I am so proud of Halla! She has been such a trooper as we’ve covered miles upon miles of Ugandan countryside and congested city traffic. She has spent the better part of this week playing with and caring for children at an orphanage near Jinja, providing much needed-respite for the hard-working ladies that work there day in and day out. Some of the children are not well, some have special needs – Halla has been so patient and caring for each and every one of them. She wants to bring half a dozen children home with her!
When she’s not with the children, Halla has been assisting Joseph in providing veterinary care to the farm animals at the orphanage that provide milk, meat, eggs, and revenue for the children each day. And yes, she has taken a cow’s temperature! As it turned out, the cow was quite sick and needed an injection of antibiotics and some other care to help overcome the illness. I am happy to report that Olivia the cow is now on the mend, thanks to the efforts of Joseph and Halla! (Halla named the cow after her older sister. She also named a pig after her younger sister, Katie. Sorry Katie!)
One of the yuckiest jobs I have witnessed while here in Uganda is the spraying of the pigs. Some of the pigs had mange and pests were a big problem. Under Joseph’s tutelage, Halla climbed into three separate pig pens and sprayed down each of the four sows. She also sprayed each of the cows and all of the goats to make sure all of the animals at the orphanage farm were taken care of. I haven’t seen Halla turn down a single job she was asked to do – even the icky jobs!
This has been such a phenomenal experience for Halla while she is still young enough to be impressionable and make so many choices as she moves into adulthood. I pray this makes such an impact on her that will net huge blessings to the people she meets throughout her lifetime.
I want to personally thank friends and family that supported Halla in this mission trip through prayer and financial support. She is making a difference to many people throughout Uganda!
Update on the Boda Boda Project: We have reached the goal! Yes! I am so thrilled. The $3500 in funds directed to Call to Africa for Joseph’s boda boda will be wired in to Uganda upon our return, converted into shillings and used to purchase an all-terrain bike for Joseph to get to the the most remote of villages here in Uganda. I am amazed! Thank you to those that pitched in!
To view my top picks from the Uganda trip, check out the album here. Photos can be downloaded and shared by using PIN code 4618. Please feel free to share individual photos or the entire album. The more people learn about Call to Africa and the country of Uganda, the greater the reach!