As many of you may recall, AIDspirit
sponsors many children. It started with 5 kids that Kenny asked
shyly to sponsor through AIDSpirit in partnership with his brothers
organization, Tender Mercies, in 2007, seven years ago. The
sponsorship has now grown to 60 children, buying land, building a
building, water projects and hiring staff...and with that comes
growing pains and Ugandan govt rules to follow and partner
organizations and town councils to mesh all in a diverse culture so
odd to us and different from ours at times. The learning curve for
me is still steep and for new leaders even steeper. Yet when the
kids jump for joy, look healthy and happy it is all worth it!! The
AIDSpirit team of 4 was incredible and spent a lot of time
interviewing the kids and meeting many, many people involved in their
care. It was quickly apparent the learning and teaching and school
system in Uganda is very different than in america! Some are
struggling quite a bit. Including Rogers. I first met Rogers in
2006 when he was brought to me in an outdoor Bugogge village clinic (before there was even a Tender Mercies office), emaciated with wounds open to the bones and the most painful look in his eyes, begging for a piece of meat. He was starving and sick with massive skin infections to the bone of his flexed and contracted limbs. Most of you know the
story....since all medical options in Uganda exhausted for treatment
of his TB spine, deformity and restrictive lung problems, brought to
America for a very special spine surgery at St. V's. Subsequently he
has been denied access back to America for his medical check ups and
has suffered severe decubitus ulcers from pressure wounds as he is
unable to feel anything below the waist, had surgery, was bed ridden
for months and struggling every day to maintain some semblence of
dignity while he is back in a land foreign to him in many ways.
After being taught in the american school system, he is mixed up with
trying to learn the ugandan way as their words and pronunciations
different in english and much of the ways of teaching very strange.
Rogers is quite discouraged about his dilemma. The team worked with
potential student teachers and tutors for the children falling
behind. I bought books for Rogers, with the hopes he can keep his
mind stimulated and spirits up and learn...
We pray for all of the sponsored children's education and sponsors as this is their hope for a life out of poverty....
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