Team 2 greetings Thursday 7 July
Greetings from team 2. Disregard the fact that yesterday's post says 7 July. I did mention that it is easy to lose track of days. That also includes dates.
The reward for blogging yesterday was being left behind. I have been to Uganda 5 times now and it was the first time that I was left behind. Fortunately it was at the Colline where the staff are like family so it wasn't too traumatic. Also fortunately I am the treasurer so it wasn't too long before the team finally realized I was not with them. Since I blogged instead of eating, Allan (the head waiter) had been concerned for me and insisted that I take along a doggie bag of chicken and chips, on the house. So when I discovered no van outside I went back in to enjoy my meal. The team tried to sneak back and tell me they had been there all of the time but I know better.
We will bring photos of the work done on the kitchen yesterday as a stopgap measure until the permanent facility can be built. I am told that in moving the woodpile there were only lizards and a rat discovered - no snakes. I told Cathy she is obsessed with snakes. Everytime we go anywhere the first assurance is there are no snakes. I said first of all if I were moving a woodpile in the states the first thing I would suspect are snakes. Secondly, if there were a snake then there would have been no rat. Personally I prefer snakes to rats.
The remainder of yesterday was spent on the site with the teams engaged in several important activities, football and frisbee with the kids being among them. We inventoried most of the 13 trunks and duffle bags. John is amazing. He and Ron must be twins. The first to grab the shovel and start the manual labor. Lots of picture taking, talking to kids, youth and staff. Pastor Dave must have taught Amy how to play frisbee because she nearly took my head off a couple of times when I was an innocent bystander. Either that or he payed her. We stayed on the site until close to 6:30 when it was time to go to the dress shop in Mukono. Order yesterday for a handmade shirt, skirt, dress, whatever for pickup on Friday.
Bob-the Vincent we are with is not for Joy drilling. It is Vincent Ochoya, the architect. He and Dave Bennett have done an outstanding job of gathering the information to put in the complete water sanitation project. Today they go to Kampala one last time (hopefully) to get the final bid. As usual Dave has been invaluable to the team and to the project. His last big project before leaving for home on Sunday is to work with the welder to design a metal cabinet for the clinic. We are fortunate to have a talented welder who will be able to fabricate what we need rather than buying it.
As said, today Dave goes to Kampala. Tom and Robert will also go to Kampala. They will hire a lorry (truck) to pick up some supplies - the rest of the medical equipment, the sheet metal for the cabinet, steel poles for a clothesline (currently clothes are laid on the ground to dry, inviting parasites to invade), steel poles for the swing set (we brought the seats - thanks Pastor Dave for that shopping trip) and who knows what else.
The rest of the team will be on the site. Many are teaching. Amy, Susan and Shana were handed books to bring home last night to prepare lessons. Amy will be in P5. The rest of use will serve however needed, finishing the book inventory we brought, digging, leveling, whatever - hopefully with lots of breaks for hanging out with the kids - our favorite activity. We will either stay or be back on the site this evening to be part of the evening and bedtime rituals. Many of the Loving Example youth were around yesterday and will be there tonight. They love the keyboard and the guitar. Thanks Bob Leme. The have what is necessary to make it work. The youth really love having our kids around. Val is really connecting with them.
Time to go for another delicous breakfast and devotions from John. We are all well and grateful to God for the opportunity to be on this trip.
We are praying for you. Thank you for your prayers. We feel them every day.
Grace and Peace,
Team 2
The reward for blogging yesterday was being left behind. I have been to Uganda 5 times now and it was the first time that I was left behind. Fortunately it was at the Colline where the staff are like family so it wasn't too traumatic. Also fortunately I am the treasurer so it wasn't too long before the team finally realized I was not with them. Since I blogged instead of eating, Allan (the head waiter) had been concerned for me and insisted that I take along a doggie bag of chicken and chips, on the house. So when I discovered no van outside I went back in to enjoy my meal. The team tried to sneak back and tell me they had been there all of the time but I know better.
We will bring photos of the work done on the kitchen yesterday as a stopgap measure until the permanent facility can be built. I am told that in moving the woodpile there were only lizards and a rat discovered - no snakes. I told Cathy she is obsessed with snakes. Everytime we go anywhere the first assurance is there are no snakes. I said first of all if I were moving a woodpile in the states the first thing I would suspect are snakes. Secondly, if there were a snake then there would have been no rat. Personally I prefer snakes to rats.
The remainder of yesterday was spent on the site with the teams engaged in several important activities, football and frisbee with the kids being among them. We inventoried most of the 13 trunks and duffle bags. John is amazing. He and Ron must be twins. The first to grab the shovel and start the manual labor. Lots of picture taking, talking to kids, youth and staff. Pastor Dave must have taught Amy how to play frisbee because she nearly took my head off a couple of times when I was an innocent bystander. Either that or he payed her. We stayed on the site until close to 6:30 when it was time to go to the dress shop in Mukono. Order yesterday for a handmade shirt, skirt, dress, whatever for pickup on Friday.
Bob-the Vincent we are with is not for Joy drilling. It is Vincent Ochoya, the architect. He and Dave Bennett have done an outstanding job of gathering the information to put in the complete water sanitation project. Today they go to Kampala one last time (hopefully) to get the final bid. As usual Dave has been invaluable to the team and to the project. His last big project before leaving for home on Sunday is to work with the welder to design a metal cabinet for the clinic. We are fortunate to have a talented welder who will be able to fabricate what we need rather than buying it.
As said, today Dave goes to Kampala. Tom and Robert will also go to Kampala. They will hire a lorry (truck) to pick up some supplies - the rest of the medical equipment, the sheet metal for the cabinet, steel poles for a clothesline (currently clothes are laid on the ground to dry, inviting parasites to invade), steel poles for the swing set (we brought the seats - thanks Pastor Dave for that shopping trip) and who knows what else.
The rest of the team will be on the site. Many are teaching. Amy, Susan and Shana were handed books to bring home last night to prepare lessons. Amy will be in P5. The rest of use will serve however needed, finishing the book inventory we brought, digging, leveling, whatever - hopefully with lots of breaks for hanging out with the kids - our favorite activity. We will either stay or be back on the site this evening to be part of the evening and bedtime rituals. Many of the Loving Example youth were around yesterday and will be there tonight. They love the keyboard and the guitar. Thanks Bob Leme. The have what is necessary to make it work. The youth really love having our kids around. Val is really connecting with them.
Time to go for another delicous breakfast and devotions from John. We are all well and grateful to God for the opportunity to be on this trip.
We are praying for you. Thank you for your prayers. We feel them every day.
Grace and Peace,
Team 2
posted by humbleway at 10:14 PM
3 Comments:
Good news everyone is having fun playing with the children. We all know that is job #1.
Also, good news on the water/sanitation work Dave and Vincent are working, the prepping for the clinic and work done foe the temporary kitchen.
It sounds like both Teams 1 and 2 have and are building those neccesary bridges for a strong "combined" effort. Great job guys!
Our prayers are with you for a continued productive and safe trip.
Bob Cline
Team 2:
Would it possible for a contingent of your group and some of our Ugandan partners to once again pay a visit to the USAID office in Kampala? As you all may already know, the G8 summit in Scotland is going on now and aid to Africa is one topic on their agenda.
One of these days, aid to Africa will be forthcoming from the US and it would sure be nice if USAID doesn't forget about Humble UMS. It may require us to be a bit of a gadfly with them so they don't forget Humble UMS.
It would also be an opportunity for USAID staff to once again meet our Ugandan partners and hear from them their vision's for Humble UMS.
Perhaps a follow-on visit can be arranged whereby USAID officials visit Humble UMS while Team 2 is still in country. A meeting by which the details can be hashed out on what paperwork needs to be filled out and what information is needed from our Ugandan partners to close the loop on getting grants.
I know you guys are busy so I do understand if such meetings can't take place with such short notice. But if they can, being a gadfly isn't always such a bad thing.
Bob Cline
Hey team 2!
It sounds like you're having an awesome time and that a lot is getting done:) Enjoy every second of your time there--it goes by so fast!
Jen--I hope you got my note. At the moment I'm sitting in your desk chair. Rick let me onto your computer so that I could email the call group about the money. Your office is very lonely without you:( It also looks like someone cleaned up a bit--I can see the floor! Just teasing...
Anyway, I miss you and I hope you're having a wonderful time!!!
Much love,
Christina
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