Greetings once again from Sunny/dry/cloudy/wet Uganda! We have now just started the second dry season for the year. Our previous Newsletter was March so just letting you know that we are still alive and kicking (most days).
Sorry, but the long interval from the last newsletter has built up a few things to include.
By the way, Pam and I are making a visit to Australia at the end of this year. We arrive at Sydney airport 16/11/2012 and leave Sydney airport for Uganda 22/1/2013. We hope to catch up with quite a few folk during our visit.
Here are some of the things that have been occupying our time:
(see below for Picture Gallery)
ARRIVAL OF THE SHIPPING CONTAINER
Finally, after about 3 years of organising, packing, transporting here it is at its final destination! A huge thanks to all those that contributed with their time, goods, finance and encouragement. It absolutely could not have been done without you!
The shipping container finally arrived at the customs container depot in Jinja Uganda (60 kms from Kamuli, on the shore of Lake Victoria) in late February.
It remained there until late April - we were trying to get the container inspected and cleared in Kamuli rather then Jinja as clearance in Jinja involves a 'security risk' (things might go missing!). We pay import tax of $1,850.
Finally get permission to clear customs in Kamuli and the container gets transported to Kamuli on a truck in late March (30/3/2012). It was unpacked into a classroom at Bezallel Primary school opposite our home. The empty container was lifted over the wall surrounding the school, by a crane we hired from Jinja, onto a platform built for the purpose. In the future it will be given windows and a door and used for storage and/or some other purpose.
The container items remained sealed in a classroom at the school until customs gave approval and charged more tax. We pay about $2,000 more import tax and get approval to access the items in the container in late April (30/4/2012).
We have been organising items in the container over time until now (a work in progress). Our house is still cluttered with boxes that were marked 'Personal' and some items for the proposed Education Resource Centre. Other items are sorted and re-packed back into the container for later use, some have been distributed.
CHILD SPONSORSHIPS
Education is seen by most in Uganda as being of prime importance. It is seen as a way of escaping the 'villages' to a better life. [Def: 'in the villages'=the back of beyond; 'deep in the villages'=way, way out in the back of beyond] The 'free' Government Schools are not quite free as the pupil needs a uniform, pens/pencils and books that many can't afford. Also many of the Government Schools are way under resourced with huge classes (up to 200 per class) offering very poor education (not the teachers' fault). So we believe that providing sponsorship for education of children is a very worthwhile endeavour, and honouring to biblical principals.
We sponsor 6 ourselves and handle another 11 who are sponsored by friends in Australia. It is quite time consuming, especially at the start of terms, but very worthwhile. Just a few days ago from the time of writing we asked one of the children (a young man now really) who we have been sponsoring since early 2009 to come and discuss a matter with us, but we ended up talking to him as never before. He told us some of the hardships he had faced, his father was poisoned, a not uncommon fate in the villages, they were forced out of their house etc. He told us he was ready to take his own life at the time we started the sponsorship as he was desperate for education that was out of his reach. He was very emotional and genuinely thankful. So I encourage those sponsoring children with us or some organisation such as World Vision, please continue as you no doubt are really changing and improving the life of a precious child in a big way.
So many of the children around here have tragic stories, you would be shocked by many of them (at least we are; I won't mention details here).
OUR YOUNG FRIENDS
We still have a number of young High School age friends who drop in frequently in school breaks. We have a great time with them with very interesting and animated conversations about various subjects. We have a great opportunity to discuss Christian values and culture and many topics; we both learn and (we hope) teach. They can all pray and give testimonies with a maturity beyond their years and sing in great harmony, which is very nice. Also all are great dancers; they make us feel rather stodgy. They have been a huge help to us finding out way in a foreign culture that is still confusing to us in some aspects, even after one year. We can easily end up with 5 to 10 at the meal table in school breaks and have to reduce the serving size to go around.
OLDER FRIENDS
It has taken longer but we have also made some wonderful older friends (older than school age). Through interaction with the school such as having teachers come to the computer lab in our home, hosting a church cell group in our home for teachers, having some village pastors come for computer training, visiting some pastors in their home villages etc. etc., we have a made some truly wonderful and precious friends. Uganda has some serious problems and problem behaviour, but also some wonderful and inspiring people.
THE COMPUTER LAB
While we are waiting to build the Education Resource Centre we have a small computer lab in our home with room for seven laptops (all we have bench space for). We have had teacher training Wednesday and Thursday afternoons (although we have now cut down to just Wednesday for teachers to give us more time for other things), and village Pastors on Friday afternoons. For some time now we have had two young Ugandans doing the training. They have been doing a great job! We have had a huge problem with virus's and people installing rubbish software from the internet affecting the computers and we almost ground to a halt, but a computer software company in Canada, Faronics, donated licences for thousands of dollars worth of software called 'Deep Freeze' that locks down a computer so that when it restarts it goes back to what it was no matter what the user does to it. This has saved the computer lab!
Needless to say our 'young friends' mentioned above, love the computer lab which we make available to them at times. They now all have email addresses and Face book accounts of course.
FARMING GOD'S WAY
Pam was brought up on a farm at Dubbo in Western NSW and still has a keen interest in things agricultural. She came across an agricultural method called 'Farming God's Way' (FGW) http://www.farming-gods-way.org/. FGW was developed in Zimbabwe in Africa and its development is quite a story. This farming method is so amazing it is hard to do it justice in a few words. So far in Africa yields under this method have increased 3 to 22 times and the soil is built up instead of growing tired or being wash away by rain. Christine who lives and works with us and five local Pastors whose livelihood depends on what they can grow, came with us to a three day course on the FGW method in the capital city Kampala, two days instruction and one day at a demonstration farm. A number of the Pastors are now busy trying it or planning to at the right time in the future. Results so far are very promising. We demonstrated the method to Kamuli Prison and they now have a reasonable size plot of maize planted under the method to try it out. Just a few days ago Welfare Office Wilson (our main contact in the prison) told us that people who have seen the maize plot have remarked on how green, healthy and 'shiny' the maize is compared to other plots around, and have asked why. We are very excited about its potential (even Allan in his non-agricultural ignorance is excited).
For the Christian reader you may be interested in this paragraph. Many parts of Africa in general and Uganda in particular have a huge problem with folk religion including witch doctors consulted for every occasion including planting and harvest, ancestors treated as 'gods' that have to be placated and many horrible practices (e.g. child sacrifice which DOES happen; abuse of children etc.). FGW begins with a foundation of teaching on this subject and breaking curses on the land. It has been found that without people coming on board with the spiritual side of FGW they tend to give up and not continue to practice the method (it is hard work to begin with). FGW is thus also a great outreach method; much to our surprise people are very willing and keen to at least learn about it (following it through can be another thing) and thus get to learn the spiritual issues. Finally we hope it to ultimately boost the income of village pastors who are struggling to survive.
SABER PLAYERS
Amongst the items carried in the shipping container were 30 'Saber Players'. These are very robust audio players that, in this case, are loaded with Bible Teaching in the local language Lusoga. Large bright picture flip-chart books accompany the lessons. These are thanks to contributions by our Aussie home church Holy Trinity Anglican Baulkham Hills. We have distributed them and the flip charts to 20 village pastors and other ministries and they have been used to great effect. Pam and I are especially excited about their use in Prison Ministry as described below. These players have solar and hand-wind battery charges and so are suitable for isolated villages without power. Saber Players are produced by Global Recording Network (GRN) in Australia. Christine Platt, a lady in our Aussie church and a former long time overseas missionary, and a friend of ours, has just been appointed CEO of GRN in Australia; this makes utilising Saber Players doubly exciting for us.
These players can plug into a computer via a USB cable and can have any audio file copied to it. GRN supply the teachings in many thousands of languages from their web site http://globalrecordings.net/en/au and http://5fish.mobi/regions ; we hope to look at ways to expand the use of these players for teaching in Community Health topics etc. We have spoken to a fellow Aussie man when we visited South Sudan who has been using these players to great effect in many different ways.
PRISON MINISTRY
A team from Kamuli Pentecostal Church, led by one local lady in particular (Pastor Angela), have had a ministry to Kamuli prison on and off for many years. We were asked to join the team and the first time we went Allan gave a preaching message, but we felt we wanted to do more. We decided to try out the 'Saber Players' (discussed above) to do some bible teaching. We tried it out to great success and now Sunday afternoon prison ministry is something we hate to miss. The program is broken into a number of parts. Singing praise and worship - last time our young friend Budahla came, he is a great dancer, and he really had them going and enjoying themselves immensely. Ps Angela (or another person sometimes) does some preaching, testimonies are asked for from the prisoners and then Allan presents the bible teaching on the Saber Players. There have been some disturbances and rare problems but normally about 150+ prisoners seated on the ground in a courtyard between buildings in their canary yellow uniforms listen in close attention to the bible story in Lusoga from the Saber Player and view the large bright pictures being held up. At the end I ask questions (through an interpreter) about the story and how it applies today. It took a few months to get used to us but now they are very relaxed and many raise their hands to answer. Christine (who lives and works with us), chooses someone to answer but is having a hard time with so many raising their hands. I usually do a little mini-sermon to finish my bit. Ps Angela and the team then ask if any want to come forward to give their life to Christ; usually at least one comes forward, up to 6 or 8. Then there are prayers for the inmates with court appearances in the following week and for those who are sick.
Pam has been very involved with the women prisoners; there are only a small number, six at most at any time; they move on to a women's prison. They all have babies and small children with them. She talks and prays with them; brings them skin cream and other things and generally shows care and concern. She has spent time with the daughter of a staff member, this lady had AIDS but passed away about 2 weeks ago. Pam has also been involved with men and women's health, bringing blankets, fruit juice, millet and others things, and also enquiring about individuals health and encouraging Welfare Officer Wilson to arrange a hospital visit if required. She has got to know the head gardener and supplied vegetable seed to supplement the regular diet of posho and beans (posho = maize meal, not so great for nourishment but fills the stomach). Pam also gives the occasional message to the men prisoners.
The prison staff has some wonderful Christian people who make us feel very welcome, especially welfare officer Wilson who we have got to know very well. Wilson is very caring towards the prisoners and works hard for their welfare. With some friends we taught Wilson and some prisoners what we know of Farming God's Way (see above) and he taught some more of the prisoners; the prison now has an area of maize planted with FGW cultivation and it is going very well, it is noticeably better then the surrounding traditional maize cultivation.
With welfare officer Wilson, the team and an ex inmate pastor who is now released the prison team and ourselves are working on ways to follow up prisoners who are released from prison and return to their village. This is early days for this.
OTHER PROJECTS
Here we will mention a few other projects we have undertaken with funds from donors.
Bezallel School Bore
Some long time dear friends in Sydney donated funds to have a bore drilled in the grounds of Bezallel Primary School. This is the school associated with Ps Fred Ssempijja who is our official sponsor for our work permits in Uganda. This school cares for many orphaned and needy children.
Why a bore? There is a local spring down the hill from the school and our house which is the main source of water for many in the community. The school was getting most of its water from there. The water feeds through a single pipe, only one 'jerry can' can be filled at once. A 'queue' is formed by jerry cans being lined up. At times, especially during the dry seasons, the jerry cans of children are removed from the queue by adults and replaced with their own. Children are not in a position to complain. Children can be there for 3 or 4 hours and still not have water and just give up. This plus the time children are away from class fetching water, and the need to carry heavy jerry cans of water, was very problematic for the children and the school.
The bore and hand pump are now operational much to the delight of the children and teachers. It has made a huge difference to the life of the school.
Bezallel Chicken House Project
The school struggles to feed the children many of whom board full time and are not fully funded by parents or sponsors. We don't just want to give money to the school for this and that 'urgent' need that is just a bandaid (e.g. food purchases) but rather look at things that are more investments in long term solutions (such as the bore that will contribute for a very long time). One thing we have thought of so far is a chicken breeding project where chickens are bred, live partly on food scraps from the school kitchen, then chickens sold for cash and hopefully also lay eggs to supplement the diet of the children. At the time of writing this the construction is almost complete. We hope it will be in operation in a few weeks. A lady from the school and a committee will be organising its operation. The first chickens will be from chickens given to us as gifts and their offspring who have been raised in our compound.
Kamuli Prison Latrine
The old latrine at Kamuli prison is filled and a new pit was dug and a floor put over it. However the prison couldn't afford walls and roof to put it in operation (why doesn't the Ugandan Government fund it you ask?; basically lack of funds, this is the way things can be in this country). It is no joke to the prisoners. We have supplied donor funds to complete the work, not a large amount; we have almost spent as much in a single visit to a restaurant in Australia with friends and family. But it shows we are caring for the prisoners ourselves and on behalf of our friends in Australia, and has quite an impact on the inmates who have already suffered a lot. Talking to welfare officer Wilson recently he pointed out that 20 or 30 of the prisoners are there because they were owed months of wages by employees who didn't want to pay and so they were driven to take some small thing or just accused of stealing (or some crime) so they would be sent to prison to avoid paying them. We can see this is very feasible in this country. Of course many have committed serious crimes, but some out of desperation.
COMMUNITY HEALTH COURSE PAM & CHRISTINE
NGO Fount of Mercy's Community Health Initiative (CHI) held a Life Skills Training for adults working with youth. Pam and Christine (who lives and works with us) attended this four afternoon course in Jinja (the nearest big town to us, on Lake Victoria and Nile river). Pam reports it was a lively time and she learnt a lot of great stuff. Pam has always been keen to teach community health, AIDS and early pregnancy prevention (VERY import subjects around here) etc. This will assist her in that endeavour. Pam hopes to be involved in teaching and seminars in these issues, probably in 2013 at this stage as we haven't much time before our Australia visit and a lot to do.
SOME TALKS/PREACHING
Pam and I are not necessarily up front people but we have done a little bit of preaching at some village churches and some other places. We work as a team with Pam and I and our young friends Christine and Budahla. I preach, Pam gives a little talk and prays, Christine leads worship (she is a great singer), Budahla leads worship (he is a great singer and dancer) and they can give testimonies. Our subject so far has mainly been the hold witchdoctors and ancestor worship has on this country; it is very widespread. Paying a witchdoctor to curse a neighbour is commonplace, child sacrifice is not uncommon and, we believe, on the rise as people will give anything for a chance at wealth which they believe this will get them. One of the ladies in prison was there accused of child sacrifice of one her own children (although we think it was the husband's doing). The first time we preached this message at a village the pastor said that the local witch doctor stated that he made most of his money from (so-called) 'born-agains' (= Christians). We were rather shocked by this. The next pastor said that all the village churches should hear this. We believe that Uganda is not going to move forward until these practices are addressed; especially as it encourages the cursing, poisoning and /or killing of livestock of anyone who gets slightly ahead of their neighbour in some way (we have heard many first-hand stories).
OTHER TOPICS
A few topics not included in any detail because of space.
- The large missionary fellowship Jinja, mainly Americans. We try and visit Misisonary Fellowship once a month in Jinja; especially a wonderful American couple Jesse and Bev Rich of Calvary Chapel Jinja, who have been life-savers for us.
- Visit to the new country South Sudan. A week of great of training in African culture; meeting with others Pioneers Mission people and hearing about the unbelievably cruel 20+ year war with the North from those who were there (still going on in parts!)
- Encouragement from Pioneers folk such as the country co-ordinators Roger and Jean Tripp in Kampala.
- A week at Kingfisher resort on the banks of Lake Victoria and the start of the Nile with the Pioneers East Africa (PEAR) Conference. A great week of fellowship, teaching, devotions. Also a chance to meet others coping with East Africa and get some helpful advice.
- Our appreciation of fellow Australians Frank and Michele Heyward at COME Uganda in Kampala.
- Language learning; we have found it very difficult to find time for language learning but know we are at a great disadvantage without it. We have learnt a few words of Lusoga, the local language; so far mainly greetings and responses that are very important to have right. However have just started formal lessons and expect great things in language learning in 2013 (at least we can hope). When the local in the street people hear us trying their language there is often an overwhelming response of appreciation, sometimes accompanied with laughter and hilarity even from strangers.
- We still have a 'fish bowl' existence in Kamuli with every move watched by the locals, without other Mzungus (white people) to interact with on a day-to-day basis. However we have had visits from fellow Aussies, and some from other countries, that happen to be visiting Kamuli, from time to time. We have loved these visits. We have even had two shipments of vegemite delivered in person!
CONCLUSION
This is a country of contrasts. We have met and have got to know some wonderful, very capable and inspiring people. On the other hand we have been heart broken over extreme poverty that drives people to extremes, and cruelty, especially towards some children. We have heard so many tragic stories that they seem to be the almost the norm after a while. Hence as the very ordinary people Pam and I are, and out of our depth most of the time, it gets a bit much sometimes and we wonder what we can possibly do in the face of it all. We are learning to say 'no' to stop from being yet more overwhelmed. But we still believe God has called us to be here and has opened doors we didn't expect.
Oh, and some may be asking 'what about the main project that you went for, building the Learning Resource Centre'? Things have moved slowly with this is because we have been cautious about proceeding because of various issues. However we have completed blue prints and tomorrow and the time of typing these words, we are meeting the Architect who has completed a costing. We will find out whether we can afford the building or not!
Picture Gallery …
The container truck arrived .. here being maneuvered backwards through the school yard. The driver was very skilled.
Beginning the container unpack. The items were unpacked into a classroom at the school to be sealed until cleared by customs.
Enthusiastic help with unpacking by the students. P.S. This is a girl carrying a heavy box on her head.
Some of the items unpacked into the classroom.
Interested by-standers. The hospital beds are in the background. The beds wouldn't fit into the class room.
We hired a crane from Jinja, 60 kms away over a very bad road, to lift the empty container over the school compound wall onto a base built for it. This is its final resting place. The man oeuvre was quite delicate and dicy.
The church we attend next to the school took advantage of the crane being in town and negotiated with the crane driver to stay the next morning to lift the roof trestles onto the new church building.
After the goods were cleared by customs we moved boxes marked 'personal', as well as the computers and some other items, into our house. Here we sit amid the clutter at a fold-up picnic table with seats from the container. Our young friends had a hilarious time making up jokes about the 'table and seats in a suitcase'.
Some of our sponsored children; these are at the school opposite our house. These we have sponsored since early 2009 and so have had the privilege of seeing them blossom. We have seen sponsorship as a very worthwhile investment into children's lives.
For Bezallel school 2nd term parents visitation day we invited children sponsored by ourselves and some Aussie friends through us, to a special meal at our house. Here are some of them. They very much enjoyed the food and drink.
Loading up 'requirements' for two girls sponsored in High School. The sponsored children board in the schools and require mattresses and a lot of other items to begin. These two girls were featured in our 'wish list' as needing sponsorship which an Aussie couple now provide.
Having a serious debate around the table with some young friends. I remember this one was 'should those playing musical instruments in church be paid any money'. It went on for an hour or two. Pam is taking the picture so can't be seen. We have some great conversations with the young people.
The computer training on Friday afternoon in our house for village pastors. Christine who lives and works with us is also getting training. Daniel, who is standing, is doing the training. He does a great job.
A day at the Farming God's Way demonstration farm near Kampala for practical training. We were there with Christine, Pastor Fred and four village pastors.
Demonstrating 'Farming God's Way' to Welfare Office Wilson, the prison OC (Officer in Charge) and some prisoners (in all yellow). Wilson went on to train other prisoners a few at a time. The maize is doing so well that passing people are enquiring why it looks so good compared to surrounding traditionally grown maize. It requires no special tools. The people are distant as we are not allowed to show the faces of prisoners.
Distributing 'Saber Players' with the colourful illustrations to village pastors. Pastor Fred is helping with the distribution. Allan is on the left in the bright African shirt.
On the same day as getting the Saber Players the village pastors are collecting some donated clothes and goods form the shipping container to take back to the villages.
Digging the bore hole for the bore in the compound of Bezallel Primary School. Funds donated by some dear Aussie friends. See the notes above for details.
Watching the bore being drilled as a great day's entertainment! (also an afternoons entertainment for Allan).
Pam helping the Askari (watchman) in the final cleanup of the bore works.
Pam, Christine and some little helpers in the final test.
The use of the bore is now in full swing making life a lot easier for children who formerly had to collect and carry water from a fair distance.
A new project, the Bezallel School Chicken House project is being constructed. It comprises this hen house and a yard to breed chickens to raise money for school. In the middle is Beatrice the head teacher (it is bigger than is looks, it is a bit fore-shortened here).
Inside the chicken house.
Preaching in a village church with our friend Budhala as interpreter. We have spent a lot of time with Budahla and he more or less understands our Aussie accent. Some (maybe most) Ugandans don't understand a word we say, even when they speak 'English'.
Drums are used as an accompaniment for singing in this village church (most use drums).
After the service Christine uses the opportunity to give a lecture on 'Farming God's Way'. People are keen to listen.
Some Aussie visitors around mid June. Starting 3rd from left Ron, David, Graeme and Rob. They were here with David Young's school ministry.
We visited Yei in the west of South Sudan for a Pioneers Orientation to African Culture. South of the former Sudan has been devastated by wars since the 1980's with huge loss of life and trauma. Effective war still goes on in parts of the border with 'Sudan' in the north.
Taking a walk in Yei, the site of former bloody battles. Left to right, Christine Perkins Pioneers East Africa Area leader, Pam and a Canadian lady living in Kenya.
Easter celebrations at Calvary Chapel in Jinja run by some wonderful Americans Bev & Jesse Rich. On Friday they erected a cross on the street and we attached notes to it with sins we have problems with written on them. On Sunday we decorated the cross with flowers.
At the water front Lake Victoria / Nile River at Kingfisher resort where Pioneers East Africa Retreat (PEAR) was held.
Kingfisher resort where Pioneers East Africa Retreat (PEAR) was held. We haven't included any pictures of attendees as some work in sensitive areas and requested all pictures of them be kept private.
We have attended two 'introductions' that come a week or two before the wedding where the brides family meets the groom's family. Lavish gifts are given to the wife's family ('bride price'). These ceremonies are very lavish and people can go into debt for many years to finance them. Here gifts are being carried to the wife's family (a small portion shown here).
Male guests (the brides father was Muslim, male and female guests are separated), and the bride in blue (she has frequent dress changes) together with sisters and aunts. About 6 hours of speeches in a language we don't understand!
The bride with some of the gifts. Notice the change in dress from last picture.
At another even bigger introduction. The groom's side guests lined up ready to enter.
Allan and Pam in the regulation dress for introductions. A 'gomez' for Pam and a 'kannzu' for Allan. I don't think we will be introducing this to Australia!
A lady called Serah. She saw her family and relatives murdered in front of here in the Hutu / Tutsi murders in Rwanda in the early 90's. She managed to escape but went through terrible hardships pretty much all her young life. But here she is with about 20 street kids that she took under her wing and trained to be loving effective human beings. An incredible inspiring story. Sorry about the poor image quality, this is Pam's phone camera in low light.
