Helping Hands in Walukuba

Each of the Branches in the District have a Helping Hands Day where the Branch coordinates with the community to do some service work.  Our project was to clean two health facilities in the Walukuba area.  

This a mom and her kids waiting for the clinic to open so she can take her little boy (below) to the doctor.  

We had cleaning supplies, buckets and mops.  I brought some rags and disinfectant but we mostly used just a liquid detergent.  

The main clinic wasn't open so we went across the street to the maternity clinic to clean there.  We had about 40 people show up to help out throughout the day.  There was a weed wacker that they used to mow the grass.  We washed windows and floors and some of the walls that were in bad need of some paint.  

Elder Cobain cutting the grass 

The maternity clinic had a warming bed for a newborn and two birthing beds.  

Elder Beardall (the big one) and David 

Walukuba Branch Members 

This is the method they use to clean the floors.  They pour buckets of water on the floor and push it out the door with a squeegee.  

These four sisters worked hard all day.  

Grace sweeping leaves with a brush made with twigs lashed together.  

This is the type of broom they use to sweep all the time.  It takes a lot of bending.  

The Walukuba Branch Helping Hands team.

Her name is Precious 

One of the classrooms.  This one is indoors 

Teacher's desk 

The outdoor classroom.  Concrete blocks.  Comfy chairs?  

We enjoyed the day working together and getting to know one another.  We got several comments from people passing by "Well done".  The hospital and the grounds looked a lot better after we were finished and we all felt good about accomplishing something worth while.  

Sewn Together by Love

 It all began when I got an email from Sister Morley, the mother of
one of the missionaries in Gulu contacted me through email.  Their young women wanted to get to know and serve some young women in Uganda.  Sister Morley is the third from the left in the picture.
I gave her Mary's name and phone number.  They talked and emailed
and decided that it might be good if they could send money to buy
some clothes and help pay for school fees.
Sister Morley's young women spent three days making cinnamon buns
and sold 40 dozen buns to people in the community.  Many donated
way more and soon they had over 1000 US dollars collected.

 We talked with the Branch President, President Obono and he suggested
that the money go toward something more long lasting and that would benefit the girls by providing them with a skill that they could use in their families and perhaps to help support themselves in the long run.  He suggested buying sewing machines.
Sister Mary and Sister Morley both agreed and I started shopping for sewing machines.  I found four sturdy Janome machines that were treadle machines that could be converted to motorized machines. They were old but sewed well.  They do not make them like they used to.  I got a good deal on them and then bought scissors, thread, measuring tape and other supplies that is needed for sewing and made up some sewing kits.
Now they needed a teacher.  I volunteered to teach them some basic sewing skills.
I teach a class for Relief Society Sisters on Thursday evening and one on Saturday for
the Young women and Relief Society.  They are loving it and we have made a few fun things like purse bags, skirts, ties and aprons.  They are learning quickly and excited to be designing and sewing designer dresses next week.

 Some of the young women are away a boarding school but will have a break soon
and will be able to come and do some sewing with us.  It is fun to see their faces light
up when they create something nice.

As for Sister Morley's young women.  They went to girl's camp and had one of the Ntinda girls picture and name on their tshirts.  They kept their African friends in mind
and prayed for them.  They are from Richfield, Utah.  Sorry I don't have a picture of them on my computer.

Along with the money they collected, the young women and Relief Society in Richfield made hygeine 

kits for girls in Uganda.  They sewed more than 100 yards of fabric into washable sanitary supplies.  

Thank you Richfield Sisters 

Well done (as they say in Uganda)  

Webele 

Some of the creations from the young women and Relief society. 

Cute bag Sister Nyiga 

Learning to draft a skirt pattern to fit.  

I have two men in my class as well.  

We can buy fabric at a reasonable price.  

35,000 UGX for 6 meters of Cotton = 2.50 per meter

 Jackie is a recent convert.  We are getting to know her well. 

She was thrilled to see that she could make a men's tie.  

Teddi is a young women's leader.  She made a really cute bag.

  

This has been a lot of work but it has been a fun diversion from the office work. 

I asked Ken what we have learned from all this. 

He said, "You can run but you can't get away from sewing"  There are threads and fabric scraps in the apartment and a closet full of sewing things.  I think he is getting used to it.  Well - maybe not.  

I guess what I have learned is that we take many things for granted in North America.  We get opportunities to learn and do things that people never get to do here.  Let us not forget to be grateful for the opportunities that we have and take advantage of the resources we have to help us learn and do great things.  Let us not waste time, or resources because they are abundant but out of respect for those who have nothing be grateful and not wasteful.  

I have also thought a lot about the teach a man how to fish story.  You can give a man a fish and he will eat for a day but if you teach a man to fish he will be able to feed himself for a lifetime.  We don't have to do things for the poor but we can teach the poor how to do it for themselves.  Some of that includes offering resources, such as a fishing rod or a hook and line to get started.  A little goes a long way here and I am amazed at what they can do with so little.