Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Staff Sports Day

Kibaale Community Centre held its very first Staff Sports Day, courtesy of the new Social Committee chaired by Rachel Leng. I can’t say enough about how awesome this event was… the planning that went into it must have been enormous – the whole day went off without a hitch.

Some of the events included netball, volleyball, football (soccer), chess, tetherball, badminton, various sprints and endurance races, an egg-balancing race, three legged race, sack race… and a race for shade…. It was a very hot day. But everyone had smiles on. Huge thanks to the social committee as everyone had a great time.

From Staff Sports Day


From Staff Sports Day


From Staff Sports Day

Egg racing

From Staff Sports Day

The relay event

From Staff Sports Day

Some kids learning tetherball on their new tetherball ... thing

From Staff Sports Day

Jamie taking cover from the brutal heat

From Staff Sports Day

Finishing the day with a meal and some laughs

Friday, March 27, 2009

The Wheelchair - Follow Up

From The Wheelchair - Follow Up


March has been a month of guests and busyness. I’m so thankful to report that word has spread about Annette and her family and they were able to receive visitors and people who really cared about her and her family and how they were doing. I said that March was a busy month for guests – among these guests were Brianna and Dave. Dave was one of the leaders of the Pacific Academy High School’s outreach team which was visiting from Canada. He is a physiotherapist by profession back home in Canada and was able to work with Annette and her Jaja with some exercises for mobility, strength, and comfort, and was also able to give me some great advice on how to improve Annette’s chair. He even took aside Vicent, one of our Community Services staff, and trained him on how to properly stretch Annette’s limbs to allow her to be more comfortable. This brief training session will go a long way towards her continued well being and improved health as Vicent continues to go back and ensure that the family is using these exercises correctly.

From The Wheelchair - Follow Up


Brianna is also seen here with the family – it’s amazing, but Brianna has come all the way from Canada just to visit and see how things work here in Kibaale. During her stay she was able to help out in many ways and get a better understanding of how things work here in Uganda. A huge thanks to Brianna and Dave and of course all of our other guests this month for their visits and their love and compassion for the people of Kibaale!

From The Wheelchair - Follow Up

Saturday, March 14, 2009

The Wheelchair

Yes, this is the same article that appeared in the PAOS newsletter, so if you've already seen it - sorry.

I have the pleasure of working in the Community Services department, which means that I get to go out into the community and work with the local people right down at the village level. Sometimes this can be heartbreaking, but more often than not it is extremely rewarding.

Take today for instance. Community Services takes care of a number of needy families in dire circumstances, from the child-led orphan homes that exist due to the AIDS virus tearing through the area, to families with no other alternative than to come to us for assistance. One of those families is that of a young girl named Annette. Annette is fifteen and was born with a condition that has left her crippled and unable to communicate, though she can hear and understand quite well.

Annette currently lives in a small home down by the nearby lake where her Jaja (grandma) cares for her. This grandma is an indescribable person, bouncing and full of joy and hope for the future and what God will do in their life. She is a true inspiration. Her character shines through when you first meet her, and even if you were to never see this woman, her home stands to proclaim her dedication to caring for the needy. Within the mud walls you will find, as I did, that she is caring not only for Annette with her disabilities, but also five other children, including one newborn, and even her own mother who has gone blind.

We do try and visit this home often to give encouragement and what little food support and other assistance we can manage. But today’s visit was special. Walking up the road to their home we carted with us a gift. Annett’s condition has been such that she lays inside the home all day on a mattress, never sitting up, and her body is deteriorating. Vicent, one of our Community Services staff, made the recommendation to fashion a movable chair for her – this would allow Annette to sit up, and the addition of wheels would allow Jaja to move Annette in and out of the home despite her age.

No more than ten seconds after our arrival, Jaja was bouncing down the road to greet us, singing praises and thanking us with as much vigor as she could manage. A few moments later we had Annette in her new chair enjoying the sunshine of the early evening. It was definitely one of those special moments that I have the privilege to be a part of in my daily work here in Uganda. We’re so thankful for the sponsors and donors back home who make our work here possible. Lives are being changed!

From The Wheelchair

Annette being carried into the new chair


From The Wheelchair

Vicent and Dembe, our carpentry teacher, making some adjustments to the chair

From The Wheelchair

Vicent, one of our community services staff, takes Annette for a spin

From The Wheelchair

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Our First Visitors

Sean and I picked up Lana and Ben from the airport on March 1st and as soon as they came through the airport doors – I started crying. These were happy tears – it’s been a long time since I’ve seen any family.

From Ben & Lana's Trip

Sisters are back together

We had such a fun time together! They came and hung out at Kibaale for a week and saw what we were up to. They experienced driving in the bush with me and nearly getting the vehicle stuck in mud, Ben laid bricks for a day with the builders and loved it (but his muscles didn’t love it), Lana was able to observe in the clinic which is always fun, we went for lots of hikes, watched a local football game, and had lots of laughs!

From Ben & Lana's Trip

Ben is working hard, but he's not quitting his day job

From Ben & Lana's Trip

Last one in has to help push

For the weekend, we headed up to Mpigi where Sean and I were in 2007 and it always feels so much like home. We helped out with T-shirt making and played a lot of football. Of course, Uganda beat Canada again.

From Ben & Lana's Trip

No, we are not bench warmers. This is pre-game time.

From Ben & Lana's Trip

Lana and Liz are playing catch

From Ben & Lana's Trip

All the kids wore their t-shirts on Sunday

From Ben & Lana's Trip

Uganda 10: Canada 0


We then headed up to Luwero – New Hope where Lana lived 6 years ago. It was just so neat to see where she worked, and what her life was like. And, she had so many heartfelt welcomes – you can tell that Lana was loved greatly by the staff and kids and will never be forgotten. Lana and Ben even got to meet their sponsor child – Daniel! He is so sweet!

From Ben & Lana's Trip

At New Hope- Daniel is teaching them some football skills

From Ben & Lana's Trip

Daniel is in P4 and he gave us a tour of the place

From Ben & Lana's Trip

Daniel is giving Ben a slashing lesson

From Ben & Lana's Trip

I'm hanging out with Daniel's house sisters

And then there were two. . . .

From Ben & Lana's Trip