Teaching the Teachers

May 5, 2014

Today, Gretchen, a special ed teacher with the AIDSpirit team, met with Agnes, the literacy teacher who is tutoring the two Scovia's sponsored in school during their school break, and Maureen, the nursery school teacher. She has found the students are reading at level P 4 and P 5 fairly well, except for some more complex words. Their phonics with certain letters put together such as, "ch" in chases, they want to pronounce with like a "ka" instead "cha". The leave off the "es" on the end and well as anything with an "s" and "ed". Certain pre fixes and suffixes, like -ily in luckily throws them off and the meaning is not understood either. Certain words with "ou" also is difficult. Gretchen suggests writing all the words down they do not understand when reading, then looking them up and practicing and owning the word, so then they now have it in their vocabulary. She suggests also developing word lists in like groups of phonics and pronunciations. The students are also taught to memorize exactly what will be tested exactly what will be on the national exam and these concepts are not seriously taught until P 6 or P 7 when they must take the exam. Stories therefore are not understood all too well, nor do they know how to tell a story or sequence a concept like, "water cycle" in meaningful sentences that can tell about the concept or story.

Gretchen is amazing and I learned a lot from her as well! She gave the teachers some good ideas, like writing a sentence with a blank in it and having the student write in the correct word for the nursery students by picking from a group of picture words for example. I had bought some books for both the nursery and primary students and she worked with each teacher on how to use them effectively. I had also brought some flash cards from home for the nursery students, bought some picture books here etc. The other difficulty is the teachers also speak in stilted english and they also talk in their native language while trying to teach english. Just getting them to teach in english will be a large break through. Gretchen stressed that if the foundation is layed well in nursery and kindergarten and early P levels, the student will be much more successful when reaching the higher P levels as well as in secondary school!! They will still need to memorize for the national exam however. It appears only the most gifted go on successfully, as they must learn innately, rather from much of what they are taught. Peter, for example, at Tender Mercies, is extremely gifted. He is a walking encyclopedia. He has memorized the entire bible and can recite verse and chapter, as well as recite correctly most anything you as him in regard to a science topic, etc. I also bought Rogers some workbooks and Peter was more than happy to work with him on these after I moved up the the farm. Oh, how Rogers needs his mind stimulated and with the illness missing so much school and the incredible different teaching system in Uganda, he has lost a lot of ground.

I was able to buy duplicates of the early P level english and science workbooks for the primary students that are far behind their actual level, and we hope they can improve especially during each school break learn more so that in school they will continue to move forward without repeating. The challenge for the nursery school is there are 37 students!! Books are relatively expensive and not provided in schools in Uganda. We may be copying some things from the set I bought and Ranae can also see next time she comes what to do about this. AIDSpirit donated some teaching manuels that have some good word lists and stories that can be cut up and put together for reading materials. We are so grateful!! So, as was the case, with the times I taught the tailoring teaching how to place a pattern along seams and sew an apron or purse, even though I am not a seamstress...I will now be charged with teaching the teachers, since the teacher Gretchen, also taught me.

Teaching the teachers was one of the missing pieces of the matrix of the PRESM community development model. With the literacy program developing over the last year under the direction of Ranae Parker and visiting teachers we look forward to seeing it's fruit!

The women are so so busy with their gardens and children home from school break, the adult literacy is not in session so far.

In the afternoon, we moved on to the vocational school. The ladies have been busy making the rest of our order. There was a misunderstanding so the tailoring teacher had the ladies stop after making two aprons. They turned out beautifully! The AIDSpirit team loved them and placed an order for buying for their grandkids and children, so back I was to the bustling market to buy more fabric for Aprons!! Ranae sent some patterns for headbands from the scrap material and "poof" 20 were made within an hour or so....these went back with AIDSpirit team so I had room for Aprons!!

All in all, there is great hope....

Nadine (not a teacher....ha)

Emmanuel clinic treats a burn patient

Emmanuel clinic treats a burn patient

May 4 2014

Shortly after we got back from the Kampala village visit, Suzan comes to our women's tukle and announces a burn patient has come to the clinic and it is "Bad". "She is in a lot of pain" Immediately our ears perked up and compassion and interest peaked. Angie, also a nurse; me, a PA who loves to treat burns, and caring Gretchen and Jean all headed to the clinic to see what was going on. Mind you this is sunday and the clinic is supposed to be closed on Sunday and Monday, hours being Tues – Saturday. Judith, the full time nurse was still around and Suzan of course available. The patient had been escorted from Kikumba, the nearby by town on the main road 13 km from the farm and Emmanuel clinic, as an afterthought when considering taking her over 2 hours away to a referral hospital in Gulu. Suzan and Judith were more than happy to accept this patient and help her. They placed her in the finished ward which is not an official inpatient ward yet, but has a bed. The patient needed to lay down for a good assessment of her left upper lateral thigh that was badly burned along the whole side. There was thick black eschar, a foul smell, and immense pain associated. Judith sedated the patient with valium and we proceeded to clean off the what appeared to be silvadene ointment applied by another clinic. Judith asked me if all of the black are needed to come off and I said yes. I offered to do it but she deftly took the blade and proceeded to debride the dead tissue as far as she could, while the lovelies (Gretchen, Angie and Jean) held the woman and sang to her, soothing her with "Kumbaya my Lord, Kumbaya" and other songs. There still remained a thick center of black eschar that could not be removed as it was becoming to painful and was still very attached. IV antibiotics and fluids were given and pain killers. She drifted off the sleep as we placed silvadene and gauze and dressings. Thank god for all the kerlix and gauze pads donated that I had stuffed in my tubs as i believe we will use every bit of the bandages I brought on this patient. She will stay overnight as needs to be monitored. More debridement will need to be done and she has a long way to go before able to care for this on her own and the transport to keep coming back is far and costly for these impoverished people. Through the process of treating her we found out she has epilepsy and HIV. She had a seizure and fell into a large cooking pot of boiling hot water when she had a seizure. Her family brought her medicine and Nurse Judith prepared herself to help take care of her throughout the night. And this is Judith's day off... this is the commitment this nurse has to the people and her job at Emmanuel clinic!!

Even though, we are struggling with the registration and learning the health center process after not so good leadership and advice, this clinic is serving a great purpose and need! Emmanuel clinic is seeing between 150 – 50 patients a month which is felt to be quite low and off the budget, yet it has helped this one life...this important and valuable life and deserving life. I asked Suzan if the patient will pay and she said, "don't mind...they will pay something as the family was prepared to take her to gulu and Lachor and pay a lot more. We don't turn any one away Nadine, you taught us that, we are here to serve even on our days off" Wow..if that was not a wake up call to me...!! So who was I sounding like? Just the same as the administration of the hospital I work for....all about numbers and money, which is not typically me at all as I struggle for a healthy and balance working life in the medical field in America. I co founded this organization on One Life, Kenny. We are Hope 2 One Life...and each and every life has value and worth and deserves dignity, respect and care. I am proud of Suzan and Judith, the faithful nurses of Emmanuel clinic!! They stand their ground and principles and refuse to relagate a patient or themselves to bowing to a number or a shilling. I am truly humbled. With humility, I pray for a light and path forward...God hear my prayer.

Suzan and Judith are asking for a nursing assistant as this kind of special care needed happens often enough. Suzan has even said she would reduce her salary in half if the clinic could hire a nursing assistant.

More to come on this, as Terence, Richard and I have a meeting in Gulu with our trusted and good friend, Sr. Dr. Vincentina Achora, formerly medical director of the Dr. Ambrosoli Hospital in Kalongo, who knows all about the community health unit system and the government medical system. 

Humbled and encouraged in Uganda...

Nadine

Kampala Village continues to celebrate clean water!

Kampala village continues to celebrate clean water

May 4, 2014

Hallelujah Sunday! After church and lunch we all made a trip to Kampala Village to see the new deep water well in action. This is Angie's first hand experience seeing the well and of course we wanted her to report to Tom! As it happened, Tom, ended up texting me while we were in the village as Angie's phone was off so I was able to send him the praises of the new well! After a series of talks, one by the assistant LC 1 (who asked for malaria treatment for the villagers seemingly not to know about the clinic?!) and then by the water board, they had us stand around and gave Angie the ceremonial key to officially "unlock" the well and provide water! With this flower petals were thrown at her. It was a time of great joy and celebration once again with singing and dancing and of course soda! We lined the kids up and Jean and Gretchen gave them all a chewable vitamin (my kind of "sweetie"). They were very grateful! It was good to see the elderly women again who prayed and prayed for this to happen. They have been using the well for almost 6 months and the neighbors are paying something small for the future maintenance we know they all will need. I counted the village board to be 7 in all and will be giving them all world water day T shirts to signify this important and great job of protecting the well! They also constructed a fine fence to protect it and we know this is so precious to them they will treat it well for a long time to come. We all wished to " Good Tom" could be there, but "Big Tom" readily rejoiced with all for him as did we all and especially Angie who was quite moved by the day, beginning with her experience at the church in the morning. Tom Osborne, you have done a great job in providing clean water, a source of life and great joy to the impoverished people of Kampala village! You are a legend in this area and loved much! Till you all meet again....Hallelujah...Amen!

Nadine

Tomatoes and more tomatoes! Microfinance success!

Tomatoes and more tomatoes!

May 3 – ongoing

Almost everyday, either a group of women, or a group of boys, begins picking tomatoes from the drip irrigated gardens, that are available for the solar water source and tank system Hope 2 One Life has implemented. The second tank added this year has helped the project immensely as there are now approx 2 1/2 acres of tomatoes irrigated and 1 1/2 acres of watermelon. Richard's tomatoe garden is about 1 1/2 acres and the drip lines he added in December when he found the great need for tomatoes in dry season. There are no tomatoes available in northern Uganda or southern Sudan during this time and the prices go up considerably. Richard has found a great market. Like the watermelon, the buyers now come to the farm to buy. Richard bought a more expensive seed to start with this first trial and it worked well. The tomatoes are picked slightly green with tints of red so they will ripen in transit. They are picked by hand and put into large basins piled high, placed on the head and carried to a tarpauline on the ground and emptied in a pile. They are then sorted and rotten ones thrown out. The buyer comes with crates and the tomatoes are loaded into crates, dried grass is placed on top to protect them and off they go to market. A basin of tomatoes sells for 20,000 shillings approx 8 dollars. A crate of high end tomatoes, sells for 200,000 shillings. A typical day of harvest yields 8-9 crates if done about 3 times a week now that they are ready. This has been a huge blessing and source of income for the farm and Richard and his family.

With the Family Empowerment Women's group we started a micro loan project at Richard's suggestion with this tomatoe garden idea. We bought drip lines in December and Richard helped them with seeds (the cheaper kind to start with initially). They prepared approx 1 acre of land near the clinic and 4 drip lines implemented. Seedlings prepared and then planted in the garden and irrigated throughout the dry season of January and February. There is approx 25 women and a few men who participate in the seedlings, planting and weeding. The fruits of their labor is in abundant tomatoes and more tomatoes, red and slight green tinge, hanging precariously weighted on the vine and begging to be picked! Finally, on Sunday, the ladies were called to come and pick as the buyers were coming. It was a beautiful sight to see, as they staggered throughout the garden inching down plant after plant along the long rows, picking and placing in the basin, then when full, hoisting the heavy basin to their head and gracefully standing very erect and slowly walking one by one with basins over flowing with bright tomatoes on their heads, to the tarpoline, emptying the tomatoes in the the pile and walking back for more. All afternoon they picked, walked, stooped, bent over, hoisting, basin on head, walking, emptying and repeat. Wagers were placed by Big Tom and Jasper as to how many crates the tomatoes would make. 9,10,12.....no it was 19!! These crates of this type of tomatoe sells for 115,000 shillings a crate. The ladies have made over 3.5 million shilling so far. They are writing it all down and had previoulsy agreed to pay back 50 percent of their drip lines cost - $500 over 3 years. They are prepared to pay back the first year of 418,000 shillings! This will be paid each year for 3 years, they will save some money for more higher end seeds for next dry season of planting and some for possibly more drip lines and then divide the income amongst them selves. There is still at least one or two more harvests of tomatoes left. For 3 months of labor a few times a week, they will an estimated 200,000 shillings each or $80. That is still less than a dollar a day but more than what they had and combined with the tailoring projects, they are immensely happy as this is much much more than what they had opportunity for in the past and potential to grow more prosperous each year. This in itself is the pure joy of providing this solar water project and tank system that we didn't even dream possible when it began. Angie, was here to see it all for Tom, who has spent many painstaking hours writing grants and mou's and plans for these water projects. Well done Tom, you would be so so proud!!

We are planning to take this to another level as well...at least this is my hope...and that is beginning an income generating project for the clinic with this solar water and drip lines and vegetable or fruit gardens....given the need to supplement the clinic sooner than later and the goat project will be a while before it is able to provide sustainable income to run the clinic.

Overall, this solar water system has enormous potential, it's full abillity yet to be tapped. Richard plans on piping water to the nursery school next as well.

Thank you God for the water and the sun and the rain and the soil.....and every living thing. We are all truly blessed.

Nadine

Gratitude in the Highest

Gratitude in the Highest

May 4

The AIDSpirit team arrives saturday late afternoon while I am in a clinic staff meeting. It has been two years since Tom and Jean Jacques have visited the farm and we think four years since Angie has been here. Angie's husband, Tom, our hydrologist, was here in December with me and the Rielands for the Kampala village water project. This is Gretchen's first time. Admidst all of the hello's with Richard and Susan and Abby, there is much to look at, new surroundings and new projects, buildings, gardens, water tanks etc and of course another addition to the clinic...the verrhanda. As the team settles in and visits in the community dining area, here come 3 surprise visitors – Bosco and Geoffrey's parents and Denis' mom. The Jacques graciously sponsor Bosco in university in Mbarra for development studies for the last few years. He has one year to go and they just love love him!! He spent a few days with them at tender mercies where he hopes to help out and gain experience upon graduation. They also sponsor his brother Geoffrey (a child abducted by the LRA and forced as a child soldier, subsequently escaped) this past year in tourism school. What a gift that has been to these boys for their future! We are so proud of them! Their parents,

Alfed and Evelyn are immensely grateful and come bearing the gift of a chicken! Jean did not want to have anything to do with holding the chicken so Suzan helped her as it squawked and tried to fly away! Tom had a great laugh! Angie and Tom Osborne and Leigh Taggart and Matt Hermann of H20 co sponsor Denis in university in developement studies. Alice, his mother, we have known for years as the leader of the women's empowerment group. She is amazing and also has survived much hardship during the war and takes care of orphans whose parents were killed in the war, as well as her own children. I sponsor one of the girl orphans, Scovia in primary school.

Denis, and the other boys, have been involved with our teams for years and have been mentored by us, as well as Richard and Suzan on the farm. Their parents expressed their heartfelt gratitude and highest praises to God for this blessing and opportunity for their children. Tears of joy and happiness we shed and lots of pictures taken!

Next came Richard's parents to greet us and also express their gratitude for the work!

And prior to that, was the visit from Apopo...I wanted to share the good news to follow with Angie present.

To be continued...

Meet Terence

Meet Terence

May 2, 2014

I have known Terence since 2006, when our team from Calvary Chapel Billings joined Far Reaching Ministries on a mission trip which included going to LRA war torn Kitgum and the Infant Orphan Care Center. Terence is an amazing man, who had a curious mind, even at a young age when he developed polio. He was crippled and had difficulty walking with one leg, yet still stived to go to school. Disabled children in Uganda are not thought worthy and thus money not spent on what is felt to be wasted school especially in those days, but Terence persisted and hobbled to school enthusiasitacally every day. He was very bright and eventually a catholic mission priest saw his potential and dedication and sponsored him. He completed his studies at the top of his classes. He became a nutritionist and worked at St Joseph's hospital in Kitgum during the height of the war and managed the nutrition and feeding center. Many babies were being abandoned at the hospital with no mother or caregiver as families were massacred and babies left behind living. Mothers died in child birth quite frequently. And, the war created such fear and poverty, many could not take care of their starving children so abandoned them. Extended families were also stressed with many orphans as the AIDS epidemic was also going on. The hospital was overcrowded and a very sad sad sight. Terence felt for these babies and children and decided to open a center to care for them in 1992. He knows a lot about a lot of things since then and has also worked with Goal in Kalongo at thier nutrition center, with unicef, world food programme and USAID. Hope 2 One Life has supported the Infant care center since 2007 with medical assistance, as well as Tender Trust, and the deaf and blind school. Terence overseas all of the accounting and reciepts for this and reports to me quarterly and on time, even better than any of the american missionaries have been able to do in the past! He also had to report to Far Reaching Ministries detailed reports. Therefore, when the accountant/administrator left Emmanuel Clinic early on and the reporting was not timely or accurate, I felt the need to come over and help straighten some things out. Terence came to mind, and thankfully he is between jobs and the infant care center will be closing by the end of this year.

He agree to meet and Richard and Suzan (who also knew him previously) accepted this idea to enlist his help graciously.

This has proven to be a Godsend, as Terence found our clinic registration was not correct and has a lot of knowledge about health centers and knows people we can consult if he does not know the answers. He has come up with document after document and procedure after procedure through his knowledge and contacts. Thank you God! More to come as we go along of these clinic challenges!

My next favor to call on, will be to Dr. Sr. Vincentina, our good friend from Kalongo, who is retired and now living in Gulu. I will be arranging a trip to Gulu to see her soon as well.

I love it when a path of light opens up and guides the way. Guardian angels thank you!

Nadine

Contrasts and Culture, First day on the Farm

First day on the Farm

The contrast between Southern Uganda and the cities and towns surrounding Kampala, Jinja and Entebbe to mid Uganda going north is sharp. The bustling cities with lots of noise, cars and motorcycles (boda bodas) weaving in a out everywhere, horns blaring, people moving, business in small shacks everywhere, sometimes using every inch of the land, including street children selling and begging as people are stuck in jams gives a person a feeling of constant activity. In the evening as it gets dark, and I mean dark!, the towns become alive with activity, everyone on the side of the road cooking, walking, visiting and selling. This is their social time as it cools down and the traffic jams go well into the evening. It is not uncommon to get stuck in a two to four hour traffic jam in the stiffling heat! Air conditioning...think again! Music is everywhere also, loud and louder to the point you cannot think at times. Imagine all of this going on while trying to drive through mud and rain and potholes, dodging people, goats, chickens, cows teathered to trees and yes lots of bicycles, boda boda's and other vehicles. The smells are alive and not always good as the sewer is a simple ditch flowing with debris separating the red dirt road with the shacks of shops. Jinja town has sidewalks in some places and is quite nice and touristy, yet comes alive at night similarly. There is an abundance of houses with tin roofs and bathrooms, and showers indicating more prosperous living and income generation ability for the local people as well. The missionary community in Jinja has become quite large and their is a lot of white faces around everywhere you go. For Beth, married to Kenny's brother John, this has been quite comforting. I relish in visiting them for a normal toilet, shower and bed after being up north a while and it is so nice to have "family" to stay with intermittently and bounce ideas off! Their son, Kiah, loves visitors too and loves to play games with "Auntie Nadine". I see them more in Uganda than I ever did in America!

My jet lag haze and brain fog has lifted and I relish in driving north out of Kampala and away from the traffic on the new good road with only a few stops for road construction! People are still walking and animals still on the side of the road but it thins out considerably, the air becomes fresh even with the oppessive heat, the green farm land abundant. Ah..beautiful wide open spaces! The houses become less and turn into more thatched huts as subsistence farming becomes evident. Still there are intermittent towns that look to be prospering more and more each time I come. One thing that does not change are the bugs...bugs and more bugs this time of year...my skin is a constant itch!! Our turn off is about 4 and a half hours north off the main road from Kikumba sub county of Kiryandongo district, and 13 km to Rakayata village and the Family Empowerment Uganda – Cannan farm, our partner and home away from home.

Terence, our new accountant and clinic administrator is with me and has already proved so valuable. Richard, as well. We have had a lot to talk about and are excited to start the work and see how the clinic is doing, especially. For this is the main reason I came back so soon and for so long. I think the american medical system is challenging, wait until you hear about the Ugandan medical system! I am thankful for good trusted ugandan friends I can call on to help. The learning curve is huge as I will soon find out.

I feel at home here....no matter how much struggle it is to get to Uganda and organize the work and projects and leave my job, Kenny and America behind....there is so much joy in returning to my home away from home. No matter how hard it seems in this extreme contrast of cultures, even the hardest day does not seem as hard as in america or maybe I am just more and peace and happier volunteering, serving and leading a simple existence by faith alone, rather than by my own direction in the US. Whatever it may be, I am grateful...thank you all for the support and prayers, I would not be able to take these journey's without each and every one of you.

I am excited to wake up tomorrow to the birds singing, roosters crowing and all kinds of farm smells! Stay tuned as the real work for me is about to begin. In a few days AIDSpirit team will also join the farm.

Nadine