Join us....

Team Uganda Hope will be giving a presentation Sunday, August 19th, 6:00 pm at the Fairview MB Church Youth Building.  Please join us!

Now that we have Internet....

Saturday evening the Island Boys came over for dinner and shared their stories. They are a group of  taxi drivers that have been social outcasts due to their lifestyles. Some have been in prison, some have bad reputations for various reasons. They are all "babies" in Christ. They're decision to be born again has been very recent .  Patrick, the welder, brought his wife to see the Doctor that evening and joined in our activities. He stepped up to the plate to offer his time and God's love for these young Christian  men to help guide them in their walk with God.  We celebrate that God sent Patrick there at that moment to be used for His purpose!

Sunday morning we were packed and loaded on the van by 9:30 and ready to go to church. We went to Pastor David's church in Mugembe. What a joyful time of worship and the sermon was directed at both Ugandans and Americans. David made it clear that God has given everyone something to share God's Glory with others. Americans may come with clothes, shoes and medicine, but Ugandans can also show Gods love even if they do not have material things.  As part of the service, we distributed the shoes our children had sent, along with little dresses made by Deena's mother and aunt, and other donated clothing. Again, there wasn't enough to meet all the need, but everything is appreciated and will be used by those receiving them.

After church we headed to the prison for removal of stitches from the forehead of the surgery patient. What a changed man!  Where there used to be hollowness in his eyes, there was now a bright ray of hope.  From there we headed to Kampala, stopping along the way for chicken-on-a-stick for lunch, and checking in on the other two surgery patients. Their stitches were removed, they are healing well, and we give God the Glory. After distribution of a few more medications, we were on our way it Entebbe for an overnight stay in a hotel to catch our early morning flight.

Our flight into London went well. After maneuvering our way to our hotel, we made our way downtown via bus and underground train. We ate, walked around some traditional sights and then safely found our way back to our hotel. What a treat to have a warm shower and western amenities.

Monday morning we departed out of London and arrived safely in Dallas in the afternoon. A big shout out of thanks to Jack Sigler for taking care of our van/trailer while we were gone and meeting us at the Arrival area. He saved us a lot of time and money...and stress.

We had a safe drive back to Fairview and were so thankful to have the Watkins's van with great air conditioning. We were very used to temps 30 degrees cooler. We arrived in Fairview about 9:45PM.  Everyone was glad to be home.

Check back in a few days...we have more to share!

Saturday...final full day

There was a rap on the gate at 5:30 this morning.  It was the first patient for the clinic.  As we all know...that's way too early to expect to see the doctor!  By 7:00 there was a line outside the gate.  By 7:30 we set up chairs in the yard for the patients to wait in.  After devotions we opened the clinic.  As the morning went on, the people kept coming.  By mid-morning, it started to drizzle so the waiting room moved up on the veranda.  Then it started raining and the people were moved inside the house and sat on the floor.   Holly, Linda and Pat were given the task of crowd control.  Elton and Warren went to visit Patrick, the Welder, at his shop while Paul and Pam ran errands.  When they returned, Elton and Warren took over the crowd control.  By this time, Linda was the Pharmacy Tech.  Sera was here interpreting and the clinic was in peak operation. 

Paul and Peter took Holly and Pat to the Children's Hospital to distribute blankets.  The lady in charge took us through and told us which babies and mothers to give the blankets to as we did not have enough for everyone.  She showed us how she determined the need.  The first mother had a tattered piece of worn out sheet for a blanket.  She would look at what they had for blankets and tell us who to give them to.  The surroundings were very overwhelming.  Crib after crib lined up with Mamas and their babies.  You could hardly get through.  Those who were blessed with a blanket were extremely grateful.  The hardest part was turning down those who desired a blanket and we did not have nearly enough.  Thank you Erna and Viola for the blankets.  The Head Nurse said to tell the Great Grandmas to continue to make blankets because there is a great need.

After leaving the Children's Hospital, we took Jeff home and blessed Lyzette with a gift for her ministry to women who have lost their babies.  Money was given from home by a mother who lost her son with instructions to "give it someone who needs it" along with a copy of the book "Heaven is for Real".  It seems we always think of the orphans when we think of Africa.  Lyzette opened our eyes and hearts to the women who have lost a child.  She will be setting up a ministry to go to the hospital and provide comfort and care to these women.  Lyzette shared that she had read the book in two days and it helped heal her heart.

When we returned to the house, the patients at the clinic had started to diminish.  The Medical Staff had put in a very full day.

The Island Boys were the focus of the clinic today.  Tonight they will be joining us for dinner.  Pam, Grace and Sera are busy, busy, busy in the kitchen to serve 12 guests on top of the Team.

Friday. July 27th.

Last night was a late night due to some taking Robyn to the airport and the intense day at the Prison. Therefore, we got a slow start in the morning. First, we stopped by Masese to treat the boy that has elephantitus. Dr. Klinger gave him the medicine and we prayed for him. Meanwhile, Warren, Elton, Jared, and Byron were serving as human jungle gym's for the children there.

After that was finished we made our way to Pastor David's church. The medical team had spent some time there Wednesday, but the need was so great that we had to go back. When we arrived there Sara had a list of people who made appointments. If this was not the case, we would never been able to finish or deal with crowd control. Peter, Sera, and one of David's sons served as interpreters. The interpreters then relayed information to Byron or Jared. Byron or Jared then gave the information to Dr. Klinger. Linda and Holly served as pharmacists. Linda wrote prescriptions while Holly counted pills. Pat served at entertainer for the children. She taught them how to make the "I love you" sign with their fingers, and just held them. While all the medical team was at work, Warren and Elton went to Jeffrey's house to hang screens over the windows to keep mosquitoes out.

We ate lunch at an authentic African cafe. It was African fast food. We had the choice of some different meats with chips (french fries for you Americans). Some of the meats that our team chose were chicken, goat, and liver.

After lunch we went to Fountain of Hope Schools. Dr. Klinger taught Sarah how to use the microscope he gave them for the Lab.  They gave us a list of items they need to complete their Lab to be certified by the government for the High School, along with a text book list.  The need is great.  They were having a soccer competition so we went to the playing field to watch.  The first game had tied so we watched the shoot out.  So much excitement!  We had very little time so we did not set up a clinic, but Sarah is a capable nurse and now with the medicine and supplies we left, she can take care of the needs of the children.

When the first Fairview Team came in 2009, the school was Primary and had about 500 students.  Now they have 1,000 students through High School with plans to add a University!

We returned to Jinja and had a power-shop experience for our gifts and souvenirs, followed by dinner at the house with our special guests, Robert and Sarah Sityo, the founders and visionaries of Fountain of Hope School.  Robert shared his story of hardship and abuse growing up and ended with the forgiveness he extended to his father.  His dad now leads bible studies...a total transformation.  Robert is a living testimony to what God can do through forgiveness and reconciliation.

Thursday with Robyn

I would have never guessed God would bring me to Uganda to make a new best friend. I thought, "Oh yeah... I'll fall in love with the people. Just like everyone else." Which that is definitely true! However, I also came to Uganda and met Robyn Burke. She is Paul and Pam's granddaughter. I shared some struggles that I was going through, and she asked me if she could share her story with me. We talked for hours. Any chance we got we would continue sharing our stories and experiences. This girl gave me so much advice! I am so glad God gave me the opportunity to get to know her. The plan is to fly her to Oklahoma in the near future.

I knew for Robyn's last day here she was wanting only a few people to take her to the airport. I didn't expect her to have me go along! Tuesday night she asked me to accompany her. The plan was to leave around 9, but it was 10 before we were on the road. Paul, Pam, Peter, Edgar, Raoul, and myself were there to spend the day with her. We ate lunch at the Java Cafe in Kampala. After lunch we went to the salon to get a pedicure! It was a lot like a regular pedicure in the USA. Robyn shared with us some things that she thought had been good on her trip, and what God has shown her. It was a great time!



                                          (Robert, Holly, Pam, Robyn, Peter, Edgar)   

This last picture was some of us at the Cafe before we left for Entebbe. The traffic in Kampala was terrible! Those of you who have been here have an idea of what I am talking about, but others do not. Robyn and I sat up front with Peter. They were teaching me how to speak the language! Also, Peter and Robyn got to sit and talk about some important things before she left. It was hard at the airport. Not only to say goodbye to her, but to see her hurting to say goodbye to Uganda.

I just wanted to share a little bit about my day! Thanks so much for all the prayers.

Holly Heinrichs.

Thursday at the Prison

The entire Team went to the primitive prison today named Nyunga.  While the Medical Team saw patients, the Electrical Team finished wiring the facility for electricity.  They have not had working electricity there since the 1980s.  A surgery was performed on a prisoner to remove a golf ball sized fatty tumor on his forehead.

The Guards reported that the evening after we visited with the band, the prisoners sang and danced into the night.  The Guards were very happy also.  When Warren and Elton were there yesterday, they provided an authentic African lunch of matokie, peanut paste, greens and noodles.  Warren has not acquired a taste for this but was an adventure eater for the day. 

Today we had Rolexes delivered (breakfast burrito type food).  Just as the surgery was about to begin, the Guards were bringing in pots of food.  They wanted us to eat and we had to delay our lunch until after the surgery.  When we entered the room they had set up for us, there was a feast displayed!  Today we were served meat and sodas in addition to the traditional food.  These are indications of a very big celebration...like Christmas!  We all ate a second lunch and it was very flavorful.  However, Warren still does not plan to add matoke to his menu at home.

The baby at the prison with the new blanket made by Erna and Viola

There is a baby in the prison with its mother.  This must be a very difficult place to grow up.  The conditions are extremely primitive and hard.  In addition to the conditions, he has no interaction with other children.  The mother is expected to carry water along with the baby. She doesn't get any special considerations because of him.  The Doctor treated the baby 2 days earlier and today we took him to the local clinic for a test for malaria.  It was quite a sight in the village...a van with a prisoner, guard and a Mzungu going to the clinic.  The good news is, the malaria test was negative.

Most of the complaints of the patients were hurting in hands (from hard labor digging in the fields with primitive tools), ulcers (indigestion), pipes (intestinal discomfort), headaches and fatigue (dehydration) and a lot of infectious diarrhea (likely bacterial). 

This prison is generally a forgotten place for a forgotten people.  Its a target rich environment to bring the gospel to.  Many of the people Paul and Pam minister to have come out of the prison.

Since the Hunters were gone to take Robyn to the airport, we went to eat at the Sunset Hotel.  We were seated on the lower veranda that overlooked the Nile River.  We had a gorgeous view of the sunset and wonderful food to end the day.

Paul's replacement

Paul, Pam, Peter and Holly are headed to Entebbe this morning to take Robyn to the airport.  (She is the granddaughter of Paul and Pam)  Jeffrey is Paul's replacement with our Team today, to lead us and take care of us.  In order to have the full affect, the guys fixed him up with an appropriate stomach! 

Laughter roared through the house!

Update on the boy on the bicycle

Paul took Dr. Klinger over to check on the boy that was hit by a vehicle while some of us went the Ag Show.  While there, Paul visited with the mother.  He told her how amazing it is that God orchestrated this Doctor to be there for his son when he was in need.  He went through the steps of how the Washington Team saw him, called the Medical Team, who then stopped to help him.  She gave her life to Christ.  

Edgar told us just that morning what an impact we had on this Muslim family.  He was so insightful!

God is good.

Pastor David and Sarah

Blessing Pastor David and Sarah with the gifts sent by Deena and her family.

Catching up after the power outage...

The Washington Team departed yesterday morning and the Klingers and Regiers moved out of the hotel and into the house.  While we were waiting for our Taxi, we hung out by the front gate and had a great converastion with the guard.  He pulled out his medical records and had Dr. Klinger look them over.  Found out he is 68 years old and a man of one wife.  His weapon to protect the hotel...bow and arrow.  Very effective.  We entertained him while we were taking pictures.  Dr. K was going to snap a picture of Linda and Pat and said, "Say Mzungu!", which we did, and the Guard broke out in laughter because we were saying Mzungu. 

Plans for the day included having a clinic for Pastor Jimmy's congregation.  The first patient was waiting when we got here from the hotel.  He sat through our devotional time.  We were at the half-way mark of our Mission Trip and utilized some resources provided to us from Megan Souter from her recent Trek experience.  They did a 48 hour silent retreat...we did a very condensed version of that.  We had  a great discussion about our experiences and what God is doing.  Thank you Megan, for the resource.

People came and went throughout the day.  Dr. K, Byron and Jared had a steady stream of visitors.  Elton and Warren met with an Electrician who gave them a bid on putting electricity in the prison we visited the afternoon before.  Then they went shopping for electrical supplies and made plans for the installation today.

The patient flow slowed down in the late afternoon so we hopped on some Bodas and visited the Agriculture Show.  It is an annual event, kind of like a State Fair.  We looked at machinery, crops, livestock, etc.  Passed up on the opportunity to pay to go into the tent with the giant reptiles, also passed by the "Midway".  It was a very similar format to the USA, just a bit more primitive.

After a wonderful Mexican Meal, we hung out on the Veranda and continued our in-depth discussion about what we have observed and learned while we have been here and speculated on how to apply it to our lives when we return.  Lots of quesetions...few answers.

The electricity went out during the night and just came on about supper time tonight. Many got to experience cold showers!

After devotions this morning, Elton and Warren left with the Electricians for the Prison.  A clinic was held at the house for the local Boda Drivers, the plumber and some of their acquaintences.  The ladies went downtown for coffee, brunch and a little shopping.  Upon our return to the house, the clinic was still going strong so Paul brought in Rolexes (breakfast burritos) for the guys to eat..  After the patients left, we loaded the van with medical supplies along with 7 crates of clothing and shoes and headed to Mugembe to Pastor David's church for a clinic and distribution.  We were greeted with a throng of children with their hands out for gifts.  Pastor David and his wife Sarah, brought us in the church and explained that their church children are in school and if we distributed the shoes/clothing now, their church people would not receive any.  We showed them what we had and let them evaluate the best way and decided we will distribute it as a part of the Worship Service on Sunday Morning.  The ladies pitched in to help the Medical Team as needed.  We held sick babies, helped fill orders for meds, helped organize the line, etc.  The people were so very thankful.

Pastor David and Sarah returned to the house with us for supper and were our special guests for the evening.  They shared their stories of coming out of poverty and rejection but how God has provided for them and their sixteen (yes 16!) children.  Five of them are biological children and the 11 others were orphans they took in and they love them all as their own.  They shared their gifts of song and native dance with us.  It was so very special.  We then gave them Deena's family's gifts.  They were so thankful and Pastor David said, "Its been very dry in our house, this is such a blessing."  They have decided that Oklahoma is the BEST state in the USA.  Hmmmm.....

God is Good!

(Blog contributions by Warren)

Quotes from Uganda

Elton to Dr. K:  I'm taking 2Million out of petty cash.

Dr. K to Grace (the cook):  Are we having chicken for dinner tonight?

Warren:  We went to town and spent 1.25Million on electrical supplies for the prison and hauled it home on 3 bodas including us and the driver.

Paul to Jared:  Would you like to share something this morning?
Jared:  (silence and a smile)

Byron:  Where's my tea cup?  I seem to always lose it.

The Widows...all dressed for dinner!

Filling in the gaps....

Here's a little catch-up Post to try to cover some things we haven't told you about.

The first day the Medical Team was out and about, they stopped in to see Pastor David and his family.  Deena knew that Pastor David was having back trouble and requested that we give him an opportunity to see Dr. Klinger.  Fortunately our Dr. is a DO and he was able to do some manipulative therapy.  Instantly the dizziness he had been faced with was gone.  Reports are that he is feeling so much better.

Manipulative therapy is new to the people of Uganda.  Jeff was also having some problems and Dr. Klinger had him bend forward and was able to put his vertebrae back into place.  It is so amazing to them...their eyes are wide open in disbelief.

On Saturday afternoon we went to Sera's Caring Place to give her boys physicals.  It was like a well oiled machine!  Linda, Pat and Joanne checked the boys in by taking blood pressure, pulse, temp and respirations.  When Holly returned from her shopping trip with Robin, she took part too.  Sera would give us the medical history that she knew about each one.  Then they went to the Nurse and Doctor.  The Washington Team had a heart for the children who live next door and we were able to do check ups on them also.  Dr. Klinger and Byron then met with Sera to go over the results of the checkups.

Saturday evening we had special guests.  The Widows came from the village to join us for Mazunga food.  We had mashed potatoes, meatballs and gravy, sweet corn (they are used to eating maize) and sodas.  They were all dressed up in their native dresses.  They looked very smart!  They each shared their stories and Peter interpreted.  They have been through so many hardships but always trust God to bring them through.  An interesting observation about Ugandans...when they start sharing and they say, "I thank God that I am alive", they are truly referring to at least one, if not multiple times, that they have almost died.  Some of the things they shared were heart breaking, some were joyous.  Sissy got up to share and immediately danced her native dance for us.  It was so uplifting!  Several times, they showed their thanks to Paul and Pam and explained how it is done in their culture.  They kneel before them and bow down to say thank you.  After they were finished sharing, Warren asked to say something.  He knelt before them to show his respect and shared how his father died when he was a young boy of 14 and his mother became a widow at a young age with four children.  Warren shared how angry it made him to hear about them being abandoned and cheated.  He compared his family situation to theirs and shared how they had family and friends to help them but these widows were left out on their own to try to survive.  This was a very touching time for all of us as well as the widows.  We are thankful that Warren was able to share so openly with them how he could feel their pain and suffering.

Last night after we returned from our Prison visit and Blogged, the medical personnel had gone to make a call on Lizette, Jeffrey's wife, who is pregnant and having complications.  They ended up treating six people !  The Washington Team was on their way back from Sera's Caring Place and just up the street from our house, they came upon an accident.  A boy on a bicycle had been struck by a vehicle.  They called Paul and they were on their way and would stop to check on him.  While we were waiting for their return, a couple came to the house.  They were the parents of the young boy.  We invited them up on the veranda to await the news.  Our Team was able to administer first aid and determined he was not going to need hospitalization.  As it turns out, the family is Muslim.  For the parents to come to our house and for them to allow our Doctor to treat their son is a big thing!  Today we plan to stop in to check on his progress.  This morning Edgar (a farmer from western Uganda that is here visiting) shared with us that our love shown to them will make a big impact on them.

This post brought to you as a joint effort of Holly and Pat.  To be continued....

Sunday/Monday

Sunday was a time of worship and relaxation.  We attended Pastor Jimmy and Helen's church along with the Island Boys and Sera's Caring Place boys.  After church the Washington Team headed over to Sera's and our Team along with Paul, Pam, Robin and Peter went to the Source of the Nile Restaurant for Sunday Dinner.  Most of us ordered the whole tilapia dinner...complete with head.  After enjoying the beautiful outdoor dining room with the cool breeze from the Nile River, we took our bananas and hiked through some trees, looking for monkeys.  We struck out, so headed to the boat dock for our tour of the Nile River.  Emma was our guide and shared many interesting facts about the river, the fishermen, the geography, and the history of the area AND found the monkeys for us!  The life jackets made great seat cushions!  We came back to the house and enjoyed another great meal prepared by Grace and were joined by Peter, his wife Assina, and their daughter Precious.  They shared their story.  Its amazing how Paul can tell you about the taxi driver who used to sit in the taxi and listen to the sermons and came to know Christ, and how Assina's family disowned her because she chose to be Peter's wife, but when you hear it from them, and you see the pain that they went through, it touches you deep in your heart.  They are very dear Christian Brothers and Sisters and we love them very much.

BTW, correction from the recent post.  Leon is NOT here (in person)...that was Warren that went shopping with Elton and Paul.  Sorry for any confusion.

This is Pat, turning the Blog over to Holly....

Hellllllo!
Today is Monday. July 23rd. Shout-out to my mommy because it is her birthday TOMORROW! Miss and love her dearly. Everyone give her hugs from me when you see her!

Today we went to two prisons. The first one was Jinja Main Prison. This is a maximum security prison. Also, the men that stay here are usually convicted of crimes like murder, rape, and things like that. Most of them will be there for life. Raoul and his band sang some songs. Also, we DANCED for the Lord. Everyone danced. Not just by ourselves, but in front of everyone. It was a once in a lifetime moment that couldn't be captured by camera's because they are not allowed. The officer in charge said, "We have heard about Jesus, but today we saw Jesus through you." What a great morning!

This afternoon we went to a smaller prison that houses 62 inmates. The band did the same routine of singing and dancing. It was awesome to see those prisoners smile! We took blankets, cups, bowls, rice, eggs, soap for their body, soap for their clothes, lotion, razor blades, sugar, tea, fresh chipote, and water. I did get a few videos from this one. ;) My fellow teammates are currently trying to buy them from me so that they do not make it back to the states. However, I will not give in!

Grace is preparing supper right now! It smells delicious. The team from Spokane is at Sera's with the boys saying goodbye. Don, Byron, and Jared went to Jeoffrey's house to check on Lyzette (his wife). He said she was having a few problems. Hopefully they can help her out!

We counted today, and there has been 40 people from our community come to Uganda. What an impact! Those who have been here will understand me when I try to explain how easy it is to fall in love with these people. They greet you everyday. Not just a smile or "Hello", but with a hug or meaningful handshake. In Uganda, EVERY person is important. Jesus loves us all the same, and they show that! Personally, I have grown close to the people my age. This came to a surprise to me! I "expected" to come here and love the children. Don't get me wrong, I love the children more than you can imagine! God has just directed me a different way. He had/has a plan! He has us figured out. :)

Thanks so much for all the prayers!

This is Holly. Signing off. Loving the people God has made in Uganda.

July 21st

We got back very late last night! So we are blogging at lunch today.Yesterday we went to Kampala to do physicals on the Dove Voice Band boys. We checked on the neighbor ladies baby before we left and then ate some breakfast in Kampala before going out to the boys. We tried to get a system going to make things happen faster! Jared took pulse and respirations, Joanne took blood pressure (see more about Joanne later), Linda took temperature, and I (Holly) wrote down all results. After we were finished the boys took turns seeing Dr. Klinger. The boys had a lot of the same complaints which was interesting to all of us. Many of them have been poisoned many times. Also, malaria and typhoid could play a role in this similarity. Dr. Klinger performed two minor surgeries!  

Per Byron's dictation:  Two of the boys had skin lesions that needed to be removed.  We set up on the front porch with the patient laying on a wooden bench.  We were outside for the best light and had to supplement with flashlights.  The procedures went well.  The boys were good patients...laying very still.  There were many fascinated spectators.  We will check with them in a week to take out their stitches and make sure they are doing well.

From Elton and Pat:  We met with our friend, Derrick Mombera, in Kampala and took a tour with him while the physicals were being performed.  He is a distributor of rice to the retail sector for Dominion Farms.  He introduced us to his business partner, showed us his warehouse, then took us to his home where we spent the afternoon visiting with him and his wife.  Derrick has started a distribution business for pharmaceuticals out of India and has all of the contacts for us to be able to get paperwork in order for the next medical trip to Uganda to be able to pass through Customs without fear of having our Meds taken.  This is a real answer to prayer.  He then brought us back to meet up with our Team and we were there for the surgeries.  Elton  had his portable shop light in his bag and was able to provide some much needed light.  Linda claimed to get queasy at the sight of blood, etc. so I jumped in to take pictures of the big event.  Digital cameras are amazing...you can point and shoot without even looking at the stomach turning medical stuff.  ;-)

It was close to midnight when we returned from Kampala so we got a little slower start this morning.  Warren was able to share with us his experience of hanging the new metal doors on Abdu's garage with the assistance of an African that couldn't speak English.  A water line was nicked in the process so Warren fixed it with what he had, like any good farmer would!  Then Patrick, the welder, and Dennis, the plumber, came and fixed it correctly.  Warren said that he has now been laughed at by two Africans.

We went to Masese this morning to look at a young man who had a problem with his leg and ended up treating some additional people.  We took bananas to pass out to the children.  It was WILD!

We are at the house for lunch now and are getting ready to go to Sera's Caring Place to give physicals to the boys.  Elton and Leon are shopping with Paul for food and gifts to take the prisoners.  Holly is planning to do some shopping this afternoon with some of the other young ladies who are here.

OH!  Also, at breakfast on the veranda at the Hotel where Klingers & Regiers are staying, we ran into 2 young ladies from Canada who are working with a village school.  They are trying to get medical treatment for one of the boys and showed Dr. Klinger the pictures.  He was able to give them advice on what to ask the potential surgeon to determine if they were qualified to perform the anticipated amputation. 

Time to go...driver is waiting.  More later!

July 19, Thursday

We will start by telling about yesterday... due to a temporary power outage, we are running a little behind.

Our team divided into two groups. Warren, Elton, and Pat went to Sera's house. Pat helped paint, while Warren and Elton helped build a kitchen. The rest of us went on the "medical team". We were joined by Joanne (from Spokane), Paul, and Peter. We toured two clinics in Jinja in the morning.  The facilities and equipment were very basic. The first clinic had some of the departments we would normally see, but the second clinic was worse. We saw a man that was severely burned by an electricity accident. These burns went several layers deep and affected his Left arm and entire right side. Also, there was a malnourished baby that had swelling and skin lesions due to lack of protein. There was a lady with a broken femur which was in traction to help her heal properly. This helped keep her leg straight. After that we went to Bugembe to attend to Olivia's (Paul and Pam's housekeeper) children. They had respiratory problems. They live in the slum. Their house was smaller than most bathrooms in the states. No lights. No windows.
We then went to Pastor David and Sara's house to check on their 18 month old child Jimmy who has had heart problems. It is a heart valve problem that he should grow out of. Dr. Klinger also worked on David's back. The Africans here have never seen spinal manipulation and were very appreciative of Dr. Klinger's work. David said that he immediately felt better and his dizziness went away.  Next, we visited a primitive prison in the town of Nyagna. Primitive as in no electricity, no running water, and no transportation. The prisoners have to walk 10 kilometers when they have to go to court.
We returned to the compound where we examined the neighbor, Mary, and her baby Bryan. Bryan was crying excessively and was having gas problems. We will be checking on them every morning to see if there is improvement. Also, we saw Patrick (the welder) and treated him for ear infections.
Jeff and Lyzette ate dinner with us and then shared their personal stories. First, Jeff told us about how he grew up and how he came to know Jesus.  His parents were both young when he was born and both of them rejected him, so he lived with his grandma.  Several years later when he found his father, his father refused to let him live with him and told him to go back to his grandma.  This led him to try to find fulfillment in different things like alcohol, drugs, and girlfriends.  Later, he met some church members who had a profound impact on his life and he gave his life to Jesus.  Now, he is the lead worship singer for his church.  Some time after this, he met his wife, Lyzette.  This spring, Lyzette was pregnant with their third child.  During her 8th month of pregnancy, she started bleeding and went to the public hospital to see what was wrong.  The doctor there told her nothing was wrong and did not do anything to help her.  Lyzette asked the doctor if she could go into labor early, but the doctor would not let her and told her to remain in her hospital room.  For three days, she bled while waiting for the doctor to return.  Finally, the doctor came by to check her, but still did not help her.  This led her to change hospitals.  Unfortunately, her care was no better.  The doctor and nurses said many hurtful things and were more concerned about getting paid than helping her.  In the end, Jeff and Lyzette's baby died and Lyzette barely survived.  To treat her, the doctors made Jeff find many drugs around town in the middle of the night (not many pharmacies were open).  Miraculously, Jeff found everything they needed and they were able to help Lyzette recover completely.  This experience led her to start a new ministry in which she helps pregnant ladies around town.  She attempts to provide any materials or drugs they need and help them in any way possible.

God is good,
Uganda Team Hope 2012

Sorry if there are misspelled words or punctuation errors.. I haven't typed since school.. -Holly

July 17th.. I think. First blog day.

Its so hard to keep track of days and times,but.. WELCOME TO AFRICA.

We made it. Through Dallas, London, Entebbe, and the drive to Jinja. Our first meal was DELICIOUS. Fresh (caught today) tilapia, rice, greens, and cole slaw. One of my highlights from today was our fast food experience at lunch. We stopped on the road along the way. Uganda drive through! We had chicken on a stick. Also, getting to meet all these amazing people is awesome. They have such kind hearts, and the desire to know your story. You never go unseen. You are always introduced, or someone is introducing themselves to you! So excited to see what God is going to do. At the moment we are hanging out with the members of the other team that is here with us. Having a blast making new friends!

First blogger,
Holly Heinrichs :)

My Village Stay by Debbie Whiteneck

Part II: My Village Stay

After leaving Fountain of Hope school, Peter drove us to the little village of Nakirubi to stay with a widow and her 6 children. Her name was Namatouv Jennifer and her children's names are Dennis, Rachael, Emma, Esther, Ruth, & Matthew. Matthew came home with us from Fountain where he is in P8, so he could help his Momma get ready for me and to interpret for us. The village is quite a ways back in the bush, but not so much that I would get lost like in a jungle. : )

This is the home of Jennifer and her 6 children. It is made of mud and sticks for the walls and it has metal sheets as the roof along with a metal door they close at night. The white surface you see on the front is a sand plaster that has been washed away by the rains. 

This is the inside of the very small room that the family shares. Notice it has dirt floors. They cleaned out this corner and gave me a cleaner mat to sit on top of the other mat. This would be my bed for the night. God gave me another "Surprise me God" thing when I retired for the night. Sometime during the evening worship, a new mattress with the plastic still on it and sheets & blankets was delivered and put in place of the mats. God is good!!

Just across the road from their house was this large pineapple & banana plantation. The owners are helpful to Jennifer when she is in need of some food. As a matter of fact, he gave them 3 pineapples for me to take with me when I left. Another "Surprise me God"!

 This 80 year old lady's name is Janet and she is the Aunt of Jennifer's husband Emma. She lives in the small shack beside Jennifer's. She helps take care of the little baby Ruth. She knelt before me and greeted me when I arrived. It is so humbling to have someone kneel at your feet. I should be kneeling to her, she is my elder!

These two ladies were friends of Jennifer who came over right away because they knew a Mu Zungu was in the village and they could speak English and helped interpret for Jennifer as well. Cathy is on the left and Carolyn is the preacher's wife and that is one of her 8 children with her.

 Soon after my arrival, Jennifer and two of her children loaded the Gerri cans onto the bicycle to make the trek to get water. The village has a water well apparently that they share.

While they were gone, Matthew showed me around the place. They also have a calf, along with a few chickens, and goats. In this picture you can see the remnants of a wheelchair that was used by Jennifer's husband Emma. He died last year of cancer.

Emma was buried behind the family house. 

 This beautiful River bird caught my ear with it's song and it's vibrant colors. They were around all the time.

This is a customary game that village children play. I asked if I could try it and they were so surprised when I could do it too!

When Jennifer returned with the water, I gave them the gifts from the team supplies we had brought from America. There were many smiles and thanks for the clothes. Thank you to all who donated clothing items so this could be made possible!

Carolyn peeled sweet potatoes while I was served G nuts, a type of peanut, and hot tea with ginger in it to settle my stomach. Afterwards, Jennifer cut palm branches and packed it around the pan of potatoes so that they could steam over a fire for supper later. By later, I mean 9 p.m. or so. I thought my G nuts and tea were my supper, so when I was brought potatoes and a gravy for supper I was surprised.

After the sun went down, we gathered under the tree and I shared God's promises with them. From the previous conversations with the ladies, I felt God wanted me to share these particular promises. They were so thankful and blessed that the Pastor wrote every one of them down. (another "surprise me God!") Afterwards I sang some hymns to them that I had brought with me and then they taught me an African song. I was not feeling well at all and told them I must retire now, that was when I discovered my mattress, sheets, and blanket. There is so much more to my night story that I can't go into it all on the blog, so please feel free to ask me how my night was and I will tell you as much as I dare!

In the morning, I was made this 3 course meal of Ma-toke (steamed bananas), rice, & cabbage/carrots. I nibbled at it as my stomach was still not well. I'm afraid I offended my hostess, but I told Cathy to please explain that I was sick and I had gotten worse throughout the night. She forgave me and I had the family eat it instead. The funny part of this story is that right before my team came to pick me up, Carolyn asked me if I would come back to see them next time I was in Uganda. I said I would. She then said, "when you come, we will kill chicken for you!" We all laughed and I felt like all was well with the food situation.

What did I learn from this visit? I learned that our God is the same God in Uganda as he is in Fairview, OkNakirubi made a total stranger from America feel as though she was one of the family and I pray that God will bless them for their sacrifices, because they know what true sacrifice is all about!

First Day of School; Blessing teachers & sponsor children!

March 13th & 14th have a few missing pieces to the puzzle of our adventure here in Uganda that are near and dear to my heart. Just a note explaining why; Part 1: When I visited F.O.H. school in 2010, I was appalled at how little the teachers had to teach their children. A teacher myself, I resolved to help this situation the next time I came to the school. Part 11: When Paul & Pam visited Fairview in the fall of 2011, I asked if it would be possible for me to stay in a village hut for a night. He said, "Sure, I can arrange that." So here are the missing pieces to our puzzle. Sorry it took so long to post this, no electricity and other extenuating circumstances complicated the process. Yours truly, Debbie Whiteneck.

PART I: FOUNTAIN OF HOPE SCHOOL

Sam is a member of the Dove Voice Band and has been out of school for two years. He was enrolled in Fountain of Hope School Tuesday, Mar. 13th  in Senior 1. In this picture he is trying on his official school shirt. Doesn't he look smart!!! God's blessings to you as you reach for the goal of being the number one student Sam!!



 Science teacher Agree and Sarah Sityo received a tote full of teacher supplies including magnifying glasses, prisms, glass blocks, rulers, paper cutters, school bags, scissors, paper clips, and much more. We also sent 6 new soccer balls for the school children!

Melvena and I were introduced by Sarah Sityo to the classes that were not taking exams. We told about ourselves and then entertained questions from the students. Oh yes, Sarah told them she was from America also. They did not believe her much!

                                     

                                   

Senior High School Students

Primary School Students- notice the older, wooden building. Plans are to replace them with solid structures like the high school.

Melvena was caught in a sea of primary students on lunch break on our way to another building. I've been telling her, "Just wait until we go to Fountain, you will be swarmed like you've never been swarmed before." Well it happened and happened quickly!

Remember my statement before the church that I wanted to continue my short prayer of  "Surprise me God"? Well, on the last flight to Entebbee, I got to know the lady in the seat beside me. She is a teacher who is giving her life to helping Ugandan teachers become self-sufficient in their classrooms by using the natural  materials God has given them to make classroom supplies. She told me of their center around Kampala and of one project they teach them to make. I took notes and when I had the opportunity, with the help of Peter & Geofrey, found the materials and had 12 pocket charts made and presented them to Sarah Sityo. Isn't our God awesome!

SPONSOR CHILDREN & GIFT DELIVERY

This is Amanda Wiens' sponsor child, Mary. She loved everything you sent Amanda! Especially the talking baby doll!

We brought many bibles and Paul Hunter wanted Sera Kasonga's sponsored boy Gian to have one.

The two children above are sponsored by Deena & Gaige Craighead. I'm telling them about the monetary gift they sent and reading a letter from Gaige to Janet. They said, "Thank you for loving us so much Deena and Gaige."

This is my sponsor child Shakira. She was not at the school the first day we came because she was home sick with Typhoid Fever. Last summer she was sick with Malaria. She returned to school on the Sunday before this visit. We are standing in the new girls boarding house where we just put her new bed sheets, blanket, pillow and storage trunk on her bunk. I found out she has to share the bed with her sister because it is so crowded. Robert Sityo tells us they are going to switch the boys and girls and let the girls have the larger building. Maybe Shakira and her sister will get their own beds.

Happy Birthday!

On Sunday, we went to the Bugembe Miracle Center Church.  It was a wonderful service.  Sera's boys, along with the Dove Voice Band attended with us.

Below, Jodi and Dennis, one of Sera's boys, pose for a picture before church.

The Dove Voice Band performed during church.  Their singing and dancing was a big hit.

The church crowd really got into the singing and dancing.

Sam playing the new bass guitar he received from our team.  

Sera's boys also performed a beautiful song.  One we all know, Shout to the Lord.

After church we walked down to the Nile River to do some Baptisms.  It was a very long, very steep ramp we had to walk down to get to the River.

Before the baptisms, the 3 candidates gave their testimonies and the Dove Voice Band sang a song.

Ashlee was the first to get baptized.  Jeff baptized her and Jodi helped him.

Asina, our driver Peter's wife, was the second to get baptized.

Emmanuel, Peter's friend, was the third to get baptized.

Jodi, Ashlee, & Jeff after the baptism.

The view from the shore was beautiful.  Below is a picture of Gary & Shari.

  

After church and the baptism the Dove Voice Band came over for dinner and fellowship.  Below, Debbie talks with a group of the band about education.