing goes on forever. It is such sweet music. Glenn was able to share his worship as well. His music continues to bring joy to so many and today was no exception. The kids just poured into the church all sitting on the ground one right smack next to the other.

As we got there I saw a young girl holding a baby. I immediately asked if I could hold her and she handed me this bundle of joy - one and a half weeks! I could feel her little breaths. It was such a great moment. I kept her close until I began to feel a little wetness seep through and then I handed her off to Liz. At one point Liz, Jaimie and Emily were all sitting on the ledge of the church all holding babies. It was beautiful. These kids who have so little have so much love. They just grab onto your hands and do NOT want to let go. They go where you go. You start with one and before you know it you have a whole chain of kids. 

After church we were served a wonderful lunch. One little boy, probably three, followed us in. I asked if we could feed him and of course were told yes, I fixed him a plate filled to the brim and he just sat there and ate and ate and ate. By the end of lunch his little belly was full! It was such fun watching him eat. He ate every single bite on his plate. I think if I had filled it up again he would have eaten that as well. After lunch we went on the Lee Bowers tour up the mountain. I kept using the photography excuse to stop. Such pretty scenery deserves to be captured. Besides I was so far behind the team that they couldn't hear me gasping for air. But alas I made it. And it was worth it. At the top I asked one of the gaggle of kids who followed us up to take a picture of the team. My goodness, she did an awesome job! On the way down we stopped and met a Muslim man who we shared with. We gave him a t-shirt and I asked if I could take his picture. Next thing we see is this old woman running up and she starts dancing. We gave her an empty cloth bag and she dropped to her knees and kissed Judy's feet. The man then told us that the land in that area belonged to his family and if we ever wanted to build he would give us the land to do so because he wanted us to be his neighbors. Think about that. We gave him a t-shirt and he offered us his land! I was just blown away. At that point Jaimie suggested that we come back up the mountain and give them both a mercy bag. So as we approached the church, Jaimie, Glenn, Josh and Liz proceeded back up the mountain. Much to their surprise the man was no longer there but a young lady was willing to lead them to him. And so they followed past one village and then past another. Just as they were about to give up and turn around they found him. He was so thankful. For those of you who know Jaimie this will not surprise you. This was suppose to be a quick trip up the mountain so we kept the kids from Kokombo with us. However as they started walking up the hill kids started randomly following. Jaimie stated "Jaimie, Jaimie, Jaimie", followed by "Josh is Weird, Josh is Weird, Josh is Weird". Meanwhile Josh is suggesting "Jesus loves me" but Jaimie is Jaimie so you get what you get. Then every so often unexpectedly she would turn around and go "boo" and all the kids would scream. Wish I'd been there. She is wonderful with kids and has her own weird way of connecting!!!

Meanwhile back at Kokombo we decided this would be a good time to hand out the t-shirts we had taken and some of the hats that some of the women from Riverside had made. Now here is the shocking part...not really! We had exactly the number of t-shirts, hats and scarfs for everyone there to get one. No one went home empty handed! How cool is that. We then took a picture of all of the kids and there was one little boy completely naked except for the hat on his head and his little green shoes. Oh, so cute! (he did have a t-shirt too, just opted not to wear it! 

The day was awesome! We didn't deliver the Mercy bags to Kokombo. We were too busy doing what we felt we were being called to do. But it was a great day. Seems each day gets a little better than the day before and I'm not quite sure how that is possible. The team is great. Such wonderful hearts for the kids. They get it. They get that the reason for the trip is to share and to love. And they are all passing with 100%. Wish they were all staying for the month!!!

Its getting late and I am very tired. Thanks to all of you for your prayers and support. I miss you all but wouldn't trade this experience with these people for anything.

 

Love you.  Sue

 

 

Here are some pictures:

 

Our group at the top of the hill of the Lee Bowers tour:

 

 

Here's a picture of Jackie and me. She is the lady that UTOL team one helped. She was dancing in the church this morning and is so beautiful inside and out:

 

 

Another Amazing Day

Today was another amazing day. We started early with breakfast and then headed out to Bulubandi, another school sponsored by UTOL. Since it is Saturday the only kids that were there were the ones who board but we were very happy to see them. I am so impressed by the improvements made to the school. It was like seeing a completely different location. I spent much of the day talking with the pastors. After the business part was over we just sat and talked for over an hour. We talked about a lot of things - just enjoyed sharing with them. They are an awesome group of men. We talked about helping those in need as we give out mercy bags and they said they could lead us to children who are on the brink of death, that with our assistance could survive. I was so excited, Not for their sickness but for the chance to restore them to health. Every night it seems someone has something on their heart that they feel we are called to do.

We left Bulubandi around 11:15 and headed to Phil's house. We started at Phil's and walked the path to the kid's house. I love that walk. Along the way I found Adrian, the little boy I sponsor. He was so shy. He held my hand but didn't say a word. He did however tap me on the shoulder and point toward the edge whenever we were about to get hit by a car. Such a sweet little boy. By the time we got to the house he wouldn't let go of my hand. His smile had come back and with every picture I took he wanted to see what they looked like. Later in the day we called the Rules (a SA couple who are in the process of adopting him) and he had a chance to talk to his mom and dad. Sweet sweet moment! I also had the pleasure of seeing Scovia (the woman who raised Phiona before she was adopted) talk to Phiona in Huntsville. She was so excited to be able to do so and was thrilled to know that her "baby" was happy and doing well. Overall, it was a great day. The kids were able to feast on a huge meal and we were blessed to spend the time with them. One young lady who I've known for the past four years gave me the biggest hug and told me she loved me. She then told me she loved that I kept my promises to her. She told me I was her mentor and I gave her hope. Wow! I was blown away. She is such a wonderful young lady. This is why I keep coming back. These kids all deserve to know they are special and loved. And they are so easy to love.

Glenn stole the show again with his guitar playing. He just engages the kids so easily and they are hooked. At 5:20 I told the team we were leaving at 6:00. He told me later that he then grabbed his guitar and started playing, knowing he would NOT be ready to leave at six, but he knew he was to be singing. I just love this open defiance, especially when we are following our heart. The team's heart is just huge! Gotta love that!

I'm finding for myself that I'm not as amazed, in awe of, or even noticing the things around me as much. Uganda is just Uganda. I don't notice it being different. It is just normal for me now and I love that about where I am in this journey. I can see beyond the exterior and see what really matters... which is really the same wherever we happen to be. We want our children to be safe, and fed, and healthy. We want them to know God and to trust in Him. Everything else is gravy! So to sum up this trip so far. It has been wonderful. There just aren't enough hours in the day. If your joy bucket is running low come here. Joy is overflowing.

As for my family and friends I love you and miss you very much.

Sue

Today really counts as day 1!

Today really counts as day 1! I have to say of all the trips I have been on I think today was the best! We spent the morning getting errands run (not a lot of fun, but necessary) and then headed out to Top Hills (a school UTOL sponsors). We had nothing on the agenda but to build relationships. No projects, no time frames, no nada. I wanted everyone to get their feet wet and to sink into the culture at their own pace. First, I had told the team to prepare for the airline to spray the plane when we landed in Kigali and that didn't happen. Then I told them to be prepared for the kids to be lined up to meet the bus. Well, that didn't happen either. We drove right into Top Hills and the front lawn area was empty. Not a soul. But then it happened. The kids came around the corner in mass. It was awesome and so the greetings began. From a personal standpoint I got to see Rashidah and my day was made. She hasn't grown hardly at all since last year, and she is much shyer. I took her hand and took her onto the bus and showed her all the pictures I had of her from last year that I keep on my phone. Little by little the smile came back. Then the shrug. Then before my eyes she was back. Grinning from ear to ear. Meanwhile Glenn had pulled out the guitar and he disappeared beneath a gaggle of kids. You could barely see his eyes above the crowd. He was amazing. If he has a single callous left on his fingers I will be surprised. He played and played and played to the point that he was reduced to playing "Old McDonald Had A Farm". I bet you didn't know there were so many animals on this planet! He had their full attention. In fact, many of them (and I mean many) sat and listened right through lunch. We finally had to leave and eat just so the kids would do the same. Emily was immediately attached to a group of girls. I think she was really happy to have some kids to play with. She was certainly in her element. Paige's heart is definitely for the kids as is most everyone’s. Today was just so neat watching everyone fall into their niche.

 

After a really good meal of rice, beans, vegetables, chapati, and chicken (which Jaimie had not yet made friends with), we broke into teams of three and went into the surrounding area to meet the people and give mercy bags. We filled the mercy bags at the school and had a group of girls help us. As we walked off the school property each group had many kids holding our hands and going with us. It was a really sweet moment. My team consisted of Jen, Emily, Pastor Wilson and myself. What an experience we had. In the last house there was a mother with a two and a half week old baby. As we were finishing up (five of people today accepted Christ) the mother handed this baby to Jen. I thought we would never get out of there. Actually, I could see Jen trying to figure out to sneak the baby out without the mother noticing. I do give Jen Kudos. She did leave the baby and we made the trek back to the school promising all the new believers we would bring them a Bible on Monday when we return to the area. One of the ladies told us that she use to have a Bible but then she married a Muslim who refused to let her have one. He recently died and she is now really excited to be getting a new one!

 

Then we returned home and Phil, Susan and her two kids, Scovia, Kenneth, Ken and Kevin (both from Huntsville) came and joined us for dinner. Phil talked about his ministry. Tomorrow we head out to Bulubandi in the morning and then we plan to spend the rest of the day at Phil’s. The Riverside folks are all excited to see the children they sponsor.

 

On the plane ride here from Amsterdam we ran into a medical mission team that works outside of Kampala and then in a village close to Iganga. The leader was a wonderful woman who I spent quite a bit of time talking to. Her team is actually staying at the Mum next week so I am hoping we get to talk some more and share information about what they do. It continues to amaze me how many people come to this country and fall in love with it.

 

Thank you all for your continued prayer. The team is tired but continues to go strong. 

 

Love you. Sue

We are finally at our destination....

Hi everyone... Yes, we are finally in Iganga. Seems like every year it takes longer and longer to get here. I do want to give a thumbs up to Delta. They were excellent from the start. They were so good to us all. Well except for one tiny detail. After arriving in Entebbe all our luggage arrived...except one of Liz's bags. Sadly, it was the one with ALL her clothes. It stayed in Kigali, which I'm not sure is any better than if it had remained in the States. So we went to baggage claim who told us there were "many" flights from there to here and it would be hand delivered to our hotel. Well as of tonight it still remains in Kigali! We did go into town today to buy her some undergarments (a highly non-spoken about item in this country). One of our Pastors took us and though I had told him what we needed he misunderstood and thought she needed a skirt. So his only question as we stopped at the first "shop" was if she wanted long or short! Needless, to say, this brought a few chuckles to our faces. When he finally understood what we were looking for he turned a few shades of red. I think we know each other better today than before!

We arrived here safely and have to say we are all exhausted but eager to go to one of our schools at Top Hills tomorrow to see the kids. It was so good for me to see Haji this morning and then be greeted by the Pastors this afternoon. I felt like I was seeing old friends.

I promise to blog more tomorrow but after a little more than five hours sleep since Tuesday I am too tired to think. Love you all. Sue