March April

Hi there friends - we are just back from a refreshing safari in Kidepo National park which is located in the north eastern most part of Uganda near the Sudanese border. I decided to hire a driver in order to save our car from being wrecked on the most destroyed hazardous roads in Uganda and give me a break from the stress of driving 1400 km. We camped in tents with a park ranger right inside the panoramic park surrounded by wild life - mainly herds of elephant, antelope, giraffe, and buffalo. While on our safari drives we saw our first lions since being in Uganda - 3 cute cubs and two females cruising in the first rays of sunlight - a slightly eerie and awesome feeling watching those powerful cats looking for a good tree to sleep under after a night of feeding. Northern Uganda is a war torn under serviced region trying desperately to emerge from 20 years of war and devastation. Many of the people are Karamajon who are extremely poor and have not received much help to encourage redevelopment. Great news - we have finalised Pauline’s adoption - she is now our daughter (turned 13 yesterday) - sister to Shama 20 and 4 other high powered growing boys - Josiah 23, Nicholas 14, Dennis 10 and Moses 10!! Her adoption journey has been one interesting trip - securing correct documents, getting the correct names of parents and when they died, finding relatives, establishing her correct age, enduring attempts to bribe us, reorganising court dates because relatives forgot to bring documents and ID, obtaining Local Area chairman letters of consent, obtaining proper social welfare reports - it goes no and on - but here we are at the end of the long misty tunnel - sometimes I felt quite discouraged but Jesus voice always prompted me to keep going and get it right - one just had to keep digging. We are blessed to have a good thorough lawyer who did not allow me to take short cuts even when I was ready to kick the relatives to the moon!!!! The remaining distant relatives have very little interest in Pauline as a person with a future - they merely wanted to use her which became quite apparent in court - the judge saw this and gave them no favour! Homeschooling of Pauline is a challenge because she is behind in her literacy and numeracy. She missed out severely in the Ugandan system in her village. She has reached a reading and numeracy stage of year 3 - 4 - which is 2 years ahead of when she first came to us - so one must look at the progress and not too much at where she should be!!! Josiah and Ken run the homeschooling program which is filled with practical projects. They are doing a business study at present - interviewing local businesses to see how they are run and they are building a large vege garden on the hill above us - so far they have a big crop of NZ sweetcorn coming on and they are trying to get root crops going. Clearing the land is a major task because of layers of rubbish!! They have a swimming program twice a week and wow they are now powerful swimmers in all the strokes which is great for NZ. Pauline is a strong triathlete - biking is a daily part of the program so they are fitter than dad! Based on a ladder built by the Gordons they have built a huge ladder and gym type equipment (chin ups for dad) for exercising which we leave with the locals. Onwards to the final adoption application for the boys which will be in August. Praise God their Aunt is a kind and supportive person - she lives in very humble circumstances. She houses a number of orphans arising from HIV deaths in her family. What a powerful women - she ploughs the garden, grows, washes, cleans and provides enough for 6 children. The men in the local area spend most of their time drinking walagi (a dangerous beer) and having sex - a product of mass unemployment, discouragement, poor education, lack of agricultural incentives, zero diversification, little guidance and boredom. Not a brilliant mix for the future! Good news from the burns ward - the patients have new beds a welcome sight but the bathroom facilities are atrocious - always wet and smelly. The incidents of acid attacks are increasing and sadly women are the victims. Usually it is relationship or land issues sparking violent responses. The effects of acid violence is staggering and horrific - people are maimed for life, stripped of their ability to earn and function normally. We come to them in the name of jesus to encourage and give hope in a very dark place - a little protein, some music players, bandages - sustain for a short while but nothing compares to the peace that Jesus gives - “peace be to you” said the risen Jesus - he stands in the midst of suffering and extreme discouragement to offer the only hope worth living for!! Two weeks ago we had the most incredible time of worship and free praise and dance - patients were released from their depression and sadness to magnify the Lord. Josiah my son and I played guitar and did a little improvisation - God moved in souls to dance!! What a sight - bandaged head to toe lifting hands to praise Jesus - God our friend in the middle of horror! Kyazanga and the orphanage have received an abundant rainfall to bless their environment. John our sponsored university student has completed one year successfully and other sponsored students are doing well. Betty has completed her hairdressing vocational training which we sponsored and is looking for a job. Many thanks to our NZ sponsors. We are now entering our final term of teaching which finishes end of June. Time is flying as we contemplate our final year and return to NZ in August/Sept 2015. It seems a frightening jump - back into a totally different culture from Uganda. This the next chapter in our lives as God has planned - life is full of challenges and some dramatic changes so we will take this as it comes and keep close to Jesus.