Fred is one of our Nightwatchmen at Maria’s Care. He’s been with us for seven years, and recently we discovered that he was walking 10 miles each way to work!
Now, thanks to thanks to the generosity of CRU supporters, he has a bike and arrives early!
Simple items (which you can buy through our Alternative Gift List!) can transform people’s lives so easily. Please consider buying an alternative gift for a birthday this year!
Robert Okanya sent Rhona an email:
“Dear Ms Rhona,
It is I Robert in Makerere doing Bachelor of veterinary medicine expressing my Gratitude’s and thanks to you and Christian Relief Uganda. I was very happy yesterday 20th October 2009 for your visit and everything you gave us. It was a such a wonderful surprise visit.
I am glad to be amongst the first people to join Maria’s Care and very glad for all I’ve benefited and learnt from there. Thanks allot for the clothes and the pocket money you gave me and May God blesses you abundantly and if it was not because of Christian Relief Uganda, by now I would not be where I am.
Send greetings to all who are giving a hand of help for our well being. We appreciate so much and we too are looking forward to helping others in future.
Glory be to God and may God bless you all.
From Robert Okanya.”
Robert describes how he joined Maria’s care:
It was in 1992 after the death of both of my parents when Ms Maria came to our village with the help of my late brother. She found me sitted at home not schooling and at the same time I was sick that day. I was happy when she promised to take care of me and my younger brother Simon.
When I went
I went to Maria’s care in 1993 and began studies in the same year
How long I took
I spent 11 years in Maria’s care and during my stay while there, I got saved and baptised from Kamuli baptist Church.
What am now doing
Am now doing a bachelors degree in veterinary medicine second year and all that is courtsey of Maria’s Care and thank God for CRU which is assisting Maria’s Care
May God bless you all
Robert in Oct 2009
August 2007 saw a new party of dental volunteers carrying out basic dentistry in a number of temporary clinics at various locations.
Barbara’s Dental Diary Aug07
Uganda, Africa by Katie
Jambo Muzungo ! – the call that rang out wherever we went; combined with frantically waving and jumping children. There were ten of us altogether, a mixture of dentists, hygienists and nurses all working with Christian Relief Uganda. As a student dentist, this was a great opportunity to combine experiencing another culture with learning new skills.
We drove into outlying areas of Uganda, where bazungos (white people) are rarely seen, along kilometres of red, bumpy, dusty roads. On arrival we set up dental clinics, extracted teeth educated on oral hygiene and handed out toothbrushes and toothpaste.
There was a lot of work to do at a three-day clinic near a sugar cane plantation. Chewing chunks of sugar cane forms part of their diet, leading to decayed front teeth. However, none of us refused the chance to try some when offered a piece one lunchtime!
In the UK, parents often face the problem of what to do with children when at the dentist. We found the answer to this problem one day when a lady continued to breastfeed her baby throughout her extraction.
Driving also takes on a new slant in Uganda, as we discovered on a drive in the city of Kampala. Instead of giving way to the right on a roundabout, the fastest driver gets the right of way. This led to some interesting driving experiences.
Approaching one of our dental clinic sites (via boat), we were told, Try and stay close to the clinic and don’t wander off as tribes in this area still practice cannibalism. This was no joke. We were then carried off the boat by local men to avoid us getting wet feet. Slightly unnerving, having just learnt of the local customs!
A few days of our trip were spent living on Bavuma Island, which is located in Lake Victoria. No electricity means evening entertainment is sparse – however, one night we found ourselves learning traditional Ugandan dancing under the instruction of several local women. This is harder than it looks with the movement all in the hips which have to be accentuated with a scarf. When asked to perform a typical English dance in return we all immediately broke into Saturday night moves and the Macarena!
The last few days of the trip were spent on safari in north Uganda,
Here is an extract from my diary:
At present I am sitting on stilted decking, in an armchair, outside our canvas tent. In front of me there are a few trees and bushes leading down to the Nile. On the opposite bank is the safari park, Murchison Falls, where last night I could see hippos and water buffalo. The storm has just broken so there is rain dripping through the trees around me, with thunder rolling in the background adding to the croak of bullfrogs and the hiss of crickets. Every now again a flash of lightning illuminates my page. It’s dusk.
Uganda, Africa was for me an indescribable experience. On more than one occasion during my trip, I was told that I would never know or realise the impact of the dental work we had done on peoples lives. But I think that I may never realise the impact that Uganda has had on my life. All I know is that I learnt a huge amount, have wonderful memories of welcoming smiles and that I enjoyed every minute.
