Uganda (Well dedication)

On July 21st our team traveled to the Village of Panyirenja. We were going there to dedicate a new water well just installed by HOPE4KIDS International; bringing much needed clean water to the many residents of Panyirenja. We were greeted enthusiastically!!!

We pulled up by bus and were overwhelmed with a singing welcome!

Joy and thankfulness that we had arrived!

We received many hugs and proceeded to walk 1.5 miles to the OLD water source location.

Youngsters carrying baby siblings.

It was remarkable to walk the path that they've been walking for years back & forth daily. It was not an easy path & it was far. In addition... the water that mostly kids were retrieving was contaminated. So not only did they have a great distance to carry this heavy water back to the village... it wasn't even safe.

Loving the babies.

This boy pushed his bike the whole distance!

Heading back to the village for the well ceremony, baptisms & more celebrating with villagers.

Everyone was so happy to have us visit & thanked HOPE4KIDS immensely.

There was a demonstration for the local children (& adults) on how to properly wash their hands. It was highly stressed just how important this is (when to wash, how & why) to keep yourself free of disease.

More precious babies.

The blessing of the Water Well with Brooke as the honoree. She (& her husband - who couldn't travel to Africa) raised the money in their home town of Orange County, California. Themselves with the help of friends and family raised $10,000 for this well to become a reality. Such an exciting and emotional time for Brooke, our whole H4KI team & of course for the residents who will benefit from this water.

In thanks, the community presented Brooke with a goat!!!!!!!!! :-)

How awesome is this!!!

Brooke was also presented with a rabbit, a chicken and several pumpkins. We brought them back to the hotel in our bus. LOL! Later they were given to someone local.

Congratulations Brooke... WELL DONE!

Homemade soccer ball; old trash bags tied with twine.

Water from the well and the HOPE4KIDS portable pool was used to baptize several men & women from Panyirenja.

They were so thankful for this special day and each received a new Bible afterwards.

A couple favorite pics from the day.

Photo with some of the Hope4Kids group who came to the well dedication. Others from our team were doing a medical outreach in a different location on this day.

Special for April & I to experience this awesome event.

Uganda (Baby House)

Baby House @ Smile Africa.

Another part to Smile Africa is their "Baby House" where Pastor Ruth & staff care for many orphans. 

Team Hope4Kids holding babies.

Smile Africa is working hard to place these children in foster or permanent homes. Always trying to do the best for such little ones.

Tennessee & April blowing bubbles.

Bubbles are fun.

In addition to this loving place for babies, Pastor Ruth also has a widows program. Women from the community can seek help, shelter or whatever they may need from Smile Africa when they are all alone in a very difficult time. We met many of these women and they are lovely. Many of these ladies create; making crafts, paintings & sewing projects. Myself and others enjoyed purchasing some of those items in the widows store on property. Again... overwhelmed with the need here while being impressed with many individuals & groups who dedicate their lives or means to helping... and it's making a difference (even if sometimes it seems small). 

Uganda (Smile Africa)

My favorite photo from July 20th at Smile Africa.

It may be my favorite photo from Uganda (or all of Africa too).

I love it for many reasons.

I love many of these photos from that day too...

But mostly I love the children.

You love these children... instantly.

But they first love YOU... instantly!

They want to be close to you while their expression of JOY is abundant.

And you wonder how?... when life is so hard here! No denying the need for so much here! And their greatest needs are for the most basic things. :-(

Africa may need us... but WE need Africa too!

Glad for this photo but more grateful for this day.

God Bless the children of Smile Africa.

Uganda (Feed My Starving Children)

April & I along with several from our team spent the afternoon (July 20th) at Smile Africa.

Smile Africa is an amazing place where the "Feed My Starving Children" program is utilized each & every day for hundreds of kids.

When we arrived the staff was gathering the playing children to come & sit under the main shelter for lunch.

The children waited patiently while singing...

...and singing.

Cute kids!

 In the commercial kitchen the food was almost done...

Pastor Ruth who founded Smile Africa gave us an overview of just what is involved each day to cook this amount of food. Smile Africa receives hundreds & hundreds of boxes of rice meals packed with nutrients. Here it is cooked in this kitchen by loving staff.

The meals are stacked and ready to either be delivered to each child or picked up by the children daily.

Today they had the treat of bananas. It was a special occasion thanks to one of the past USA team members who donated $ for the bananas for this meal.

Today our team was able to personally hand each child their lunch.

Thankful for good food.

Thankful for the "Feed My Starving Children" organization.

Thankful for Smile Africa.

Thankful for Pastor Ruth who has put this ALL into motion, partnered with HOPE4KIDS International and has made a HUGE difference in the lives of children in Uganda.

Pastor Ruth is called the Mother Teresa of Uganda. :-)

The children brought their dirty plates to the sink for washing.

And they thoroughly enjoyed these sweet bananas.

After lunch it was playtime with the kids.

What about this adorable little girl?!

She & others loved seeing themselves in my phone camera.

So we took a LOT of selfies. Hahaha.

Then someone needed a nap.

So we just sat back and relaxed.

More from Smile Africa in my next post.