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

Persistance Pays Off.....

It finally happened.

Edwin and I decided to walk to the project before the evening rains came to check on the homes and we discovered that today, a Sunday, the power people had quietly put up our electrical wires.  We are thinking it was done as a surprise as no one called us.  People in Uganda wait months between the time the poles come and the electricity is hooked up.  When the poles came, they immediately put them into the ground and we had so many phone calls wanting to know how much we bribed them..  Less than 5 days later, we have power.  No bribes...just blessed.

The rains have come and with a vengeance.  Mud huts are ripped apart by the force of the wind and rain and so many have their iron sheets blow away leaving them exposed to the elements while they sleep.  As fast as they come, they leave and again, bright sunny hot days.  We had our own incident at the project.  The rain is certainly helping the grass grow but coming down so hard, we decided to get a 5000 litre tank, install gutters and provide water to the community.  Water is the most valuable commodity here and we need to be helping our neighbours.

We are moving along very well by Ugandan standards but we have a ways to go still.  The house is almost finished, the paving stones are made and 10,000 will be laid soon.  The grass hut is finished and has been put to the test for leakage.  We passed with flying colours with these rains.   Now comes the wall.  Everything here is escalating at a rapid rate and bricks are slipping out of reach with cost.  We have decided to build with concrete blocks instead as it is much cheaper and it still will be secure enough for safety.  There have been three white missionary families vandalized recently and all because their wall was not secure enough. Once the wall is finished.....we can open.  Please pray this will happen by the end of this year because some of our kids are really sick and we want to see them really enjoying a small part of their life.

Now this is man power....honestly, when I saw this happening, I was shocked.  No machines to
help, just muscle and singing in unison to raise it.  The holes were hand dug and no standing around.
They gave us one for free and we had to purchase the other two.  Again...no bribes.

Today, 5 days later we see this as we are walking up the hill.  The phone calls keep pouring
in to find out how we did this....Edwin never gave up calling and for 2 months he telephoned
every day.  Persistence paid off, plus they just love us anyway.   I like to believe that part.

The final stage...the power box.  Edwin ran home to get a sturdy lock so that no one would
take it during the night.  Perfect timing for the floors to be completed.

The first day of the rainy season.  I couldn't walk home because there was so much mud.
I ended up going by car on some horrendous roads that have been destroyed by all the large
trucks coming to bring our supplies.  We made it but many did not.

So, the only thing to do is install a 5000 litre tank, put up the gutters and build a stand for it to sit under.  All this done, we will wait for the wall to be built, sinking a line under it so that  the people will have access to water instead of walking so far each day.  It's the little one's who seem to do most of the fetching.

The rock is being painted and hopefully before I leave here next week, we can finish it.  I
was hesitant how this would work out but actually it is beautiful and many people comment
on the look.

The tile in the kitchens will be completed this next week.  The men are working very hard now
to complete the finishing touches and really doing a beautiful job.  They all deserve a metal for
the work they do and many of them do it out of love for the project.

The beginning stages of the floors in all rooms.  I wish I could explain this procedure but
I am surprised every time I see a new step.  All I know is, at the end, the floor will be well
constructed and the power is needed to cut the slate which will be laid on top.  Promise to
send pictures...

All of us here want to thank (Anonymous) for helping this family.  Grandpa is in his 90's.
His daughter died of HIV a while back and his wife recently passed away.  He is now
responsible for raising Hadeja and Maryanne plus their 3 year old sister.  They live in a mud
hut the size of our tool sheds with a huge hole in the roof that they battle the rains with.
Anonymous is sending both girls to school and out of all the kids we try and help, these two are
the most excited.  I already started teaching English and they seem to grasp it quite quickly.
Grandpa says that he never had anyone help him past Grade 2 and they have to go to school all day
and come home at night and read until dark.  No use telling him to ease up.....He will be a driving force  because he is so grateful.  Thank you Anonymous.

Before we left for Uganda, my wonderful cousin who started "The Dog's Ear" T-shirt company
donated 20 t-shirts with our new logo. We have given them out to the people involved over here and they wear them daily.  I am wondering if they are ever going to change.....joking if any of you are reading this.  Edwin and I are flattered you love them so much.

We have so many people to thank.  So many wonderful people who really give their hearts to this
project and when you walk on the grounds now, you see it forming.  The kids are coming just to
hang out with the workers wanting to do something to help.  Even pulling the weeds is a job they keep
up with and helping us to distribute the water to the people on Saturdays.  Amazing gratitude from everyone and throughout all this construction...we have passed with flying colours with inspections.

God bless all of you for helping to change these little lives.

Barb and Edwin
 

Light at the End of the Tunnel

So much has happened this past week that I don't know where  to begin sharing this blog.  The wonderful thing is that we were granted our electricity today because of Edwin once again speaking to the property owner next to us, convincing him we needed the pole put up on his property.  He agreed to let us do this.  Good job Edwin for your persistence.

The project is really starting to take shape and the 17 men are all working very hard.  A special thanks to our contractor John for overseeing all phases of construction, making sure his men are not cutting any corners in carrying out each task.   The bathroom and kitchen tiles are being installed, the outside rocks below each window are being painted and the rains have started to come to water the grass.  Edwin, Isaac and David located the grass to finish the roof on the hut so now we will be able to put up the mosquito screens and start using it for meetings.  With the electricity now in, the slate for the tiles can be cut and the floors completed before they start the compound wall.  We still will have to raise more money for the wall as the cost of cement has gone up significantly but we have a lot of faith that we will be able to do this.  We have come so far and the days can almost be counted now before moving day.

This is a back view of the main house.  The verandas and stairs are in and the stand for the three
1000 litre tanks has been put up.  The painting is yet to be done but we will surprise you when we
decide on the colours.

A full view of the compound.  The grass has been found for the top of the grass hut and will be

finished within a day or two.  Paver stones will be put in for the walkways and Barb's Lane leading

from the main street.  Over 10,000 have been made to cover all areas.

Edwin is painting the rock below the windows.  First a thick white is painted to separate the rock with
a black line running through the centre.  This was to be our job but seems I can't get there to fulfill my part.

The tiles in the kitchen and bathrooms are being laid

Laury and our little Hope sandpapering the children's bedrooms.  The coat of primer has been put
on and the two coats of paint will follow in the next few weeks.  All that will be left to do is the
paint on the outside of the house.

When Hope is not babysitting her siblings, she is helping us in the compound.

No shortage of help here........

Catarina, the kids loved your touques....even though it is hot here, they still all hoped to get one.
The nights are cool and for anyone who sleeps outside, they are a lifesaver.  All the kids say a huge
"Thanks" to you for your loving heart.

Thank you Rhys and Sebastian for helping to feed this family.  Rhys and Sebastian are 9 years and 11 years old.  They had opened their very first bank account and came to my door to give me $20.00 out
of each account for this food.  I want you to know that you made them so very happy and they told
me they will never forget you.  I don't think I ever saw them smile like this before.  Thanks so much to both of you.....

After I returned from the hospital, I came to my friends house to recuperate.  Outside my bedroom window was a market that went up in fire not too long before.  Many people lost everything....  I saw
what it was like for a community to come together.  My friends feed approximately 80-100 every night, with others coming together with donations   Long story short, enough money has been raised to build 28 families a new home.  Edwin and David have been in the plantation fields all day, gathering eucalyptus trees for poles for the structures.  Tomorrow, the men in the village will start stripping the wood and treating it in hopes to start building this next week.  My friends Pastor Jesse and his wife Bev have put up a large tarp to house 5 families and the rest are sleeping in what you see in this picture but they really need your prayer.  They have suffered so much and have no way to replace their businesses.


 Thanks to all of you who made special presents for us to bring to the people here.  Some of the things have not been given out because of circumstances but they will and we promise to take pictures.  You are such a blessing to us with your love and caring for this project.  The kids have been told that they will  have a home and you would not believe the change in them in such a short time.  They are so excited and we are proud to call ourselves a "team" who have made a difference in this world with our little ones.  You are a big part of that team.  Thanks once again and God bless you all.

It's called "Racing the Clock"

Hi to everyone from Mpumudde Uganda

I have tried so many times in the past few days to create another blog, but due to the area and bad modems, I am not having too much luck.  We have lots to share with you; so many pictures that will show you what your efforts have done to make someone really happy and improve lives.

Marian and Laury left yesterday for Canada and we accomplished a lot while they were with us.   Here are some of the things that happened to make children and families a little more happier and villages a more hopeful place to live.  Because of people like you, donating so much of yourselves and giving us specific tasks to fulfill while we are here, we want to share some of them with you now.  There are many more situations, but we will continue to accomplish our mission within this next month and of course taking pictures along the way.  Wish you were all with us to share in this beautiful journey with us......

This is an amazing story....We were visiting Mutesi and Alex in their village and I happened to ask Alex, what he would really like to have one day.  He said a chicken for his mother and I was a little taken back, thinking it would be a football or something like that.  Laury, overhearing, told us that she had been donated money to do something very special and could she spend it on this entire village.  We figured out there were 9 families and if each had 2 chickens, they could really start producing enough to carry them through their daily lives.  Thanks to the families who donated this money and used Laury as a vessel to make a difference in an impoverished part of the world.  Thank you all for caring, you made a huge difference to many.

Our little Joseph has struggled these past weeks with sickness.  We are on our 3rd blood transfusion and it seems to have worked but for how long?  Please pray for our little guy that he will get to come and live with us.  Thanks Simone and Olivia for loving him and caring enough to be his sponsor.

Lottie, thanks for helping 4 Grandma's to raise their many grandchildren.  This lady is in her 80's and

has 7 grandchildren to feed.  She has chosen to raise rabbits to sell to earn food money and everyone in the family is helping to make this possible.  They will be building a rabbit cage soon.  

This Grandma is amazing.  She is 82 and acts like a 30 year old....

When we presented her with this dress, she danced and danced, ran into her one room hut and came out still dancing.  Oh my goodness, she was so happy.  I remember her last year in the same dress, so this was really a treat.  Thanks to Shirley and Bob for all the "Jaaja" dresses.  The women raising all the children really got to feel special for once,  they just loved them.

Did I say 30 year old?   Sorry, I meant 20 years.  She carried this suitcase on her head as she lead

us out of the village.  Full of clothes I might add.  

Tina, your little underpants were such a huge hit.  The kids loved them and were so grateful to you.

Tried to download a beautiful picture of your dresses, shorts and tops but couldn't so send it next time.

The kids were overwhelmed with all your sewing and they felt so special in their new outfits.  Thanks Tina for all your hard work.

Thanks to all the wonderful ladies at the Nanoose Evangelical Free Church on Vancouver Island.  You worked so hard to make beautiful dresses and many other things that the people just love also.  We are delivering many more dresses tomorrow and will be sure to send you pictures.   I just couldn't resist this picture to show you the happiness in her face.  Thanks to all of you and look forward to meeting you when I come home.

We bought the generator that was so kindly donated by Simone, Olivia and all their blogging friends in England and around the world.  We took it home immediately, hooked it up and decided to test it.
We thought it would be fun to run the water off of it and share this valuable commodity with the communities around us.  As soon as it was turned on....the word spread......

They came from everywhere  carrying jerry cans for Marian and Laury to fill.  So many small

children with cans almost bigger than themselves and for Laury to see what her cow "Faithful" did was almost overwhelming.  With no water in 3 months, it is dry here and the people are always so thirsty.  .  We left the water on for about an hour and let everyone just enjoy the time drinking, laughing and splashing each other.  Thanks Laury and Tom for such a huge gift of water.




Thank you all for travelling this journey with us.  We are truly grateful for the things you have done and given to the people here.  I want to be sure that you really feel what we are all feeling with the immense gratitude and the thanks.  We have many more things to distribute and will be sure to show you the reactions of all.  Please keep praying for us that we can finish the project in time before we lose any more kids to HIV/AIDS.  God bless you all.

Hello Uganda

What an amazing trip we had and it all went so smoothly.  We were so excited to get here to blog and show you the wonderful work the men have done in building the compound.  Edwin and his brothers did what they said...blindfolded me and led me in by hand, to then remove it and see the excitement on my face.  What a beautiful sight before my eyes.... a sight I will never forget.   We have tried to let everyone know for three days now but due to Ugandan technology we were unable to download the pictures.  We hope that we will be able to keep in better contact with you, but it has been a challenge.

We needed a pickup truck to haul all the luggage.

We were grateful and amazed that ALL the luggage made it.

Precious moments

Sight to behold

This is what they saw when we drove down Barb's Lane.....I was blindfolded

The community grass hut.  Our first event will be David and Maureen's wedding in a few days.

It's all in "black" and "white".  From the right is David, Laury, Isaac, Barb, Edwin and Marian

Laury teaching the kids to be kids playing ring around the rosy

Our two precious "Marians"

Edwin reading the B.C. Holstein News wishing he could thank all that donated for the wall personally.

Medical equipment from Canada was shared.  We learned that some of it isn't available in the Ugandan hospitals for example, the blood pressure cuff for children.



We will make our best effort to keep in touch and appreciate the prayers that are rolling in.

From Rain to Drought....Follow with us to our Home of Angels in Uganda

Where has the time gone?  It seems as though I just sent Edwin $100.00 for the first load of bricks....exactly 10 banana breads, which by the way, took 2 1/2 days to make when I was working.  After many more and with donations from all our wonderful friends, we have finished the children's home, the latreen and now the staff home and community grass hut.  Next....the 8' wall.

I am very happy to be travelling with two special people on this trip  Marian Vanderwal and Laury DeGroot.  Both women are on my Board of Directors and this will be their first experience to Africa. Edwin and I have been blessed with these two women and their families.  They have given so much of themselves, and when things go wrong,  guess who is there to pick up the pieces?  Yes, you got it.  You will remember Laury and her cow "Faithful".  Tom and Laury donated the sale of their cow for all our water.  My oven blows up after baking approximately 5000 loaves of banana bread.  A convection oven arrives within hours, but I am sorry,  I am not allowed to tell you who sent it...Anonomous.  You get the picture.....

Back in Jinja, Uganda,  I would watch the men on skype working every day.  I would converse with Edwin regarding the successes and the problems, watch the rains continually belting down on the men with no boots in the mud and two months ago my screen turned black....Edwin cut me off from watching. 
Why?  Because they have made our home look very special and they want it to be a surpise.
The plan is to blindfold me as we walk down Barb's Lane and when I am directly in front of the home and beside the grass hut, Edwin will remove it.   Everyone will be there, including some of the children that will be living with us.  Marian will be filming as this happens so you all will see it on the blog.  I bet this girl is awestruck.  Maybe for the first time, I don't speak for awhile...wouldn't that be a treat. 

I want to thank all the people who hand made so many beautiful items for the children.  We will be taking pictures for all of you and send them in the next blog.  I really want to stress that without you all, we just couldn't make this special for them.  Also,  thanks to (anonomous) for all the medical equipment that will help Dr. Isaac treat the kids, the toys and sports equipment and so much more.  Our many suitcases are packed and we will make it happen.

I have one last request.  We would ask that you please pray for our journey.  Pray for our safety, our health and that we will choose the right children out of so many suffering. That we will know who they are and be able to bring them home to us in August when we open and help change their lives.  To teach them about Jesus and show them how much they are loved by Him and ourselves.  Thanks so much.
 
We hope you will follow our journey to Uganda in February of 2012 as we will be blogging with everything that happens...Oh, and I forget to tell you...Edwin has his birthday on February 5th...big birthday party in the grass hut and David and Maureen are getting married in the grass hut the second week of February.
We are loaded with balloons......and streamers.

God bless you all and see you in Uganda...

Packing Day

Happy New Year

As 2011 quietly passes into history, we are facing a year of incredible blessings.  A year filled with the most amazing people that God has placed in this journey of ours.  Edwin and I watch in disbelief as doors are opening far and wide to keep our compound in the building process.  Volunteers in Uganda coming forth to help us with landscaping, watering the grass, assisting the workers and all out of love for the Home of Angels.

In our country, we watch the children coming forward wanting to help in their own ways.  How can they help a child who has virtually nothing, they ask.  The call for these little ones is as strong and deep as it is for us adults....they figure a way out on their own.  We have kids wanting to start "Kids helping Kids" clubs in their schools, bottle drives are in progress, piggy banks are being emptied and the word is spreading.  This is a "God of Wonders" in full control and we just sit back and be his legs.

On behalf of Edwin and his team, myself and our Board of Directors, we wish you a wonderful year 2012 and we thank you all for your support, both mentally and monitarily.  We are a huge team of people who have gathered together to make a difference in the lives of children, not just in Uganda but in our own country as well.

"Kids helping Kids".........

This is our grass hut under construction.  It will be finished by the first week in February as we

are going to initiate it with a "wedding"... a real Ugandan wedding with Marian, Laury and

I attending.... We are so looking forward to this,  to watch David and Maureen unite in marriage.

The main house is almost finished on the exterior with a projected 3 more weeks of construction.
You can see on the right, our rock gardens forming thanks to Mohammed.  He has volunteered all
supplies and time to Home of Angels but what he doesn't know is, we are bringing him a little something
to say thank you for all his hard work and love.  When someone asks for nothing, it gives you more
reason to thank them, right......

This is a view from the front and you can see the light green plants.  These will grow to a hedge
size and are so beautiful.  You can see a walkway forming from the children's home to the main
house. 

In the rear of each apartment, there is another veranda.  The men are working hard to finish this right
now and you will be quite surprised to see the end result.  Sometimes I just cringe when I see the
scaffolding and ladders.  They are experienced workers and thank goodness still safe.  Good
job you guys...7 men who have worked very hard on the interior and exterior of this home.

This a view of the children's home.  You can see the pathway leading to it and you can see Sam,

Edwin's brother watering the newly planted grass.  If you look in the front of this picture, you can see

a brick they call "pavers".  These pavers will run alongside each home, the path connecting and also

down Barb's Lane which leads into the compound.  Sowob which sounds like Sobee is making 15,000

pavers to accomodate the entire compound and it's pathways.  

One of the bedrooms is almost full, besides the ones outside the house.  Sowob is making around 800
pavers a day and soon will be finished.  I cannot wait to see what this is going to look like.  Edwin, Isaac
and David....your vision is amazing...Thanks

Look at the tiny palm tree Edwin planted in honor of a Katie and Kaitlin of a

"Little More Good"....it's growing so fast

I would like to also tell you that Laury and Marian, both of whom are Board of Directors for Jaaja Barb's Home of Angels are coming to Jinja, Uganda with me in February.  We are going with Edwin, Isaac and David into the remote villages to find the children who are in most need to come and live with us.  We have 8 children now with Nathan's passing, but we hope to find enough to make a total of 15 children to start. If any of you find it in your heart to want to sponsor one of these kids, please contact me and I will explain how.

We have also made the men PROMISE us that it will be our job to paint the kids rooms....We'll see how that goes over, but all in all, we will be very busy for our time there.  We have a wedding to help with, probably have to do a few of those tribal dances to celebrate and we promise to send you all the pictures and stories. 

Get ready for 2012 because this is where you are going to see alot more of God's work happening.