Bunabuyoka!

What an exciting week it's been!! The first week was me trying to get my barrings in a foreign environment, which takes some getting used to in Africa. But now, it feels like home and the work can really start progressing. We've all been splitting up into our different areas of interest and have began making contacts with individuals that we are wanting to work with.

Last week I went to an orphanage with a few other girls in our group to survey their current needs. The children were so darling and excited to see us, and overall, their living situation wasn't nearly as poor as we were expecting. The children were happy and the caretakers sure love them! It was a great experience but the road to and from the orphanage was quite adventurous. We took a taxi there and back--a taxi doesn’t sound too bad though, right? Wrong. To put it lightly, it was like the Indiana Jones Ride at Disneyland minus the safety harness and cool air conditioned security of a family-friendly theme park. We all got to cuddle up in a 12-seater minivan with about 20 other Africans. Such is the African experience! It took us about an hour, both ways, of motion-sickness down the bumpiest road in sub-Saharan Africa..so it felt. I loved the children but I felt that there are other areas I can really make a difference. I know that working in health care is something I have a passion for and have enough experience to make a difference in the community.

In conjunction with health care, Josh and I went to meet with CFA, Christian Faith in Action, the organization that has been working with us and the village of Bunabuyoka. We met with the two sisters who head up this organization, Tesila and Tabitha, and about six other individuals. We were all SOO excited talking about the future plans for this village and how we would like to help this community, because it is in such a remote location and the lack of assistance they receive. We discussed many plans but we felt it necessary to go visit the community ourselves.

This morning, we started our day very early in order to get up to Bunabukoya and meet with the leaders there and discuss our options as far as community development goes. We'd heard Tesila and Tabitha's perspective but it would require the cooperation of the community to accomplish our goals. We'd been told that it would be a long trip up to the top of this mountain village but I had no idea what that would exactly entail. We took, yet another, taxi ride with a full van load of people along a bumpy road up into the mountains. We were dropped off at the side of the road and walked up a long dirt path that was nearly a vertical climb up the mountain. Our guide told us that the village was up this long dirt road around the first mountain and up the second. It sounded a bit daunting but we were eager to meet the people and we would reach them by any means, even if it meant a treacherous hike up into the mountains. About half way, we were met by a group of men with drums who led us up the rest of the way in a loud, drumming procession. As we got closer, we could hear the singing of children. We were met along the path by a whole school-full of children singing welcomes into the village! It was SOO sweet and it felt like we were royalty being met and graciously welcomed. They would sing, "This is the time to welcome you visitors, and we are happy to say welcome!" I felt unworthy of such a welcome but they explained to us later that we were the first Mzungus to visit the village since the HELP volunteers left last summer.

There was a whole program prepared for our arrival, we were sat at the front of their church and all the community leaders came introduced themselves, the children performed a few more numbers and asked us all to introduce ourselves. Each leader who got up and introduced themselves thanked God for bringing us to them and that we were blessings sent from God. I was so touched at their gratitude to God and to Jesus Christ for what I felt was a simple visit. Sure, we had to walk a ways to get to them but it felt like we had done very little for them-- they were still beaming with excitement and gratitude for us.

We all sat together as a group and discussed options for this village. It took awhile with constant translations but after a few hours of discussion, we came to a conclusion! We will be finishing construction of a school extension that was started a few months ago. This includes completing the roof, and cementing the floor. Here's the REALLY exciting part-- we are building them a health clinic! After seeing what they currently use for health care it is a TINY little room with no ventilation and a tiny little cabinet with nearly no supplies, and a dirt floor where the women give birth. There are no doctors or nurses but there is one midwife in the village with minimal training. We have lots and lots of work to do but I am so excited to teach them, establish this clinic and help them create a healthy, sustainable life far from the conveniences of town. This will include recruiting help of doctors or community health workers to venture up to Bunabuyoka on a consistent basis to ensure the health of these people.

We will return on Sunday evening and stay there until Tuesday evening. Josh and I are preparing the first of our health lessons and two other girls will be joining us to teach English while we are there. I already feel such a love for these people, possibly even more so than other people I have met at other locations. They are so gracious and loving and grateful for our help. I am especially humbled by their appreciation to God for their blessings and I am reminded of the many blessings I have been given and that Heavenly Father is so aware of us individually. He loves each and every one of these children as much as he loves me. I know that this is my opportunity to serve my fellow men and help them to feel Heavenly Father's love. I am overwhelmed by ALL the work that must be done and my desire to do so much while I am here. I want to affect so much change in the next 10 weeks but there is only so much that I can do alone. I was recently reminded that it is not the change in mass quantities of people that influences great change, but affecting one person at a time. Through the love of the Savior for each person, I hope that I can make at least one person's life better. This whole summer will be worth it if I can help one person be loved and influenced to serve another.

Thanks for keeping updated and being such a great support to me!!

Lots of love,

Ash

A view from our hike to Bunabuyoka-- all the children came out to greet us

All the wonderful children singing for us!

Common staples at every African meal. They made this for our lunch at Bunabuyoka. Matoke (left) is pretty much mashed banana and Posho (right) is flour and water.

I really love matoke. Eating with our hands!!