Black Mamba's?! What about this boy?!

On this day Douglas and I went with Edreda to her project just a little north of Kampala in Wakiso. It's a school project that just got underway this year and has numerous children already registered. That's often how it starts here. Somebody sees a need and wants to help a few children with education, food, medical care, and support to their family. Then once that gets off the ground, families and children in the area begin to show up and ask to register. So without planning it you have started your own NGO. This project is called helping hands and Edreda began the work in this stunningly picturesque location if you look at the scenery. When you take a closer look at the lives of the people however, you see less of the beautiful scenery and more of the need.

We were walking along the paths of the land that the King sold to her for this project and again, as is the norm, Douglas was laughing at me because I was combing the bush with my eyes like an eagle watching for black mamba's. They seemed to not worry at all, Edreda was blazing the trail while I was content to pray for my life and launch myself into orbit at the slightest rustle in the grass.

Then the tables turned. We came out of the trees and saw this beautuful boy with his crown of horns looking at us. Edreda assumed my prayerful position and stopped in her tracks wanting to turn around and go the other way. I assumed the position of confidence and said, "oh finally something that brings me the comfort and safety of back home. Thank God, now we are fine." She thought I might be one of those matadors (I am) or one of those guys who run with the bulls in Pamplona Spain (Sunday stroll for an Albertan). Nothing like Alberta to strike confidence into the heart of a lady!

The place sits atop a hill and has a commanding view of the area all around.

The school is a two room post and beam structure with rough boards uded for horizontal siding. The floor as with all school projects is dirt and must have a layer of dry cow dung spread on it so that when the children sit on it they don't get the little bugs called 'jiggers' that burrow into the skin.

This little guy likes visitors. He will get a hold of your leg or your hand and just hang on as you walk around the school and the land


Edreda leads them in a greeting of me and the teacher (in the back) prepares to lead them in a song.




I'm proud of my photo taking skills for this one....Oh wait ....no, Douglas snapped this one! It reminds me of the types of situation photos Kevan Wilke snaps! A school project like this really benefits when somebody buys them a cow, a few chickens, and a goat. This school has the cow and goat. What they need now is to complete the proper latrine. Edreda had hired the guy to dig the pit and construct the shelter, but what she does is pay him in portions as the money comes in (usually when she puts it in). The 40 foot hole is ready for the structure to be paid for next. Any takers back home?



the view from the school.



The view in the school

Watch your step here, under those branches and bushes is the 40 foot hole ready for the latrine structure to be built overtop.



People make brincks all over Uganda and they are used for the construction of their homes and businesses as well as schools. These ones are dried and ready to be burned in order to be hardened.


This is a sad story. This little girl has some sort of swelling inside her head by water. It has impaired her mental and pysical growth. They are not sure what is wrong as the family cannot afford medical care.


She is pretty much confined to the blanket space for her area to exist and to play.


We met her family.



Then off on the trail to see the boundary of the roughly 10 acre property, and to definately NOT study the habitat of the mamba

-------------------------------

The next day we had re-scheduled to visit the last two prisons which were Luzira Women's prison for a service with about 80 women both sentenced and condemned. They were wonderful and could they ever sing, drum and dance!! This was followed by a visit to Murchison Bay prison and a service for about 100 sentenced and remand men.

We also presented the main Luzira Upper prison with 3 Bible Commentaries which have just been released and are in my opinion a fantastic commentary. It's the first commentary released and published with commentary by African Bible scholars. We gave one to the sentenced men (BOMA), one for the Condemned section, and one for the Prison staff.