Visiting the Child We Sponsor

Meaningful?

Stephen and Yvonne 2012. Photo Credit Bob Adams

Sometimes I wonder if the things that Jeff and I have done over the years have made a meaningful difference in the world. Of course, we wouldn't continue to support these causes if we didn't think that they were doing good. Everyone has a limited amount of money; we want to be good stewards of the money we are entrusted with. 

One of our privileges has been to sponsor a child through World Vision, a relief, development, and advocacy non-governmental organization dedicated to working with children, family, and community to overcome poverty and injustice. We chose Opio Stephen to support back in 2008 when our church hosted a "Walk Through Africa” exhibit. After touring the exhibit, much of which dealt with the Aids epidemic and the issues with orphans as a result of the war in northern Uganda, there was an entire wall filled with photos of children to sponsor. We quickly decided upon Stephen. There was no compelling reason that we selected him out of all the other children, but we pulled his picture off the wall and signed up. And that was really the moment that our hearts began to soften toward Uganda and lead us on this journey which ultimately has us sitting in a house in Gulu where we plan to live for as long as God desires. Meaningful.

Almost 12 years have passed since the day that we selected Stephen. 

I’ve visited Uganda 7 times. The first time that I traveled to Uganda, one of the main motivations was to meet Stephen. 

On visitation day, after traveling by 4-wheel drive to reach the cluster of huts that included Stephen’s family home, I remember being greeted by a huge crowd of family members and villagers who were in awe of me. Just as I was in awe of them, There were speeches by the head of the village, Stephen's father, and then me. I had to remember to speak slowly for the translator, We then sat and "visited." How do you visit with someone so different than you? Different culture, Different language, Different age. I remember having questions ready to ask to keep things moving along. Questions that I thought were appropriate for a 6 year old boy. "What is your favorite color" is probably the most ridiculous. As if he even thought past where his next meal was coming from or whether someone had fetched enough water for his family to drink that day.

We exchanged gifts. School supplies, a picture Bible, a toothbrush, a t-shirt for Stephen. A soccer ball for him to share with his siblings. Tea, soap, cooking oil, and sugar for his mom. A shirt and socks for his dad. Wasn't I the surprised one when handed a live chicken as a gift! Held upside down by its feet, the chicken was offered proudly. It didn't dawn on me until later just how precious that gift was, that the chicken was a meal for the family. They had given up a meal for me! Meaningful.

Over the years we have had the honor of visiting Stephen and his family five  times. I have always brought gifts for him and his family. Once it was quilts I had made for them. Sometimes we were given a chicken, twice we were not. Those were the years that the family was having particular struggles with food. The last time that we went, we were able to present the family with a goat. Such wonder! Such happiness! I am so glad that the escort from World Vision encouraged us to give a goat to Stephen's family, and even found a local family from whom to purchase the goat. That family was so happy to have the money from selling a goat; such a win-win situation! Meaningful.

Two years have passed since we have been able to visit Stephen. He has grown into a tall young man, Studying to be a mechanic, one of our gifts to him was a tool box and tools. A look of delight crossed Stephen's face when he was presented with it. We had brought many gifts. And we were handed 2 plump roosters as a gift from Stephen and his father, a sign of prosperous times. His mother presented me with a container filled to overflowing with g-nuts. And we gave them another goat.

During each visit, Jeff and Stephen's father Martin sit next to each other, struggling to make conversation, translator between them. This year, Martin was anxious to talk to Jeff. After the ritualistic greetings from everyone, Martin stood up and held Jeff's hand. He explained just how important our support has been for his family over the years. He told the story of struggling to feed his family, and how our donations each month have helped. He told how the gift of one goat led to the ownership of three cows, giving them a very significant steady source of income and food. Cows are rented out to plow fields. And they produce milk. He explained how one goat became a cow. The goat reproduced and allowed them to sell the offspring; four goats equal one cow.

But the most touching part of all of our visits can be summed up in this picture. Stephen's father holding Jeff's hand, looking him straight in the eye and trying to explain what an impact we've been,

Yes. Meaningful.

Stephen's father, Martin, with Jeff. 2019

Yvonne and Stephen greeting each other, 2012. Photo Credit Bob Adams

Yvonne, Stephen, and Jeff. 2019I

Stephen's mom presenting Yvonne with a container overflowing
with g-nuts from the family farm, 2019

Stephen's mom and dad, Jeff and Yvonne, and Stephen. Note that Jeff is holding 2 roosters. 2019

Family members watch the visit. 2019

Driving down the pathway to Stephen's village. 2012. Photo Credit Bob Adams

The second visit in 2012. Photo Credit Bob Adams

News Flash! Michael Gillette the Courier to Arrive in Uganda Monday!

We are so excited!

Everything is having a happy ending. Stated differently, "for we know all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purposes."

Last week I contacted my Audiologist, Donna Eskwitt, at the Riverside Medical Clinic (she is wonderful) to tell her the story of our break in. One of the things that was taken was my sound processor. It might be a surprise to many that I am deaf on my left side as a result of treatment for Meniere's Disease. One very nice thing that improved the quality of my life immensely was the bone implant conduction surgery developed by Cochlear (Here is a link to more information Cochlear Americas). The system has two parts. The first is the titanium post which was implanted into my skull (Hey, this was not taken during the robbery).  (That is supposed to be a joke). 2) The second is the sound processor which attaches to the post. The sound processor, also known as a BAHA, was in my purse which was stolen. Without it, I can't hear sounds on my left side.

After contacting Donna at about 11:30 a.m. on Monday the 9th of September (did I mention that Donna is amazing?) she swung into action, calling Cochlear. She found out that the warranty had expired one day after the break in, so the BAHA could be replaced. She filled out paperwork, emailed it to me, and filed the claim to receive the new BAHA that same day. She also convinced Cochlear to overnight the BAHA to her. Tuesday she programmed it for me based on my records and packaged it up for shipping via Federal Express. When have you heard of such speedy response from a medical care professional? (Did I mention that Donna is incredible? )

This is where the story bogs down. Things continued to be pushed along by Donna, a fantastic professional, She coordinated with FedEx to deliver a package to us in Gulu. It was coming down to finding the elusive storefront that was supposed to receive packages from FedEx versus shipping it to Kampala, the capital city which is located a good 6 hours away. Jeff and I had some interesting interactions with shop keepers here in Gulu trying to explain what FedEx is. Not one of the-20- some thing shop owners had ever heard of something called a FedEx. So it seemed that shipping to Kampala and having them hold the package for me until I was able to get there would be way to go.

But wait, there is more!

Meanwhile, the Outreach Department at The Grove Community church was also trying to find a way to get things to us, including a replacement for my stolen computer. A team of staff members, including Andy Gibeault, Crystal Niermann, Joe Hobbs, and Adam McIntyre (did I mention how outstandingly creative they are?) were brainstorming to find a solution. They had the idea of sending someone to deliver things to us. After calculating costs, finding a super low fare available for use in doing humanitarian work, and looking at other logistics, they determined that sending a someone from church was the best option. (Did I mention that the Outreach department is made up of amazingly clever people?).

Now it all boiled down to this: who was available to come to Uganda on short notice? This person must have had the required yellow-fever immunization which is in short supply. He/she must also not mind the long 2 day trip each way, and be flexible with respect to logistics on the Uganda side of the ocean. Here enters another hero of my story - Michael Gillette. Michael is a college-aged man who has been to Uganda on short term mission treks twice during high school, and was available for just the right time period before beginning a new job on October 2. Besides, Michael loves Uganda and has a true servant's heart. (Did I mention that Michael is a remarkable young man?)

Once the decision was made to send Michael, I went onto Amazon and, using some of the money that had been donated by kindhearted and generous friends to help us, ordered some things to replace other items that had been stolen.

My sister, Ginny Scarbrough, (yes, another stupendous human being) ran around in the heat wave collecting glasses, the sound processor, and other important things we absolutely needed. These included a jumbo sized bag of chocolate chips because my "baked in a frying pan" cookies are such a hit over here. Kari Gillette (who happens to be incredible) told me that there were a few people who wanted to know what they could send to us, so I can't wait to see what arrives. (Did I mention that I know some of the most remarkable people alive?)

Meanwhile,  my son, Jacob, (a young man who is second to none -- yes, I agree that I am a little bit partial, but I know that everyone else who knows him believes the same way) ordered a new computer for me. He was a wise shopper and found what is almost never heard of - a $300 off sale on an Apple computer. Amazing. He is also coordinating the receipt of all of the things that will be delivered, and making sure that they are ready to be picked up Saturday afternoon by Andy Gibeault (you know it already, an incredibly compassionate man).

From there, Michael will leave Sunday morning from Riverside and we will meet him Monday night in Kampala. Sigh.

It is 2:00 a.m. Uganda time and sleep eludes me. I keep thinking of all the things that are falling into place, all the people who have worked so hard to make this happen, and how fortunate I am to be surrounded by people who are willing to put so much time and effort into something to help us out. Unworthy, yet loved. People showing up to be the hands and feet of Jesus. People who care. I am blessed.

Thank you,

September 2019 Newsletter

We emailed our September Newsletter but wanted to post it here for those who have not signed up for our email updates. If you would like to be added to our list, enter your contact information here and we will include you next time: https://tinyurl.com/WeinsteinSignUps

It seems like a long time since we began our Journey to Uganda, but other times it seems like just yesterday. Thank you to everyone who has and continues to encourage and support us during our "Journey to Uganda". Whether you are someone who has committed to supporting us monthly, has provided a one time financial contribution, showed up to help us pack, consistently prays, left money on my porch to buy a treadle sewing machine, donated and organized sewing supplies, sends emails and/or texts to check in with us, - each one of you is an important component of our Journey. It is just like a body, where every part is important (see Corinthians 12: 15-20). We can't be successful without everyone doing their part. So, thank you for being a part of our crazy lives right now. We can't believe that we are in Uganda, writing this on a Saturday morning while most of you are sound asleep on the other side of the world.

We are calling Gulu, Uganda our home for the next year or two. Gulu is a thriving town of 150,000 people located in the northern part of the country. There is construction everywhere as sidewalks are being installed, drainage features constructed, and roads paved.

What could possibly go wrong? We left our home at 3:30 on Wednesday August 14 and reached our destination of Gulu Uganda on August 16 at approximately 6:00 p.m. with nothing remarkable to report. What could go wrong? We had the backing of friends, relatives, our home church (The Grove) and our sending agency (Harvest Alliance). We were "prayed up" and knew that we were walking as God desired. What could go wrong? After all, we had been to Uganda a total of 12 times between the two of us so we knew what we were getting into. What could possibly go wrong? If you read our blog (Weinsteins2Uganda.blogspot.com) you already know that 2 days after we moved into our house, while we were sleeping (and apparently were helped to keep sleeping by a whiff of a gas such as chloroform) someone entered our house and took everything of monetary value. If you haven't already, please go to the blog for details. Our house was a hive of activity the next few days. People we knew from Gulu Bible Community Church stopped by with hugs. Church leadership intervened on our behalf with the police. People listened, talked, and let us know that though we were miles away from our loved ones, we were loved right here in the midst of it all by the locals.  When the news hit our home turf, we received so many texts and emails with expressions of love and concern that we are still overwhelmed by the knowledge that so many people care about us. Although I am still processing this experience, we are moving on with the things we have come to Uganda to do.

Tea at Three I wanted to invite a few of my friends over to surprise them with the plans that are taking shape for the sewing ministry. So I did. Did I know that tea meant a full feast? No, I did not. Fortunately, I have Evelyn in the house. Evelyn, who is helping me learn to cook the Ugandan way, also prevents me from making a major social error such as only having tea and the lovely chocolate chip cookies that I was going to prepare on the stove top. She helped me through the menu planning mode and we ended up with a meal fit for a queen. Pasted beef, fried pork, millett, sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes; enough food for everyone and leftovers. When my friends showed up, they were wearing traditional Ugandan garments and brought gifts of cassava root, bananas, roasted g-nuts, and beans. I went back to my bedroom and put on the dress that they had surprised me with 2 years ago. We had fun eating, and I showed them the two treadle machines that they and other ladies in the area will be using. After the excitement of seeing the space for the sewing machines (I think I'll call it a studio) we settled down to visit. And what do you do when visiting at a tea? Why, shuck beans, of course! I love it here!

Age is Just a Number In Uganda babies, children, teenagers, and young adults are seen everywhere. The absence of older people (especially men) was something that struck me on my first visit. In Uganda, the median age is less than 16 years old. (The median age is the age where half the population is younger and half the population is older.) In contrast, the U.S. median age is almost 38 years old. A few weeks ago we met a young pastor and his first comment was,"I heard that a couple was coming to Gulu, I thought you would be younger. Maybe in your 20's or 30's." Another time we heard that the church leaders were looking forward to us sharing our wisdom, knowledge, and experience from our more than seventy years of life. We are both "only" 62 years young.  It is a matter of perspective. Back in Riverside, we are following a generation of those who grew up in the Great Depression and fought in World War II. We've respected and learned life lessons from them. It is a hard concept for us to grasp, but over here, we are those role models. A pretty weighty realization. These boys fashioned cars out of plastic bottles, using bottle tops for the wheels. Children at the Gulu Bible Community Church Preschool Jeff is with Stephen, the young man who we have sponsored through World Vision since he was a child.

Eye Can See Clearly Now Three years ago I started bringing reading glasses to Uganda as part of the High School Mission Trek. This ministry was first started by Ron Richmond of the Grove and glasses have now been given out in Mexico, South America, Belize, Thailand, and Uganda. These non-prescription magnifying type glasses are a blessing to help people read again, reduce eye strain, and allow them to do close up work like sewing and manual labor. When we arrived in Anaka for a three day visit, Pastor Alfred had included time for glasses distribution. We had not brought any glasses with us on this trip, but I let him know that the Adult or High School Teams would bring them next year. He said that there were over one hundred pairs left from the High School visit in July. I was touched when he wanted me to give them out because this was my ministry. I hadn't realized just how very much I had become associated with eyeglasses in the community. Working with Shirley Moran and church volunteers we were able to hand out thirty pairs of glasses to the community members in just ninety minutes. What a blessing to be able to be used as a part of such a life-changing ministry.

On the Road Again During our first three weeks our good friend Shirley Moran from Kentucky joined us. She helped us settle into our new home and travelled with us around the country. Together we visited the Grove's church plants in the towns of Adjumani and Anaka. We attended Sunday services and led programs and interacted with the community in both locations. In Adjumani we visited one of the refugee camps that is inhabited by the Dinka people from South Sudan. Over one million refugees have moved into Uganda from this country immediately to the north. We met with the church's youth soccer team, Yvonne and Shirley led a Women's Program, and Jeff talked with the Men's Leadership Board. In Anaka we visited the church's grain storehouse, and walked through the market area praying for the vendors and their businesses. Yvonne and Shirley met with the women of the church and taught a lesson on how they are God's handiwork, created by Him for a purpose.  Jeff held a reading glasses give away and met with the men to talk about leadership and the roles that men need to play in the church, the family, and the community. It was very rewarding to see how these young churches have grown and the impact that they are having on their communities. During the programs for the women at both churches, ladies were given jewelry which had been donated to remind them of how precious and unique they are.

No Prior Experience Needed by Jeff Before we left Riverside I had several people ask me what I would be doing in Uganda. My answer was usually…I’m not sure, or whatever the Church needs. Yvonne knew she wanted to teach sewing and use that as a ministry to fellowship and help generate income for the women. But I was a bit uncomfortable and unsure about what God had planned for my life in Uganda. After meeting with the leadership of Gulu Bible Community Church we are now “Church Mission Specialists”. Our roles will be to offer expertise and guidance to evangelism, church planting, discipleship, and leadership development. We will also visit and support the pastors and churches planted by the Grove in Lira, Anaka, and now Adjumani. Pastor Martin Onen has proposed his “Vision 2040 which has a goal to plant 10,000 churches in ten African nations in the next twenty years. Yvonne and I will play a small part in this plan as we do research in best Christian practices, look to build relationships with agencies in different countries, and establish systems that can be replicated and used for trainings. In addition to her sewing ministry Yvonne has been asked to use her computer skills to train the new pastors, help with websites, newsletters, and report writing. I will use my background to assist with developing business and leadership classes, and helping with programs for the men in the community. So, if you ask me next year what I did during my time away from Riverside, I think this will be my answer.

Ways to connect with us: Our Blog: Weinsteins2Uganda.Blogspot.com Facebook Group: Weinsteins2Uganda Email: mrsweinstein@fastmail.fm We love to chat: use FaceBook Messenger To Donate: http://harvestallianceintl.org/contact/