Sorry about the lack of a blog post yesterday, that was entirely my fault. I had come to Jinja with Pastor Nelson and Pastor David to find the man who built the original STAO Uganda website (www.stao-uganda.org), and it took a lot longer than expected - eating up the time I’d allocated for blogging. Nelson wants me to make some changes to their site, but so far we’ve had some trouble getting the FTP access information, and the hosting service website isn’t terribly helpful. I’ll probably have to figure that out when I get home.
I also spent part of yesterday (as well as today) visiting homes in a village adjacent to Mafubira called Sakabusolo to fill out some of the STAO surveys (”participatory assessments”). I’m really glad I got time to do that (it’s mostly been the healthcare team). It was the best chance I’ve had to meet villagers and widows (some who currently benefit from STAO and some who do not) and hear their stories.
It’s truly sobering to see how so many of these people live. A widow, 6 children, and a mud hut in the middle of nowhere… no access to medicine, with no income or consistent access to food via farming… None speak English, and at least one that we met only spoke Swahili - creating yet another barrier to her ability to provide for her children in this place. The emotions I feel and intellectual reactions I have are all over the place. Sometimes I think, “there must be a way out of this.” But when you realize the sheer number of people living this way, and you consider the huge imbalance of young people versus old… it starts to feel very hopeless for many of them.
Helplessness is a feeling I’ve had in great abundance the last two days. Ironic, in some way - as our mere presence brings visible, palpable hope to nearly everyone here… even if I myself question what I could possibly do for them.
The notion of a STAO clinic (the driving purpose behind the surveys) is something I’ve really clinged to in response. It is one way in which I think most of the people I met on these visits can really be helped in a significant way. And perhaps with that burden eased, some will be able to lift themselves up, or at least lift up their children - for whom there is always hope.
Comments
Glad to see a post today. Thanks for keeping us updated.
hey brandon,
it must be so hard to see/experience so much pain and hardship, and to feel like you don’t have the ability or resources to make a difference…but i want you to know that you ARE making a difference. each and every one of you. your presence there, your loving on the people, even just the heart of compassion that you’ve grown because of this…it’s all something that already has an impact…i can tell, even from half a world away! even just the awareness you’re giving the rest of us over here of the tragedies and the needs that are over there, is something that has already changed my heart and caused me to want to do something about it! don’t lose heart…you are doing AMAZING things and being used in AMAZING ways…though the steps may seem small, know that every step is SIGNIFICANT in bringing about more good things for the people in Uganda.
my prayers are with you
Brandon, your post brought tears to my eyes. I just want to echo Courtney’s words. Your presence there and how you are making the lives of the people there so real to us back home is making a difference. You are adding to the numbers of people here who care and want to make a difference in the lives of the people there. Stay faithful and allow Jesus to turn your five loaves and two fish into a picnic with leftovers! Praying for you all!
Brandon-no aplogies! Your work there is priority ,not writing to us! However-it was good that you caught up to us all today and I thank you.I am glad that you have been spending time in the neighboring village working hard for a future clinic there. The feeling of helplessness you have must be overwhelming— but because of your hard work in taking these first small steps to identify needs there is hope for a brighter tomorrow. I hope that brings you peace. Keep up the good work, and keep taking good care of each other!
Brandon,
Thank you so much for your compassion and logical approach. I appreciate that you are using the gifts God has given you to serve others and better their present circumstances and future hope. I also having appreciate having the STAO website to look at. Thank you for including that in your post. It was really helpful in getting a better understanding of what they’re about, etc.
Cherish your memories of this time, you ARE helping in a huge way.
Heidi