A Day in the Village

Several fellow adoptive moms from UG started their own ministry, Awaka Children’s Foundation. I’ve often heard about this ministry and the village where they work. This past Saturday I finally got to go visit. What a day! I went with my friends, Kelly and Simon, and some other adoptive families. We drove about an hour outside of Kampala, up into the beautiful hills. Then we went off of the main road quite a ways, where you could definitely say you are “in the village”.
Our first stop was to meet the village midwife. Mama Florence is about 70 years old. Women travel from miles around to use her services. I’ve heard it said that a woman in the village will go miles to a highly recommended and trusted midwife, even if a decent doctor or clinic is closer. It’s all about trust and relationship. Mama Florence is very well known and respected. She delivers approximately 4-7 babies a week. She does not charge anything. She has the labor and delivery room behind her house in a very small mud building. When we arrived there was a young girl, Sylvia, there in the early stages of labor with her first baby. She labored in this small room with very few supplies and no modern equipment. Smoke billowing in from the charcoal fire outside. But I’m very glad to say that because of your generous donations, she had sterile delivery supplies from a Mama Kit. Mama Florence was very excited to get the kits and I know they will be well used. I asked what happens if there are complications during the birth. They told me that when that happens Florence gets a boda boda (motorcycle taxi) and they go the approximately 35km to the nearest hospital. That’s 35 km on a rural dirt, pothole filled road while you are in labor and enduring complications. Can you imagine? It blows my mind. But I’m thankful for women like Mama Florence doing the best they can to help the women of her village. I look forward to getting to know her more and to providing her with more kits.


Delivery Hut



Mama Florence and Sylvia



Giving Mama Florence her Mama Kits

After Mama Florence’s we went on the community site. From there we took off on an hour long walk. We walked about 30 minutes to the area borehole (well) that Awaka recently put in. Before the well was installed, there was no clean source of water. Now they have the water, but many still have to make the long walk to the well with their jerrycans. I cannot imagine that being a part of my daily routine. From the well, we walked to the site of the Awaka Medical Clinic. This clinic is under construction and the work progresses as the money comes in. They hope the clinic can provide all of the basic services including births, HIV medication distribution, and malaria treatments. It will be a huge blessing to the community once the clinic is done.

From the clinic we walked back to the community site where all of the women and children had gathered. About once a month Awaka provides a meal for everyone in the area. The kids sang and danced several songs to welcome us. Then we helped to serve more than 350 children and about 100 women a lunch. Lunch consisted of rice, sweet potatoes, cassava, soup/gravy, and a small piece of meat or beans. We almost ran out of food, but thankfully there was enough. It’s humbling to think that this is the only food that most of these kids will eat that day, and more than likely the only meat they’ll get for a long time.



The Gathering

  

Dishing out lunch

 

Eating lunch

After lunch I led the kids in a few songs. I love acting silly and singing with children in Uganda. It’s one of my favorite things to see them laugh and shout and play. So much fun and the laughter is so contagious. One of the other women with us had brought a ton of toys that her friends and family donated. It was amazing to see how big of a smile a random Happy Meal toy can give to a child who has so little. And many of the mamas had an even bigger smiles as they watched their kiddos play. It was a sweet moment. We also passed out one piece of children’s clothing to each mama. They were very grateful.
Another woman with our group works as a nurse practitioner. She did some basic check-ups and wound care too. It was another one of those moments where the needs are so many, where do you even begin. But I’m sure the bandages and antiseptic helped more than we’ll know.

Bandaging kiddos

And we passed out Mama Kits to all of the visibly pregnant women. It was sort of funny watching Godfrey, Awaka’s director UG, determine if the women were really pregnant. I had to assure the women that we will continue to supply more kits, so if they weren’t pregnant now there would be a kit for them when thei r time comes.


Arguing with Godfrey over whether or not a woman was pregnant. ha!

One of the ladies with our group has just been in Uganda for a short time. This was her first experience in the village. She asked me if I have gotten used to it. The sad thing is that in some ways I have. It does not shock me anymore to see children running around barefoot, babies with no diapers, huge herniated belly buttons or swollen tummies from malnutrition or worms. But it still gets to me when I stop and think of the reality of everyday life for these people. Nothing is easy. Growing food, getting water, washing clothes, cooking food, going to school, seeing a doctor… nothing is easy. Yet they still smile. They still are grateful for what they do have. These women work hard to do anything they can to make a living for their families. They weave baskets, make jewelry, garden, and sew. They still have the same needs and desires for their kids that we do. They want them healthy, happy and educated.

Kids walking the path with us

I can tell that Awaka is making a real difference in this village. I see kids with decent clothes that I know were donated. I see kids getting medical treatment that otherwise would have no hope. I see Mama Florence with a way to boil water and sterilize supplies, which she could not easily do before. I see kids in school that never would have been there without Awaka. One thing that is different about Awaka is that when you sponsor a child, you are actually sponsoring their whole family. You help them all to eat better, go to school and get medical treatment. You help to maintain the local well and contribute to the construction of the clinic. If your family is looking for a way to sponsor a child in Africa, let me suggest Awaka. It’s run by some amazing women that I know have a real heart for the children of Africa. You can find out more by checking out their website, www.awaka.org. I’m glad to say that “Mercy for Mamas” is partnered with them to provide Mama Kits to those in need. I hope each time you give toward a Mama Kit you’ll think of 19 year old Sylvia giving birth in a mud room with Mama Florence.