The Griffin's Travel.....: Water

22 Feb 2011 9:40pm
Time for bed again, we are all just beat, today was the sweatiest day by far!
After a delicious lunch of green pepper, onions, egg plant and tomato spaghetti. Our cook Tony just loved trying new things in the kitchen!
After lunch we all gathered-minus the dental crew and hopped in the back of the truck and headed to the villages to hand out toys and clothing that we brought. Since my neck was still hurting, I rode in the cab and held my neck and relaxed during the bumpy ride. By the end I was feeling so much better, I think the sun helped to relax me too.
The journey to the families was definitely something I will never forget! First we saw a man made water hole that the neighbors got together and dug in a slopped hill about the size of a small swimming pool. What collects is the rain water, still and extremely stagnate. It was so gross. Milky brown and has plants growing in it. So sad. We saw some children heading home from school and gave them toys, at first they were very intimidated but then started getting excited and took the toys.
Off to two more waterholes- same nasty, brown stagnant water. So of the people don't even boil it, because they don't want to waste the fuel or they just aren't educated enough to know.
We went to a house that was being built that Fred funded. The mother was in Kampala at the hospital and someone burnt her house down while she away with her children inside. He kids fled to the two close neighbors, no one go hurt. But her house was gone. So great to see Fred reaching outside to the community too!
We met the women and her children, we supplied them all with new clothes and toys. The best thing for me to see was Dennis was actually helping dress the children! :)
Than we went to the neighbors house, man and 3 children, they were very frightened as thy don't get many visitors or see white people. We left clothes there too.
We headed back by truck and from the orphanage we walked to a compound of 3 mud huts, different families but same tribe. So great to see how they really live. They had cows, chickens, and even 2 puppies!
Once we returned to the orphanage it was time for the children to show us their children's program.
Now this was amazing! All over 400 kids were in the church, they had us all sit up front and the choir was on stage and sang us 2 English songs that they honored us in, saying goodbye and thankful for coming. I can't wait to watch the video I took to listen to their words more.
Next was the best ever they did a traditional African dance for us. It was so wonderful, they sang danced, shook their hips and did what looked like a dance off. So entertaining!
After the children's programs we gave them candy to show more of our appreciation too. It was a mad house, the teachers tried to control the chaos, but at one point Dennis thought he would be trampled!
When we went back to our guest house we made some of the bead necklaces, as it was really hard to show a swarm of the kids at once. The girls passed them out and than we played Frisbee and after dinner we pulled out glow sticks. Such a great time!
I know I will miss each and everyone of them, but I will not forget about them or let them fall from my prayers!
We leave at 530am to head off to a 6 hour drive (all in Ugandan time mind you!) and make it to the boat at 2pm for a boat ride to the safari!
Oh let me update the dental clinic, Jeremy saw over 50 patients, 24 just today! He had 2 rooms going and was just amazing! Everyone involved with the dental clinic worked so hard!
I know they wanted to see more, but that is 50 people that they helped! Koodoos to them.
I almost forgot about the women's group items we got to purchase. These beautiful baskets, mats, necklaces, hats and bracelets that the women made and sold. I really wanted a basket and mat but couldn't pack. But got lots of beaded necklaces!