Caroline arrives in Entebbe
A bonkers African day
Another early start from the lovely guest house. The faithful Patrick was there with his car at 6.15am and we set off for the MAF airstrip – the usual peaceful airstrip in the middle of a very poor area of Uganda. A truly beautiful drive there as Africa wakes up from complete darkness to full light in 10 minutes.
It turned out to be quite social as I met Bishop Anthony Poggo waiting for the plane and also Jacob Haasnoot also flying into Emmanuel’s consecration. Then Renee Crane turned up with a group of women who were going with her into the Adjumani Refugee Camp to teach Bible Stories – they had come all the way from the States to do this! Commitment! I had met Renee on a MAF flight some 6 years ago and we had kept up our friendship!
Easy smooth flight and the second drop arriving at Moyo at 10.00am where it was much hotter and so so dry and the back roads of Moyo so much poverty. We were met by a vehicle to take Bishop Anthony and Jacob and then Joseph turned up with his vehicle and lovely driver who used to work for an NGO in Juba but since the troubles has no work – he was delightful and an excellent driver
We stopped to get some breakfast in the guest house and then I had arranged to meet David Amoli who used to work for the diocese. It was lovely to see him and also to find he is earning enough to send his children to school. We called in at Lijo clinic to see what is being done there and it actually made me realise how well CRESS is doing with the clinic in Liwolo
Through the border controls – not too long just hot – called in on someone and then arrived for lunch at 2.00pm at the Bishop’s house – to meet Emmanuel Murye looking smart and ready for the consecration on Sunday. I was able to give him all the letters of greeting and two new purple shirts. The house was FULL of people – Bishops, women church workers, lots and lots I didn’t know!
Much to ponder …
African lunch – short rest and then off with Joseph and Fred to meet the teachers of Ebenezer school
We drove the usual route and I have to say I was so sad to see how many houses are deserted, how the fields have not been weeded and how empty everywhere was. They tell me in the last couple of months many many have fled to Uganda refugee camps. I have never seen the town or place look so run down in all the 7 years I have been coming – the future looks uncertain.
My overriding thought is how well the CRESS team have done in spite of what is going on – the Diocese of Kajo Kej site is a hubbub of activity and life at the moment – an oasis in an empty country.
The teachers at Ebenezer were great and SO appreciative of the little CRESS has done for the school. We talked about how the laptop has helped them hugely – they can now type up and print off exam papers. I had just $65 to give them from Broadchalke school and they said that amount means they can buy marker pens, start up notebooks for the teachers, card for writing diagrams on and chalks, – every small gift makes a huge difference.
We also talked about how the teacher who has done the girls hygiene kits is going to take that forward – this could mean girls do not drop out of school.
So against the odds some small places keep going – this school is a private one with 1500 pupils (although they do not know how many have fled as it is the long holidays now). They are sowing seeds of hope to the children – I wish them peace to continue.
Back to do the Blog working from Joseph’s office – Fred quite upset by what he saw.
WELL DONE CRESS SOUTH SUDAN team for producing some impressive results in a backdrop of extreme poverty.
Caroline Lamb
Founder and CEO
