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July 14,2011

Hello from back in NE Washington after a busy last week in Uganda!

It is always surprising how quickly the weeks fly by in Uganda.  The places and people have become so familiar and dear and the work of Hands Across Nations, “Sharing the love of Christ in practical ways”, one of my greatest pleasures. 

Newly painted windows of the Alito Church

Once Kemper and Bowe had begun their travel back to the US, there were just 3 ½ days left to visit one of our sponsored students, Sarah Akullu, at her school in Kampala and make a dash back to Lira, over 350 km to the North.  The “program” (as Ugandans call their schedule) for the next few days included:

• Seeing the final result of the church painting project in Alito

• Delivering 80 Bibles in the Lango language

• Giving sets of reading glasses and copies of the “Jesus” film dubbed in the Lango language to pastors and teachers for their villages

• Training in evaluation and treatment of  physical therapy patients

• Visiting the HAN fruit tree project

• Giving the Lira Rotary Club 15 baby quilts and rag dolls for women with children who are in prison

• Meeting with our Hands Across Nations Uganda Board of Directors.

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Praise God it all got done!

Painting inside the Alito Church

The Alito Church/ Community Center, in stages of construction since 2001, had been transformed with several coats of premium paint over well prepared interior walls, doors and window frames. 

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It had changed from dark to light as our spirits do when the spirit of the Lord comes to live in our hearts.  I was filled with the wonder of God’s grace in allowing all of us, local Ugandans and people from America, to be a part in the transforming of an empty plot of ground to a beautiful church, to be used to worship God and as a Community Center meeting place for all.  The man who donated the land expressed his appreciation for helping bring his dream from God for the building of a church, “shouting in the bush” to a reality.  There will be seminars, classes, musical programs, medical clinics and other activities held there – and it happened to a great degree in small increments through donations from several generous Ugandans and many people of Northeast Washington.  The windows and exterior of the church still remain to be finished, but it is quite functional in its current state.  The villagers and pastors asked us to express their deep gratitude and prayers for their “friends in America” who have seen their need and helped them. 

In Uganda trees grow very fast due to the year round warm weather.

 At Lango College, a secondary school, two young students Ben and Charles, proudly showed how their efforts to protect and nurture the orange trees they had planted in 2009 and 2010 through HAN, were paying off in fruit which will be ready to harvest soon. 

They explained their vision for new trees to be planted each year until they have an orchard large enough to provide oranges for all 1,000 students at the school.  Now that they have access to email, they will be connected to teacher Matt McLain at Jenkins High School, Chewelah, WA whose donation initiated the project 2 years ago.

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Sights along the road to Kampala. Nearly 60 live chickens enroute to market.

On the day of my departure for the US, I planned an extra 3 hours for a 45 minute trip from Kampala to Entebbe since traffic jams in the capital city  often delay people for hours.  Unfortunately it seemed as if even that was not enough time as we were caught in a parking lot trying to enter a street, for 45 minutes.  As time ticked away, and my fear of missing my flight rose, I asked my Ugandan friends to pray with me for God to clear the “jam” and allow us to get to the airport in time.  And God was faithful.  Within 5 minutes, the traffic began to move.  Beyond the first traffic circle, we headed toward the center of Kampala, and found the lightest traffic I have ever seen in Kampala, during the rush hour! 

Women and children prepare food at small town bus stops.

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We flew through the city making every light and circle without stopping and were out the other side in 15 minutes.  To all of us it was a real miracle as it often takes 2-3 hours to get across the city during that time.  It proved to us once again that God even cares about the details of life.

Selling roasted field corn on the cob, broiled goat liver, kasava, and fruit.

I’m eager to return to Uganda again in 2012.  If you would like to go with me, please call me at 935-6126 or email me at ckurowski@handsacrossnations.com.  It has been my pleasure and honor, to “Share the love of Christ in practical ways” for the last 3 weeks, and I pray that there will be many more from the US who will go with me in the future.

Photos of fabulous African animals can be seen on the new safari webpage at http://handsacrossnations.com/Safari_2011.html

God Bless You,

Carolyn

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