Big News, Big Savings!! I have decided to rent a house in Moyo because
it is more cost effective. It was costing the team 680,000 shillings to stay one
week in a hotel; one month’s rent for the house is 700,000 shillings, which translates
to approximately $10 a day. The house has space for conducting additional
classes and accommodating more people, and we can stay longer than a week at no
additional cost.
I
have also rented some land for planting cassava to help feed the school
students. Cassava is a staple food for breakfast in Moyo. I could not find
enough each time to feed the students. Now I will have plenty with extra to
sell and for replanting. I also have
planted cowpeas (field peas) and ground nuts
(peanuts) for the school as well.
CWWC
ministry held its first Youth Camp in May, and it went very well. There were about
120 youth to come for 3 days.
Mr.
Luzira and Elizabeth taught leadership, savings, family planning, and business. My Pastor, Floyd Paris, brought a team
that assisted in the teaching and had a successful cultural exchange with the
Youth. I was not able to accompany this team due to my bout with mononucleosis.
The youth event was a tremendous success
as there was much sharing of the gospel.
There had not been much interaction in this district with foreigners in
the recent past because of the unrest with Kony’s rebels.
In
Uganda, a person is considered a youth if he or she is between 18 to 30 years
old. US Aid estimates those under the age of 30 to be 78% of the population.
The Youth of Uganda have problems as a result of AIDS, a weak economy, drug
abuse, adolescent pregnancies, underemployment, and unemployment.
Our prayer is that the ministry we
have begun will begin to counteract these problems; the only hope there is
JESUS!
I
have been dealing with mononucleosis for the last 2 months. I was diagnosed on
April 24 and was in bed with a high fever (102) for 7 days. My white blood
count went down to 1.9, well below what it is supposed to be at least a 4.
Since
mononucleosis is a virus, there is no cure, and my treatment has been rest and
eating right. CWWC was scheduled for teaching, travel, and visits with our teachers
in Western Uganda in June, but I had to cancel this work because I had no
strength to travel.
Now
that my energy is slowly returning, we will be making a new schedule for the
rest of the year. In August, we plan to travel
for at least one week to Western Uganda, and Moyo School will begin in September.
In Moyo we will again have about 50 ladies training with us from the last
sub-counties of Moyo District.
You
will hear a new name for CWWC. This next class starting in September will have
10 Muslim ladies who are willing to come to train to help in their villages.
CWWC will stand for Compassionate Women Working in Communities in Northern Uganda
and whenever we have Muslims in our school.
Our
curriculum will remain the same as we train women. We will still teach the
Bible and witness to these ladies. The Lord is the one who can change their
hearts.
In West Nile region of Northern Uganda there
are many more Muslims. I see that to fight the poverty in Northern Uganda we
must minister to all people no matter their religion. I welcome all women to
hear the Word of God and let the Holy Spirit woo them to be reconciled to the
Father.
I
read a book recently called Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and
David Oliver Relin. Greg began to build schools in Pakistan in the poor areas
where the Pakistan government promised to build schools but never did.
Greg
argued after 9-11, “How to fight a terrorist is to build schools.” Through education, we hope to meet the needs
of the communities and change one village at a time for the Kingdom.
The Jinja Children’s Clinic is working
well. Sarah Kronhna and Nursing Sister Florence are managing as Betty is still
working only part time.
We received a wonderful gift from our
friends at Stoney Point Presbyterian Church in Richmond, VA. They sent a 40-foot
container of medical supplies. These supplies will not only help us in Jinja,
but in our Moyo Hospital as well. There are also things for other government
hospitals all over Uganda.
I appreciate their love for the Ugandan
people and this generous gift!
