Friday, June 19, 2009

Friday, June 19, 2009

Travel Day – Lira to Kampala

Albendizole and donuts! The military march at 6 a.m. with the chanting make it easy for us to rise early so that we can be at the MTI office early to we can say goodbye to the people who we met only 4 days ago. Our respect for this dedicated group has grown every day. The Ogur Youth and Information Care Center is just one of the projects that MTI-Uganda is implementing to help transition this “Pearl of Africa” into the vital and healthy country of it’s promise. Smiles are abundant and the tasks overwhelming but they just keep chipping away, one task, one day, and one goal at a time. The hope is palatable. We join hands and bow our heads as Felix first sings a Ugandan hymn and then Joe gives a prayer of gratefulness. This MTI/Uganda has energized us to our mission of keeping their programs growing – and that takes funding! It is just so important.

The drive is filled with more images and contrasts – our senses bombarded with each passing mile. After about three hours a petrol station appears on the horizon promising the potential for a much-needed stop – Peter pulls in and asks the attendant if they have a restroom we can use. They graciously escort us to the back of the garage where 3 locked doors are opened to clean facilities with actual toilets! There is a sink on the outside of the building but the attendant first squirts some soap into our hands. He asks Sue if we are Christian and when he hears that we are asks if we have a bible we could give him. Joe finds out that he can read Swahili and it just happens we are carrying 51 Swahili Bibles. Joe is delivering 50 of these to a Ugandan contact – and we have one extra. Providence? Simon was delighted! As we drove away we realized that we each tipped the woman manager or Simon individually so we have paved the way for future visitors to this rest stop.

Kampala Kolping House by 3 o’clock and we quickly unload our luggage. Shopping duties for Frank, Sue, Dana, Deb & Megan – a meeting for Joe and David Alula at the Mulaga Hospital. Scott is writing about this incredible experience right now. Our car makes a brief stop at the African Craft Store and then to the Beads for Life factory and offices. Bead for Life is a unique poverty eradication organization proving income generation through bead making. They connect people concerned with extreme poverty with Uganda beaders and tailors, giving them sustainable opportunities to lift their families out of these circumstances. “Eradicating poverty one bead at a time”. This was an amazing enterprise with not only beautiful product but also the energy from the beaders and the American women who are being empowered by this training. Our bags were filled with this jewelry made from colorful recycled paper, such as magazines or posters then skillfully rolled into a unique bead.

The following is written by Scott who was deeply moved by being able to sit in on the meeting between Joe, David Alula, MTI-Lira Health Manager and Dr. Jacqueline Mabweijano who is the Director Head of the Casualty Unit (similar to our Emergency) at Mulago Hospital In Kampala. Dr. Mabweijano had learned of MTI on a visit to a conference in Victoria British Columbia. MTI had a booth at the conference manned by MTI’s Paul Bollinger. Dr. Jacqueline, as she was called, was very interested in MTI’s first responder training program.
There is no systematic method for bringing injured people to the Mulago Hospital in Kampala. Normally, it is the police who respond to the accident and are the ones to transport the injured to the hospital They have very little training or equipment to provide emergency medical assistance to those injury victims. In some case they actually cause more harm to the patient. The prevalence of HIV/AIDS infections in Uganda complicates first responder’s actions when they are untrained in handling cases where there is bleed or resuscitation is necessary.
Joe and David explained the program of training that MTI had successfully implemented Euro Asia and Asia here a core group of first responders give a 40-80 hour training course by volunteer Doctors from the United States. This core group then acts as master trainer to teach these methods to others. Dr. Jacqueline related to us that it had been a very difficult day in her casualty unit. There had been a bad motor accident where ten people had been injured and had been transported in various ways to the Mulago Hospital. The hospital was understaffed and very short on medical supplies to treat patients. She told us that her job was at times over whelming.
Dr. Mabueijano was an extremely bright, caring and articulate physician. I thought to myself that with individuals like her the future of Ugandan medicine was very bright. We could see that she felt some relief at the prospect of getting help. MTI’s Paul Bollinger will pursue the option of providing this first responder training.
Again, the enormous tasks this country faces of bringing Uganda out of poverty and all that ensues as a result is daunting but the courage we saw leaves us with hope and our own mission.
Dinner at one of Joe and Felix’s favorite spots, Phaz Two! What a shocking contrast, we could have been seated in Florida or LA! Beautiful outdoor patio with a waterfall and candle lit tables! The food was delicious and the entrees all well under $10. There were more white faces on the patio than we had seen for quite awhile!
Megan who has been to Uganda 4 times said that she finally thought of a word that describes it…. RAW!