The children were waiting for us.

ey! sorry I havent written, I have been busy. Wednesday and Thursday we went to a camp called Akwang. We did 2 children's programs each day, one near the school and one a bit further in the bush with younger kids. The second day we went to a village about 4 kilos deeper into the bush behind Akwang camp, it was called Acado. They said that we were the first visitors they have had there, as fars as white people working presenting the gospel, although there is a church. They meet under a mango tree.

Saturday and Sunday we traveled an hour away to Padibe. The church is a "building" made of stick and covered with tarps (barely covered.) THe children were not mobilized when we got there around 11:30 and they said they could mobilize them for the afternoon, so, we began a road trip to border of Sudan just for fun. (it was about 30 miles away, but on a dirt road that can be up the 3 hours.) We made it past the security check point of Uganda and after about 3 miles we would have been to the border but we got stuck in the mud for a second time and rain was coming so we decided to turn back.

The children were waiting for us and we did a program for about an hour and a half, it went well! When we returned the following day to do Sunday school many of the children had the crafts we made the day prior in hand. Sunday was good and I got to plow with the oxen for a little bit, it was neat to see, but hard work.

Today, monday, we will be delivering the mattresses! I am very excited! We've gotten 14 of them, which is about as many that can fit, in the small building! I will take many pictures, rex and melinda may have to take some because there are no lights inside and often time my pictures do not turn out light enough since the camera I have does not have a flash.

I'm not in a rush to spend the rest of the money because, I wouldn't want to make hasty decisions on how to spend it, and there is time to decide after the trip has sunk in and we've prayed about it more!

However, a couple of opportunities have presented themselves that I have been considering. One thing I have chosen, which there is a lengthy process in place to make sure it is official is there is a guy who is an orphan and has not finished high school because of lack of funds. Here's his story. He lives in the village of Padibe about an hours drive from any town. He is 20 years old and was made an orphan by the war (his parents were murdered.) He has 3 years left of Highschool but has not been able to pay for it because this years crop season has failed him.

It is difficult to support school fees here at the orphanage, because I can't pay for kids to go to school for one year because then these students will obviously expect it the year following and then that burden may fall back on Rex and Melinda, which would not be good. SO since this man named Bosco has only 3 years left, and he is far from this town, we can pay for the entire three years. which would cost about $75 each year. Once the process is finished and we can begin supporting him, I will transfer the money for the three years of school fees to Rex and Melinda to distribute.

Another thing I my be doing is helping to finish the new building of the orphanage. They were supposed to have been moved out of the rental building the 1st of August but have not had the funds to finish the new compound which is next door to the owners home. About $300 ( I think) can pay for the rest of the cement to finish the floors and inside of the walls so that they can move in. However, that does not cover paying men to work in doing so, but the labor here is the cheap part. When we deliver the mattresses today, Rex and I will be looking at the building and finishing and what not. I will let you know as soon as I figure all of that out.

Another thing that I just did, was donate $75 to the bakery, for supplies for their new building. The bakery is run by 3 Ugandan women, and their mission statement of the business is to support orphans and widows by tithing off the top of their business revenues. They would like to support 100 orphans to go to school by this time next year! The business has been working out of Rex and Melindas kitchen however, this week the new building and all of the supplies will be ready for them to move in which will increase the profits of their already thriving business! (Most of their business comes from 2 Large local Restaurants, and ALL of the NGO's in Kitgum town!) As I gave them the $75 offering during their business meeting (payday) I got to sit in on it. Already they have begun tithing towards their orphan cause of 10% of all their revenues which was $35. It is very exciting to LOCAL women, who will be able to support Orphans! There are more great things that the bakery is doing such as displaying necklaces and purses made by widows (who also take care of orphans) which will then be sold and ALL of the profits will go to those women! It is a very neat business enterprise! :)

Okay, well I will let you know how everything goes today! Oh yes, and also I will be buying clothe diapers and mailing them back when I get back to the U.S. with some of the funds to be used at the orphanage! People do not use diapers here to many times the babies will be sitting in the dirt barebottomed and pooping there as well, which as we all know is unsanitary and surely is a cause of sickness and worms! Clothe diapers will be a big help for this!

I love you and miss you, and will see you in less then a week! talk soon!

We are so excited to know that the babies will be getting mattresses, enough money came in to cover the costs of making the matresses, the left over funds will be used to get mosquito netting, clothes and possibly some bed frames. Katie has about a week left there, I am sure it will be hard to say goodbye.
Anne

Every kid deserves a bed, right?

HELP me buy beds for my African Orphan babies!! www.messageministries.net, follow the Beds for orphans link! There's a few pictures, they are so beautiful and every kid deserves a bed right? :) anything you can give can help, they're only $30 each! :)  So far we have collected $220 for beds. If you can help follow the link.

www.messageministries.net

Very excited to see what God will do!

I got started on the beds today! Praise the Lord, I will be able to deliver them myself, I'm pretty sure, BUT its costing more then we'd hoped so change the website, its $30 each, and that doesn't include the somethingthat I should give the tailors at the school that are  helping. Since we are in Kitgum, its impossible to find beds that have the plastic on them already, so by CHANCE, we found the material and  the tailors will be sewing the plastic on the mattresses. The mattresses alone cost $15 (this is one of the thinner types) and the material to cover them with costs 2.50 a yard, and you need 4 yards for each bed.. I purchased 10 already and I think that will be plenty but I'm sure the more the merrier.. (that means 19 or 20 beds  for 35 kids but the older kids share with their younger siblings anyway) and the babies share the beds. Otherwise if more money then necessary DOES come in, I can get more, or help them with something else.. clothes? Something useful. Anyway, I put it on my status on facebook and let a couple friends know so hopefully we'll get more in! Very excited to see what God will do! miss you much!
   

I'm Never Empty-handed When I'm There

Okay... a mattress is about $20.00, so anyone who wants to sacrifice a shopping trip and buy 1 or even put money to help buy 1, anything is better then nothing. I figure even just mattresses would be good because the mattresses could be put under the ACTUAL beds and then the mosquito net would still be covering them! (i would buy the plastic sheet thing to cover the mattresses, but i'm actually hoping I can get some like at the hospital that are made covered with plastic..I must ask)

If you want to donate toward mattresses you can go to messegeministries.net

So...yesterday, I woke up and went to the orphanage around 10. When I was on my way I ran into the owner

 

(The doctor is the owner, and the founder. ) who had said one of the babies had still been sick from Monday. (very sick with fever) When we went to see the baby -Atoo- he said she should go back to the hospital (she;d already been taken to the clinic TWICE and both times they said it was malaria..typical.) Anyway, so I brought her, I insisted to the doctor that it was not malaria and how she tested negative the day prior but had been treated AGAIN for malaria, and I told him perhaps it was a respiratory infection.. long story short he decided to treat her for infection, malaria, AND submit her into the malnutrition center because she weighed 5.8 kilos and should be 7.2. so that is where I was ALL day yesterday. I'm going back today to check on her because she was NOT wanting to eat yesterday, because that milk is different, better. 8 months old and 12 pounds... i weighed like 8.6 when i was born... crazy. I tell you, there were some SKINNY babies in there(at the malnutrition center)... . AND that hospital is HOPELESS, you have to TELL the doctors and nurses what to do...

Anyway so that was my day..at the hospital, again. lol I went back to the orphanage before I came home at like 6 and kissed the babies (i mean the 3 year olds hehe :)) they are learning!! I love them SO much, it kills me! I'm never emptied handed when I'm there cause we just switch off whose being held. :) you'd all love them SO much, I wish you could see just how easy it is to love them!

The Children are Beautiful

I wanted to answer some questions about the orphanage.  There  are  35 children  - most under the age of 3.  Some of their older siblings also live at the orphanage.  The orphanage is  a 3 bedroom home with an office and storage.  Out behind the house are 2 huts, one for  cooking the meals and  the other for a dining area ( there is no furniture they sit on the ground and eat.) 

There are  5 house mothers , 3 work during the day, and 1 at night, They switch off night shifts for a week at a time each.  The   orphanage is about 3 years old and was started by a Ugandan doctor at the local hospital. Ugandan doctors don't make very much , maybe around $300.00 per month.  

 

    

The children REALLY need beds

Hello all! The internet hasn't been working lately so I've not been able to write!

Everything here has been good. The passion movie showing went good, a couple hundred people showed up and one of the pastors translated through the ENTIRE thing in Acholi... crazy!

The children's stuff in Addea went better then we could have planned! We actually ended up doing programs for classes AT the government school! There are 7 grades and 4 classrooms. 3 classes meet outside under mango trees... I think uncle rex took some pictures so you will see, its just like you'd imagine. The kids listened very well, and we did a little craft for each class, and gave out candy. (each something different!) They liked it very much and it was the first time for many of them to color with markers and crayons... incredible right? We got to give an invitation as well and many came to the Lord but the main concern is with the follow up, so we invited all of the children to church and to bring their parents!

We went for three days and monday and tuesday we did 2 classes each day, today we did 4! One of the classes we did was the teenagers and that was neat because I got more of a chance to talk like anyone of us would about our testimony and the difficulties of being a teen. (except here it's different..) Many of the teens in the Classroom were abducted during the war and forced to be child soldiers.. crazy..

Oh yes, Florence is better so that is good, we finally convinced the doctors that it was NOT malaria anymore and they began treatment for infections (although they do not have any equipment to TEST for the infections, it was guesstimate.) Just wait til you see the pictures I got of the hospital...dang!

I saw the children at the orphanage again yesterday (they can't keep me away, lol, they're probably sick to death of me! :) the adults that is!) I was talking to one of the house mothers about the nutrition of the babies and why it is very important to be feeding the babies formula and what not. I was really just kind of pouring my heart out to her about the kids and how much I have already grown to love them, and taking good care of them. I think I made her feel a little uncomfortable because I started crying during it. She is 21... and was an orphan growing up, so she understnads the hardship of it! Its hard though because the resources are just not there, I am going to start praying about how I can raise money to help and what with! If anyone wants to help, let me know! The children REALLY need beds, they sleep on the cold hard floor, no mat or anything and THIS is another reason that so many of the kids are getting malaria, because they do not have a net over them since they are scattered on the floor everywhere. I don't think beds are very expensive, they aren't beds like we have here... they're like... I think pieces of foam, covered with a clothe.  Anyway, You say the word, and I can buy them beds!

I'm going to go out there today or tomorrow and spray all their bedding, and mosquito nets with this fabric bug spray that the lady where I got my shots CONVINCED me to buy, and I've not really used yet! lol SEE God knew! $10 not wasted!

okay well I love and miss you all very much!! Talk to you soon! Please let me know if you want to help financially with ANYTHING! love yas!

Halfway in and halfway out

 A note from Anne,

I usually edit Katie's posts, try to make the spelling perfect and take some of the edge off,  this is raw-  I think it speaks for itself and needs no bandaids.  Sometimes we just have to say it like it is.  Hope you continue to pray with me for Katie and for Uganda.  

today was good, but sort of a change in plans. There has been allot of other stuff going on at the church in kitgum because the pastors son is "launching his album," so we've decided to go out to the village this week and do kitgum kids in a later week. Today we did not get out to the village though because Florence is sick still and many of the guys that will be helping were just too occupied to go today. People just do not get it here, its VERY frustrating! This is the 5th day Florence has been sick with malaria (you should be fine after 3 days with the medicine) and they just keep treating her for it even though they have tested her again and said there is not showing malaria any longer. They would not do anymore tests today and she is still sick with a fever tonight! Its sooo frustrating. we paid more for her room and then they did not have lights working in it, we complained they said there was nothing they could do, Then we take out the lightbulb and its a bad bulb is all it is. But, the advisor says he has no "knowledge" of this stuff. Wilson said, "I am an electrician, now go and get me the bulb," and he still could not even do that. It so rediculous its like everyone has their idiotic protocol!

 

I said last night then I would go help at the orphanage today but that if Gloria ( Gloria is the 3 year old with AIDS)  still had not been taken to the doctor I would ask them if I could take her, I was up late thinking about her. I arrived there and asked and they said that I could, so I walked down the street to the hospital with her. I tell you the hospital is something else..if you are admitted as a patient you must have someone there at all times to take care of you (cause God only knows what the nurses do besides stand in the office..) anyway so I brought Gloria and we were there for about 5 hours before we were through with meeting the doctors and picking up her medication. It costed me $1.50 for both the visit and the prescription, at a private hospital.. crazy.

 

She was very well behaved for me and mostly just sat on my lap then entire time snuggling and sleeping. I'm sure she just enjoyed the attention and love of someone holding her, at 3, that is alot for a 3 year old in the orphanage, no ONE holds them, they are too old. When it was our turn to see the doctors she woke up and started screaming because there was 1 ugandan doctor and 3 italian ones (aka white) she was petrified and I had to sit on the table with her and hold her because she was running away. lol they said it was a fungus which is common in stage two of HIV, and they gave me a prescription for a cream to apply. I took her back and applied it (don't worry, i put on gloves) and I explained to 4 different ladies (4 different times) how important it was to apply it TWICE a day until next week and then if it is not better I will take her back. The thing is, I walked away thinking and knowing STILL that they probably will not do it twice a day, or maybe even once.. they don't realize how important this stuff is! Before I even went to pick up Gloria I guess they had sent another girl with two babies (4 and 5 months old)that were DOG sick with high fevers and diarea. turns out its because they've not been giving them formula, but have been feeding them posho and beans, YOU CAN"T FEED BABIES THAT! Annoyingly enough, its not as if they don't have the formula...there are PILES of cans of it in the office!

 

Its heartbreaking and frustrating at the same time, I kiss all these kids goodbye, and they don't even know what a kiss is...even the 3 and 4 year olds don't know how to give kisses because no one gives them any. I just can't understand....I feel like I have my foot half way in and halfway out. I'm here for a month, and then I go home, I can't fix it for good, I can only fix it for now and that is not enough! I've been thinking for a while now that I wanted to be long term at some time in my life, and then all the sudden I'm here and I'm thinking perhaps I can do better by living in the states and funding things, using the resources I have in the states: the money, the people's money that are willing to help, the businesses.. but then I'm here, taking a 3 year old to the doctor, and then kissing 20 kids goodbye and thinking... there isn't enough money in the world that could buy love like I can give them...

 

 Anyway, I am going to bed now, completely exhausted. Going to the village of Addie ay tomorrow to do kid stuff and then show the passion movie tomorrow night so it will be a long day, pray! I love you!

 

katie 

Katie's Update

I'm glad to hear that everyone is being affected by my emails and praying, thats needed here.. the poverty is... well poverty but I try not to let it bother me too much because I know that it is all they know.( but still.)  thatched huts (but they don't get hot inside!), holes in the floor for toliets, dirt roads, walking everywhere, boar holes for water, big jugs that they carry them in, no beds, malaria rampid, and HIV. However, it is the kids and their sickness that pains me the most... and I just feel like there is SO much that can be taught to the people just about ways to improve their life and hygiene.. but its hard cause you don't want them to think you look down on them or anything and you've got to be humble!

 

They eat with their hands, and always eat the SAME thing EVERYDAY. Porage for breakfast, then for lunch and dinner Beans and Posho (grinded cornmeal) it looks just like flour cooked and its kinda hard...strange. lol They serve it in a bowl and you use your right hand to scoop the food out... another reason for sickness.. I' ve eaten it 5 days this week (with my hands..:) )for lunch as that was when I was at the orphanage..you can't say no, its rude. lol None of the children wear ANY diapers (even Clothe ones) they pee on their clothes and babies poop in their clothes and then will sit there with it until they get bath (which usually isn't long..but still...very unsanitary..) the kids and babys play in the dirt all day everyday which ALSO is another reason for all the sickness... Today I helped bathe and clothe all the kids at the orphanage cause they were running behind when I got there.. they throw all the kids in one shower (I mean a stall with a bucket of water and a bar of soap) and make them just stand there and wait... so patient eh? :) Its like its sad that they don't have toys but... they get ruined so fast anyway with the way they play with them in the dirt all day.. they make their own often times.. cars made out of juiceboxes and soda bottle caps for wheels.. Anyway, I'm going to go! I miss you and love you very much! Will call soon! 

Katie

i didn't realize it had been 2 days since I've written.  I'm very tired here because I walk everywhere with wilson or patrick and I think some of it is probably just the emotionally draining of seeing so many things I've never seen before. Yes, its like how Peru is years behind the states, Kitgum is years behind Peru. Their old church was thatched roofed and their new one is wooden beamed ceiling and sheet steel. I'm sleeping good, its not been as hot as I thought it would be (at night at least) and I've got a fan next to my head. This week my schedule is wake up at 730 or 745 we have a house devotion (Patrick and Wilson live out in the back house and florence the 'maid' or just house help but mainly she does work for the bakery now which is run out of the kitchen) and then off to the orphanage at 930 or 10. But it takes about 30 minutes to walk there then I'm there til about 2 or 230 and get home by 230 or 3 and eat,  then choir practice at 430 until 6 and then home by 645 or so. shower, dinner, read and sleep by like 1030. I get Saturdays off and part of Sunday but like this week I'll be getting all the materials organized for the VBS for next week as we'll have HUNDREDS of kids. I'll miss the kids at the orphanage but will be able to go back like thursdays and or fridays for the rest of the trip, so thats good!

 

YES i've been doing my repellent every day (although there are no mosquitos out except at night time) been taking my malaria medicine too. A few of the kids at the orphanage have it, and Florence just got it as well.) 

 

The choir is doing well we've learned like 5 new songs so far, although they aren't very good singers, it doesnt seem to matter much here. lol I'm feeling ok, I get about 8 or 9 hrs of sleep a night! Rex and Melinda are great! I've been trying to help with the dishes and stuff, anything to make life a little easier! Melinda is great, and a talker just like me so we get along well. She teases me and I'm gullible here cause you just never know here! Lol

 

Its so crazy I've only been here a week, it feels like so much longer. I pray everynight that God would give me the patience and the Love to share with the children. You walk down the street and all the kids wave and yell, "MANO BYEEE, MANO BYEE" mano means white person. lol The young kids don't speak english so that makes life a little harder but I'm trying to learn a little Acholi.. we'll see. lol Well gotta go its dinner time(which btw has been AMAZING thanks to florence, rex, and melindas cooking skills!)! Miss n Love you!

 

 

A tough day at the orphanage

Today the orphanage was a bit better, more of the house mothers were there and there wasnt too many times where anyone was facedown. I don't think its that they don't want to bond but i think it is just the culture, and because the kids have urine on their clothes the women will pick up the kids just by their arms and what not so that they don't have to get themselves dirty, today they were a little better so that was good.

 Today was very tough as well... I found out one of the little girls in the orphanage (about one of the only ones whose name i really remember and knew since the first time) has HIV. she is about 2 years old and is ALWAYS smiling, more than ANY other child... i know shes only 2, but its as if she knows everyday is a gift.She had sores on her head and they shaved it bald to put ointment on the sores. She was crying, as i'm sure it hurt and I had to fight back tears. That is just the hardest thing to me!  Its just very sad knowing that she won't live very long, although death is talked about just as anything else.. its normal, its common, its ok. g2g to choir practice! i love you all!

Helping at the Orphanage 7/20/09

I started my first day today at the orphanage.The kids aren't really paid ANY attention to. literally besides feeding and cleaning them, the house mothers dont pay attention much. If I walk away to play with other kids I'll hear a baby baby crying, when I look or walk over I'll see a baby, LITTLE baby, face down in the dirt with no adult in sight.., even if they didn't play with them I could understand. I guess cooking and cleaning and what not, is a lot of work but... not even being in a near vacinity...its very sad but I don't dwell on that and I try to just make them smile and provide new things to keep them entertained. Its crazy the stories behind the children.. most lost their mothers to HIV and others lost their mother in the war. Literally there are a few children whose mothers were shot by rebels (kinda like Hotel Rwanda..) and the babies were on their back and people found them and brought them to the orphanage.. its SHOCKING. The baby's don't wear diapers and have very holey clothes so when I hold the babies most of the the time their clothes are urine soaked and if they're not ,I just pray to God that they won't pee or poop on me... lol I'm sure I'll get my share before the week is up though. its so crazy you guys.. the kids are really SO GOOD, its like all you have to do is be holding them because normally they just sit on the ground (outside in the dirt mind you) alone... just SITTING there. No toys... 22 kids and 7 beds... but I mean thats not shocking because NO one sleeps in beds here anyway but.. still. --- Katie

Learning the ropes in business 7/17/09

The women have a baking business, which is actually very successful! Melinda has set up an expenses, and savings, salary type of deal for them and they have now done so well in their business that they will be moving to their own storefront, which will probably double their income! Most of their business comes from the non-profits here and they have made a LOT of money since they've started 3 months ago! I got to sit in on a meeting of theirs today because they make the financial decisions together and its neat because the 3 women each make about 40,000 shilings a week which is equivalent to $20. Also each week the other two will sacrifice 10,000 shillings so that that one can buy food in bulk (which is alot cheaper) for their family for the month! they take turns weekly so it all evens out, but it saves them money in the long run! Any good recipes you have or can get and send would be awesome! I told them you said you wanted to and they thought that was awesome!

The house is nice and I feel fine and at home, of course I cannot wait to hit the ground running cause I haven't done anything besides see the town and sleep and eat. lol and saw the sewing business which makes really neat stuff so I will probably get most of my gifts from the business! the weather is not bad and the mosquito netting actually kinda makes you feel like a princess. lol I've tried to take pictures of everything. Haven't seen much wildlife, lots of goats and cows, a few lizards. there isn't much wildlife in the north because the war that ended between the rebels and the government about 3 years ago that lasted for 21 years drove them all away and down south which is also more reason for the famine that is in the North (here).

Weather is fine, not too hot at night and during the day I'm sure i'll be fine. There are small villages along the way from Kampala and they all live in those mud huts and you see them walking down the side of the road with fire wood and water and what not. SO many children, many orphans or taken care of by other family members when the parents pass away early (often from HIV). I will go to the bush the 3rd n 4th week I'll be here and it will take about an hour to get there. I will not be going anywhere alone really, I will be working with a team of ugandan (ppl my age) ppl and there will be someone with me from that mostly.

Christine, one of the women from the bakery, was saying she does prayer ministry at the hospitals on thursdays and I asked if I could come this week. Please be praying for me especially alot on that day, Melinda says I'll need to pray up good because as I've heard about the hospitals, in Kampala, even they are very bad. ok, enough computer time for me. bye!

Katie

Arriving In Kitgum Uganda, Plans 7/16/09

Hey you guys! We've finally just arrived in Kitgum! The flights went pretty well and I feel like I'm pretty much back on a schedule already from sleeping a bit on the 2nd flight from brussels to Uganda and then last night at the hotel! But then it was a seven hour drive back from Entebbe which is where the airport that i flew into is. the last 2 hours is on a dirt road and the ENTIRE trip does not have any stops for food, so we had to pack little lunches for the ride up. The trip is going to be good! The schedule she has mapped out for me so far seems really great and I am excited about getting started monday! The first thing I will do is help at the orphanage monday morning and then with the choir on monday afternoon! She says the orphanage is right down the street and there around about 50 kids most under the age of 3. I'm glad its close because I will be able to spend any of my extra time there! Melinda was saying she was talking to the founder of it and she said that she was worried that the house mothers weren't giving the children enough attention, so I'll be so glad to be there to help and hopefully be a witness to them. Women here are very undervalued, polygamy is widely practice and about 85% of the work is done by women, today is just the first day and I know I will come to learn so much more! I gave Melinda all the things I brought like the cake pans, grits, m&m's, chapstick and what not and she was thrilled! One of the ladies(florence) from the bakery was here and when I pulled the cakepans out she looked SO pleased,she loved them!! One thing i've really noticed here so far is that you don't see any toys, there is kids EVERYWHERE -way more than adults- and they don't have toys, melinda says thats typical and that kids dont' ever have toys here... I'm excited to be able to change that a LITTLE at least...but just wish I had more. I'm going to be doing vbs's with the children in KITGUM next week, and then in two different BUSH villages the following two weeks and in between I'll be squeezing in time at the orphanage, and choir practice! Well, I guess that is about all for now, Thanks so much for all your prayers already, I can feel them!
Katie