Gulu Greetings from Griffin and Grace
We started the day at 7 am sharp, as the master chef requested. We had a delicious breakfast with freshly picked mangos from the farm. The day opened with devotions with the residents who board here. A tour of the grounds followed this up; luckily, we did not have to hike across all 47 acres. We were introduced to the teachers and children of the school, aged 3-6, who taught us nursery rhymes about “Big Fat Mangos”. We then continued by visiting the clinic, where they treat students and community members who cannot travel to downtown Gulu. At the next stop, we were introduced to a trade school where young women learn to either tailor clothes or hair dress to develop skills to help support their families. We then toured the rest of the farm, where we saw pigs, cows, chickens, goats, and many crops. This climaxed with the head farmer climbing a mango tree for us, providing us with a delicious snack. The tour finished by visiting two dormitories where the girls from the trade school live and counsel and provide for young women with trauma.
After lunch, the group visited a village where we distributed the remainder of our water filters. We were again welcomed with open arms through a traditional greeting. The moment the people of Uganda see clean water for the first time is indescribable. The sparkle in their eyes makes you truly appreciate something we take for granted daily. The village leader thanked us and prayed that we could help spread the importance of clean water worldwide.
When we returned to the property, we had to rush out to the fields because all the children left school at 5, and we were late for warm-ups. Like last night, we played soccer, volleyball, and other games with over 100 kids from all over Gulu. Some of us played duck, duck, goose and ran races with the younger kids who weren’t old enough to play in the soccer games, and their laughs warmed our hearts like nothing else. Once the sun goes down, Coach Richard calls all the kids in for prayer and testimonies before going home because if he doesn’t, he said they would keep playing until it is so dark, they can no longer see the soccer ball.
After finishing the water filter demonstration Shomari and myself (Griffin) began that night’s adventure. Over the past year, I have been blessed to become a world traveler. This has been the fourth country I have visited, and my necessities for traveling are as follows: trying the traditional food, buying a soccer jersey, and getting a haircut. This country’s hairdo consisted of a buzz cut with a fade into my facial hair. While in the barbershop, the smile across my face was quite comprehensive as my hair has been the shortest since middle school.
After dinner, we had group time, where we continued to bond. The Sports Outreach leaders were flabbergasted to learn that we had only met one week prior. After this time, the power in the property shut off momentarily. The silence and stars soothed our minds after the exhausting day. We still take in every moment and cannot believe we are actually in Uganda. As we enter our final day of ministry, we ask for your continued thoughts and prayers. This trip has taught us many invaluable lessons we are eager to share with you when we return home.
