Olivia's School Visitation Day

Boda-boda drivers are known for overcharging but the trip to Olivia’s school was really…and I mean really…far off the main road. I actually ended up giving the guy more than he asked. Silly me. I first went to the place where I had last seen Olivia in school and learned that the students in P6 are now situated in a different building. Because I didn’t know where this new building was, I had to trust that this boda-boda driver would take me there. Eventually all the people disappeared from the roadside, the path became narrow and bumpy, and overgrowth crowded the way. Right about the then I thought I’d better get off that boda because he might be taking me someplace other than All Saints school, which is known to happen. Thankfully, the school sign appeared in the distance just then. Whew!

Given how far off the main road this school is, you’d think these children were lepers. I felt badly for those students whose families could not afford the trip. Yet, the tidy school was overflowing with voices worshipping God this early Sunday morning. Olivia is the sponsored child of a friend and I try hard to stay in touch with her while I’m in country. When not in school she stays near where I live so it’s easy to find her at home. During school terms, though, the children board at the school so they can focus on their studies and Olivia is no exception.

I quickly found her classroom and met her head teacher. A very surprised Olivia was all smiles when she saw me.

Olivia is certainly a beautiful young lady and I’m always surprised to see how she’s grown. She continues to be a quiet girl and seldom speaks up in class, says her teacher. She also continues to struggle with her assignments, but it’s difficult to pinpoint the problem when I’m not there to see how she behaves, how she studies, or how the teachers deliver the lessons. There aren’t programs I place to help children who struggle and there’s no such thing as “No Child Left Behind.” I was happy to hear, though, that the school would not pass her if her grades were not at a certain level, as so many schools do. Please pray for Olivia, as she continues to work hard and become the young lady God has designed her to be.

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Sponsored Child Updates

I had the privilege of visiting the children on Bubembe Island. Vickie and I were surprised and happy to find an addition being made to the school structure. When Vickie and I first began ministry here, there was a school building but no teacher. A year later there was a teacher two days each week…now there is a full time teacher and they need to expand their space. We thank God for his work through VKids Trust Uganda and Surprised by Hope in helping the parents realize the value of education for their children.

We sang songs and danced for Jesus. We also delivered lots of clothing and shoes for all the children as well as books, and other games and supplies to the headmaster (principal teacher). These gifts will not only enrich the lives of the sponsored children, but they’ll bless all the children coming to school.

Here’s a brief update about the children who have sponsors.

Name: Dorothy Nanjemba

I found Dorothy in wonderful condition. She seems happy and healthy, full of smiles. She has been attending school in baby class (like pre-school) and scores among the first five children in her class. She really seems to like being in school. Her closest friend is called Matama.

Name: Patience Kisakye

She is among the first 10 in her class. She loves school. She loves different games. She interacts with people. She is always healthy, other than general cough. She eats well, she has a good appetite. She is closest friend with Dorothy.

Name: Justance Byetima

He comes to school in P1 (first grade), and is among the first seven in his class. He is healthy, loves friends, smiles a lot. His friend is called Martin, they come to school together. He is very social. Justance is constructive and very practical.

Name: Safina Nalwanga

Fina has joined baby class. She is healthy, she eats well. She stays with her jajja who cares for four children. She is among the first four in class. She has a friend called Maria who is also in baby class. She is seven years old.

Parents are doing their best to provide school requirements for their children – paper, pens, and such. This cooperative aspect of ministry is so important to us as we come alongside parents rather than take their responsibilities upon ourselves. Praise God for their faithfulness and ask that he continue to make provision for these parents.

Sponsoring an education through VKids Trust Uganda, costs $100 annually. Check out the children who are in need of sponsorship and send me a note if you’d like to learn more.

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Grace's New Shoes

The phone kept on ringing. As a practice I don’t answer when I don’t recognize the number…if I did, I’d be married a hundred times over…or at least invited to be. This day, though, after a very persistent effort on the part of the caller, I took a chance and picked up the phone. Grace’s sweet voice greeted me (meet Grace) and asked for a bit of help. Grace needed a new pair of shoes and some pocket money for school. Shoes…

I realize that the need for shoes is really nothing new, but I choose to see the request as a reminder of the beautiful life that walks in those shoes and all the lives I’ve come to appreciate along the way. These few blog posts tell a bit of the story.

http://lesliemosher.blogspot.com/2010/03/life-of-these-shoes.html

http://blog.surprisedbyhope.org/2012/03/sensible-shoes-walk-in-way-of-love.html

A trip to Owino Market is not for the faint of heart but this was the best place to find shoes…if I can find them. Just a few days earlier I essentially got lost in the bowels of that place with people grabbing at me from all sides. Even so, I felt privileged to have the opportunity to select and deliver the shoes to meet Grace’s need.

Grace assigned the 1:00 hour as the time I should arrive with the shoes and I was pretty close. Rain disturbed my travel plans a bit. Once I arrived at Uganda Martyrs High School the search for Grace began. Do you ever do that? Search for Grace? Next time we’ll plan a meeting place at this big school. She easily found me, though, and she hugged me like a long lost friend. On her way into exams, she had just a few minutes while she patiently waited for me to snap a photo before running off again. She promised a longer visit once school let out in August.

See you soon, Grace!

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Meet Grace

Uganda Martyrs High School is tucked into the Kampala hillside and almost hidden from interference from outsiders. Twas quite a chore finding the place but once we identified someone who knew exactly where, we made an easy time of locating the school. A few questions posed to students enjoying their lunch break resulted in finding a smiling girl who was expecting our visit.

Grace is a young lady in senior 3 (11^th grade) who seems to be doing quite well in her studies at this well-groomed school. While I don’t know all the details of how Grace and my friends Brian and Sue came to know one another (you can check out their Bringing Grace to Michigan blog and their Road to Grace blog), I do know that Brian and Sue are committed to Grace’s education and to her wellbeing. They think of her and pray for her often as I know Grace is also praying for them. I had the privilege of delivering a giant hug to Grace on behalf of the two and she welcomed that expression with just a little embarrassment.

Off to exams she went, it seems as though I’ve found her just in time. Thank you Brian, Sue, and Grace, for allowing me to share this special part of your lives!

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A Dress for Kisakye from Ashley

I had my eye on this particular dress because I used African fabric to make it and Ashley saw its beauty too. This is the only dress where I used the African fabric just like the dresses the Konoweka ladies will make. The dress was earmarked for Kisakye…well…because she and I share a Luganda name and because she and Kisakye’s education sponsors come from the same church. It’s fun to see what happens when a whole community comes together to help a family.

Kisakye was the perfect fit for this dress and she proudly wore that dress all day. Her mother was excited about the cute little style and all the mothers oooed and ahhhed as she emerged from her changing place. I’m not sure Kisakye cared a whole lot but she didn’t refuse, which was a start.

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Education Sponsorship for Kisakye

Friends in South Carolina heard about VKids Trust Uganda and the ridiculously small amount of money it takes to sponsor an education for a whole year for a child. Left the task of selecting the child to be sponsored, Vickie chose Kisakye because she shares a name with me. During our first visit to the island, when we were selecting children to enroll, Kisakye screamed bloody murder at the sight of me (click here to see the story or here to find out more about the girl). Of course, I thought a dolly might help…to no avail.

 

Since that first visit, I’ve returned twice and the children enrolled in VKids Trust Uganda are beginning to recognize me, come and greet me, and expect something fun when they do. Kisakye was no different. Having just finished bathing, she wandered over and climbed up in my lap. Yes, I melted…as usual. As we proceeded uphill toward the community-built school, Kisakye grasped my hand and this girl stayed close during our entire visit.

I personally think her artwork is the most beautiful and her little sucker the most tastey. All the children were rewarded with a sweet treat but that little sucker was perfect for Kisakye. Her mother was absolutely thrilled to learn that Kisakye would be enrolled in school for all of 2012. Thrilled. This education is something she could not have afforded. There are a number of requirements for school that are yet to be met, but she has a great start with tuition and a few books already provided. Thank you!

 

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Olivia is Growing Up

Behind the Kawuku market, past the giant stacks of charcoal, through a narrow trough-floored alleyway I can find Olivia helping keep her home clean and proper. Olivia is the reason I came to Uganda for the first time. Her education is being sponsored by my friend and there’s always some small gift to deliver. I love that Olivia lives nearby, which makes staying in touch with her easy.

While she’s on holiday, she stays in this two bedroom apartment with her sister (her parents are deceased) with her sister’s five other children. She seems quite happy there and her sister is always pleasant to visit with. I try to find ways to spend more time with Olivia rather than a just a simple visit. This is a challenge, though. Olivia continues to be soft spoken so conversation often lags. Open ended questions are met with single word responses. This behavior is typical of Ugandan girls. She is very respectful, kind, and welcoming.

Olivia eagerly shows me her books from school – books where she writes her homework and where that homework is graded. She’s done well in science this year and her scores are improving significantly. These kinds of results are exactly why we sponsor childhood education in the first place…we want to make a difference in the lives of people who may have little hope otherwise. I’m so thankful for my friend and the many, many other people who sponsor education for children around the world.

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Games with Olivia

The wind howled and the single, rusty iron sheet covering the small family-filled apartment lifted so that the dark clouds could be seen outside before returning to its resting place on top of the cement walls. The air pressure changed; I wondered about tornados in Africa. The wind began churning the debris outside and the roof threatened some more. Just as we closed the door to keep out all types of flying things the power went out. With the door shut, the room was black. A small candle lit the midday atmosphere in the sitting room but the flame teased us relentlessly. The rains came.

Olivia, the reason I originally landed in Uganda, has come to expect that I bring some kind of game or book when I visit and she would not be disappointed. I love spending time with this bright young girl when she is on holiday. Children in Uganda tend to board at their school and visitors are encouraged to wait until visitation day to come. So, wait I did (except when I first arrived…I couldn’t wait). I pulled out the Skip-Bo game and she quickly learned to play.

Other family members joined us but struggled with some of the game play concepts. Olivia was by far the brightest and most worthy challenger. I love seeing the transformation in this young girl as she grows. When I told her I would not see her until December, her face fell. How nice to think that she might miss me as much as I will miss her.

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Child Sponsorship: Bugiri

Three boys ate jackfruit and watched curiously from the roadside as we interviewed the first family about the school-age children and their needs. Visiting no fewer than seven homes, we collected information about more than a dozen children.

Our hope is to find school sponsorship for all of these children. Less than $500 annually provides three semesters of education (a full year), requirements (books, uniforms, etc.), and a small savings for occasional needs such as malaria medicine, mosquito nets, or pocket money (used for lunch at school). If you find your heart being tugged by one of these children, let me know or contact Mercy Uganda to get more information and to offer the suprise of hope to their families.

     

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Aisha's Story

“700 each,” the taxi man said. That white tax almost cost both Lauren and me an extra 200 shillings for the ride. We hopped off at the top of the big hill on Entebbe road and up, up, up we climbed over the recently rained upon but not too slick dirt road. Sweat dripped down my back…and a few other places. Rain came down this morning for hours. Lauren commented that as soon as I wanted to go somewhere the sun would come out. Sure enough, the clouds cleared and the sun appeared…hot (yes, I got burned…again). I’m sure I looked to be a lovely sight by the time we reached the house.

Aisha is a young girl whose older sister set her on fire about four years ago. Lack of medical attention left her skin not only severely scarred but also grown back together in places it should not be. For example, under the arm the arm skin was attached to the ribs. The inside of the elbow was attached with skin like webbing. These two places specifically prevented any range of motion with her right side.

Sponsorship enabled Aisha to receive a first round of surgery and we’d checked on her during the September trip. Another visit was in order to ensure that Aisha was continuing her physical therapy and to determine the next steps in her recovery/reconstruction process.

The girl was at home when we arrived and her family welcomed us. Aisha was happy to remove her shirt to show the scars. The whole front of her body, chest and all, was burned. This young girl is starting to develop breasts, but on her right side the fatty tissue was too heavily scarred to allow the breast to form correctly. On the left side the breast was developing, but that small pocket of tissue was barely recognizable.

Physical therapy cost money the family didn’t have and was, therefore, not done following the initial surgery. We acknowledged the need for another visit to the doctor to determine next steps so that we can secure funding. In the mean time, some mobility had been regained and the girl seemed otherwise healthy, praise the Lord.

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Christmas Delivery: Rovinsa and Millie

Dolls. These girls are absolute dolls. Rovinsa and Millie live together, although they’re not sisters. We had the opportunity to visit with these Mercy Uganda sponsored children who are on holiday from Covenant Junior School in Kyamagemule. Lauren conducted an interview of each child to help Mercy Uganda and their sp

onsors ensure she is well cared-for. I was given the gift of delivering Christmas boxes from their sponsors.

Not the first time I’ve had this opportunity, I noticed that Ugandan children – unlike American children (and adults) – don’t tare into their boxes to see what’s inside. They just look at the top of the box with puzzlement. After being instructed to search the content, the girls weren’t quite sure what to make of the whole thing. A gift?

One of the questions we like to ask the children, to help the sponsors, is what they might hope for if they were to receive a box. Millie said books and pencils. Guess what just happened to be inside her box. The family thought that was a wonderful treat.

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Christmas Delivery: David and Michach

A beautiful arbor of bougainvillea shaded the bench we used while interviewing David and Michach. Their mother and younger sister sat on a hand-made mat covering the hard-packed earth and looked on. The boys had been playing somewhere and were covered with dirt and out of breath when they came running to greet us.

The two stood obediently and patiently before Lauren and Martin (the Covenant Junior School headmaster) as they asked health and well-being questions as well as questions about their hopes and dreams. Sponsors often inquire about what gifts the children might like and inevitably this question, when posed to the children, creates the greatest dilemma. A box? A gift?

Favorite foods also causes some pause with rice typically being the most appreciated. Gladly, David and Michach’s sponsor provides for their school tuition and also sent money for mosquito nets and rice for the family. 30 kilos (about 66 pounds) of rice will meet the family’s needs for a short time. We also used some of the rice money to provide them some meat so they would have sauce for the rice. A gift like rice may not seem like much to most American’s but this gift sometimes means the difference between being hungry and being satisfied. Thank you!

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Christmas Delivery: Olivia

Before leaving the States I offered to deliver Christmas gifts to the children sponsored through Mercy Uganda. Delivering presents to the children here is always a privilege. I suggested a very small flat rate box size (5-3/8” x 8-5/8” x 1-5/8”) and then I gulped when I thought about the actual volume and weight associated with the potential for 30+ gifts.

Before plunking a box the size of Texas down on the coffee table in front of Olivia, I made the usual attempt to help her understand that the gift was from her sponsor Leslie not from me Leslie. I think when she saw me and she saw a plain brown box set apart she almost had a glimmer in her eye in hopes that the box would be for her. Her face brightened as much as any shy Uganda girl’s face would when that hope was confirmed.

Each time I deliver a gift to Olivia she hesitates to do any more than look at what can be seen in the top layer of the box. The reason for this hesitation I have yet to understand. When invited to look through the items, she did so carefully. Socks, shirts, pens and pencils. She had a decided look of puzzlement at some of the gifts. Disney princesses? Quaker Instant Oatmeal? Old Maid? Although she didn’t recognize the popular American brands, she loved them all.

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