Lira Learning Center

 We love to take advantage of P-Days (Preparation Days ) a day each week when we are out of  the office. It is on Saturday for us and is set aside to do washing, house cleaning, ironing, shopping etc. but we rarely use it for that. We like to be gone and doing "projects" when ever we get the chance.

In this blog we have traveled to Lira about 6 hours away to help Canadian Humanitarian with a project they are working on there. They have opened a center and are providing education and after school program for 50 orphaned individuals. Sister Squire and Sister Wallace are assisting with intake medicals for children entering the program.

  This a photo of a mom and toddler from the area that characterizes the local people in the Lira area

      Dick Northcott and his brother David have traveled from Medicine Hat and Penticton to complete a number of tasks in getting the program established here

Diana Ntono - Program Director for Canadian Humanitarian here in Uganda.

She is a Doctor in law and a Master in International Relations--educated in China

She is making it fun for the kids with her funny hat

We went out into the Village to do Home Visits with the kids and their families 

                    It is a humbling experience visiting families in their homes--learning of their struggles and challenges

The Lira Learning Center - an after school program for the kids 

David  Northcott shopping at the Ugandan "Home Depot" looking for fencing materials to construct a fence on some land where they plan to develop a piggery to generate income to support the program

About 5 acres of land just outside the town of Lira

The fence posts have already been dug by hand by some local laborers. I mean that literally.

They break up the soil with a bar and scoop out the dirt with their hands to make a hole 2 feet deep

Elder Wallace and Eklund preparing some concrete to set the posts

Scouter Ken chopping brush to be used as support for the concrete posts while they set

Ken also decided to chop/dig out a nasty stump that was right on the fence line. After making very little progress with a dull axe he decided there must be a better way so he started looking for a "win/win" Sound familiar?? The local people have very little income and need opportunities for work. Ken needed a rest and the stump removed. Here is the winning photo!!

Couple of very hard workers--can't you tell. They are sporting matching sunglasses purchased by Elder Squire for use in the project.

This little sweetheart came to fetch water from the local pump. The smaller the child the smaller the jug right down to pint size, They start packing water very early in their lives  and significant part of their just obtaining water.

                                           Ken took a photo and is showing it too her here.

This watering station was dug by Canadian Humanitarian and it will be available for 

the community to use.  

An ant hill was in the way and had to be removed.  They are called castles of clay for a reason.  

It is a fortress of cement made by small termites 

It took several men a few days to knock this down by hand

Taking a break in the shade of a huge African tree, When you are working you drink gallons of water to keep from getting dehydrated

Gravel and sand hauled in for the concrete

This is the course crushed gravel used in the concrete, How is it made?

From breaking large stones WITH A HAMMER

There is alot of dust in the air. This is either Elder Squire with very dirty legs or he is slowly lowly becoming Ugandan

   

Inferior quality posts were hard to deal with.  They
had to be returned and a better supplier sought

A cement mixer - easier than by hand

The first day they mixed the cement by hand  

The young missionary Elders came and helped on their P-Day and were a great help in getting the fencing done. 

 
                                                                                             




Dick and David - "Well Done"

Everything takes longer in Africa but it
turned out well.

...and the children danced 

The children is why we do all this.  They were well prepared and danced their native dance 

for the Grand Opening of the Learning Center.  

The Canadian Humanitarian have sacrificed much for these children.  We hope 

they will be blessed for their work here in Uganda.  

Sipi Falls

We traveled recently to Sipi Falls, Ugandas own Garden of Eden. It is found next to Mt. Elgon National Park near the Kenya border. There are three major falls each with their own special features.

This one of the many bird species that live in the park all with striking colors and features.

We traveled to Sipi with the Squires one of the senior couples and very good friends of ours. We have shared a number of adventures and have a great time together. The person in the foreground is our guide (Jerimiah) who is native to the area and a very up beat and informed fellow who assisted us on our hike into the falls. He is very proud of his homeland and understand how the Lord has blessed this area with an abundance of beauty. Notice the flower in the center just naturally growing along the side of the path.

                                     Here is a closer look of the flower. Incredible beauty.

The Squires with the upper falls in the background. They serve in Jinja as Counselor in the Mission Presidency as well as Medical for the area

These 2 are the Wallaces serving as the Office Couple in Kampala. If you zoom in you will see
the entire hillside next to the falls is covered in flowers

A closer look--it really does take your breath away

It is farmland in the area surrounding the falls so local guides are required to hike across the land. One of the crops they grow ---cabbages. 

                                  The day we visited they were hauling out some of the harvest and filling a truck parked on the closest roadway. You can see how they are carried--on their heads women and young children alike.

                       This woman was carrying an estimate 50 to 70 pounds of cabbage on her head

             If it looks like we are having the time our lives--we are!! Elder Squire likes to horse around and they both subscribe to "It'll be fun" so we have a great time together.

                                            Elder Squire in one of his more SERIOUS moments.

      Many many incredible flowers like this one. The editor in chief would only allow a select few to be included in this blog. There are many more in the archives

        One of the falls has a large cavern behind and you can look out through the falls. Very impressive

            Was able to sneak in a couple more flower pictures which will give you and idea of the diversity found here

              Two buddies getting a little wet. Actually felt really refreshing and certainly not cold

                                                           More natural beauty!!!!

              Two kindred sisters serving together teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ with
              their selfless example

Partners yoked together and giving what they can

We stayed in a "Resort" next to Sipi Falls. This is one of the self contained suites with an en suite built in shower complete with hot water, How is it done you ask? For further information please see below

There you have it a barrel with hole in the top and space for a wood fire below found higher up the hill.

When we first checked in it is a very good idea to check out the facilities here We found no hot water and took our concerns to the management. He simply said Not Yet, First we must fill the barrel then build a fire. When the water is Hot it will come. And so it did. By the next morning we had hot water but not enough pressure to reach the shower head. We got several hand fulls of  hot water from the tap at waist height to complete our shower. Patience does pay off!

This is the same lady as above carrying the 50 plus pounds of cabbage on her head. She was walking down the hill in the same direction as we were. Not only that she was expecting and a severe hip injury. Ken could not stand to watch so he said, "Let me carry that for you" She unloaded her burden complete with the banana leaf donut to protect the top of the head.

Ken carried for a while and discovered muscles in his neck he never knew existed. After walking with us watching a willing but unseasoned helper for a while, she finally said, "I will carry it now--saving Kens neck from almost certain destruction

The cave area behind the second falls. These walking sticks really were handy with the steep slopes and slippery rock

Overlooking the third falls from our lodging

American and Canadian friends--this is January

It has been over 2000 years since the Savior was born in a manger on this side of the world;  not all that far from here.  It seems like things have not changed that much.  The mangers look like we would imagine they looked like then.  They cook and farm in much the same manner.  The people are very protective of the traditional way of doing things.  The houses are made of Eucalyptus and mud.  It is almost like going back in time.  It makes us feel closer to the Savior and maybe understand, just a little, what it might have been like for Him in those days.