Hitting the U.S. ground running!

It's been a little over a month since Kyle's return from his three weeks in Uganda and the momentum gained from the time there has launched OJM into exciting new developments as an organization. It became very obvious that the level of activity was now requiring full-time attention and support. Therefore, the board decided to hire Kyle full-time (he's currently part-time) so that we can stay on top of the project development work and begin broadening our donor base. At the same time, we realized it would be necessary to have a more consistent presence on the ground in Uganda so the offer was also extended to Paul Seruwagi, our Uganda Country Director, to also move to full-time. Thankfully, he as accepted the position and is preparing to begin on December 1, 2009. Kyle will begin Nov. 1, 2009. We are so excited to see the fruits of this major commitment to the work of OJM and its partner churches and we want to extend our most humble thanks to Jon and Mary Kay Borisch for their generous support of Orphan Justice Mission.

So what is all this activity requiring increased staff attention?

First, is the land purchase for the expansion of the Glory of Christ Primary School. In an effort to become sustainable, the school must start a farm and vocational program. The farm will both be used to educate the students and community on good farming practices as well as meet a portion of the food requirements for the school. Also, the school would like to expand its current curriculum to include a secondary school and vocational program. There is not enough land currently for all of these things to be added, plus they are preparing for permanent structures, which should be placed on legally obtained and verified land. The plot they are currently looking at is approximately 22 acres and is directly adjacent to the school's current plot. It is the gentle sloping side of a hill which holds a banana plantation and is good soil for farming. OJM is currently working with the GCCDI Board to collect all details and define all procedures needed to make the purchase. Depending on the final agreed upon price, other plots may be looked at. We are hoping to be able to move on land expansion by the end of 2009.

Another major project is the water project. Kyle, Ted, and Austin discovered a non-functioning bore hole pump in Ddwaniro town during their trip and thankfully were able to get it functional again. The water quality is poor, though. There was a spring well discovered about 3 miles from town, with better quality. So we are looking into partnering with the local community, local government, and other NGO's to put in a gravity feed system from the well. This system would pump water from the well up to a water tank atop a nearby hill. Pipe would then be run from the tank down to the village. This will be a major project and there are still many questions to be answered. At this point in time, we have water results back and have been holding meetings with local officials to determine feasibility. (Picture: Looking over the spring well with the Health Subcommittee and local officials.)

Apart from those major projects, we are working on a Secretarial Bureau business, completing the roof of the school/church, purchasing computers for school use and record keeping, purchasing basic medical supplies, and evangelism training, to name a few.

By the end of the year, we plan to have all projects posted on our website so that you can keep track of what's happening in each. It will be a great way to stay informed and to find out what to pray for or support financially.

Back in the States

My apologies for leaving everyone hanging. I have arrived safely home after a very successful trip. The last few days I was disconnected from the internet, as I had left the wireless modem with the people in Ddwaniro and then I was thrown headlong back into other responsibilities once I got back home. So here's the final recap:

I spent my last few days in Uganda meeting with Paul Seruwagi, our Uganda Country Director. We reviewed all the meeting notes from my time with the sub-committees and made a final prioritized list of all the projects that were suggested. My assignment was to return home and do a final write-up and proposal for our board of directors and our donors. It's exciting to see the road map for the next several years. We've had drafts of project proposals and development plans in the past, but they lacked strategic vision or a framework for sustainability. I think now, we have a better, more coordinated plan for all the projects. For example, a vehicle was proposed separately by several of the committees. We can now see how one vehicle could be shared by all committees, being managed by the GOC Development Initiative, and used to generate income as a taxi to at least pay for its own maintenance. I've been chipping away at this project list and will present it to Paul and the board shortly.

Concerning land and water, we left with those projects in motion but with much yet to be done. It will be a great test of the growing administrative capacity of the people on the ground to keep the projects moving. They will need to gather the information, coordinate the community, make deals--all without the mzungus (white folk). This is something they are fully capable of and I'm excited to see their progress. Of course, it's OJM's job to be a helpful, supportive partner and to nudge them forward. As we left it, the new well was being pumped so that the direction of the water source could be determined. We are also waiting on the results of the water testing. Also, the bore hole we fixed in the village was still operating and being used regularly when we left.

Concerning land acquisition, GCCDI has determined that more land is needed for expansion and for projects like the demonstration farm which will help sustain the school. They had identified land and given us an initial price, which seemed high. Thankfully, Paul knows everyone in Kampala and his Aunt is the Land Manager for the government. She graciously met with us and gave us great advice on how to proceed with the price negotiations and explained the legal process to us. It gave us a much better understanding of the whole process. GCCDI now knows the information they must collect to move forward and we're confident we can acquire land at a much more reasonable price.

I was sad to leave my friends, but I was glad to return home and see my family. We have much to do here in the States and I'm excited to get moving. OJM has a bright future. We are only a small part of this greater work of God and of the development community, but this trip reminded me that we can succeed. Children in Ddwaniro can have a hope and a future in Christ's name. All it takes is the Body of Christ working together under the leadership and direction of the Holy Spirit, being wise and putting their shoulder to the plow.

End of the week in Ddwaniro

It’s just after 4 p.m. here in Ddwaniro. We’ve had a typical day (meetings in the morning, visiting local home groups and churches in the afternoon). Our meeting this morning was an important one. The water engineer and the District Chief met us at 9 a.m. to look at a spring well the community told us about. It’s currently drought season and there’s almost no water. My teeth are gritty right now from the dust that blew into the car as we rode around today. So this natural spring well is a big deal. We are looking into possibilities of partnering with the community and local government to put in a submersible pump which will transfer water up to a tank and gravity feed water to the community. We originally were researching drilling a bore hole (well) near the school but found out there was a well right in town. Having not heard of it before, we asked to see it. They didn’t tell us about it because the pump was not functioning and they said the water was bad anyway. Being problem solving Americans, we disassembled the pump and after an hour of borrowing a bicycle mechanics tools and tinkering, we got water to come out. We felt like heroes. The water is very clear but probably hard. We’re getting it tested along with the other spring well tomorrow to make sure it’s safe. The functioning bore hole gives us some time to look into better solutions, like the gravity feed system.

We’re getting good at preaching. Pastor Geofrey has us out in the community every afternoon. We speak to the people and pray for them. We’re always given seats of honor and showered with gifts when we leave. Today, we received a live chicken, a basket of eggs, 6 bottled waters and about 8 avocados. Then, just before finally leaving, a bunch of bananas. These people are so hospitable and gracious, I can’t describe it. I’m embarrassed to think of any of them visiting the U.S. We don’t have a clue how to entertain guests.

This church we visited today was next to a huge lake called Lake Edward. They said we could go swimming and we took them up on it. So today, we swam in a massive lake surrounded by mountains in Africa. Too awesome to describe.

The work with Glory of Christ is going exceptionally well. Though there are plenty of challenges, the vision is being understood and embraced. I’m especially thankful for Pastor Geofrey who each day demonstrates true servanthood and leadership. The other day he was telling me that we must make sure that the money gets to the community and not to things like transportation costs for leaders. And concerning the overextension of the school’s budget (meaning teachers don’t get paid), after hearing the idea of reducing the number of children at the school, he said, “No, we must save these children. If they suffer, we suffer with them.” He’s a good guy.

This place is magical. They have much to teach us and my prayer is that we can help them meet their basic needs without removing an ounce of joy.

Saturday, we take the day off and are planning on a Boda Boda cruise. We’re renting motorcycles from locals and heading to Sango Bay. Can’t wait!

Thank you all for praying. It matters.

Great first week!

It’s just now become Saturday, July 25th, here in Uganda. What a week it’s been! Our trip is now a third of the way done and I’m glad to say the progress we’ve made in sharing the vision of our partnership and moving forward on our water project has been better than expected.

It’s always a joy to arrive at Glory of Christ Primary School. The kids see the car bumping down the “road,” scatter and start calling to their friends. The teachers begin appearing from their slat board, tin-roofed classrooms and warmly shake hands with you. Sometimes the kids even form a tunnel and clap as you walk up the hill. There wasn’t any tunnel this time, but the warmth and hospitality were high as usual. The children were all assembled and the headmaster welcomed us. We were treated to a special dance, which we were once again invited to join (Ted and Austin wussed out and just did chest bumps in the back). After the assembly, we toured the classrooms (overcrowded and under-resourced) and were impressed with how well the teachers were doing with what little they have.

Finally, we were given a chance to meet with the staff of the school. They presented on the progress of the school and informed us of various needs, which provided an opportunity to share the vision of OJM and our value of self-reliance. For the first time as a group, the teachers were able to hear our commitment to not increase their monthly support amount but to assist the school in establishing income/resource generating programs that will break the dependency the school currently has on Western funds. Afterwards, Pastor Geoffrey Mukisa thanked us for being so open with the staff.

On Wednesday were honored to participate with a home cell group (think small group). We worshiped under a tree in front of one of the homes in the village and Ted shared the gospel through a translator. There is something so electrifying about joining with brothers and sisters in Christ in worship and hearing the Word. It was a real joy to be a part of.

On Thursday morning, we had a board meeting scheduled for 8:30 am to 12:30 pm, where we would again share the vision of OJM and present a new project loan scheme, which we had been developing with Paul (OJM Uganda Country Director) and Pastor Geoffrey. It’s a way to maintain the Ugandan’s dignity by making loans for business development and rewarding repayment through a repayment matching donation scheme. Basically, as Glory of Christ Community Development Initiative collects on the loans, OJM will match the repayment amount with donations to the general fund. Over time the match ration diminishes until the community has reached it’s basic development goals. The leadership was very excited about the program and we hope to get started after a final discussion by the OJM Board.

Thursday afternoon we drove back to Kampala and took Nikki to the airport for her flight out at 10:40pm. Although the power at the airport failed two or three times, the plane was able to take off without a hitch. Nikki enjoyed her first trip to Africa, but was ready to see the girls.

Today, we had a very productive morning meeting with bore hole (well) drilling companies. We met with three different drillers and each one got a little bit better. We made great progress in determining which kind of well to drill and will be working with the GOCCDI Health Committee this upcoming week to make final decisions on who will be awarded the contract.

After we got the business portion of our day done, we grabbed a late lunch. For the first time, I got to see Paul laugh so hard he cried, thanks to Ted setting a record four near catastrophic events in 20 minutes. These included 1) kicking a begger’s change dish on the way to the restaurant (for which he apologized profusely and emptied his pockets of Uganda change into the dish as penitence), 2) smashing his head into wall-mounted television, 3) knocking over his chair at the table and 4) one other involving a trip to the restroom that I will not describe. It was quite the dining experience. We then took in a Ugandan soccer match where the Ugandan Cranes took on the 1994 World Cup Championship Team, Brazil. Uganda 4 - Brazil 1...I think.

Then we ran some errands, came back to Paul’s and prepared for heading back to Ddwaniro tomorrow morning. This will begin a two week living arrangement where we will stay in a rented house right in the village. I was planning on trying to cook for ourselves, but to Ted and Austin’s delight, the Lord had mercy on us and one of the board members who considers cooking and serving her ministry to the Lord will be preparing our dinners. We have so much to learn from these people and their hospitality.

Please pray for this upcoming week as we will be meeting with the various committees of Glory of Christ Community Development Initiative to continue training in project development. Pray that the water project continues to move forward smoothly. Also pray for safe travel and for protection against any illegal action (mainly thievery) as we stay in the village. As always, pray for the children, teachers, leaders, and community members of Ddwaniro, Uganda!

First Blog from Uganda!

Well, we made it! It was a long set of three flights to get from the midwest United States to Entebbe, Uganda, but we landed happy despite our travel fatigue. Our faithful friend Paul met us and took us directly to his home where we ate a late dinner and then hit the sack. Paul’s house was wonderful—a large clay brick home with tin sheet roofing, solid wood doors and glass windows. The house is still a work in progress as it is missing indoor running water, but it’s large with high ceilings and custom cement accents. Nikki commented that it shows Paul’s character in that it has taken nine years to get to its current state, showing foresight, discipline, and patience. The house also sits atop one of the hills outside Kampala and has a beautiful view of the valley.

Paul has a beautiful family and his wife, Topista (Topie), was an excellent host. As usual, there was more delicious food than we could eat at every meal, tea and snack. His children were kind and joys to be around. Devine (6 years) read whole passages out of Ted’s Bible; Samuel, the middle boy, reluctantly gave us hugs but was not feeling well. We found out this evening that he has malaria. Paul took him to the doctor where the diagnosis was made and he is now on medicine. Paul’s youngest, Siras, is a tank of a boy. He is comical in his thickness and his charm rivals his kilos. We brought stuffed animals for the kids to pick out and the one left for Siras was a moose. Upon seeing the appropriateness of this, we all agreed on his new nickname. Paul also has two girls staying with them who are orphans, a grace so common here, named Ruth and Josephine.

On Sunday, we enjoyed a church service at Glory of Christ - Kampala: four hours of song, dance, and praise. It was another reminder that we have a lot we can learn about worship.

This morning, we intended to meet up with the team from Lake Center Bible Church who is in Kampala for a few days. It’s always a little surreal when worlds collide (why am I seeing my friend Brian from Schoolcraft at Namirembe Guest House in Uganda?). The morning had gotten away from us so we were only able to greet each other for five minutes, but it was still nice to see and pray with them.

We had a fortuitous meeting with a man named Patrick who works with Heifer International. He is a family friend of Paul and advised him on some of OJM’s project work. We met with him today at his office to talk about potential partnerships, mainly concerning a milking cow project at the school.

From there we had a quick errand to run, which is funny because there is no such thing in Africa. We intended to zip by the Zain Cellphone office to pick up a wireless modem. Four hours and multiple trips to local computer stores later, we got a wireless modem and actually connected it (thus my ability to post this). I’m thankful to Paul for his patience and for the rest of the team who people watched from the taxi for 1/6th of their day.

Then we traveled to Kyotera and had great conversation over the 3 hour drive. We had a late snack and then went to our rooms. We’ll head to Ddwaniro tomorrow where we will see the school and begin our talks with the leaders of Glory of Christ Development Initiative. We hope for a wonderful day.

The Prairie Chapel Rakai Team Mtg - June 7, 2009

We are scheduled for a Rakai Team meeting at TPC the first Sunday in June (as usual) but we are adjusting the time due to going to one service in the summer. We will meet immediately following the service at 11:30am on June 7, 2009 in the teacher's lounge.

On the agenda for the meeting:

• Discuss Ch. 1 from A Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns
• Get an update on Glory of Christ Community Development Initiative
• Discuss re-combining NHF and TPC into one Rakai meeting
• Discuss Rakai Team leadership
• Talk about a prayer campaign for Rakai and the July trip

See you there!

Cancelled: New Hope Fellowship Rakai Team Mtg - May 31, 2009

This meeting has been cancelled due a team member illness. We will have a combined meeting June 7, with TPC's Rakai Team. See note above for details!

We will be holding a NHF Rakai Team meeting Sunday, May 31, 2009 at 12:00pm. We'll meet as usual at Big T's in Lawton.

On the agenda:

• Choose the next group book (A Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns?)
• Get an update on Glory of Christ Community Development Initiative
• Discuss re-combining NHF and TPC into one Rakai meeting
• Discuss Rakai Team leadership
• Talk about a prayer campaign for Rakai and the July trip

Hope to see you there!