HARD work... paying off!! :0)

Aiden has been working VERY hard for the last 7 months... going to Vision Therapy and doing homework to help correct his double-vision. And we finally have some great news! ...Aiden had his eyes reassessed this last week, and there has been a significant improvement!! Now he only has to wear his glasses "part time" ...for reading and computer. And it looks like he may be on the home-stretch for finishing up Vision Therapy too!! GOOD JOB AIDEN!

home... it's bitter-sweet

We are very thankful for safe travels... and that our Kids really didn't seem to miss us too much! But we are also missing Uganda. It was such a WONDERFUL trip! ...definitely a "Trip of a Lifetime". Hope you enjoy viewing some of our memories... sorry that the most current entries are always at the top...you'll have to scroll down for older posts if you want to go in order :0)

IMMUNIZATION CLINIC ...in the middle of nowhere!!!

I showed you a few pics of the Kibaale Community Clinic in one of my first posts... this is a little bit better of a shot. The Clinic is on the gated property of the Kibaale Community Centre but it is open to the Public Monday - Saturday (and it's always busy!).

The Clinic is configured around a Courtyard and the setting is really very nice. (I took this picture after the clinic was closed but there are usually people lining the hallways!).

One of the Services that the Medical Clinic provides for surrounding Communities is a free IMMUNIZATION CLINIC. People walk for hours with their babies on their backs to come to have their children weighed and immunized (& in many cases, it was "older" siblings carrying the babies to the clinic ...I use the term "older" loosely - many babies were brought by their 5,6, or 7yr old Siblings!!!). On this particular Wednesday, we drove 45min into a very remote Community. Once again, my only nursing role was that of Pill-Pusher... but I was actually thankful! The only word I can use to describe this clinic is intense. The people were patient and not pushy at all but we weighed, immunized and medicated over 100 children and we were moving them thru the lineups as quickly as we could. I think I may have felt a little flustered if I had been given a much more significant role!!

more Gift Baskets!!

On Wednesday afternoon, 8 children (whose families had applied for assistance) were taken out of their classes and given "Gift Baskets" (provided by our caring Friends and Family at home, of course!!). The pictures are dark b/c the kids met us in the storage room where the items were kept until after school... at which time, each child would have to carry their items home!!! (I felt bad that they had to carry so much - and that it was heavy - but they were just excited!). I don't have pictures of all the kids b/c a few of them were writing exams.

You've already seen pictures of Betty (left) and Bennett ...but this was them receiving their Gift Baskets and their baskets of Household Items. We had to drive their stuff home in the KCC truck b/c there was just too much for them to carry. Bennett's Jaja began crying and dancing around when we came to her home. ...I am getting emotional just remembering her reaction to receiving these gifts. It was wonderful to bring these items to her!

Another note about Bennett... we had someone look at his home to see if we could make some repairs to it, but they said that it's basically collapsing in on itself and he would need a whole new house. So we looked into the cost on this and set aside some of our donated money to save for a new home for Bennett. On our last day in Kibaale, we received an unexpected donation from some close friends which has put us much closer to being able to actually afford a decent house for Bennett and his Jaja!! We are so excited about this ...and will let you know when the work begins!

Divide & Conquer...

James had the opportunity to take a dirt bike to a neighboring town with Sean (one of the Staff from KCC - he's from our Church in White Rock). The purpose of the trip was to document the severity of their water supply problem. Sean had been into the town earlier in the week ...only to find that their Borehole is not functioning and the community is currently collecting their water from an extremely polluted water source a few meters away. The water had a thick green sludgy film on top. Sean is hopeful that he will be able to resource enough money to fund a project to get the Borehole repaired for this Community.

James enjoyed the opportunity to ride the dirt roads of Kibaale on a BodaBoda.

A few days before we left for Uganda, I received an email requesting that I prepare to talk to the Grade 6-7 Girls about Abstinence. This sent me into a small panic as speaking in groups is not something I'm comfortable with (actually, I hate it!!). ...I was nervous enuff about leading Devotions to the classes (which Shan always assured me was "Simple!...Joel can do it!" - great!). Anyways, I agreed to try my best and I prayed a lot for peace about this. ...As it turned out, I was supposed to give this talk in the first 1-2 days that we were there but ended up not giving the talk (I can honestly say that I was relieved!). ...I thought I was off the hook just for having been willing :0) NICE TRY! The day before we left Uganda, the Grade 6-7 girls were separated from the boys and we met out on the grass under a big tree and had our discussion about abstinence. I was happy to have Shannon at my side for support. It went well. I felt much more peaceful than I thought I would. I have no idea if it impacted anyone... I guess that's like so many things that we'll never know how things end - but the Teachers were very appreciative and thought that it was a good talk. ...who knows!

Building Betty's Kitchen!

So! One of the projects that we were specifically raising money for was the building of a Kitchen for a young girl named Betty (and her family). Thanks to Friends & Family (again!!) we were able to fulfill this task and the project was set into motion before we ever left Canada!

I'm not sure what you imagined when we said we were "building a kitchen"... it may have included a sink and countertop? We weren't sure what to expect either! It's actually more like a mud-hut with an aluminum roof. It is costly for them to build and quite necessary for keeping a fire burning all day and trying to keep unwanted "guests" out!

*** Let me tell you something neat things about Betty! ...For one, her smile is infectious!! She is a very shy girl but such a sweet girl! Her Parents were very gracious and welcoming (and THANKFUL) and her Dad is very involved in her family (which, we found, is not very common). Also, they are a family who shares their resources with the people living around them (many families take from their water collection tank and share their existing kitchen) they really give back to their community.

(when we arrived to work, the Bamboo-framed structure of the Kitchen was ready and Betty's Dad and some of the KCC workers were busily making mud with water that KCC trucked in)

(Joel came on a Field Trip!... Hard to say which course it was for... could have

been Socials, Science, Home Ec.... He was a hard worker!!)

(the Women in Uganda work soooo hard! It's kind of crazy that they always have to

wear a skirt! ...at least I thought so when I was mudding in mine!)

Betty's Family was so pleased with their new Kitchen! Her Mother prepared

maize-porridge for us as a token of their gratitude. (Seriously, I think that

accepting people's "gratitude" was the most challenging part of being in Uganda

for me!... this one was literally a bit of a tuff one to swallow!).

This is the Lovely Betty on the day that we gave her her baskets of household items and cooking supplies to go with her kitchen. She was so pleased to be bringing these items home!

Thanksgiving...

Jeff & Shannon hosted an awesome Thanksgiving Dinner...with all the comfort foods of home!