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Dolway and Eileen Johnston (left in front and second row) pictured with the team from Glenavy
Parish Churches who will travel to Uganda in July to carry out medical, construction and
schools� work for Fields of Life.
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In a follow-up to a 2004 trip, 32
members of Glenavy Parish Churches will visit Uganda for two
weeks in July. Led by Dolway and Eileen Johnston, they will
divide into three sub-teams to carry out medical, construction
and schools� work for Fields of Life.
The
medical team will be working at Rapha Medical Centre near
Kampala and during the first week they will conduct outreach
clinics and HIV awareness programmes deep in the bush area
surrounding Rapha. Moira Taylor and Beth Brown, who were
members of the 2004 team, seen almost 1000 patients in the space
of 2 weeks and faced a wide range of illnesses they never see at
home as well as some very familiar ones. They are looking
forward to their return visit and are both aware of the
difficulties they will face.
During the first week, the construction
team will also be based at Rapha Medical Centre. Under the
watchful eye of Stephen Campbell they will lay paths, install a
covered walkway and hopefully bring running water to the
hospital that at present relies on a man carrying 5 gallon,
jerry-cans from the nearest bore-hole about 1 kilometre away.
During the second week they will work at Vision Global Academy
near the Kenyan border town of Tororo. The school, which is in a
bush area, was badly affected by the terrorist campaign
conducted by the Lord�s Resistance Army. Thankfully peace and
security has returned to the area but it still bears many of the
scars of a long and brutal terrorist campaign, which has left
countless widows and orphans in its wake.
The 13-strong school team, led by Eileen
Johnston and June Andrews, will conduct a summer-school
programme at Drummaul-Tabiro Primary School. The school was
financed by the parish of Drummaul (near Randlestown) and built
by Fields of Life in 2003. It now has almost 400 pupils and the
Headmistress is delighted by the prospect of the Glenavy visit.
On
Saturday 22nd July, the three teams will re-unite in
the capital city of Kampala and plan to visit the source of the
River Nile where it leaves Lake Victoria on Sunday afternoon
before leaving Entebbe on Monday 24th July for the
long flight home.
The whole team wish to express their thanks
for the generous support they have received from the whole
community, which has made the trip possible. Sixteen-year old
Sarah Johnston from Tunny Church says, �As the time for
departure gets closer so we are getting more excited. We know
this will be a life-changing event both for ourselves and for
the people we will have contact with. It is not without its
dangers and the whole team would appreciate the prayerful
support of churches around the province.�
