Bristol - Center of the Universe

Or so says my friend Trace…but I do have to say it is quite an enchanting city and countryside on the East coast of England. The city has many historical sites to experience and lots of beauty.

But the highlight of the ‘England’ experience was a Saturday trip to Malmesbury in the countryside – quintessentially English is the best way to describe this village! Our friend Moira grew up here and we took the day to explore and enjoy the outdoors with walks through the fields, picking blackberries, and helping to harvest potatoes at the allotment (community garden) that Mo & her sister have.

We even did some kite flying on the downs on Sunday afternoon!

Of course all the excitement of seeing another view of English life was great, but the best part was spending hours talking with good friends, old & new. Ali stopped by for 2 days – she had worked in Kaabong right before I arrived in 07 & is now in Jordan studying Arabic! We were delighted that she passed through Bristol to spend time with us over her holiday – her wisdom and love are such blessings.

Thanks, Trace for being so very hospitable and sharing your life with me!! Already looking forward to my next visit!

Field Trip

Im back in Kampala...relaxing and reflecting on the first 3 months in the Congo. This time last week I was in the middle of my first field trip, which proved to be very eventful. Myself and Karin visted the town of Wamba, about 2ookm North of Isiro, to visit some Medair projects going on in that area. The roads were terrible, the car broke down, we got stuck and even managed to visit some Pygmy villages. This is where Medair's programmes have become a bit blurred between emergency and development programmes. We have constructed some health centres, helped to provide some medical kit and trained some of the medical staff. Wamba is not an insecure area, but is desperately poor.


The road from Isiro to Wamba. Not exactly the M1. Its about 200km. It took us 11 hours.

Crossing the Poko river. North Eastern Congo.

A pygmy village. About 20km north of Wamba. There are about 50,000 Pygmies living in the forest that surrounds Wamba. They try to live their traditional lives as much as possible, but they are extremely poor, their tribes have been ravaged by illnesses such as leprosy and terbuculosis. They are a forgotten people, ignored by the government, reached only by a few NGO`s, missionaries and some inspirational individuals.

Im at the back of this picture with 2 friends, Dr.Jose and Fr.Justin, a Catholic priest. Both reach out to the Pygmy community, with pastoral and medical care. Some of the health centres have even built small huts for the Pygmies, as they feel uncomfortable inside the normal hospital strutures. Its small acts of community like this that really give me hope for the Congo. Individuals reaching out in love to transform lives. Amazing.


The Pygmies still hunt with the bow and arrow, poisonned lethally at the tip. This picture was also supposed to give you some idea of their size. The health centre in Wamba, built by Medair.

Inevitably we got stuck on the way back home. It looks more like a river than a road.

In transit…

I’m hanging out in the Amsterdam airport, in transit to Uganda! In a few hours I will catch my plane to Bristol, UK to visit with my friend Tracey for a few days. Tracey & I worked together in Kaabong, Uganda with Medair during my first year there.

I’ve had a great send off from home and am looking forward to arriving back ‘home’ in Uganda again soon. I hope to have more pictures and stories for you again soon!

Come Let’s Dance stories #4: The Farm

From the Come, Let's Dance website:

Another dream of ours that just became reality is a farming micro-business! In September 2007, 20 acres of farmland was purchased in the village of Mwera. With Uganda’s rich, fertile soil, farming has a promising future! Our ultimate desire for the farm is to be able to grow food and house livestock in order to establish a self-sufficient resource for the Kid’s Home as well as multiple other programs where additional finances are needed.

Goals

1. Self- Sustainability on several levels
   
   
   • A perpetuating food source supporting the Kid’s Home
   • Growing food to feed the hungry in the community
     
     
2. Provide jobs and life-long skills for the Ugandan Management Team
   
   
3. Market/sell product and livestock
   
   
• Evaluate financial growth, taking the steps to become a self-sustainable micro-business.
  
  
4. Become a vocational/training center
   
   
   • Provide training and jobs for those who are unemployed and desperate for employment

Completed Farm Phases!

Phase I: Fencing off the entire 20 acres, build one bunk house, and secure a water source

Phase II: Test out the success of growing vegetables, and raising pigs and chickens on four acres of land

Phase III: September 2008, we worked with EmI (www.emiusa.org) testing and designing the farm.

In March of 2009 we are hosting a fundraiser to fund the program.

“The options are really endless when thinking of the farming opportunities in Uganda. A multitude of crops can be grown, there are a variety of ways to utilize the produce, and farm animals can fit seamlessly into the system… One thing is certain; Africans already know how to farm.” - Brian Ripely – MS in Animal Science/Management Systems

Drawing resources from experts both in the US and abroad

Engineering Ministries International
brings together architects, engineers, and design professionals who donate their services by putting together formal master plans for other organizations’ building projects.

Love Mercy staff from the branch in Kenya has been increasingly helpful with offering resources, expertise, and project outlines. With a successful organic fertilizer program in full swing, Love Mercy has been an integral part of envisioning the potential of the new 20 acres.

Kira Farm and Training Center has served as a realistic example and model for what can be done, and what we hope to accomplish. They secured 22.5 acres in Uganda where they formed a vocational training center for Ugandan young people.

Farmers of Mt. Elgon, Kenya is managed by Colorado native, Bill Yeager. He has established a network of farmers in the Mt. Elgon region of Kenya to produce organic onions in their rich, volcanic soil. They allow us to visit and glean advice, we’ve been grateful to learn from all their success, specifically in marketing our products.

Also check out this site for a brochure showing this process in the works!!!

My last weeks in the states

Lots of visiting with friends & family!

Riley & Micah (my former roomies)


Ryan & Maddy (niece & nephew)


Maddy Jane


Danielle, me & Kelli (friends from college)


Danielle & John

JT, Bekah & Kelli

Constance & I


Jen & I


Goodbyes at the Perk: Austin & I


Ashleigh & I


Debbie, me & Teri

Effects of the War, Isiro

Yesterday myself and my friend Karin managed to take some photos in the old rail station in Isiro. Built by the Belgians, amazingly, it was operational until 1996 when rebels completely destroyed and looted it. It has never been used since. Too far away from Kinshasa to matter, it has never been restored. You can imagine what it was like in its heyday. Now just another symbol of a shattered infrastructure

The railway. You can see the power cables. Completely overgrown and left in ruin.

More pictures of the rail lines. I was stood on the platform taking the photo, but even that has been overtaken by jungle.

Not sure what this was. Could have been a taxi, or a bus to transport passengers. Its lying in the grounds of the station.

One of the train carriages, in the old maintenance warehouse

Some of the old machinery sat in the workshop. Apparently still in resonable condition, but it cannot be used because there is no power or fuel. The guy with me used to work at the station, since 1972 so he told me. They have not been paid for years, but him and few others turn up every day to guard the equiment and show people like us around. Can`t imagine there are many visitors. I have to say i don`t understand why they turn up everday. He told me they went on strike a few years ago but they were completely ignored, so eventually they just came back, presumably as they were unable to find jobs anywhere else. Maybe they have some blind hope it will be restored one day. Crazy!!!

I think this was a generator. Now just left there, never used. What a waste!!! More transportation. Burnt out and left to rot. In the grounds of the station.

The old entrance to the rail station. You cant really see it here, but there were obvioulsy some gardens in front of the station. They are completely destroyed now.

One of the old buildings still standing at the station. 1000 employees used to work here apparently, they exported coffee, soap, fruit all over the Congo.

Old fuel tank.

The old ticket office. Abandoned.

The reality

The reality of working in Africa can be quite difficult. There is a steep learning curve, it can be challenging and exhausting. I remember, back in Manchester a few months ago, I was talking with family and some close friends, how I needed a fresh challenge, that God was calling me to something new, away from a secure, comfortable, happy environment at home to something more unknown in Africa.

mmm..be careful what you pray for? No Im joking, so far I`ve loved every minute of my time with Medair in the Congo. Through the ups and the downs, I have a great sense that im in the right place and God is really at work. There are definately challenges to working in this part of the world though. I am enjoying being stretched in many different directions.

The strongholds of poverty and dependency can mean that a lot of poeple are out for something. When they see a white face, they see dollar signs. You have to be very careful about you present yourself and the organisation you work for. Its very easy, with a Western mindset, to see the material needs here....money, clothes, school fees etc. There is a huge danger of setting a precedent if you decide to give some support to one individual. Even letting somebody use your internet can cause problems...before you know it you have the entire community asking if they can use your computer, at all times of the day. Its almost expected. Knowing how to manage these expectations is a skill I am still learning.

Then there is the problem of corruption. Its endemic in Congolese culture. Mobuto, when he was in power, said in a national newspaper "If you want to steal, steal a little in a nice way. But if you steal too much to become rich overnight, you'll be caught.". Mobutu was a notoriously corrupt leader, rumoured to have stolen over $5bn. There is a natural level of mistrust and suspicion in Congolese culture. Meeting with Congolese customs officials in recent weeks has been a testing experience. Naturally, the office in Isiro seems to have made up its own rules, they are completely different to the rules employed in Kinshsasa. We had a tricky situation, trying to prevent some of our motorbikes being impounded. We managed to negotiaite our way out of it, with some prayer and divine intervention helping us on our way. They really wanted us to pay the fines more than anything else, despite the fact that that we are a humanitairan organisation here to help the Congolese. Also our motorbikes are pretty important as our medical supervisors use them to get out to the field. Aarghh!!!

Managing Congolese staff can be challenging. Proactivity, initiative, planning, all key activities in Western organisations, are ofthen skils that are missing here. These are, of course, generalisations but management skills, especially when managing projects, seem to be a particular area where we can really develop capacity. Timetables, schedules, deadlines are not really followed. Communication can be frustrating as well, especially when you have staff based in several locations. There is a real opportunity for capacity building here

Im loving all the challenges so far though, and I still have lots to learn. Its a steep learning experience, no doubt about that. I will be ready for my holiday, at the end of August. You certainly need the regular breaks when working out in the field.