A MILLION SMALL PIECES ALL COME TOGETHER…

A MILLION SMALL PIECES ALL COME TOGETHER…

Today is our last day in Iganga. I can’t believe this trip is about to end. It is so hard to believe we have been here four weeks. I really could stay here another few weeks and probably still not complete all that I want to do. We did so much and had a chance to meet so many great people and learn SO much about this country. I really do feel for the first time like I am coming home with so much insight about so many different aspects of Uganda. The learning curve this time has been amazing and I feel like I am returning with some great ideas about how to serve even better than we have in the past. I have learned that it is about what is best for the people here; not about what is best for the people coming to serve! I may be slow but I have finally figured it out and what a difference it is making in decisions we’ve made and how we have implemented the things we are doing. I came with one set of beliefs and am coming home with another. And I truly believe that I am coming home a much better person for all that I have seen and learned.

I started the day at Musana and spent several hours talking to Andrea, Haril and her mother, Pat about a myriad of issues I had questions about. They were so willing to share their views and answer my questions. I felt like I was sitting among long time friends and talking about something we are all passionate about. I really value what they had to say as they are living here full time and have personally faced many of the issues I was asking about. I appreciated their insight as Mzungus working in Uganda and I valued Haril’s take on Ugandan culture. He was able to let me know if my thoughts were correct or if I was looking at them with an American slant. All in all it was a great meeting and I was really sorry to have to say goodbye to them. Next time I go to Colorado to see my friend, Colleen, we are going to have to take a side trip and visit Pat. If she and I lived closer together I think we could get into a lot of trouble together!!!

I left there and went to Bulubande where the rest of the team was painting Bible verses on the newly painted walls of the girl’s dorms. They had done a wonderful job. The paint odor was awfully strong – after a few whiffs I thought I was going to be a little tipsy for the rest of the day. Liz then painted, “As for me and my house we will serve the Lord” in big letters on the archway in the entryway to the dorm room. I cannot tell you how awesome it looks. Everyone did a great job and I can’t believe that Liz did it free hand.

 

 

As for me, I stood on a wobbly chair to do my piece. Fortunately Jaimie was kind enough to hold the chair so I wouldn’t fall to the ground. It was so nice to hear the girls come in and start reading what was written. The boys dorms had not been painted yet or we would have taken our talents into their rooms as well. I have to say with the newly painted walls (the bottom half is dark brown, the top white) and green verses the rooms look really nice. What a difference a coat of paint makes. The rooms are so much brighter and cheerier. And of course there is nothing better after a hard days work than lunch. So once again we were treated to rice, beans, and the best pineapple ever. All was going well until Liz found a bug in her rice. After that it was not quite as appetizing but we did manage to eat quite a bit. It was when she flicked it onto the floor and it almost fell into my coke that I lost a few more years of life!

I then went outside and found a few young kids that for some reason had not yet returned to class. I asked Waisuwa to help me organize them into a small circle with their feet pointed up and got some of the cutest pictures. They were all excited to participate and I was only too happy to take several.

 

 

The little girl I mentioned yesterday found me again today and ran up and grabbed my hand. Yesterday I taught her to “gig em”. Well today I taught her to puff her cheeks out and blow out air. So she and I did this for a good long while. Then she held up her hands and wanted to be held. She must have seen the sucker written across my forehead because I was only too happy to comply. She and I walked hand in hand all day. She is just so stinking cute. When it came time to leave I took her back to her mother and she wanted no part of that. If I could I would sneak her home in my suitcase. She just touched my heart and once again I fell in love.

We then came back to the Mum and we proceeded to try to get everything into our suitcases. This is always such a challenge. I am excited to be coming home and seeing my husband, and being able to see and talk to my family and friends but I am going to miss this country tremendously. I will leave a part of my heart here. We have done some good things and today I really saw and felt God pulling all the pieces together for us. We were able to wrap up a lot of things that until today were really at loose ends. God was really gracious in showing us to depend on him and to trust him in all things. Last night I went to bed in a state of panic as to how things were going to come together. I had a list a mile long. And today one by one they all fell into place. I have such a peace about how we are leaving everything. Our God is so good.

The Final 4

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.

On The Road Home

So many pictures…so many wonderful memories…so many new friends. Today we made our long trek back to Kampala with several stops along the way. First, We were off to Musana, a school that is doing some amazing things. They have plans to be self-sustaining by next year through many business ventures they have started including a small sewing factory, a restaurant in the nearby town, and soon to add selling bottled water from their purifier system - very impressive. They have a huge chicken house, stocked pond, and large vegetable gardens to feed the almost 300 children they serve. Wow! The director has made me pinky swear that I will come back and sing with the children on my next visit. Then, lunch in Jinja, which after almost 2 weeks of a steady diet of beans, rice, and matoke (plantains) was a welcomed treat. Followed by a very long bus ride back to Kampala. Tomorrow morning we will worship at a local church here before heading to the airport. I've included just a few of the many pictures from the trip. Thank you all for your many prayers, blessings and encouragements. They have been sustaining for us as the long days of ministry have exhausted us. Yet, as tired as we are I don't think we'll be sleeping much on our 30 hours of flight time as our minds are busy with thoughts of what to tackle first when we get home. I have appreciated your heartfelt comments and have passed along your expressions of love to those we have served. Be encouraged in knowing that though this is a very impoverished area there is abundant food here with even the poorest families having some land that they are growing beans, bananas, coffee and many other things. And, there are water wells easily accessible for most families in the areas we visited. The church IS making a difference here. This area is roughly half Christian and half Muslim. Our driver Haji is a delightful man and a practicing Muslim, yet he participates fully with our devotions and prayers, and I believe he is seeing Jesus all around him. Please continue to join me in praying for the people of Uganda. The workers are few but the harvest is so great. Looking forward to seeing my family and many of you back in the states very soon.

Iganga day 10

 1 Corinthians 12:12 says " Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all it's many parts
 Form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one spirit."

 Today we visited the ministry house on the way to the Bulabondi school. We were all measured
 By Patrick, (Girls and Josh for skirts and Glen and I for a shirt.) just kidding Josh! Jamie told me to say that! Patrick doubles as a tailor and we wanted to bless his business.

 We learned how to roll the signature paper beads used in their headbands and purses. Paige shared her jewelry making skills and showed them how to make beaded necklaces.

 After that we were off to the school. As we pulled in to our usual spot under the shade tree we found Glenn's student Richard proudly teaching several other men interested in the art of guitar strumming. Funny thing is he only learned the chords the day before and must have stayed up all night studying. Later on we heard him strumming chords right along with Glenn. Really made my heart warm. Glenn is so awesome with the kids. It is a joy being around the packed house whenever he breaks out the guitar. Smiles abound!

 
 Josh and I along with Chimba, pastor Stephen and some other men from the school finished the Teacher desk and stool project. Also used some of the accumulated parts and pieces of used desks to make some shelves for the clinic and nurses quarters at Kokombo. Loaded them up and headed for Kokombo! Team, pastors, chickens and all! Yes I said chickens! You have always heard about that person who rides a bus in a foreign country and a person gets on with their chicken in hand and sit right next to you. This time it was actually us with the chickens!

 We had a great ride home but were diverted to Chimba's house for a snack stop! He had his wife prepare us a couple of bowls of Jack Fruit. According to Josh it is the new super food! Very tasty, a cross between pineapple and papaya only a more rubbery texture.

 It was a pleasure watching the team spread their love around today. This is a special group with many different talents. It is really fun to see how God is knitting us together!

 Until we see you all again!
 Via con Dios!
-John Rodriguez

To Market, To Market

We had spent the last two days building desks, taking pictures, interviewing, giving out goats and chickens to families, and spreading good news with our mercy bag visits at Top Hills School; so we should be pros at all of the above to do it again at Bulubandi School. 

The men got right to work on the desks, while the women visited our friend, Irene, (who heads up the Womens' Ministry at Tree of Life) and her very talented troupe of bead-makers, basket weavers, and purse-crafters.  These ladies meet with Irene every week and learn how to sew, study the Bible, minister to the community, and create lovely items to sell.  We couldn't resist buying a few things to bring back home.  (Our first market experience).

We decided to walk back to the school (about ½ mile or so) and thought we would walk facing the traffic like we do at home, which is on the right side.  That would be fine, if the road was smooth and we could walk without watching our every step.  Eyes on the ground mean no eyes on the traffic, so Liz had to pull me off to the side every once in a while when a truck came by.  There is no sidewalk, and there is no mercy by the drivers.  Thank you Liz!

We played a little bit of Keystone Kops trying to get organized enough to start on the pictures (who has the lists of the kids?, where are the forms for the unsponsored kids?, where are we going to shoot the pictures? where are we going to interview the sponsorship kids?), but we did get rolling on both and ended up with a very productive day. 

After lunch, Sue went into the P5 classroom and talk to the kids there.  She opened it up for questions to her and after the usual "What is the weather like in the US?, "What do you eat in the US," she got the question, "Tell us about the Pentagon." The teacher explained that they are really asking about 9/11.  We were blown away by the level of knowledge and interest a fifth grader had about a bombing that took place when he was an infant (or maybe not even born – grades and ages are not quite the same as in the US) in another part of the world.

I  (Judy H) got to get into my element today reading to a group of kids.  I like to get pretty dramatic when I read, and I was reading a story about Franklin the turtle getting reprimanded by his mother because he went into the woods by himself, when he was clearly told not to.  I was just reading "I TOLD YOU NEVER TO GO INTO THE WOODS BY YOURSELF!" when Sue approached me and thought I was talking to the four sweet, precious kids next to me.  She thought I had lost it and needed to be sent to the bus for good. 

We had our second market experience today when we left Bulubandi.  Irene's husband is a tailor and has offered to make us all skirts if we get the material, so we all went into town to shop for material.  Stall after stall, alley after alley of anything you can imagine.  We looked at shoes (some wanted to get shoes for their sponsored kids) and discovered they are all black.  There are about five different styles for men and two for women and all black.  "Would you like black, …or maybe you would like black?"

After the market, some of us went to the Hope Africa house and spent time with our kids again.  I was able to see the dormitory where my child lives and talk to her and my two new friends, Samuel and Joseph.  It's always fun to talk to those joyful little people!

So ends another day of fun halfway across the world!

Love to all!

Judy Howitt

A sparkly day

"we have different gifts according to the grace given to each of us" Romans 12:6

Jambo!!!  Today was a great day at Top Hills!  Day started out very upbeat as we made our way through Iganga picking up local Pastors and dodging newly made pot holes along the way. Our first chicken casualty causing screams from the front seat left many to ask the age old question "Why did the chicken cross the road?
   Arrived at Top Hills after dodging motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians, Huge sugarcane packed  trucks and speeding  cars. We set up to complete photographing all grades for yearbook project. Jen, Liz, Vicki, and Emily did a great job with all of the children.  Jen is thinking about buying out Lifetouch Photography and starting a new career!  ( not really)...  great job ladies!!!
  Men worked all day outdoors in an ex-classroom/stable to complete 6 new teacher's desks and stools. John, Josh, Pastor Steven, Chimba, along with 4 local helpers worked hard taking short breaks to  play futbol and "scare the kids" !  It has become a welcome sound to hear Josh let out a freakishly loud roar as all the children flock around him to see what he is doing.  Then all of them run away screaming and laughing as loud as they can. No one like you Josh!
 Glen taught a teenager to play guitar.  They  literally worked all day learning chords, and songs. In the end, even one of the teachers, Moses, got to sneak over and take a quick lesson.  thanks so much for sharing your Gift of musical talent Glen.
   Another project we worked on was the Ambassadorship Program.  Judy, Sue, Judy, and me, (Paige) got the Privilege of interviewing the ones who are showing the most potential in school work, and also meet other criteria to become sponsored children which provides many benefits to the child and his or her family. Our hearts were so full as they told us all about their home life, their many siblings, many times living with relatives other than parents, and many of them walking up to 4 kilometers to and from school. These are the best and brightest with dreams of becoming doctors, pilots, engineers, and nurses.  Yay kids!!!!!!!! They sang to us and even showed their ability to read the bible - so precious to hear with their accents!   Those interested will receive a bible to keep as their own. I can't wait to chose a child, maybe two.
  Lastly, some sponsors in the U.S. gave money for Tree of Life to purchase goats and chickens for their sponsored child.  Emily and Judy really enjoyed representing the ones who couldn't be here in person to give their child these very treasured animals. It was a pleasure to give these gifts which will provide milk and eggs for their families.  They are greatly appreciated and Sue touched her first Chicken!!!


Well, tomorrow is coming way too soon so goodnight folks,  

Paige Rodriguez

Iganga day 7

I came to Uganda mostly to see an old friend Kyemba Isma. I did not come here expecting to see great things, as this was my third time in Uganda, or to be moved in some cosmic way. But this country does not let you just visit it. You become part of Uganda. As we climb back on our bus and travel to the Mum Hotel, which is the fanciest place I have ever stayed at in Uganda even though I have to flush my toilet with a bucket, I watch the countryside pass by and I think of what was happening all around me and I realize you can't help but see great things and you are always experiencing a once in a life time event with every stop. Vickie Marquez and I prayed over a child with a fever and watched the fever break and the child immediately cool and then start playing with the other children. I watched Glenn sing songs until he ran out of songs, Judy has placed about one million stickers on children and then came out the next day with a million more stickers and every time she put a sticker on a child they glow with gratitude and excitement. Today I built desks with John, Glenn, Jaimie and a group of Ugandan men, it was amazing. We were only able to get one fully finished but just watching Stephen, a Ugandan pastor, use a power tool for the first time was worth coming to Uganda all by itself, that and Jaimie being chased by a mother hen after she picked up one of its chicks. Neither the chick, hen or Jaimie were harmed during the altercation. I love watching Emily and Paige play with the children and how Haji, Liz, Jen, Sue and Judy keep us all on schedule and organized which may be the biggest miracle of the trip. I have so many amazing stories to tell but I need to get this blog to Liz so we can both go to bed. Good night and God bless.
-Josh