Cleaning with Dung

Back in Australia, my mum spent a good part of the weekend cleaning. So did this Advancing the Kingdom (ATK) neighbour, Aisha. I somehow doubt my mum was using a mud and cow dung mixture to clean her floors.

 

Some things in life are just very different here. Dung is actually a great way to take care of a village home. It hardens surfaces; making them more durable, reducing chances of bug infestations, and prevents dust coming up from the soil floors and walls.

On Monday there was much news in Project Lydia, the women’s’ craft business I wrote about last fortnight; some good and some bad. On the good news, one of the ladies just gave birth. The ladies had been praying over her for some time now, because her last child died during birth, and she was now a couple of weeks overdue. Praise the Lord, she now has a healthy baby boy! Sadly, one of the ladies lost her father (or uncle? As here in Uganda the father’s brothers are also called ‘father’, likewise all the aunties on the mum’s side are also ‘mum’). Death is so common; a continual reminder of the frailty of life.

Another person we are praying for from the group, Josephine, has cancer of the blood. Please join us in praying for her.

More necklaces should be ready to send off to the US, where project founder Julie, is awaiting their arrival so she can continue with the sales.

(Above) 2 Project Lydia women learning tailoring;

(Below) village children coming to see the project.

My visit to CARE4Kids the other Saturday went well. Not everyone was around, but for those who were it was very exciting. As I was walking down that familiar hill to the Home, all of the neighbours – children and adults alike – came out to greet me. Some even came with me into the Home. As I walked down to the dormitory building, one of the boys, Jonathan, came out… and went back in. Oh. Then out came a group of children and matrons. Apparently, Jonathan had gone inside and told them there was a white (mzungu) visitor who resembled me, but they were sure it couldn’t be me. I will be seeing the kids, and going to church with them, this Sunday. I also spent time with the Muslim family (the main one I’m friends with became a Christian 2008 and we have been close ever since) that lives directly next to the Home; they will be around Sunday afternoon for my visit too.

Children’s administrator and ATK children 

SO I’m doing well. I’m happy to be back, and working in different places, and setting aside time for myself for time out and planning. It’s good to have periods in life where we can see what is happening in our world, reflect on it, and get planted in the right place. Wherever God puts us (requires listening) is where we should be planted: i.e. put ourselves into, grow and reap.

 I’ve gone to Luooka district, Buwungola village, with Water Source Ministries to see how they do the home improvement checks. What needs to be done is not that complicated; as always, changing habits and lifestyles is. As westerners, with our already clean and well structured communities, it is hard to imagine that many homes lack a toilet, room to bathe, drying rack (despite the fact that the ground is just dirt), or water drainage pit that doesn’t just make a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Let alone wash hands and drink clean water!

 I’ll go again next week, and then my input to them is that I will train key people from each village in a seminar in one month’s time. I won’t necessarily work in the same way as Water Source, but can learn from what they look out for. I will combine this with what I know to make a difference in the ATK villages, most likely through the churches. This is a point you can pray for me on: that I would hear from God how I should be implementing what I know and how I can best improve peoples’ lives. 

This widow had a latrine, but needed some change. The left is the bag that used to give privacy and keep things (animals, young children) out; the one on the right is the new and improved door.

There is much we have to learn from and contribute to the world: for this life and the next.

I’m encouraged by the amount of feedback I’ve gotten from you; that so many are reading my emails, staying in touch with my life, and hearing about those they may never even meet. Thank you for caring!

Thank you Fuse, CCLC

Dear Fuse,

The money donated from Fuse Ball, 2007, has gone to good use.

But first, I have a confession. I said the funds would go towards a sewing project. As it turns out, I used the funds from another church for that, and yours is being put towards agricultural use.

I wanted to support someone from up the road from where I live at Care4Kids; as I see it the home is meant to be a beacon of light to the community. Finding the right person actually came easily after I was praying and seeking last month. A young man called Fred is a non-biological family member of the people I am staying with at the moment, Sam and Eva Kitalya. Fred is from deep in the village of Western Uganda; is well skilled in animal husbandry, being informally trained in that area and having relied on it for his livelihood; and it is his vision to help himself and the community through such means.

Fred is in the process of negotiating prices for a plot of land in the next district, Iganga, where the land is much cheaper and he knows some people. Of the $881.30 donated, only half is needed for the land. The remainder will be used to construct and start a piggery.

This is such an answer to prayer for Fred. It is a big boost to his plans, as he has been keeping chickens to slowly save money and expand his farming to include pigs.

Thank you for what you have done for Fred. We all know how important it is to have a dream, to be granted the opportunities to fulfill it, and reap the satisfaction. May you know how appreciative Fred is.

Blessings

Emily Comans

ISA Development Worker

To COC Pittwater

Dear Pittwater Church,

Thank you so much for the money you saved in March missions for International Support Aid, and the work I am doing here in Uganda. It is such a blessing to be able to sow into other people’s lives on your behalf.

Some of the money went towards buying furniture for Nalongo, who is the mother of one of our sponsor children. She wants to set up a restaurant in Bugembe, the trading centre near the village where I live.

The majority has been used to create a contract with Juliet Fashion and Design Boutique, an existing tailoring shop situated in Wairaka. The workers are seeking to further establish the shop, and I have been watching them in church and at their work for about eight (8) months. During this time I have attended two short business seminars with them, which particularly enhanced their understanding of cash books and business planning.

The contract is between Pittwater Church, via Emily Comans, and Juliet Muwanguzi (shop owner, left) and Irene Mwesigwa (work colleague, right). The equivalent of $200 a month will be given from November 2008 to February 2009, totaling to $800. This is to be invested in capacity increasing products, such as better materials, mannequins, and threads. In this way, the Church’s investment will have a long-term benefit on the productivity of the Boutique, and savings made can continue to be invested after the 800,000/= has been used. I have given the contract as a gift of investment, not a loan, on the conditions that there is open communication regarding the Boutique’s plans, finances and struggles.

The overall purpose is to provide capital for investment to further establish systematic business habits: accountability, investment, savings and ultimately income growth.

I hope you feel and know the long-term benefit you are having on these individuals, their families, and the resource and service availability of the Wairaka community. Please pray for Juliet and Irene’s creativity, wisdom and continued integrity in advancing the business.

Issue #7

09.10.2008

Issue #7

AFRICAN ADVENTURES

News Flash

"Karamojong children sold for sh2,500, says MP"

- The New Vision 18.09.08

That's less than $2 Australia!

Will I buy an avocado today, or a child?

It’s amazing how much humanity has devalued people. And it’s not just the values of Uganda, or Africa. It’s an international crisis. Jinja, the district where I live, is a Ugandan hotspot for child trafficking to the West. (I’ll give more details as to how and why if you like, but for now I’ll leave it at that.)

The significance of this article to what I’m doing is that some of our (Care 4 Kids’) children are migrants from this tribe. Kikarimoja, where they settle in Jinja, is the poorest and most marginalized community in the district.

On Saturday 27^th – Sunday 28^th September we brought 22 more children into Care4Kids. We now have 64 children living at the base. It’s hard to believe there were only 23 (3 whom have grown up and left) when I came in February.

There was a team from ISA here for 3 weeks at the end of September. Although this made life insanely busy – to be honest, I didn’t always cope very well – it’s so good having visitors come. Their hearts were completely for the children; and in a very poor and broken nation it’s good for them (Ugandans) to know they are not forgotten.

Before we take in children, they have to be identified (although we do manage to pick up an extra or two each time). Sadly, two of the children we were going to have come died before we went for them. Children died. I can’t believe it only takes one line to write something like that. It was a full-on time for ISA and visitors alike.

The morning we picked up the children from Kikarimoja, the mother of Maria and Jeremiah starved to death. The father had already died, also from starvation. When the family was found, they had no home, and the mum was lying there naked. Maria begged for ISA to take her brother and herself straight away.

I have never seen such a sick child as Jeremiah Buyinza (we gave him this name, to represent strength and authority). His jiggers were worse than Mukisa’s (see AA3), he’s covered in scabies, his ears were so infected he was deaf, and he was so malnutritioned that the Australian doctor (lives here) wasn’t sure if he would make it. Neither Jeremiah (6) nor Maria (9) knew how to bathe themselves, and when I went to clean out his ears bugs crawled out. Disgusting! And I thought the smell was bad.

It was kind of amusing to watch the new children in their new home when I played mum for a couple of nights. Swapping beds, turning lights on and off, opening and closing doors, learning how to use the toilet… sleep was not on the agenda. Our poor staff, with all the sickness and extra children, and catching up from the team being here, everyone is exhausted.

Then, amidst the changes during the team’s visit, I got the loveliest surprise. John and Jenny, long-term missionaries now in South Africa – they directed me to their Australian church when I was in Uganda in 2004 – came to visit. Not only was it great to see them, they introduced me to an honourable local couple just up the road, and to some people at Youth With A Mission. With Bec having left only a month ago, this is great timing to establish a stronger friendship and support base. God is good.  

  

As usual, a lot happens in a month. I’ve been to Kenya with Bec, on her way out of Africa, where we stayed with missionaries from Pioneers. They are such godly, lovely people, and were so good to us. It was also good to get some practical advice about being here long-term, like how to learn the language and having a support base. Then I came back to Uganda and the team arrived. With everyone now gone, we continue to develop the changes of staff, rooming, roles and standards; and maintain them. And while I wait and push for things to smooth out, I continue to enjoy the hugs, smiles and development of our children.. I get to be part of it J.

Issue #7

Issue #6

Issue #6 – 21.08.08

AFRICAN ADVENTURES

WORK –

WORK ONSITE

The Care4Kids base is coming along so well – for those of you who don’t know, we only moved to this property at the beginning of the year, after the building team came over Christmas. We have gates painted, signs directing from the road are being organized (Bec is our sign painter), Lawrence (farmer) and the electrician have put extra lights all over the place for security, a water tank has been installed for the water pump, a space-efficient washing line is being made, there are signs on the dormitory and bathroom doors (“Girls” and “Boys”), and the medical centre has all its walls up. Sweet!

WORK-SHOPS

Business Workshop

At the beginning of August, Damian from Australia came to conduct a business workshop for the local community. We ran it at Wairaka Miracle Centre, where I pray from. Though only for a couple of days, it was a great time for people  from a variety of business backgrounds – from a taxi part owner, administrators, to tailors, and pig and chicken farmers – to come together and share and learn about cash flow, real costs, risk management, good and bad debt, book keeping, and more.

An example of something we learnt about Income:

Exercise: Sister has been selling make-up which she has a stock of 100 items. She sells 50 items per month and makes a profit of 200,000/= per month. With this she uses the whole 200,000/= to pay for her living expenses. What will happe  in 3 months time?

Answer: “She’ll be very beautiful!” [… and also won’t be able to buy more stock. ;-)]

A different sort of risk to what yours might be:

Paul Taligola, fisherman:

“What if I get eaten by a crocodile?”

Yep, that would be a problem.

‘Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make more money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.’

James 4:13-17

Christian Children’s Fund – Save for the Youth

On Monday 18^th August, 6 volunteers from CCF came to teach and be with our children. They taught on child rights, reporting, child responsibilities, child abuse, avoiding abuse, and hygiene. I was very impressed, and somewhat relieved, with how much the kids knew about their rights.

WORK-EXPERIENCE

Some of our sponsor children have completed school, and have very devoted sponsors who have taken them into further education. Claire Nabirye is doing Agricultural training at an industrial college, with only one year to go. The ISA staff were able to witness how much she’s learnt, as well as help her complete her training and learn from her, when we had her come for work experience on our farm this past month.

That concludes the work-s of the month…

…and there’s also time for fun and relaxing:

Iryama, Emily and Mukisa’s

massage line

Praise Reports:

-          You see the happy boy with Bec? That’s Mukisa. The one who had terrible jiggers (African Adventures 3). Some people from the village came to visit and couldn’t believe that not only were the jiggers gone, but he had toe nails not wounds, and was not only still alive but strong and healthy!

-          For the business workshop, which has informed and thus empowered people to use and combine their work skills.

-          For CCF and the influence these sorts of workshops have on the children’s learning, self-confidence, and variety of activities to do.

-          How well ISA Uganda is coming along!

What’s coming up and related Prayer Requests:

-          Bec’s enjoyment and health in her final 3 weeks in Uganda, and a safe journey home (via several countries).

-          There is an ISA team from Australia coming to Care4Kids, 15^th September – 3^rd October. This includes my friend, Andy; my boss Voula, who I have a great relationship with; and I get to meet others from the ISA Australia office, like the sponsorship volunteers Di and Di. I’m so excited! Please pray for preparation either side of the world, and for a good (productive, fun, eye-opening) time here.

-          We’re soon taking in more children, as there is great need, which requires more sponsors and donations. ISA has a really good system where extra costs of maintaining the home, administration, staff wages, and the like are covered by income from some buses (matatus) we own. The aim is that ISA Uganda increases in its self-sustainability – i.e. self-supports – but for now it’s still young and needs a lot of input.

-          Health. There are a lot of us living in the same building, so sickness can be quick to spread. Please pray that we, staff and children, have high immune systems and quick recovery.

-          Continued advancement of ISA’s work in Australia and Uganda. We’re doing well, but everyone needs more wisdom and protection. Please pray for ISA policies, funds, unity, and general well-being.

-          Hope Community High School is being built! This is going to be a quality high school that doesn’t charge orphans school fees, which is the major hindrance to them being educating and so breaking out of the vulnerable position they’re in. Please pray for funds, good building material prices, and the right people to work.

Thank you and be well!

Emily

Issue #4 - Life!

                                                            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 4^th, 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!