Our First Home Visit - NASSUUNA GRACE

Tuesday afternoon was VERY cool. James, myself, and 2 staff (Jamie & Rose - who work with the sponsorship program) went on a home visit equipped with GIFTS which were generously donated by our wonderful Friends and Family at home...let me tell you, I could not be more proud to have you as my Friends...

We went to the home of our Sponsor-child, Nassuuna Grace. She lives about a one hour walk from the school (which she does in her bare-feet... along a dirt road which includes a loooong hill!). Grace lives with her Mother and 2 step siblings. Her father had been a successful business man in town but he had left his family for another and when he died (very recently) he left NOTHING for Grace and her Mom except for their home (no beds, or pots or anything...). As I mentioned b4, we went to the market... where we bought 3 Bed sets (mattress, sheet and blanket), cooking pots and utensils, bowls and cups for eating/drinking, some staple foods like maze, big bars of soap and basins for washing clothes and paraffin for fire/light... we also grabbed some Sodas and candy as a treat (which made Grace pretty happy!).

Grace met us at the KCF (Kibaale Children's Fund) office after school (she's in p4 - the equivalent of gr.4 at home) and we drove her home. When we pulled into her yard, her Mom came running out to hug us and kept crying "thank you, thank you, welcome". We were welcomed into her home where she laid down grass mats for us to kneel on. She was overwhelmed with gratitude (I am NOT exaggerating). She would not stop sighing and thanking us... and saying "I had nothing but now the Lord has come!". Then she suddenly got up and left the house... only to return 5min later with two CHICKENS!!...alive, flailing and with their legs bound (thank God!). These were what she was saving to buy soap and so she insisted on giving them to us to show her gratitude. I really wanted to leave mine with her, since it would be so much more useful to her (and I was not excited about cheerfully carrying my chicken away with me)... but that would rude... so I did. I was brave :0) ...Dion would have been ashamed of me b/c i felt a little freaked out about the flailing chicken thing.

It was a pretty awesome experience ...the Family was so blessed. And James and I felt honored to be part of the giving! Thank you Friends!!

Continued...

Monday afternoon, we set a few things in motion for getting the donated money spent where needed (didn't waste any time!!)... ordered some supplies and worked some things out. We also went to MARKET MONDAY (apparently usually a pretty crazy experience... not too crazy for us, but interesting). We spent a bunch of money buying the bed-sets and house supplies generously supplied by our Friends and Family... for our sponsor-child, Grace, and her family.

(no, we didn't buy a radio... I this just stood out as interesting to me!)

I also spent some time in the Dyck-Classroom where Shan home-schools her kids. This made me miss my own kids a little... made me wonder what they would do in school that Day. Shan runs a great classroom and the kids really enjoy being taught by her! ...Amazingly, Finny does everything Av does even though he is a full year younger. Kinda neat! Later in the day, Jeff and Jamie set up 7 Lap Top computers in what is their new Computer Lab for the Staff here ...and with Sean, they helped introduce some Staff to making simple worksheets and excel spread sheets. A pretty exciting day for the Staff here!

Tuesday... Jamie and I started the Day by leading a Devotional for a gr.7 class, then went to deliver TONS of medical supplies that we brought for the Medical Clinic here (and had to sort them!!) ...and I spent a little time helping in the clinic. That was kind of funny b/c I ended up being most needed with the pharmacist... dispensing meds. Not totally my specialty but I was glad to be put to work.

Then we went out with another couple of staff members to check in on a NEW project that has been set in motion (called SODIS).... the purpose of this project is to help people in the surrounding area disinfect their water with SOLAR exposure rather than having to boil it. We found that the set-ups that have been distributed were all in use when we arrived and the community was, in general, very happy with this alternative to boiling their water. Of course it was very eye-opening to walk into these remote communities and see the people who live there (remind me to tell you about the Woman who was so happy to see us that she ran into the bushes and dropped the ANIMAL LEG that she was carrying and ran over to greet us... yuck!but still a testimony of how thankful people are for the work that PAOS is doing in Kibaale).

...the REST of yesterday and Today was AMAZING ...and I will have to write about it at a later time... I'm monopolizing the computer right now. (sorry!).

We are loving being in Uganda. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. This is truly an amazing place!

What we've been up to...

We arrived in Kibaale on Sunday evening. The Kibaale Community Centre where the Dycks live and work is truly beautiful, and the people are genuinely lovely. The Staff and Kids are very warm and welcoming... and the Kids are quite shy (and very respectful ...with "Good Morning Uncle James" when Jamie greets them :0) Very cute.

(we're being introduced to the Students & Staff)

(the Nursery, Primary and Secondary Students are separated into 3 different locations on the Campus... these are some of the Primary Students).

We're having a lot of fun hangin' with the Dyck family. Joel, Avin, Finn & Mazzy are right in their element and are happy to show us the ropes around here. Jeff & Shan are amazing hosts, making us feel very welcome and loved. It is very fun to be back together with them!! ...nice to hear Jeffy calling Jamie "jamie-lynn spears" again :0) haha.

On Monday, Jeff just gave us the tour of the grounds and the projects that they have under way (very impressive!).

(some of the Kitchen staff peeling Matooke ...which is a staple food in Uganda. They boil it and serve it ...similar in texture to our Sweet Potatoes)

(this is the Medical Clinic - which Jeff was in charge of building - and it it continuously busy! This Clinic serves the Kids & Staff at their Centre as well as the People in their Community. They have assessment/treatment rooms, a functioning lab, and a pharmacy dispensary on site. I wish I would have taken a picture of the clinic we visited 5 min down the road... not even remotely comparable!!).

(their Chicken project... which is supplying eggs and meat (& soon fish food!!) for their Centre)

(the newest project underway... a Fish Farm! I'm not sure I can do it justice by explaining it... but it will be part of a much bigger plan for sustained living... chicken waste feeds fish, fish waste feeds crop, harvested crop feeds chicken...) ...I think.

We were praying like mad for Rain to come b4 the Fish-Expert arrives this next week... and apparently, the Heavens have opened up!! Rainy season has finally arrived!!

Finally some Pictures :0)

The pics are in reverse order... sorry.

Shan home-schools the kids




Then on Sunday after Church, we traveled South of the Equator!! ...and headed into Kibaale (the middle of nowhere Africa!) where we are working and living at the Kibaale Community Centre.Can you see ME in there?? ...I was showing the Kids pictures of our Boys... the Kids swarmed me!!!

Jamie and the House Mamas/Aunties
on our last night in Mpigi, we went to the Kids' houses (there are 3 of them) and tucked them in and gave them some gifts.  Jamie gave the Boys a special soccer ball from the Mackies... they were verrrrry excited!





The Boys came out in FULL soccer (football) uniform (all of which had either Peace Arch Soccer Club or Semi logos on them!!).  They loved playing with Jeff, Jamie, Joel and Finn.
Hanging out with the Kids was so much fun!!





Christine held Jamie's hand or snuggled up to him whenever possible!  Cute.

Jeffy
yes, Shan rides a Boda Boda with Mazzy...

This was a highlight for Jamie... We took a Boda Boda ride into the town of Mpigi, where we toured the shop where Jay Duncan (a Musician from the Lower Mainland) has created a workshop and taught some of the Locals how to make guitars to sell and export.  The company is called Duncan Africa.