Visiting CRESS office in Arua

Thursday 29^th June 2017

Our first stop today was the CRESS office in Arua. We were so impressed by the way that the team has settled in there and continued the work of CRESS in this new location. We enjoyed lunch with three Bishops, Anthony, Emmanuel and Joseph and then visited Joseph’s home which is next door to the office.

We were impressed with his wife, Yango’s efforts using her agriculture skills, to grow vegetables in their small garden. We then drove the short distance to Fred’s house where we met his wife Perispeter, his sister and his mother who he estimated must be at least 100 years old.

Then a long drive on rough roads to Kijale where we saw the new CRESS clinic which is a work in progress. We met the builder and landlord and they have agreed to have the clinic finished and ready for occupation by Friday, July 14^th – sealed with a handshake in front of many witnesses and a camera! We even spotted someone dressed as Spiderman in the crowd. Archdeacon Joel and our own Fred will be monitoring progress daily.

Our last journey of the day brought us back to Moyo where we’re enjoying an evening drink before bed. There was no electricity in our rooms when we arrived, but this is no great hardship compared to the suffering of the refugees living not so far away. 

Tomorrow we fly back to Entebbe with Fred to write our reports and to await Joseph and Emmanuel’s arrival on Monday for CRESS leadership meetings.