Today we headed out to CCLS with a plan to go to the market at Kawate in the morning... however... we had the most awesome experience as we came down the road to the school. We made the turn onto the school road... and were greeted with a parade! All the students were coming down the street towards us with branches that they were waving, drums beating and people dancing. It gave me goosebumps! We all climbed out of the van in the middle of the road and joined our welcome parade and danced (yes, we ALL danced!) back to the school. The girls took off their costumes and put them on us as we danced. It was such an awesome and overwhelming experience to have them so excited for us to be back with them. What a great way to start our day!
I helped Dorothy hand out items to the kids who have sponsors back in the USA. The students wrote notes, we took their pictures and then gave them items from their sponsors. After that, I had the priviledge to talk to Sarah (via Violet who translated) about what her life is like as a young teenager in Kawate. We sat on wooden chairs under a tree out in a corn/casava field and she shared what she does on a typical day and what her weekends are like. It was very enlightening and also sad to hear her story. She does not eat lunch on a school day (she is gone from 7:30a.m.-5p.m.) because they can't afford school lunch and there is no food at home. She is a very sweet girl and shared much about her life with us.
After the interview, we walked down to the Kawate market. It was so fun! There were mainly clothes and food items for sale. Violet was our guide/translator. Many were there who also knew Rudy and Dorothy. We walked around and were able to take a few pictures after Violet got us permission. It was HOT out at the market as we had a bright and sunny day. It was great to see all of the items for sale and hear how they came to be for sale at the market. After we finished at the market, Violet and I went to Sarah's house to interview her mother. It was humbling to sit and talk with her in her home. She is a single mother of eight with two children living at home (Sarah is the youngest) and three grandchildren (the parents of those children did not want to keep them so they became her responsibility). She rarely has food at home and work is hard right now as she is sick with AIDS. I was blessed to present her with a quilt that had been sent along from Glendale Lutheran Church and also to give Sarah a purse and dress that was also made for her. It was humbling to see how touched they were by these simple gifts. Keep them in your prayers; their stories are so similar to many in the area.
We made a quick stop at the "source of the Nile" to see where the White Nile River began... and saw a bunch of monkeys up in a tree! I was so excited, as I've been watching for monkeys all trip! :) We left there and went and at at the "Triangle" which was a hotel/restaurant that Rudy, Dorothy, Violet and Charles knew. We started eating outside overlooking Lake Victoria... but the moths chased us back inside where we finished dinner.
We are now back at our hotel in Jinja. Tomorrow, we will pack up and load the bus and head to CCLS one more time for the dedication of the new school building. Following that, we will head to Kampala where we will spend our last few nights in Uganda before heading home. It's hard to believe we are heading into the end of our journey. It's been such a blessing to be here and get to know the people and talk to them and see firsthand what is going on.
Thanks for joining with me in the journey! :)
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Friday, April 29, 2011
Day Two at the school
On Friday, we ate breakfast and headed to the school on our bus. The bus is really a "van", with six rows of seats. We stopped at the gas station, market (Violet got a chicken for lunch) and then the grocery store for water. When we got to the school, we were greeted enthusiastically by the students. It was so cool; there were a group of teachers playing the drums and all the students were singing and dancing. I loved it! The desks had arrived for the new classrooms, so during the morning, they were moved in and we could see how they looked in the rooms. The headmaster gave us papers to see how the students were doing in class. Rudy and Dorothy had meetings in the afternoon, so during that time, I got out all the craft beads and string and did necklaces and bracelets with the children. It was fun, and a bit of a challenge. They loved them and wanted more and more beads. I was asked all day by one boy for the necklace I had made and was wearing so he could have more beads. It was fun to do another day of crafts with them!
The students gathered together and I read some of the books our teachers had brought in November. There was a translator there so it worked well. Later on in the afternoon, I read a few more simple books without a translator; a few of the older kids helped read. When the book was over, I said it was finished... and they proceeded to read the "about the author" section. Why not? :)
A group of children were playing drums and other percussion instruments in the back under a tree, so Debbie and I went back there to join them. I tried out the instruments and Debbie learned how to do a dance with the help of some of the girls. It was a lot of fun (and got a lot of attention from the other students!).
We repacked the crafts and books in the storage and left at 6p.m. to head back to Jinja. We had a late dinner and then called it a day. It was a great day!
On Saturday, we are heading to the market on our way to the school. I'm excited to see how the market will be! We will be trying to do "interviews" at the school with students and moms. We are hopeful to get to go to one of the homes to do it there. That would be very interesting to see an actual home up close! Thanks for your continued prayers; I'm having a great time and experience in Uganda!
The students gathered together and I read some of the books our teachers had brought in November. There was a translator there so it worked well. Later on in the afternoon, I read a few more simple books without a translator; a few of the older kids helped read. When the book was over, I said it was finished... and they proceeded to read the "about the author" section. Why not? :)
A group of children were playing drums and other percussion instruments in the back under a tree, so Debbie and I went back there to join them. I tried out the instruments and Debbie learned how to do a dance with the help of some of the girls. It was a lot of fun (and got a lot of attention from the other students!).
We repacked the crafts and books in the storage and left at 6p.m. to head back to Jinja. We had a late dinner and then called it a day. It was a great day!
On Saturday, we are heading to the market on our way to the school. I'm excited to see how the market will be! We will be trying to do "interviews" at the school with students and moms. We are hopeful to get to go to one of the homes to do it there. That would be very interesting to see an actual home up close! Thanks for your continued prayers; I'm having a great time and experience in Uganda!
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Time at the school and adventures with the kids
On Thursday morning, we headed into Kawate to CCLS-U. On the way, we stopped by the shop where the school desks and benches were being built. It was fun to see them; our VBS bought one classroom of desks. When we arrived we were greeted by over 120 students who had come to meet us. The school is on break, but there were many students and teachers on hand to greet us. We toured the school and the new building and then started doing some art projects with the classes. They were in their classrooms waiting patiently ... some for over an hour! ... before we got to their group. The young ones were given paper and crayons to make a creation. The older students made watercolors. We did not have enough paintbrushes for all the students so they waited patiently until one was free. It was so fun doing that with them; they were very creative! We had lunch on the bus (the bus stayed with us and the driver watched over our belongings) and then did some songs with the kids and walked around. They had porridge for lunch and a few kids added their crayons to the mix! The teacher caught it in time and dumped out the orange crayon mixture and got them some new porridge. We were able to see the new land that the school is in process of buying.
After lunch we did a puppet play on David and Goliath. It was great fun! We had translators for each of the six characters in the drama. The students had a good time watching us and laughing. We left at 4p.m. to head back to our hotel. We stopped on the side of the road for Violet (our Ugandan partner at the school) to buy some white yams to use for lunch tomorrow. We got back to our hotel, cleaned up and had dinner. We had to move inside because of the storm rolling in (it is rainy season here). Tomorrow will be another great day!
After lunch we did a puppet play on David and Goliath. It was great fun! We had translators for each of the six characters in the drama. The students had a good time watching us and laughing. We left at 4p.m. to head back to our hotel. We stopped on the side of the road for Violet (our Ugandan partner at the school) to buy some white yams to use for lunch tomorrow. We got back to our hotel, cleaned up and had dinner. We had to move inside because of the storm rolling in (it is rainy season here). Tomorrow will be another great day!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Safely in Uganda
We made it into Uganda late Tuesday night. After getting our luggage, going through customs and getting our Visa, we boarded our bus and headed to our hotel in Kampala. The process of getting our luggage went smoothly... although we did have 15 checked bags, in addition to 10 pieces of cary on luggage. Most of the checked bags weighed 70 pounds, so we had quite a load to transport to our bus! Thankfully, they all arrived and we have all the supplies we will need for our days in Uganda. The bus and driver that picked us up will be with us for the duration of our stay in Uganda.
We got into our hotel in Kamapla around 12:30a.m. on Wednesday. It was so nice to finally be able to sleep! We got up the next morning, had a lovely breakfast at the hotel and then packed up the bus and went to Jinja. The drive took over an hour and we stopped at a bank to exchange money and restaurant in Kampala for lunch on our way out. Kampala is a busy place... lots of stores, people and activity. I was amazed at the number of "out of towners" that I saw at the restaurant. We are traveling with Violet and Charles, who are Rudy and Dorothy's connections here in Uganda. They are wonderful people and I know I am going to enjoy getting to know them!
Our drive into Jinja was so fun; I loved seeing all of the scenery, homes and people on our way. I took so many pictures just on our drive! We saw fields of tea, sugar cane, gardens with corn, cabbage and other vegetables and lots of activity. We drove across the Nile River (so cool to see that!) on our drive. I had a fine layer of red dust on my arms and face from having my window open on the drive, but it was well worth it! I'll try to post some of the pictures if the connection holds long enough.
After we arrived in Jinja, we took all of our bags up to our rooms and then boarded our bus and headed to see Bujaguli Falls (part of the White Nile river). It was amazing! There were kids there trying to get us to go for a ride down the falls on their plastic jug for the low price of 3000 shillings. There were no takers in our group!
After several pictures at the falls, we headed back to our hotel to clean up some of the dust before dinner. We had dinner at the hotel - most of us tried the fish and avoided the mosquitos buzzing about with ample bug spray. There were plenty of ghekos scurrying about that I were told like to eat the mosquitos. I considered taking some back to my hotel room with me. :)
After dinner, it was almost 10p.m. and we all wound down from the day. There is a small tv in my hotel room with three channels. It was kind of funny to see what made the late night cut... there was an Uganda "soap opera" (the woman was told her mom has typhoid and AIDS), a soccer game... and the movie "Miss Pettigrue Lives for a Day." Interesting choice to wind down to from the day!
It is now Thursday morning and we are finishing up things at the hotel and will then head to CCLS Uganda in Kawete. We will be taking our many bags of supplies and will be getting ready to meet all the children. Even though they are on break this week, we are told that 500 or so will be there waiting to see us. Can't wait!
We got into our hotel in Kamapla around 12:30a.m. on Wednesday. It was so nice to finally be able to sleep! We got up the next morning, had a lovely breakfast at the hotel and then packed up the bus and went to Jinja. The drive took over an hour and we stopped at a bank to exchange money and restaurant in Kampala for lunch on our way out. Kampala is a busy place... lots of stores, people and activity. I was amazed at the number of "out of towners" that I saw at the restaurant. We are traveling with Violet and Charles, who are Rudy and Dorothy's connections here in Uganda. They are wonderful people and I know I am going to enjoy getting to know them!
Our drive into Jinja was so fun; I loved seeing all of the scenery, homes and people on our way. I took so many pictures just on our drive! We saw fields of tea, sugar cane, gardens with corn, cabbage and other vegetables and lots of activity. We drove across the Nile River (so cool to see that!) on our drive. I had a fine layer of red dust on my arms and face from having my window open on the drive, but it was well worth it! I'll try to post some of the pictures if the connection holds long enough.
After we arrived in Jinja, we took all of our bags up to our rooms and then boarded our bus and headed to see Bujaguli Falls (part of the White Nile river). It was amazing! There were kids there trying to get us to go for a ride down the falls on their plastic jug for the low price of 3000 shillings. There were no takers in our group!
After several pictures at the falls, we headed back to our hotel to clean up some of the dust before dinner. We had dinner at the hotel - most of us tried the fish and avoided the mosquitos buzzing about with ample bug spray. There were plenty of ghekos scurrying about that I were told like to eat the mosquitos. I considered taking some back to my hotel room with me. :)
After dinner, it was almost 10p.m. and we all wound down from the day. There is a small tv in my hotel room with three channels. It was kind of funny to see what made the late night cut... there was an Uganda "soap opera" (the woman was told her mom has typhoid and AIDS), a soccer game... and the movie "Miss Pettigrue Lives for a Day." Interesting choice to wind down to from the day!
It is now Thursday morning and we are finishing up things at the hotel and will then head to CCLS Uganda in Kawete. We will be taking our many bags of supplies and will be getting ready to meet all the children. Even though they are on break this week, we are told that 500 or so will be there waiting to see us. Can't wait!
Monday, April 25, 2011
The Journey Begins...
On Monday, the long-awaited journey began to Uganda. At 7a.m., we packed up my bags and headed to the airport. The team was meeting at 7:30a.m. to check in together. As we approached the exit onto 70 towards the airport, traffic came to a halt. We found out that all lanes on 70, both east and west, were closed due to an accident. We guessed it was from people looking out at the massive tornado damage near that area. After a long 30 minutes, we started moving and made it to the airport. I had wondered what it would look like in person, and it was very surreal to see all the boarded up windows, pieces of metal sticking out of the building, the large amounts of debris on the parking garages and all the other results of the storm. I met the rest of the team and we checked in and took care of our luggage. I had two checked bags... one was full of art donations and other materials that were donated. The other was half full of supplies and half my clothes. They weighed in at 55 and 68 pounds. Yikes!
We boarded our plane and left on time for Detroit. We made it to Detroit and then had a three hour wait to board our next flight to Amsterdam. I walked around the familiar Detroit airport, thinking how I usually am coming or going from this airport when visiting family... not often as a stopover for another flight! We visited the Delta Airlines Sky Lounge for lunch and then boarded our second flight for Amsterdam. The flight took 8 hours and moved us across six time zones. Three movies and two in-flight meals later, we arrived in Amsterdam at 5:30a.m. on Tuesday (local time). We are now waiting around for our 10:40a.m. flight which will take us to Rwanda and then Uganda. I'm looking forward to seeing the country from the air as we get closer to reaching our destination and begin connecting with the people in Uganda. The adventure continues!
Please pray for:
- Safe travel
- Health and wellness for our team
- Any sense of anxiety to be put to rest
- For God's will to be done on this mission trip
I'll try to post pictures as soon as I can! Thanks for traveling with me on the journey!
We boarded our plane and left on time for Detroit. We made it to Detroit and then had a three hour wait to board our next flight to Amsterdam. I walked around the familiar Detroit airport, thinking how I usually am coming or going from this airport when visiting family... not often as a stopover for another flight! We visited the Delta Airlines Sky Lounge for lunch and then boarded our second flight for Amsterdam. The flight took 8 hours and moved us across six time zones. Three movies and two in-flight meals later, we arrived in Amsterdam at 5:30a.m. on Tuesday (local time). We are now waiting around for our 10:40a.m. flight which will take us to Rwanda and then Uganda. I'm looking forward to seeing the country from the air as we get closer to reaching our destination and begin connecting with the people in Uganda. The adventure continues!
Please pray for:
- Safe travel
- Health and wellness for our team
- Any sense of anxiety to be put to rest
- For God's will to be done on this mission trip
I'll try to post pictures as soon as I can! Thanks for traveling with me on the journey!
Saturday, April 23, 2011
T minus TWO days!
St. Louis -
This is my first blogging attempt; let me apologize before you read any further... :)
As most you have probably heard, severe storms made their way through St. Louis on Friday evening. Those storms did a lot of damage to the airport, as well as to many other areas. Following the storms on Friday night, the airport was closed for an "undeterminate amount of time." This led me to plan how to get to Detroit without a flight... I thought of busses, renting a car, the train... However, I am constantly reminded how God is in total control of this mission trip (and in the lives of everyone affected by the tornado). We received word that our flight is scheduled to go out as planned on Monday from St. Louis to Detroit. Praying for smooth travel, for all those working non-stop to bring the airport back into working order adn for the many who are now without their homes as a result of the Good Friday storm.
Blessings to each of you as you celebrate Christ's VICTORY over sin, death and all those storms that come into our lives. Thank you for your prayers, support and encouragment!
I'll be doing my best to update this along the way. Enjoy!
This is my first blogging attempt; let me apologize before you read any further... :)
As most you have probably heard, severe storms made their way through St. Louis on Friday evening. Those storms did a lot of damage to the airport, as well as to many other areas. Following the storms on Friday night, the airport was closed for an "undeterminate amount of time." This led me to plan how to get to Detroit without a flight... I thought of busses, renting a car, the train... However, I am constantly reminded how God is in total control of this mission trip (and in the lives of everyone affected by the tornado). We received word that our flight is scheduled to go out as planned on Monday from St. Louis to Detroit. Praying for smooth travel, for all those working non-stop to bring the airport back into working order adn for the many who are now without their homes as a result of the Good Friday storm.
Blessings to each of you as you celebrate Christ's VICTORY over sin, death and all those storms that come into our lives. Thank you for your prayers, support and encouragment!
I'll be doing my best to update this along the way. Enjoy!
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