Sharon Hough: On the ground seeing the local Uganda from the inside out

Uganda, a land of “poverty” but also a land full of potential. There are lots of organisations endeavouring to help the many children who are either abandoned or orphaned, in the way of children and babies homes, and I have had the chance to visit several of these, from a rural village home for orphans, to a home and school for HIV+ children that would not otherwise be cared for. I have seen throughout the developing countries I have visited, a great need for people to be empowered to change the world they live in. And Uganda is no exception with an unemployment rate of over 80%. Rather than just giving money, putting jobs, training, skills, education and opportunities in the hands of people would go a long way to helping this nation to help themselves. Talking with my friends here on the ground in Uganda, and seeing their heart to find strategies to do this is so inspiring. Change is not something that happens overnight, especially with a problem so complex as this, and I commend them for their long term commitment to the community they are working with.

I also had the opportunity to join a small but dedicated group of people who go into the Burns Unit at the local city hospital, giving out food and bandages that family members would otherwise have to provide and pay for. We were able to pray and encourage these folk, and sing songs to both lift their spirits and connect them to a God who loves them, and let them know that they are not forgotten. There was no nurse or medical staff on duty and the wards were full with the overflow out the door on mats in the corridor. I couldn’t get over the large number of children that were there with large degree burns due to falling into fire or pulling hot water or food over themselves, and to see women severely disfigured with loss of sight due to acid been thrown in their faces and over their bodies was shocking. The smell of this place, and plight of these patients touched my heart, especially when one woman in particular, an acid attack victim, got off her bed and shuffled across the room so she could be by us and take part in praise and worship. What a humbling and moving experience, and what a wonderful act of compassion this team of people are showing to choose to love and care for those others turn away from.

These experiences are etched into my mind, and have given me the chance to see Uganda from the inside out. A month has raced by, and it is time for me to once again board a plane to travel to my next destination .......