Friday, June 19, 2009

3 libraries completed in Mbale

Message to Paul Ortega from Pastor Wilberforce Okumu in Mbale, Uganda:

The three Libraries were all commissioned today. The invited guests went over to Namakwekwe, then to Mbale High and finally to Wambwa where the main opening ceremony was held. In the evening the team played soccer with Mbale SS and at 7:00 pm the group has an interactive meeting with school administrators, teachers and librarians of all the six schools with libraries in Mbale. It was a great time. I am sure Trudy will write to you about it.

T
he feeling of joy at the completed work can not be expressed and we have to thank God for each one of you who have labored so much to share your love through the provision of libraries.


Tomorrow morning the team goes on home visits of the children on the Wambwa feeding programme. Then to Sisiyi Falls.

In all this I know that back there some one/people are praying.


From the blog of volunteer Jennifer Martin, a teacher at Maplewood Elementary in Austin, who is on her first trip to Uganda (www.maplewood2uganda.com/uganda):

19 June, 2009:

... As we entered each school grounds, students were lined up, singing to welcome us and the other officials to their school. I took many pictures of that and will have them posted but I’m sorry, things aren’t getting posted in order because of the difficulty getting internet access here.

Some students sang for the officials and us at the final ceremony and I took a few movies of that and the singing and students are so beautiful. Of course, tears came to my eyes ... .

18 June, 2009:

... I can’t believe we are able to build a completed library in such a short time but we are. The students are so excited about having books and when we gave them their very small gifts (a lanyard bracelet, a pencil, and little pamphlet) they were so grateful. We also gave every student a paperback book to keep and they loved that, too.

Being a teacher, I went out after work and read with the students in the lawn or on the ground and they were so focused on our reading. There were at least 20 students hovering around me and one little girl and 8-10 of them read along with me. We read Green Eggs and Ham and 2 other books. I can’t tell you the feeling you get when there are so many children who just want to be next to you. ...