Laundry time in Uganda.

Laundry done by hand and hung to dry. Then every item ironed.

Here is a picture of how we are having our laundry done.  It is always done by hand and then dried on the line.  Once dried, every piece must be ironed to kill any bugs that may have made a home in the fabric.  Terzol, Abel and Peter, the church guards, needed a new iron, so we provided them with one.  The bottom of one they were using had dropped out and another was leaking water.  Both of them sounded dangerous to use.  They typically would iron their clothes on their beds, so we also provided them with a new ironing board.  We’ll be teaching them how to iron with the board this evening.  It is amazing how we as Americans have adjusted to so many little things that make our days a little more simple ... like a good iron and board.

June 17, 2013

It is Monday morning and I got up early to have coffee with Terzol before he left for school at 7:30am and to pray with him.  It is quiet here in the mornings.  Able made fresh coffee for us and now we are sitting here reading the paper and chatting.  Joseph came in early and we also had a chance to talk and pray.  I am also reflecting on the weekend.

Carmen and I had a chance to meet again on Saturday with the Women of Grace.  One idea that was shared last week was to think of ways to incorporate the handmade beads into other kinds of products, like purses.  Perusi, who is very creative, took the idea and gave it a try.  She made about four sample and showed them to a shop in town.  She immediately sold the first two that she had made. 

Beads added to purses.

We also discussed a list of ideas that the ladies had about how to meet the mission of Women of Grace, develop a source of income, and have an impact on the community.  Several ideas were brought forward, but the one they landed on was learning to sew.  They decided that if they had a sewing machine and a knitting machine, as a team, they could sew and make sweaters for the school children.  All schools wear uniforms, so making the uniforms and mending old ones could be a source of income.  Many men and women wear African outfits and are made locally…another way to market their services.  Many other marketing ideas were discussed and therefore convinced the ladies that this would be a good new opportunity.  Because, I had brought with me money that came from the recent sales of their beads, they decided to use it to buy new manual sewing machines that do not required electricity.  They are getting quotes and we hope to buy them shortly and put them in the container on the church property where they were making beads.  Our first project will be making tie/die and batik fabric and then sewing new curtains and seat cushions for thechurch to spruce it up.  Seth will teach them how to tie/die and batik the fabric.  Annette and Perusi will teach them to sew.  We are all very excited.

For the rest of our day today, we’ll be headed to Ganda where one of the church plants is.  We’ll also stop by some of the properties that were donated to the church to consider them for future school locations.  God is good and is helping us to discern His direction!

Blessings and Love, Nancy

Thanking God for Fathers.

Today is Father’s Day in the USA.  Carmen and I are thanking God for our Fathers and an opportunity to talk with them this evening.  There are so many children without Fathers here in Uganda, that we are deeply reminded of the great blessing of having a Father who is living, well and loves the Lord.

Many were at church today including some that I was not able to see last week.  Vital and his family are a family that I hadn’t seen for a while. When I was here with the Wilkins and the Whittington’s, Vital and his wife Safi  were just in the process of being married.  We attended some of the “wedding meetings”  where funds were raised in a fun and creative way.  Anyway, since then, Vital who had been a Congolese refuge, now goes back to the Congo every three months to work in a gold mine.  He is very interested in starting a church within the camp where he stays while working.  We have exchange email addresses and I hope to encourage him.  He has been a great encouragement to the church in Kampala and considers this his home.

Yesterday, we took a walk to the store and passed a young man sleeping in the dirt alongside the street.  His feet had been removed.  He was sleeping under a piece of cardboard with flies all over him.  I am very troubled by seeing this.  I don’t even know how to help someone like this.  All I could think of was to put a bag of peanuts in his hand.  He didn’t even move when I opened his hand.  I am so thankful that this life is short compared to eternity.  I am very grateful that while this life does not always present hope, we can have hope in our future and our eternal life. 

As Isaac always says, “God is Good.”

Nancy