Visiting Toro High School

Toro High School is a private school about 5 hours from Kampala City in Uganda. This school is specifically for orphans who would otherwise not be able to attend school or even have a place to live besides the streets. Idah and Henry own this school as a project of Parent Concern. This is only one of their many amazing contributions to Africa. The school offers completely free tuition and school supplies. Most children also live at the school where they receive meals and clothing. Unfortunately because of the high number of orphans who need to live at the school, the budget is getting really tight and the living quarters are getting more and more cramped! They are trying to raise money to build more housing so hopefully that will happen soon!

6 laptops were donated to the school for the teachers and children! They were very excited! However notice that the cord from the computer doesn’t have an outlet to connect to. They are working on getting electricity run to this room.

The students were so happy to see us and they greeted us with a wonderful performance. They even pulled us up to dance with them and it was so fun! We toured the school and learned about the future projects that are being planned. Unfortunately, we noticed quite a few sick girls confined to their beds. Because the living quarters are becoming so packed, it is easy for students to get sick. Also, not every student has a mosquito net and some girls even have HIV. It is so expensive to get medicine for each student and we were shocked and saddened to hear that a young girl died in the hospital while we were visiting.

To conclude our visit we played a tough game of soccer! It was so fun! I found the game slightly unfair seeing that these kids play soccer almost every day and I haven’t played in years!!! But we actually tied the game thanks to JJ!!







Jerome!!!

Medical Clinic Day!

We had a medical clinic day at Namyoya! We cleaned ears, treated minor wounds, provided medications and products, and of course made referrals to a doctor if necessary. It is so frustrating that in the U.S. we can easily treat a cut or minor injury; however in Africa a small cut will most likely not be treated and become infected and next thing you know you are losing a finger or toe. I wish I was exaggerating but I’m not because we saw some pretty awful things. We did the best we could and gave directions on how to prevent future infections but if only each of these people had shoes and socks and maybe some Neosporin life would be a lot easier. Also, I think that unfortunately some of the children didn’t understand why we were treating them and they became scared and only knew that we were hurting them! Darn Peroxide! Good thing we had candy!

I’m starting training so that I can learn how to carry bananas or just about anything on my head like the women!
Here is Harriet! (read Sunday at Namyoya Church) This was almost a week after I first met her and she looked soooo much better! She said that she saw a doctor and received medication which is making her feel much better! Please keep praying for her and her new baby!!!!!!!!!!
Ashley and I found our girls and they even had new dresses! We found out more about the family and we are still trying to get them registered for sponsorship. Hanifa is a single mother with two young daughters, Susan and Francis, and an infant son, Simon Peter. Please pray for this beautiful family!

OK so I love the fact that there are wild animals everywhere like chickens, goats, and cows... but imagine driving down the street and finding these! It's so amazing!!

Sunday at Namyoya Church!

Sunday was such a beautiful day! Pastor David leads such an amazing service that it made me cry! The service was about people who call themselves Christians but don't act like Jesus wants us to. It was a really good message. The songs are so beautiful and I am going to post a video! I know its not that clear but you can see how fun it is!
I couldn't believe how much people contribute to the money basket. The give so much when they have nothing! They act as a community and take care of each other even when a lot of people would declare every man for himself. It is so amazing the love that these people have for each other and for God. They are very inspiring.
After service the team decided that we were setting up shop because we were going to do something very special for the village. We washed the feet of over 200 people! We did this as a sign of respect and to show our gratitude for all of the love that these people have shown us. This ritual follows in the footsteps of Jesus who washed the feet of his disciples at the last supper. The people could not have been happier! I personally find it pretty funny that I get all the way to Africa and I am still doing pedicures! Is this some type of joke? lol I am glad that I was well prepared! It was such an honor to provide this service to such beautiful people.

Project Namyoya

Namyoya is a small village outside of Kampala, Uganda that Global Family Rescue is currently focusing on. These people have NOTHING! They are the poorest of the poor. For a very long time they had no access to clean water, medical care, education, or basic belongings such as clothing. Thank God we recently finished building 2 wells for this village, one on each side! They are so happy. We work in the village trying to get families sponsored so that they can receive money each month to possibly build a home and get food and clothing. Most people throughout Uganda don't even have a home and the wealthier people have what we would consider a shack. We are almost finished building the church and a house for Pastor David!! Next, we will be building a health clinic! One of the first things I noticed in this village was that there are a handful of adult women and a lot of small children but not really anything in between. This is because so many children don't make it to adulthood. Most women are also widows which makes life much harder than it already is. The main health problem in this village is Malaria, not HIV which is the more common problem throughout Africa. It costs about $15 to receive the medication to treat malaria and almost everyone will die before affording it. We try to get treatment for as many people as possible but it is very hard because there are so many people and they can catch it repeatedly and very easily.

Sunday I met a beautiful women named Harriet; she is 6 months pregnant and has malaria. Had we not spoken to her she and her baby could have died. We got together and raised enough money for Harriet to receive proper treatment for herself and her new baby for the rest of her pregnancy. We gave her a new outfit for her baby and prayed with her for a long time. She was so grateful!

The children love us so much it is overwhelming! When we first arrived they prepared a huge celebration and greeted us with song, dance and drums. The children literally fight each other to hold your hand and they WILL NOT let go! The women hug and kiss every one of us! You would not believe the gratitude they have for us, they care so much for us and would will do anything to show it. They prepared a meal for us which is such a big deal because its common for people not to eat for days here. The children love bubbles, stickers and candy! We always bring this stuff and we sing and play games with them all day.

We are known as Mzungu which really just means white person but it also automatically means we are educated and pretty much burn money for fun. Obviously this isn't true but in comparison to them we have so much and it is hard for them to understand the concept of money and just because we bring them candy doesn't mean we have an unlimited flow of cash. Mzungu isn't a negative thing its just what we are. It is so funny driving to the village because everyone sees us and just yells "mzungu! mzungu!" They look so shocked and they stare and wave and the children run after the bus! They are just so happy to even talk to us and it isn't uncommon for someone here to go their entire life without seeing a white person so imagine how weird we look! lol All in all, everyone here is sooo nice! Everyone takes care of each other and says hello where ever you go.

Pastor David's future home!

Namyoya Church! Its almost done and its so beautiful!

This little girl is so sweet! She always runs up to me and yells out "Sarah! Sarah!" because she likes to show me she can say my name!

They love bubbles!

This is the little girl that I fell in love with! We believe her name is Susan and she has 2 siblings. We are researching her family so that Ashley and I can start sponsoring them! This is the first day we met her and it was impossible to get her to smile; we think she might have malaria. The next day I brought her a doll that my precious little Haley gave to me to donate. She was so happy and she actually smiled and started talking! Thank you Haley! You really made a difference in her life! She has probably never had a doll before!

Silvia got to meet the family that she sponsors! It was so beautiful to see the difference she has made in all of their lives since she discovered them. They were so grateful!

Fun in London!

Yea so before we realized that we were going to be spending a whole lot of time in london, we went out for a couple of hours to see the sights!

haha I busted out of that phonebooth in style!

Big Ben!!

Meet my new boyfriend! haha

And then...the fun was over... and this is pretty much what we did for the next 2 days! ewe!