Inspired

I'm home...jet-lagged...just slept 15 hrs. I'm sitting on my porch just trying to summarize my thoughts and feelings about the trip. All I can say is that I'm inspired.

Often times, when you give money to a charity, you're not always able to see the immediate impact of your support. However, I was able to witness firsthand the difference that GFR has made in several impoverished communities in Uganda.













The difference in my family made me cry. When I met them 2 years ago, they had so little. They were wearing rags and some didn't even have clothing. When I saw them this trip, they looked healthy and were wearing clean clothes. All of the children are now in school as well.













I saw people that had been healed of their ailments because of the medications that they had received thru this program. Those people are now functioning members of their communities and are no longer outcasts.












I've seen children in school that otherwise would not have had that opprotunity without the support from US donors.













I saw houses built for families that had nowhere to live.
















I saw water wells that had been refurbished for entire communities (This is huge, since they may walk miles to get water).

It is obvious that our money has been put to good use in Uganda. So now, all I can think about is how I can raise more money to send to Africa. We have soooo much of everything (stuff, food, money, educational opportunities) here in the states. Most of us cannot even begin to imagine the type of poverty that exists outside our country. So how can one person make an impact when the need is so great?

In my mind, I try to think about the impact I'm making in the lives of just my sponsored family. These are real moms with real children, whose lives have changed completely because of our support. They now don't go to bed hungry every night and the kids are going to school everyday. They have built themselves a brick home to provide better shelter. They are farming and starting businesses to sustain themselves in the future. They now have HOPE.













As I look around at my house and see the list of home repairs that need to be done, I am reminded that I have been blessed with so much compared to the rest of the world. I feel a sense of responsibility as a Christian and human being to share what I have with those who have so little. It has been a rewarding lesson for our family...especially our own children.

Most of us will never think we have enough money...as the paychecks get higher and higher, it never seems like enough or the right time to give. All I can say is that it has been our faith in God to provide us with just enough... so that we can continue to help others in need...here and across the world.

I'm stepping down from my soap box now:) I can't help it...it was an intense experience that is difficult to put into words and it makes you think about your life and what you believe in.

If you're interested in sponsoring a family thru Global Family Rescue, please email info@globalfamilyrescue.org or call 620-202-2586.

ps. I will go back to Uganda again...let me know if you're interested in tagging along...

Lake Mburu

We spent the day at lake Mburu National Park. We spent many hours on the bus on a very very bumpy road. There are few traffic rules in this country. Everyone kind of drives on the left side. However, you can pass the cars in front of you whenever you want...plus there are boda bodas (motorcycle taxis) everywhere. So imagine it being pitch black outside, no street lights, no lines on the roads, passing cars 2 at a time at top speed, barely missing the oncoming traffic, hanging on for dear life...that is the Ugandan traveling experience. Just close your eyes and put your ipod on and say a little prayer!
Anyway, when we arrived at the park, we went on a walking tour and immediately saw zebras everywhere. There were warthogs (Pumba), various kinds of deer/antelopes, and baboons. We then went on a boat tour and saw lots of hippos, a few crocodiles, river eagles, and various birdies that I know nothing about...I'm not gonna lie...I was dozing off at this point. If I had a hammock, I would have been out for hours. It has been such a long 2 weeks that my body is shutdown mode. It was very cool though.

Jessica and Mammi Dianne

If you’re looking for Jessica, you can find her holding a baby somewhere. I think I have 20 pictures of her with a baby in her arms. She is a college student and will be officially a nurse in December. I think it is so cool that she is able to experience this with her mom, Dianne. They both are always smiling and hugging everyone that they meet. Dianne has been going to Guatamala for many years and this is her second time in Uganda. It is very admirable that being a missionary has been incorporated into their everyday lives.

Luke & his Dad

Luke is 13 and is here with his dad, Gene. The both of them came to Uganda last year. I am in awe of Luke and his loving heart. Children have that gift of innocence...they don’t have all of the prejudices and opinions that adults develop over time. Although he is so young, he has made a real connection with the people of Uganda, especially the children. He befriends everyone and loves to entertain and play with them. Herds of kids are always following him wherever he goes.

There was one point, while we were at the clinic, when Luke was standing in a vacant building with about 200 kids standing around him. You could see his little blonde head in the middle of a sea of black ones. My “mommy mode” kicked in and yelled to see if he was ok and he said he was and gave the thumbs up. He said that was his best moment of the trip! You can only imagine what this kid will be able to accomplish in his future. Gene has been so proud of him.

Gene has been our goodwill ambassador for the trip. Since he is the only adult male in our group, he always gets elected to speak on behalf of the group. (we keep making fun of this pic of Gene)

Anna's Birthday

Anna is my roommate and is a college student from Bolingbrook. It was Anna’s birthday on Wed. the 15th. I played the Beatles “Birthday Song” for her when we woke up and me and Deb did a little dance for her. She spent her day at the clinic. While there, I was able to take a video of approx. 50 Ugandan school children standing all around her singing “Happy Birthday” to her. It was a moment that she’ll never forget. When we got back to the hotel, Idah had arranged for a birthday cake to be made for her…which is a big deal in these parts. We all sang to her and they even had a presents. These people love to give gifts. Happy Birthday Anna.

The Mango Tree Kids

After an amazing clinic day, we were exhausted. But we all wanted to see the infamous Mango Tree Kids. They are the children that live in the slums of Kamwenge. The irony is that most of the areas I have seen are so poor that I’m not sure what classifies it as “the slums.” Anyway, all of the kids were waiting for us under the mango tree. It was dusk and it was a beautiful picture as we drove up. They sang us a few songs and we handed out the last of our candy, beanie babies, and clothing.

Deb -The Hugger

Debbie (from Ottowa), one of our team members, has such a big heart. She has always worked with children with disabilities and she just loves on everyone that she meets. She especially loves to hug and talk to those people that look like they are being ignored. She spent the majority of her day at the clinic rubbing Vaseline on people’s legs and feet just to pamper them. Remember these are legs that may or may not have Elephantiasis, feet that are never washed and are very calloused and damaged. I’ll admit, I tried to rub the Vaseline on them as well and I only lasted about 5 minutes. It was too emotional and disturbing for me and it made me very sad. These people were amazed by her kindness. I’ve admired her loving heart. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone like her before.

Clinic Day!

Before leaving Fort Portal, we visited 3 different pharmacies to get medicine for the clinic because each pharmacy did not have all of the medications that we needed. Many people from home (US) donated money for meds (Thanks Silvia) so we pooled our money together and we bought tons of medications for: Elephantiasis, worms, epilepsy, asthma, eye infections, and malaria. I’m sure there were others but those were the major ones. At our first stop we probably spent $1 mil schillings…or $500 and walked out with 2 big boxes of meds!

Clinic Day was awesome. Approx. 300 people came from all over the region to see the doc for their ailments. This is a mobile clinic and attempts to treat all of the ailments listed above. Once we arrived, we began sorting the meds and separating the doses into envelopes for the patients. We also had an eye glass station…we had brought approx. 125 reading glasses that we bought at the dollar store. Soooo many people were lined up for glasses. We had various magnifying strengths from 1.25-3.5. We had each one try on a pair of glasses and then try to read and they would tell us if they needed stronger or weaker…of course with the help of an interpreter. We found that when they thought they needed stronger they actually wanted weaker so we basically did the opposite of what they asked for. The reaction of them trying to read the book was priceless and they looked so smart!

I spent the majority of the afternoon helping Milton with the individuals that were experiencing leg pain from Elephantiasis and various ailments. I was counting pills, putting them in envelopes and sweating in the sun.

Harriet's House

This is another house built by GFR. Upon our arrival, the people from the community were gathered under a tarp for our arrival. There were lots of hugs and laughing…many of these people have never seen, let alone touch, a mzungu (white folk). There was a formal ceremony which is very common in Africa…lots of speakers from community leaders giving thanks. After the ribbon cutting ceremony, Harriet told us of her life before she became sponsored. She said she didn’t have a change of clothing and wouldn’t go to church because people would make fun of her…so she would sit outside. She explained that now she goes to church every Sunday and that she has many clothes and many people in the community borrow HER clothes! After the young girls performed a local dance for us, various people offered us gifts. They had made us baskets and offered ginormous avocados, and pineapples. It is customary to offer your guests gifts to show thanks. Once again, yet another memorable experience.

The Kindergarteners

Cute, cute, cute. We visited a kindergarten in Kamwenge that is run by Parents Concern. The little munchkins (60 of them) were waiting for us and waving streamers as we pulled up in the bus. They sang to us and we all ate lunch. We gave the teachers school supplies and handed out beanie babies and suckers to the kids. For those of you that have bins full of beanie babies in your basement, now you know how you can put them to good use! This facility is linked to GFR in that there a sponsored families that have children that attend this school.

Deb and Diane raised money in the US to buy bicycles for GFR workers. We were able to present 6 sparkling new bikes to the staff while we were there!

On the same property is a vocational center that teaches sewing, dyeing and design. We bought some of their African handmade shirts and dresses to support their project. We also bought many beads and baskets from the local widows.

Betty's House

After leaving Fort Portal, we arrived in Kamwenge. We stopped to see the house that GFR had built last year for a widow named Betty and her 4 kids. She is the sponsored family of my roommate, Anna. We were surprised to see that not only Betty’s family was there but also many other sponsored families in the area were there to greet us. Once again…lots of hugs and singing and dancing.

In this community, there were many individuals with Elephantiasis. There was a girl named Gloria who has the disease and is currently on medication. One of our team members, Debbie, has been raising money for Gloria over the past year. She has been selling food and misc. items in her classroom in the states to raise money for Gloria’s education…her class raised $400. Although Gloria’s feet show some improvement, it looks like she has a long way to go with her treatment. She is ostracized by her peers at her school because of her condition. The appearance of Elephantiasis is obviously disturbing but there is also an odor that cannot be described.

Joseph also has the disease but it consumes his entire lower region from the waist down. He has made some improvements also but he definitely has a long way to go. He said he is now able to wear support socks.
However, take a look at these ladies feet! Both have the disease and they are now better by the use of the medication. It’s amazing!

The Old Man and Woman

While in Fort Portal, Idah told us about an old man and his wife that were extremely poor and living in extreme poverty conditions. Apparently, several people on the team had met the couple (Paul and Teresa) the previous year. Although they are on the GFR waiting list, the situation was desperate so we decided to bless them with many of things that they were lacking. We bought a foam mattress, sheets, plates, bowls, cups, 3 pots, serving dishes, washing tubs, soap, 2 tarps, rice, sugar, and 2 loaves of bread…all for $115 US dollars. Since it was getting dark and began to rain, we headed back to the hotel for dinner and went to bed. The hotel was nice. It had running water which was a plus! As I laid in bed and listened to the rain, I thought of the old man and his wife sleeping on the ground in their mud hut…and how their life is so different than mine.
The next morning, we arrived at Paul and Teresa’s home. Since it had rained the night before, the trail to their home was quite muddy. They have a mud house that was literally falling apart…the door had even fallen off. If I had to guess, the home was about 10’x6’. There was enough room for a twin bed and a tiny sitting area/storage on the other side. The team members that had met them last year said that it appeared that they were wearing the same clothes as last year.
You cannot imagine their expression when we came walking up with all of that stuff! We laid out a tarp and piled all of the supplies on top and they just sat there in amazement. They felt like it was a blessing from God that had dropped out of the sky and I suppose it was.
We handed Paul (78 yrs old) a mirror so that he could look at his face. He could not believe that it was himself. He said he had not seen himself in a mirror for 14 years! He kept touching his face because he couldn’t believe how his hair had turned gray and he had wrinkles. . I gave Paul my hat. He put it on and looked at himself in the mirror and was quite proud…he was a character!

Teresa (she doesn’t remember how old she is) was very shy and did not want to see herself but we eventually got her to look. She turned away embarrassed and laughing…it was very cute. To think that they have seen each other all of these years but had no idea what they themselves looked like
Before we left, we gave them the loaves of bread, he said that hadn’t eaten bread in 5 years! It was a wonderful way to start the day.

Tooro High School

We're Back....

Monday...We spent most of the day traveling to Fort Portal (5 hrs away). Once we arrived there, we stopped at Tooro High School. It is the high school that is ran by Idah and Henry’s (her husband) non-for-profit, Parents Concern. Currently, GFR sponsors 81 orphaned children at this private high school of 230 students. Each orphan student is provided scholastic materials, plates, cups, mosquito net and school uniform. 58 girls actually live on campus. When we arrived, they put on quite a show for us…singing and cultural dances. Many of the students were in the middle of exams so we were not able to stay long on campus. Milton (field officer) gave us a very professional power point presentation of the current Parents Concern projects, goals and stats. As I said before, the Ugandan staff really has a solid handle on the status of the families and projects that are being funded by their US sponsors. It was a good day and the students are impressive. The spoke proper English and are dedicated to their studies.

Church Today!

We spent the morning at the Namyoya Community Church built by GFR and it truly felt as though God was there! I was so excited to look out the window of the bus to see Aida and Florence there waiting in front of the church along with so many others from the community. Silvia-I saw your mammi too!

Everyone was dressed in their Sunday best and Pastor David gave an excellent sermon. Deb, Gene, and I gave our testimony. I basically told them how Ken and I found ourselves unemployed and we continued our sponsorship of our family because we put our trust into God's hands that he would provide for us...and he has. They also asked us to sing to them...which was interesting. We had practiced a song on the bus which frankly...bombed...we tried but failed to pull it together...non-rhythmic mzungus (white folk). Ultimately, they asked us to sing "Amazing Grace" which we managed to pull off acapella version which didn't sound to bad...then we finished an amazing version of "Jesus loves me" to close the show!

I am so impressed with the GFR folks here in Africa. They are really working to make a lasting difference in this community. Pastor David has built pig pens to begin a community "pig project" to generate income. When a pig gives birth, the piggies are handed out to community members to reproduce.

Angi the baby whisperer...she fell asleep on my lap during service.(yes, I do hold babies while in a foreign country)

Can I say the Idah is somethin...she is so well-respected in Uganda. When Idah talks, everyone listens. We finished our day by attending the African/Korean Christian conference closing banquet.

We will be leaving for Fort Portal and Kamwenge tomorrow...I won't have access to the internet until Thursday. I'm sure I'll have lots to share...we'll be going to Tooro High School and working at a clinic...stay tuned...

Extreme Poverty

Most of the people of this community are very very poor. A kind of poor that you can't really understand unless you see it with your own eyes. Children ran around without clothing and covered in dirt from head to toe. Babies that look ill with flies crawling on their eyes and in their noses...many times were carried around by their older sibling.



This little boy in the picture had this rag of a t-shirt on and it broke my heart. He always had a big smile on his face. Before we left, I gave him and his friend a new t-shirt. They were much too big but they didn't seem to care. These people were so grateful for every little thing. It makes you think about all we take for granted. They were happy and bowed in thanks just to get our empty water bottles! As Idah (GFR director in Uganda) explains, "There is such a fine line between survival and death in these communities." Helping these people can literally save their lives. I'm so glad to be here. By the way, I recognized some of the people that I met 2 years ago. It was awesome that they also remember our team visiting them...its was the highlight of their year! Look at this little boy's t-shirt...it says, "Have You Hugged Your Kid Today?"