Presentation of book for Fort Patiko Library

On Sunday Nov 2, Nancy and I took a few of the CVI Interns up to Fort Patiko to visit this historic spot and for a Mid term mini-retreat to reflect upon what they are learning.

I had brought a book to present to the curator of the Fort, Into the Heart of the Nile, which tells of the history of this place and how Samuel Baker stopped the Arab Slave trade from moving south at this point in 1872.  Mr. Constant was very moved by our gift, as he has very little resources.

Income Generating Projects

I've also been learning much about IGP (Income Generating Projects) that many NGO's use to help the people to become self-sustaining.  Northern Uganda and Gulu especially are packed with so many Aid organizations that the people now expect a handout and look for people from the west to provide for them.  Child Voice is teaching these former Child Soldiers who are now mothers to bake, cater, and make cards which will sell in the west.  These project have setbacks in teaching about quality work for western standards but soon will be making a profit to support the girls at CVI.  They also work on the farm to produce their own food.  In working on these projects the girls also earn a small amount of money and learn to save for the future.

Tom meets the US Ambassador to Uganda, Stephen Browning

This last week has been a whirlwind of activities.

It would all be in the category of gaining information for our InterVarsity New England Global Issues Internship thru serving Child Voice International.  I represented Child Voice in meetings with the following groups:

Invisible Children, where US Ambassador to Uganda, Stephen Brownings (pictured) was the honored guest.  I hope to have him as a speaker to our group in June.

Gulu District Disaster Management Cooperative Meeting, where I learned about the resettlement process of the IDP campus.  At present 40% of the 700,000 are still in the camps, but 30% have moved back to their traditional homelands, with another 30% in transitional stages.

I also met with the local Land Management Office and the District Water Resource Office to learn about sanitation, land resettlement issues, and water resource management.

The work of FOCUS in Lira, Uganda

This is the FOCUS Uganda (InterVarsity Equivalent) in Lira, Uganda.  Michael Eluku (left) is the Training Secretary for the north.

The office is in an old metal container.

As I worked with Michael to plan the Bible & Life Level I conference on Nov 8 I learned some amazing stories about how the ministry of FOCUS is literally changing the country and the church in the area.

Almost every pastor in this city was a student at the University involved in FOCUS.  Focus trained them in Bible Study and leadership and they would not be pastors without the influence of the campus ministry.

In a place where seminary training is too expensive and time consuming, to be trained in there undergraduate work is crucial.

As we visited a campus (Uganda Technical) in town and met with the administration, FOCUS is clearly honored by all.  It also provides a critical place of unity training as students from radically different Christian backgrounds:  pentecostal and Anglican come together in worship and outreach on campus.

Brinks make the move to the north: GULU

This past Saturday was the GULU WALK, all over the western world people set up walks to awaken many to the issues in northern Uganda and the children who had to walk to town each night prior to the war cease fire for safety.

We arrived on Monday to Gulu and then on to Lukodi where we are staying with 30 child mothers, their 60 kids and various staff and american interns who run the center.

We live in a mud hut next to an IDP (internally displaced People Camp).

I was talking with a young boy yesterday who lived in Lukodi and went to school here and had to rush into Gulu right before the town was burnt down by the rebels and 60 people killed.  He now goes to school here once again.  His father is a teacher here.

We do get electricity via generator from 7-9pm

Nancy is caring for the Interns and helping them to do their jobs, like nutritian assessments, income generating activities and the clinic.

I go into town most days and work in the Child Voice office advising the Ugandan Director James.

Pray that we will have wisdom as each day there are significant issues that arise with the girls of the center.  ie. One child mother was expelled last week for biting another girl three times.  They have lived like animals in the bush and even to see how far they have come is truly due to God's grace.

The Source of the Nile: Jinja

On a fun note:  We finally put to rest the question of the source of the river Nile.

Nancy points to it as the river comes out of Lake Victoria in Jinja.

Love to all

tom

Brinks move on to Nansana with Come Lets Dance

After the Focus conference, last weekend we moved in the White House with Come Lets Dance (the young NGO we worked with in Kampala)

We were grateful to see the CLD regulars of Shane, Jeremy, Julie and Nicole, as well as our Ugandan friends.  They are dealing with the grief of loosing their dear Rachael, but God's hand is upon them.

Solomon is still faith at the sewing ministry.  James the Man helped me buy a bike for a leader in an IDP camp up north.

We also got to go to Katanga slum again and check on our charcoal business micro-finance loan the Internship invested in last summer.  We gave JAJA Anne (upper right) a loan of 85,000 schillings or $50 to buy a bag of charcoal, selling point and storage.

It took 4 months of hard work of working long hours, saving but she is making the last payment for the loan and now is on her own in the business.  Praise the Lord.  Now we are investing in another personal business with that money.  This was the first micro-finance CLD had done in the slum and now Jeremy is doing this with numerous people.