Every team that travels over to Uganda to help serve the mission and vision of Show Mercy is always such a HUGE blessing. The July team was so busy reaching out in love and for that we are very thankful.

Unfortunately we aren’t always able to send via email every update, but we wanted to give you a “quick” glimpse of the incredible things the team was able to accomplish. Their hard work and love to the people we are serving in Uganda has been a tremendous help. THANK YOU to all that went and to everyone that helped them get there. Even though this is long, you will be inspired by the many testimonies they share.

Here are some edited day to day recaps of their adventures as reported by Barb and Kelly (team leaders):

Day 1

We had a wonderful day yesterday, getting acquainted with our surroundings, exchanging money at the bank, and having lunch at a local market.  Many of the team learned that a “hamburger” here is not quite the same as what we know in the U.S.  We are feeling great and sleeping well in our new “home” here in Kampala.

After an orientation meeting with Randy Varga, the on site director for Show Mercy, we loaded the bus and headed out to Gganda Village.  You could feel the anticipation rising as we got closer and closer to the village.  Many familiar sights for many and new sights for our first timers.  You never get used to the roads, though.  It is always a wonder to me that our bus can navigate itself in and around the numerous pot holes, motorcycles, cars and people on a road that is barely wide enough for one car. But no fear, our driver “Paul” is very capable and delivers us safely wherever we go.  It wasn’t long before we heard the shouts and screams of the children.  Their excitement was electrifying and not one of us was able to get off the bus without numerous children attached to us.  We spent about 2 hours at Hope, getting reacquainted and making new friends.  It was hard to believe how much they had grown in one year.

In the evening we met with our Ugandan doctor and friends.  (Thanks to Dr. Val) and began the tedious preparation for our medical clinic for today.  We are a bit unsure what to expect, but these doctors have done these types of clinics before and have been very very helpful to get us organized.  All 15 team members will be involved today as we set up 6 different stations for the clinic, one of which will be presenting the gospel to each patient.  Micah will also be running his vision clinic and already there are people excited to be there for that.

Day 2

We had another great day spent in Gganda Village (at Hope Children’s Home).  Polly and Rachelle traveled with two doctors into Kampala, where we bought nearly $500 worth of more medicine, specific to the needs our doctors expected here. 

For the clinic, we had 7 stations:  1) Assessing Priority Cases/Crowd Control; 2.) Registration & Background info; 3.) Checking vitals & getting medical information; 4.) Evangelism with Pastor Simon; 5.) Optometry; 6.) Diagnostic with our doctors; and 7.) Dispensing medicine with our pharmacist.  Are you impressed?    You should be — it ran very smoothly, and our team was awesome.  Each team member was involved in the clinic, and overall we saw nearly 120 patients in 5-6 hours.  Each patient was presented with the Gospel and 17 received Christ!!  Our Ugandan doctors were phenomenal, patiently demonstrating care and concern for each individual.  The most common condition was malaria, and we saw many children as well as adults.  Jonathan did a great job as our “wound dresser,” and was excited to use a scalpel on one of the patients.  Micah and Emily were busy as optometrists, and it was so exciting to see people’s faces light up when they could actually read with their new glasses.  Brooke, Rachel and Reese became professionals at taking blood pressure, temperatures, and monitoring heart rates.  The most intense station was the pharmacy, where Rachelle became bilingual in Ugandan short-hand from the doctors, while Trina counted the pills.  Even though we only saw 120 patients, most patients had 3-5 prescriptions.  It was an exhausting, but exciting day.

We were so proud of our team!  They rose to the occasion and did anything that was asked of them.  We arrived back at our guest house around 7pm, physically drained but spiritually humbled by the opportunity to serve the Ugandan people, and to partner with local believers.

Today, we will do round #2 of our medical clinic in Gganda Village.  We have been told to expect twice as many people, once the word gets out in the village. 

Day 3

Gganda Village Medical Clinic #2 … we hit the road running, because when we arrived at Hope, there were at least 100 people already waiting in line.  Since we were “experienced professionals,” we were able to quickly set up our clinic and begin seeing patients.  We processed a steady stream of people from 10:30am until 8:00pm.  We had planned for 120 people, but by the end of the day we’d seen 160 patients.  Our pharmacist team dispensed 534 prescriptions, and had to use flashlights to keep working when it got dark.  Our doctors were exhausted from such a long day, but were quickly rejuvenated and filled with joy when they heard that 18 people received Christ at the clinic.  They said it was worth all of the hard work.  We have also been told that there has never been anything like this in this village, and that the long term impact will bear a lot of fruit.  All day long we hear the phrase, “Thanks for the good work!”  

Jill was able to have a time of sharing with the “Mamas” at Hope while the clinic was going on.  She was encouraging them in their work, and felt that they were very blessed.  The mamas have been taking English lessons, and were were amazed at how much their English has improved.  Some of them served as translators for us during the clinic, along with many of the Hope children.  

Today we will be going to Kaliti, the village where Show Mercy is building the Field of Dreams. Pray that we will be a light to the people as we serve them.  We have been told that the need for a medical clinic is much greater than what we’ve already seen.  Our team is tired, but ready to continue serving.  Some of the team will be conducting a VBS for 100+ (?) children, while the others continue to work at the medical clinic.  

Day 4

On Saturday, we drove out to the village of Kaliti, where Show Mercy is building the Field of Dreams.  We picked up eight of the older kids from Hope to serve as our translators.  We split our team in half so that we could simultaneously do a VBS and our 3rd medical clinic.  The VBS crew headed over to a little nearby church where they ran a small Vacation Bible School for about 40 children from the village.  Michael & Micah brought out their ukuleles and led a few songs with Brooke, as the children eagerly followed the hand motions.  These precious children played a rousing game of “Stop, Go” — that’s Red Light, Green Light to all of us Mzungus!  As they headed back to help with the medical clinic, several adults who had dropped in to see what they were doing thanked them for showing love to their children.  

Just when we thought we couldn’t work any harder, the Kaliti medical clinic was our most intense one yet.  The villagers were already lining up before we arrived, and the line felt never-ending throughout the day.  People desperately seeking medical attention waited hours to receive care.  The line wrapped around a couple of buildings, and our medical/personal information station was located outside.  Inside of one classroom was our vitals station, our three Ugandan doctors, and our pharmacy.  The optometrists were located outside, as well as our first aid station.  The optometrists were blessed to see that regardless of the prescription need and our inability to find matches, the glasses worked.  God is good!  We worked all day long, finishing the clinic in the dark, using “ipod light” to finish fulfilling the prescriptions.  In about 9 hours, we saw 263 patients and our “American Machine” (the nickname given by our doctors for Rachelle) dispensed 830 prescriptions.  It was an intense day, but well worth it.

On Sunday morning, we got ready to attend the Ugandan wedding of our friend Paul (teacher at the Alpha & Omega Primary School) and his bride Irene.  We were told that the wedding ceremony started at 11am … then 11:30… perhaps 12-noon … we believe things actually started around 1pm.  This is Africa.    After a two and a half hour long ceremony, they were officially man and wife. 

Day 5

We spent the afternoon at Hope, where the girls taught the kids some dances in the church.  It was a relaxing afternoon, just spending one on one time with the kids.   We also had the opportunity to walk the paths of Gganda Village, handing out vitamins to the families who live near Hope.  We took some of the older children with us to serve as our translators, and they did an amazing job!  Our only disappointment was discovering that some of the ziploc baggies had melted, and when we handed them to people, the vitamins would fall out.    They were still very thankful to receive the gifts.

Day 6

Yesterday was a full day for our team with an early start.  We arrived at Hope and tried to keep the children outside so that we could begin painting a few bedrooms.  This is not an easy task, by any means!  The first task was clearing the two bedrooms so that we could get to the walls and paint.  Keep in mind there are approximately 12 bunkbeds in small quarters.  After sanding the walls and organizing all of our supplies, we began to paint both rooms a lovely shade of lavender … luckily, we discovered one of the paint cans was blue!  We quickly stopped painting one room lavender, and started over with the blue.  This is painting, Ugandan style.  Peter the Painter was anxious to lend us his skills, and it is interesting to note that even though he worked for hours wearing white pants, they stayed perfectly clean.  Lani, MJ and Trina stayed busy blocking the three entrances into the building, as the childrens’ curiosity was getting the best of them.  The rooms are beautiful, bright and cheery.  

We no sooner had laid our brushes down when it was time to head to the classrooms for our ”Kids Retreat”.  We put together a series of Biblical teaching with an emphasis on honesty and truth.  Our team was divided into five groups, and each led a different age level.  This time included stories, puppets, singing, crafts, skits, and object lessons.  The retreat lasted two hours, and was deemed a success by all.  As soon as we walked out of the classrooms, it was lunch time, and we were glad for the break.

Right after lunch, we divided up the older children for a Girls’ Workshop and Guys’ Workshop.  Rachelle did a great job of filling in for Dr. Fox, teaching about God’s special design for our bodies, and Manhoff and the guys shared about what it means to be a Godly man in this culture.  We had lots of questions and good discussion.

Day 7

On Wednesday, we met up with Dr. Val Shean (a veterinary missionary to Uganda from Northwest Hills Community Church), who was instrumental in connecting us with our Ugandan doctors.  She joined us at Hope where we had check-ups for the 94 children who live there, as well as some of the mamas and teachers.  It encouraged the team to see the kids get treatment, as well as to see the care and concern that the doctors showed each child.  MJ, Lani & Trina were able to sneak away to attend the weekly Mamas’ Meeting.  Dr. Patrick also explained to them the importance of administering medication to them properly.  

Another miracle in Uganda!!  Remember the girl from Kaliti that was transported to the hospital?  Dr. Patrick heard from one of his colleagues that x-rays proved she indeed had a “perforated gut,” and needed immediate surgery.  As they were prepping her for surgery, they discovered that the condition no longer existed — she was miraculously healed!  The doctors said had she not gone to the hospital and had the x-rays, there wouldn’t have been any “proof” of a miracle that she had been healed by God. 

On Thursday, we took 14 Ugandans with us to Jinja.  It was fun to see their excitement, as they saw the majesty of the Nile river and waterfalls for the first time.  The children excitedly splashed their faces with water during the boat ride, and Pastor Prossy overcame her fear of riding in a boat.  The highlight of the afternoon was when the team celebrated with Jamie and Jonathan their baptisms in the Nile.  Pastor Prossy was our preacher, and Pastor Simon & Manhoff did the honors.

Day 8

We headed to the Mulago Hospital in Kampala, to meet with Margaret, who is the liason between local churches and the hospital.  Our appointment was at 2 o’clock, African time … which meant 3 o’clock.  Our focus was the Cancer Ward.  We started by singing and praying for the childrens’ ward.  Imagine a hospital room the size of a classroom, with 3 rows of 10 beds each.  Family is also living with the patient, sitting on the floor preparing food and administrating medicine.  The patients all are disfigured in some way … many with leukemia, and many with terminal cancers.  One girl stands in the hall alone, waiting for a bed… the tumor in her eye impairing her vision.  Outside are patients sitting on the ground, waiting for treatment.  It is there that we find Esau, a young boy of 7 years old, dropped off by his parents and waiting alone with a severe tumor on his face that we find very difficult to look at.  Our team kneels on the ground around him, and tell him that God loves him and that we are praying for him.  We ask if he is hungry, and he shakes his head yes.  A team member provides a fruit leather and some water, and we see for the first time, the beautiful smile inside of him.  We ask him if he knows Jesus, and he says yes.  

We continue ministering to those outside.  Next, Margaret takes us up the hill to the Cancer Hostel.  This is where people wait for admittance to the hospital, some having traveled long distances to receive care.  We sing for them, and have the opportunity to pray with each one individually, giving our token gift of a bar of soap and a Scripture card.  We are blessed by their faith and hope, and one woman prays a blessing over us. 

Day 9

On Monday night, we packed up all of our stuff, and combined all our bags into two rooms Tuesday morning.  We had one last opportunity to say goodbye to the kids at Hope.  Lots of letters of encouragement were exchanged, and the choir sang for us.  Right before we left, we handed out soccer jerseys to not only the 94 kids at Hope, but also to most of the Alpha & Omega students.  They were thrilled, and immediately put the jerseys on, over the clothes they were wearing.  It was a great distraction during our sad goodbyes.  

We’re all still processing everything that we saw and learned, and we look forward to sharing more stories.We return with a new understanding of God’s heart here in Uganda, and how He wants us to live in light of what we’ve seen.

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