ISSUE #4 – 01.07.2008
African Adventures – Life!
Today is Canada’s Independence Day… That’s not relevant to Uganda, except that I have a new Canadian friend, David. We met through my American friends, Cliff, Julie and Bryan. Nat, Bec and I stayed with the four for a week in Nawansega, where the Americans do missions. Quite an experience! But despite all the amazing things that happened in June, I want mostly to write about the animal life I have witnessed.
(Bec, me and Nat.)
In the first week of June, we 3 Aussie girls went and stayed at the Arua Youth With a Mission (YWAM) base with an Australian lady called Sharon. It’s in the far northwest of Uganda, and is one of the most peaceful places I’ve ever been to. On Wednesday 4th, we Aussies went to Murchison Falls. Before 7:30am we had seen hippos, elephants, warthogs and giraffes! Creation, when you have the time and space to just watch, is simply mesmerizing.
Large animals are so majestic.
The water flowing down Murchison Falls was so strong that, in 1962, after some particularly strong rains, it split in two. Being the year of Uganda’s Independence, the second is called Freedom Falls. Interesting natural symbolism… I loved watching the power of the water as it smashed down the rocks.
That’s me hiking up the side of Murchison Falls, in my God’s Café shirt.
We’ve also had an increase in life at the Care4Kids base. It was preceded by a week of death: relatives of four of the staff, and the larger of our two cows, Hope. Needless to say, it was a hard week. Yet, amidst the bad, there is good. In the last two weeks of June, the vegetables sprung up like a magic garden, two lots of goat twins were born, and another lot of piglets. Plus, ISA bought two puppies, which will be our future security dogs. Oh so cute security dogs!
Changing people’s lives with the opportunity of education and self-sustainability has become a norm, which is very cool. More children have received sponsorship; the Kikuuku piggery (one of ISA’s development projects) has distributed piglets among the women; and Betty (who has a chicken project for self-sustainability) was able to buy a good breed of chickens.
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the
Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
James 1:17
Just because some things go wrong does not mean that God’s hand of blessing is not on us.
This week is very exciting because I get to meet and work with some men from the Australian ISA office, Nathan and David (who I’ve met briefly). This will be a great time of unifying the international team, as we come to better know each other and how we can all help run ISA more effectively. Wonderful!
And the girls treated me very nicely for my birthday on Sunday, even if it was the day of Nat’s departure. They made cake in Uganda – with a microwave! How special J.
And for my final news, Sharon also took us to the Congo border. As you do. Did you know, there’s a 7km no man’s land between northern Uganda and the Congo?!
~ See and enjoy the beautiful things in life ~
Praise God that:
- Things are going well generally
- More children have received sponsorship
- The new children are settling into school well
- Money for the new children to have clothes and shoes has been provided (thanks Bec’s church)
- Natalie – my friend and the ISA short term nurse – had a safe and productive time here, and arrived safely in America
- The many animals born on the Care4Kids farm this month
- Health is strong at Care4Kids
Please Pray that:
- Natalie’s stay in America, as she continues to try new things, in new places
- The Australian staff’s stay in Uganda is safe, productive, and highly enjoyable
- Aidah manages the area of child monitoring well – in time and wisdom, and that she’s granted favour with those she must interact with – as there are many fees and provisions for children in the villages (some far away) that she must see to, on top of the administration and responsibilities she has to do at the base
- The development projects grow, and achieve their aim of making the involved families self-sustainable in attaining a higher quality of living
- Health is even stronger here: one of the boys has sickle cell anemia, and is suffering a lot at the moment
Thank you!
Aidah and I in the house (1 dirt room with holes) of a family that received support this June:
High 5!
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