Week of Jul 26, 2010
Night of the Toads
If you recall from our last web site update.....I had heroically travelled to Wycliffe’s village to check up on the many farmers we were trying to love in this drought ridden area of Uganda. On this trip I discovered that their fresh water situation (which I described as a mud puddle) was probably the main cause of all their disease and livestock deaths. The villagers, because of a lack of an alternative, were being forced to share this water hole with their cattle which was causing unsanitary conditions to say the least.
Well, thanks to 5 loving Canadians the amount of $8700 was raised to hire a local company from Kampala (whose business name also happens to be HIPPO) who did an incredible job first surveying the area for the best possible water source, then drilling some 150 meters and then casting a iron hand pump. This well will service some 400 locals and their livestock for years to come.
On this trip to Uganda I was joined by my buddy Dave from Australia who made the 3.5 hour journey to the border of Kenya with me to watch and film the well being drilled. When we arrived the drilling had already commenced and had attracted about 150 Ugandans who greeted us with singing and clapping as their prayers for fresh water were being answered right before their eyes. It was deafening as the carbide drill head slammed into the granite shelf causing tiny fragments to rain down on all us onlookers ...trust me...it was better than T.V.
We hung around with all the children and moms and farmers as the drill eventually hit water....expected by everyone.....because that’s what a drill does....but to the few who know....it was never a guarantee. You could spend a lot of money and come up with a nice dry whole. But Jesus blessed us as he was creating the world with a giant pocket of water to make this miracle complete.
As the hot African sun was setting we passed out toothbrushes from our Dentist friends and stuffed toys, many of which were hand made with love by some of my mom’s knitting buddies which really made the whole day and experience.....perfect. Little did we know what was about to transpire...
Now because of the long journey we were aware that we would probably be spending the night in this village...sleeping in a mud hut and we came prepared armed with our mosquito nets, blankets, pillows, mattresses, hand sanitizer and laptops....ready to face anything the Ugandan night could throw at us...boy were we naive.
The evening started innocently enough with an amazing campfire under an African starlit sky where we just sat around with some new friends, fumbling with our obvious language barrier. And being the great campers that we both are, we had already prepared our sleeping arrangements in a mud hut before it had gotten too dark. Now apparently this mud hut was Wycliffes’ old house that his mom had converted into a storage hut for all her cooking needs.....hmmm this should have been our first clue of what lay in store for our two brave Jedi warriors.
We tucked ourselves in...and I mean tucked...we made sure our net which we had hung from the rafters was securely snugged under our mattresses thus creating an impenetrable barrier between us and the cockroach world which we were sure lingered just outside the reaches of the beams of our trusty light sabres. We said our goodnights, turned off the flashlights .....and were greeted by a wall of blackness. It was eerie to say the least. It was so dark...in a dank mud hut with no open windows or doors that it was almost shocking. It reminded me of the time I was visiting the Mammoth Caves in Kentucky, where at one point our guide turned off all the lights and you couldn’t even make out your hand in front of your face. In the total darkness of that space your mind can play tricks on you but what we were about to experience was no game of the mind.
I’m not sure how much time had passed....it could have been minutes or possibly hours...but in the total blackness....all of a sudden.....are you ready for this?....pots and dishes started flying off the shelves. The rats had come undoubtedly for their nightly feeding. Remember we were sleeping in a store house which is probably better translated....rats den....synonymous in Africa. With our light sabres extinguishing the night we scoured our surroundings for any uninvited guests....but they seemingly eluded our glances....although when you turn a flashlight on inside a mosquito net all you see is a mosquito net, not anything past it....which was probably a good thing because if we had seen a pack or gaggle or flock of rats the silence of the African night may have been shattered by the squealings of two little frightened school girls.....us.
We made sure our force field like mosquito net was secure by tucking and re-tucking it under our mattresses and tried to doze off but it was nearly impossible as our minds were running wild with thoughts of little fury enemies at our gates. But then it happened....I felt a cat run over my body.....wait a minute....Wycliffe doesn’t have a cat....I really wished he did. The night went on with intense paranoia. In the darkness all our senses were heightened making it impossible for us to sleep. Well impossible for us, Wycliffe on the other hand who was residing in another room in our dungeon of despair seemed to be doing quite well babbling in his sleep in some unknown tongue which was probably giving instructions to the rats to eat the white guys first....like I said intense paranoia.
When the rooster finally crowed and we saw glimmers of light cascading through the cracks in our roof, windows and door...we felt relief....it was over... or was it? Something seemed to be wrong. Our net was moving...like it was under control by a sick puppeteer and we were caught in his cruel play. I turned on my light....and to my horror....could make out toads trying to climb our net and get inside probably to devour us....intense paranoia. I had had enough. What was this? The biblical plagues of Moses? I had to escape, if it meant leaving my Aussie buddy alone to fend for himself...so be it...for all I knew he probably had not survived the night. I bolted to my feet....put on my Nikes only to feel something squirming under my arch....cockroach....rat....giraffe....no a big juicy toad.....perfect. I thought to myself....Who am I....Job? Fumbling into the morning air (with only one shoe on) I felt relief...the worst night of my life was over...or was my personal nightmare just beginning.
Fleas, body mites - something had gotten to me. My body became inflamed with hundreds of tiny bites. Although...my friend Dave seemed to side step this last land mine....it would be my personal hell. For the next 24 hours I was in agony with a local limburger smelling lotion smeared all over my body trying to kill whatever was ravaging me. I’m not saying I was desperate but I did sleep with a dog’s flea collar on for the first night back in Kampala... just covering all the bases.
The good news is that the well is working wonderfully and everyone in the village is so thankful. The bad news is I have grown a fondness to milk bone doggy bisquits. And if anyone says to you...”Hey, I’ve got a good idea...why don’t we go to Africa and sleep in a mud hut.” Run! And if someone tucks you in at night and says “Nighty Night don’t let the bed bugs bite” - go sleep in the car.
Make sure you watch the movie of the well drilling and check out our picture page of the hut we slept in.
80 Houses and a New School
When we look back at the last year it dawns on us.....we’ve been busy. Although running HIPPO from Canada has it’s challenges, it has forced our Ugandan friends to take charge of our many projects if they are to succeed.
Our new school for Grades 4, 5 and 6 and soon, coming this February, Grade 7, is finally finished with the building of our new cooking station and a fresh water tower and tank which were completed on this trip. This successfully divides our two Kampala school sites, HIPPO Primary and HIPPO Senior, into two distinct care centres. This gives more space for the children to play at lunch and recess and eliminates the fifteen minute trek our senior school had to make twice daily for breakfast and lunch giving more time for playing and schooling.
We have also just completed our 80th house which in reality gets single moms and their children off the streets, into a safe warm place that she owns and can never be chased from by crooked landlords. Any small money she can raise can now finally go towards food and clothing and not the downward spiral of rent payments.
Our world is full of poverty, so many poor, so many needy. We are now in our 4th year working in Uganda and over this time we have been inundated with theories and opinions and documentaries on poverty and what should be done. My favourite theory by far was suggested by a Jewish carpenter 2000 years ago - “LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR”. Could it be that simple? That all those that bear his name would just grasp that concept, that loving, caring and sharing is what this poverty stricken world needs? What would this world look like if we sought out and loved the least of these with all our hearts and resources. I suspect and believe this could be a wonderful place.
Click on the youtube link to see the water tank and tower going in to the new school and the students first meal at their new school.
Clowning Around
On Tims last full day at the school before coming back to Canada, he decided to have a fun day for the students and staff. A few years ago, Tim met Brian, a young Ugandan with a big heart who started his own charity doing variety shows and raising funds for children with cancer. Brian and his troupe came to the school and wowed the children and teachers with a magic show, puppets, a dancing lion, the limbo and other games. The teachers were just as thrilled as the kids, and took the competitions seriously as you’ll see in the video when one teacher beats a student at musical chairs sending him onto the ground!
You’ll notice our two volunteers, Tyler and Calvin, recent grads from Bethel College in Indiana. They had just arrived that week and had a great time that day playing with the kids and getting to know the staff. Calvin is the one with the longer curly hair and when the kids first saw him come into the school compound with Tim, many of the children asked “Uncle Tim, have you brought Jesus?” He does look a lot like the pictures of Jesus they have seen in the schools bible story books. Tim cleverly answered “I did bring Jesus, but this isn’t him.”
Calvin is teaching religious education, Tyler is teaching arts and crafts and has started a special art program for several children who excel in art and wanted to do more. The guys are also busy with administration, teaching physical education, going into the houses of the students to follow up on living conditions and other needs, identifying children for kindergarten for the new school year starting which starts in February, spending one on one time with weaker students, organizing our resources and many other things. They have also had to step in and take over several classes when teachers were sick. We are thrilled and grateful to have them there for such a long time. It isn’t easy to live there long term and we admire their dedication to helping the poor and making a difference with great personal sacrifice.
Click on the youtube link to watch the video of the fun day!