kampala
Providence Home, Nkokonjeru, Uganda
Providence House in Nkokonjeru, where we’ll be for a week of our three weeks in Uganda, with plans to design a program and support work with the children.
The mission of Providence House is “guided by a “Preferential option for the Poor” be they Spiritually, Physically, Psychologically or Materially poor. – (Luke 4: 18 – 22). We are there for them so that their lives can be Fruitful.”
Four extra suitcases/bags, 40-45 pounds each, heading to Uganda with us.
Here’s about 90% of what we expect to be checking through to Uganda. Still to come are more soccer balls (deflated), hard candy, sanitary supplies, little girls dresses, more games, puzzles and toys, and medical supplies (in the form of Vaseline, Neosporin, and Tinactin).
A lesson from God is waiting in Africa
Yesterday I spent two hours on the phone with a new friend who just got home from Uganda.
I am that person who would rather sit face to face with you and chat but I could not get enough of her stories and enough questions answered.
She was honest, funny and very enlightening.
I heard one thing in particular that struck home.
“You think you are going to help the children, but God is taking you there because there is a lesson waiting in Africa.”
Hahaha Oh Lord! I know my weaknesses!
…from Bonnie
Our African aventure itinerary for discernment
This is the amazing itinerary our friend Aloysius has designed and worked up for us. There may be some tweaking as we digest all we’re going to see and do.
To our many African friends, if you don’t see your name here, don’t despair. This trip is basically for discernment and planning. We anticipate being back in early 2016, living in Uganda, and there will be plenty of time to get better acquainted.
Just remember our purpose and reason for coming, which is Matthew 25. “Mother Teresa always told her sisters to remember the “Gospel on Five Fingers.” She would say the words, “You did it for Me,” as she held up each finger of her hand. These words come from the Judgement of the Nations (Matthew 25: 31-46) where Jesus tells us that we will be judged by how we treated those who were thirsty or hungry or sick.”
God Bless
Part of our reason for going to Uganda
When people ask why I want to go to Uganda I have caught myself replying something about seeing how I can make a difference.
The long answer is longer of course and a bit more personal.
I think God’s gift to me is my life and my gift back to God is what I do with this life.
I probably began volunteering in food banks and shelters over thirty years ago. People would always say thank you and what a blessing I was, which left me fumbling for the right thing to reply.
Now after delving more deeply into my faith and aging and volunteering more often I have a better answer. I am the one blessed to be able to have a nursing home ministry.
I am the one blessed to be able to feed the homeless. While anyone can go and do these things, the blessing comes from the realization that I have allowed God to use me and I can walk out of that nursing home and drive away. I can take off my apron on Tuesday afternoon and drive home and rest.
That is the two fold blessing. Realizing God is using me and I am on the giving and receiving end of the blessing.
My reason for going to Uganda?
So I may receive all the blessings that come with allowing God to use me as His hands and feet.
I pray I can always see Christ in everyone I encounter from the grouchy airline employee to the naked baby in the bush.
The irony is I never asked God to send me to Africa I asked God how I could best serve Him.
Bonnie
My how those plans can change quickly.
Our Ugandan discernment plans have moved up by a couple months from sometime in July to late May, mostly owing to the huge difference in prices going earlier than later, with a savings of close to $500 per plane ticket.
We’re pretty excited for the opportunity, and are looking at a variety of ways to serve.
We’ll be visiting a couple orphanages (one run by Nuns), have been working with a number of locals to get an exam and possible treatment for a boy with a club foot, possibly visit with the Archbishop of Kampala, and see if there’s anything I can do for the Munno Voice, the Ugandan Catholic newspaper.
Moving our trip up means we’ll be there June 3 for Ugandan Martyrs Day, just us and a million of our closest Ugandan friends at the shrine of the Martyrs. We’ll also be able to travel to headwaters of the Nile, as that’s where Cheshire Home is located, and where we’ll be staying with some local Nuns for a number of days
I seriously doubt if we’ll be able to see any silverback gorillas this time around, but perhaps later.
Moving our trip up means instead of three months to leisurely prepare, we have less than six weeks to cram in Visas, shots, finding a dog-sitter and cat-sitter, acquire letters of introduction from three of our Priest friends, and complete a a myriad of packing and preparation.
But all we have is time, right?
Beginning the Adventure
It’s somewhat amusing hearing people’s reaction when you tell them your plans of traveling to Uganda for a three-week discernment; visiting orphanages, organizations and people, with the intent of moving there permanently (two years anyway) to do what we can to help.
We have a general idea of what we want to do but, until we see and experience Uganda first-hand, we don’t know what our focus will be.
The reactions of our friends and family seems to fall into two general categories; excitement that we’re taking the step or trepidation of the possible dangers.
Some people seem happy and excited for what we want to do, and are encouraging and a bit jealous that they don’t have the health, time or resources to do the same thing.
For others, the first words out of their mouth are, “You be careful”.
For a lot (most?) of Americans, the thought of Africa brings to mind Boko Haram, Idi Amin, Ebola, Aids, al Qaeda, famine, etc.
Maybe it’s the same when you think of an African coming to America, and their friends think drugs, gangs, traffic, prices, etc.
What I think none of our friends realize is the immense nature of Africa. The African continent is three times (!!) bigger than the United States. Uganda has, justifiably, the nickname of the Pearl of Africa. The distance from Kampala, Uganda to where Boko Haram is operating is probably the same distance as from Los Angeles to Boston.
We feel we’ll be as safe in Uganda as we are in most places in the USA, and probably a lot safer than many places. Safety is just not a major concern.
What we’re hopefully going to be doing is living out the five-finger gospel of Mother Teresa.
Mother Teresa always told her sisters to remember the “Gospel on Five Fingers.” She would say the words, “You did it for Me,” as she held up each finger of her hand. These words come from the Judgment of the Nations (Matthew 25:31-46) where Jesus tells us that we will be judged by how we treated those who were thirsty or hungry or sick.
With that, God Bless and please pray for us.
Help me help the children
http://www.gofundme.com/oc4rk8
Over the past six months, I’ve been in steady contact with over two dozen individuals in three African countries (Malawi, Uganda and Nigeria) and am in touch with three orphanages. I’m sponsoring seven grade school children and one Catholic secondary school child. I’ve mailed clothes, shoes, dolls, books, and soccer balls to three separate groups aiding impoverished children. I’ve helped fund-raise for a school, for a handicapped child, and to help feed or keep in school other children in need.
What I’ve done barely scratches the surface of what can be done and in July, I’ll be traveling to Uganda and Malawi for a bit of private missionary work.
Depending on fund-raising results, my plans are to visit the secondary school child I’m sponsoring, check on the three orphanages I’m in contact with, and spend time with some of the Nuns, Priests, and Directors in Malawi and Uganda.
I go with the intent of discerning what I can do next and where we can most help.
Round trip tickets from Dallas, Texas to Entebbe, Uganda are $1500 each and tickets from Uganda to Malawi are $800 each. I need to pay for the tickets by the middle of May.
I will be taking four suitcases filled with clothes, shoes, toys and books. Also, some birthday party supplies, toothbrushes and religious items.
Thank you for helping me help the children.
Which Way? Our Way! 