I'M BACK AGAIN!

It is always a pleasure to return to Uganda and the warm welcome I receive from the children in the Namuwongo Project, as well as the staff members in our program, and, those at St. Henry's Primary School.
The Namuwongo program continues to thrive! Teacher Joyce is an excellent educator for our little ones. Tomorrow I go into Namuwongo for the tremendously difficult task of choosing 7 new children for our program. Walking through the poverty and devastation that is the lives of the Namuwongo inhabitants, and then having to say "no" to some children, always takes away a chunk of my heart.
The rest of today's entry will be given over to a tribute to the late Peter Okoth. Peter was the headmaster of St Henry's Primary School and was a great supporter of the Namuwongo Project. Peter passed away suddenly after returning home to his village during the summer. We will miss him greatly, but are grateful for the continued support for the Namuwongo Project by his replacement, Maria. To best express the 'nature of the man' I have included a tribute to Peter Okoth, written by Laura, a staff member at St. Henry's Primary School.

Dear Friends of St Henry -

With a heavy heart I write to share with you that we have lost our beloved Peter Okoth, Head Master of St Henry's Primary School this last weekend. Cause of death remains uncertain, but believed to be food/water poisoning. He and the family had gone to Tororo for the school holiday, where he became sick. The funeral Mass was held on Monday in Tororo. More then 150 people from Kampala made the journey for the service a testament to who the man was. As I was in Kenya at the time, I was regrettably unable to attend.

Peter was a man who stood head and shoulders above most others literally and figuratively. He was a great Father to not only his own children, but all those who came within his wings. He was role model for being other centered in a place where leadership is defined by helping yourself first. While he and his family lived on modest means (2 Ugandan teacher salaries), there was always enough to share of his resources and time. He never seemed to get dismayed by the perpetual challenges of working and living in this environment. He knew how to be a reed, bending when the wind blows and returning upright when it eased. He was a model of Christian brotherhood for me, and a bright shining star. He had a beautiful relationship with his wife Ester, treating her with respect and dignity, even letting her finish her BA degree first. He was a leader in his faith communities both here in Kampala and his home parish of Tororo, in addition to all his work for the School. He was full of ideas for ways to help make life better for all those around him. He had developed a great vision for St Henry's and built up a good community around the school through the parents and partnerships. He was wanting to ever improve the quality of the education by expanding and broadening the school by bringing in technology, adding a library, trying to get more training for teachers, developing his own skills, making capital improvements, fundraising for the most needy families scholarship fund, and trying to figure out some alternative income generating activity for the school. He was a joy to work with and I will miss him greatly. While we can only rejoice for him that he has joined our Father King, we will carry the burden of his absence for years to come. They say a man never stands so tall as when he bends a knee to help a child. Peter was always standing tall.

He is survived by his lovely wife Ester and their three children Susan, Peter, and Cynthia, as well as a large extended family, 300 plus students and teachers, along with two faith communities--St Charles Lwanga and his home Parish in Tororo.

Laura