July - December 2013

July - August 2013 Hi there – welcome to the Caldwell news for July, August 2013. A massive thanks to our prayer and financial supporters who have enabled such a powerful ministry to the burns ward and other individuals. In the last 2 months we have had two visitors from NZ – Carle and Sharon Hough. We had such a good time with them and we miss them – the house was overflowing with energy and a taste of NZ!! Our children got on really well with them. Actually our house is starting to feel small - a bit of a squash and a squeeze problem – the children are getting bigger so Dad and mum’s bedroom is sacred holy ground!!! Carly and Sharon came with us to the hospital and helped us minister to many. Please pray for our plans to hand over the ministry to the right people – next year. We will be returning in one year so we are now trying to find a trustworthy leader for the burns ward ministry. It is a growing ministry – last Sunday the ward was overflowing so that patients were lining the corridor. I purchased 200 bandages and that is exactly what we needed!! Miracles abounded as little ones and adults stood to worship and honour Jesus. There were more babies and children than ever – unsupervised they fall into large pots of porridge or the fire place – a growing problem as more people crowd into smaller places. Acid attacks are still happening - there are five adults who have lost their faces and cannot see – all the result of petty arguments or unprovoked attacks! Most of these attackers have not been brought to justice but I know who will catch up with them in due course!!! We bought some pillows for patients lying on clothes. It is hard going for the care givers who have spent months lying on the floor beside their relatives enduring the all night noises of crying children and going without food in order to feed their relative – what a drastic situation. On Sunday there were no nurses, so many greenish foul smelling bandages had not been changed – this makes me angry because that means they have not been changed for nearly a week!! The contrast and dichotomy between Sunday and going to my school environment on Monday is hard to explain, except to say that most of students are very privileged! School is going well as I get my head around the needs of 19 cute year ones who come with such a wide range of needs and abilities. I try my hardest to accommodate them and challenge them. Ambrosoli provides a delightful curriculum with lots of specialists and opportunities for kids. I am teaching guitar club this term. Dennis and Moses are learning guitar. We are homeschooling Nicholas and Pauline using www.studyladder.com as the base for content. They also have vocational and swimming activities on some afternoons as well as a daily music session on guitars using a tutorial on the computer. Ken – our “adopted” man we have living on our premises - supervises their program. It is going well – I have a parallel program ready if the power goes off! Ken is a marathon runner so he makes sure there is a good physical component. We have had some cool times with the Gordons at their new compound in Entebbe – they are right in the middle of wide ranging needs so please pray for their guidance and provision and that the power and water continue to flow. Drew – one of their sons has made some powerful bows and arrows for my boys. I built a huge target made of soft chip board yesterday. Wow they are getting accurate – ready to counter any intruders or thieves!! Drew bought these fierce African arrows with huge blades from the African market – Dad loves piercing the 100 point middle!! We had bone examinations over July August done on Pauline, Dennis and Nicholas to verify their correct ages. As we thought their birth certificates and original passport were on average 4 – 5 years out. I have finally had new birth certificates and passports done for Pauline and Nicholas – Dennis was not too far out so we have kept his original birth cert and passport. It was traumatic dealing with Immigration – Sharron was in tears and I reaching the end of my patience barrel as we kept waiting in a queue for 4 hours on 2 days. The game of keep the white man waiting until his wallet opens went on and on. I had already paid off insiders to actually get the passports without waiting for a year, but the front office staff were hiding the passports waiting for their “gift”. We were not on our own as waited in a queue of approx 100 poor souls. The level of anger and frustration of the mob was intense. All processes are manual – no computerisation. A man rushes out with a few passports – reads the name to the mob – then rushes back inside while those who have had their names read walk over to a window waiting for their names to be called – again. If your name is called from the window you literally push inside to sign big books and give ID information. What was disgusting was the office was small - thirty people crowding the counter to sign big books. Well I heard Nicholas name called so I pushed inside to be greeted by aggressive, hard-nosed bureaucrats who demanded adoption papers and legal court documents to verify my legal guardianship. I refused to bribe. They hid his passport under a book but I saw it and grabbed it and stuck it under the nose of a soft looking man. His big signing book had run out of pages to put my name so he went off to rule up another big book. The doors behind me slammed shut and were bolted against the yelling of the crowd waiting who had their names called originally but were told to come back tomorrow!!! I refused to leave and eventually got Nicholas passport – but – where was Paulines? I saw them hide not only hers but about 100 other passports in the back office – we were told to come back another day. Sharron and I came back and went through the whole process again – but this time they refused to call Pauline’s name. I had had enough and got onto my lawyer and the insiders working for me. Suddenly at close time my agents found the insider who found her passport and we were called inside. Again the doors were bolted and yelling people were shunted off to another tomorrow. After signing three big books and dealing with a large unpleasant office lady I grabbed Pauline’s passport and said farewell to the nightmare – got a nice smile from the insider lurking in the background and my agents were happy men!!! Money counts – if you don’t have it – you wait a year!!! I asked a professional looking man in the queue why the process was manual and totally archaic? He told me that they have not changed the systems for up to 40 years – and the same people are still in the office – and they don’t know how to change it!! Imagine that – these office workers lived through the Idi Amin reign of terror!! Our holiday in August to LMburo was just what the mind and body needed. It was a surreal place where we walked among Zebra, Impala, warthogs, eland, eagles and buffalo. I challenged the kids to make a safari movie so they had turns with cameras and produced some great shows once we returned. We stayed in the lodge owners quarters set in the bush overlooking the park. There is nothing quite like walking among the animals early morning. The danger is minimal – the odd leopard or one lion do not usually come out during the day!!! Sharon had a relaxing time – we slept in large safari tents – dad and mum had the biggest with a huge double bed – luxury in the wild. LMburo lodge was built on a rocky hill top using local timbers and is very nice with amazing views. I have put up a few photos on the blog. A mighty storm has just blasted in while writing - torrential rain with powerful winds – Oh I feel for those in small shelters and the hundreds of tiny roadside shops – they will be destroyed in this. Storms here carry three times the punch of NZ storms – enough rain in 15 mins to flood Tauranga!! So I am going to turn the power off to this computer so we do not get hit by lightning. We are off to the bike shop this afternoon (Sunday 15th) to talk about the cheap tyres they sold us which lasted 4 months and have deteriorated completely!! October November 2013 Hi all supporters - wow time has flown - I'm not sure where - suddenly we surface and look back and think - "How blessed is the person who has made the Lord their trust and have not turned to the proud or to those who lapse into falsehood - Many Oh Lord are your wonders and thoughts toward us - who can compare with you!!" I am training my mind to stayed hinged on God and his thoughts towards me to prevent the sneaky negatives which can destroy a day and keep me distracted from what is really important. So much here can weigh heavy on my mind. People in our neighbourhood of Mutungo being physically removed from shanty homes and severely beaten because the local housing authorities want to build expensive houses for the rich, refugees from the north fleeing violence squatting in our neighbourhood without work and being harassed or jailed by police for simply being there, millions of young people (15 - 25) out of work, ridiculously high school fees putting people into poverty and mortgages, roads falling to pieces in our vicinity and health care non-existent or poorly resourced - New Zealanders get on your knees and give thanks daily for the simple treasures the NZ economy offers! We are just back from the burns ward (December 1) and we are always in a state of shell shock mixed with worship and praise. We found another ward filled with burns and acid attack victims waiting for plastic surgery or skin transplants - it was in a corridor lined with filthy beds. It was filled with unbelievable horror - which we ministered to with food, prayer and worship. There is something that happens in the middle of worship with those who are suffering which transforms the inner man. The Holy Spirit ministers in ways far beyond our comprehension and I saw the sad broken faces come alive with hope fired by something very powerful on the inside - thankyou Jesus for making yourself known to the inner person and renewing hope this morning. We then moved back to our normal ward and finished feeding everybody. An elderly but physically strong man had fought off attackers trying to invade his land but they managed to hold him while they poured petrol over him and set him a light - he was a fighter and loved Jesus - he held no anger and was deeply encouraged to fight for his healing. We purchased some mp3 players from the states so we gave a set to our Jackie - who was severely maimed by an acid attack - her ears survived but nothing else on her head so what ecstatic joy when the whole Hillsong and Jesus Culture libraries hit her heart at high volume - the burned arms with hand stumps reached for the clouds! She went home a few days later so great timing - see you in heaven Jackie and we will dance to Cornerstone or Jesus Culture! I have learned to look through Jesus eyes when staring at horror injuries and rotting flesh - I can see the spark of Jesus shining from the soul - Oh please challenge friends or neighbours to find this power before it is too late! We have several patients finding Jesus then and there - one lady carer submitted her life to Jesus care this morning. Great news - my oldest son Josiah has come to live with us until we return home next Sept/Oct approx. What a joy it is to have him here. He is helping out with homeschooling. He loves the culture and our neighbourhood. He has just driven off in my tank with Ken to go to a primary school ending party - this involves much loud disco reggae music, drums, traditional dance, certificates, graduations and long speeches. We all attended one yesterday because Pauline was in the dance troupe - wow - I am glad they had tarpaulin roofs - at 32 degrees it was challenging!! The atmosphere is very similar to our Marae culture in NZ - time stops and everybody is only concerned about celebrating the successes of the children - who cares about the length of the activities - we white skins find it hard to sit for 6-7 hours watching the celebrations. I get up and down making movies and throwing money into children's pockets - a custom to encourage the kids in their performance. They celebrated my presence because I was the only dad there!! Where are the fathers I asked? I did not get a clear answer - some said beer, working, don't know, gone to Sudan, dead or somewhere down!!! It is treated as a joke by them! Josiah comes to the burns ward with us - he is a cool guitar player so we are getting some worship and praise songs down mixed with a bit blues! He is doing some on line courses with Massey as well as challenging Nicholas and Pauline in their studies. I enrolled all of our kids with www.studyladder.com mixed with our own science, music (guitar and African drums) literacy, maths and history programs. They have a PE program which involves swimming and biking. I have also organised practical projects - they have just finished building a climbing gym and a huge a frame ladder with the help of strongman Ken! The idea is to transfer it to the neighbouring kids when we leave - hopefully they won't use it for firewood! Next project is to fix the swings at the local school - they were stolen out of the steel frame using bolt cutters. Even our tree tyre swings have vanished - that's the problem when you leave swings attached to trees which overhang our boundary wall!!! No big deal they did not cost much! The long saga of my friend Emmanuel and his rotten leg continues. I finally decided to put him into Corso and finance full leg surgery including bone and skin transplants. If you cannot afford major leg surgery you are crippled for life here in Uganda. Emmanuel has now been there for 7 weeks - I refused to allow him to go home 2 weeks ago because of the risk of infection - so I am paying to have him stay as long as possible to protect my investment in his leg and ensure he has a lifelong chance of walking properly. The manager of Corso is a friend I met through school. He was telling me the saddest problem they have is patients who have spent all their savings plus loans (people over the age of 16 have to pay) and then gone home (early because of the cost) to filth, bad water and new infections only to lose all the good work and their limbs. I am not having Emmanuel return home until is well enough to walk - the water supply there is infected with typhoid and his toilet facilities are shocking - I paid for his toilet but thieves have stolen the roof so that it has become quite dirty and slippery!!! So you can see why I want him to stay and be fed properly as well as have his dressings changed daily. I hit the roof the other day when I found out they were not giving him pain killers because he had to buy them - I am paying I said TO MANAGEMENT so go and get them!! Sharron and I had to encourage a physio program properly because the nurses were telling him to stay still - which explained the swelling in his leg!! My manager friend is doing a great job to improve the level of thinking and care. So we are a family of nine (Dad and mum, Josiah, Shama, Ken (adopted unofficially), Moses, Nicholas, Pauline and Dennis - we have finally caught the Gordons in numbers!! We are planning to return to NZ - all eight (or nine if Shama comes) - after the customary three year residency for full adoption is up for the boys in August 2014 (Pauline's is up earlier in January 2014) and we have arranged visas for them all including sponsorship for Ken. I am trying to get my second eldest - my daughter Shama out here next year for a taste of Africa while we are here. We have one of our long term sponsors and close friend Mary visiting in 3 weeks - she will be staying for 2 weeks so we have planned a bit of Safari for her and a visit to Kyazanga. Christmas is going to be a merry time with a full house - I have to remember where I stowed our fake plastic Christmas tree - children don't mind so long as there are plenty of lights - and presents - our presents will be very, very practical!! Today is extremely hot so we are resting inside watching some movies or playing table tennis, sketching, listening to music or making it (we have 4 guitars in the house and three African drums) and chilling out to a book. We cook the traditional beans on Sunday - keeps the kitchen labour input down!!! December 2013 Happy new year friends and supporters. As we move closer to our 4th year I want to thank you for staying in with us whether in prayer or financially. We are on an incredible journey and it is only possible because of your support. The month of December saw Sharron and I complete a torrid 17 week term of teaching - some strange anomaly in the British schooling system - but thanks be to God we finished on a healthy note. Jesus has blessed our mercy projects to the burns ward and individuals - if only you could see the joy on faces as bless those who have lost everything including their faces and large areas of skin. I have been buying mp3 players from the states to put on bandaged heads to help them endure the long hospital stay and sub standard conditions. They love Hillsong here!!! We had a visitor from Aussie/NZ - Mary Bright - who came and stayed 2 weeks. She had Christmas with us and then we took her to Kyazanga village to visit the orphanage. We managed to bless each girl with some new dresses, books and money for their own spending. Unfortunately the whole Kyazanga region is in the middle of a severe drought - again! Crops are failing and locals have resorted to collecting stream water - the wells have dried up forcing peasant farmers to use polluted river water. The water table has dropped below the well we had drilled a few years ago and that is serious! Sharron and I are trying to figure how we can help - ideas being floated are supporting a water truck from the lake and getting some large black water tanks connected to poor houses by spouting. When there is a brief downpour - which is rare - much of this water is lost. I would rather have water than power!! Last year we had our water turned off for 4 days and Oh what a hassle and stress - walking heavy jerry cans, buckets into the toilet, washing from basins and watching the vege garden disappear into dust is not very nice - imagine enduring that for a year and seeing your food sources dwindle into dust - our village at Kyazanga right now is very short of food. We blessed them financially over Christmas but this is only short term. Please pray for rain for that region. Mary gave into our family big time. She read with our children, taught, talked and encouraged us especially our children. Mary greatly enriched our family and has done for many years - God bless that lady in all her efforts to expand Gods kingdom. We went to burns ward with Mary on boxing day, thinking the ward would be nearly empty - they discharge as many patients as possible so nurses can have a break!! To our surprise the ward was full - mainly ladies and children. More acid attacks, electrical fires, and cooking accidents - children fall into large boiling pots of porridge or beans. We lost a 9 year old recently - we thought she had recovered from a terrible house fire but she finally succumbed 2 weeks ago - our Ken went to her funeral. All her siblings were killed as they couldn’t open the door - it was padlocked - horrifying ordeal!! The timber/brick buildings are often locked at night to stop burglars - and quite often the parents are out working - all a recipe for disaster. Candles catching mosquito nets or bedding are another problem in tiny houses with no windows and several people in one bedroom. Mary blessed us with some financial support from her friends which she delivered to us. We purchased some bandages and this resulted in a further donation from the bandage supplier. When you step out in faith a little you get quite a surprise from God - he blesses where there are no conditions!!! My friend Emmanuel who had the bone and skin transplant was discharged just before christmas. We have financed his CORSO operation and are paying this off over 2 months. He is a new man but it is a continual battle to keep his leg clean because of his living conditions. He lives in swamp area which is infested with typhoid and amoeba - we offered for him to live here in our tent for a while but he prefers to stay with his mum and family. So I am on top of him weekly to ensure 3 dressings a week and that he is washing and drinking with clean water - a real struggle! The hard part in Uganda is not the initial operation but the post op care in the village!! A large % of patients return to the hospital within a month because of filthy conditions at home. Josiah my son has fitted in well - he loves the outdoor living, cooking on a charcoal fire, eating fresh veges and fruit, biking and swimming and cooking lovely stir fry meals with a hot aspect!! Josiah is a very good writer and has strengths in literacy. He is helping Nicholas and Pauline develop their expressive writing and enlarge their vocabulary. Last week he taught them picture interpretation and brainstorming vocabulary for poetry use. Josiah has a very patient nature!! We have a science component, music, art, PE, numeracy and literacy on a daily basis. I am also developing a history course with the help of texts from Christian book shop in the states. This store also has an E reader with heaps of good books which are free and reasonably priced. Our homeschooling day begins a time in the bible - this generates some spelling words for sentence writing. The bible is such a rich text full of different genres and types of text. One or two verses can generate huge discussion around words and their meaning. Having the word first in the morning seems to settle souls and prepare them better for learning. Josiah and Ken lead these studies in the word. We camped at Lake Nabugabo with Mary. Josiah built fires and swam with the children. Dad and mum got involved in the frolics - Nabugabo is a beautiful place with giant tropical trees and heaps of bird life. The fishing is not so good - compared to kayak fishing in NZ!! The boys hired canoes and went fishing early in the morning but did not get a bite - even with fat worms wriggling on the hooks!! Our prayer and project needs are quite specific - protection against disease, armed thieves, road chaos and crazy drivers, wisdom for our own orphan children (now teens and becoming teens!!!), we continue to need help financing supplies into the burns ward on a continual basis, helping Kyazanga and that community which includes the orphanage in a time of drought and financing orphans into secondary schools - which is a looming problem! We have sponsored John - an orphan from kyazanga into UCU - a lovely university - he is beginning a 4 year engineering degree. There are no grants or student loans or student subsidies in Uganda - only scholarships for the top marks students. My friend Emmanuel’s sister finished her secondary year in the top 5% so she could apply for a uni scholarship - the chairman of the scholarship committee refused her application because she turned down his offer to sleep with her! That was the main Makerere uni in Kampala. The scholarships are given to board member children!!! Kenneth Caldwell our humble, delightful and energetic older 26 year old Ugandan boy is trying to get his passport so we can get a visa and sponsor him into New Zealand. This is proving difficult as he is bribed and has to pay for signatures but we believe all will be achieved so Ken can be a part of our family when we return to New Zealand. He will be an integral part of helping to keep our families Ugandan culture alive with his abilities in crafting and playing instruments unique to this culture. Kens dream is to be a gold medal winner in a marathon some day after his fellow Ugandan runner Kiprotich. Sharron and I took the family to the new Red Chilli Back packers Hideaway complex in Butabika just behind our house yesterday. They have a nice salt water swimming pool and cheap fries with a pool table upstairs. We had a refreshing time playing and relaxing - we need these times out together especially for Sharron and I.