Now until Sunday: go to this link and vote for Suubi for a chance to win money for our work in Uganda! Vote, share, get everyone you know to help out! Every vote counts! Thank you! https://projectforawesome.com/watch?v=034P70LmkgI (It's the video I posted last week, but in order for the vote…
I'm finishing up my last term at university. Some exams are done, others before me. Lots to do, but managing. Somehow, though I don't know how. I'm going to be real with you: I've been physically tired and sick with a sore throat and ears for almost a year. So…
I sewed a backpack out of recycled trash from Uganda and Germany. The backpack contains parts of a yoga-mat, many plastic bags, a plastic lid, recycled African fabric, and a bunch of other "trash". I am not a seamstress, most of the sewing is rough, and some things are not…
The streets of Kampala, Uganda, Summer 2020: Someone buys a can of soda, some tomatoes, or a few eggs. They buy it from a street vendor, in a crowded street among countless market stands. Or perhaps in a side street. Is it daytime? Nighttime? Is it brutally hot or raining…
This is it, guys: my last blog post of the 2010s. I thought I'd join the fun of recaps and share my top moments of 2019, my top 3 moments of the 2010s, and some goals for 2020. Recap 2019: Top 10 These are loosely in order of their occurrence.…
I went to Uganda last week to visit a small NGO I am involved in. In my last post, I described some travel impressions and some of the projects we do there. But when you put all these projects together, what do they add up to? They change lives. For…
Church, Africa-Style: Uganda's society is quite religious. No one would call themselves an atheist. Most are either Christians, Muslims, or follow Tribal Religions. There are prominent Pastors, "prophets" and "healers" all over the place. When they say something, people take their word for it. For better or for worse. While…
School started today. You might think that I had vacation time before that. And technically, that is true. However, I was at home for the past 2 weeks, and there was a lot going on. And all this stuff comes together in a story about weeds, Luganda, and "Coconut Galaxy":…
Christmas is over, and 2018 is almost over. And as I look back, I can summarize the past year with one word: thankful. I am really thankful for the things that happened in 2018. Why? Here are the top 10 reasons: March: Class trip to BelgiumFebruary-May: Illustration CommissionApril: first official…
Normally, the 3000-soul town I study in is not exactly lively. But once a year, the Christmas Market changes that picture entirely: The vendors open their booths, music plays, and hundreds of people crowd the streets. Our seminary participated in this event, and I was there with them. I sold…
We finished up the projects that we started. We added a door to the chicken coop. Sylvia's mom will no longer have to worry about her birds getting stolen. She and her family are all very happy! We also taught the women how to use the tools to build a…
We continued work on the pallet furniture and got it done. The varnish made the colors pop and gave the wood a protective coat. I hope this furniture doesn't get attacked by termites (some of the unused pallets were already attracting them). We started building a chicken coop and mostly…
We went to the place where the women's ministry meets. It's on the grounds of a catholic parish, which is located in the slums. Although the church is poor, it's property is kept in nice condition. Today, they met for their monthly feast. It's one of the only times some…
Up until now, we got to play "tourist". But starting thursday, we got into the "real" work. We went to the soap workshop on thursday morning and were greeted by one of the girls, Paullah. When she saw my mom, she gave her a big hug and started sobbing with…
We went on a 3-day journey to do a Safari in Murchison Falls National Park. It was our group, plus Emmanuel (Sylvia's husband), and Amos (our driver) and his family. 10 people in an 8-passenger van, plus a bit of luggage...tight! It's ca. 250km from Kampala to the town near…