Northern Uganda Women and Children Support Initiative, Inc. (NUWOCSI)

Tegot-atoo hill and village

Well, mid-October finds me still waiting for my cargo that was shipped back in June. I’m told that it’s in Mombasa, Kenya; sitting on a vessel that’s waiting to unload. I think it’s been sitting in that port for 3 weeks now. I understand there’s a huge back-up in the port so who knows when it’ll get unloaded.

I’m just grateful my boxes made it to the right continent as the vessel I had first been told they were on docked in China weeks ago. This made me a little nervous…to say the least! I was wondering where in the world (literally) were my boxes.

Once unloaded in Mombasa, the shipment will go through some security checks and then should be sent to Kampala, Uganda where I can pick it up… but I’m prepared to go to Mombasa if need be. These boxes contain a lot of ministry supplies that I could be using now. I’m trying to stay patient!

I will be going to Kampala soon, if not to pick up my cargo at least to buy some needed supplies AND to look for a scooter. God provided the funds needed to make this purchase through the generous giving of a supporter and I want to say thank you to those friends. I know you have a great love and concern for the people here.

The ladies sewing training is going very well. I’m up to 45 women in training. As I wrote about in my last blog post, I broke up the ladies into two groups and this is working out well. They assigned themselves to either a Wednesday or Saturday class. I notice though that some women from my Saturday class will come to Wednesday’s training and vice versa. They know they won’t get individual training if it’s not their scheduled day but come with their sewing to just be part of the group and to get help from each other. They really seem to be enjoying these classes. Most spend all morning in the field farming and I’m sure by the afternoon they are hot and tired so I admire them for their committment.

Meet Agnes. Soon she'll be sewing better than the teacher!

There’s about 20 or 25 who will soon be ready to begin some real projects.  I now need to get some tables and chairs and get us off the ground. The projects we will start soon will have to be kept very clean and dry. Umm..maybe I should also get a canopy as the rains can come quickly.

Recently, a mother came to my Saturday class in tears, pleading for help for herself and children. This wasn’t the first time she had approached me so we arranged to meet with her and her family the next day.

This woman had an all too familiar story. Her husband abandoned the family and she was alone raising 4 children, ages 12 to 2 and a grandchild, age 7. Her daughter left her with the grandchild, Sarah, when Sarah was an infant. The woman breast-fed the baby, not knowing she, herself was HIV positive. Now, both the grandmother and the granddaughter are HIV positive. This woman also has cancer of the lips and requires an operation. The family has very little and is living in dire conditions.  The children are not in school because there just isn’t enough money.

While we visited we also shared the gospel with this woman. She once attended church but knew that she now wasn’t walking with the Lord and wasn’t sure if she had salvation. We talked with her and read some passages from the Bible, both in English and Acholi and prayed with her. Praise God, before we left she accepted Christ as her savior.

We will now work at getting the children into ECM’s child sponsorship program. Once a sponsor is found for a child, he or she will then be able to attend school, become eligible for the food program and receive medical care when needed. If you would like to know more about this program please visit www.ecmafrica.org.

October 9 was Independence Day in Uganda. I discovered that they celebrate pretty much like us Americans celebrate our independence, with a lot of good food and fireworks. It’s their most important holiday, next to Christmas. (I think we can say the same.) This year was their 49th anniversary. I and the other missionaries were invited to celebrate with the family of one of our ECM team members. It was a day of great food, dancing, games and meeting new friends.

Ohh..autumn in New England...can't say I'm missing it though because I know what comes next!

It’s apple season back in the States and I would love to have a bushel of Cortlands right now. It’s also papaya season here in Uganda and next to my New England apples it’s my favorite fruit. So although I’m missing the apples, the papaya is more than filling that craving.

Meet my "adopted" mama. She's as feisty as my mother.

As small and insignificant as this may be it’s just one more way God is providing and blessing me by filling the voids that were created when I left my home, family and friends to move to Uganda. As much as I miss my family… my friends… my church, the Lord has brought into my life so many more people to help fill those empty spaces in my heart. I’m so thankful for His love, mercy and grace.

I am also thankful for all of you, for your prayers and your generous support. Together, I think we can make a difference!