Thank You Team!

Hi everyone,

Wow, over 2 weeks have passed, the first large groups from both H20 and AIDSpirit have arrived back in America..safely, I here...with a slight illness..though nothing too bad. I am always amazed, after the stress of getting all of the team supplies/tubs packed..family and life that goes on while away situated...travel here...through customs...initial business and travel here..then the work and fun begins. Each person adds their own gifts, service, heart, passion, quirks and uniqueness to the group dynamic. It is very different each year and always such a blessing to see each grow in their element, experience the culture, love the people, develop their projects/passions. THANK YOU ALL very much for a great time and great work!! None of the success and effectiveness of the projects implemented with our partners would occur without each of you! It is a huge sacrifice, your service invaluable. I am very grateful and the people of Uganda are grateful! And as you have seen, you have made a big difference!!

A recap: The gardens are growing abundently through the seeds and drip irrigation implemented last year and is continuing this year. New foods like squash, peas, watermelon, zucchinni, spinich, beets, radishes, okra, pumpkin...and more have made a big difference in the health of the children and women especially. The clean water through the bio-sand and wells have previously shown the health improvements, and we continue to learn more about the biosand filters, maintanence and water storage. Assessing the water quality helps see where the needs are. With the development of these two projects in particular is the development of the two young men who are now the experts...Geoffrey, formerly abducted by the LRA war...and Bosco. They run these projects and implement them so very well and are now branching out to train other areas as we have seen with our first family in Kalongo. All of the crops in Kalongo died during the drowght and their is no food avaiable...so we hope to help them with some drip irrigation also. It was beutiful to see them all work together to help others from different areas of Uganda. Dennis...another young man..who helps Tom and Dave and Bryce with the water projects is learning a lot also..and we took him for more training in the last couple days in Kampala. The solar tank system for the well that had sediement is truly a gift from God and we look forward the seeing how the cash crop passion fruit orchard will flourish this next year. A new project with the Village Healthcae Worker training week went extremely well...5 women from Rakayata village and one from Kalongo attened. They were empowered and learned a lot.Leigh and Brenda are the best teachers! This will help Suzan, the nurse on the farm a lot when the clinic is built and functioning. Oregon team added a dental component for flouride treatment which is so needed also. Reading glasses were again distributed...many were reading their bibles. Some success stories from clinic last year emerged..the thumb we operated on healed and was functioning great! Christine died however some months later from end stage AIDS. Leigh added more great training on HIV STD and alcoholism, affects and complications.
The farm is growing with the tractor and they had a great crop corn and a new bin was built from last year. Tom even taught them how to grade the road full of pot holes and impassable this year! The income generating projects are moving toward making colorful purses. Some paper bead jewelry was continued. Market last year helped with many of the kids first term school fees. Bosco is selling green peppers also! Overall there is a dream for a vocational and tailoring school...

Thanks all for the prayers..God is blessing the hard working self less people of Uganda all chilcren of God. They are becoming nore self sufficient and have more self worth and dignity and are now sharing with others in unity, caring and passion and love.!

Leigh and I went to view some more bio-sand training with the guys at Tex's and met some great folks, went on the Lake Victoria Island Mission yesterday and are off toward Masaka, Mbarra and eventually Rakavali refugee camp to find Bertine's family. Stay tuned! Keep up the prayers!

Nadine