So, you know I'm in Uganda, and you know that I'm loving it here and that may be all you know! Well, sit back and read on, I'll tell you a little more...
I'm working/volunteering at a school called Toggo International Children's Center (TICC) in Toggo, Uganda. No, I'm not in the country of Togo but, rather a small village about 2 hours from Kampala. TICC was started by Pastor Steven Trint, who is from Uganda and is the director of the school. Pastor Steve, or dad, as I call him works hand in hand with my church, Bridgeway Christian Church to make sure that the kids in Toggo have a chance at a future with an education that is far above what they would get in the local government schools. Education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty and giving the kids the best chance at a bright future. The school started in 2010 with less than 100 children and now in 2015 we have over 1,000 children! God has truly blessed this school! In the 2 years that I have been a part of missions to the school I have seen the growth and blessings first hand.
The school has children ranging in age from 2 1/2 years old up to over 18 years old. The older boys tend to not tell us their real age, they are just happy to be getting an education! Each year we add another class, or grade into our program. So, this year we will have our first graduating class of Primary 7 students. That would be like the equivalent to graduating from Jr. High or Middle School. After Primary school, they go on to Secondary school and then on to University. Our goal at TICC is to eventually start a Secondary school also so our students can continue on with an excellent education. We also have a boarding section at TICC. The older students are required to board because of the rigorous program and the length of their school day. Other kids who board do so because they live to far to walk to the school everyday or because their home situations are bad, for lack of better term. TICC works hand in hand with a non-profit called Yaaka Afrika to provide sponsorships for the kids so that they can attend school. I have 3 beautiful children that I am proud to sponsor! (If you want more info about sponsoring a child, feel free to ask me more!!!)
That tells you a little more about the school but, what am I doing there? After all, I'm so not a teacher! As you can imagine with the number of students that we have, many get sick and so we have a working clinic at TICC. I'm working in the clinic with Nurse Betty, she is from Uganda. She is actually more of a Nurse Practioner. She is pretty amazing and I know I will learn a lot from her. I arrive at the school around 8 am and help in the clinic where needed. Since we just completed our first week of school we were busy with doing health assessments. Last term we had an outbreak of measles, mumps and chickenpox so this term we are screening for those things and sending the children home right away to get them out of the student population and keep the rest of the students and staff healthy. Day to day we deal with a lot of students with wounds, a lot of students with colds and flu, a lot of students with headaches, stomach pains, fevers and the ever constant Malaria. School has only been in session one week and I've already seen quite a bit. Some things of course I can't share but, imagine where I am and imagine an issue that faces many people here and you'll probably understand...
That's just one of my jobs at the school. When the clinic isn't busy I will be helping in the office on behalf of Yaaka Afrika working on updating the children's information for the sponsorship program. It a tedious but fulfilling job that I enjoy! Third, my other project will be to lead a Bible study with a group of girls at the school during their lunch break. We are still working on the details of everything but, for now that is keeping me busy! Each day is a little different and a lot the same. I love sitting in the clinic with the windows open and seeing and hearing the kids playing. They have such joy! I hope that helps you understand what I am doing here a little better!
I'm doing well and loving being here. Of course, its not always easy. I'm in a place that is so different from what I know and there is a major adjustment curve! The kids and their joy and happiness makes it all worth it. Okay, I'm kind of out of words and just want to be off the computer! I love you all and if you want to stay in touch, Facebook Messages is the best way. I don't have wifi out in the village and service can be spotty. Okay, that's it for now! I'm off to take tea...
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Friday, January 16, 2015
And then there was one...
I've been thinking about updating my blog for a while now but the problem has been that I don't know how to explain everything that is going on or that has happened. So, I'm just going to start typing and see what comes out!! Ready???
I've been in Uganda for about 18 days now and it feels like so much longer than that, I mean that in a good way! My arrival in Uganda started with laughter because there was a miscommunication and no one was there to pick Gordy, Tonya and I up! We laughed about it and just enjoyed the fact that we were back in a place that we consider home! It was more funny to us that once we got a hold of our family here, they thought we were pranking them! LOL! The rest of the team came in later in the day and then we started right into our leadership conference at Kampala Church. Kampala Church is the church of Pastor Steven Trint who we have a very close relationship with. This is the church that we work hand in hand with for every mission so its always like coming home! During the conference leaders from area churches came to worship, pray and hear messages on being Leaders in These times. The conference ended on Dec 31st with an all night prayer and worship service. It was awesome to bring in the new year focused on my Savior instead of on myself. What a year this has been already!
After the conference we left Kampala and headed out to the village of Toggo. Toggo is even more like home! Its a small village about 2 hoursish from Kampala where our school is. This is where I feel most comfortable. While in Toggo we started holding a 3 night crusade in the nearby town of Kapeeka. It is a place that is dark and steeped in hate. We could palpably feel the spiritual oppression. The first night Gordy preached and no one came forward to receive Christ, they were too scared. It wasn't until the American team left that many people started coming to receive Jesus! The second night, the feeling was so different, it was as if a veil had been lifted and there was joy starting to poor back into the town!
Once the crusades were over, we focused on our Kids Camp in Toggo at Toggo International Children's Center. It's a giant VBS and the kids love it! I finally preached! I love these kids, so many of them are my heart. I really enjoyed getting to know a few new kids as well as see ones I have known for a while! I got to see my Agnes! She is so shy with me but finally came and sat on my lap for a while. She is beautiful and I am looking forward to being with her for an extended period of time! I also saw my boy Fred, although he is a twin and I can't tell them apart so I just make sure to pay attention to them both! LOL!
So, Kids camp was over our team headed back into Kampala. I felt so happy knowing that my time was not over!! I was sad to say goodbye to my team but so ready to get on with the work that God has for me here! The first day after everyone from the team had left was pretty hard but I just have to remind myself that I am with family here! I just have to get over feeling like the only one here because that isn't true. The Trint family is my family, I call them dad, mom, sister, brother, niece and nephew and that is what they are! They take such good care of me too!
So, I'm still in Kampala and resting up at the moment. Monday I will head out to the village and start working with Nurse Betty. I am really looking forward to that! I will miss my family but I will be surrounded by family there too and all my kids! How could I not be happy!!!!!! I think you may have to pry my away from this place with a crowbar!
I haven't taken many pictures but these are some of my favorite!!
I've been in Uganda for about 18 days now and it feels like so much longer than that, I mean that in a good way! My arrival in Uganda started with laughter because there was a miscommunication and no one was there to pick Gordy, Tonya and I up! We laughed about it and just enjoyed the fact that we were back in a place that we consider home! It was more funny to us that once we got a hold of our family here, they thought we were pranking them! LOL! The rest of the team came in later in the day and then we started right into our leadership conference at Kampala Church. Kampala Church is the church of Pastor Steven Trint who we have a very close relationship with. This is the church that we work hand in hand with for every mission so its always like coming home! During the conference leaders from area churches came to worship, pray and hear messages on being Leaders in These times. The conference ended on Dec 31st with an all night prayer and worship service. It was awesome to bring in the new year focused on my Savior instead of on myself. What a year this has been already!
After the conference we left Kampala and headed out to the village of Toggo. Toggo is even more like home! Its a small village about 2 hoursish from Kampala where our school is. This is where I feel most comfortable. While in Toggo we started holding a 3 night crusade in the nearby town of Kapeeka. It is a place that is dark and steeped in hate. We could palpably feel the spiritual oppression. The first night Gordy preached and no one came forward to receive Christ, they were too scared. It wasn't until the American team left that many people started coming to receive Jesus! The second night, the feeling was so different, it was as if a veil had been lifted and there was joy starting to poor back into the town!
Once the crusades were over, we focused on our Kids Camp in Toggo at Toggo International Children's Center. It's a giant VBS and the kids love it! I finally preached! I love these kids, so many of them are my heart. I really enjoyed getting to know a few new kids as well as see ones I have known for a while! I got to see my Agnes! She is so shy with me but finally came and sat on my lap for a while. She is beautiful and I am looking forward to being with her for an extended period of time! I also saw my boy Fred, although he is a twin and I can't tell them apart so I just make sure to pay attention to them both! LOL!
So, Kids camp was over our team headed back into Kampala. I felt so happy knowing that my time was not over!! I was sad to say goodbye to my team but so ready to get on with the work that God has for me here! The first day after everyone from the team had left was pretty hard but I just have to remind myself that I am with family here! I just have to get over feeling like the only one here because that isn't true. The Trint family is my family, I call them dad, mom, sister, brother, niece and nephew and that is what they are! They take such good care of me too!
So, I'm still in Kampala and resting up at the moment. Monday I will head out to the village and start working with Nurse Betty. I am really looking forward to that! I will miss my family but I will be surrounded by family there too and all my kids! How could I not be happy!!!!!! I think you may have to pry my away from this place with a crowbar!
I haven't taken many pictures but these are some of my favorite!!
Laynee, Tonya and I on the way to church.
Brandon and his dear daughters, and a photobomber too!!
At the beach for William's birthday!
Courtney, she is quickly becoming someone I love more and more and I cherish her friendship!
William, my nephew, is Ben and Courtney's son who they are adopting and hopefully he will be able to go home soon with them! Until then, I get to take awesome pictures with him!
Laynee, one of the most beautiful people I know! This girl is such a big piece of my heart, kind of like a daughter, sister and best friend all wrapped into one.
I could really use some prayers to stay healthy and whole! So far I've fallen too many times to count, the last one being yesterday and I really twisted both ankles! Its a little hard to walk today! Also, last week I stepped on a nail, thankfully I had good shoes on and they deflected the nail to just the side of my foot. I'm trying to keep it clean! Also, the bugs seem to love me and I am covered in bites! So, pray for God's protection around me!!
I love you all and will do my best to keep up with my blog. Once in the village I wont have wifi so I'm not sure how often I will be able to post. We will just have to see...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)