Uganda 2010

Chicago Airport Mystery (From Next Generation Ministry Blog by Paul Hunter)

2010-06-22T16:39:00.000-06:00

Well, this amazing story just needs to be shared. CLick on this link to read it!
Chicago Airport Mystery

Paul Hunter - "A Big Day"

2010-06-16T06:00:00.001-06:00

Paul Hunter, the host of our Uganda trip and director of Next Generation Ministries writes periodic updates about what is happening in his ministry. Yesterday he wrote about his day with Group 2. Follow this link to read about this amazing day.

A Big Day, by Paul Hunter

Fountain of Hope

2010-06-15T07:45:00.003-06:00

Bukeeka is a Muslim village and home to Fountain of Hope Christian School. The school began with a rocky start; it had only a handful of students and was under intense opposition from Witch Doctors and Muslim occupants of the village. The headmaster, Robert, was chased from the village by men with machetes; a price was put on his head; one morning he arrived at the school property to find his school surrounded in a trail of chicken blood (evidence of ritualistic ceremonies performed at the school); coffins were placed in homes of his friends to signify and prophesy death. This may sound crazy, but after having sat with this man and been in his house and school, I assure you, it is very real. This kind of stuff is normal in Africa. So convinced by God he was to establish this fountain of hope in the midst of darkness, he persevered. Since 2006 the school has grown from a dozen to students to 700. Now, the Muslims and Witch Doctors actually advocate for the school, realizing it may be the only hope their children have of ever receiving an education; they even encourage Robert to run for Parliament. Wow; the power of God is also very real.

Robert and Sara; founders of Fountain of Hope

School Grounds

Trying out their new whiteboards

Over the last couple of weeks the team has had the privilege of teaching at this blessed school. When you pull up to the school the first thing you see is a sign stating “Educate the girl child, educate a nation.” This is a powerful statement in a land that often oppresses and persecutes women. As you walk the grounds of the school you encounter more such signs posted. “Virginity is healthy” “Say no to bad touches” “You are important” “Never walk alone” “Trust God in all” “Respect your leaders” “Shout for help in case of sexual abuse” “Fight human sacrifice” "Always speak English" "Serve as an example". The motto of the school, which when asked all the students of the school can recite, is “Righteousness exalts a nation.” These may seem like basic principles, but here these things are not commonly taught and with the declaration of these values comes great power.

Even though the classrooms are smaller than an average American classroom, the class sizes range from 45 to 100 students! Despite the large amount of students packed into a small space, there are virtually no management issues; the kids are so excited to have an education and it’s obvious by the amount of respect they give to their teachers. One day we gave a Bible lesson related to fear and God’s protection and asked the students what they feared. The top responses were “murder, rape, sacrifice, being robbed”. The reality of the life they live in is very sad; but in the midst of their struggle God has placed them in a safe place where they are taught, discipled and given an opportunity to fulfill the destiny God has for them. Teaching at this school has been an absolute dream come true for many of us. Thank you Jesus; You are so good.

Students at Bukeeka

We've been busy!

2010-06-10T13:26:00.006-06:00

It's been awhile since we posted! Since you last heard from us, Team One has headed on safari and Team Two has arrived! We were sad to say goodbye to the first team but so excited to receive our new team! Monday we hit the ground running with a busy day, in which our team members were scattered in various directions.

Syd and Chad were able to visit a prison and share the love of God with more than 50 prisoners and guards. They worshiped and studied the Word together while passing out gifts of mango juice, crackers, bananas, t-shirts, sweets, soap and lots of hugs, of course! Due to a corrupt government it is thought that about half of the prisoners are innocent and have been wrongly charged. By the end of the service 10 inmates had given their life to the Lord. Thank you Jesus!

Syd, Arianne, and Sam spend their day working at Rock of Ages Pre-School. They traced the feet of all 88 students in order to find shoes that would fit each of them; a couple of days later we were able to bless the students with their new shoes, as well as with foot washing. Many of these children have not experienced love in their lives; how powerful it was to actively love them by touching their feel and placing new shoes on them.

Sam with Rock of Ages students

Uganda (and most of the World really) is currently in an uproar as they await the beginning of the World Cup starting Friday!! The boys of "Caring Place" (a home for street kids ran by an amazing 23 year old woman) are no exception! Monte, Dan and Chad were able to purchase and install a TV antenna at the Caring Place so the 16 boys and their Mama Sera will be able to join in the World Cup festivities (no small thing for an African)! While they were at it they fixed the antennae of our friend and ministry partner, Abdu. Way to go handy men!

Monte at work

Idaho boy getting 'er done

Diane, Jill, Katie and Kristi were able to begin their teaching at Fountain of Hope Junior High School. After being introduced to the 700 students in a whole school assembly they visited each class, sharing a little about themselves and singing some song together. The whole school was in an uproar over their new "mzungo" (white person) friends; the girls felt like rock stars (ha!) and are excited to return to the school and teach lessons in each class.

School wide Assembly

Singing Songs with the kids

Pam, Bobbette, and Cheri spent the morning in the kitchen using their amazing skills to prepare BBQ meatballs, french beans and chocolate cake to serve to our "boda boda" drivers (motorcycle drivers who serve as the local transportation). Their are 8 bodas on our street who regularly help us out. Not only did they ladies serve them a meal, they surprised them with a bag containing an American T-shirt, the New Testament on an MP3 player and 20,000 shillings (about a day's wage on a really good day and the equivalent of $10). The joy on their faces was heart wrenching in a really good way. One of they boys remarked, "This is Christmas morning! No one can do this! No one!"

Boda Boys

We are blown away and humbled by the relationships God has given us and the ample opportunities we have been given to bless others. He is so good! Thank you for reading our blog and thank you for your continued prayers!

"Let them praise his name with dancing.."

2010-06-06T18:57:00.001-06:00

Psalm 149:3 Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp.

African worship is joyful! Music amplified to almost deafening volume pours from large speakers, praise songs, clapping, dancing..it's all included. I told Kristy W. when she arrived that the Zumba classes we attend are good practice for African worship! We were suppose to meet team I at this service but they had been re-routed thru South Africa due to the British Air strike and wouldn't arrive for another 12 hours.

African worship is not time constrained.. the second service is scheduled for 10...we arrived about 10:15 at our host, Paul's suggestion. It didn't officially start until 10 or 15 minutes later when the praise band took the platform lead the worship. We took seats in the back having been ushered to the front of the church the previous week and seated right in front of the speakers. Folks in their Sunday best, wandered in for at least another half hour filling the seats and joined in the raucous, jubilant praise. Once the praise band finished, the pastor and others begin speaking. The services typically go on for a couple hours complicated by the fact the services are conducted in both English and Lugandan and everything is said repeated twice. No one seems to mind and the folks stay to the end!

The church we attended is pastored by Jimmy, one of the men mentored by Paul in The Next Generation Ministry. The building is a large open air structure. The floor is cement, there is a roof held up by wooden pillars and there are no walls. A raised platform in front gives the singers and pastors a place lead the worship. The seating is plastic molded lawn chairs of various colors, similar to what you'd buy a Walmart.

This Sunday, Lilly sang. We haven't told you much about Lilly in this blog. She and her husband are part of the Next Generation Family. She has written several songs that are very popular in Africa. She has an amazing voice. When she sang folks sang along. Of course we couldn't because she sung it in Lugandan. But the melody was beautiful and the spirit of the song clearly came thru.

I love the passionate, joyful , exuberant spirit of the African worship service, which expresses a heartfelt thankfulness for all the Lord has done for us.

AIDS clinic and Children's Hospital

2010-06-04T15:47:00.000-06:00

Immanuel, 14 year old AIDS patient, and myself

On Tuesday the team visited a health clinic with a long term AIDS home attached to it. We passed out stickers and held the hands of children who are losing the battle to AIDS and most likely will not be alive in 6 months. It’s difficult to know how to process that. The administrator of the home is an extraordinary young Swiss man, not much older than me.(Jill). He has made Uganda his home and loves his young victims of AIDS, but he has no knowledge of God. This makes me sad; he is offering something of amazing value to the Ugandan people, but what of eternal value will last?

Next we visited a Children’s Hospital; people poured out of the waiting room, spilling onto the lawn. Dozens of families camped out waiting to be seen; who knows how long they had been there? The condition of the hospital was unreal; in the ER our team was asked given the opportunity to pray for the patients. I was able to lay hands on a small girl with malaria and pray for her healing and salvation. Something inside of me opened and I couldn’t hold back the tears. Here prayer is always welcomed; the mother was thrilled to have me pray for her little girl. I can’t really imagine stepping into an ER in the States and being invited, even welcomed to lay hands on a sick, young girl by both the parents and the doctor.

Young Children at the AIDS home

Health Clinic/AIDS home

The Congolese Boys (Dove Voice Band)

2010-06-03T07:23:00.006-06:00

The last few days have been overwhelming, but in a very good way. Have you ever experienced something and known you will never be the same? I will try to describe some of what the last few days have held, though I don’t think I could ever adequately put words to all we have seen.

On Monday night our team was blessed with a singing group of 16 boys, ages 13-18, from the Congo. Many of these boys are orphans or refugees and each one of them have amazing testimonies of how God has saved them from addiction, homelessness, hunger, depression, ect. In the words of Robert, a local believer here, “Often those who have a passionate love for Jesus have experienced a great healing from Jesus”. We shared a meal with the group and then enjoyed a performance of singing and dancing. When you look in these boys eyes, see their smiles and watch how they sing to their Maker, their passion and love for Jesus is impossible to miss. By the end of the evening the Congo boys had all of us muzungos (white people) singing and dancing (further proof that white men can’t dance ;). We danced and sang in the front yard of the compound well into the evening hours. Eventually the lawn was flooded with neighbors and children, wanting to participate in all the commotion. It was a blast! We drowned out the Islamic “call to prayer” with our praise songs to Jesus. Before going home, the leader of the group mentioned he had not had coffee in over two years. That did it… We invited the group to an American cooked breakfast, complete with pancakes and syrup, eggs and coffee. When the boys came the next morning we blessed them with a soccer ball, frisbees (which they had never seen before) and one of our team T-shirts for each of them. I have never seen a single person so blessed by the gift of a new T-shirt. The boys kept the tags on the shirts as proof that they were brand new. They handled them as though they were glass and pressed their noses to them to inhale the “new t-shirt” smell. Before the boys left they gathered around us and sang a song in their own language, acapella. I remember thinking “This is the most beautiful thing I have ever heard”. Angels surely were rejoicing with us as the presence of God distinctly filled the room. I will never forget these boys and I think they would say the same of us. I was shocked at how much hope our team brought to this group by not really doing anything, but just by being there, by letting them know they are not forgotten.

That was Monday night. More stories to follow from the rest of the week… Thank you for your prayers. Be blessed!

Congolese boys enjoying pancakes and coffee in their new T-shirts

Gathering before breakfast

Rain

2010-06-02T14:59:00.001-06:00

Last evening (June First) we lost power which explains why you did not hear from us. Most of the team spent yesterday and today working at the pre-school. Randy was giving physicals and the everyone else was supporting him,,,taking height and weights, taking blood pressure pricking fingers for blood samples, keeping the children occupied with crafts, hand washing, fingernail painting, administering vitamins,,,, as soon as I get pictures from those who were there I'll post.

The process was not as smooth the first day...the first kid got his finger pricked and started to cry which started all the kids in the room crying...so they quickly re-arranged the process!

New Life Preschool Day 1

2010-05-31T14:46:00.000-06:00

After a taxi ride to the village of Mbiko, Syd, Karen, Kerri, Jill, Katie, and I arrived at the school. I think the best way to describe it is that it's a beacon of hope in an ocean of poverty. The children were excited to see us. When we entered the classroom the chanted, "Welcome visitors! We are New Life Nursery Preschool. We are happy you are here We are (fill in the blank....baby class, middle level, top level primary 1.)

We worked in 3, each team visiting all 4 classrooms. Jill and Syd told bible stories to the kids, much to the children's delight. Karen and I sang songs and taught the children hand motions to go with them. Kerri and Katie handed out crayons and construction paper, had them draw A heat with a cross inside of it and then showed them how to fold the paper into fans.

Kerri summed it by saying the "The dedication of Betty and the teachers was inspiring, the fruit of their labor reflected in the happy faces of the children."

First Level Primary

New Life Preschool

Baby Class

This little girl hung around and watched us along with other village children who couldn't afford to go to school. Betty's school is too small to take any more kids!

We Arrived!

2010-05-30T07:43:00.000-06:00

After two long travel days we arrived in Entebbe at 7:15AM local time with all our bags ! An amazing miracle considering all the hub-bub surrounding our departure! We are all OK but tired! After a two hour ride to Jinja, we attended a wonderful, loud, energetic, spirit filled service. Then off to the Hunters for rest, food, showers and fellowship...more later but just wanted everyone to know we're here safe and sound.

Starting Out

2010-05-30T07:20:00.000-06:00

We took the American Airlines ticket agents in Salt Lake by surprise this morning. We arrived 3 hours before our flight was to leave, with 4 fifty pound bags each (44 bags!) as well as our carry on luggage. "You can't take all that on the plane", the woman exclaimed, "the plane is too small. And your carry on luggage is too big! And it'll cost you $140 for each bag over the 3 bag limit. " She wasn't happy, having expected a routine day and now had to figure out how to get all of us and our luggage on our way. With help from her collegiate, some of our luggage was re-routed and placed on other flights, a call to British Airways confirmed that it was only $60 dollars for each extra bag. Our carry ons turned out to be OK. And lots of help from the sky cap, who we generously tipped, eased the burden of carrying and lifting the bags . We were thru security by 10:15, in plenty of time for our 11:15 departure. She didn't know about all the folks praying for us back home! Tomanya!
Once we were all boarded on the plane, the captain came on and told us they needed one volunteer to take a different flight. We couldn't leave until that person got off. They started out offering $300 dollars. 10 minutes later, a woman left with a confirmed first class ticket to chicago and $500 dollars. The steward handed her a $20 dollar bill from his pocket, thanked her and told her to go get lunch on him. He was based out of Chicago and said he wanted to get home for the weekend. Every one clapped and cheered for her. Tomanya!
Once we took off the captain told us President Obama is also heading to Chicago this weekend arriving about the same time as we are suppose to. No planes can land or take off until he has landed so we may have to circle for awhile! I hope we get there before him! Tomanya!

Mama Africa Video Shot by Chad Two Years Ago

2010-05-28T10:48:00.000-06:00

Chad will be shooting 4 more videos for Lilly's Album on this videos. She will sell them them to help the Next Generation Ministry.

We're proud of our youngest team member!

2010-05-27T16:21:00.000-06:00

Ariane is a sophomore at Century High School and the youngest of the Africa 2010 team. She has always had a passion for serving, and serving in Africa has been a dream of hers since she can remember. At the early age of 11 she raised money for tsunami victims of India. Soon thereafter, she raised enough money to build a well in Honduras bringing fresh water to +200 families. Ariane has collected over 100 pairs of socks and shoes for the children of Rock of Ages preschool and their families and looks forward to putting them on each little foot during a very special birthday party for the children. Ariane hopes to go into the medical field and is looking forward to working side-by-side with Dr. Fowler, checking blood pressure and blood glucose levels of all those who will recieve physicals.

Equality Respect Organization Donates MOney for Uganda

2010-05-27T16:15:00.000-06:00

SHANTYL DELPHINE BETTY PRESENTING BETTY $400.00 FOR UGANDA

EQUALITY RESPECT WAS FOUNDED BY SISTERS MONIQUE MICHELLE BETTY AND SHANTYL DELPHINE BETTY IN 2008 ON A PROMISE TO RAISE AWARENESS AND PROMOTE EDUCATION ABOUT UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS IN SCHOOLS.
OUR COMMITMENT IS TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE. Please visit our website www.equalityrespect.org HELP BREAK THE CYCLE

Local Pharmacy donates Wheel Chair

2010-05-26T13:30:00.001-06:00

Well, we got our wheelchair for Emma, (Click here to see original post dated Monday, May 10, 2010, A Request for Help), but not in the way we expected. Mark did find a wheelchair but it was in Utah and we just didn’t have time to get it, so Robert Raschke of Maags, located us one and donated it! Our thanks to Robert!

Tomanya!

Emma, soon to have a wheelchair!

Getting Ready , Getting a Wheel Chair, Expecting Miracles

2010-05-25T07:56:00.000-06:00

Packing for Uganda

Packing for Uganda

Last evening as we packed for Uganda, the one thought on every one's mind was how generous and supportive people in our community. Amazingly we fit just about everything in the bags we had...shoes, school supplies, food, soccer balls, baby blankets, children's books, bibles, t-shirts, medical supplies, water bottles donated and packed by local high school students with ORS (Oral Re-hydration Solution), T-shirts, medical supplies, baby formula, toys and hats knitted by the woman in the local prison, tooth brushes and tooth paste donated by local dentists, the list goes on...

After wards we gathered together for a team meeting and short devotional lead by Syd and Chad. "Expect Miracles", Syd said.

Then she said the only outstanding need was a wheel chair for Emma (see post dated Monday, May 10, 2010, A Request for Help). I can get wheelchair, one of the doctors on out team volunteered. He admitted he hadn't read most of Syd's emails but it at that moment, it didn't matter. We have what we need!

KPVI takes note of our trip!

2010-05-24T23:32:00.001-06:00

Our Uganda team made news again tonight as we packed for our trip. Below is the transcript of theTV new cast tonight! Here's the link to view the broad cast..23 people prepare for a trip to help children in Uganda

23 people prepare for a trip to help children in Uganda

April 24, 2010 KPVI New 6 By: Matt Horn
Sixteen-year-old Ariane Drake is the youngest of 23 people going to Africa to help children in poverty stricken Uganda.
"I wanted to give these kids shoes," she said.
On her "Sweet 16", Drake told her friends to bring shoes for the kids in Africa, and after her party she had more than 50 pairs.
Drake: "It feels really good I get to be a part of something like this."
Even though at first, her parents said no to the trip. But after careful consideration they changed their minds.
Tamera Drake, Ariane's mother said: "It's an opportunity of a lifetime and quite frankly probably a learning experience for her."
"Anytime you do something like this you grow, you broaden your perspective," Jill Jorgensen added.
All 23 people are able to check in three 50 pound bags that are full of supplies for the kids.
"None of it will be supplies we personally need," Kristi Wehrspann added.
All of their supplies will be in the carry-on luggage, so Ariane and the other 22 people can help children a world away.
Ariane Drake: "I think this is going to be more of a blessing for me to be a part of something like this."

Bags Ready to Go!

Betty makes the TV news!

2010-05-24T22:51:00.003-06:00

Betty made the news last night! Here's the transcript of the story that appeared on KPVI Channel Six news last night. Click in the link below to see the actual broad cast! She did a great job speaking to the press! Please note that the story as reported is incorrect...the children Betty works with are CHILDREN of prostitutes, not child prostitutes!

Sponsorship Program Helps Children a World Away
April 23, 2010 KPVI New 6 By: Matt Horn
Thirty-five percent of people living in Uganda are living at or below poverty, and the life expectancy is 52 years old.
More than 100 people were at Cornerstone Chapel Sunday evening to hear about child prostitution in Uganda and learn more about a school there that is educating children on a different way of living.
Betty Wasswa was telling people about child prostitution in her home country.
In 2008, she started a school to help get kids off the streets, and now people in Pocatello are supporting of her and the school in Mbiiko, Uganda.
Wasswa said: "It's a poor state, this a poor town, there a lot of drug abuse, sex abuse."
A group of 23 people from Southeast Idaho will go to Uganda to help supply children with everyday necessities, including 1700 pounds of rice supplement to help feed children.
Team leader Syd Hair said this trip means a lot to her and the other 22 people going, saying it's great seeing the sponsorship program grow to 88 kids.
Hair said: "We believe long term they will be the leaders in their community."
Hair added that many of the children in that specific community in the African country are lucky to get one meal a day.

See the Video Clp from last nights news
Sponsorship Program Helps Children a World Away

Sera's Story

2010-05-19T16:34:00.002-06:00

Note: On our trip, The Caring Place, run by Sera, will be one of the places we will be working. Here is her remarkable and inspiring stories.

Sera's Story - In Her Own Words

Four year olds don’t anticipate brutal trauma. I was no exception. I was a carefree, joyful, fun loving girl who embraced life before the first crack of dawn and packed as much living into that day before the fast fading of daylight closed the door on it.

It was impossible for me to know or understand the reasons behind my nation’s genocide. The conversations exchanged between the adults regarding the tribalism and the potential warfare resulting from it meant nothing to me. But, when the Hutu men finally invaded the village of my uncle and aunt, the family with whom I was staying, it became a personal trauma.

The major components of the frenzied activity surrounding our home are forever etched in my memory. My uncle was the first one chosen. Before the uninitiated eyes of a small child he was dragged to the site of his last moments on this earth. He was dangled from a tree in our yard and then, in one swift flash of steel he was decapitated. My auntie was next in line. My horror was still fresh when she was raped multiple times and then her life was taken with the blunt edge of an ax. I began to wonder what might happen to me as I witnessed my 16 and 18 year old cousins raped. Would I also be violated? Would I live?

After these terrified girls were consumed like a fast food meal, they were stuffed in a grain sack. The youngest was put in the sack head first. Her sister was put the opposite way. Thrown on the back of a truck like so much garbage, they were delivered, with other living girls who had been treated similarly, to the river where they were thrown in the water left to drown.

Fortunately for me my oldest cousin survived the potential drowning, escaped from the sack, and returned for me and Robert and Sharon, both younger than I was. Darkness and the cool damp air of night were falling fast, but we gathered a few things and began walking. I had no idea where we going, but I was happy to be leaving the site of those horrible experiences. Four days later we arrived at the Ugandan border. Fortunately, our little band of children, were taken in by Tutsi soldiers at the border and they cared for us for four day. Discovering that we had relatives in Mbarara, Uganda, they escorted us across the river and into that peaceful nation. We left Rwanda behind to continue its blood bath, but the memories went with us.

Life for me was never like the childhood I shared before this trauma. I lived with relatives for the next 10 years, but life there was not easy. I was an “extra” mouth to feed and my school fees were a burden on them as well. My teachers loved me. God gifted me with a brilliant mind and they came to understand that I was the last one to leave for school as I was earning my existence by doing chores for my cousins and their family.

As I was about to enter my second year of secondary education I relocated to a boarding school. My eldest cousin was a soldier in Gulu. Again God gifted me with love from him. He volunteered to take care of me and to pay my school fees. As I was about to finish my secondary education, a rebel by the name of Joseph Kony began to terrorize the northern part of Uganda. His soldiers came to Sacred Heart Secondary School, for girls only. Fifty girls were taken. 23 were rescued by the Uganda’s People Defense Force, but the remaining girls disappeared to be victimized by these men whose reputation for brutality, rape, mutilation, and death is well known in many parts of the world. Fear was the predominate emotion among those of us who escaped. I told my cousin that I could not stay in such a place. He warned me that he would not pay my school fees if I left, but my fear escorted me south into central Uganda.

My life up to this point observed so much violence. Somehow I was escaping with my life, but my emotions and mind were affected by all that I had witnessed. I had no idea that my young life was a constant training for the destiny God had planned for me.

Although my parents were alive during my existence I lived with relatives. By this time, my mother and dad were back in Rwanda and they urged me to come back “home.” When I revealed what I had been exposed to during the genocide in Rwanda they understood my reluctance to reenter that country. I have never returned to the nation of my birth for more than four days at a time. Although there is peace there, I have never had a desire to settle there. Graciously, my parents told me that if I could get a boarding school they would pay my school fees. I finished my secondary education in Mbarara. The owner of this school was the brother of President Museveni. His daughter was also a student at this school and we were best friends. I was privileged to accompany her to her house on weekends and to meet the mother of these two brothers. She loved me so much and her son paid my school fees for the advanced level of secondary education.

After finishing my education I went to work at the Vienna Guest House in Masaka as a cashier, but the hotel was constantly full of drunkards and men who treated me with disrespect and rudeness. But, jobs were hard to find. I stayed seven months and may have stayed longer, but they were not paying me. What little money I did receive was enough for me to return to my school and clear my debts so that I could reclaim my things.

Computer training was my next attempt at college in Masaka. While a student there I met a young married couple from Chicago, Illinois, name Aaron and Kandra Jessen. They fell in love with me and I fell in love with them. They were in Uganda for three months and became very good friends. When they had to return to the States they asked me to accompany them to the airport. We stayed together in a motel near the airport and they told me about their background, their lives in America, and requested I be their daughter. I was overwhelmed and blessed. Though I had living parents and had stayed with relatives I had never been a daughter. You can only imagine the love and care I felt from them. They left me with $300 which was enough for me to complete my studies.

Four months later, my “parents” came back. They helped me get a Ugandan passport because they had plans for me. They wanted me to return to the United States and study at a university there. Again they left for to the States, but returned later after I had everything I needed, except a visa to return with them to America.

The last time they came to Uganda, we all came to Jinja where I live currently. They were only able to stay two weeks. We knew everything about each other by this time in our relationship and I knew that they had come to help me work on getting my visa. But, a funny thing happened on the way to the Embassy. While I was in Jinja I began to notice young boys that were living on the streets. Aaron and Kandra had plans for me to go to the United States. They were confident that they could help get me a scholarship at a university. They thought the brilliant mind God gave me should get some training. I was torn between wanting to do what they wanted me to do and doing what my heart was wanting me to do.

I began to take food and juice to some of the boys on the street. This is what brought me joy and they hope. I began to wonder if I could provide a safe home for them to live in; a home where they were loved and cared for. When it came time to reveal my passion to Aaron and Kandra I realized that I had a desire to love and care for these abandoned boys much more than accept a once in a life time offer to study in America.

The Caring Place was officially born April 4, 2008. I started with 19 boys who all agreed that they would give up drinking and sniffing glue for an opportunity to live in a home with me as their mama. They agreed that they would all go to school, though none of them had school experience. They promised to follow my directions and obey.

The story, of course, is much longer and filled with many fascinating details, but suffice it to say that I now understand that the trauma I experienced as a four year old in Rwanda help put compassion in my heart for disadvantaged people. The tough circumstances of my life helped prepare me to be a tender and tough mama to some boys that had no boundaries in their lives. I would not trade the constant demands of feeding, clothing, buy shoes, paying medical bills, finding school fees, and loving these boys in so many ways for any degree from the best university in America.

See Dirt Differently

2010-05-14T10:15:00.003-06:00

Things we Need- Can YOU help?

2010-05-12T14:57:00.002-06:00

There are so many things we want to take with us! The airline, because we are on a mission, is allowing each team member to take three 50lb bags each for free. This is a real blessing as are using these bags to carry as much medical, food , school supplies , clothing and other supplies as possible. Each team member is limiting their personal stuff (clothes, toiletries, camera, etc) to what can be packed in a carry on.

If you are reading this and can help us out, here are some things we still need:

Money to purchase mosquito nets while in Uganda
Money to purchase a wheel chair for Emma while there (see Post Dated May 10,2010)
Candy & small treats to pass out to the kids
Balloons for the kids
Children's multivitamins
Baby blankets
Children's new socks
Dry erase markers &/or dry erase crayons
Mens dress shirts, short and long sleeved, small/medium sizes

Items can be dropped off at Grace Lutheran Church or with any team member. Checks should be made out to Africa 2010 (indicate what you'd like the money to go for if you have a preference) and be either dropped off or sent to

Grace Lutheran Church
Att: Africa 2010
1350 Baldy Avenue
Pocatello, ID

Syd Hair
1560 Golden Gate
Pocatello, Idaho 83201

P.S. A couple of years ago I went into a prison in Honduras and conditions were awful. If the prisoner was lucky enough, the families brought them food.. Very little of the few available resources go to prisoners in a third world country. Here is a picture I took inside of inside a Honduran prison...

Honduran Prison

A request for help

2010-05-10T23:16:00.000-06:00

Paul Hunter, who will be our host when we are in Uganda, sent some photos of a young man, Emma, who gave his testimony at True Worship Center, in Bukeeka, yesterday. Paul says, "he had to have his legs amputated some years back and he moves around in this "humm," what do you call it. The photos speak for themselves. He is born again and a woman has even married him!"

Emma and his transportation

Paul asked if the docs or team would want to do anything for him. "He obviously has medical needs. He also has trouble with his transportation device as it gets problems all the time". Does anyone on the team know of a wheel chair we might be able to bring with us?

Emma speaking

19,440 Meals!

2010-05-09T23:27:00.004-06:00

Thanks to Gabe and K2, packed and spread among the 3 pieces of luggage each team member is allowed to take to Uganda, will be 1944 packages of food. When boiled in about six quarts of water, a each package will provide about 10 servings, enough to give each child at Rock of Ages Pre-School one meal a day for about six months!
The boxes, containing the packages of food, are stacked in the lobby of Grace Lutheran Church ready to be packed in our luggage. They are donations from K2 Church in Salt Lake. K2 is a meal packaging satellite of Kids Against Hunger, a humanitarian food-aid organization whose mission is to significantly reduce the number of hungry children all over the world. They do this by mobilizing volunteer organizations across the USA and Canada to package a highly nutritious, vitamin-fortified soy-rice casserole and distributing those meals to starving children and their families in over 60 countries through partnerships with humanitarian organizations worldwide. The only restriction K2 put on giving food to our group was that we deliver it ourselves. It could not be shipped. They want to ensure that the food actually reaches the kids.

Gabe "accidentally " discovered K2 on a trip to Salt Lake to address some medical issues he was experiencing. Snowed in, he attended K2 with his son. There he saw folks packing the meals. One thing lead to another and soon K2 committed to donate food for our mission. God's hand!

What's in these casseroles? (from their web site)
"Kids Against Hunger's meals have been formulated by food scientists to provide a rich source of easily digestible protein, carbohydrates, and vitamins needed by a malnourished child's body and mind. The food also accommodates to the broad diversity of ethnic tastes and religious differences around the world.

Kids Against Hunger's meals offer all nine of the essential amino acids required for complete nutrition - something that can't be said about other typical food relief sources such as rice or beans alone.

The beauty of the food formulation is its simplicity. It is made from four readily available, dry ingredients that are easy to package, keep for long periods, and require only boiling with water to prepare. Despite the simplicity of the food's content, it is a nutritionally complex and well balanced meal."

High-quality white, long-grain rice

Vitamin-fortified, crushed soy

Dehydrated blend of six vegetables

Chicken-flavored, vegetarian vitamin & mineral powder

These meals make a difference in kids lives. Check out the Kids Against Hunger website and find out more about this amazing organization and how they are helping hungry kids around the world!

Betty Makes Local News ...Article from Idaho State JOurnal

2010-05-08T11:30:00.001-06:00

Ugandan teacher visits
Woman serves as preschool intern at Grace Lutheran School
BY JOHN O’CONNELL
joconnell@journalnet.com

     POCATELLO — Betty Wasswa has been amazed by the inordinate amount of attention and resources lavished upon dogs and the abundance of salad bars in America.
   The petite Ugandan woman, here to visit Grace Lutheran School, has also discovered she possesses a $1,300 smile — quite literally. At an April 23 auction for Grace Lutheran, the organizers hosted a mini-auction to benefit the preschool in Jinja, Uganda, that Wasswa founded. Thirteen people immediately made $100 bids on the only item she had to sell, her smile.
   But when Wasswa returns home on May 28, she’ll take with her something far more important than stories of happy experiences. She’ll be joined by a group of residents from the Grace Lutheran community, each packing pounds of medicine and food specially engineered for malnourished children.
   They’ll have enough bags of dried high-protein casserole to provide a daily vitamin-packed meal to all 88 children at her Rock of Ages preschool for an entire year.
   “It will be like gold,” Wasswa said of the food, donated by K2 the Church in Salt Lake City.
   At best, students at her orphanage, which caters to the offspring of prostitutes, can count on a small snack at school and one meal each day.
   “They are not all that healthy,” Wasswa said.
   The group will also come with a sufficient supply of antimalarials to vaccinate everyone at the   preschool, 500 students at the nearby elementary school and several patients at an area hospital. Wasswa estimates about half of the population at her preschool has malaria.
   As Wasswa explained, Uganda is a country where people don’t have many of the things people take for granted in the U.S. Wasswa is married to an egg and poultry farmer.
   In Uganda, the average person must work three days to earn enough money to buy a dozen eggs.
   With no refrigeration and few stoves available to Ugandans, it takes about seven hours to make dinner, Wasswa said. Preparing chicken, for example, starts with butchering the   animal, and the food is cooked on coals.
   Children love to play soccer, but balls are a luxury few families can afford. Instead, they often   play with a ball made of banana leaves. She’s certain the children back home will no doubt appreciate the stash of real soccer balls the Grace Lutheran students purchased for them. The children in Jinja will also receive 192 dry-erase boards and dry-erase markers, which should prove to be a useful commodity in a place where school’s can’t afford paper.
   Wasswa has spent time working as a preschool intern since arriving at Grace Lutheran on April 22. During the next couple of weeks, she’ll teach the older students about her country’s culture; she’s already offered lessons in counting to 10 in Lugandan   .
   At one point, Wasswa began weeping. Gabe Flicker, executive director of Grace Lutheran, thought she might have   been homesick for her husband and three children, but she set the record straight.
   “I just can’t imagine how many blessings I’m having,” she said.
   The group bound for Uganda will include about 30 people, including teachers, local medical experts and members of the Grace Lutheran parish and a few other churches. They’ll be leaving in two waves on May 28 and June 4, with each group staying in Uganda for about two weeks.
   “We’ve raised about $75,000 just to get our bodies there,” Flicker said, adding Delta Airlines has agreed to let each passenger carry an extra bag without charge in order to accommodate a larger volumes of supplies.
   One of the many sponsors of the trip has been Maag Prescription and Medical Supply. Robert Raschke, Maag pharmacy manager, explained it costs just $2 to vaccinate a child for an entire year for malaria.

A pinch of salt. A fistful of sugar. A liter of water.

2010-05-03T00:17:00.000-06:00

Diarrhea claims 1.5 million kids annually — more than AIDS, malaria and measles combined — and the United Nations has projected the number of deaths will rise by 10 percent each year over the next decade. It's not actually the diarrhea that kills, but the resulting dehydration. A simple but effective way to prevent and treat dehydration is to administer ORS (Oral Rehydration Solution) using recipe developed by the World Heath Organization.

The recipe

1 liter of safe water

8 teaspoons of sugar

1 teaspoon of salt

Students at Century High School have donated their time to make up 100 water bottles containing one pre-packaged dose of salt and sugar tucked inside, and the instructions for mixing and administering as well as the recipe is laminated on the outside. We will be distrubuting these potentially life saving ORS kits to the teachers and mothers at Rock of Ages pre-school, as well as teaching them signs and symptoms of diarrhea and how to treat it.

School children in Bangladesh are taught to remember the life saving recipe, by reciting "A pinch of salt. A fistful of sugar. A liter of water." It works.

Many thanks to the wonderful students at Century!

Health Education

2010-05-02T23:13:00.000-06:00

Lack of safe water and sanitation is the world’s single largest cause of illness. The toll on children is especially high. About 4,500 children die each day from unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation facilities. Countless others suffer from poor health, diminished productivity and missed opportunities for education. (UNICEF)
         One of the areas we will be focusing on is training the teachers and parents of the children on how to stay healthy by practicing basic personal hygiene and making and using safe drinking water.
    Randy researched and pulled together some health training modules using information (with permission) from WHO (World Health Organization). Today he trained the rest of the team.
        At the Rock of Ages Preschool we will be distributing a Hygiene Kit containing soap, nail clippers, several toothbrushes and toothpaste. Most of these items have been donated by the amazingly generous people in the Pocatello community. We will assemble 100 kits, one for each child and teacher and more if we get the donations.
        Next we'll be teaching the teachers and mothers how and when to use the items in the kits, giving simple explanations on what germs are (organisms you can't see that can make you sick), and the importance of washing your hands with soap and clean water after going to the bathroom, petting animals, coughing or sneezing,or before preparing food or eating. Randy had some great posters we can use to visually emphasize these points. We will also be giving lessons on how and when to clip and clean nails, especially under the nail to keep them free of dirt where germs can live. Lastly, we will be showing them how to use the tooth brushes and toothpaste we distribute and the importance of brushing, even of you don't have tooth paste!
        Clean water is essential for good health! Betty, the director of Rock of Ages Preschool who was with us today, said most of the people in the village do get water out of a tap but they should boil it first. Some do. We will emphasize the importance of boiling water for 1 minute, covering it and letting it cool before using it to wash, brush your teeth, and drink or cook with it.

You Never Know.......

2010-05-02T10:29:00.000-06:00

Chad and Syd have a heart for Africa. They began praying for God's direction, "what, if anything would He have them do to help the people there?" Two and a half years ago, they attended a lecture in Blackfoot given by Paul and Pam Hunter, founders of Next Generation Ministries, which they founded to minister to the people in the city of Jinja, Uganda. The Hunters encouraged them to come to Uganda and see for themselves all that was happening there. There Syd met Betty and Abdu, founders of Rock of Ages Preschool, started to care for the children prostitutes in Mbiiko, a near by village. Syd began praying for Betty. Says Chad, "We had no idea of what God wanted us to do. All we knew was that we fell in love with Betty and Abdu and wanted to be a blessing to the kids at Rock Of Ages." Inspired, they started a child sponsorship program for the kids. For $20 dollars a month, these young children would be fed, clothed, schooled and loved. When Syd and Chad first met Betty two year ago11 children,attended the school.
Sponsoring a few it allowed other children to be able to join the school. Two years later, there are 88 children attending the school. Half of them are orphans. And by June, when our group gets there, there will be 100. Syd's vision is to find sponsors for all of them. Her slogan for the trip, ":tomanya!"aptly expresses her beliefs. Tomanya means, "You Never Know", to which she adds, "but God does!".