July 2015 Karamoja Visit

My husband (Abdu) and I headed to Karamoja on July 7 to visit our students in their schools.  Thank you to those who donated for us to be able to fly instead of going by road.  Although there was more turbulence then we would like, it was still MUCH better than the road.  10 hour bumpy road trip or 2.5 hours of flying above God's beautiful creation...it was a wonderful treat.  It was a shuttle flight where they dropped people off at 2 other towns before our stop.  So Abdu got some practice with enduring take off and landings in the small plane.

My pregnant self heading the airplane.

Abdu ready to board the plane.

When we arrived our hired car and driver and Pastor Philip had not yet arrived so Abdu and I started walking to the guest house.  The best part about Karamoja is even though we do not know the language AT ALL we have been there enough and feel completely safe enough to walk on our own.  When a plane lands there a LOT of people come running to the airstrip to see who has come.  So we had quite an entourage as we were moving.

We had 10 schools to visit in 2 days.  There are some students who are in schools outside of the Karamoja region so we were not able to visit those children.

First stop was St. Daniel Comboni Nursery School.  Where our youngest and shyest little one is.  I know by next year she's going to be talking to me willingly.

Sweet little Ruth

Pastor Philip is on the right.  The Headmistress/Principal of the school is in the middle.

Come on, you know she's adorable!

Next stop was Longalom Primary School where we have 3 students.  We missed one of them because he was in class but the two youngest were around.

Must sign the Visitor's Book at EVERY school you enter.

Not a great picture but we were able to check on our Paul
and Lydia.  Lydia is little Ruth's older sister.

Third stop of the day...St. Daniel Comboni Secondary School.  We have 8 students at this school.  Somehow we failed to get a group picture but we arrived at a time when they couldn't all be with us at the same time.  So I'm sorry about that.

Unfortunately not all students are cooperative with the program.  This young lady is getting counseled
by us for her behaviors this year.  Thankfully the teachers have reported that she is pulling
herself together this term.  So we are praising God for that.

Very proud of this young man.  He has been given a role of leadership in the school this year.
Much improved after the counseling session I had with him last year.  Very proud!

Me talking with the two mentors who are also students at this school and Pastor Philip.

Pastors Elijah and Simon Peter pictured above are in their 40's and have several children.  They wanted to go back to school in order to be able to read and interpret the Bible better and to be examples to their children.  They are also a tremendous help to Pastor Philip and I with keeping track of the other kids and checking on them.  We are incredibly thankful for these wonderful men.

Last stop of the day was at Loodoi Primary School where we have sisters Florence and Marisca. These girls are doing well in school and we will be moving them to a better performing school next year so they can excel in their studies.  The woman next to Pastor Philip is the headmaster.  She was very kind and was spoke highly of our girls.

First stop of the second day was at Kangole Boys Primary School.  We have 12 boys at this school.  My goodness I could not be prouder of these boys.  They have become more than friends and are now brothers.  Several are in the same classes so they help and push each other to do better.  It is wonderful.  They even appointed one of the oldest to be their leader and that boy, Yeno Abraham, communicates to Pastor Philip if anyone is sick, needs anything or if there is a problem at the school.  

When we arrived, we entered the office and I would see our boys RUNNING past the office and then RUNNING back to the office to where we were.  They were going to wash themselves before greeting me.  The fact that they were running made me giddy with joy.  They are no longer reluctant to see us.  It is amazing.  They came in 1 by 1 and greeted me with a HUG.  Boys giving hugs as a greeting...I'm still in awe of it really.

This boy failed his last class level 4 times before I gave him a last chance in 2014.  He passed
and is now in the next class and doing well.  So proud!

The headmistress was out at a funeral so we didn't get to see her today.  But the gentlemen on the left is the deputy.  I enjoyed him a lot.  He was telling us that he used to be a student at that school and was beaten in that office by the headmaster at the time and he straightened himself out and now he is the one sitting in the very same office.  He encouraged the boys to do their best and to strive to take his job!

We were given some time to meet with the boys.  To hear their issues,
celebrate their accomplishments, and see what they needed.

These boys used to be shorter than me...You see how big they are now?  My goodness...

This young man has a continuous health issue that we were discussing.

These wounds are common in the area.  Dr. Dave used to call them tropical ulcers. We need to establish a better medical program for when our children get sick.  I am working on that with the local hospital.

Some of our boys heading back to class happily.  :-)

Next stop to our two girls at Kangole Girls Secondary School.  Sarah and Salome at this school and are growing into wonderful young women.  

Teenage girls need some individual girl time to talk.

Third stop of the day...Kangole Girls Primary School.  We have 4 girls here.  From Sarah in Primary 1 to Elizabeth in Primary 7.  So that is why Elizabeth seems so big. It's because she's got a few years on these other ones.

Pastor Philip's twin girls are at this school.  Still can't figure out which one is which...ugh!

These kids are all going to be so much taller than me...

Sweet little Sarah...still not talking to me but she'll get there.

Heading back to class.

Fourth stop of the day was St. Andrews Secondary School.  This was the first time I've been to this school because these two were newly sponsored in 2015.  James and Anna are at this school.  James is Pastor Elijah's son (who is one of the pastors in school).  James is in Senior 4 and his father is in Senior 3.  James has been named the leader of Agriculture at school.  His title is Agriculture Prefect.  He is responsible for overseeing the planting, watering, and harvesting their crops.  He told me they planted maize, beans, and some other things.  What they harvest helps to feed them at school.

Meeting with Anna to see how she is doing,etc.

Also got to sit with James for a few minutes before sending them back to class.

Fifth stop of the day...Moroto High School.  We have 3 boys at this school currently.  2 Mark's and a Michael.  We were able to meet with the Headmaster in his office and it was my first opportunity to meet him.  He is a priest and not usually at the school when I am around.  Below we are pictured with the deputy headmaster.  This gentleman is also very nice.  You know to see the care that they have for the children is always so nice.  He also took time to encourage the boys.  He encouraged me and this ministry to keep fighting for these kids.

This Deputy said to me, "What you are doing for these children is wonderful.  You are investing in their lives and in their future.  One day you will be at their weddings and you will see the good Christian men that you have invested in.  You will see them having children and they will send their own children to school all because of what you and the ministry have done for them."

I had to choke back wanting to cry because to be honest I never thought about it.  I never thought about being at all of the weddings and seeing their children.  I am so consumed by keeping them in school and trying to ensure that they succeed that I hadn't thought that far in advance.  But he's right.  Being part of these childrens lives doesn't stop when they finish school.  We are family now.  The Ezekiel 37 family and it will continue to grow by God's grace.

After the Deputy headed back to the office we had some time with the boys.

Sixth and final stop of the day...Child Jesus Primary School.  We have two children here.  Joel and Maureen.  Both of these kids are so good and well behaved.

Joel is Pastor Phillip's son and a talented drummer and musician.

Sweet Maureen (above) who is always first in her class.  Except the 1st term of this year and it was because she was sick for 2 weeks with Typhoid Fever and Malaria.  She was hospitalized.  You know where she ended up?  2nd in her class...  She was disappointed but she declared to me "I'm getting my position back."  I have no doubt that she will.


The children in leadership roles:
Paul at St. Daniel Comboni Secondary School is the "Food Prefect".  Paul is responsible for making sure that people don't eat more than one plate of food and making sure that the students all get to eat.

Betty at St. Daniel Comboni Secondary School is a Dormitory Captain.

Maureen at Child Jesus Primary School is a Liturgy Prefect.  The school is part of the Catholic church and she is responsible for leading the mass at church.  She is in charge of the procession and sings in the choir.

Mark Lowal at Moroto High School is a Dormitory Captain.


It is exciting to see that these children are taking on extra responsibilities at their schools.

I am so happy and grateful that we were able to make a visit to see the children.  I don't know when I will return to Karamoja now because we will having our first child soon and the trip is quite tough and I don't know how to do it with a young baby.  However, it was a huge gift to be able to see these children, explain what was going to happen in the next months, and they know that I love them and am not abandoning them.  Thank you again to all of those who helped sponsor the trip.

Please continue to pray for these children and the 30+ that are on the waiting list.  I pray that you will share with your friends and families about the children and how what YOU do with sponsorship is changing lives.  I wish all of you would come and meet these children yourselves (you can by the way just ask).  They are amazing!

God bless,
Becky