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| The
Uganda Project is no longer part of The Principle Foundation,
and is now an independent organization as of March 27, 2007. |
The Uganda
Project (May 2003 Update)
[published
here with the permission of the Uganda Project]
"Webale
nyo nyo" (Luganda for Thank you so much!)
Generous
donations, large and small, enable Uganda Project to give significant
support to fellow Christian Scientists in Uganda. Most of our
applications come from students at various levels, creating a
continual need for funds for tuition, room, board and fees. We
rejoice with two students who will complete Associate degree programs
this summer - Jacque Namusalisi, in Food Science, and her brother,
Andrew Nabugere, in Civil Engineering. Both have been studying
at Uganda Polytechnic, Kyambogo, in Kampala. Jacque also serves
as First Reader for the Kampala Society. Both have had Class Instruction.
Andrew wrote that he had put his training to work recently by
building his mother a much-needed bathhouse! He worked from 6
a.m. to 7 p.m. for six days in order to complete this sturdy structure,
and he is proud of the results.
Whatever
happened to that cow?
Some of you will recall that the mother of the two students above,
Anne Awori-Osinde, applied to UP for money to buy a cow. After
preparing an enclosure, a shed, and a supply of food, Anne purchased
the cow from a local farm. The cow was not in good condition when
it arrived, so Anne's family immediately gave it extra care as
well as prayers. Family members tirelessly provided the cow with
dairy meal, maize bran, a salt lick, plenty of water, molasses,
soft grass, legumes, and love -- until the cow recovered. The
vet told Anne that he had never seen a farmer who loved and cared
for an animal like she did. He himself had given it up. As Anne
said in an email: "When the cow was ill, we all slept out
to watch and pray for it...and when it recovered we were all happy."
The cow is producing milk for sale.
Douglas,
the Traveler
Perhaps you remember that UP sponsored Douglas Kaziro to participate
in a Youth Employment conference in Alexandria, Egypt, last fall.
Douglas came back full of good ideas for promoting jobs in his
community. Soon he was enrolled in Development Studies at Makerere
University, with UP's financial support. He writes that his courses
include Diplomacy, International Relations, Comparative Politics,
Conflict Management and Resolution. In his classes the students
are considering questions such as: How does the World Bank influence
development? How can people understand the disparity between the
north (developed countries) and south (less developed countries)?
Why are some countries developed while others remain poor?
Lamech,
the Salesman
Lamech Katamba, the invaluable administrator for UP in Uganda,
plays a central role in the Christian Science movement there.
Besides serving as Clerk of the Kampala Society and supervising
the Reading Room located in his student communications center
(near Makerere's campus), Lamech now has a new job. At Annual
Meeting last year, he was appointed East African representative
for "The Writings of Mary Baker Eddy" (TWMBE).
His purchase of a car with UP funds (which he uses as a taxi for
income for himself) has increased the possibilities in his work
for The Mother Church. In January and February, with two other
Christian Science young men, Lamech drove over 4,500 kilometers
through Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. The three met with Christian
Scientists in Nairobi, Mwanza, Dodoma, and Dar es Salaam. The
trip by car was much more productive than the original plan which
was to go by bus. Here are his own words: "When I got the
taxi, I thought the whole trip would be more fruitful or advantageous
if I just drove, because it would enable me to stop in any town
or city on the way to visit the bookstores there and talk about
Science and Health and find out any opportunity to sell and share
the book. Our biggest challenge was the language. They all speak
Swahili, but by the time we returned home all of us could speak
it at least fairly...One of the fruits of this trip is that I
have managed to receive many orders for Science and Health...for
example, 1,000 copies for the Nairobi Reading Room, 500 copies
for the Mwanza Reading Room, over 600 copies for other Christian
Science Societies in Kenya.
I have also
managed to get a professional distributor in Kampala to distribute
Science and Health, and we have ordered 1,000 copies for the book
shops in Uganda. So, in total I have managed to mobilize orders
for over 3,000 copies of Science and Health. We are also planning
to do a Science and Health book review in one of the newspapers
in Uganda."
Church
Music and Members
With UP funds, the Kampala Society purchased a new CD/cassette
player for church services, and a Walkman cassette player for
the Reading Room. The membership of the Society in Kampala is
relatively young, most of them in their 20's. This makes for a
congenial and supportive church family. The members have experienced
a variety of substantial healings: stomach ulcers, headaches,
malaria, colds, a cancerous foot condition, menstrual cramps,
money problems, inharmonious family relationships, and the overcoming
of local superstitions and false beliefs. The members talk about
developing confidence and trust in God, and overcoming shyness
and limitations.
In Lamech's
words: "Everything happening here in Kampala brings a big
smile to every serious member. Last Sunday alone we had over 30
people who attended the services. We had arranged 25 seats, and
we had to go out to get more chairs. Douglas, James and I had
to just stand behind...I also realize that we are all in harmony.
There is no longer jealousy, and no complaints like it used to
be before. I look at this achievement as a healing from all our
prayers for peace, love and harmony in Church. God is really great!!"
Recently, the Christian Science group in Jinja, which had been
meeting at an Adult Education Center, moved its services to Bukaya
town. This change came about when Lamech went to Jinja to arrange
for a Christian Science lecture by Marjorie Scherer, a teacher
and lecturer now living in Zambia but originally from Idaho. Lamech
described what happened: "I went to the market to find Anne,
and when I looked at the market square I asked myself why we couldn't
have the lecture there and benefit all the people around the whole
town. Anne agreed but told me that it would take money to get
people to slash the bush and clean the place for a lecture. I
advised her to mobilize all the Christian Scientists of Jinja
to do it so they will all feel involved in the preparation. She
got them to do the work, and we had flyers and posters and had
a nice lecture. Some of the chairs we used that day were provided
by the Local Council Chairman of that area. He also now attends
our Sunday church service in Jinja. These services are now carried
out in Anne's shop facing the market square. There is an interesting
newcomer, a headmaster of a primary school in Bukaya-Jinja. He
encourages both his family members and school pupils to read Christian
Science literature and to attend the Sunday services. I have promised
to organize a trip for the Kampala Christian Scientists to come
and have a service with them. I will also find a way of giving
the same opportunity to the Jinja church members to come and visit
our Kampala Sunday services."
Some
of the other people being helped by UP
Sam Ssengonzi from Kampala, a junior in Sociology at Principia
College, receives some assistance from UP to meet his expenses.
Sam's brother, Geoffrey Ngondwe, is studying Library Science at
Makerere University in Kampala. James Kasozi (Chairman of the
Board in Kampala) is studying Computer Science at Makerere. Jimmy
Komako is studying Business Education at Kyambogo University.
A total of 27 Christian Scientists in Uganda are receiving UP
assistance! In addition, we continue to receive legitimate requests
for further aid. One such case is Margaret Namubiru, a recent
graduate in Education from Makerere, who wants to get an advanced
degree in order to teach at the college level. Her supervisors
have encouraged her to go on, and she is eager. Margaret has been
part of the core group of the Kampala Society for 6-7 years, serving
on the Board and as a substitute Reader. Her mother, brother and
sisters have joined church because of Margaret's example. She
is scheduled to take Class Instruction this summer.
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CONTACTS:
If you feel
moved to respond, checks should be made payable to: Uganda
Project
Jim Dorsey,
Treasurer
1122 Sunny Hill Drive
Columbus, OH 43221-2337
Phone:
(614) 459-6561
You may also contact Nancy Dorsey, Administrator
(614) 459-6561 nrdorsey@aol.com
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