Easter

First shot is of the tree that was taken down with an AX on Good Friday the first year here. 2nd shot is what is looks like now laying in the yard right out our back door.  Every so often someone comes and chope more off for a bit of firewood.

So this was GOOD FRIDAY now there are ducks that live in the trunk and chickens that nest under the tree.  I don't think it will be gone from the yard before me...

Sunrise service on the top of the highest hill in Arua 

We received the word and a new day with friends

Was it a morning like this that the whole world was made new? Sins forgiven? Man reconciled with a God who LOVES! 

Some forgiven sinners enjoying the morning.

We saw this guy as we were walking home from the Sunrise Service.
Happy Resurrection to all of YOU!

Thing I see on the street that amaze me

Waiting for water it is a social past time and I am grateful I don't have to do it......         
  How much one can take on a bicycle and still pedal it.  I am grateful for my bicycle and not having to make a living by selling from it.  These bananas are used for a cooked dish called matooke

What gets transported on a wheel borrow. Someone is going to be happy tonight with a new mahogany(?)                                                                                    bed

How much a woman can carry. Selling from her head for a bit of $ for her family  I am not sure if she was pregnant or not but wouldn't be surprised if she was.

These little kids had just come from picking through the trash in the last photo.  Since there is trash every where this is a favorite kid past time.

I am sure I will find more interesting things before I go.  Hope you enjoy the pics from my side of the world.  We have 24 days left in country and it seems to be going so fast that the beans are tasting better and the weather seems pleasant.  I am sure I am in grateful mode. I hope it last the rest of my life.  From Arua...
 Love Marc

Well  this is what has gone on for a bit.  The conflict in S Sudan is getting worse.  The refugee camp had 48,000 people and now has 68,000 with the conflict getting worse.  The N wants the oil rights in the S and the people are caught in the middle and run to Uganda.  The Food trucks are seen frequenly going through town. 

This is the ongoing construction at the hospital.  They bring in a big load of huge rock and these guys break them with malls, in the hot sun, and then smooth it out to make the drive way.  I like living in the US where you can just order a load of crushed rock.

I have been walking around town to the bus companys to get them interested in building a rain water catchment tank outside the maternity ward for newly delivered mothers to have water for personal care when it is dry season and the town water is finished.  These are the hospital admin with the head of the airplane company that is here who donated the 4 milliion for a tank.   Now to get Toms school started on it before we leave....

Next is a story!  This is a request that was made a long time ago.  A government school has a section for blind students with some special faciliteis and teachers at it.  It is NOT a boarding school but these boys are not from the area so they have to board. They are sleeping in a classroom so a friend asked if we could do something.  Well I have this ongoing conversation in my head about "I don't really need this, I could use the $ to build an orphanage in Africa"  I havn't done that either so I thought it time to kick into gear.  We decided to investigate and meet the kids so this is the story.  So far they have the right mission statement for a school.  Don't think we will find this in America. 

IS ALWAYS AN ATTENTION GRABBER AND IT WAS AT THE SCHOOL 

The rest of the story is Tom with one of the tutors,

The actual dorm 

Two of the boys that live here
below is the kitchen that the night guard makes there meal in because they don't go home to eat.

Below is the site the dorm will be built on it will have a veranda so the guys can sit outside in the cool of the evening. 

The guy who will oversee the project when we are gone and the one that has a heart for the blind.  Dave from Church Mission Society Ireland.  We asked our kids and friend and we raised the funds for the foundation.  It was dug and they hit a water line. It was redug and made too small, finally re dug and poured this last week.  The official start to the AMBROSE HOUSE has begun.  CMS is providing  funds for the building but it needed a kick start and this seemed to be it. 

Time for lunch   GOTTA GO      Tom and Marc

CELEBRATING WITH TONINO 50 YEARS OF SERVICE AND 75 YEARS OF LIFE

 

Shortly after returning from S Africa we were invited to a birthday/vocation party held for Tonino, priest and radio station manager of  radio station we celebrate Christmas Eve at.  I was reminded of my aunts 50 years of service in the Franciscan order This was another wonderful celebration. He has served Africa for 40+ years as have 18 of his classmates from Italy.

Framed by the men he works with 

Framed by the people he serves

A chat with the archbishop
Giving gifts

A little cake, a little dancing and we all went home (after 2 hours of speeches too) and a lovely day was had by all.  Congratulations Tonino may you live long and healthy like your father who is 102 and living independently in Italy!