Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Leaving a Footprint.....

Leaving Mpumudde, Uganda was difficult for me.  I watched the project grow daily, watched 17 wonderful men working so hard to complete it to the point where I could show the world.  They are as proud as Edwin and I are and ask for so little.  How is it possible in a world so desperate that the people give of themselves out of love?  They do.  The community was shocked even when the poles for electricity were delivered.  They were installed immediately and we must have had 50 phone calls to find out how much we bribed them.  Then, 5 day later, on a Sunday, the wires were installed as a surprise.  I will never forget this.  They wanted to help us.

I came home to Canada to find so many people wanting to become involved...sending money, helping Grandma's and the biggest gift was put a down payment on the 2 acres of land beside us.  They have asked to be anonymous, but they have provided us the dream we prayed for.  Land for a technical school plus land for our sustainability program.  WOW.....I had to make this blog now to tell the world that we are so blessed and the children are going to have a place soon. Praise God.





This is Simon, Jimmy and Sula.  They have worked at the project every day for months and until I came to Uganda, I never knew of them.  They give of themselves, never asking for anything.  Well, that is about to change....these boys deserve a metal and so....because of a wonderful woman in Canada named Lottie...who wanted to donate to a Grandma...here it is.  The parents of these boys died when they were babies and the women who raised them was a blind Grandma....They are still with her but they have no way of survival, until now.  Lottie changed that.




Lottie provide a pig and that male pig has a girlfriend pig who hopefully will produce a baby pig.
Thanks Lottie....we have this huge plan to make it a large family and they will have enough to
make dinner on the table.






You know, I hate the word "anonymous".   BUT,  I have to respect this word.  A certain person who 
has this huge heart donated money to put a roof on this wonderful 92 year old man's home.  This man
had a wife who died just after his daughter did, less then one month ago, is in trouble..  All gone now, he is responsible for 3 little girls.
Hadeeja, Maryanne and a 3 year old.  Our anonymous friend could not stand the idea of having
a roof with a huge hole in it in the rainy season and replaced it.  Wow, he was over the top grateful and she also put the two older ones in school.  This is a huge success story...




Roof is on and no more sleepless nights






OK, now for the EXCITING news.  We have another donor who wishes not to be known that has 
donated a large portion of the 2 acres of land beside us.  We will own land title in the next week and can continue our dream.  Thank you so much .........., we are so very grateful to
be able to build a technical school to provide a trade for the future.   This land will also provide enough space for the sustainability program that is in the plans at the moment.





You can see a portion of the land we are talking about.






The rains are incredible.  We decided to put gutters on the roof of the main house.  They will
have a pipe that will go into the 5000 litre tank and a line from that, under the wall to
the community will be installed.  We need to provide water to our neighbours as well as
ourselves.  We are pumping 5000 litres and hour and the rest must be shared.
Love his boy...Hi Edwin



These are two of our kids.  I decided to start teaching English and you would not believe how
fast they are learning.  I am excited and have so many lessons prepared already.  They learned the
alphabet in less than an hour.  Can you imagine how fast they will learn the language with a 
little encouragement?   Alex and Hadeeja, you are going to be role models for the rest of them.





When I looked around the property before I left,  I discovered an area where someone had
planted green peppers and egg plant.  I saw other areas all sectioned off with other vegetables and
guess who had been making it beautiful for us????   JAMES.  Thank you James for your hard work, your silence to do good and your never asking for anything..  We know you love your home and 
you will always be there to protect and take care of it.  We love you James.  


We are really making this a dream come true..  This home not only will have character but will be full of love for kids that never had any such thing.  They will be encouraged, they will be loved and they will succeed.  Honestly, I know this for a fact.  Edwin and I want to thank all of you for your caring and wanting us to succeed. and never letting us down.  You send emails every day that keep our spirits high and we know you will  never stop believing in us.

I also want to say a word of thanks to David and Dr. Isaac.  Without them, we could not be who we are.  David is our main man with supplies and knows where all the best deals are.  Dr. Isaac is becoming known in Canada and many people are wanting to help him with medical supplies and medicine.  He goes about the villages just making sure his people are not suffering.  I watched him and he is very good with the little ones especially.  Thanks to all of you who donated money, equipment and medicine to him.  I know he would want me to say thanks.   

Thank you all of you....we are so grateful....

God bless you all
Edwin, Dr. Isaac, David  and Barb









7 comments:

  1. Wow , thank you so much jaaja for creating such great happiness to my country men . you are a blessing to many families and children of Uganda . yes look at the distance moved as per now . sometimes i think we are crossing the ocean without any man made vessel but only God . a lot has happened for this dream which God sent us to do . jaaja , together with your country men , thank you so much for being such loving and caring people .Today , i met a team of Canadians lead by Mike and Lisa .they were so grateful to see the banana bread project growing so fast .Hence , there is nothing small in this world if banana bread has made this happened
    Edwin Griaud

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  2. jaaja , you made so many sad faces happy so you being in uganda means a lot

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  3. looks fantastic---so exciting for them & you!
    xo

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  4. Absolutely amazing what you are all doing! So many blessings to everyone involved! Hope to see you soon Barb!

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  5. Stephanie from West Vancouver, CanadaJuly 17, 2012 at 5:57 PM

    well.... thanks a lot!! Now you have gone and made me cry but my tears do not match the tears of the little HIV orphans who have lost and suffered so much.
    Last year I climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro and raised over $6400.00 with CARE Canada, the money is allocated for the world's poorest and most vulnerable communities. I like to think some of that money may have passed your way. Regardless I shall be sure to make a donation to help your great and noble cause. "God" has different meanings to different people but to myself, "God" is found in the goodness of others. Be very proud of what you are doing, every one of you ....now THAT is "Amazing Grace"

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  6. Hi,

    Fabulous post u have made here.
    much thanks to you such a great amount of jaaja for making such awesome joy to my nation men . you are a gift to numerous families and offspring of Uganda . yes take a gander at the separation moved according to now . in some cases i think we are intersection the sea with no man made vessel yet just God . a great deal has occurred for this fantasy which God sent us to do . jaaja , together with your nation men , thank you such a great amount for being such cherishing and minding individuals .Today , i met a group of Canadians lead by Mike and Lisa .they were so appreciative to see the banana bread extend developing so quick .Hence , there is nothing little in this world if banana bread has made this happened
    Edwin Rimbaud
    Truly this post is better forever.

    Much obliged
    Mikel Jonee

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  7. Hi,

    I absolutely love your style.
    Juice the apples, carrots and ginger
    into a glass. Stir in the orange
    juice and drink at once.
    Really this post is
    useful for us.

    Thanking you,
    Mikel Jonee

    ReplyDelete