After sending teams for now the third time, we know that everyone would love to meet the people of America. Not just at a Welcome Celebration but in the homes. So Bill and Roberto set out with Aloysius and Francis to spend the day moving through sections of Buheesi. The first priority was to visit the homes of some of the students our donors have supported to pay tuition for the Secondary School and a student being supported through the post-Secondary School Scholarship Program. This meant putting the rental car through its paces in the dirt roads and sometimes dirt trails of the local area. When it became impassable, the team jumped out of the car and walked on foot.
The first stop was a supported student’s house way up in the hills amongst some of the most beautiful farm fields in Uganda. The fields had banana trees, onions, sweet potatoes, and coffee trees. Families own various plots of land and as the generations grow, the land is divided up. The place we visited had a man that was 100 years old and we met some of his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren in various huts along the trail. One of his grandchildren had prepared a speech for us pleading for continued, and even increased, financial support for the extended family. That was a common theme throughout the day. Ugandan families with 8-10 children in desperate need. It could break your heart.
The Buheesi villagers were anxious to express their appreciation for our support with gifts to the American visitors. So this is where we received the first of three live chickens, and some huge stalks of sugar cane. I wonder what Emirates will have to say about live chickens in our baggage.
As we continued our walkabout, we visited the first of two wells of the day. The importance of clean water cannot be overstated. Waterborne diseases are rampant and with the lack of nearby, and effective, medical treatment, can be deadly. As the word got out that the Americans were in the area villagers of every age were soon following us wherever we went. Which of course meant more stops in more huts. One must be polite after all.
We then made a stop at the home of one of the post-secondary school students supported by the scholarship program. Some of his siblings went to a primary school sponsored by a nearby church. The girls from the school gave us a choreographed singing and dance routine that was one of the cutest things ever. Also, another chicken was added to the makeshift coop in the car.
Our journey continued with a visit to the second newest well. Roberto was happy to work the well pump for those with containers for water. We continued to visit nearby huts, which meant more pleas for help. By the time we were ready to depart we had drawn quite a crowd. Which of course meant a group photo. Can you spot Bill?
The travelers then returned to the Secondary School. Enroute we stopped at the primary school to drop off some of the gifts that no normal person could eat in a year. It was also a chance to some fist bumping with the primary students. It was an opportunity for a late lunch and for us to talk with some of the school teachers and staff. Roberto got to meet one of the students he has supported for several years. This student graduated last year and is now is in Secondary School level 5 at a different school.
The last call of the day was a primary school in Fort Portal. In fact it was the school that Aloysius went to as a youth. We were able to talk with some of the primary students level 5 just before they left for the day. There were benches under a large tree that seemed set up just for those types of occasions. Aloysius exceled in his “teacher” element.
You can see how Bill spends many of his evenings hard at work creating these blogs. This latest blog finished hours before the team’s visit to the Primary School for another big Welcome Celebration.
wellspringofblessings.com 