Oliotye
Oliotye- that's HELLO in Luganda, the tribal language spoken in Uganda. Teammate Laura Sheppard has made it her mission to speak Luganda as much as she can - she gets lots of laughs & applause for her efforts! Most people speak English but we often translate into Luganda for activities! Our internet is spotty and with long busy days and a 7-hour-time difference we haven't gotten to share as much as we'd like! This is a particularly fun team with many varied talents from concrete to dentistry to Awana training & preaching.
Yesterday the ladies on the team held a "tea" for the women of the church. This event started with THE craziest hardest rain we'd ever seen with lots of mud & water left behind, 5-10 brave women who'd walked up the hill in the slippery mud, a goat & a bunch of chickens & a horde of small children wandering under our tent - and ended with 70 women clapping & cheering as we spoke on following Christ with confidence. We had bread & eggs & bananas & hot milk & tea and the ladies stayed to visit and enjoy our time together. It was a very sweet time for our ladies!
We also finished the new library for the school, thanks to lots of hard work by Tara Craig! Many books were donated by Gahanna Christian School as well as Rebekah Stupakewicz's Usborne Books and several families in our church. The kids have never had a library and it is BEAUTIFUL! We also brought over some art supplies with some additional funds from Fred & Peggy Moore and Joan & Mark Angus created the most wonderful Art Room for the school. These are definitely extras in this community and I know it will enrich their education - we are so excited to see these students prosper!
Today Laura used her dental skills to check the students for cavities- it was a great gift in a place where dental care is not accessible. The men-folk kept painting the church and repairing the concrete floor, stopping to train the younger guys, play with the kids on recess, and serve as needed with joyful hearts! Merle & Jason have finally gotten to patch most of the wretched broken cracked concrete floor at the church - it was poorly installed and has driven all of us crazy year after year!
We are tired, excited, thrilled with the "success" we are seeing in the community. Having a Gospel-preaching church, school, & child development program on-site for the past 8 years in an area well known for poverty and witchcraft is beginning to show
More reports soon as we feed the poorest of the poor and host a Teen Worship Night & a Soccer Camp! Keep praying for good health & safety, especially in the traffic & travel, and effective ministry with our friends in Mukono Village!! Thanks for every single person who sent books, made hygiene supplies, donated underwear, soccer gear, pillowcase dresses, and gave funds for our team members to come! Your generosity is bringing HOPE to this little town on the other side of the world! Much love, Mama Cindy