Making a Documentary

Wow what a week!!!

While Isaac worked away at the hospital I took a trip to Iganga. I went with a woman from church and her film crew. Yes you read that right. Isaac and I, well really it’s the lady from church who is doing it but I got to help in the process.

Tuesday we left Kampala and drove the 5 hours to Isaac’s village. We walked deep into the village to gather interviews and information on how the local people in the area around where we want to put the hospital get health care. You can tell from my dirty feet! The stories were unreal. I can’t imagine being in labor and after walking to a clinic having to get on the back of a bicycle and balance myself to the next clinic over because the first one can’t serve me. These women gave story after story of traumatic situations they find themselves in.

Wednesday we went to the local hospital (26km from where our hospital is proposed to be). We interviewed the administration and doctors. They continued to tell us that they were just a local hospital and so they weren’t prepared for critical medical cases. My goodness if that’s their attitude! This is the best the people can get and the administration thinks that their job is to handle minor cases. Wow. We talked to many patients within the hospital and were shocked at how far they had traveled to receive services.

Thursday we went back to the village, only after visiting the district office and getting an interview about the land and how the process of our hospital project is going. It was funny that the man we talked to almost begged for an interview and then really wanted to watch his interview on the camera. J Once in village we visited the local clinics. The director of the documentary was shocked that these clinics, even though they are free or have minimal cost are empty. Upon simple investigation she found out why; lack of supplies, lack of medical personnel to care for patients, and lack of hygiene. We were also able to get the local chairman’s interview while standing on the donated land. It was great to hear him talk about how excited the local people are about the project.

It was an exhausting time but well worth it. We hope to have a documentary to show all of you very soon!!!

Blessings

Technical Update on the Hope and Healing Center

Thought I'd send an update to you on how the process of Hope and Healing Center (the hospital) and Something Deeper Ministries (the charity)! There are 2 things that must happen before ground breaking can happen.

Briefly:

1. The Charity that will oversee this project must be registered here in Uganda. That is Something Deeper Ministries.

2. The land for the hospital must be officially donated by the district to Something Deeper Ministries.

Iganga District Offices, signed paperwork for NGO at district level

In Detail:

1. Something Deeper Ministries has the signatures it needs from Iganga District (the area the hospital will be built in). Now we need to talk to our lawyer to finalize the paperwork for the national NGO board (non-governmental organization, aka charities). I hear they meet as a board every Thursday. So we are hoping that all the documentation can be given to them this month so that by May we might be approved).

2. The Land donation. It is very important to have buy-in from the community for this hospital. We want them to feel a sense of ownership over this so that they will care for it and be our cheerleaders instead of stumbling blocks. So the locals have donated the land. The paperwork has made it to the sub-county (the meeting we had a few months back). Now we are waiting for that paperwork to be passed to the district. Once the district has the paperwork they can then make a decision on whether we get the land or not (I hear that they just go with what the sub-county says, so it should be a simple thing).

In Conclusion:

So once Something Deeper Ministries is registered in Uganda and the land is officially donated then we will start to build :) We are so excited to get this underway!!!

Houses of Kiwanyi

It's amazing to me to see how different people build their houses. Please enjoy these houses of Kiwanyi.

They are made of brick and then plastered with something.

Some bricks are just sun dried and others are fired bricks.

Some houses have mud thrown on them for plaster and others use cement.

Depending on the level of wealth there might even be paint on the house.

This house was made by a woman's children. They all work in the capital city and wanted to bless their mother with a beautiful home.
I think they accomplished it.

Visiting Village

It's always an experience getting to village!
This dusty road is used for many purposes.

This is one of three "taxis" that make up the public transportation system to Isaac's village.
Three runs to town in the morning and three in the evening coming home. If you miss, it you miss it. So they pack it quite tight to get everyone where they want to go.

 Isaac always seems to have to be the doctor when we visit. We were driving by and this man stopped us for a medical consultation. He had been to the doctor but wanted to get Isaac's opinion on the treatment and care. Isaac loves educating people on their own health. He knows that once a person knows why then they can help keep themselves healthy. This always takes time, but 30 minutes spent with a person concerning their health is worth it to this doctor.

This woman is a great "auntie" figure in Isaac's life.  She blessed us with 3 chicken eggs as a thank you for visiting.

She was also very happy to see me pregnant :) 

Ice Cream Man

This is the ice cream "truck"
He's taking a break.

The cones are in the bag and the "ice cream" is in the cooler. Notice his bullhorn playing a fun song to inform children of his presence.

Gardening

Look what we found in our garden on Saturday :)

It's huge!!! (the local ones are 1/4 this size)

Giving back to those who give so much

Back on Sept 11, 2014 I blogged about a woman who is taking care of the "least of theses". She doesn't have a lot of money or connections but she knows what it feels like to have a child with a disability. She knows what it is like to need help and a shoulder to cry on.


She started Home of Hope as a response to the devastating conditions children with special needs find themselves in because of lack of parent support. As part of her ministry she has learned that requiring someone to be an orphan to receive services means that children "become orphans". She explains that parents willingly give up the responsibility of raising their children with the hope of giving their child a better life within an orphanage. She has changed her focus to supporting parents. Creating family environments where children can be raised by their own parents within their own families with parents who are supported and given advice by her. It's a wonderful addition to her work.

We wanted to support this woman in her work. We knew how we could help. Something Deeper Ministries has quilts. About 10 women in the states have donated their time and resources to make quilts. These women don't do this because of payment or any perk, they do it because it is something they can do. They know how important it is for a mother to be able to provide a warm blanket for their children to sleep under.

 Home of Hope is the second orphanage I have been able to donate a large number of quilts to through Something Deeper Ministries. It is such a joy to be able to pass these quilts out. I wish that all the women who donate could be there to see the joy on the faces of those who receive.
Something Deeper Ministries Quilting Group...these photos are for you!

Road Delay

On our way to church Sunday morning we found ourselves going no where. This is the only road out of our home. The truck was parked in the road. We beeped the horn and he proceeded to back his tire into the ditch. If that wasn't enough instead of driving forward to correct the situation...he kept backing and then we knew it would be a while with two wheels in the 3ft ditch.








After they hired about 10 guys to come and lift him out we got to church, an hour late!

English Class Graduation

Proud moment for me at the graduation of my students from the English class I taught at church.
Some of these women couldn't even tell me their name when asked at the beginning, yet all gave a speech at graduation thanking us for our work as instructors.

Helen, the woman on the right, was such a dedicated student. I gave her word lists such as the, of, and, and so on. She would come back the next class having memorized the words and so pleased with herself for learning to read.
She was the one with the least English at the beginning of the class. I was so honored when she took the courage to stand in front of the audience to thank me specifically for giving her courage to try English. 

December in Review

Wow has it really been over a month since I've blogged? Sorry
Christmas and visitors have taken their toll.

Christmas party including cookie decorating

We have been to visit village a few times this month. All short trips with main goals in mind. One of which has been getting signatures on paperwork for the organization we are starting. We need an organization that can do projects within Uganda. We must register with the government. It is called an NGO (non-governmental organization...aka a charity). We give away quilts, visit schools, help out with many different and random things and are in the process of building a hospital. When an NGO is started that will help us to focus our assistance and have covering of the local and national government. There are also perks like tax exemptions on donations and such. We want to do everything in a way that honors God and through our research this seems to be the best way. The NGO will be called Something Deeper Ministries, if you've heard of that ;)

HumKay concert in our livingroom

December also held a wedding of some very good friends of Isaac and mine. I was the made of honor and Isaac was the legal best man while for the event he ran around being the wedding planner. He said that he enjoyed it but was glad he's a doctor and doesn't do events. :)

I held a surprise double event. Mom, Dad and I planned a surprise Christmas party for Isaac. We invited friends, played a Christmas trivia game and even decorated cookies. The day before Isaac and I held a surprise concert for Mom and Dad. One of Isaac's friend's is a musical artist here in Uganda. Mom loves his music and so we planned a livingroom concert event with Hum Kay. It was great. Even when he arrived they just thought he was over for a visit, until he started singing that is. Some of our neighbors even joined us for the concert!

Christmas found us in village. This is Isaac and my 3rd Christmas at Isaac's mother's place. And Mom and Dad's second. It was a short visit this year since we didn't sleep in village. It was nice to see family and friends.
During Christmas we were visited by village members who informed us that they have been holding meetings on their own concerning the legalization of giving the land for the hospital. This is wonderful news that they are taking the project on as their own.

Kwanjjula

New Years Eve was spend near our home. We were able to take out our neighbor and his wife and baby along with our niece for fireworks and popcorn. We popped the corn and took it in bowls. Because the traffic is terrible that night we decided that we would travel just 10 min from our house to a friend's property overlooking the city. We were able to see small firework shows across the city, perhaps 15 shows all at once. All three that we took had never seen fireworks before so this was a treat, even from far away.

We went to a Kwanjjula that first Saturday in January. A Kwanjjula is a dowry party, sort of like an engagement party. It is very cultural and filled with lots of drumming, dance performances, and good food. It was nice to just be one of the family members instead of a visitor at this event.

I'm sure I've forgotten somethings but...this gives you some recap.

Isaac's Mother

I love it that I have family here in Uganda.

Isaac's mother came to Kampala for a visit and so we met her after she had been to the airport and zoo for the first time. We decided that she needed another first...ice cream and an elevator ride!

I love this lady!!!







Mama's good friend (in red) with her daughter (in black and white) with her children.

So great!

A Car

We are thanking God for allowing us to have a car!!!



It truly has simplified life and allowed for more family time with limited time wasted on transportation.

Isaac enjoyed the first wash alone, he wouldn't let me help...it was about to rain so I was glad :)

Visitors

So my parents came for a visit. And so blogging has gone out the window. Sorry






We went to a friend's church for the service. Mom enjoyed the full body worship as we danced.

A huge blessing to have dad help with the solar!!!










And I almost stepped on this little guy on my walk home. Thought I'd bring him home and keep him. Too bad Isaac doesn't like animals. So I put him in the rose bush and never saw him again. Crazy chameleon.

Graduate School Ceremony

Isaac has been working like a dog at his graduate level medical school (residency). He is a teacher and supervisor to the lower level doctors, a student in his classes and with his seniors, he's a full time working doctor and surgeon and if that's not enough he gets to "sleep" at the hospital once a week on the night duty while working the day before and after.


I don't see my husband very much being that he's gone about 12 hours a day. But we do enjoy the time we have together.




This was a moment where he got to take a break for the day. A ceremony for the university was being held. It was a white coat event. I took this opportunity to join the festivities.