Monday, October 23, 2017

Clothing and backpacks bless Palabek village! Praying for Julia

Palabek
There has been much rain up north - an answer to prayer as the first crop season of this year was entirely ruined by "too much sunshine" and army worms affecting the maize. Palabek was no exception. However they persevered and have Cotten and sunflower and pigeon peas growing in the fields now. This rain has made internet connectivity very hit and miss so this is a post from last week. The day started with our community foundation for development partners Terence, Bosco and Denis, Maggie and myself headed off to visit the Sudanese refugee camps not far from our partner village in Palabek. Due to the LRA war much of the land in this even more remote part of palabek was idle so many many acres were leased from the landowners. UNHCR and the Uganda Office of Prime Minister have set up a mini city of temporary structures, people processing units, clinics and food distribution centers. Many boreholes have been drilled and people have been dispersed to the surrounding land to build huts and some sense of community displaced from the atrocities of Sudan where all resources have been virtually cut off due to the war and people were starving. In 6 months 36,000 people have come to this refugee camp. Buses go to the border daily and carry back approx 100 more persons each day.  It looked very well organized, however felt a lot like cattle processing I have seen. I am no stranger to refugees camps and the UNHCR after helping locate a Congolese family (those that were not killed) reunite with their brother in Wyoming. It took 5 long years. So many memories returned as I shared "sidebars" of prior experiences with Maggie. She being the sponge she is, took it all in passionately. Our partner village in palabek as you may recall was a killing fields for the LRA war. I had met opobo the patriarch of this village years ago and he told the story of his 5 sons killed by the LRA war. We have since visited many times  and drilled two boreholes and started mentorship of their community and farming group.
Terence is so instrumental in fostering unity in groups. They too have 2 VHT's we have trained and continue to develop, two farmers trained in farming gods way that have taught others, a 1/4 acre irrigation vegetable garden and an income generation project. Brenda Gilmore introduced this bracelet making project in January and so far we have sold 60 bracelets. Thanks to Julie Lusk who sold 20 in one day!! and others! This income is shared also with the community group and will help them with a start up business trading center. We encourage them to make local items. They have been given two sewing machines in Jan and have trained 6 women now. Their  brick making for their building is in process. I bought 81 more bracelets if anyone would lkke any let me know (suggested donation $10).
We were greeted with much joy and Singing from the primary school students! Their songs revolved around their prayer for education and a better life. Amazingly we had 40 backpacks left lovingly made by Marilyn Magelitz and her friends!  Exactly the number we needed! These were the first backpacks or bags these children had ever ever recieved. Never before had they had anything to carry their school supplies in - and we were thrilled to also give them with school supplies needed.
Pens pencils erasers pencil sharpeners and excercise books.  The nursery school kids were also well organized and so so precious, singing so sweetly! I met their teacher, Betty who spoke very good English and was very smart!  They have so many nursery school age children and it is not safe to have them walk the great distance to the nearest school. Remember they don't have cars or even bicycles or time to walk miles to bring these littles to school. As part of the our community development PRESM model educational resources is one of the key components or rise out of poverty will not happen, even if they have clean water and farming.  I am so so happy as now this village is ready to have this piece implemented. We have had amazing success in nursery school teacher training in the recent past. I can't wait to share this with Ranae Parker and explore another teacher training opportunity with Joshua School in Tanzania.
- As we also clothed them with the beautiful clothes from Marilyn and friends I shared the story of Marilyn and Larry, how they helped raise and coach me in sports in Pacifica. I baby sat their kids. Now their granddaughter is having a serious brain and ear surgery. Their eyes were glued to me as I shared this story. Together we prayed for Julia, half a world away. Dear God please heal Julia and preserve her hearing!  Music to my soul.  #lovethyneighborasthyself


Nadine

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