Back to Kampala

Back to Kampala
The team finished off the teacher’s house at the Gulu Village yesterday – while Zach and I were at World Vision. Then they had the dedication – and apparently it went very well. We took a look at the living hope centre in Gulu, which is micro-enterprise centre – with women (and men) coming from all around and being involved in a host of different activities that help to support themselves and their children. They make dolls, crafts, bags, as well as having a carpentry area... jewellery, many other things also. It is a great way for people who have no other way to support their families to gain skills and an access to markets for their products. Very well conceived and very effective – I was very impressed by this vision and the professional way it was undertaken.
We then wandered Gulu for awhile and headed to the Acholi guest house for a ‘celebration dinner’ a thanks from Watoto to our team for the work we had done. It was great – they gave us all a card – and made a point of celebrating the work accomplished.
In the morning we headed back to Kampala where Gavin, Mart and I talked to two of the American guys who head different parts of Watoto Childcare – about the Agriculture part of what Watoto is about to undertake. The three of us may do something with that – they have plans for a milking goat facility – as well as a larger cropping operation on 6000 acres they have partly acquired north of Murchison Falls National Park. It was great to talk to people with such enthusiasm – but many of the challenges they face are the same as we have in Ethiopia (poor land title – and infrastructure.).
Then to the market – bought a few African shirts – and to Watoto where we are staying the next few nights.....
Saturday Watoto Subi (sp?)
A trip to the market – bought a bit of stuff.... then to Watoto at Subi. This has to be almost the highlight of the trip. It is so beautiful to see a village which has been completed – housing over 100 people, healthy, secure, well supported, well educated, we had lunch with a family and met the mother’s children (Rachel, Patience, Peace, James, Seth and ?Ivan). They were a normal family.... quiet, all individuals, all with stories, just beautiful. The house was simple – but neat and functional. It was such a fulfilment of the work we have been doing the past few weeks – to see what great good can become of what were ‘hopeless’ situations (the Subi kids are mostly AIDS orphans.) Yesterday we met a young lady, Suzanna who was a nutritionist/food scientist with Watoto – she was such a well-adjusted, delilghtful person – and if she is a picture of what Watoto is doing – then it is doing a very good thing.
The rest of the team is leaving in the morning – we are not going until Monday. I am looking forward to being home!