Finishing up in Yei

Today we finished up our training in Yei.  Our morning started about 6:15am with the children’s worship.  I will try to post a segment of the video later.  It will bless your heart.  I was glad that it was dark and Jon couldn’t see the tears coming down my face.  To know these kids have nothing and to hear the love and the joy in their voices is just overwhelming.

All of our attendees came back today for our hands on session.  We started with tea and doughnuts again.  Jon led a small devotional and proudly displayed pics of Mary Grace (his daughter) killing a wild hog with a knife.  Some of our participants are not Christians, so it was good for them to hear the Gospel.  I explained a few last minute things and then we headed to the garden.  I led them through the installation of a drip line.  We planted some okra seed provided by GAIN USA in this first bed.

None of us have any room to complain about how hard we work.  The nursing mother who came was working in the garden with a baby strapped to her back.  And I could tell this wasn’t the first time she had done it.

Once we got the line in and working, I challenged the students to put in another one.  They did very well.  We planted crowder peas in this bed.  We then had a presentation by one of the Vocational Training Center’s graduates about a solar food dryer.  By this time, it was lunch.

After lunch, we gave each participant a certificate of completion along with a couple packets of GAIN seeds.  The VTC also gave them a little bag of dried tomatoes to try.  We took a picture of everyone with my Clemson Tiger Rag, but Jon is holding it hostage or I would be posting it now!  We bade everyone farewell and sent them off.

This afternoon, we have relaxed a little.  Jon went over to the hospital and gave blood.  The doc told him he was walking gold….O negative.  I wanted to give, but last year after I did, I got really sick.  So we decided it would be best if I did not.

We are packing up tonight and will leave Yei at 8:30 in the morning (12:30am in the US) and fly to Uganda.  I emailed the pastor there this afternoon and somehow he was expecting us first thing in the morning.  I told him we would not be there until lunch time.  Gotta love African communication!  We are hoping for a little break in this heat in Uganda.  We are both drinking water like it is going out of style but still feel thirsty.  Not much sweat….think it all evaporates too fast.  Thanks for your prayers!