As I step up the driveway incline, through the gate and onto the red dirt road leading into Kisiizi a rush of sights and sounds come to me. I see the little children across the road chasing their bicycle tire with a stick, the only toy they know. Of course I’m greeted by them with the only English they know, “How are you”. I reply, “Good” and they go about playing. As I walk down the road a breeze rushes through rustling the matooke tree leaves. I’m surrounded by matooke plantations on either side of me. It is such a beautiful sight, all of the green banana looking trees, very exotic, I know I’m not in the U.S.. From the matooke plantations I look up the lush green hills to see pine and hard wood trees. It is an amazing sight to behold! I think to myself, God is so creative and full of majesty. I then come to an area of the dirt road that has turned to mud because the water running down from the hills. The water has created a small stream across the road which runs clear with small rocks at its base. It’s wonderful to hear the babble of a stream, something very tranquil about it. I jump across and keep walking.
As I walk I occasionally see a small wood or mud houses with tin roofs on them. Out in front of the houses are children running around the front yard, of red dirt, playing as men set outside on the ground or on a bench talking. I’m greeted by some of the small children, “Agandi teacher Rita”. They are some of my nursery school students. Agandi means how are you in Ruchiga (Lu’chi’ga), the local tribal language. I greet them back, ni gaahe, meaning ok. I keep walking peering out at the green hill sides and see boys walking up them with their cows and goats in a row climbing the hill for grazing. Naturally I have to look down quite a bit because the road has many ruts, holes and some mud on it, so I can’t be looking up at all the beautiful scenery surrounding me as much as I’d like. I have to stop walking to do that.
That’s what I do next because the matooke plantations have stopped and the valley has opened up to fertile farm ground. I see women, with their colorful pagnes wrapped around them, out in the field digging the dark black soil. The color contrasts are a sight to behold. The dark black soil is just waiting to produce crops of sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes or beans for the next season. The women look up at me at wave and I wave back. I’m almost to the Kisiizi trading center now, just a few minutes ahead of me, and I hear a pig snorting. He is tied to a small tree, routing in the dirt for something. I have to giggle at his sounds. I cross over a small bridge and look below me at the river water rushing by. Then see to the left of me pasture, cows grazing and up the mountain side thick group of trees. Wow how beautiful! The road opens up to a canopy of very large trees beckoning you into the trading center. As you head up the road you see Kisiizi Hospital Primary school, then the Hospital. You finally reach the trading center, with its makeshift wooden stalls, with women selling tomatoes, passion fruit, Irish, and small bananas. Opposite of this are 10 or so small wooden huts selling everything from candles and soap to feed for chickens. This is Kisiizi!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Slience is Broken
I'm sorry I've been silent for a month but I've been in Kampala in the riot, Tanzania at a University and for the last 3 plus weeks in a village in Western Uganda...Kisiizi. Kisiizi has NO internet, so I have lots of my adventures and experiences to blog about. I'm actually at a small internet site at Lake Bunyoni...outside Kabale right now.
Please look for these fun, interesting, and informational blogs to be post upon my return to Masaka; The Riot, Sights & sounds of Kisiizi, Village Life, St. Mark's Nursery/Primary, One Wedding & a Funeral, and Four Hour Roller coaster Ride! :) Just know that God is opening my eyes to so much and setting my direction to what He has for me! God Bless!!
Please look for these fun, interesting, and informational blogs to be post upon my return to Masaka; The Riot, Sights & sounds of Kisiizi, Village Life, St. Mark's Nursery/Primary, One Wedding & a Funeral, and Four Hour Roller coaster Ride! :) Just know that God is opening my eyes to so much and setting my direction to what He has for me! God Bless!!
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Little Angels
Are John and Moses Little Angels? Well they are 10 and 11 year old boys, so you can answer that one! But they are great kids and two of my boys, so in my heart they are my “little angels”.
Actually “Little Angels” is the name of the Sunday School group at our church, MPC. Today was their BIG Sunday performance at both services. John and Moses have been practicing hard all week with the group and were both very excited to perform today. Moses even had the lead vocals on two songs in the second service. Of course I was the proud Auntie and was taking pictures like crazy! They both did a wonderful job and I’m happy to say the congregation enjoyed as much as I did!
Actually “Little Angels” is the name of the Sunday School group at our church, MPC. Today was their BIG Sunday performance at both services. John and Moses have been practicing hard all week with the group and were both very excited to perform today. Moses even had the lead vocals on two songs in the second service. Of course I was the proud Auntie and was taking pictures like crazy! They both did a wonderful job and I’m happy to say the congregation enjoyed as much as I did!
Being Mothers to the Motherless
Wednesday night I came home form mid-week service and set down for dinner and a quick e-mail to my Mom. This time was soon interrupted when Aunt Fatumah came in the main house and got me because she was scared. She had been in the girls dorm and found one of our older girls, Shadia, crying and in extreme pain from a headache.
We immediately went up to assess her situation. As soon as I walked in I found all the other girls gathered around her trying to comfort her as she wailed, and cried out in pain. I couldn’t believe how bad she was, but had to keep a level head and help her. I knew right away she had a migraine, so I sent the girls out to pray, turned off the lights and tried to calm Shadia down. Fatumah got a cold cloth and it was placed over Shadia’s head and eyes. I got her the only thing I had for a headache, three extra strength Tylenol. We calmed her down by softly praying for her and rubbing her back. She still moaned in pain but wasn’t crying or screaming anymore. Slowly she fell into a peaceful state. Aunt and I stayed with her silently praying and humming worship songs tell she fell asleep. I thank God that we could be there for Shadia, and be her mothers’ in her time of need.
We immediately went up to assess her situation. As soon as I walked in I found all the other girls gathered around her trying to comfort her as she wailed, and cried out in pain. I couldn’t believe how bad she was, but had to keep a level head and help her. I knew right away she had a migraine, so I sent the girls out to pray, turned off the lights and tried to calm Shadia down. Fatumah got a cold cloth and it was placed over Shadia’s head and eyes. I got her the only thing I had for a headache, three extra strength Tylenol. We calmed her down by softly praying for her and rubbing her back. She still moaned in pain but wasn’t crying or screaming anymore. Slowly she fell into a peaceful state. Aunt and I stayed with her silently praying and humming worship songs tell she fell asleep. I thank God that we could be there for Shadia, and be her mothers’ in her time of need.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Prayers Needed Please!
As you know I'm getting ready to leave for a month in the village of Kisizi in Western Uganda. I had some unsual things happen in the last 24 hours that is telling me that we need to pray hard to break any strong holds the devil has on this trip or on me.
Ephesians 6:12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
The first thing that happened is that I was at mid-week service last night and the visiting pastor laid hands on my head and cast out any evil against me. Second my brother called me last night after service and told me that he had a dream that morning that I was violently killed in Africa. Then I spoke to another friend this morning that I'm very close to and told him of my brothers dream. He said that he dreamed last night that someone close to him died and there were ghost flying around in his dream.
As you can see the Evil one is working to stop this and scare me. I will not stand for that because our God is stronger then that and I'm going to do His work. So please pray to break any evil that could fall upon me! Thank you so much!!
Romans 8:38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.
May God watch over you and bless you all!
Ephesians 6:12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
The first thing that happened is that I was at mid-week service last night and the visiting pastor laid hands on my head and cast out any evil against me. Second my brother called me last night after service and told me that he had a dream that morning that I was violently killed in Africa. Then I spoke to another friend this morning that I'm very close to and told him of my brothers dream. He said that he dreamed last night that someone close to him died and there were ghost flying around in his dream.
As you can see the Evil one is working to stop this and scare me. I will not stand for that because our God is stronger then that and I'm going to do His work. So please pray to break any evil that could fall upon me! Thank you so much!!
Romans 8:38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.
May God watch over you and bless you all!
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Goat Farm Field Trip
Goat Farm Field Trip
August 26, 2009
The DOH children, Jim and I went on a field trip last Wednesday to a working goat farm. We had a great day seeing how the farm was run African style. This is a dairy goat farm with about 150 goats, 10 Frisian/Black and White Holstein cows, chickens, dogs and 2 donkeys. Our friend, Dave Dowdy, has run the farm for the last 15 years. He and his wife started that project as a Deliverance Church J.O.Y. youth project and it is still going strong. Dave will be handing over the project to a new couple, John and Ali, in a few months but says he’ll really miss being on the farm.
Dave’s back ground is as a chemist, so he gave us a very detailed and entertaining teaching tour of the farm. We learned about the types of goats, how they are breed, the type of plants and tree leaves they are feed, and what the farm does to keep it’s self sufficient. We even found that the goats like the banana peels that we had left from lunch...see Robert feeding one of them :)
The farm has 2 main types of exotic milk goats, Saanens, Toggenburg and 1 type of exotic meat goat, the Boar from South Africa. We learned that Uganda has no milk pure goats’ only meat goats in the country. By introducing the exotic goats into the country they were able to give the peoples a cheaper way to bring milk to their families in the villages. The farm breeds these goats and sells them to the villages. The project also helps out local village children that do not have ability to go to school. They come and work on the farm and in turn they are given funds to provide for their primary or secondary school fees and some go on to vocational training and university. It’s given many children over the years wonderful opportunities to an education they never thought they’d have!
By teaming with Dave and J.O.Y. we were able to give our children an educational day that they may never have had. The children really enjoyed their day and at least 2 of the boys want to go back to learn more...me too! And nope I didn’t try milking a goat, but I hope to soon!
August 26, 2009
The DOH children, Jim and I went on a field trip last Wednesday to a working goat farm. We had a great day seeing how the farm was run African style. This is a dairy goat farm with about 150 goats, 10 Frisian/Black and White Holstein cows, chickens, dogs and 2 donkeys. Our friend, Dave Dowdy, has run the farm for the last 15 years. He and his wife started that project as a Deliverance Church J.O.Y. youth project and it is still going strong. Dave will be handing over the project to a new couple, John and Ali, in a few months but says he’ll really miss being on the farm.
Dave’s back ground is as a chemist, so he gave us a very detailed and entertaining teaching tour of the farm. We learned about the types of goats, how they are breed, the type of plants and tree leaves they are feed, and what the farm does to keep it’s self sufficient. We even found that the goats like the banana peels that we had left from lunch...see Robert feeding one of them :)
The farm has 2 main types of exotic milk goats, Saanens, Toggenburg and 1 type of exotic meat goat, the Boar from South Africa. We learned that Uganda has no milk pure goats’ only meat goats in the country. By introducing the exotic goats into the country they were able to give the peoples a cheaper way to bring milk to their families in the villages. The farm breeds these goats and sells them to the villages. The project also helps out local village children that do not have ability to go to school. They come and work on the farm and in turn they are given funds to provide for their primary or secondary school fees and some go on to vocational training and university. It’s given many children over the years wonderful opportunities to an education they never thought they’d have!
By teaming with Dave and J.O.Y. we were able to give our children an educational day that they may never have had. The children really enjoyed their day and at least 2 of the boys want to go back to learn more...me too! And nope I didn’t try milking a goat, but I hope to soon!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Wow 7 Months in Uganda!
Greetings All~
Wow, I can’t believe it's been 7 months since I left the U.S. on this mission adventure with God! I’ll have to say the time here in Uganda has had its ups and downs, just as life would, but one thing I do know is that God has me here in Africa for longer then just an 11 month stay. I know I'm supposed to be back here to live!
With that said, I do have to head back to the U.S. to see family, friends, close out my storage unit and sale my car. I’m planning on leaving Uganda in early December and then heading back sometime in mid-February. I’m not exactly sure what God has for me when I return, so please keep that in your prayers. However, He has reveled to me that I’m to go to Western Uganda around September 12th for a month. The village I’ll be going to is near the town of Kabale , and it is called, Kisizi. (If you want to look it up on a map) I’ve been ask to work in a primary school there and do evangelism in the village for a month. While there I will be doing assessments on the school curriculum, and the needs of the school, and people in area. This village primary school could be the next mission field for me, I don’t know.
However, I do know that the way God revealed this task to me in an amazing combination of events. I was at my church at a training conference and we were all asked to write down the prayers that we would like God to answer. One of my prayers was for Him to reveal what He has for future ministry work for me. We then all prayed for those prayers to be answered. The next morning a friend of mine rang me and asked me to come to Kisizi and work at the village primary school. This answered prayer was further confirmed when I thought back on two separate visions friends from San Diego had last year about me. They both envisioned me working with small children in a village, in Africa , next to a river. Of course, the village of Kisizi has a river that flows through it! God works so amazingly!!
As you can see, I know that I need to be serving the Lord in some capacity here in Uganda . So I ask that if God puts upon your heart to support my mission journey in any capacity please heed His call. I know that He will provide for my needs and if it is through you I thank Him for the Blessing!
Send support to the below address:
Faith Hope Love Missions
C/o Rita Beach
14234 Stoney Gate Place
San Diego, CA 92128
Thank you too for being such amazing supporters of my mission work this year and in years past. I hope you know how God is using you even if you aren’t physically here in Uganda! :)
Take care and God’s Blessings to you all!
Wow, I can’t believe it's been 7 months since I left the U.S. on this mission adventure with God! I’ll have to say the time here in Uganda has had its ups and downs, just as life would, but one thing I do know is that God has me here in Africa for longer then just an 11 month stay. I know I'm supposed to be back here to live!
With that said, I do have to head back to the U.S. to see family, friends, close out my storage unit and sale my car. I’m planning on leaving Uganda in early December and then heading back sometime in mid-February. I’m not exactly sure what God has for me when I return, so please keep that in your prayers. However, He has reveled to me that I’m to go to Western Uganda around September 12th for a month. The village I’ll be going to is near the town of Kabale , and it is called, Kisizi. (If you want to look it up on a map) I’ve been ask to work in a primary school there and do evangelism in the village for a month. While there I will be doing assessments on the school curriculum, and the needs of the school, and people in area. This village primary school could be the next mission field for me, I don’t know.
However, I do know that the way God revealed this task to me in an amazing combination of events. I was at my church at a training conference and we were all asked to write down the prayers that we would like God to answer. One of my prayers was for Him to reveal what He has for future ministry work for me. We then all prayed for those prayers to be answered. The next morning a friend of mine rang me and asked me to come to Kisizi and work at the village primary school. This answered prayer was further confirmed when I thought back on two separate visions friends from San Diego had last year about me. They both envisioned me working with small children in a village, in Africa , next to a river. Of course, the village of Kisizi has a river that flows through it! God works so amazingly!!
As you can see, I know that I need to be serving the Lord in some capacity here in Uganda . So I ask that if God puts upon your heart to support my mission journey in any capacity please heed His call. I know that He will provide for my needs and if it is through you I thank Him for the Blessing!
Send support to the below address:
Faith Hope Love Missions
C/o Rita Beach
14234 Stoney Gate Place
San Diego, CA 92128
Thank you too for being such amazing supporters of my mission work this year and in years past. I hope you know how God is using you even if you aren’t physically here in Uganda! :)
Take care and God’s Blessings to you all!
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