I would like you to meet a few special friends of mine:

Gladyse

Sandra

Geoffrey

Sarah

Winnie

Flavia

William

Kevin

Gladyse, Sandra, Geoffrey, Sarah, Winnie, Flavia, William and Kevin all live in the Kochgoma IDP camp in Gulu with Robin (Alfred’s little brother).  And there are about another 1490 children whom they call friends as well.  I just couldn’t fit them all in this blog post 🙂

God has been teaching me lessons in faith, reminding me that without faith, it is impossible to please Him.  When we visited Gulu in 2006, I desperately wanted to partner with Experito in his ministry there, but I didn’t see how that was possible.  We were committed to the ministry at Nkumba (and still are), so how could we take on any more?

And then recently I read this in CT Studd’s biography:

“There are no “ifs” about faith. The Scripture says, Faith is substance, and the man of faith acts on faith just as if he had the current coin in his pocket.”

Well, if I had the current coin in my pocket, I would SURELY be partnering with Experito in Gulu!  So, what is stopping me?!

I know Jesus has told me to feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, clothe the naked and take care of the sick.  And He’s taught me to say to Him, “Your kingdom come…On earth as it is in Heaven.”  So we move forward as surely as if we had the coin in our pocket.

Experito has shared his vision to reach the Kochgoma community, and I can’t wait to see the vision become reality! (If you’d like to read Experito’s complete plan, please e-mail me for a copy.):

The 20-year war is now over and the community needs development. There seems to be little help that trickles in to help alleviate the stinging poverty as well as lack of access to safe and abundant water (an element vital to the ability to thrive). The importance of water to life cannot be overemphasized.  In order for people to obtain water they currently have to trek long distances and queue up for it. This gravely affects the time and energy which would be spent in productive activities that would improve the household incomes.

STRATEGY

Mobilize the community through the church on several development aspects

• Train the community on water harvesting, storage and sanitation
• Teach basic nutrition
  
• Help establish income generating projects
• Construct simple but decent houses that provide for water harvesting (see picture below)
• Construct pit latrines to provide for sanitation.
• Plant gardens and raise poultry
  
• Teach financial literacy

We will be partnering with Pastor Experito and his church in their evangelistic outreach to Kochgoma.  As described in the list above, we’ll be focusing on some pretty basic things for Gladyse, Sandra, Geoffrey, Sarah, Winnie, Flavia, William, Kevin, Robin and their friends: water and food.

SUSTAINABLE WATER:

$2000     One home with iron sheet roofing.  The family makes about 3000 bricks and provides all labor.  We partner with them to provide other building materials. The home’s iron sheet roofing most importantly provides for the rain-water harvesting (common in Uganda).  This is the key to their water supply.  Additionally, the roof is safe and sturdy, unlike the thatched roofs that nest scorpions and other bugs (imagine laying your baby down to sleep and not knowing what creepy-crawly thing might fall on them from above) and fall apart quickly, needing to be replaced every year or so.

SUSTAINABLE FOOD:

$10       One laying hen or one meat chicken (used to reproduce more chickens and provide sustainable food)

$TBD    One Gardening Package: Seeds, Hoe, Panga and Axe

$50       One Honey-Bee Hive

A simple but decent home with iron sheet roofing that provides for water harvesting. Right now, this is the "mansion" in Kochgoma. It is the ONLY home in Kochgoma with iron sheet roofing.