Day 4 - Visit to Nsambya Ex-Street Children Organization

When it rains in Uganda it really pours! Yesterday and last night and once today we had torrential downpours. We are just at the end of the rainy season.
Anny (In-Need Home director) expressed her fears for the people of Namuwongo. When it rains so hard, many of their homes fall apart. As well the pathways are flooded and/or mud-filled and the latrines over-flow. At the end of the day yesterday, when I finished my meeting with Anny, a gentleman came into her office. He was neatly dressed and carrying an attache case. I assumed he was a businessman here to meet with Anny so I left the room so she could speak to him.
When he left, Anny explained to me that he was there for counselling. He is HIV positive. He came to her because he was desperate, she explained. He has 8 children, no job and will soon have no place to live. He has recently stopped taking his medication because it needs to be taken with food...... and he has no food. So, he has decided.......... what's the use! I remember his smile at me and good-bye as he left the In-need home. We will make certain to have the 2 youngest of his 8 children included in our school group. I only wish we could have included them all.
Our school should be ready soon. The carpenter has been in to measure and then begin building the shelves for all the supplies we brought to Namuwongo thanks to the tremendous assistance we have had from individuals and schools.
Today we visited Nsambya Ex-Street Children Organization. Drew, from EMERGE, a Montreal Arts group, is here with me for a 2 week observation. We hope to have EMERGE join our school group with an ARTS program. He may also develop a program for the nsambya ex-street children organization. This is a group of teens who have all lived on the streets of Kampala and have no one to care for them.
Patrick, a 17 year old welcomed us and invited us in to the very small office which also doubled as the bed-room for the 25, or so, young people who were living there. When we finished our visit and were ready to leave, he rushed back into the office and came out with an obviously, previously worn baseball cap to present as a gift to Drew. They who have nothing are eager to give to us.............what more needs to be said!
Tomorrow I hope to meet with the Ugandan teachers I will hire for our school group. I hope to be able to provide you with pictures on this BLOG so that you might be able to see the wonderful people and children I have the privilege to work with.
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