Hi everyone,
Thanks so much for your support and prayers back home throughout the time we have served here in Uganda.
On Sunday, we travelled to Jinja and visited Pastor David's church for worship. What a lively service it was, complete with celebration, dancing and singing from the platform, a terrific message delivered by Pastor Justus (a message on the theme of "Where are you?" based on Genesis 3), and a warm, warm welcome from the congregation. We were given an opportunity to introduce ourselves during the service, and when the service was over, we connected with a couple from Oregon who are in Jinja working on setting up a women's clinic there. Pastor David was thrilled to see the Forestview team - he looks very well and his glowing smile brightens up an entire room! As has been the pattern throughout our trip, Forestview is always fondly in the hearts of those who greet us and have made previous connections with teams that have visited! It is an honour to represent our Grimsby church as we bring greetings on behalf of our congregation back home.
After the service concluded, we enjoyed a lunch (many of us enjoying whole Tilapi fish and chips) at a beautiful hotel overlooking Lake Victoria. It even came complete with the spotting of what we believed was a crocodile entering the water by the shore, a monitor lizard, large bats roosting in a palm tree, and a variety of beautiful water birds. Quite a beautiful place! We enjoyed good fellowship together with lots of fun and laughter.Our party at lunch included Pastor David, along with Sarah and Pastor Justus from IN, Stephen, who serves as deputy at the primary school in Kiyindi, Daniel our driver for the journey, and of course our team. After browsing in some shops in Jinja, we returned home to Buikwe, where we enjoyed dinner and then did some packing in preparation for our departure from the compound on Monday.
We will be taking some time with Sarah and Pastor Justus to debrief on Monday morning, and say some final goodbyes before we head out to Kampala.On the way to Kampala we will visit Irene.In Kampala we will do a little shopping and then head on to Entebbe, where we will rest and then head to the airport around 3 am Tuesday morning to get our boarding passes. We fly out of Entebbe at 5 am, heading to Nairobi, then board a second plane that will take us on to Amsterdam. Our final flight to Toronto will land Tuesday evening EST!
We have made so many new friends here in Uganda and it has been such a blessing to not only reach out, but also be embraced by such a beautiful community of people. It will be very difficult to say goodbye! We look forward to sharing with you about our experiences, in words and pictures, when we return home!
Blessings,
Paul
Sunday, 27 July 2014
Enjoying Time to Rest on Saturday
After a rather hectic agenda this week, we made a mutual decision that our Saturday would be a day to rest and recharge before we headed to Jinja on Sunday. All of us appreciated time the down time to remain at the guest house and relax.
In the morning, we walked over to the primary school to visit with some teachers who were busily attending to marking mock exams that their students had completed this week. One of the teachers, David, was present with his wife Arita and two children, 2 year old son Elisha and 2 month old daughter Serina. David and Arita were both wearing Canada t-shirts that they had recently received from the team, and they were proud to have their pictures taken in their Canadian colours.
It is soccer tournament time, and a large group of students were awaiting a ride to a neighbouring school for a day of competition. We were astounded that the entire group - about 25 children and coach - were all able to load into one single van! Definitely a tight squeeze! They arrived back later in the afternoon quite excited after a successful series of games!
After lunch, we enjoyed a nice extended conversation with Henry, where we compared some of our observations and understanding of Canadian and Ugandan cultural distinctives. This was a neat time to reflect and appreciate just what makes each culture so unique. We will all miss Henry - he is kind and caring, with a wonderful, witty sense of humour. He loves to tease and tell terrific stories and our room is always full of laughter when he is with us.
The skies opened in mid afternoon and we got a little taste of what the rainy season must be like in Uganda. Officially, one of two rainy seasons begins in August, yet we have seen a little rain almost every day that we have been here. After a good soaking, Henry took us on a walk down the road in front of the compound and then circled around back to have a closer look at the well that rests below the guest house where we enjoy our meals. There were several children there with bright yellow jerry cans, collecting water that they were manually pumping. The water came slow and steady as they pumped and pumped. A little further along, another group of children stood knee-deep in muddy water as they collected a steady stream that was pouring from outlet pipes that were fed by an underground spring. Green algae settled in the ditch that collected much of the water's outflow - giving evidence to the phosphorus that would be accumulating from those doing their laundry here. We have a tremendous appreciation for the convenience of fresh, clean tap water at home when we see what the residents of Buikwe are faced with. Trips to the well are part of the daily rhythm of life here, and we even see younger children carrying their own scaled down versions of jerry cans to collect what they can and contribute to the family's daily water needs.
After dinner, we enjoyed a visit from Pastor Herbert, who collected some food bags that we had prepared to share with some in his congregation. Augustine stopped by along with Jonah, an engineering student, as we worked on trying to fix a login complication that we had with one of our computers. A spirited game of Scrabble was also enjoyed by Glenna, Henry and Julie!
Now, we prepare for our journey to Pastor David's church in Jinja. It is an hour long trip and we will be accompanied by Pastor Justus! We are looking forward to a great day as we venture to the location of the source of the Nile River!
Sorry about the lack of pictures posted - it is a slow Internet connection and it has been a challenge to post them in the last couple of days.
Blessings to all of you,
Paul
In the morning, we walked over to the primary school to visit with some teachers who were busily attending to marking mock exams that their students had completed this week. One of the teachers, David, was present with his wife Arita and two children, 2 year old son Elisha and 2 month old daughter Serina. David and Arita were both wearing Canada t-shirts that they had recently received from the team, and they were proud to have their pictures taken in their Canadian colours.
It is soccer tournament time, and a large group of students were awaiting a ride to a neighbouring school for a day of competition. We were astounded that the entire group - about 25 children and coach - were all able to load into one single van! Definitely a tight squeeze! They arrived back later in the afternoon quite excited after a successful series of games!
After lunch, we enjoyed a nice extended conversation with Henry, where we compared some of our observations and understanding of Canadian and Ugandan cultural distinctives. This was a neat time to reflect and appreciate just what makes each culture so unique. We will all miss Henry - he is kind and caring, with a wonderful, witty sense of humour. He loves to tease and tell terrific stories and our room is always full of laughter when he is with us.
The skies opened in mid afternoon and we got a little taste of what the rainy season must be like in Uganda. Officially, one of two rainy seasons begins in August, yet we have seen a little rain almost every day that we have been here. After a good soaking, Henry took us on a walk down the road in front of the compound and then circled around back to have a closer look at the well that rests below the guest house where we enjoy our meals. There were several children there with bright yellow jerry cans, collecting water that they were manually pumping. The water came slow and steady as they pumped and pumped. A little further along, another group of children stood knee-deep in muddy water as they collected a steady stream that was pouring from outlet pipes that were fed by an underground spring. Green algae settled in the ditch that collected much of the water's outflow - giving evidence to the phosphorus that would be accumulating from those doing their laundry here. We have a tremendous appreciation for the convenience of fresh, clean tap water at home when we see what the residents of Buikwe are faced with. Trips to the well are part of the daily rhythm of life here, and we even see younger children carrying their own scaled down versions of jerry cans to collect what they can and contribute to the family's daily water needs.
After dinner, we enjoyed a visit from Pastor Herbert, who collected some food bags that we had prepared to share with some in his congregation. Augustine stopped by along with Jonah, an engineering student, as we worked on trying to fix a login complication that we had with one of our computers. A spirited game of Scrabble was also enjoyed by Glenna, Henry and Julie!
Now, we prepare for our journey to Pastor David's church in Jinja. It is an hour long trip and we will be accompanied by Pastor Justus! We are looking forward to a great day as we venture to the location of the source of the Nile River!
Sorry about the lack of pictures posted - it is a slow Internet connection and it has been a challenge to post them in the last couple of days.
Blessings to all of you,
Paul
Saturday, 26 July 2014
Reflections on Friday
We have a resident rooster who proudly announces the morning to all who will hear and care to listen. We have heard its triumphant call very early, and often well before dawn (try 4:30 am or earlier!). While we enjoy breakfast in the guest house, this rooster, along with some hens and a number of chicks, will often come right up to the back door, and will welcome a handout or two from us as well. Sheila has developed an amusing friendship with a brown and white cow who appreciates handouts of the banana peels left over after breakfast, and now responds to Sheila's voice when called.
The compound where we are staying during our time in Buikwe sprawls over a few acres and contains the secondary and primary schools, two guest houses, Pastor Herbert's church, and living quarters for some children and teaching staff. From the porch of the guest house where we eat our meals, deliciously prepared by Barbara in the kitchen, we look over the valley which includes a community well that is used all throughout the daylight hours by the neighbouring residents of Buikwe. This well is truly a meeting place, and we will frequently see people gather and enjoy conversation together while water is hand pumped into large yellow "jerry cans" to be taken back to homes in the village. On laundry days, we see large amounts of clothing spread out over the ground to dry in the area around the well. Some of the water is carried up to the area of the schools. We marvel at the beauty of God's creation here - the beauty all around us is evident in a wide variety of tropical plants, pine trees, flowering plants and shrubs, and a number of colourful species of birds. It would be nice to have a book of native African birds as we observe many new ones that we are unable to identify. We have taken some pictures though that we will share with you if you like when we return!
Friday proved to be another full and fast-paced day, but satisfying and memorable in so many ways! As it is filled with so many experiences, it is not surprising that the team is quite ready for a good rest by 10 pm. With much to do, our team once again divided into two for the day's events. A highlight of the day for Sheila, Glenna and Julie was remaining back at the compound and meeting with the primary school staff. Not only did they have an opportunity to visit a classroom and observe a wonderful lesson, but they were also able to present the staff with teaching materials, sports equipment, computer and projector and Kobo readers. What a special time to enjoy with Joseph, the school's headmaster, Augustine, the deputy, and the many teachers! Everyone was most appreciative of what we had brought to them, and the staff were able to survey the various items spread across several tables in a vacant room, including the newly inflated soccer balls ready for action. A highlight in classroom observation time was watching one younger primary class participating in a word-building activity with the students organized into small groups. It was exciting to see the effort to incorporate the group work idea that we had expanded upon in our workshops, and to see the high level of student involvement in the learning task. Along with the visit to the primary school, an opportunity to visit the homes of Charity and Alice, the Roddy's newly sponsored children, was another special event!
Gord, Sharon and I travelled a considerable distance to visit a variety of schools in neighbouring communities, including Lugaze and Mokono. Along the way, we picked up Irene and Crystal, and Sarah, who is director of all of the sponsored children programming, and it was so exciting to have them accompany us to the school at Mokono. This school combines a regular primary school with a section that offers training for special needs students to develop workplace skills. We thoroughly enjoyed the tour of the room where students with hearing and developmental needs could demonstrate their skills in sewing and paper crafts. Many wares and items hung along the walls of the classroom and were available for visitors to purchase, including wall hangings, children's clothing, assorted baskets and colourful handbags, and even welcome mats constructed from pop bottle lids. One student proudly demonstrated her amazing skill in using a Singer treadle sewing machine with which she has produced school uniforms! Another child enrolled in that program was busily cutting out the netted framework of pocketed envelopes that would be later glued together to be used in the distribution of medication. While we visited the school, a district soccer (oops... football :)) tournament was underway on the school grounds, and we enjoyed seeing school children sporting their school colours and spread far and wide on the fields and along the sidelines
We travelled along a variety of paved and dirt roads to reach a number of other schools to meet foster children and deliver packages that had been lovingly prepared for them. The schools are linked by a network of roads that are in various states of repair (or disrepair), and the drive can be bumpy and dusty as we are whisked from place to place. We are grateful for Daniel and Simon, who are able to guide us as we venture through sugar plantations and more remote villages to get to our various destinations.
Other highlights of the day included Glenna's first ride on the back of a boda-boda driven by Henry - her wide grin from ear to ear says it all! Sheila enjoyed some time to discuss matters of school administration with Paul, the headmaster of the high school. Sharon and I enjoyed a meeting with Samuel who has a heart for helping teenagers at the high school to grow in their faith. We spent time brainstorming ideas around mentorships and we were quite moved by hearing some of Samuel's personal testimony. Please pray for Samuel and Edward who have a passion for discipleship of the high school students who are very young in their faith, and pray for the students themselves that they will be strengthened and supported in their faith journeys. The collection of bibles that we have donated to the school will eventually find their place in the school library, and will be vital in the work there. Later in the afternoon, Sheila and I enjoyed a tour of the secondary school with Paul and Samuel. A new, partially constructed wing of the school includes a beautiful science lab that is now in use, another room that will house a library when completed, and a third room slated to be a computer lab which was receiving a fresh coat of paint when we visited. A few teachers are busily marking exams that students have just finished this week. I had a chance to look at the front page of a geography exam, and was amazed to see a map of our Great Lakes with questions asking the students to identify locations that included Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, Duluth, and the Sault and Erie Canals!
The compound where we are staying during our time in Buikwe sprawls over a few acres and contains the secondary and primary schools, two guest houses, Pastor Herbert's church, and living quarters for some children and teaching staff. From the porch of the guest house where we eat our meals, deliciously prepared by Barbara in the kitchen, we look over the valley which includes a community well that is used all throughout the daylight hours by the neighbouring residents of Buikwe. This well is truly a meeting place, and we will frequently see people gather and enjoy conversation together while water is hand pumped into large yellow "jerry cans" to be taken back to homes in the village. On laundry days, we see large amounts of clothing spread out over the ground to dry in the area around the well. Some of the water is carried up to the area of the schools. We marvel at the beauty of God's creation here - the beauty all around us is evident in a wide variety of tropical plants, pine trees, flowering plants and shrubs, and a number of colourful species of birds. It would be nice to have a book of native African birds as we observe many new ones that we are unable to identify. We have taken some pictures though that we will share with you if you like when we return!
Friday proved to be another full and fast-paced day, but satisfying and memorable in so many ways! As it is filled with so many experiences, it is not surprising that the team is quite ready for a good rest by 10 pm. With much to do, our team once again divided into two for the day's events. A highlight of the day for Sheila, Glenna and Julie was remaining back at the compound and meeting with the primary school staff. Not only did they have an opportunity to visit a classroom and observe a wonderful lesson, but they were also able to present the staff with teaching materials, sports equipment, computer and projector and Kobo readers. What a special time to enjoy with Joseph, the school's headmaster, Augustine, the deputy, and the many teachers! Everyone was most appreciative of what we had brought to them, and the staff were able to survey the various items spread across several tables in a vacant room, including the newly inflated soccer balls ready for action. A highlight in classroom observation time was watching one younger primary class participating in a word-building activity with the students organized into small groups. It was exciting to see the effort to incorporate the group work idea that we had expanded upon in our workshops, and to see the high level of student involvement in the learning task. Along with the visit to the primary school, an opportunity to visit the homes of Charity and Alice, the Roddy's newly sponsored children, was another special event!
Gord, Sharon and I travelled a considerable distance to visit a variety of schools in neighbouring communities, including Lugaze and Mokono. Along the way, we picked up Irene and Crystal, and Sarah, who is director of all of the sponsored children programming, and it was so exciting to have them accompany us to the school at Mokono. This school combines a regular primary school with a section that offers training for special needs students to develop workplace skills. We thoroughly enjoyed the tour of the room where students with hearing and developmental needs could demonstrate their skills in sewing and paper crafts. Many wares and items hung along the walls of the classroom and were available for visitors to purchase, including wall hangings, children's clothing, assorted baskets and colourful handbags, and even welcome mats constructed from pop bottle lids. One student proudly demonstrated her amazing skill in using a Singer treadle sewing machine with which she has produced school uniforms! Another child enrolled in that program was busily cutting out the netted framework of pocketed envelopes that would be later glued together to be used in the distribution of medication. While we visited the school, a district soccer (oops... football :)) tournament was underway on the school grounds, and we enjoyed seeing school children sporting their school colours and spread far and wide on the fields and along the sidelines
We travelled along a variety of paved and dirt roads to reach a number of other schools to meet foster children and deliver packages that had been lovingly prepared for them. The schools are linked by a network of roads that are in various states of repair (or disrepair), and the drive can be bumpy and dusty as we are whisked from place to place. We are grateful for Daniel and Simon, who are able to guide us as we venture through sugar plantations and more remote villages to get to our various destinations.
Other highlights of the day included Glenna's first ride on the back of a boda-boda driven by Henry - her wide grin from ear to ear says it all! Sheila enjoyed some time to discuss matters of school administration with Paul, the headmaster of the high school. Sharon and I enjoyed a meeting with Samuel who has a heart for helping teenagers at the high school to grow in their faith. We spent time brainstorming ideas around mentorships and we were quite moved by hearing some of Samuel's personal testimony. Please pray for Samuel and Edward who have a passion for discipleship of the high school students who are very young in their faith, and pray for the students themselves that they will be strengthened and supported in their faith journeys. The collection of bibles that we have donated to the school will eventually find their place in the school library, and will be vital in the work there. Later in the afternoon, Sheila and I enjoyed a tour of the secondary school with Paul and Samuel. A new, partially constructed wing of the school includes a beautiful science lab that is now in use, another room that will house a library when completed, and a third room slated to be a computer lab which was receiving a fresh coat of paint when we visited. A few teachers are busily marking exams that students have just finished this week. I had a chance to look at the front page of a geography exam, and was amazed to see a map of our Great Lakes with questions asking the students to identify locations that included Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, Duluth, and the Sault and Erie Canals!
Thursday, 24 July 2014
Thursday's Experiences
On Thursday, our team travelled to Kiyindi to visit the local IN sponsored medical clinic, the local primary school and high school, and to make home visits. Kiyindi is a lively fishing village located on the shore of Lake Victoria.
The journey to and from Kiyindi was quite a trip! The road is narrow, dusty and very well travelled. There are many pedestrians who make use of the road, as well as those on bicycles and boda-bodas (commercial motorcycles that are primarily used as taxis). We cannot say enough about how grateful we are for our driver, Daniel, who safely transported us there and back. Though our speed rarely exceeded 60 km/h, Daniel's expertise showed itself again and again as he navigated around the countless potholes, rocks, ruts and uneven surfaces of the roadway. There is little room to maneuver on the road in many instances, and occasionally the sideroads upon which we travelled narrowed to a single lane path, lined with forested areas, and used by the many local residents. When we entered the market area along the main road into Kiyindi, we were all amazed to see a goat that was quietly resting in one of the large ruts on our right hand side as we carefully squeezed past it on the other side.
As Kiyindi is a fishing village, we experienced the sights (and smells!) of a busy fishing community along Lake Victoria's shores. There were fishing boats dotting the shoreline, with many people busily spreading their catch of silver fish to dry, either on the beach or on large flat tables that were erected along the shore. On the beach, we observed workers removing the fresh catch from spread-out fine nets. Simon, who accompanied our team, explained that the fishermen head out in the evening onto the lake and remain there through the night, returning to shore the next morning with the fruit of their labours. The silver fish are considered a delicacy here, and we observed people bagging the bountiful fish catch into huge bags to be transported to market for sale. Also present along the beach were little children and some livestock, as well as various sea birds, including huge, unusual storks that look like something like pterodactyls from a dinosaur world.
We appreciated a wonderful opportunity to visit the local medical clinic in Kiyindi, where a great deal of excellent work is being done to provide preventative immunization for the people of the community. They are truly doing a remarkable work here with the resources that they have. The hospital includes a birthing room and we learned that there are an average of 30 children born at the clinic each month. We were introduced to a mother who recently had twins and one beautiful newborn child was resting comfortably in another room. We saw a freshly minted hospital ward with many new hospital beds, and we were given a tour of the hospital's lab that contained a microscope and a manually operated centrifuge. The clinic plays a vital role in the health care of the Kiyindi community and it was very encouraging to learn about the difference it is making in the lives of the people there.
After leaving the clinic, we travelled a little further to the primary school at Kiyindi, where we were warmly welcomed by Barnabas, the headmaster. We were thrilled to meet up once again with several of the teachers who had recently attended our teacher workshops at Buikwe. We had an opportunity to tour the school, including several classrooms where we met and introduced ourselves to the students there. Classes were quite crowded - in one case, there were over 60 students squeezed together in a small room. We enjoyed watching kindergarten children demonstrate their abilities to count at the chalkboard, and we had a drumming demonstration in another room. Some of the older students were busily reviewing for a social studies examination in a beautiful area above the school buildings lined with lush pine trees. The location offered a gorgeous vista, as it looked down toward the school grounds and beyond to the waters of Lake Victoria. We saw fishing boats plying the waters and large islands in the distant horizon.
At the school, we delivered the school supplies and teaching materials that we had brought with us from Canada, including a Kobo reader and sports equipment. The teachers were most appreciative, expressing their gratitude for all that we shared. They enjoyed trying on the reading glasses that we brought along, and were thrilled to see a brand new volleyball and net (Along with soccer, volleyball is very popular in Uganda). In the early afternoon, after lunch, we met many of the foster children who were attending the primary school and enjoyed watching them open the packages that were lovingly sent by our many Forestview families. The Roddy's were thrilled to meet Mercy, their foster child, and to also have an opportunity to travel to her home for a visit later in the afternoon.
We said goodbye to our friends at the primary school and set out to deliver home visit packages and bring greetings. As always, our gifts were received with so much gratitude. In one case, we even received gifts of a hen and a massive bunch of bananas, as well as being prayed for by the woman who was so appreciative of what we offered her. It was very moving and reminds me of God's love which is so clearly evident in the midst of our encounters. We serve an amazing God!
We also dropped by to the high school in Kiyindi to deliver more packages. Sharon and I met Dorothy whom we sponsor, which was quite exciting. The students at the high school were in the midst of exams that afternoon, and we did not linger there too long as we were completing a long day and were needing to head back to Buikwe.
All in all, it was a wonderful day! We wearily returned home for some much needed rest. We enjoyed a dinner with two visitors, Pastor Justus and Augustine, the deputy of the primary school. Please continue to pray for Glenna, who is experiencing much discomfort while walking with two bruised and painful toes on her left foot. She persevered to accompany us today, though she will likely remain back at the guest house on Friday for some much needed rest.
Thank you for your many prayers and support. It is a privilege to be able to share with you some of our experiences - we hope that you enjoy keeping up with our experiences on the blog.
Until next time,
Blessings!
Paul
The journey to and from Kiyindi was quite a trip! The road is narrow, dusty and very well travelled. There are many pedestrians who make use of the road, as well as those on bicycles and boda-bodas (commercial motorcycles that are primarily used as taxis). We cannot say enough about how grateful we are for our driver, Daniel, who safely transported us there and back. Though our speed rarely exceeded 60 km/h, Daniel's expertise showed itself again and again as he navigated around the countless potholes, rocks, ruts and uneven surfaces of the roadway. There is little room to maneuver on the road in many instances, and occasionally the sideroads upon which we travelled narrowed to a single lane path, lined with forested areas, and used by the many local residents. When we entered the market area along the main road into Kiyindi, we were all amazed to see a goat that was quietly resting in one of the large ruts on our right hand side as we carefully squeezed past it on the other side.
As Kiyindi is a fishing village, we experienced the sights (and smells!) of a busy fishing community along Lake Victoria's shores. There were fishing boats dotting the shoreline, with many people busily spreading their catch of silver fish to dry, either on the beach or on large flat tables that were erected along the shore. On the beach, we observed workers removing the fresh catch from spread-out fine nets. Simon, who accompanied our team, explained that the fishermen head out in the evening onto the lake and remain there through the night, returning to shore the next morning with the fruit of their labours. The silver fish are considered a delicacy here, and we observed people bagging the bountiful fish catch into huge bags to be transported to market for sale. Also present along the beach were little children and some livestock, as well as various sea birds, including huge, unusual storks that look like something like pterodactyls from a dinosaur world.
We appreciated a wonderful opportunity to visit the local medical clinic in Kiyindi, where a great deal of excellent work is being done to provide preventative immunization for the people of the community. They are truly doing a remarkable work here with the resources that they have. The hospital includes a birthing room and we learned that there are an average of 30 children born at the clinic each month. We were introduced to a mother who recently had twins and one beautiful newborn child was resting comfortably in another room. We saw a freshly minted hospital ward with many new hospital beds, and we were given a tour of the hospital's lab that contained a microscope and a manually operated centrifuge. The clinic plays a vital role in the health care of the Kiyindi community and it was very encouraging to learn about the difference it is making in the lives of the people there.
After leaving the clinic, we travelled a little further to the primary school at Kiyindi, where we were warmly welcomed by Barnabas, the headmaster. We were thrilled to meet up once again with several of the teachers who had recently attended our teacher workshops at Buikwe. We had an opportunity to tour the school, including several classrooms where we met and introduced ourselves to the students there. Classes were quite crowded - in one case, there were over 60 students squeezed together in a small room. We enjoyed watching kindergarten children demonstrate their abilities to count at the chalkboard, and we had a drumming demonstration in another room. Some of the older students were busily reviewing for a social studies examination in a beautiful area above the school buildings lined with lush pine trees. The location offered a gorgeous vista, as it looked down toward the school grounds and beyond to the waters of Lake Victoria. We saw fishing boats plying the waters and large islands in the distant horizon.
At the school, we delivered the school supplies and teaching materials that we had brought with us from Canada, including a Kobo reader and sports equipment. The teachers were most appreciative, expressing their gratitude for all that we shared. They enjoyed trying on the reading glasses that we brought along, and were thrilled to see a brand new volleyball and net (Along with soccer, volleyball is very popular in Uganda). In the early afternoon, after lunch, we met many of the foster children who were attending the primary school and enjoyed watching them open the packages that were lovingly sent by our many Forestview families. The Roddy's were thrilled to meet Mercy, their foster child, and to also have an opportunity to travel to her home for a visit later in the afternoon.
We said goodbye to our friends at the primary school and set out to deliver home visit packages and bring greetings. As always, our gifts were received with so much gratitude. In one case, we even received gifts of a hen and a massive bunch of bananas, as well as being prayed for by the woman who was so appreciative of what we offered her. It was very moving and reminds me of God's love which is so clearly evident in the midst of our encounters. We serve an amazing God!
We also dropped by to the high school in Kiyindi to deliver more packages. Sharon and I met Dorothy whom we sponsor, which was quite exciting. The students at the high school were in the midst of exams that afternoon, and we did not linger there too long as we were completing a long day and were needing to head back to Buikwe.
All in all, it was a wonderful day! We wearily returned home for some much needed rest. We enjoyed a dinner with two visitors, Pastor Justus and Augustine, the deputy of the primary school. Please continue to pray for Glenna, who is experiencing much discomfort while walking with two bruised and painful toes on her left foot. She persevered to accompany us today, though she will likely remain back at the guest house on Friday for some much needed rest.
Thank you for your many prayers and support. It is a privilege to be able to share with you some of our experiences - we hope that you enjoy keeping up with our experiences on the blog.
Until next time,
Blessings!
Paul
Wednesday's Events
With our teacher development workshops now finished, the team has turned its attention to other areas of our mission objectives. This is truly a remarkable experience for all of us.
On Wednesday morning, our team was invited to travel to meet families with children in need of sponsorship. For most of the team, this was the first occasion to visit the homes of people in the community surrounding the school and our eyes have been opened to the considerable need and poverty that surrounds us, as well as the undeniable warmth and welcome that we receive again and again from the new people that we meet. Our visits have provided opportunities to deliver staple food items and to pray for families. We have been blessed by the occasions to give as well as receive. The families are very grateful for our offerings of love to them, and on our first visit, appreciation was shown in one instance by a mother who shared a gift of freshly chopped sugar cane that we would later enjoy with our lunch back at the guest house.
That afternoon, our team divided into two groups. Sheila, Julie, Glenna and Sharon visited the homes of some of the local children who are currently receiving sponsored support. One highlight of their visits was observing the efforts of a woman in establishing a successful farm operation that included a solid series of structures built for cattle and an innovative five story apartment complex for rabbits, including a basement wing that offered protection for young ones. While these visits were underway, Gord and I had an opportunity to visit the local high school and make a 45-minute presentation to over 100 high school students on goal setting and how to maintain and build personal character.
We continue to make connections with teachers and administration in Buikwe who appreciated the content and professional learning relationships established in our four day PD workshops for teachers. There are a variety of opportunities for an exciting exchange of ideas and possibilities, and for this, we are energized and hopeful. Please pray for the educators here, who work extremely hard with large class sizes and the stress of preparing students for written state examinations. They are excited about the possibilities of implementing new and fresh ideas from the conference, and we ask that you pray as they reflect on where they can best apply their learning in their own classrooms in areas of behaviour and discipline, literacy, special needs and instruction that address individualized needs of each child under their care.
The administration here at Buikwe is most grateful for the generosity of Forestview church in sponsoring many children who attend school here. There is still need for more children to receive sponsorship, of course. It is incredible to see the fruits of the sponsorships that are taking place, as sponsorship provides children the opportunity to not only attend school but also to receive nourishing meals while they attend. New developments while we are here include the news that Sheila is thrilled to sponsor a young girl, Patience, while Glenna, Julie and Gord are now sponsoring two young friends, Alice and Charity.
On Wednesday morning, our team was invited to travel to meet families with children in need of sponsorship. For most of the team, this was the first occasion to visit the homes of people in the community surrounding the school and our eyes have been opened to the considerable need and poverty that surrounds us, as well as the undeniable warmth and welcome that we receive again and again from the new people that we meet. Our visits have provided opportunities to deliver staple food items and to pray for families. We have been blessed by the occasions to give as well as receive. The families are very grateful for our offerings of love to them, and on our first visit, appreciation was shown in one instance by a mother who shared a gift of freshly chopped sugar cane that we would later enjoy with our lunch back at the guest house.
That afternoon, our team divided into two groups. Sheila, Julie, Glenna and Sharon visited the homes of some of the local children who are currently receiving sponsored support. One highlight of their visits was observing the efforts of a woman in establishing a successful farm operation that included a solid series of structures built for cattle and an innovative five story apartment complex for rabbits, including a basement wing that offered protection for young ones. While these visits were underway, Gord and I had an opportunity to visit the local high school and make a 45-minute presentation to over 100 high school students on goal setting and how to maintain and build personal character.
We continue to make connections with teachers and administration in Buikwe who appreciated the content and professional learning relationships established in our four day PD workshops for teachers. There are a variety of opportunities for an exciting exchange of ideas and possibilities, and for this, we are energized and hopeful. Please pray for the educators here, who work extremely hard with large class sizes and the stress of preparing students for written state examinations. They are excited about the possibilities of implementing new and fresh ideas from the conference, and we ask that you pray as they reflect on where they can best apply their learning in their own classrooms in areas of behaviour and discipline, literacy, special needs and instruction that address individualized needs of each child under their care.
The administration here at Buikwe is most grateful for the generosity of Forestview church in sponsoring many children who attend school here. There is still need for more children to receive sponsorship, of course. It is incredible to see the fruits of the sponsorships that are taking place, as sponsorship provides children the opportunity to not only attend school but also to receive nourishing meals while they attend. New developments while we are here include the news that Sheila is thrilled to sponsor a young girl, Patience, while Glenna, Julie and Gord are now sponsoring two young friends, Alice and Charity.
Wednesday, 23 July 2014
Tuesday, 22 July 2014
Workshops Successful!
Well our 4 days of workshops are finished and they were so well received. The teachers were very appreciative of the work that was put into them and loved their certificates that they received this afternoon. We have met so many wonderful people and fast friendships have been made with so many of the teachers. It has been such a busy time and I am usually in bed before we get onto the internet to blog that I haven't posted since we first got on the internet in Uganda. The internet here is very sketchy even with the proper modem sticks. We have not lost power though! I probably shouldn't say that. :-)
Sharon will post with all of the details of our time since she is keeping a journal and doing a great job. I will just let you know what is happening with us today. Actually I will start with yesterday when Glenna fell on the rocky path between guest houses and scraped up her left leg. Today Glenna slipped on the hill between the guest house and the church (where the workshops were being held) and she broke 2 of her toes on her left foot. See a theme here? Please pray that she does no more to harm her left side or her right side! She is in a lot of pain tonight so I would really appreciate your prayers for her. We begin our home visits tomorrow and Glenna doesn't want to be left behind here at the guest house. She wants to join us on the trip. We will be visiting the very needy here in this area. Yesterday I also lost the front part of a tooth and I have that nice filling showing. :-(Note to Ian- I will need an appointment for a crown when I get back :-)) I would also appreciate prayers that it doesn't get worse. It has been a good couple of days but with its challenges. We will get through it though. Glenna is a trooper and refuses to give into pain. I am not in any pain with my tooth, I'm glad to say.
The package arrived today! Thanks to Tracy for sending it to us. For those not in the know we left a bag in the van in Toronto. It contained all of Gord's medication and a laptop for the school here along with 4 Kobo readers that we are giving to the schools. We now have a very big bill to pay for the shipping along with another bill for the extra luggage in Toronto. Now the computer teacher at the secondary school will have a computer with which to teach computer skills with. Can you imagine teaching computers without computers?! It is theory only.
There is so much to talk and tell about but I don't know where to start tonight. We have experienced so much in such a short time. It is kind of overwhelming. Actually no kind of to it. It is overwhelming. You can talk about it, but to experience it first hand, WOW. There are so many problems here and such terrible poverty and yet the people have hope and they are always singing.
I will post more later.
Blessings to all,
~Julie
Sharon will post with all of the details of our time since she is keeping a journal and doing a great job. I will just let you know what is happening with us today. Actually I will start with yesterday when Glenna fell on the rocky path between guest houses and scraped up her left leg. Today Glenna slipped on the hill between the guest house and the church (where the workshops were being held) and she broke 2 of her toes on her left foot. See a theme here? Please pray that she does no more to harm her left side or her right side! She is in a lot of pain tonight so I would really appreciate your prayers for her. We begin our home visits tomorrow and Glenna doesn't want to be left behind here at the guest house. She wants to join us on the trip. We will be visiting the very needy here in this area. Yesterday I also lost the front part of a tooth and I have that nice filling showing. :-(Note to Ian- I will need an appointment for a crown when I get back :-)) I would also appreciate prayers that it doesn't get worse. It has been a good couple of days but with its challenges. We will get through it though. Glenna is a trooper and refuses to give into pain. I am not in any pain with my tooth, I'm glad to say.
The package arrived today! Thanks to Tracy for sending it to us. For those not in the know we left a bag in the van in Toronto. It contained all of Gord's medication and a laptop for the school here along with 4 Kobo readers that we are giving to the schools. We now have a very big bill to pay for the shipping along with another bill for the extra luggage in Toronto. Now the computer teacher at the secondary school will have a computer with which to teach computer skills with. Can you imagine teaching computers without computers?! It is theory only.
There is so much to talk and tell about but I don't know where to start tonight. We have experienced so much in such a short time. It is kind of overwhelming. Actually no kind of to it. It is overwhelming. You can talk about it, but to experience it first hand, WOW. There are so many problems here and such terrible poverty and yet the people have hope and they are always singing.
I will post more later.
Blessings to all,
~Julie
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