Mortons In Uganda

Farewell to Friends

2011-08-23T20:45:00.008-06:00

Our last few days at New Hope were spent saying good-bye to our many friends. We have been so blessed to be a part of this community again. Catriona, Christina and John have connected in their own ways with different people and thoroughly love being here. Catriona and Christina spent Saturday mornings baking bread with the David family girls and have grown very attached to these girls. There were quiet tears on both sides as they said good-bye. John has had a fabulous summer living outdoors as much as possible exploring and playing with his friends. The pictures reflect just a few of the people we have come to love. As we leave there is no doubt that we all carry a little bit of Uganda in our hearts.

Visiting Zipporah

2011-08-23T20:05:00.005-06:00

One of our hopes this year was to see our first sponsor child again. Nagayi Zipporah had left New Hope by the time David visited the first time three years ago. Following quite a bit of searching he did manage to meet up with her. Last year we were able to find her quite easily in Wobulenzi where she was living with her husband and young son. This year we didn't manage to reach her by phone but went with her brother in the hopes she was living in the same place. She was very surprised and happy to see us and we had a visit in the courtyard outside her home. Everyone lives in close quarters so we had many interested onlookers as we visited with her. John kept a group of children entertained by taking pictures and videos and then showing them the results. We were thankful to be able to continue our connection with her.

Thanksgiving

2011-08-22T21:31:00.008-06:00

We returned to New Hope in time for a yearly celebration of Thanksgiving. Each year one Sunday is set aside as a Thanksgiving day to celebrate all that God is doing at New Hope and in the surrounding community. This year the leadership decided to pattern the day after the Old Testament feast of tabernacles and encouraged each family group and ministry to construct a booth in which they would share what God had done. Following a parade around the central circle in family groups we gathered in the church for worship. To highlight the diversity of people groups represented we sang praise songs in 12 different languages. People waved tree branches and danced and jumped in time to the music. The outpouring of joy was moving to witness. We heard testimonies of how God is working in various ministries and then we toured the various booths set up marvelling at the creativity and thoughtful expressions of God's goodness. It was a truly memorable last Sunday at New Hope.

Jinja Jaunt

2011-08-22T20:58:00.004-06:00

We decided to take a short trip down to Jinja a city in the eastern part of Uganda for a few days to see a little bit more of the country. We drove past large plantations of sugar cane and tea and also through a forested area which is in the news here because of plans to cut it down to extend the sugar plantations. Jinja is located on the shores of Lake Victoria near the source of the River Nile. We spent our first afternoon at Bujagali Falls. These falls will soon disappear when a new hydro-electric dam is constructed. The next day we went horseback riding along the banks of the Nile with some Ugandan guides. The view of the river and the Bujagali Falls was fantastic. We also provided some entertainment for a group of road workers who stopped to take pictures of us on their cell phones (tourism in reverse). We spent part of the afternoon on a boat trip seeing many different birds, some monkeys and monitor lizards. We finished the day at a restaurant that served wonderful milkshakes and my personal favourite a mango smoothie.

Jiggers

2011-08-09T06:08:00.005-06:00

Jiggers (chigoe flea) are little parasites that live in the soil and sand and like nothing better than burrowing head first into a warm blooded host. The female jigger starts off quite small (1 mm) but after it has burrowed inside its host it grows and grows its abdomen filling with eggs. Many villages in Africa are infested with them and if left untreated people are often unable to walk. The process of digging them out, hopefully with egg case intact, can be quite painful. Last year we were spared an encounter with these little critters but this year Christina ended up with a swollen bump on her little toe which turned out to be a jigger. She was quite brave having it dug out by Auntie Joy (pictured above) and we're watching carefully for infection. We're thankful for the clinic that helps many children and adults deal with jiggers before they cause serious harm.

Name Calling

2011-08-04T08:07:00.004-06:00

I've been thinking recently about all the different names I've been called. My personal favourite is "Auntie" which is said with a variety of inflections depending on what the speaker wants to convey. I love the milkman who greets me with a huge smile and "Hello, Auntie" as he passes me on his bicycle with a huge milk can strapped on the back. "Wasuze otyano Nnyabo" (Good morning Madam) is another one I hear frequently on my way to school in the morning. Often Ugandans like to try out their English and so I've heard "Hello, Sir" (oops) and almost always "How are you?" This week as we were walking in Kiwoko a group of children followed us up the road chanting "Bye-bye Mzungu." The funniest perhaps to our ears was "Bye America" said by another group of children. That of course could be interpreted in many ways but judging from the smiles and giggles it was meant in the best possible way.

Exodus 35:35

2011-08-03T07:18:00.005-06:00

Look up the passage and you'll understand why this verse is painted on the wall at the New Hope vocational institute. For children whose gifts are more practical the vocational institute offers a way to train them in a skill that they can use to support themselves and their families when they leave New Hope. We enjoyed watching a girl working on one of the looms to create a custom ordered piece of material. It was also interesting to see the tailoring class where students use old style treadle sewing machines (very useful in an area where power is so unreliable). Students from this class learn to make school uniforms which every child attending school must wear. The vocational school also trains students in carpentry, metal work and car repairs.

Touring Kiwoko Hospital

2011-08-02T10:32:00.005-06:00

We spent an interesting afternoon touring the local Kiwoko hospital with the mission team from England that is currently at New Hope. The hospital which is affiliated with the Church of Uganda has the motto "We treat, Jesus heals." Dr. Ian Clarke a northern Ireland doctor came to the Kiwoko district in 1988 after hearing about the plight of people in this region at his church. From the beginning the goal has been to provide quality care in Jesus' name. The hospital has been blessed by support raised in many countries and is well known throughout the country for its level of care and nursing training program. Meals are not provided to patients so there are small vendors and shops lining the road to the hospital where relatives of patients buy food for those in hospital. We toured several wards and were impressed by the facilities. They have a neonatal department with incubators for premature babies and an ultra-sound machine. While we were visiting the pediatric ward a woman asked us to pray for her child. The two year old boy had been operated on at another hospital for swelling on the brain. He had appeared to be doing better and the mother had returned home to Kampala. Sadly a fever developed and the swelling returned and he has now be admitted to Kiwoko. Our hearts went out to this mother, who is seven months pregnant, as she sat on the floor beside her son's iron cot. Her love and concern were heart rending.

A Ugandan Uncle Sandy

2011-07-29T07:24:00.005-06:00

One of the exciting developments at New Hope this year is the opening of a special needs class. As well as a daily class for eight children, the coordinator of the program and her team also go out into the surrounding community to educate and encourage families caring for special needs children. One can only imagine the challenges caring for these children in rural villages without running water etc. Often these children are hidden away and have few if any opportunities for education.

Kakande(pictured below) is a 35 year old man who was often robbed and abused living in a village. He now lives at New Hope and has been taught basic self-help skills and assists the special needs class by fetching water, sweeping etc. His broad smile is a familiar sight around New Hope and it is wonderful to see him having a home in a place where he is accepted and loved.

Catriona has been helping out in the special needs class and one of her favourites is Brian a little boy with spina bifida. "I think he's just like Uncle Sandy. He's friendly, really smart and can push himself really fast in his wheelchair." As many as you know my brother has spina bifida so it's exciting to see another little guy who is being helped to reach his potential. They are hoping to mainstream him into of the primary school classes next term. There are many more children in the community that could be reached if additional sponsors could be found. Praise God that these children and their families are being shown the love of Christ in such a tangible way.

Laundry Songster

2011-07-28T05:36:00.008-06:00

We are so blessed to have a wonderful lady named Alin working for us in our house. She comes to do our washing (all done by hand) and ironing (using a charcoal iron) and also makes fabulous beans. Alin is from the Congo and has come to live in Uganda to escape the violence in her homeland. She is fluent in Swahili and French and is learning to speak English and the local language here. We discovered yesterday that she is also a wonderful guitar player and songster. Her dream is to one day record her songs in a studio. She and Catriona enjoyed playing together this morning and then she treated us to a wonderful concert before lunch. Enjoy a little bit of this Swahili praise song. It would take too long to upload it all but we'll share it once we get back. We're sure you'll see the joy of the Lord radiating from her.

Maize Harvest

2011-07-27T05:16:00.004-06:00

On Tuesday morning the children in P3-P7 were out of classes in order to help with the maize harvest at the enterprise farm. Maize is harvested twice a year and the school children help to pick and husk the maize. Maize is ground into flour at a maize mill run by New Hope and is a staple food used for porridge and posho. For many children from the villages the meal they receive at school may be the only one of the day. The kids and I went to help and learned a little bit about what it means to be a farm worker here. The farm workers earn the equivalent of $1.50 for a days work. The labour provided by the school children not only teaches them the value of hard work but also helps to ensure that the harvest is gathered in.

Chicken Anyone?

2011-07-25T12:52:00.009-06:00

What does one do when presented with a chicken? We certainly couldn't take it home. Thankfully, unlike some Mzungu (white people) our children didn't have any qualms about eating it. In fact they were thoroughly excited about the idea! Dodo, one of the boys from David family, enthusiastically volunteered to slaughter it for us. "Shall I sharpen my knife?" So on Monday afternoon we gathered with other interested bystanders to watch the demise of our cock. Dodo is an expert. After beheading, soaking, plucking, dismembering and cleaning it he posed reluctantly for a picture. As a thank-you we let him keep the liver, heart and kidneys. After receiving much advice on cooking it we finally decided to boil it for a while and then cooked it up with tomatoes, onions, peppers and some herbs. Served over rice it was a memorable meal! Our kids certainly know where chicken comes from!

Visiting Sam

2011-07-25T12:00:00.012-06:00

On Sunday afternoon we were able to walk to the village where our sponsor child and his family live. We had visited his home last year so we were more prepared for the sights we encountered along the way. During the last election campaign the government widened the small track that we had travelled last year to Sam's house into a dirt road. (Politicians seem pretty predictable everywhere!) Although the road now allows for easier travel it was rather disturbing to see how it had been cut through stands of banana trees. With inflation at 14% and many food prices rising these rural Ugandans depend on the ability to grow their own food and so it was sad to see gardens and trees cleared in order to put this road through.

Sam lives with his mother, grandmother, aunt and eight siblings and cousins (it's difficult to be accurate because other family members come and go). Last year they lived in a thatched mud round house. Through the church at New Hope and some other help they now have a brick house with a sheet metal roof that provides them with more protection from the torrential rains which fall here. They are thrilled with this new house and welcomed us with joy into it. One of the girls from the David family came along to translate and we had a wonderful time sharing news and watching the excitement as we gave small gifts to them. We were treated to milky tea with about 3 tablespoons of sugar each and slices of bread. Such generosity when they have so little is truly humbling. Their final gift to us was a chicken caught and presented to David as a gesture of great thankfulness. As David began to pray before we left, the chicken sensing its doom didn't wait beyond the opening words "Heavenly Father . . ." to flee squawking from David's arms. Needless to say we all burst into laughter! The chicken was caught again and given to Keera our translator for safe keeping. We were so happy to have this time with Sam and his family again. Their trust and dependence on God is so evident. They have much to teach us.

'Tour de Kiwoko'

2011-07-23T02:49:00.004-06:00

We had our own version of the Tour de France here at New Hope yesterday. Students in the secondary school competed in a bicycle road race from the school to the village of Kiwoko and then back through a really rough local road to the school. They raced on local bikes which have no gears or brakes and are usually stopped by catapulting oneself off. It all made for a lot of excitement as we cheered the competitors on. Some of the boys in particular were incredibly fast and completed the course in under 45 minutes. We loved how the last riders back received just as enthusiastic a response as the first ones. As they say "Well done!" Enjoy the pictures!

On Being Thankful

2011-07-22T02:48:00.004-06:00

Last night as we joined our family group for devotions I was reminded once again of the importance of a thankful spirit. When did you last pray "Thank you God for my life"? I heard that prayer spoken with humbleness many times last evening and I thought how much we take for granted and how little we appreciate the simple gift of life.

A is for Africa

2011-07-19T06:09:00.005-06:00

Last year we made an alphabet book using an online program based on our time in Uganda. It was lots of fun to make and we enjoyed using it at home to share about our trip. We've been showing it to folks here as well and they're all amazed to see familiar sights and faces in a real book. The kids and I took it into P1 today. Our sponser child Sam is in that class so the whole class was so excited to see the page "S is for Sam." They did a wonderful rendition of the alphabet for us complete with claps and jumping jacks and did a great job learning our names and expressing appreciation. They are taught in their local tribal language but begin to learn the alphabet, simple vocabulary and counting skills in English. The class was truly a joy to be in with an enthusiastic teacher and lots of smiling happy children.

The Boda-Boda Taxi Service

2011-07-18T08:13:00.005-06:00

Many of you may have been wondering what David has been up to these days. As you can see from the picture he's been having fun using the local taxi service here in Uganda. "Boda-bodas" are a favourite mode of transport here and it's not uncommon to see whole families riding on one of these motor bikes. The name boda-boda originally referred to bicycle taxis but is now used for motor bikes as well. We've seen bodas with bed frames, huge bags of charcoal and according to one witness someone driving with three sheep! People often hire a boda for a quick trip to town and David has needed to do that for some of the work he's been doing in Kiwoko our closest village. It certainly makes a change from the 'C' train!

Bazaar

2011-07-16T08:33:00.005-06:00

Seems like every culture loves a 'garage sale.' Last week at church they announced that there would be a bazaar this Sat. in support of some of the youth outreach programs here at New Hope. Everyone was encouraged to donate items for the sale and we managed to find a few items that we didn't need or want anymore amongst our belongings. There was lots of excitement as folks gathered this afternoon to hunt for bargains. We decided against the live chickens that could be purchased for dinner but did come home with a fine pumpkin which tastes more like our squash. Catriona bought a soda (pop is a real treat here) for herself and a friend and John ended up with a teddy bear that had belonged to one of the other missionary kids. "One man's junk is another man's treasure."

Cassava and the 7 Times Table

2011-07-14T12:28:00.006-06:00

The headmaster of the primary school asked me to make a presentation to the lower primary school teachers about how to use real objects to teach math concepts. Although I was able to bring counters and number charts from home I realized that I had to come up with some practical and readily available materials that the teachers could access here. We decided that the children could make their own one hundred charts and I shared with the teachers today how pebbles or beans can be used to count and calculate basic mathematical operations. As I walked to the meeting I noticed that the cassava plants growing along the path all have seven leaves on a stem. The perfect illustration of the seven times table right outside the classroom door! The root of this fast growing plant is eaten with beans here. Simple supplies like pencils, pens and notebooks are always in short supply so the teachers were extremely grateful for the box of supplies I was able to bring from Bearspaw Christian School. The remedial teacher told me that she had been praying for whiteboard markers since the ones she had were drying up. She was thrilled to know that I'd come with a whole box of new ones.

"Hearts of Stone, Hearts of Flesh"

2011-07-14T11:48:00.004-06:00

I have been very aware over the last few days of the huge challenge faced in trying to reach children who have come from deprivation and abuse. A few of the children in the classes I'm working in are resistant to help or have just shut down (unwilling or unable to learn). I see them with heads on their desks or acting out in various ways and I realize that it will take many people all working together and dependent on God's leading to reach them. Auntie Jane who is one of the family parents here and also a remedial teacher has a wonderful gift for reaching into the hearts of these children. I am so thankful that I have her as a resource to explain the cultural reasons behind some of the behaviours I am seeing. Many of the children come from backgrounds where witchcraft is openly practised and others are suffering from abuse, neglect and the pain of losing parents from death or abandonment. Please pray that hard hearts will be softened by the power of the gospel and that those like Auntie Jane who have such a heart for these children will be given strength and wisdom to carry on.

Little Sam

2011-07-13T11:08:00.008-06:00

Some of you may remember a little baby named Sam who arrived at the New Hope baby house around the same time we did last year. He had been abandoned and was malnurished and sickly when he arrived. He quickly became a treasured son and by the time we left he was holding his head up and smiling. It brought tears to my eyes to see him again in Christina's arms today. The girls have been spending many of their afternoons taking the little ones from the baby house out to play. Some of these little ones will return to a parent or relative if suitable care can be provided and others will one day join one of the New Hope family groups. Two of the children in the David family we are associated with were part of the first baby house family. "God sets the lonely in families" Psalm 68:6

Thrilling Transport

2011-07-12T12:06:00.004-06:00

A familiar sight around New Hope is Auntie Constance and her red fire truck. Many vehicles in Uganda are rejects from Japan and Auntie Constance's fire truck is one of them. Who needs Calaway Park (amusement park in Calgary) when you can hitch a ride on the back of Auntie's fire truck. Driving at a fair clip over bumpy roads is enough excitement to keep any child happy for a while. Sadly Auntie is selling her truck for a more economical vehicle so our kids were eager to get some rides in before it goes.

School Is In!

2011-07-12T11:22:00.007-06:00

The second term of school has just begun here in Uganda and so I quickly became involved helping out in the primary school. Last year I was primarily involved in doing remedial math work with children who were in P5 (similiar to our Grade 4/5). This year the headmaster has asked me to work in the P4 classes so the children are slightly younger and have less English. Teachers at the primary school level teach subjects rather than a 'class' so the children have a teacher for Math, one for English, one for Science, one for Social Studies etc. I spent much of last week assessing children and creating small groups of children who have similiar needs. Most are eager to try something new, keen to participate and grateful for help. I'm thankful for the counters, number charts, white boards and markers that I brought as teaching aides. As well as being great motivators, these supplies are helping me make math concepts more concrete for children who struggle with the rote memorization favoured in the classroom here. Many of these children come to school from the surrounding villages and face incredible challenges which I can only begin to understand.
Last week also had me filling in as a substitute teacher for the P5 class. Thankfully another teacher on a mission team here helped out and we survived the experience. I now know quite a bit about the Ugandan postal service if anybody is interested. When I asked one boy how he thought I'd done he replied "Nobody has ever done it like that before!"

"We are all fine, thank you!"

2011-07-11T08:00:00.005-06:00

Greetings from Uganda! First of all our apologies for not getting our blog going sooner. As you can read in the children's blogs our journey taught us a good deal about patience and flexibility (lessons that will serve us well during our time here). After five days of travelling we finally made it to Uganda on July 1st and were thrilled to see so many of our friends again.
We spent the first week in a home on the primary school site and enjoyed sharing meals with a mission team from North Dakota at the guest house. 'Uncle Gary' who is heading up that team was the one who first introduced us to the work of New Hope. For those of you with genealogical interest, Gary's wife and my brother Rod's wife are sisters (got it!) It has been a delight to have fellowship with Gary not to mention it gave us an excuse to put the kettle on for a cup of tea.

On Saturday July 9th we moved over to a freshly painted house(courtesy of the mission team) on the secondary school site. Saturday was also market day in Kiwoko the closest village and David had his first Ugandan driving experience in a van kindly loaned to us. We managed the short journey safely avoiding people, bicycles, bodas etc. and came home with tomatoes, eggplant, sweet potatoes (different from our yams), irish potatoes, lemons and posho and beans. That combined with some items brought from home will make for some interesting meals!

We have been very aware of God's care and protection as we've travelled and settled into our work here. We would ask that you continue to pray for good health, safety and wisdom as we seek to live for the Lord here at New Hope.

David Family

2010-06-26T11:49:00.016-06:00

Last night (Fri.) at devotions we were humbled to hear expressions of thanks for our time here at New Hope. Tonight as we gathered over a shared meal of matoke (bananas), rice and beef (a special treat) we were reminded again of the wonderful feeling of family which flourishes here at New Hope. We have been welcomed with open arms and it will be very hard for all of us to leave the people we have been privileged to live among the last seven weeks. We hope you enjoy these pictures of our friends from the David family. We have so many stories to share but for now we'll let these photos to the talking.

Burial

2010-06-24T11:27:00.002-06:00

Yesterday (June 23rd) David and I attended a burial for the grandfather and uncle(father figure) of three of the children from 'David' family. We had been praying for this man at the David family devotions. K. (who is pictured here with David) has been so gracious to us; happy to show us what work we can do in the gardens and translating for us as we lead devotions. When he dropped by the house on Tues. to tell me of his uncle's passing I was struck by the depth of his faith. Several of the staff here travelled about 30 minutes away to where the burial took place at the family home. A large crowd of family and members of the community had gathered to eat together. A local pastor preached and then the body was wrapped in cloth, placed in a simple wooden coffin and then carried a few steps away and buried under coffee trees. I would ask that you remember these three young people in your prayers as they cope with yet another heartache.

On the Banks of the Nile

2010-06-22T08:15:00.007-06:00

The afternoon of our second day was spent on a boat cruise down the Victorian Nile. We saw many, many hippos cooling off in the water. The crocodiles sleep with open mouths to regulate their body temperature. I couldn't resist singing an old Pioneer Camp song to the kids.

Oh she sailed away
On a sunny, summer day
On the back of a crocodile
"You see," said she "it's as plain as plain can be
I'll ride him down the Nile"
The croc winked his eye as she waved them all good-bye
Wearing a happy smile
At the end of the ride,
The lady was inside
And the smile was on the crocodile!

On Safari

2010-06-20T00:59:00.009-06:00

After stopping for lunch in Masindi we took the longer route to Murchison Falls driving through the Budongo Forest Reserve. The reserve is the largest area of unexploited mahogany forest in East Africa with huge trees growing up to 60 m high. We then travelled along a rough road up the escarpment over-looking the rift valley with views over Lake Albert into the Republic of Congo. Part of this route was through sugar cane plantations and trucks loaded with sugar cane squeezed past us on the narrow track. Groups of children followed these trucks picking up the pieces that fell to the ground. We reached the ferry and then crossed the Nile to reach the Parra Safari Lodge where we were staying.
The next morning we went on an early morning game drive accompanied by our driver and a guide from the National Park Authority. We saw many many Ugandan kob, warthogs, African buffalo. We were also very excited to see many of my personal favourite the giraffe. Our most exciting sighting was definitely a lion. Persistence, our driver's willingness to risk the shocks on his van and David's eagle eyes all added up to us being 3 feet from a majestic animal. What a thrill!

Meeting Obama

2010-06-20T00:34:00.005-06:00

We left New Hope early on June 17th to travel to Murchison Falls National Park. We began our trip with a visit to the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Due to the civil unrest in the 1970's, rhinos were poached to extinction. In 2004 four white rhinos were reintroduced to Uganda from Kenya to begin a breeding program. In 2009 the sanctuary welcomed the first rhino calf born in Uganda in at least 28 years. Our guide clearly expected us to be most impressed that this calf was named "OBAMA!

Visiting S.

2010-06-14T12:12:00.007-06:00

On Sat. afternoon we walked into the bush with our sponsor child's mother to visit him at his home. As we walked along K. our interpreter from the David family chatted away effortlessly in Lugandan and English. Along the way we saw many little huts and answered the call of "Muzungu" (white man) from little children with waves of our hands. When we arrived at S's home we were greeted with welcoming hugs from all the family. We were invited into the hut and David and I were given seats of honour on two plastic garden chairs. Everyone else including S's grandmother sat at our feet on woven mats. They were overjoyed to have us. S's Mom had tears in her eyes and thanked us over and over again. We got a great kick out of Grandma who laughed and laughed when we handed out toothbrushes as gifts. She pointed to the one remaining tooth in the front of her mouth and shook her head as much as to say "What in earth do I need this for?" As David had noted on his previous visit the home was beautifully kept. Cooking is all done under a thatched shelter and I can only imagine how hard that must be when the rain comes pouring down as it has done so often during our time here. A local pastor has lent them some land for a garden and they are working hard to clear it and use it for growing maize, sweet potatoes and beans. What a lesson in courage and trust.

Making Friends

2010-06-12T13:10:00.006-06:00

One of the things we have discovered is that children have an amazing ability to make friends even when they don't share the same language. This morning John had a marvelous time playing with a group of children who came by our house. They couldn't speak English and John couldn't speak Lugandan but they could all laugh and that seemed to be all that mattered.

8 X 7 = 56

2010-06-11T11:27:00.006-06:00

I'm continuing to help out at the school teaching math to small groups of children. The children in the early grades are taught in Lugandan. By P5 they are taught primarily in English. It's rewarding to work with these children because for the most part they're eager to learn. I never thought multiplication tables could be so much fun. Last Sat I had quite a few children drop by our house for extra help. One boy I'm working with comes to school at 6:00 a.m. to do his homework because it's too dark in the evenings and his grandfather can't afford money for a lantern. The classrooms have few supplies beyond textbooks and exercise books. Some manipulatives for teaching math have been donated to the school but the teachers will need to be trained on how to use them. When we travel outside of New Hope we see many, many children who are obviously not in school. While education is in theory universal in Uganda it is not feasible to make it compulsory and so many children fall through the cracks.

Computer Bugs

2010-06-09T12:21:00.004-06:00

You think you've got computer problems! When C. (one of the missionaries) turns on his laptop cockroaches crawl out. Gives a whole new meaning to the term computer bug. We have been amazed however, by how 'beautiful' some of these 'creepy-crawlies' are.

Thoughts

2010-06-06T10:20:00.005-06:00

I have become increasingly aware after a few weeks here of how difficult it is to protray what life is like for the majority of people living in Uganda. As I have travelled back and forth to Kampala on shopping trips I have been struck by the conditions that most people in the country live in. Just outside the gates of New Hope stands this dwelling which is home to the children in the picture. There is so much need and how thankful we are that the children living at New Hope have food, housing, education and the opportunity to hear of the fatherhood of God.

Chronological Bibles

2010-06-05T04:57:00.003-06:00

How exciting it is for us to see people reading their Bibles with enthusiasm! New Hope has just launched a program based on reading through the Bible in chronological order. Everyday between 10:30-11:00 a.m. everything stops and everyone on site be they adult or child reads the passage assigned for the day. The smaller children at the school gather outside under the trees and are told Bible stories. Seeing the commitment to place God's word at the centre of their lives has been a wonderful blessing to us.

"Good morning class"

2010-05-28T12:08:00.004-06:00

School started again this week and I've been helping in the P5 class for a few hours in the morning. The majority of the students at the school are from villages around New Hope which provides a wonderful opening to share the gospel with children from the wider community. Children walk as much as 8 km each way to come to school. Sickness, family emergencies etc. will often interrupt education and so several children in the P5 class need some extra help. It has been a pleasure working with small groups of children on their math skills. I taught them some songs to help them remember their multiplication facts which brought gales of laughter from the children and the teachers. The children in the picture were thrilled to be able to use white boards and markers. "Thank you Auntie." "Can we use them again soon please Auntie?"

Helping Hands

2010-05-28T11:30:00.009-06:00

John has been keeping a diary during our time here and I loved this entry about 'Auntie's' buns. Auntie J. comes four days a week to help in the house. She is a fabulous bread maker and the smell of her freshly baked rolls is well worth the trip to Uganda! She sweeps, mops and does the dishes as well. I'm going to miss her when I get home. The money she earns helps her to pay school fees for her family of seven. She is a joy!

Everyday but Sunday is wash day in Uganda. Clothes are all washed by hand and most of the missionaries employ someone to do the laundry. I'm blessed to have J. who comes four days a week to wash and iron our clothes. She uses a charcoal iron to press the clothes. Looking smart is highly valued in Uganda. I was told that if you accidently splash someone while driving down the road you're obliged to give them money to buy a bar of soap.

Moving Day

2010-05-24T12:01:00.003-06:00

On Sat. we moved into one of the missionary houses here at New Hope. The house is adjacent to the ‘David’ family and we’re enjoying getting to know the children that belong to that family. Everyone here loves to greet newcomers and keeping all the names and faces straight is challenging. One little boy thought he’d be clever and kept telling me a different name every time I saw him. The missionary family who live in the house lend their books to the children so we had lots of children dropping by Sun. afternoon to exchange their books.

We went to the local market again on Saturday to buy the Ugandan staples of beans, rice and posho. I wasn’t quite so sure about the slab of meat that a man takes a whack at if you’d like a piece. It’s best to get that early in the day my friends tell me. I never thought I’d be so thankful for Wal-Mart and Superstore!

Ugandan Petals

2010-05-22T12:33:00.005-06:00

We have enjoyed seeing many beautiful flowers in our walks around the grounds of New Hope.

Happy Birthday John!

2010-05-21T12:30:00.002-06:00

We celebrated John’s 6th birthday under beautiful sunny skies here in Uganda. John had invited some of his new friends to his afternoon party and we had lots of fun playing games and opening presents under the shade of a big tree. John received a kaleidoscope as one of his presents and the Ugandan and missionary kids had fun trying it out. I made my first African pumpkin cake yesterday at one of the missionary’s homes and it was enjoyed down to the last crumb by the crowd that gathered to wish John happy birthday. We particularly enjoyed watching the little girl in the picture eat her piece.

Snakes and Telescopes

2010-05-18T22:51:00.001-06:00

(Monday) The primary and secondary schools are on a break just now but will start up next week. We’ve been trying to do some school work each morning. There is a nice big table in the guest house with room to spread out. This morning we had a couple of interruptions. The first was a cry of snake from the man working in the garden across from the guest house. He found a puff adder while cutting grass with a hand tool and quickly dispensed with it. It’s good to know that no one has ever been seriously bitten here but it was an important lesson to be on guard. You can add snakes to your prayer list for the Mortons. Our second distraction was a large telescope being put together (the generous gift of an Irish doctor visiting here). It will be exciting for the children here to be able to use it. It is dark by 7:30 and on a clear night the stars are incredible.

“You are welcome”

2010-05-18T22:45:00.004-06:00

We were delighted to visit the ‘Jonathan Family’ for devotions and a meal Sunday evening. It was moving to hear these 16 boys and girls aged 6-20 share what they were thankful to God for. The children at New Hope are ‘adopted’ into family units with new mother and father figures. Adults are referred to as ‘Auntie’ and ‘Uncle.’ When you meet someone your hand is shaken, clasped and shaken again and you are told “You are welcome.” The children in these family groups work very hard digging in the family garden, fetching water and cooking meals. We were treated to a traditional family meal of beans, collards, rice, pineapple and posho (more about that another day). Our girls had a wonderful time teaching the girls clapping rhymes while John and I enjoyed playing hide and seek with D. The pictures show various children from the Jonathan family.

Kasana Community Church

2010-05-18T22:40:00.002-06:00

Kasana Community Church meets in a covered shelter on the primary school site here at New Hope. We were glad for the corrugated iron when the skies opened up part way through the service. Pastor P., who came to New Hope from very difficult circumstances at age 11, preached on the second chapter of Acts. The words of Gal 3:28 “We are all one in Christ Jesus” came true for us yesterday as we worshipped with these Ugandan believers. Over lunch we heard about the work Pastor P. is doing in the village church he planted. He has also founded a Pastoral Training Institute where he trains village pastors to study and apply the Bible. He was telling us that many of these pastors need basic literacy training in order to just be able to read the Bible to their people. Please remember him and his wife in your prayers as they carry out this vital work.

Market Day

2010-05-15T13:44:00.005-06:00

Saturday is market day in Kiwoko a town just down the road from New Hope. I went there with A. one of the missionaries here. The main road was lined on both sides with people selling various vegetables, fruit, dried fish, cloth, clothes etc. At one spot a lady was selling spices alongside bunches of small onions similar to shallots. A. is pictured here sorting through clothes to find items for her own two children. For 2000 Ugandan shillings ($1 Cdn.) she was also able to buy 4 papayas which seemed like a pretty good deal to me. Produce varies depending on the season. We’re looking forward to enjoying mangos in a few weeks. The bananas that grow locally in the gardens here are quite small with thinner skin and a wonderfully sweet taste. We’ve been enjoying them for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Surrounding the market were lanes leading to dwellings made of various make-shift materials. We met one of the women who work at New Hope here. She walks to work each day, washes laundry all day by hand and then heads back at night to care for her own family at night. The money she earns at New Hope makes it possible for her to send her children to school.

Baby House

2010-05-15T03:53:00.002-06:00

Yesterday I spent the afternoon at the baby house. At present they are caring for six babies and toddlers. The latest addition is a seven month old who arrived three days ago. He had spent the last two weeks at a police station in Luwero and the staff here suspects that he has Aids. The police were desperate to find somewhere for him since they had no formula or proper facilities to care for him. Situations like this are all too common here and New Hope is working hard to raise funds to complete a bigger building that will house more babies. As soon as we walked in the children put out their arms to be picked up. Little M. who I’m holding in the picture was very solemn at first but warmed up when I began singing and doing fingerplays with her. Her squeals of joy at “round and round the garden, like a teddy bear” were delightful. The lady running the baby house is so busy it’s wonderful to be able to help out.

We're here!

2010-05-13T19:56:00.005-06:00

As the saying goes ‘what a difference a day makes.’ The first photo was snapped at home a couple of days before leaving. The second picture shows our three with some of their new friends on the grounds of New Hope Uganda.

We flew to London Monday night and then headed for Uganda on Tuesday night. Stepping off the plane in Entebbe we were greeted by a wave of heat and a couple of the missionaries here at New Hope. On the same flight was a team from Utah who are here for two weeks. Our luggage was loaded onto the back of a truck and we climbed aboard a van to begin an exciting ride through the streets of Entebbe and Kampala on route to New Hope. Vans, taxis, bicycles and bodas (motor-bikes) all jockey for position with horns blaring and people dodging out of the way. The round-abouts were particularly exciting( something a-kin to being thrown into a blender.) Along the roadside small shacks line the route selling everything from bricks to bananas. The final stage of the journey was in a more rural area lush with vegetation. Small huts along the way house families who can be seen cultivating gardens, washing clothes or just chatting. We bumped our way along a dirt road to reach New Hope Uganda around 2:30 local time on Wednesday.

Within ten minutes of arriving our kids were off exploring with some other missionary children. Christina is pictured here with a boy who was abandoned as a baby and is now in the process of being adopted by a missionary family. We settled into the guest house which will be home for our first weeks here. During the first evening we were taken on a tour of the primary site and then had dinner at the home of another of the missionary families. Before falling to sleep at their table or on their couch we got back for an early tuck-in and we all slept quite soundly. Today (Thursday) we joined the Utah team on a tour of the secondary school and the enterprise farm.

All in all – we have received a very warm welcome. Thank-you all for your prayers for our safe travels and we are thankful to God for the opportunity to be here.