One out of every five Africans lives in a country afflicted by war. Over 90% of the casualties are civilians. 19 million Africans are refugees and there are an estimated 20 million landmines lurking beneath African soil. 30 million Africans are infected with HIV. Three quarters of the world’s AIDS deaths occur in Africa. Life expectancy has dramatically fallen in much of Africa over the last decades.
Africa is the poorest continent on earth, and the only one that has actually grown poorer over the last 30 years. Despite Africa having 10% of the world’s population, Africa only accounts for less than 2% of the world’s production.Every year Africa looses 23,000 professionals to immigration.
..........this is why Africa is important to me. I may only cause the smallest dent of good in this huge problem over there, but as a Christian it is important for me to try to witness God to them and help meet their basic needs.
PS~ I am returning to Uganda this Summer (2009). My heart is there. I am in love with Africa and it's people. Lots of news and when the holiday are over I will share all the wonderful things Kristi and I are making happen with the generosity from our family.
Saturday, December 06, 2008
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
What's Been Going On???
With me..... well, my computer crashed. My hard drive died, so right now my memory is trying to be taken off my dead hard drive and put on a new one. Yes, I am sad. This is the first time I have had this happen. I do back up my computer on an external hard drive, but it's been a few months and more photos, videos and Itunes have been put on the current hard drive. So, sigh, I am having all sorts of issues, huh? And my memory card from Africa is unable to be recovered. That's right, 100% gone....
Other then that my Xmas tree is up!! :)
Other then that my Xmas tree is up!! :)
Friday, November 28, 2008
Thankful...
I am thankful for God, my family, the country I live in and the resources I have to be able to go out and do mission work. I am hopeful that one year from now many of the people in the world that I have touched can be thankful for the same things. Happy Thanksgiving weekend! Remember, even in the bad economy, we as Americans are much richer then most of the world's population. Having clean water, healthcare, a roof over our head, education for our kids and being able to worship in church of our choice are things we take for granted. This Christmas season please take time to remember the real meaning of Christmas and what God gave us sending his son Jesus :)
xoxoxoxo Shawna
xoxoxoxo Shawna
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
My Journey....
3 days of our mission trip was spent at Smile Africa. We assisted in an orphan and widow outreach with the Karamojong tribe...it was so wonderful.
And the sweetest boy there is in this photo...he is in the middle. I forgot his name though....I hope he is there next time I am at Smile Africa. He was so bright and nice. Spoke good English and was quizing me on everything American. I think he said he was 11.
And the sweetest boy there is in this photo...he is in the middle. I forgot his name though....I hope he is there next time I am at Smile Africa. He was so bright and nice. Spoke good English and was quizing me on everything American. I think he said he was 11.
Monday, November 24, 2008
True Vine...A Special Place
The main site we spent a lot of time at was True Vine. Here on this campus, that Hope 4 Kids expanded and help grew, the less fortunate of Uganda can get vocational training, go to church, go to school, get theology training and get healthcare. They also have an orphan sponsorship. An orphan is defined in the Bible as a child with no father. They may have a mother, but if the father died or abandoned them, then they are an orphan. The campus is really a miracle and shining light in the middle of so much chaos and despair.
The entrance to the campus...
The kitchen at True Vine is a shack with 2 big open pots cooking for the kids, workers and widows. This is a project that Kristi and I are going to fundraise to get built. A new kitchen building is $18,000 :) See it back there?
Kids of True Vine. What a difference that education, healthcare, food and religion can do for a child, especially an orphan or street child.
True Vine's school
The bathroom at True Vine, when of course everyone is not going in the bushes :) They do have 1 western style toilet, that no one showed me before I did go in this Uganda style toilet. You pretty much stand in a squat over it....I was laughing the whole time. I had to take a photo. It looks so much nicer with no lights on in the bathroom :)
In front of the church. Pastor Goodwyn, "the water man", Kristi and I. Before the well was built the "water man" would fill jerry-cans full of water from another well far away and ride them back to True Vine on his bicycle. That was his job all day long. Now they have a well and clean water is the basis of health for these people.
The church that CCV built, the windows have CCV printed into the metal frames.
The Church of Joy Group (see me??)
True Vine's Clinic. Another project Kristi and I want to raise money for is an Xray machine. It would be the only clinic or hospital with an Xray machine in Western Uganda or Eastern Kenya. $9,000 left to purchase it, they already raised $9,000 for it.
Kristi and I with our sponsored orphan kids. Hope 4 Kids International has a sponsorship program. The monthly $ given helps the kids to go to boarding school there (or elsewhere), school supplies, medical care at True Vine's clinic, bedding/mosquito nets and general help from H4KI :) I also got to meet my kid Godfrey's mom, who lives at True Vine and is a widow.
Over the course of our trip we stayed in 3 hotels. This was hotel number 1 that we stayed in for the first night in Entebbe. It is the "Golf View Hotel". At each hotel we did have to sleep in mosquito netting. So I took a photo of Kristi!! When we got to this hotel it was raining and the roof was leaking in the lobby. I just laughed :) One good thing I must note is we had hot water at this hotel. First shower in Uganda was here and after flying for 2 days it was so welcomed!!
A STORY....
One time there was a boy who was just along the shore trying to collect some star fish that layed along the shores. These star fish were bushed to the shores on the dry land due to the waves that moved them from water to the ground. So one man was moving a long the shores and saw this young boy collecting one by one and throwing them back in water.
This man asked him "hey , these star fish are so many why waste your time after all you can't finish them all." The young boy caught one and held it in his hands and said: "look! each time I throw one in water, I will have saved it's life!" So he threw one in water and it survived the sun. And he concluded by saying each time you improve on one's life you will have made a difference in his life, later all will move to changing the world.
The entrance to the campus...
The kitchen at True Vine is a shack with 2 big open pots cooking for the kids, workers and widows. This is a project that Kristi and I are going to fundraise to get built. A new kitchen building is $18,000 :) See it back there?
Kids of True Vine. What a difference that education, healthcare, food and religion can do for a child, especially an orphan or street child.
True Vine's school
The bathroom at True Vine, when of course everyone is not going in the bushes :) They do have 1 western style toilet, that no one showed me before I did go in this Uganda style toilet. You pretty much stand in a squat over it....I was laughing the whole time. I had to take a photo. It looks so much nicer with no lights on in the bathroom :)
In front of the church. Pastor Goodwyn, "the water man", Kristi and I. Before the well was built the "water man" would fill jerry-cans full of water from another well far away and ride them back to True Vine on his bicycle. That was his job all day long. Now they have a well and clean water is the basis of health for these people.
The church that CCV built, the windows have CCV printed into the metal frames.
The Church of Joy Group (see me??)
True Vine's Clinic. Another project Kristi and I want to raise money for is an Xray machine. It would be the only clinic or hospital with an Xray machine in Western Uganda or Eastern Kenya. $9,000 left to purchase it, they already raised $9,000 for it.
Kristi and I with our sponsored orphan kids. Hope 4 Kids International has a sponsorship program. The monthly $ given helps the kids to go to boarding school there (or elsewhere), school supplies, medical care at True Vine's clinic, bedding/mosquito nets and general help from H4KI :) I also got to meet my kid Godfrey's mom, who lives at True Vine and is a widow.
Over the course of our trip we stayed in 3 hotels. This was hotel number 1 that we stayed in for the first night in Entebbe. It is the "Golf View Hotel". At each hotel we did have to sleep in mosquito netting. So I took a photo of Kristi!! When we got to this hotel it was raining and the roof was leaking in the lobby. I just laughed :) One good thing I must note is we had hot water at this hotel. First shower in Uganda was here and after flying for 2 days it was so welcomed!!
A STORY....
One time there was a boy who was just along the shore trying to collect some star fish that layed along the shores. These star fish were bushed to the shores on the dry land due to the waves that moved them from water to the ground. So one man was moving a long the shores and saw this young boy collecting one by one and throwing them back in water.
This man asked him "hey , these star fish are so many why waste your time after all you can't finish them all." The young boy caught one and held it in his hands and said: "look! each time I throw one in water, I will have saved it's life!" So he threw one in water and it survived the sun. And he concluded by saying each time you improve on one's life you will have made a difference in his life, later all will move to changing the world.
Viva La Vida
We interrupt this blog for an important note:
2 days until the Coldplay concert........
I am very excited!!! My second Coldplay concert :)These guys know how to put on a show and next to Rolling Stones, put on the best concert (sorry George!!)..... 53 hours until their opening act takes the stage here in Az!!!
Now back to our scheduled blogging about Uganda :)
2 days until the Coldplay concert........
I am very excited!!! My second Coldplay concert :)These guys know how to put on a show and next to Rolling Stones, put on the best concert (sorry George!!)..... 53 hours until their opening act takes the stage here in Az!!!
Now back to our scheduled blogging about Uganda :)
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Equator and Safari
Some fun photos before I depress you all with photos of the rest of our trip. The reality of Africa that was lived day after day during our trip. Once we left Western Uganda for Tororo (Eastern side) we left tourist mode and both went into missionary mode. I never thought I had it in me, but after this trip I know I have a calling to do mission work :)
My cousin Kristi and I at the Equator. On each side of the street was one of these signs. Pastor Godfrey is standing there too by us, and behind us is James from California walking by...gotta love how "in the moment" these photos are! I have more, hopefully, that will be restored off my deleted memory card. The metal line in the middle of the sign shows the exact spot of the Equator's invisible line. You can see how Kristi and I are on opposite side of the Equator (ha!), North and South Hemisphere.
The Equator:
And Josh from California acting crazy, which became the norm from him daily...
Our full day safari between the Congo border and Fort Portal. It was really interesting and neat to go by bus and boat at the national park...I believe this was on day 3.
Safari by bus...
Safari By Boat...
Lunch was peanut butter sandwiches made in the wilderness....
A Warthog sleeping under a tree by the snackbar. All the photos being taken by our group did not wake "Pumba" up....remember Lion King?
My cousin Kristi and I at the Equator. On each side of the street was one of these signs. Pastor Godfrey is standing there too by us, and behind us is James from California walking by...gotta love how "in the moment" these photos are! I have more, hopefully, that will be restored off my deleted memory card. The metal line in the middle of the sign shows the exact spot of the Equator's invisible line. You can see how Kristi and I are on opposite side of the Equator (ha!), North and South Hemisphere.
The Equator:
And Josh from California acting crazy, which became the norm from him daily...
Our full day safari between the Congo border and Fort Portal. It was really interesting and neat to go by bus and boat at the national park...I believe this was on day 3.
Safari by bus...
Safari By Boat...
Lunch was peanut butter sandwiches made in the wilderness....
A Warthog sleeping under a tree by the snackbar. All the photos being taken by our group did not wake "Pumba" up....remember Lion King?
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