Email from Uganda mar 16 04

March 16, 2004

Kampala, Uganda

Hi from Hinda and Peter,

We are beginning to wind down in terms of time left, but certainly not in terms of our volunteer or travel activities.

First, just a hint of what is coming up:

This coming weekend we are going to Murchison Falls National Park in the North of Uganda. Don’t worry, the park is pretty well protected with the Ugandan Army from the rebels in the north. We feel pretty secure going there. Besides many animals there, Murchison Fallis is where the White Nile narrows down to 7 meters.

The following week we are going East to Mt. Elgon, Sipi Falls, and hopefully to visit the Abaudaya – a small community of Ugandan Jews.

Then we are going to spend Passover on one of the Spice Islands, Zanzibar off the coast of Tanzania.

Finally, 10 days after that we are coming home!

At work, here is a partial run down of what we have been doing: completed new client registration and numbering system; completed construction of new foundation and roof for food trailers, and a new trailer; completed Policies and Procedures Manual, and almost finished with job descriptions; completed setting up 3 data bases and teaching folks to use them; set up email; taught photo and fundraising classes; continuing to mentor food program manager, (now just observing – he’s doing great on his own);established dollar bank account and invested in first certificate of deposit; arranged for a foundation to accept a large contribution from a US donor who required a tax write off in order to contribute; arranged for staff and clients to get free eye exams and discounted glasses; arranged for staff to have free lunch and tea daily, (many staff are clients, all are poor, and must have nutritious food in order to remain healthy especially if they are taking ARV’s and other medications;. Hopefully Reach Out will be a bit better off after we leave, but our most important achievements will be what we have taught individual people here so that they will have learned new skills and can be further empowered in their personal and working lives.

It is hard not to want to give things to people here. For example, we gave 2 young boys – about 11 or 12 who are HIV positive clients – each a new soccer ball. How could anyone refuse to make a child happy who had nothing at all to do with their situation. We have ordered a small camera for one of our staff who is also sick and to boot now takes care of 10 children – 5 of his own, and 5 from 2 of his brothers who died from AIDS. He will use the camera to take photos of people and sell them and use this small income to buy food, etc.

We “sprung” paid bail for one of our workers who happens to be sick and on ARV’s who wound up in jail. If he would have remained there without his meds and with poor or no food, he would have gotten very ill and possibly not have been able to survive.

These things are small to us, but big to those that we help from time to time. It is a small thing to do for people who worry about us when we are away too long and can’t call in to let them know we are ok. Everyone here is very kind to us and to everyone. This is a nice place. It is a shame that there is so much poverty and suffering, so we do what we can. We know we can’t solve all of the problems, but neither are we permitted by our values to do nothing and turn away.

How about some fun things now: Can you believe that the cooks have been using over 15 pounds of sugar per day to make about 100 cups of tea?; that everyone we speak to who drives at night say that they can’t see. Well if we can’t and no one else can, then who can? How come we haven’t run anyone down yet. Luckily we only have only one more month to go and 10 of those days we will be out of town. You remember who Moses was? He led the Jews out of Egypt to the promised land. Well, so far, 2 of our guides have been named Moses and both were great. One led us to the gorillas, and one kept us safe in a huge storm on Lake Mburro. A couple of weeks ago we went on a short hike in a forest not too far from here and the guide, (not Moses), told us about many of the plants that are used for medicinal and other purposes. For example, a plant that does what Viagra does. Says the guide, “Don’t use it unless you have wife or girlfriend!:”. A plant whose leaves are so smooth that some locals use it for toilet paper, and a plant whose leaves are so rough that locals use it to wash pots and pans.

Well, that’s about all for now. We’ll write after the next couple of trips and update you. Until then, be well. Lots of love and hugs from Hinda and Peter