An update from the Johnsons

This is Judi reporting in for Randy and Judi Johnson on our three days in Uganda. We arrived late on a Tuesday evening after two 8 hour flights and were met by our hosts, Richard and Johnson of RODI (Rakai Orphan Development Initiative). Some of Rodi’s initiatives are to follow up on children previous sponsored by World Vision whose project in Rakai is ending, projects with widow women, and support for several hundred children through school supplies, etc. We traveled to Rakai (3 plus hours) for a two day stay to visit our sponsored children, those of others sponsored by church families, and see first- hand some of the Rakai projects. Highlights included watching the women making beads and baskets that will end up being sold in MN. That money will go back to them for their desired goals. We saw the beginnings of one of the houses—foundation of rocks is done and the woman is gathering the bricks and building supplies for the next step. A slow process but confident that overtime she can do it! Maize (corn) is in season and each home has grown a supply. The one meal a day is two ears per family member which is cut and boiled for the evening dinner. Every family we visited insisted on giving us gifts including a huge basket of avocados, fresh eggs, numerous fruits, and woven mats. The idea of “regifting” became essential! One of our great joys was to meet with Winnie, our previous sponsored child who is about 15 years old. She is now living as a 3rd wife of an Imam. Mike, our sponsored child with the Crosbys, is in a boarding school and was totally surprised to discover that the special visitor to the school was us. It was an emotional reunion. We returned to Kampala and had dinner with former World Vision staff, Kari Miller (Dorcas widows’ project), and families of the RODI staff. The following day the others of our Congo team arrived and we spent the day visiting CornerStone sites to which our church lends support and had tea with Bishop Zak of Kampala. Our first days have been filled with more joys and challenges and leaves our hears full. Next to the Congo which included a very long trip to the Beni of delayed flights, luggage that was diverted, and a 25 mile 3 hour van drive to Beni over questionable mountain roads. But, most important, we got here, our luggage came the next day and the 5 of us are now ready for our time at the Bilingual Christian University of the Congo.