I have spent the last three weeks working with a partner ministry, Hope Alive!, that works to provide sponsorships for kids in different cities to provide school fees, food and other needs. They also have mentoring, tutoring and Bible studies. The first two weeks I was traveling with a team of 8 from a church in IL (I think I've recruited them for a Sunshine Bridge Builders trip!) that came to do VBS programs in three different cities for the kids while they are on break from school.
I took the postbus eight hours up to Kampala to meet up with them and then the next day we traveled six hours in a van to Gulu. The road was so bad that we had to drive in the dirt next to it. We spent a week in Gulu working in one of the IDP camps (internally displaced persons). The families have been in the camp since 2001 to escape the conflict with the rebel group the LRA. Some came by choice, others were forced. Since there are peace talks now and the rebel group has left the country, people have started to go back to their home villages.
But many are skeptical that peace will last. There were 160 kids, 60 of which are in child headed households. The kids were very excited to have the different activities. One of the staff was sharing his sugar cane with me and I had trouble using my teeth to peel it, so I used his knife.....I'm not so good with knives and it slipped and sliced open my finger....its healing nicely, but I've had to promise not to use knives anymore!! We then made the long trip back to Kampala to do the same program for the kids there and then after that we traveled 2 hours to Masaka to do the program for the kids there.
We were very tired by the time we got back and the team left to go home. I then stayed in Kampala to help out with things at their office. I got to go on a field trip with sixty kids and ten leaders to the 'Uganda Wildlife Education Center" (formerly known as the Zoo). We had guides that took us to see the different animals all spread out around the property in natural habitats. The big favorite was the two white Rhinos. While eating lunch there, one of the many monkeys running around was very stealth like and grabbed my leftover food off my plate in the fistfulls...I jumped and scared him, but he tried to get more and ran off. Saturday I head back to Kabale with my friends for the rest of the trip. These last three weeks have been very busy and flown by. Pray for my head and neck as the roads have caused great pain!!
Pray too for my friend Shayla and the crisis in Kenya. It has been getting worse again. I am hoping to stay with her for three days on the way home in March. The internet here is sooo sloooww, so sorry about not updating more or more details! The curency here is Ugandan shillings and $10 is equal to 17,000 shillings! Later...Ann
I took the postbus eight hours up to Kampala to meet up with them and then the next day we traveled six hours in a van to Gulu. The road was so bad that we had to drive in the dirt next to it. We spent a week in Gulu working in one of the IDP camps (internally displaced persons). The families have been in the camp since 2001 to escape the conflict with the rebel group the LRA. Some came by choice, others were forced. Since there are peace talks now and the rebel group has left the country, people have started to go back to their home villages.
But many are skeptical that peace will last. There were 160 kids, 60 of which are in child headed households. The kids were very excited to have the different activities. One of the staff was sharing his sugar cane with me and I had trouble using my teeth to peel it, so I used his knife.....I'm not so good with knives and it slipped and sliced open my finger....its healing nicely, but I've had to promise not to use knives anymore!! We then made the long trip back to Kampala to do the same program for the kids there and then after that we traveled 2 hours to Masaka to do the program for the kids there. 
We were very tired by the time we got back and the team left to go home. I then stayed in Kampala to help out with things at their office. I got to go on a field trip with sixty kids and ten leaders to the 'Uganda Wildlife Education Center" (formerly known as the Zoo). We had guides that took us to see the different animals all spread out around the property in natural habitats. The big favorite was the two white Rhinos. While eating lunch there, one of the many monkeys running around was very stealth like and grabbed my leftover food off my plate in the fistfulls...I jumped and scared him, but he tried to get more and ran off. Saturday I head back to Kabale with my friends for the rest of the trip. These last three weeks have been very busy and flown by. Pray for my head and neck as the roads have caused great pain!! 
Pray too for my friend Shayla and the crisis in Kenya. It has been getting worse again. I am hoping to stay with her for three days on the way home in March. The internet here is sooo sloooww, so sorry about not updating more or more details! The curency here is Ugandan shillings and $10 is equal to 17,000 shillings! Later...Ann
3 comments:
ANN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's good to see an update from you! Just so you know, I'm real jealous of you right now. Not only are you in Africa serving, but I'm guessing it's not 2 degrees and snowing right now! Anyway, glad to hear you're doing well. We'll keep praying for your head and neck. Oh, and buy me some stuff since the "schilling" is so low there!
Ann,
Hey how are you! I will answer you email first by letting you know that we got your gifts for Christmas! Thanks so much. We bought a Etta James album on Itunes with your gift card and still have a few more songs left. Thanks so much.
The boys thought it was the coolest thing ever that you were standing beside "lightning mcqueen" and "tow-mater" Your their hero!
Sounds like you have been really busy. Thanks for updating your blog. I check it all the time so it was good to see that you are still alive.
I will pray for continued blessings and comfort for your neck and head.
Grace and Peace,
Hiya Annie!!!! i really wish i didn't have a job and i could have just stayed with you for the whole trip!!!! i can't wait to see all the pictures and hear more stories. LOVE the rhinos! my warthog pics pale in comparison! :) everyone in choir is praying for you! and stephanie came over and said, and i quote; " I miss ann and doing bible study with her" Tony asked about you yesterday too! oh, and so did Kora and Kyle! I haven't been back to disneyland with them since we left. but YES! ALL the kids are over ALL THE TIME!!!!!! peace out G! (oh, how about $3-$5 dollars worth of the bracelets!
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