Things are Growing

Well we have been back in beautiful Michigan for a week now and have been slowly readjusting to "society" here stateside. It has been rough at times to transition and Luke and I were both "deathly" ill for a couple of days. After getting bloodwork and a million other tests done the infectious diseases doctors determined that we had just picked up a nasty bacteria or parasite somewhere along the way and most likely once we were back in the states. But we are both almost 100% recovered so that has been a blessing. 

I have been suffering a little postpartum depression from not spending 24 / 7 with Luke since we've been home and getting back to our lives. I really do have the best big brother ever and i really enjoyed spending the whole month with him. It certainly wasn't our first adventure and certainly wont be out last but it truly was an amazing one. It was an incredible experience and I couldn't think of someone i would rather go on an adventure with.

On another note; the Chairman sent us pictures from the garden today and he said our field had "incredible germination results" which is AWESOME. It means that all that hard work we put in making those furrows is paying off and will continue to enormously help the community there. I can't begin to express how happy that makes me. 

I hope you all are doing well. I kinda miss writing to you all via the blog every day and just might have to start posting more regularly. And don't worry...we have LOTS more pictures that we are going to post. 

Suffer for others,

Adam

Post Script... Nope just the next chapter

So as many of you know, my mind never stops. In the wake of a trip like this one it is not uncommon for me to obsess about what we did, what we didn't do, what we could do better and what was spot on. The problem is that I have been very sick for the last couple days and I haven't had too much time to think, that will change this weekend.

For me, the one of words of the trip is "unintended", as in unintended consequences and unintended benefits. Let me give you an example of this, and I will keep it positive.

Our main goal in going on this trip was to fill a major need, improved farming practices. So all of our planning and preparing was based on this goal. Never once did we ever consider side affects, positive or negitive. This probably was due to our naivete or tunnel vision, either way it wasn't good. The good thing was that the "unintended" section of this project produced something amazing. The scary part for me is that it could just as easily produced some negative fruit.

Back to the garden, so in Oditel there are many gardens and many farmers but no coops, no groups to assist in developing good farming practices, its pretty much each man or women for themselves. We never once considered creating a community, or thought about the affects of such a group. However we created community, the farmers learned what could be accomplished if they worked together. They understand now that is the truly want to advance the prosperity in their own homes and in their village they must look to most valuable resource that they have, each other.
This community was started while we were in Oditel, though I will not take any credit for it. God gets the credit, as well as the hard working pastors who help assemble a very hard working group of people. To give you an idea of how impossible this should have been, when the idea was first presented to the church a very loud laugh erupted. Questions like, why would work on the church's garden, what's in it for me....and so on. The next morning though, the proof was in the pudding, over 50 people showed up to work with us. Which was incredible but not the amazing thing, what astounded me was that by the end of the project fellow church members were leaving the church garden and going to work with each other, something that never happens. I am constantly amazed at how God works through our imperfections, this to me is a fine example of that.

The other unintended benefit of this trip was a deepening of my relationship with my bro. I simple cannot say enough about him and his amazing gifts. His ability to work with all types of people will always astound me, his has some of the most amazing talents and I would go on trip with him anytime.

Lk

You Smell of America

We made it back to the states and are en route back home from Chicago. Thank you all for your prayers that brought us home safe and sound. That was one heck of a travel fiasco.

Really happy to be back and really happy to see everyone and show you all of the pictures and videos and share the stories.

Adam
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Made it

We arrived in Chicago about 10 min ago.... So exhausted!!!!! But sooo very happy!
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London

We made it to London late last night exhausted and ready to be home. 

Finally got to sleep in a nice comfy bed and take a really hot shower which was very nice although about 12 more hours of sleep would be great.

We are having some breakfast really quick before we head to the airport to hop on our flight home. I am really looking forward to seeing everyone and getting a huge hug from my mom and dad. 

However, with all the travel ciaos we did manage to meet some really great new friends from all over the world. Mostly others who have been in Africa on similar missions to ours. Kinda cool that we now have a bunch of new friends who are all bonded together by a series of events. 

See you all soon,

Adam

Worse Travel Day

Well we are still stuck in Narobi, Kenya after one of the worst travel days ever thanks to Kenya Airlines. We got in last night and were supposed to have a red eye to London. They kept us on the plane for 3 hours before telling us that we wouldn't be flying out. Everyone had to sleep on the floor in the terminal and we all got about 2 hours of sleep. Needless to say there are a ton of very disgruntled people here right now.

We are supposed to be leaving in an hour but they have been promising for a while so we'll see.

Our connecting flight in London is long long gone so it looks like we'll be staying in a hotel in london tonight.

I am so ready to just be home.

Adam
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Homeward Bound

Well we have had an interesting day.

We hung out at the hotel all morning but then the Russian UN officers found us and we started cavorting with them and trying to solve Africa's problems.

We are now sitting at the airport with some interesting safari folk waiting for our flight.

We are sooo ready to be home.

Some crazy stories to tell today.

AK
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Ahhhhhhh

After a really long drive yesterday.... This is just what the doctor ordered!!!!!!
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Entebbe (sigh)

Well we made it to Entebbe after a brutal 9 hour drive from Oditel this morning. Fortunately the scenery and the accidents kept us entertained for most of the trip.

After settling into our hotel we indulged in a few luxuries (hot showers and cold drinks) and relaxed a little bit. We met up with some more missionaries who had just got off the plane and it was great to hear stories from home and to see some white people and speak normal english. It's kinda funny since we have only seen 4 other white people in the last 19 days. David and Joseph think it's hilarious and are constantly making white people jokes.

Anyways we are off to bed to try and stay rested up for the multiple flights we have coming up.

Vaya con Dios,

Adam

Long Car Ride

We are almost to Entebbe and man are our backsides sore.

Makes you really appreciate the roads back stateside after you spend 8 hours on Ugandan roads in a car.

I'm already missing the kids and people of Oditel but man is it going to be good to be home.

Luke and I both have our going home drawers open.

Smile!!!

Adam

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Departing.....

So we are now leaving Oditel, we have said bye to all of the friends that we can find. Believe it or not our travel plans have changed again.... We are driving from Oditel all the way to Entebbe today! Which means a very long and bumpy car ride but it also means a hot shower and possible pizza tonight. So long Oditel, we will see you again soon!!!!!!!!!

Lk
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Our Work Here is Done (for now)

Today has been really bittersweet for me. We finished the garden and have been saying our goodbyes to all of our good friends here. Everyone has been stopping by to wish us a safe journey home and to ask us to reconsider our departure. They are definitely sad to see us go and Luke and I both are sad to leave them. Although we know that we will see them again and this separation is only temporary.

We spent the hot afternoon hours packing up our things and preparing for the long journey ahead. We have a pile of things that we are leaving here for the people in need, although it is difficult to determine who we should be giving support to. We have been given about a hundred letters from the people here for the people who came on the last trip so it looks like we are going to be postmen on the way home.

The pastor had us over for a late lunch today with a few of the other leaders who have been working with us during our time here to celebrate our time here and to thank us for everything we have done for the community. It was a really heartwarming time and i was so blessed by the gratitude of the people and the community. They fed us an honorary meal of local delicacies which was interesting. Luke and I were each served a bowl full of various goat entrails; Kidneys, Liver, Intestines, Testicles, Heart and only God knows what else. We had finished our own late lunch prior to heading over there and they consider it offensive if you don't eat your entire portion. Needless to say we each had to pack it into our already full bellies. I'm always up for anything but there were several times during the meal that our faces caused the group to erupt in laughter. In hindsite we should have taken our standby bottle of Tabasco sauce with us. Ahhh good times.

Luke and i just spent the last half hour playing with the kids and it was soo much fun. They get a huge kick out of being spun around until they are dizzy and i think one of their favorite things is being chased by Luke while he growls and makes other monster noises. I'm pretty sure that you could hear the screams and laughter of the crowd of kids at least a half mile away.

So tomorrow we have to bid farewell to this wonderful village that has been our home for the past few weeks and to it's wonderful people. I'm gonna really miss all the wonderful kids over here. There are a half dozen standing at the gate yelling my name and asking "how are you?" while i write this and a few more looking over my shoulder in amazement at the computer. We have had so many incredible experiences here it is going to make life back in the states a little hard to adjust to once we are back.

But I am really looking forward to seeing my family, all of my friends and my dog....and spending some quality time with my fly rod on the stream.

Be Rich in Spirit,

Adam

Is it over?????

Well this project is complete, but this journey is far from over. This was a life altering trip to say the least and it made me believe that we are on to something here. The Teso people have amazed me with their work ethic, creativity and most of all their spirit of hope.

I believe they are not content to live they way they have been forced to, and if given the choice they will do whatever it takes to change. The problem is that most of the aid that they have received has reinforced they "what will the mzungus give me mentality". Why would they work hard if they know right around the corner is free stuff? That is changing real fast as many of the large humanitarian aid agencies are pulling out of the country, because as they see it the immediate need has been met! What does that leave, people who have become accustomed to receiving help! Now that the help is leaving how will they survive? It is time we step up and stop the cycle of aid. If the Teso people are given the right instruction and tools they will become more stable, more able to handle a crisis and less in need of help. So what does that look like? How can we accomplish this task? I think this is going to be the journey we will embark on next. What aid makes a lasting difference? What aid solves short term problems and in turn creates long term negative consequences? I will be devoting time and energy to answer these questions. If change is the desired affect, what aid will really create change?


On a lighter note, the gazelle that has been breaking into our room just walk up onto the porch and took a pee, then walked about 10 feet and laid down. I am starting to think that something is not right with him.....

Well we have to go pack, which is sad because I am not ready to leave.



Lk
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How about that!!!!!

Thanks to the people of Oditel for joining us in our goal. And thanks to God for providing a great group of hard working people to help us reach that goal....

We have sprouts coming up everywhere and the remainder of the garden is finished. With less then a day to go we cut it pretty close but we made it. Thanks for all of the support and help we have received from home. We could not have done it without you.

Lk
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Pushing Up

The Ground Nuts are beginning to push up through the surface of the ground in the garden, open up and begin growing into strong plants that will bring life to many. It is very exciting and I am thrilled that we get to see them grow while we are here.

Really gets me thinking about all the different analogies that can be made from the germination of a seed. How each one of our lives is like a small seed. We can sit in a bag on a shelf for years without much change or benefit to ourselves or anyone else. Then by a simple change of conditions we can change altogether. We begin growing into something different, begin growing into something so much more than just the little seed we started as on that shelf. We are all different types of seeds, each of us unique with a different purpose and different conditions we each need in order to germinate.

I would like to challenge you to step back and take a look at your life. Are you fulfilling your purpose and growing or are you sitting as a seed on the shelf? What do you need in order to grow into the person you are meant to be? Do you need to be planted? Do you need water? Has your seed fallen on barren ground or in the briar patch? It is never to late to plant the seed of your life and to grow into your purpose.

Sorry if that is a little heavy for a Wednesday but it is just something that i have been thinking a lot about lately. Something i have been challenged with in my own life while i am here and i wanted to share it with all of you.

Bring a smile to someone else today.

Adam

Another Gorgeous Day in Oditel

We are so blessed and thrilled to have spent yet another gorgeous day in Oditel. Blessed to be with the people we have befriended here, blessed to have accomplished what we have so far, and blessed for all of you back home that are supporting us with your prayers and encouragement while we are here. Thank God and thank all of you.

So today we finished planting all the Kasava cuttings that we had purchased and ended up purchasing some more so that we can plant the rest of the garden area that we have worked up. We thought the 15 bags that we originally purchased would fill the remaining garden area but it turns out we need about 6 more sacks. They will be here tomorrow so that we can finish the planting on thursday morning. And just like that our work in the garden is done for now. :) It is incredible how the church and the community has banded together to work in the garden and they have really taken ownership of the entire project. Come Thursday we (all of us working in the garden) will have completed quite a feat. Taking 5 acres of virgin land, working it up, hoeing and preparing the ground for seed, furrowing 2 1/2 acres and planting the entire thing. Luke and I are both really happy and at the same time very proud of and encouraged by the people here in the community of Oditel. And the first seeds that we planted are already poking up through the earth and growing strong and a community member has stepped forward to take charge of the management of the garden in our absence.

We also finalized the Micro-Loan program today with the team of church members here who will be running the program. Luke has done an incredible job of communicating the processes he would like to see in place for the program and working with them to establish practices that will insure success of the program. The management team are thrilled by the opportunity they now have to build their community and help the people here make better lives for their families. The program Luke has helped them put in place has the potential to completely turn this community into an area of prosperous and successful families.

We still have 3 days left here before we begin our journey homeward but already I am thrilled with what we have been blessed to have accomplished so far. It really speaks to the wonderful people here in this little village in the middle of nowhere Africa. They have big dreams, HUGE hearts and are working extremely hard to make things better here. All they need is a friend to come alongside them and help them to their feet. They now know that The River is that friend and we are here to walk and work with them and for that they are so incredibly grateful.

Peace and Love,

Adam

p.s. Sorry about not posting a picture tonight...the signal is awful.

For Whom the Bell Tolls

So, I just finished reading the above mentioned book, all I can say is what a good book to read on a trip like this....for one it is simply an amazing story but for me it was the under lying tones that set the book apart.

What if we all had just 72 hours left in our lives? How would we live, would we be selfish, sad, happy, productive, or cowardly? What truly is important in life? Can one accomplish the tasks given to them and yet still be satisfied with the life they are living? I think yes. For those who haven't read the book, the story can be summed up like this( sorry Hemingway). A man is sent on a mission to blow up a bridge, he knows full well that this mission will mean almost certain death to him, and those around him. So he spends three days evaluating his life, living life to the fullest in the time he has left and trying his best to accomplish the task set before him. I won't go in to extreme detail but I think you get the point of the story. He knows that in about 3 days he will probably die! Is that a burden or a blessing?

How can we be so focused on tomorrow? What about today? What about those around us, how does it affect them if we never have time for today but only have time for tomorrow? Does this help us? No, as Hemingway says " you have it now and that is all your whole life is; now. There is nothing else than now. There is neither yesterday, certainly, nor is there any tomorrow. How old must you be before you know that".

As I process this and think it though, I am profoundly convicted at how my whole life has been lived, how selfish it is to always focus on tomorrow and how those in my life suffer because of how I have chosen to live. So I am committed to live for today, believing those around me, and I will have a fuller life because of it. I have summed it up in one word and that word is "balance". In life, in work, in love and in your faith... Balance and evaluate what truly is important in your life and what can wait until tomorrow!

Lk
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Fantastic Day

We are getting a huge thunderstorm right now and the signal is super low...sooo no pictures tonight sorry.

We had a fantastic day today. We left Soroti this morning to head back out to Oditel and man was that an adventure. The rain has been taking a serious toll on the road and in several places it was nearly impassable. At one point we had to ford a 'river' that was gushing over the road about a foot deep. Yup, definitely no shortage of rain here in Oditel and the Amuria district. So for all of you River members who have been praying for rain in Oditel for the past few months...pretty sure that your prayers have been answered and were gonna have floods soon if the rain keeps coming. Hopefully it will just stay slow and steady every day and these torrential downpours will ease up a little bit.

Once we got back we immediately headed out to the garden. It was 11am by the time we got here so everyone had finished working in the garden already. We had left the pastor in charge and were really hoping that they would be good stewards of the garden, really take ownership and continue to tackle the project even without the Mzungus here. AND THEY DID. We were amazed at how much they had gotten done. They finished making the furrows and planted over 2/3 of the Kassava. So weather permitting tomorrow, the garden should be finished. Luke and I are both really thrilled and very thankful for all the people here who have worked to make this garden a success already. The garden has already done wonders for the community and it is awesome to see them really taking the project over and getting things done. Really good to know that the seeds we are planting will be tended to once we are gone. I mean that literally and metaphorically.

We finished up the day with a great game of soccer with all the local boys here. It was a little rowdy but a ton of fun and to their astonishment the tall lanky Mzungu scored a goal.

Keep on Smiling.

Adam

Sunday In Soroti

What a great day we had today.

Had an awesome church service this morning and Luke and I both were asked to speak again, which we are getting pretty used to now. The pastor talked about the garden after i spoke for a while and the community is really revved up about what they are doing in their garden with the help of "the whites".

After church we packed up an overnight bag and got ready for David to pick us up for our trip back to Soroti. We organized with the community leaders about what needs to be done in the garden tomorrow morning in our absence because we probably wont be able to make it back in time to work tomorrow. We have been getting lots of rain, which is great for the garden, but it has made the road to Soroti almost impassable.

Before we left Oditel today we walked out to the garden with David to show him our work since he had yet to see the garden and the projects we have been working on. I dug up a seed and it already had 2 inch long roots and a nice stem sprouting up. Which means we should be seeing the whole garden sprouting up by the time we have to leave...something i am extremely excited about.

The journey back to Soroti was long and the road was treacherous but we made it safely and managed to have a very relaxing afternoon. We stocked up on supplies that we needed from the market including a few fresh pineapples (they are soooo amazing). We also had a nice speakerphone call with our compadres back stateside at The River which was very refreshing. Miss them all a lot and am looking forward to some bear hugs when i get back.

We are spending the rest of the evening relaxing and getting some good sleep on comfy beds.

I just want to give everyone a word of encouragement before i go for the night.

Please know that we are all very blessed. Each one of us is a child of God and as his children he blesses us daily. I challenge each one of you to look for his blessing each day as you go about your business. It may not be something extraordinary, maybe just something as small as a hug from your child or food on your table. But please don't take these things for granted as they are things that so many people are not granted.

You are blessed and divine so smile and spread that blessing onto others. Because those whom are blessed with much, of much they are required.

Suffer for Others,

Adam

Weekend Update

So all is well here in beautiful sunny Oditel, Uganda. We had a wonderful afternoon rain-shower and everything is green and dripping wet, which is great news for the garden.

I went and checked on the garden this morning and was happy with what i found. The Orange trees looked as though they were trying to adjust to their new homes and i'm sure this afternoon's rain really helped them out. I dug up a ground nut seed and was very happy to see that it had already germinated and was starting to put out a stem and roots. :)

Everything else here is going very well. There are so many needs that at times it can overwhelm you if you let the feeling get to you. Luke and I are doing very well however and are staying focused on the goals we came to complete on this trip. It's definitely not fun to tell people that you are sorry but you wont be able to meet a certain need they have while you are here. But that is the reality of Africa i guess. There are SO many needs that you have to decifer where God is leading you to serve and provide and trust that the areas you work toward will provide the greatest help and benefit to the people.

On a lighter note...our british airways flight from Entebbe to London was cancelled yesterday; apparently they are having some sort of strike and don't want to fly the plane down here. No sweat though because they booked us on a Kenya Airways flight back to London by way of Nairobi, Kenya and our London to Chicago flight is still scheduled to take place. Sooooo...turns out we get to spend 12 more hours in Uganda but we wont be spending 24 hours in London on the way home which is kinda a bummer because i was really looking forward to that. Oh well, at least we should have time to get outside and get our passports stamped in Kenya and the UK.

Hope everyone stateside is enjoying the weekend.

Suffer for Others,

Adam

Rain

As I type this it is absolutely pouring rain outside, the kind of rain that is almost going sideways...rain is good and the garden is ready for it. We have had a couple of light rains since we planted but we needed a really good soaking.

Today I went with Pastor Sam to get the rest of the seeds that we needed, so that we can finish planting on Monday and Tuesday. This market was a little farther away the last one. The roads were bad but we still managed to make it there in about an hour, buy our seeds, have a snack of fresh chipata bread and then back on the boda boda. As we approached the turn off that would take us back to Oditel, Pastor Sam asked if we could drive into Amuria first, which was about 10k out of our way. So me being the practical person that I am, I asked why, he told me that one of their friends, who was from the Oditel area and had recently graduated school and gotten a very good job with an German NGO in Amuria, had been murdered two nights ago.
Apparently, he was asleep in his home in Amuria and someone had broken in, stabbed him,then covered his body with a sheet, turned the radio on and left. This is sending shock waves through the community, there hasn't been a murder here in a long time. It makes me very aware of how dangerous it can be here and defiantly not to be careless in anything that you do.

We are safe, and will continue to be careful where we go.

So, it was a very quiet ride back to Oditel from Amuria( of course we had to go check it out, the funeral is tomorrow). I got back to Oditel, my rear end sore from 50k on a small boda boda and a very bumpy road, Adam was just heading to check on the garden. The report was good. We are going to get some rest today and prepare for some meetings tomorrow and a very busy week next week.

Thanks for all your support and prayers,

Lk
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Christine

Luke and I have been so incredibly blessed to have the most wonderful lady along with us helping us while we are here in Oditel. Christine, has been taking such great care of us and has become a very good friend to Luke and I. She has been making/feeding us some of the best food, helping us keep our room and clothes clean and a million other things. She is an amazing woman and always has the biggest smile on her face and is so full of joy. We are both so thankful to have her here with us.

Today we walked 2 Kilometers with her to go visit the village where she grew up and where her mother still lives. We were able to meet some of her siblings and eat some mango's from their village but her mother had went to Amuria for the day so we did not get to spend time with her. We ended up walking back in the rain the entire way and all had a bunch of great laughs.

In Other News from Oditel:

There are animals everywhere here and the people practice "free range" principals to the fullest extent. The only way you can tell who's chicken or goat it is is by the the color of the string tied on its leg.

Today as Luke and I sat having a coke in Amuria with millions of kids running around everywhere with no presence of parents anywhere to be found i realized something. The children here are kinda "free range" as well. Left to their own devices for the majority of their days while their parents are busy working. You also see kids as young as 2 years old that are performing work tasks that a child in the U.S. wouldn't be expected to be capable of until they were 5 or 6.

This really got me thinking. How does this effect the kids? I know that I myself loved being left to my own devices for the day. Free to run and chase chipmunks with my bb gun for the day, untethered until the dinner bell rang. But i imagine it's a little different for the kids here given their circumstances. It was a choice for Luke and I growing up but for the kids here they really just don't have a choice.

All else is well over here. Kinda missing the news and would love an update on what is happening around the world. Did they get that oil spill cleaned up yet? Is there peace in the middle east?

Peace and Love,

Adam

Simply Amazing

I spent a good part of my morning walking around in awe. God is really at work here in Oditel. The trip has been blest since its inception.

He has put amazing people in our lives over here, to help us and to guide us. We have accomplished more in the past week then we ever could have imagined. Next week is promising even more.

Our garden, which was way behind schedule is over half way done, the micro loan program is set up, and will kick off sometime next week.

I am really happy with the insight we have been able to supply to the church staff here, not saying at all that I am insightful, God gets the credit there. We have been bombarded by request to pay for needs, and start groups for them. It is very hard to try to explain to them, that if we pay, start or do everything for them, they will be worse off in the long run. Try explaining that to someone who is 20 years older then you.

It has been a huge blessing meeting all the kids that have been sponsored by our church members, the looks on their faces when you tell them the news.... Talk about shocked looks.

I am very thankful to God for allowing me to work on this trip. I know that I have been just as blessed as anyone I have helped on this trip. Thank you all you have supported our effort over here, hopefully it will be the start of much much more.

Lk
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Wooooo Hooooo :)

Seeds are in the ground.

What an exciting day we had today. We started working at 7am this morning in the garden with about 40 people from the village. We split the volunteers into two groups and had part of them work on planting the ground nuts and the larger group continued building furrows where we had left of the other day. We also planted 20 Orange trees throughout the garden for shade and to provide fruit for the village.

We ended up getting all the area we had worked up planted and ready to go by the time we all went to breakfast at 10:30. It was amazing and Luke and i are stoked to have so much done. The people asked if they could work in their own gardens tomorrow and saturday and so we will be finishing the planting of the Kasava on Monday and Tuesday next week.

I am elated that we have managed to get so much done in just the week that we have been here so far and can't wait to see what the next week has in store for us. It is also extremely exciting that the germination time is about 5 days on the ground nuts and by the way the weather is looking right now we should get some rain today. Sooooo we should be seeing the first sprouts poking out through the dirt by the time we have to leave Oditel. :) I can't begin to tell you how awesome that makes me feel.

Can't wait to see all of the plants growing and doing great.

Peace and Love,

Adam

Big, No really big bug.

This thing just landed on the back of my head......TIA
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Ready to Go

Well...we are all ready to plant.

I bushwhacked about 5 k into the bush this morning to purchase 20 Orange trees for the field. They will provide some shade and much needed vitamin C for the kids in the village once they are grown. We have also bought enough Kasava cuttings and ground nuts to plant the entire field. And the planting is scheduled to start at 7am tomorrow morning. Hopefully we have the full crew show up again and we can continue preparing while some of the people start the planting. Either way i am excited because we might just have ground nut sprouts coming up by the time we leave.

In Other News from Oditel:

A lesson that i have finally learned since being here is...No matter how benign an animal or insect appears, Do Not pick it up because it will hurt you. I picked up a catapillar several days ago and ended up with itchy thorns and bumps all over my hand that felt like i had poison ivy and they just subsided today. Yesterday i picked up a huge toad that looks just like the ones we have in the states for 2 seconds and afterwards it felt like my fingers were going to fall off. Sooo lesson learned. Just look at it and don't touch.

Luke and I are both in great health and great spirits. Despite a few minor Futbol injuries and a few cuts and scrapes from the grass and briars along the roads when we ride the boda boda. Thank you all for your prayers.

The micro-loans program is really coming along. We have another meeting about it tomorrow with the pastors and the "finance group". Should be really beneficial to the people here.

I might post again later if the weather stays as nice as it is right now.

The time is NOW!

Adam

A Burgler Broke Into Our Room!

Thought you all would find this story from the other day amusing. So the other afternoon i was making a run into town and Luke was lying down to read for a little bit since it was ridiculously hot and pretty much unbearable to be outside in the sun if you weren't moving with some speed. When i returned i walked into the room and was abruptly confronted by the assailant pictured above. He had come in through the door and was helping himself to the lettuce and cabbage in our pantry. Luke (he was born in a barn) had left the door open, as always, and mr Gazelle had snuck in without Luke so much as noticing. (edit: There is a tall bookshelf blocking the view from Luke's side of the room to where the gazelle was) So i told look to come have a look at what he was allowing to happen (my camera was charging and out of reach) while the gazelle took my stance to mean he was welcome and resumed eating.

Turns out i had to grab him by the horns and drag him out of the room in order to remove him from the premisis. Now, whenever the door is open he stops by and pokes his head in just hoping he can get another snack.

Just another one of the million stories we have accumulated thus far.

Mzungu!!!!

Adam

Challenge

What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul?

Luke
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Wow

What an morning!!! Its funny how sometimes the simplest of tasks in Africa can consume over half of your day.

This morning Adam and I were each supposed to work on different projects. Adam to manage the work in the garden and me to head to a market about 10k away and then return to finish off the morning in the garden. Only one of us had the morning go as planned.

I let the village at about 7:15 to meet up with pastor Sam for the 10k journey to oblong. Round trip should have taken about an hour, but they have to been working on that section of road and an hour into our journey we had only made it about half way. First off this road has a serious crown in it. Meaning on a good day it slopes severely to either side, this is not uncommon at all, it helps to keep the massive amounts of rain from washing out the road. Add to that the fact that the road had about 3 inches of mud on it, the type of mud that when you take a step you loose half a step from slipping. The boda boda has tires that about 2 inches wide with very little traction. I know for a fact that there was a kilometer in there where we were off the bike more then we were on it. About 2/3's of the way there, a large truck was perpendicular in the middle of the road, he had tried to turn around because the road was so bad, but the crown in the road was such that he was resting on the frame and his wheels were almost off the ground, I would have loved to stay and see how he got unstuck but we didn't have time. It took some careful maneuvering but we managed to get around him and to the market, that was only 10k away, about 845am. Almost an hour later then we were planning on.

Things went well in the market, and after 20 minutes we had 70 kilograms of seeds that we were loading onto our boda boda along with both of us for the ride back. We were informed of a route where the roads were a lot better but was a "little" longer. Ha, try about 20k longer. The boda boda is a little uncomfortable with 2 people on it, but add a large bag of seeds and I am almost sitting on the gas tank. We drove about 50k an hour, had good roads/ goat paths for the most part and arrived back in oditel around 10:30. The weather was hot today so they had already finished the days work in the garden, which considering the drive I had just gone on, didn't hurt my feelings at all.

After about 30 minutes I could feel my rear end again, so we had breakfast and got some rest while we wait for the weather to cool down so we can do some more work, have some meetings and maybe squeeze in a futbol game.

Things are progressing well, considering the set backs we had when we first arrived. Planting will start on Thursday, and should be finished up by Tuesday next week.

Tomorrow we do not have any help in the fields because most of the help needs a day to care for their own gardens, so we will probably work on finding some of the kids we have been looking for and try and finalize the micro loan program, maybe a futbol match or two.

The more that we are here the more impressed that I am by the Teso culture. They work hard, play the cards they have been given and smile almost all of the time.

I hope and pray that we can assist them in breaking the cycle of complete poverty and move them towards stability and sustainabilty.

Thanks,

Lk
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What A Day!!!

Wow...so much to tell everyone today, where should i start.

Well we started this morning at 7:15 heading to the garden to meet the people that were showing up to work with us today. Luke and I had both got up at 6:30 thinking that we would have a nice banana and a snack, maybe some tea before heading out to work in the field for the morning. The pastor told us that we should meet them there at 8am so we thought we had plenty of time. Not the case. The villagers decided to show up EARLY, which is a huge deal in Africa, so they sent someone to come get us at 7:10. Luke and i quickly tied on our shoes, snagged a water bottle each and rushed out to the garden, still applying sunscreen while we walked.

The turnout was amazing, especially considering that there was a market down the road today that most of the people usually go to for business. As you can see from the picture above we were able to accomplish a ton with the people that showed up and everyone was very excited. After we were all done working for the morning we were able to feed the 50 workers breakfast and they all comitted to coming back tomorrow to help more. The pastor and deacons were taking down peoples names so that they have a roster of who works in the garden so at harvest the people who work hard will get rewarded. It is awesome to see such a huge community effort and afterwards people were agreeing to help in each others personal gardens to get work done faster. The community is definitely seeing the big picture and they are very excited about it which makes Luke and I feel awesome about what we are accomplishing.

After we finished with the garden today Sam (a pastor here) and I went to the market down the street to buy ground nut seeds for the garden but they were already sold out. Luke was successful in buying Kasava cuttings for the garden this afternoon and is heading to another market about 10K away tomorrow at 7:30 to buy the ground nuts there.

We were visited by The Chairman (Joseph) this afternoon who made a special trip out here to bring Luke's missing bag from Soroti along with some other supplies we were in need of for food. When he arrived both Luke and I looked in his truck for the beloved bag and it was missing. The Chairman had forgotten the bag; which i find hilarious but Luke...not so much.

We hung out with Joseph for the afternoon while the rainstorms beat down and once they subsided Joseph left and Luke and I headed to the primary school for some mud futball (soccer).

Holy Moly...it has been a long time since i played and I am really going to feel it tomorrow. The field was so slippery from the rain and mud that everyone spent almost an equal amount of time on their butts in the mud as they did with the ball. It was like trying to play futbol on a slip and slide greased with crisco and there was some very serious laughs that were had...especially at me since i was the first one to end up on my hind end. Luke played keeper (goalie) for most of the game and came up with some great stops and some breathtaking (literally) collisions. Needless to say, after the work in the garden and today's futbol match Luke and I will both have trouble walking tomorrow.

After the match we headed into the center 'downtown' to see if Luke's bag had arrived (its coming on a random truck) but it had not. Someone gave us a live chicken, tied at the feet and obviously destraught, as a gift that we can eat for dinner tomorrow. :) Completely soaked, covered in mud and carrying a chicken we rode back on the bodaboda to check in for tonight.

That is life in Africa and it is really very incredible.

Peace and Love,

Adam

I think it might rain

What do you think?
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Happy Mother's Day

It's Mother's day, and what a glorious day it is here in Uganda.

I love you mom and hope that you have a truly spectacular day. A son could not ask for a better mother than you. I am saving a huge hug and kiss for you upon my return.

Happy Mother's day to all the other great mothers out there as well. Keep up the good work. No offense to all of you other mothers, but my mom really is the best and I love her very much. :)

Adam

P.S. I realize in hindsight that taking the baby turkey away from its mother and stressing her out on Mothers day was probably bad form...oooops

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I love Sundays

We woke up this morning to the sound of the roosters and turkeys. They we making considerable more noise then normal, I rolled over to check my watch and found out why! We had over slept, but apparently so did the animal kingdom( which in Uganda is your alarm clock) Church was starting in 10 minutes, no time for breakfast or coffee. We threw on our clothes and ran for the gate, only to find that it was still locked.... We are staying at the Catholic church and the person who usually locks and unlocks the gate was already in the Catholic service. We felt trapped and disappointed that it looked like we couldn't get out to go to church.

So we searched around and found that one of the cooks knew where the key was at and was able to let us out. So we hurried over to the church hoping to sneak in unnoticed. FAT CHANCE! Pastor Andrew meet us before we got to the building and promptly escorted us to the front of the church. Talk about embarrassing, however, the same cruel joke that nature played on us this morning it also played on 3/4's of the church. Over the next 20 minutes almost 100 people trickled in, they were lucky and were able to sneak into the back and sit down almost unnoticed. The Pastor then commented on how many people were late and said it must be because of the weather....hahaha.

We were put on the spot and asked to speak in front of the church this morning. We were very well received and felt as though the church members were able to understand our hearts of service towards them. They were excited about working along side us to build a better community here in Oditel.

This next part made my day and brought me to the brink of tears, almost the same way she meet me little Abiro walked in and looked at me almost asking if I would let her sit on my lap, she was wearing the new shoes and dress the Laura and the girls had picked out for her. So I reached out for her and she sat on my lap for the remainder of the service.

It got me thinking about what it must be like to grow up without a father, what needs a little girl like Abiro might have that are unfulfilled. What does it mean to "be a father to the fatherless"? What is it in a father that kids need so much, we can only begin to understand by looking at how our Father in heaven treats us, his children. The things that come to my mind are, unconditional love, grace, protection, peace, comfort and empowerment. So imagine your life without those things, without ever feeling the comfort and joy that comes from having a father who looks out for you, and cares greatly about you. I know that I would find it difficult to smile, just as Abiro does.

I know that it is mothers day, so I am sorry mom for taking a little of the shine off you today. So here is a shout out to my mothers and my wonderful wife. Happy Mothers day, know that I am missing you all very much today. I love you all.

Have a great day and look for away to bless someone around you today.

Luke
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Work in the Garden

Finally got the computer up and running again and was able to gather
enough signal through the rainstorm and clouds tonight to upload a
picture (i've been sitting here watching the 1 picture upload for the
last HOUR).

Hopefully the signal will be better tomorrow and i can upload some of
the amazing pictures that i have been taking for all of you following.

This picture is of Luke and our good friend Emanuel as we work in the
field preparing the demonstration area yesterday morning.

Emanuel is a great kid (23 years old) with a very good heart who has
been a good friend to us while we are here and was friends with Max
when the group was here in January. His story is very sad though. His
parents were murdered and he was taken by the LRA and forced to fight
with them as a boy soldier. He managed to survive, escape and find his
two younger brothers 6 and 11 whom he now cares and provides for.

He is always smiling but when you look him in the eyes and shake his
hand it is hard to even fathom the amount of things that he has seen
and endured in his young life.

We taught him and his friends how to play ultimate frisbee this
afternoon until the rain chased us off the field. They all LOVED it
and i am sure that it will be the next sport sensation of Uganda.

It's 11pm here and so im off to bed early so i can be rested for the
marathon church service here tomorrow. Church starts at 7:30am and
usually gets out around 1pm. And due to lake of a translator we will
understand about a sentence of what will be said. Should be
interesting to say the least.

Peace and Love,

Adam

Micro Loans

One of our major goals was to find a method for helping people get a head start and get on their feet, and at the same time be proud of what they have accomplished.

A great way to do this is through micro loans. The problem we thought would be finding a way to determine who to lend to and how much we should lend. This is usually done by someone who knows the area and understands what a viable business would look like and if there was a chance the loan could be paid back.

The main reason that a loan works better then a gift is that it creates more of sense of ownership and it allows the money to be used multiple times in a year.

Most micro loans are often less the 50 dollars and they are paid back within 6 months allowing the same 50 dollars to help out two people a year, the money is used to help people by increasing their economies of scale, and in this country every cent counts.

I am happy to say that I think we found a way to facilitate these loans without us having to screen each applicant. During a meeting today with the pastor from the local church he said that they already have the frame work set up and have be administering a similar program within their church. We discussed expanding the program to reach the whole community and they were very excited about the possibility. Even if we only added 250 dollars to their pool, we would be affected positively the lives of many here.

So we have asked for a meeting with their board next week and they are setting it up!!! This could be huge. So pray that we will be able to make things happen and that this program could start soon, that we would be able to communicate clearly and know what amount of funds to entrust to them.

I am sure Adam will be posting something later tonight so stay tuned.

Thanks,

Luke
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Daily Life in Oditel

Let me start by saying WE LOVE AFRICA. I can imagine that this is how the wild west was back in the day. Just good people trying to get by in a wild place.

After breakfast and chores this morning Luke and I headed out on the Bodaboda for Amuria to get some supplies. We made the 20k ride in search of Jam and Eggs.

Holy Cow...Luke was driving and my angels were working overtime today I tell ya. First off let me tell you about the road. Imagine a one lane dirt road full of potholes, now imagine it much worse than that. Now people and bikes all alone the road that must be dodged along with mud, ruts and rocks that present as formidable opponents for a bodaboda. Now imagine Luke driving like he is on his mountain bike out for an advanced ride. With every bump and pothole he successfully dodged his confidence grew and he became more daring. Soon we were clipping along at a blistering 30 kph with the sun shining on our backs and people smiling and waving everywhere. Luke was eating it up like a child who just was free of his training wheels. We bottomed out several times but made it safely into Amuria without much incident. We were able to buy eggs (1.25 / dozen) but no Jam. We topped the tank off with Petrol and splurged for a moderately cold Cocacola then got back on the bike to head home. Me (the most trusting brother in the world) deferred my right to pilot on the way home being that we were now under load (supplies in backpack), Luke being heavier and I and already having rear end clearance issues and his experienced gained on the drive to town. I thought this was a fair and prudent decision and Luke jumped at the opportunity for more driving. We made it out of town and all was going well except for the pain we were both experiencing on our hindsides from the bumpy road. AND THEN...another Solo (alone you can go faster) bodaboda driver passed us. I could almost feel Luke's body shutter and grimace at the audacity someone had to pass him. For those of you who know Luke you know that NOONE passes Luke. Apparently they didn't get the memo in Uganda and it was up to him to make sure this person knew. Luke's competitive drive kicked in, the throttle twisted, the engine roared and the challenge taken. Despite my comments, the race was on and we were in second place, Luke does NOT finish second. Before long we matched his speed (screaming along at 60kph) and were in hot pursuit. Unfortunately, this phantom driver had an advantage over us, he know the road well and was driving as such even though he was oblivious to that fact he was in a race. Out of "nowhere", 50 meters ahead and closing fast, a pothole of volcanic proportions appeared. Luke kept on the gas and I know for a minute that he was contemplating the jump, maybe it was me yelling, the thought of our dozen precious eggs breaking but suddenly he realized we were bested. He yelled "hold on tight" as he downshifted and slammed on the brakes. The engine screamed, the tires broke loose and skidded on the hard clay, the sun baked down on us and I'm pretty sure the vultures started circling. The bike slowed and in seconds we were in the crater, and then out again before you could blink and I was airborn with only my white nuckles gripping the seat. After I landed Luke yelled over his shoulder "that was a big one" a huge grin spreading from ear to ear. I replied "a little competitive are we?" and we continued motoring home.

We made it safely home and only one of the eggs were lost.

We had a very productive afternoon and were able to make some great progress on the micro-loan front and things are going so well.

I will post again later this evening with more stories.

Peace and Love,

Adam

P.S. Luke did a great job driving and at no point were we in any serious danger.

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Lunch

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What a great day

We had an awesome day today and made a ton of great forward progress in the garden and the community.

After a breakfast of fresh pineapple and bananas Luke and I headed out to the garden to get started with some preparation work. There was already two teams of oxen starting the second plowing of the land which is great news.

We spent a half an hour building raised beds for demonstration to the locals and made good progress. Soon after the local pastor came to see us with some deacons from the local churches. We met for an hour with them and discussed the needs of the area from an agriculture standpoint. They presented a document to us that outlined their needs and concerns and we discussed our plan with them afterward. It was very reassuring that the plan we had created covered so many of the issues and needs that they identified. After we all walked out to the field where I showed them the raised beds we had made and explained the importance of doing this in the field. They were amazed and kept saying "thank you for bringing this idea to Oditel".

We then discussed how the widows and members of the church will manage the garden and charged them with gathering 20-30 workers from their churches to work with us. They left extremely excited and we are looking forward to seeing the field full of workers on Monday morning.

After lunch we headed out on the Bodaboda to get a better feel for the area. We stopped by a red cross aid point which was packed because they are distributing mosquito nets at today in Oditel to try and help prevent malaria in the rainy season. We stopped by the local "store" and the owner who is a leader here would not let us pay for the cokes he gave us. He simply said "you are welcome here, we thank God so much for sending you". It is really starting to feel like a home here and the people are all loving us so much.

Abito (Luke's little adopted daughter) found us today. You should have seen the look on his face when he got to hug her again. I thought for a second that he might cry with happiness. She was very excited as well as soon as she was convinced by her mother that Luke was not the police. It was beyond a hallmark moment and I wish you all could have seen them.

In other news...I miss ICE and anything cold or chilled for that matter. Lol. The nearest refrigerator is 5 hours away and the only thing cold here is the showers. NOT complaining at all, just sayin. :)

The fruit bats here are the size of sea gulls and have no qualms about dive bombing you if you approach the mango tree at dark.

The chicken with the brood of chicks doesn't find it nearly as amusing as Luke and I when we pick up her babies and is quite violent about it now. The mother turkey doesn't mind though.

At 5 am while heading back from the bathroom in the dark, barely awake; being charged by the dog or the gazelle is quite frightening, at least the first time.

I am 2 games up on Luke in our Uganda cribbage tournament. :)

Love you guys,

Adam

P.S. Sorry about the lack of pictures. We are having a small power and connection issue on the computer and have a limited ability to upload photos at the moment. Working on it though.
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Found her

And yes she still doesn't smile but Her mother said that she was very thankful.

More to come

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Preparations for the Garden

We woke up early this morning to the sounds of the animal kingdom waking up. Roosters and tom turkeys seemed to be everywhere and each was vigorously proclaiming that it was a new day.

We spent today out at the garden and in the village making preparations. The ox and plow finished plowing the garden the first time and they are supposed to be starting the replowing process so that we can get the ground furrowed up and planted.

I won't get into any details but my stomach is having a hard time adjusting to the diet here. Sooo we need your prayers on that front. Please also keep your prayers focused on letting us find the right people to lead the garden project.

I am off to have a little fresh pinapple and do some reading as this huge storm approaches Oditel. Looks like we will get some rain tonight which will be wonderful for our planting.

Thank you all for your prayers and support. I wish you could all see how big the smiles are of the people here when they see us and know why we are here. The joy they express is truly indescribable.

Peace and Love,

Adam
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The sounds of Oditel

We are all situated in the wonderful village of Oditel. We arrived
yesterday afternoon and were able to unpack our gear into our room and
Christine (the woman who is helping us with our food) was able to get
her kitchen organized. We are staying in a small room with two small
twin beds with mosquito nets draped over them and a wall of shelves
separating them, a small table where we can eat our meals and play
cribbage and a sink in the corner where wee can brush our teeth. The
bathroom and the shower are outside of our room but very close.

Luke's first second impression last night was "Wow what a difference 3
months makes". Everything is so green and lush from the recent rains,
the temp is about 15 degrees cooler and the road is very muddy, a
start difference from the dry dusty road of january. The people seem
like they are in good health and it was great to see that many of them
remembered Luke and he noticed many familiar faces. We took a short
stroll through the village to look at the garden and the ground that
will be our project area and we both realized that we have very much
work to do.

After getting unpacked we each sat down on our beds to do a little
reading (i'm polishing off "For Whom The Bell Tolls" by Hemingway")
and wind down after the long and bumpy car ride to the village.
Speaking of the car ride...it was amazing that David (who wouldn't go
over 30 KPH on the highway) was able to drive 70KPH down a muddy
stretch of dirt that could barely be called a road. We must have
bottomed out at least 50 times and i really hope that he has a skid
plate on his vehicle.

While we were relaxing we were suddenly startled to hear loud chanting
and singing all around us. We are staying in a Catholic mission and
they were having a service. But the sound was so unmistakably Africa.
The sounds of animals making noise, the drone of millions of insects,
and the rythmic beat of drums and chanting of the African praise songs
being sung in the chapel next to us. Luke and I both looked at each
other, smiled and said in unison "we will have to go to the next
service".

The singing and yelling continued well into the night as Luke and I
played a game of cribbage and both read our books. We are truly in
another world here. A world that is entirely different from everything
that we know back home.

Peace and Love,

Mzungu's

Katie: Luke wanted you to know that as we walk around the village the
kids follow us singing "all i need", the song you taught them last
time you were here.

We made it.

Need I say more?

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Mzunga!!!

Everywhere we go all the people that see Luke and I flash the biggest smiles, wave and shout Mzunga (it means "white man who travels").

Today we slept in and "paid our sleep debt" as our family here says, ate some brunch and departed with David our team member on the ground here. 

We started by going into town and starting to get our supplies around and coordinating for a woman to come to the bush with us to help us prepare meals.

We then took a drive out to the bush so that David could show us around the area and we could become more familiar with the people and culture here in this region. 

We ended up at a mountain where there was an abandoned quarry from when they built the new highway. We climbed the mountain and talked to many of the people working with the rock in the quarry. They were taking large rocks and breaking them down by pounding them with hammers by hand to various sizes; excruciating work in the hot sun. When we asked David about the market for these stones he told us that they sell them by the truckload and get the following amount of money depending on the size of the rocks. For basketball size rocks it costs 100,000 pence ($10usd), for baseball size stones it costs 150,000 pence ($15usd) and for stones that have been crushed by hand down to pea gravel size it costs only 180,000 pence ($18usd). It takes the average family about 4 weeks of working 10 hrs per day to crush enough stone to fill one truck. That boils down to less than $.20 per day per family for hot gruelling work in the sun. Worse yet is that most of the men stay at home while they send their wives to do this work with the children. Many of the women were carrying babies less then 1 year old on their back while they crushed the stone and carried it from the quarry in buckets on their heads. I asked how much they could carry that way especially with a child on their back and David quickly answered "at least 100kg". 

As we walked down from the mountain in a somber mood we said hello to all the people working and i was amazed to see them all laughing and smiling when we said hello. Even when faced with such horrible working conditions in order to feed their families they were still very joyous and in no way hopeless. The also got quite a chuckle from watching Luke and I climb and descend the mountain...David said they were laughing at us becuase they were comparing us to the only other animals that climb the rocks "the goats".

We left once we got down and went to look at some crop fields to gather a sense of what is going to work best in our garden in Kapelebyong. After our day today we are even more excited to get to Kapelebyong and teach the villagers a useful skill so that they can make good wages and earn a good living for their families. 

At The Quarry

Luke and I (with David in tow) climbed the mountain at the quarry. 

Buying A Mobile

Luke and Joseph negotiating for the latest technology so that we can stay in touch with Joseph and David while we are here.

Kind of funny that they were selling the newest blackberry tour for only $60 USD. We took a trusty Nokia though as it works best here. 

Fishing Uganda Style

Joseph caught some fish with the grill of the truck during a water crossing.

HAHA. Just teasing. We bought some Tilapia along the way and apparently attaching them to the grill of the truck is the best way to keep them fresh when it's 90 degrees and you are driving for 4 hours more. 

Neither Luke nor myself complained one bit as anything would have been better than having them in the car for that period of time in that heat. 

We ate them tonight and i have to say they were pretty delish.

Pictures (A Technical Issue)

Sorry to everyone who was expecting to see a bunch of pictures yesterday. With the internet that we have it is very difficult to upload pictures and the blog will only allow one picture per post before it times out. 

Sooo. I am going to upload a few pictures from yesterday as a blog post each with the image and a little story about the images. I will also tell you about our day today afterwards because today was incredible. 

The image on this post is us crossing the Nile river near the headwaters yesterday (yes i did ask but unfortunately we couldn't go fishing). 

Pictures from our day

Hey Everyone....

We made it all the way up to Joseph's house in Soroti today and are hanging out here for the evening.

Seeing that we have internet for the first time on our trip i figured ya'll might enjoy some photos from the drive.

A norther Uganda Traffic Jam (cows in the road)

Loving Uganda Already

And we aren't even done traveling to Kapelebyong yet.

We have met so many cool people on our journey here and have received much affirmation on our mission.

The people here are so loving and I can tell that our journey has been blessed.

I decided to skip my malaria meds last night on the grounds that it would be completely miserable to spend 8 hours in the car today feeling like I was yesterday. I'm going to let my stomach finish settling down today and try and resume the malerone tomorrow and see how it goes.

Luke's clothes bag is still MIA which is kinda a bummer. Although Joseph and I have been making jokes about it all day and managed to get a few chuckles out of Luke.

The driving over here is pretty insane (especially in towns) and is definitely combat driving. Bump and go is fully accepted as standard practice...even when dealing with boda-boda drivers. And the potholes are amazing...some of them could easily swallow a small car and all the rest seem to be inhabited by goats or various other farm animals.

Well that's all for now. Two more hours in the car and we'll finally have a chance to walk around.

Peace and Love,

AK
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Uganda!!!!!!

As I type this we are bouncing our way to Soroti under the careful eye of the Chairman( Joseph)

All of our flights went as smoothly as expected, however they misplaced my bag that had all of my clothes in it. So let's pray that they find it because I don't want to where the same pair of socks for a month.

There is much eveidence of rain and its not as dusty here as it was in January. The heat, smells and traffic are the same.

I am looking forward to arriving in Soroti and get my feet elevated and lay in some sort of a bed, by the time we get there we will have been traveling for over 36 hours!

Time to try and take a nap so I can be rested for our adventures tomorrow.

Keep us in your prayers but more importantly pray for lasting change in the village.

Thanks,

Luke
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Hanging out at Heathrow

Hey Everyone...we made it to London this morning and have been couch surfing through the airport and catching up on sleep during our 12 hour layover.

It is very apparent that this is an international airport and it's very enjoyable to hear the diverse range of languages being spoken and to see people from all walks of life gathered in one place, even if only for a moment.

The malerone is still wreaking havoc on my body although it seems to be getting better in the last hour or so, probably because I'm supposed to be taking another dose soon. Definitely not looking forward to taking dose two if it's going to continue making me feel dizzy to the point of nausiousness with stomach pains like it has all day today. Sooo keep me in your prayers on that one if you could. Luke seems to be handling it much better and only has a small headache.

I have been reading and listening to my ipod in between naps all day. Came across an old favorite song of mine that really spoke to me. I'll include some of the lyrics below but if you have a chance its a good listen too.

I love you all,

Adam


David Gray - I think its going to rain today

"Broken windows and empty hallways
Pale dead moon and a sky streaked with grey, and human kindness is overflowing and I think it's going to rain today.

Scarecrows dressed in the latest styles
Frozen smiles to chase them away, and human kindness is overflowing and I think it's going to rain today.

Lonely, lonely...tin can at my feet, I think I'll kick it down the street.
No, that's no way to treat a friend.

Bright before me, signs implore me
To help the needy and show them the way, and human kindness is overflowing and I think it's going to rain today.

Yes I think it's going to rain today."



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We're at the airport

Well everybody, we made it to the airport and are at the gate waiting for our flight. We were hoping that there would be a restaurant in the terminal where we could get a decent bite to eat while we are waiting but there are none. I guess we'll have to hope that British Airways serves us a little snack.

I took my first Maladrone (malaria medication) dose today and I have to say that it is really kicking my butt. Definitely not feeling the best but the doc says that this time of year it's imperative that we have malaria protection. Soooo keep me in your prayers that my body comes up to 100% so I can be my usual chipper self.

We love all you guys and would like to thank you all for coming on this journey with us.

Peace and Love,

Adam
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We are leaving today!!!

Ok....i'll admit it, i'm just a lil bit excited and we have 20 hours until actual departure. Luke and I have been vigorously packing for the last 6 hours after spending all afternoon finishing up last minute errands and picking up final supplies. We are finally getting close and can rest easy tonight knowing that we are well prepared.

I'm going to try and get some sleep so that i can wake up first thing and finish packing the final items before we put the locks on the bags.

I would like to thank everyone again for all of their prayers and support. I'm looking forward to updating the blog a lot; hopefully with a lot of wonderful and entertaining stories.

Vaya Con Dios,

Adam

Blessed

I want to say that I feel so blessed to have the friends that I do. I am overwhelmed by the generosity that has turned this dream into a reality. Thank you all.

I am excited for this trip and feel honored to be a part of such an amazing thing. This village is going to be changed because of the support you all have given.


Thanks,

Luke

What a Wild Whirlwind

Hey Everyone,

Only a couple more days until we depart for Uganda and we have been running full steam trying to get everything ready.

I got my immunizations yesterday which was a lot of fun (my arm is still a little sore from the yellow fever injection) and i received my "yellow card" which allows me to enter Uganda. It was really funny when the DR was giving me my Typhoid injection as it brought back memories of playing Oregon Trail growing up. I even got a chuckle out of the Doc when I told him i really didn't want to die of dysentery. :)

Preparations for the trip are going great and Luke and Myself are both in great spirits about the adventure. Our contact in Uganda has been helping Luke get accommodations for us and working on getting things prepared for our work on the ground there.

We were officially "commissioned" at church on sunday and i have to say that i was personally so blessed to have so many people supporting us and praying for us on this trip. Thank you also to all of our friends and family who have given donations for the people of Kapelebyong and our trip. We haven't yet reached our goal but are well on our way.

This trip has already been such a growing experience for me and i cannot wait to see what is in store for us on our travels and while we are in Uganda.

Thank you all soo much for your prayers and support.

Adam

Getting down to the wire

Wow it is amazing how things can come together in a hurry... We had a couple large donations this weekend and are getting a lot closer to our goal. Many thanks to those who have donated to help make this trip a success.

I talked with our Ugandan friend Joseph and he told me that the ground is being worked up right now, which is very exciting.

The one concern I have now is that Joseph asked if I knew how to cook, you know Ugandan food. This could be good or a disaster, beans and rice cannot be too hard to cook, but the goat, on the other hand could be interesting.

I am so looking forward to seeing my adopted daughter, Abito, maybe I can get her to smile some on this trip... and meeting Esther as well.

These children are so amazing, even in the midst of suffering they can find some hope. There is so much that I can learn from them and I am looking forward to sharing in their suffering.

One week away

We are getting really excited about this trip.

The ground work is taking place at a rapid rate and I have been talking with our contact over there finalizing the details.


From the sounds of it the well should be in place and operational by the time that we get there, the land for the garden is being worked up and plowed. A process that, here in the states would take about 3 hours but in Uganda they have to do it with a ox and a plow, and remove all the stumps by hand. So it could take up to a week, but we have been told that it will be ready by the time that we get there.

We have found a local source for the seeds and tools which is a big relief. Now we can focus on getting the plantings done and get the garden growing. My goal is to have the seeds sprouting before we leave.... let's see if we can make it happen.


Our lodging situation is still up in the air so we are taking a tent just in case we need to it, pray that we get something figured out because that might be a little tense for a couple nights but it is Africa. There is only so much that you can line up and sometimes you have to be willing to go with the flow.

We still are in need of support but we are a lot closer to our goal, so if you have any inclination to donate to our cause we would greatly appreciate it.

Our blog post will be almost daily until we leave for Uganda on May 1st. We will try our best to keep all of you updated while we are over there.


Thanks for all the support,


Luke