Two weeks ago I was finally able to make it out to Mbale to visit with Moses and Andrew and to make the trip out to Bufukhula. Ostensibly, the trip was for training. We left Kampala on Wednesday afternoon arriving in Mbale by dinner time. Bruce, who runs the Go-Ed program, also went along on the trip as he was visiting two of his students who are doing their practicum there. It was so wonderful to see Moses and Andrew at work in the Mbale office (I had seen them a month ago here in Kampala) I even got to visit with Patrick, Livingstone and Molex when they came in from Makhai to do some work. It was really wonderful to be able to see where Angela spent so much of her time and to meet Vicki who holds a special place in Angela's heart.
Thursday was a full day of training. The bookkeepers from Kapchorwa, Kumi and Soroti came into Mbale to join Andrew so I could follow up with all the changes that have been made in the accounting system. The account codes have been changed, new codes have been added and new forms have been created, and this has thrown everyone for a loop. They are overwhelmed by the changes and seem to think that more has changed than actually has. So needless to say, there was a lot of training to be done! Then, as is the norm all through Uganda, the power went out. We came to a dead stop in our training. My only hope was that they understood enough to go back to their centres and complete the monthly reconciliations correctly. They didn't!
Friday morning dawned with much anticipation for me. I was finally going back to Bufukhula. I was nervous and excited all at the same time. We went first to the FHI office and met up with Andrew and Apollo! It was so good to see him. He still has only two children and is practicing family planning. We then made our way to the village proper. It has changed so much since May 2006. The school blocks are finished, painted with their respective Capilano Christian Community Block and Lynne Block, and full of children. The school has 730 students, 180 of them if grade 1! There is also a new teachers office, where we went and spoke with the new Head Master of Bufukhula Primary School. It was wonderful to hear him talk of the pride and ownership the parents have of the school. It isn't FHI's or even Cap Church's school, it is their school. The Head Master took us to each of the classrooms. There were so many familiar faces, although only a few children remembered me. Paul also joined us as we were visiting the Head Master. I was so happy to see him and be able to congratulate him on his wedding and pending fatherhood. He looked wonderful, although he was suffering from pneumonia.
When we finished touring the school, we went under the mango trees and met the health committee in charge of the new clinic. Both Samson and John Mukoli were there. And they both greeted me with Mwanguisi. I wanted to cry. It was so amazing to be welcomed back so warmly and remembered. It must be the same to them as I greeted them with rememberence of their names. The health committee took us first to the church so I could see the framed panorama photo of Cap Church placed in prominence near the altar at the front. Andrew joked that Cap Church was inside praying at that moment! We then went and toured the health clinic. Work is going on daily to get it completed, although currently, the grade 7 children are sleeping in the unfinished rooms so they are close to the school for extra teaching as they prepare to write their exams to get into secondary school.
The health committe and the Head Master toured us around the village. There are such big plans for the community. Behind the clinic is land set aside by the community to build a residence for doctors and nurses. Behind the Primary School is land set aside to build a secondary school and teacher's residence. The community has a very good chance of receiving the secondary school from the government. It is between Bufukhula and another nearby community; the government is leaning towards Bufukhula because of the work that they have been doing to improve their community. The spirit of improving the community extends beyond the role that FHI plays in the community. The trenches have already been dug for another four room school block and bricks have already been brought into the community. And the school block has yet to be put into the FH budget for 2008 and the next team to visit isn't until Cap comes next May.
The best part of the morning, however, was sitting with my three sponsor children, Ben, Ivan and Dianah. We waited until lunch and brought the children over to the mango trees so we could meet again and have a conversation. Dianah and Ivan were very shy, but Ben was all smiles. He even told his mom that I was coming and she made the 30 minute walk to the village to see me. This meant so much to me. Last year, she seemed awkward and overwhelmed by our presence at her home. However, this time, she was all smiles and we had a wonderful conversation. I hope to make many more visits over the next three years and get to know her a little more. Soon it was time to leave Bufukhula and head over to Moses' house for lunch. It wasn't as hard to leave this time as I know I can come back anytime and will be welcomed back with open arms.
Having lunch at Moses' house is always a treat. Grace was at work and could not join us, but Peter was there along with Grace's mother and Moses' sister. We left picked up Faith and Emmanuel from school so I could see them again then went back to the office in Mbale to wait for my ride back to Kamapala. Grace joined us there and it was wonderful to see her again. I am looking forward to the time that I will be able to go back to Mbale and have more time to visit with Grace and my friends in Bufukhula.
Thursday was a full day of training. The bookkeepers from Kapchorwa, Kumi and Soroti came into Mbale to join Andrew so I could follow up with all the changes that have been made in the accounting system. The account codes have been changed, new codes have been added and new forms have been created, and this has thrown everyone for a loop. They are overwhelmed by the changes and seem to think that more has changed than actually has. So needless to say, there was a lot of training to be done! Then, as is the norm all through Uganda, the power went out. We came to a dead stop in our training. My only hope was that they understood enough to go back to their centres and complete the monthly reconciliations correctly. They didn't!
Friday morning dawned with much anticipation for me. I was finally going back to Bufukhula. I was nervous and excited all at the same time. We went first to the FHI office and met up with Andrew and Apollo! It was so good to see him. He still has only two children and is practicing family planning. We then made our way to the village proper. It has changed so much since May 2006. The school blocks are finished, painted with their respective Capilano Christian Community Block and Lynne Block, and full of children. The school has 730 students, 180 of them if grade 1! There is also a new teachers office, where we went and spoke with the new Head Master of Bufukhula Primary School. It was wonderful to hear him talk of the pride and ownership the parents have of the school. It isn't FHI's or even Cap Church's school, it is their school. The Head Master took us to each of the classrooms. There were so many familiar faces, although only a few children remembered me. Paul also joined us as we were visiting the Head Master. I was so happy to see him and be able to congratulate him on his wedding and pending fatherhood. He looked wonderful, although he was suffering from pneumonia.
When we finished touring the school, we went under the mango trees and met the health committee in charge of the new clinic. Both Samson and John Mukoli were there. And they both greeted me with Mwanguisi. I wanted to cry. It was so amazing to be welcomed back so warmly and remembered. It must be the same to them as I greeted them with rememberence of their names. The health committee took us first to the church so I could see the framed panorama photo of Cap Church placed in prominence near the altar at the front. Andrew joked that Cap Church was inside praying at that moment! We then went and toured the health clinic. Work is going on daily to get it completed, although currently, the grade 7 children are sleeping in the unfinished rooms so they are close to the school for extra teaching as they prepare to write their exams to get into secondary school.
The health committe and the Head Master toured us around the village. There are such big plans for the community. Behind the clinic is land set aside by the community to build a residence for doctors and nurses. Behind the Primary School is land set aside to build a secondary school and teacher's residence. The community has a very good chance of receiving the secondary school from the government. It is between Bufukhula and another nearby community; the government is leaning towards Bufukhula because of the work that they have been doing to improve their community. The spirit of improving the community extends beyond the role that FHI plays in the community. The trenches have already been dug for another four room school block and bricks have already been brought into the community. And the school block has yet to be put into the FH budget for 2008 and the next team to visit isn't until Cap comes next May.
The best part of the morning, however, was sitting with my three sponsor children, Ben, Ivan and Dianah. We waited until lunch and brought the children over to the mango trees so we could meet again and have a conversation. Dianah and Ivan were very shy, but Ben was all smiles. He even told his mom that I was coming and she made the 30 minute walk to the village to see me. This meant so much to me. Last year, she seemed awkward and overwhelmed by our presence at her home. However, this time, she was all smiles and we had a wonderful conversation. I hope to make many more visits over the next three years and get to know her a little more. Soon it was time to leave Bufukhula and head over to Moses' house for lunch. It wasn't as hard to leave this time as I know I can come back anytime and will be welcomed back with open arms.
Having lunch at Moses' house is always a treat. Grace was at work and could not join us, but Peter was there along with Grace's mother and Moses' sister. We left picked up Faith and Emmanuel from school so I could see them again then went back to the office in Mbale to wait for my ride back to Kamapala. Grace joined us there and it was wonderful to see her again. I am looking forward to the time that I will be able to go back to Mbale and have more time to visit with Grace and my friends in Bufukhula.
1 comment:
I love how you describe things. It's like I'm right there. :D
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