Life is great in Uganda!

Saturday - June 18

The team went on home visits with students that are fed by Bethany Methodist Church. Four of us went with those who lived the longest distance. We rode in the van 15 minutes, and then walked endlessly over tiny dirt paths to reach the homes. The conditions are so sad; barely room for two cane mats used by a young girl and her grandmother, in a tiny, round hut; children who had no shoes; many who walk that long distance to school every morning, without food; and, children who have to get water at a public well or work in the fields - before making the long walk. The walk in the morning must be at least 1 – 1 1/2 hours. If the kids arrive at school late - they are caned!

In the afternoon, we traveled to the Hawaii of Uganda, Sisiyi Falls! It is magical! Most of the team traveled to the top of the falls - straight up climbing! The huge food spread was perfect - beef kabob, chicken, Irish potatoes, slaw, potato salad, watermelon and pineapple! So good - on a wonderful relaxing day!

Sunday - June 19

I don’t know where to start! There just isn’t music and dancing found anywhere that compares to Pearl Haven Church. It was especially wonderful because the team had already become good friends with many who lead the worship. The music is so inspiring. It simply humbles you to be in a service that truly comes alive worshiping God! It is a happening on the best of scales. The music followed by Pastor Wilberforce’s preaching changes lives … as it has mine! He is dynamic. Really, I don’t know how to describe his anointed ministry. One of those things - you have to see/hear to believe.

After lunch, we went for baptism. Though I had been baptized when I was young, I wanted to be baptized again in the ‘country of my calling.’ The baptism was perfect. Several others and I were baptized at the foot of a beautiful , rushing waterfalls. People from Wilber’s church were singing worship songs. After Wilber and Patrick baptized me, I came out of the water to the sound of Sarah’s whistle and women giving African whoops! How awesome is that!

Scott Porter and I picked up four wheelchairs at a hospital in a village. The wheelchairs are part of a distribution being organized by Lynne Dobson of Austin. She raised funding for the chairs and is having them assembled. Two of the chairs will go to young people my nephew’s wife met at orphanages in Kampala. The remaining will go to Western Uganda to people identified by Father Isadore - a Ugandan Catholic priest in Austin. Now we just have to get them to Kampala …

Life is great in Uganda!

-Trudy

(read more on Scott Porter’s blog: http://scottinuganda.blogspot.com

and the Libraries of Love Facebook page:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Libraries-of-Love/146689942039316)