We arrive in Fort Portal and take our bags to the hotel. From there we go to Tooro High School. The students greet us enthusiastically and we are introduced to the administration. Our hosts treat us to several songs and dances (which we join in). It was quite a lively time.
We take a tour of the school. The majority of the students are girls. 80% of the students are orphans – mainly due to AIDS. They are boarded at the high school for various reasons. They have so many students that they have had to convert the lecture hall into a dormitory. They have a SEVERE space problem. 17 of the girls have HIV. They require a special diet (high amounts of fruits, vegetables and protein) that is not covered by the normal boarding fees. It works out to about $70/month (another need).
We tour the computer lab. When the school administrator was telling us about the school, all the students laughed. Now I know why – the room is empty (another need). They have many plans for the school – all they need is MONEY!
After lunch, we present a couple of short puppet shows and sing a couple of songs for the students. We are scheduled to play a football (soccer) game later that afternoon. I just hope that I don’t die!
Our church (First Baptist) has 4 families in the Fort Portal area. Three are sponsored by a family in our church and one by our church. We have built houses for each of the families and I am anxious to see them. We have special gifts for the families from our church.
Our first stop is Silas. Silas is 75 years old. He is immensely proud of his house. He lives on a small area of land and takes care of banana trees for the land owner. He has bought pigs with part of his sponsor money. He plans to start raising pigs as his business plan so that he can be independent at the end of his sponsorship. The grandchildren were in school. His wife and his children all died of AIDS.
Silas is VERY happy
Can you guess what this is?
It is what is left of the house Silas USED to live in. He tore it down so that it would not make his new house ugly.
One of Silas' pigs.
Our next stop was Edreda. She had 18 children and now has 10 children that she cares for. She lives in a community where everyone pitches in and shares in the responsibilities. These children are all relatives. All of the relatives have died from AIDS.
Some of the children are in school and others are camera shy. Notice the left-over bricks being used for a path near the front of the house.
Edreda had gifts for everyone on the team. She makes these as part of her business.
Luke was an instant celebrity. He traded the home made soccer ball (in Luke's hand) for a larger model.
The children are all suffering from the white stick disease. This was a disease that followed team two everywhere we went. There is no known cure.
The beds are always made and the houses are very neat.
Polina was the third stop. She is 90 years old – WOW!! Her grandchildren were in school. She makes mats as her business. Her spirit is amazing. You would never guess that she is as old as she is.
To say that she is happy is an understatement - her expression is priceless.
Polina does not have much land but she is very pleased with her new house.
Gifts are placed in the front room in a place of prominence.
Polina showed us a sample of the mats that she makes. They are very colorful and take two to four weeks to make, depending on how bad the arthritis is in her hands.
Mastula was our last stop. Her children are both in secondary school (Tooro High School). Her husband was Muslim and died of Aids. Matsula is also infected. Her husband's family rejected her because she was not Muslim. Her own family would accept her back but not her children (because they were half Muslim). She was at a point where she was ready to kill her children to spare them from starving to death and to commit of suicide but was talked out of it. Since her sponsorship, she has started a business. With the money, she has begun to plaster the inside walls of her house. She and a group of widows have a business making baskets and necklaces. When we walked up, the front of her house has flowers all along the front. She wants the house
to be beautiful.
Pure joy - women be shopping (even in Africa)!!!!
Michelle brought Mastula beads and supplies for her business.
Notice the flowers in the background near the front of the house. This was the only house (that I remember) that had flowers adorning the house.
This is Pastor Godfrey. He has the same first name as my father. Pastor Godfrey was instumental in talking Mastula out of suicide.
We are joined by Pastor Godfrey at Mastula’s house. He is the Pastor of the Christian Centre in Fort Portal. He invites us to his church. We drive up and are greeted by several members of the congregation. They have been waiting for us ALL DAY (it is now late afternoon). The church reminds me of a pole barn. It is entirely open, including about half of the roof. They have sheets draped from the edge of the roof that are the walls of the church. The pulpit is in the center of the church and benches are located under the finished part of the roof. We are welcomed and invited to pray with the congregation. Pastor Godfrey gives us a history of the church. He came to the area several years ago. A Muslim gave him a place to hold services until people started accepting Christ and going to the church. Pastor Godfrey was told to leave. One of the tragedies of the region that we learned about was the presence of witchdoctors and voodoo. There are so many orphans in the area that it is very easy for the witch doctors to use the children as sacrifices.
That is not a skylight - just an unfinished roof.
The walls are not transparent - just cloth.
The people of the community bought the land and have constructed the present church. This could be a great opportunity to partner with this Church and help them finish the building.
From there, we headed back to Tooro High school for our soccer match. By this time we were about 2 hours late and all the boys had left for the day. I’m sure they were disappointed but I felt relieved! We headed for the hotel and supper. The end of a LONG day (but a good day).
My apologies JJ - I just couldn't pass up this opportunity. JJ NEVER meets a stranger.
1 comment:
We miss you guys! Hope you got home safely! =)
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