Grace and Blessings – (August 2013)

We have settled back into our life at Kiwoko after our short break to attend a wedding and visit friends and family in the UK at the end of July.

 

 One of the heavy suitcases we brought back from England was full of sheets which Emmanuel Church, Chesham and Age Concern Charity Shop in Boston had collected for us. These were for the Children’s club organised by the Hospital Mission Team in the middle of August.

 

Over 200 children attended the 3 day holiday club, called ‘Ekisa’ (means Grace). The children were from families of staff at the hospital and from the local church and village. In a place where children have less entertainment than in Europe, and fewer opportunities for holidays, there was great excitement. The memory verse was ‘I was lost but Jesus found me’. The programme was a mixture of games, crafts, songs and lessons. The sheets were put to good use in making posters and other craft activities.

 
There were so many sheets that the remainder will be taken in September for a similar holiday club in Karamoja – probably the most impoverished and insecure part of Uganda. Some months ago a team of medical staff had visited a children’s home there to offer a health clinic. When there they realised that there is a desperate need for a similar holiday club. They will therefore return in mid September, with the spare sheets, to repeat the club and any surplus sheets will be left for some of the destitute people to use.
 

During August Malcolm spent a week re-visiting Kisiizi Hospital and south west Uganda. He had been asked to help audit the accounts of the Hospital’s hydro-electric company. This reportedly provides the hospital and neighbouring village with the most reliable electricity in Uganda. However, the recent dry season had reduced water levels so much that the Hospital had had to start rationing. However, Malcolm managed to take the rains (or ‘Blessings’ as they are sometimes called) with him so hopefully water levels are now being restored.

   Kisiizi Hospital Hydro-electric Generator

There have been some accommodation changes in August. The refurbished male ward was opened and patients moved back in from their temporary ward and the TB ward. Builders, funded by the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (a national body representing all faith hospitals) arrived to refurbish the HIV clinic so Irene helped to move all the equipment and files to the now vacated TB ward which will be temporary home to the clinic during the building work.

Prayer pointers

Thank God:

·        that the Hospital has, because of the generosity of its donors, set a balanced budget for 2013/14.

·        that we returned safely to Kiwoko following our short break in England

 

Please pray:

·        for safety for the Mission team as they return to Karamoja to run the children’s holiday club, and that many children will make a commitment and increase their knowledge of God

·        for the work of the Hospital, that the ongoing building work will not disrupt the medical services

·        for Irene and the staff in the HIV department as the seek to care and counsel those suffering the effects of AIDS from temporary accommodation.

·        for Malcolm and staff in the Finance and Administration department as they prepare the draft Statements of Account ready for the Auditors’ visit in October

·        for peace for Sarah who cleans and cooks for us as she enters the Hospital for a hysterectomy

Time for a Stock-Take – (June 2013)

It’s the end of the financial year at the hospital and one thing that Malcolm has to do is to make sure that there is a stock take. This covers medical items such as drugs and syringes as well as more unusual things such as cows and bags of cement.

We have been in Kiwoko for about 3 months now and looking forward to a 3 week break at the end of July to the UK for a wedding and to visit family and friends.  Now is a good time to take a personal ‘stock-take’ and remember what we have achieved here.

-               We have settled in to our very comfortable new home and have learnt not to complain (much) about showering in cold water.

-               Irene has finished interviewing all the staff at the clinic for those suffering from HIV / AIDS and has submitted her report and recommendations for improving the administration procedures.

-               Malcolm has managed, with the finance staff, to get the Hospital Board’s approval to budgets for the next financial year. He has also increased most prices (and reduced some) that patients pay for treatment and drugs. (Although most of the treatment costs are covered by donations and grants it is essential that patients make a small contribution to the Hospital costs)

-               We have made new friends with both other ‘mzungus’ and local staff, and enjoy a weekly bible study with local medical staff

-               We have avoided accidents, illnesses and bites from snakes or the many unusual bugs we find here (except from the mosquitos)

The bible talks about God’s blessings in our lives. Job 5:24 says “You will know that your tent is secure; you will take stock of your property and find nothing missing”. At the time Job was experiencing a heap of disasters in his life, and had lost his home and his family. But he was still under God’s ‘tent’ or protection. Whatever difficulties we may face we can be reassured that God will never let us down.

 

Prayer pointers

Thank God:

·        that we have so far settled in well to our new life at Kiwoko Hospital, are making friends and getting fellowship.

·        For the work we have been able to do and the contributions we are making to the care of poor people in the region

·        For the many people around the world who help fund the Hospital and ensure that the people here get good medical care at a price they can afford

Please pray:

·        for wisdom and insight as we find out the needs of Kiwoko Hospital, and how we can help in the spiritual, work and community life here

·        for Irene and the staff in the HIV department as they seek to care and counsel those suffering the effects of AIDS.

·        for Malcolm and staff in the Finance and Administration department as they seek to manage the finances of the Hospital and keep management informed of the financial position

·        for the work of the chaplain and mission team as they bring spiritual comfort to the patients, as well as their families and Hospital staff, in their time of medical and spiritual need.

·        For safe journeys and a relaxing time as we see family and friends in the UK, and prepare to return to Kiwoko until July 2014

 

To find out more about our life in Uganda see our weekly blog. Just search for ‘Malcolm and Irene Crawford’.

Our First Month at Kiwoko Hospital, Uganda - May 2013

Our first Month at Kiwoko Hospital, Uganda

It’s been just over a month since we came to Kiwoko Hospital, Uganda. This is a brief update on our experiences so far

.

We have settled in well. We are getting to know people here and desperately trying to remember a lot of new names. We have joined a weekly bible study group of mainly local medical staff, and also meet fortnightly for fellowship with other mzungu (white) Mission workers here.

Irene is working in the HIV clinic, with the intention of trying to improve their admin procedures. On the whole things work well although sometimes there are problems, such as doctors waiting for patients because staff are taking a tea break and ‘forgotten’ to tell patients when its their turn

Malcolm is getting to grips with the Hospital finances. His first meeting of the Finance Committee is on 10^th June, by which time the Hospital’s budget for 2013/14 has to be ready. This is a tight deadline, considering he still is trying to find out about the finances. Most of the funding comes from overseas donors, with patients needing to buy a modest amount, essential to balance the books for difficult for mainly peasant farmers. Because of the shortage of trained medical staff in Uganda, and the demand for staff to work at Government Health Centres and Hospitals, there is an urgent need for the Hospital to consider a significant pay rise for staff in order to retain and attract those it needs. Finding sufficient funds to pay for this is a challenge, though the two main donors have generously agreed to increase their contributions.

We spent a long weekend to visit friends in Kisoro, and to pick up several boxes we had left there pending our return. We were delighted to find how well Potter’s Village Crisis Centre for Children has moved on. To complement the residential care of babies up to 2 years old, the Medical Centre is now fully operational. This is staffed by 2 CMS Mission Associates, Dr.Mike Hughes from Ely and Sister Rosie Brown from High Wycombe as well as a local nurse, Jovia. The Special Care Babies’ Unit now receives premature babies from the local Government hospital which does not have adequate facilities to care for them. There is also a small paediatric ward and an Outpatient clinic is open for sick children from the local community.

Mike’s wife, Sue, is helping with the administration and has begun a project to construct furniture for disabled children from recycled cardboard. Much of the construction is done by local craftsman, Leonard. When we were there Doreen, a 2 year old with cerebral palsy, received a chair to help her sit upright properly.

One concern is that the long term Mission Partner, Jenny Green, is returning in June for a few months visit to England mainly to seek specialist advice on the educational needs of her adopted son, Jojo.

 

Prayer pointers

Thank God:

·        that we have so far settled in well to our new life at Kiwoko Hspital, are making friends and getting fellowship.

·        for the growth and work of Potter’s Village, the dedication of the staff, and  for the work of the staff and CMS Mission workers Jenny, Rosie, Mike and Sue.

Please pray:

·        for wisdom and insight as we find out the needs of Kiwoko Hospital, and how we can help in the spiritual, work and community life here

·        for Irene and the staff in the HIV department as the seek to care and counsel those suffering the effects of AIDS.

·        for Malcolm and staff in the Finance and Administration department as they seek to prepare a viable, balanced budget for the Hospital for the next financial year, starting July 2013. Especially for wisdom as they prepare reports for the June meetings of Finance Committee and the Hospital Management Board

·        for Jenny Green as she returns to the UK for a few months; for peace that God will clearly show her His love and plans for herself and her family and will continue to bless the work of Potter's Village in her absence.

 

 

 

 

 

Return to Uganda - April 2013

Having been at Kiwoko hospital for just over 3 days there is very little for us to say at the moment.

We arrived safely after an uneventful trip. Irene’s prayer that we might have a “spiritually challenging” journey was met by God’s gracious response in giving her the best sleep she has ever had on an overnight flight! It is good that He knows us much better than we know ourselves.

On arrival in Entebbe we were met by our friend Corrie, but not by the taxi driver who had been arranged to pick up our large amount of luggage. However we managed to cram all the bags and people into Corries car and get to a local shopping centre where fortunately a hospital car met us and took some of our cases so we then had some room for essential shopping. It later transpired that an unfamiliar rattling Corrie had noticed in her car turned out to be due to the fact that three bolts had fallen out of her engine mounting and it was hanging on by just one!

Our accommodation in the hospital grounds is pleasant with a spare bedroom for any who would like to visit. Thoughtfully the staff have arranged for us to have meals out for the first week which is making settling in a lot easier. We are almost unpacked and mentally making lists of things we need to buy in the near future.

Prayer pointers

·        Thank God for a safe arrival and the kindness of the staff in providing meals and an invitingly clean home

·        Pray that we will quickly become used to the heat and humidity which is proving very tiring at the moment

·        That we will be able to settle into working alongside different systems in a different culture and not offend others by our keenness to “get on with it” instead of greeting people properly first!

·        That we will be able to build meaningful relationships with others

The Greatest Escape - September 2012

Some time ago we were speaking to someone from Britain who had been working as a volunteer in Kisoro for several weeks and preparing to return home. He said something that surprised us. He said he was looking forward to no longer being a prisoner in the town. When we asked what he meant we realised that even though most visitors had adapted to the poor roads and chaotic traffic and at least tolerated the culture, he had become so worried that he had refused to travel any further than the boundaries of what the travel guides describe as ' a scruffy town', keeping as much as possible within the project he was helping at. Having flown 4,000 miles to work here, he had never travelled further than a mile from that project. This meant he had had no experience of the stunning scenery that surrounds Kisoro; the panoramic views that caused Churchill to declare that Uganda must be the 'Pearl of Africa', the picturesque lakes within a short distance of Kisoro, or experienced the vitality of native churches and life in the local villages. He had made himself a prisoner in Kisoro.

Many of the locals may also feel themselves to be prisoners, but not of their own choosing. They were born in Uganda, maybe to poor, peasant farmers who struggle to find enough food to feed the family, let alone to pay their children’s school fees. They therefore grew up with little education, restricted health care, limited life expectancy, have little hope of advancement and are trapped in poverty. They can only dream of the lifestyle that we all enjoy in the west and which they glimpse in newspapers or on TV. They are prisoners of their circumstances.

And then there are the other prisoners we often see in Kisoro. The work gangs in chains and their distinctive yellow overalls, who have been allowed out of jail to carry out some hard labour clearing rubbish or digging fields. They have become prisoners because of some crime or sin they had committed.

We all may be prisoners within our own lives. Maybe because of our low self esteem, or because of our background and circumstances, or because of some unresolved sin in our lives. For all of us Jesus came 'to set the prisoners free'. (Luke 4:18). This may not mean He will change our circumstances, but if we turn to Him:

-         He is able to set us free from the insecurities that may restrict our lives.

-         He is able to help us rejoice in our circumstances and realise that He loves and cares for us in all situations

-         He will forgive us our sins and to free us from guilt that may remain

It is our last month in Kisoro before our return to the UK on 19th October.

Please thank God for:

-         His faithfulness in caring for us here, and our families in the UK

-         The work that we have been able to do, both at the Diocese, and at Potter’s Village child crisis centre and Kisiizi Hopital

Please pray for;

-         a safe return to the UK and that we settle back to our bungalow in Boston

-         wisdom and discernment as we think about what we might, or might not do in the future, including possible future placements abroad

-         Evasta, who Emmanuel church is sponsoring for work experience for the next two years. That she will settle into her role at the Vocational Training Centre when she finishes her computer course in December

-         those we leave behind, such as the CMS Mission partner, Jenny Green.  That they will continue to be encouraged by God.

To read our weekly blog search for ‘Malcolm and Irene Crawford’ or go to:

http://malcolmandirenecrawford.blogspot.com

Eruptions and Disruptions (June 2012)

As I write this I am looking out of the office window at a grey cloudy sky with the wind blowing through the trees. The last few weeks the sky has been unusually grey, due it is thought, to the ash from an erupting volcano at the end of the chain of volcanoes which starts here with Muhabura. The erupting volcano is in the Congo and fortunately the lava is flowing through forest so human life has been spared; I doubt that the animals are very happy though!

The closeness of Kisoro to the Congo has also been highlighted by the amount of Congolese refugees we have seen in the town during the last few days. Kisoro has a transit refugee camp on the edge of town and it is becoming steadily busier. Reasons for this vary; rebels in the Congo are known to come out of hiding when a harvest is due to raid the crops of local peasant farmers; many of the local men send their wives and children out of the country for protection whilst they stay to try and protect their homes; there are also rumours of dissatisfaction with the Congolese government and talk of the rebels trying to reform into an army to fight for their rights. Whatever the reason many thousands of lives are being disrupted.

Co-incidentally (we think) we were invited to a meeting held by the British High Commission and amongst other general information we were given notes on their emergency evacuation procedures! However we are not too alarmed as local people here are used to these intermittent “flare ups” and do not feel we are likely to be affected by the trouble.

We are now fully back into work with the normal one step forward two steps back procedure. The missing computers from the Vocational Training School mysteriously returned and Malcolm managed to repair the broken one. A part time computer teacher has been appointed to teach registered computer students, but now Irene has been asked to give basic word processing lessons to all the other students instead! New computers with Internet access which were promised before we even arrived are still “on their way” and dormitory accommodation is still a big problem. On the plus side the centre is going to be able to provide an accredited computer course module from next year and the current students are being allowed to sit for the exam at a nearby centre.

Malcolm has been busily occupied at the Potters Village Home for Vulnerable Children helping with their book-keeping and making a video for the CMS Mission Partner, Jenny Green, to show at her supporting churches when she returns to England in early June. He has also been developing new finance procedures for the Vocational Training Centre

Plans are being made for a large celebration taking place in August as it will be 100 years since the first missionary arrived in Kisoro. He was actually a Ugandan from a evangelism training school set up by the first CMS Missionaries about 150 miles away. Sadly he was killed with a spear by a local tribesman. However, he must have made an impact as the area is now predominately Christian with many growing churches. When you realise that Christianity has only been in the area for 100 years it is easy to see why there is still some confusion in outlying areas about the Christian faith, some still adding it as an “extra“  to pagan beliefs. Others don’t realise it applies to everyday living, its as if it’s a ritual just  for Sunday and is taken off with their Sunday best clothes until next week They are pleased to hail Jesus as Saviour but it has no effect on their normal lives. In England we have 17 centuries of examples of good Christian living, years of teaching and bible exposition but how much does it affect our daily living? (The first martyr in England, St Albans, was  killed about 300AD.)

I was recently very challenged by a sermon given by Jenny Green. She said that many people come to know and love Jesus as Saviour but how many go on to know Him as Lord? Recently I found the definition of Lord as “A name we call God or Jesus when we do what they say”. Makes you think, doesn’t it?

Prayer requests:

Thank God that:

- we continue to enjoy good health

- the adoption of Jojo, Jenny Green’s son, has been approved

Please pray:

- that the visa for Jojo will arrive in time for him to travel with her to England in early June

- that problems in the Congo will be settled peacefully and people will be able to return safely to their homes

-  for Irene's mum, that she will settle into a palliative Care Home following  the operation to remove her bowel

- for our friend Bea, who has cancer, and has just returned to Germany for 3 months where she will receive further treatment

 - for guidance about what we do after we leave Kisoro in October

-  for continuity at the Potters Village babies home whilst Jenny Green returns to the UK and when the African administrator Ezra, who has worked there since it opened 5 years ago, leaves in October

The Return (March 2012)

So here we are back in Kisoro. We have spent a large part of the first week trying to turn our house back into a home after having packed most things away so that it could be used by others during our time in England. Irene has been busy ironing clothes which had been packed in a cupboard for three months and Malcolm has been replacing our string washing line with a “real plastic coated” one, and hanging up our new pin board. We still haven’t quite found all the bits and bobs we stowed in the spare bedroom but we did manage to humanely catch the little mouse which has lived there for some time, and set it free at the far side of the playing field behind us!

We have observed a few changes. The African apple trees planted last year as 1 foot high “twigs” are actually bearing fruit; it is an amazingly fertile area. The fir tree in front of our house has almost doubled in size and a breach in the wall surrounding the diocese complex has been repaired. New shops are evident in town and we are told that a smart new hotel has opened.

As yet we have not formally started back to work although Malcolm has spent a couple of days helping to set up the budget for Potters Village and Irene has been chatting with staff members at the Vocational Training School. There is good news and not so good news. The V.T.S. has more students than ever before with over 70 enrolling this year. 22 girls and 15 boys are boarding which has presented accommodation difficulties resolved be turning one of the classrooms into a dormitory! Unfortunately 2 of the computers upgraded last year by our son have disappeared and a third has a broken on /off button leaving only 1 working computer and still no official computer teacher. Trying to trace the p.c. whereabouts and encourage the “powers that be” to employ a proper computer teacher (rather than rely on her limited knowledge) will be Irene’s first task next week.

Having spent so long in the luxury of England with shops which sell almost anything you desire, carpeted floors, dishwashers, washing machines, baths etc. we did wonder why on earth we were returning to Uganda with its concrete floors and limited food choices. Leaving behind friends, family and good churches. Then it struck us. Look what Jesus did for us. He left behind Heaven! He left wonders we can only guess at. He left behind angels worshiping and he left His father, a relationship so close we cannot imagine what it must have felt like to be separated. Nor was it only for a few months; Jesus spent thirty three years living amongst people who for the most part didn’t appreciate His presence or his work. Then at the end He was betrayed and deserted by his closest friends and killed by a brutal regime. If He can do all that for us then surely we should be prepared to do whatever it is He calls us to whether in our own country or another.

Prayer requests;

Thank God for the generosity of family and friends:

-  providing us with beds, hospitality and transport during our 4 months in England

- giving many items for the tailoring students

Please pray that:

- Irene’s mum coming to terms with the death of her son and a move into a nursing home.

-  we may be able to settle back into Kisoro life quickly and easily, and come to terms with any minor ‘challenges’

-  we will be able to continue the work we have started and been willing to do the tasks God wants us to do.

- our Swiss friend, Bea, who has been diagnosed with cancer and her husband, may find healing and peace as they continue to work in Kisoro.