Be Free
After two trips to Uganda in my lifetime (thus far), I only know a few Lugandan words. One of those is “ddembe” which means freedom. And the only reason I know that particular Lugandan word is because I have been to Ddembe House, an orphanage for abandoned children that was opened in 2015 by my […]
Overwhelmed (and homesick)
The CTA team has been busy at Faith house for the past 3 days. Most of the guys have been working on pouring concrete floors in 3 of the classrooms while the rest have been painting walls throughout the main part of the orphanage. Because the walls are concrete this requires two coats of primer […]
When the Numbers Don’t Add Up
On our first day in Jinja we were joined by Ken Galyean, the founder of Call to Africa, and the rest of the team that had just flown in and were, themselves, trying to recover from the flight over. We were now 19 people strong, ready to go, do, and give however we could to […]
Sunsets and Penguins
I left my home and my family in South Carolina exactly one week ago to fly to Africa. The ultimate destination: Uganda. It would be my second visit to this beautiful country as part of a mission team with Call to Africa. I did not know exactly what would be involved in this specific trip, […]
Getting Dirty. On Purpose.
The Story of the Moringa Tree There’s a moringa tree just down the red dirt road from an orphanage outside of Jinja on the eastern side of Uganda. I had never heard of a moringa tree before. Not until I was in a van headed down the dusty Ugandan road into town to pick up […]
Joy to the World
What a joy it has been to work at Sangaalo home for children in Jinja this past week! The Call to Africa team served by helping with the feeding, bathing, dressing, and general care of the 32 children living at Sangaalo. We also worked around the farm, caring for the animals, building nesting boxes in […]
Halla the Vet
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 […]
Piggy Power
The power of a single piglet is greater than one might imagine. A piggy can provide for a single person or it can empower an entire village. The story of two piglets has impressed me in such a way that I simply must share the story with you. In 2003, Christian pastor and veterinarian Joseph […]
An Angry Hippo and a Crazy Baboon
During our first week in Uganda we covered a lot of ground. Literally. Over speed bumps and mountains, dodging potholes and boda bodas, making sure not to take out a goat or cow along the way, we made our way from Entebbe to Kampala to Mbarara to Karungu to Jinja. Dusty and sweaty we bounced […]
Dream Come True
For as long as I can remember I have been in love with Africa. It may have started with a novel I read once that took place in various parts of this most exotic continent. Whatever it was, Africa captured my attention and has beckoned me ever since. Today, at the age of 47, I […]