To Lira

Saturday, April 30, 2011

We arrived Friday night in Entebee with the unsettling news of riots, protests and barricades in Kampala. The news said 5 people were killed, but upon landing we were told there were at least 8 or 9 who lost their lives due to political unrest between the current president and the candidate who lost the elections in February.

We spent Friday night in Entebee with Leo and Minda and their 8 beautiful children, a family who works for AIM. At 8am our driver, Christopher, came to bring us to Lira. He is from Kampala and reported that the city was fairly quiet for the time. It being Saturday and also early, he thought we should be able to get through alright. So with a van full of luggage and supplies for Otino Waa, our team of 5 gathered to pray and set out.

Praise God the drive through Kampala was calm. Christopher was a good driver and the city seemed to be back to normal business, although we avoided the city center.

The ride up was pretty uneventful save for a few baboons and a solid mile of speed bumps. I first realized we were at Otino Waa from the sign that read, “Homemade Cinnamon Rolls” which made my mouth water. It sprang up off the road unexpectedly and all the sudden we were there. It’s a lot greener and more lush then I imagined. Bob and Carol welcomed us with cold water and fresh baked Ginger cookies made by the POPs students, People of Purpose, the vocational training center they run.

Bob gave us a thorough walking tour of Otino Waa’s 21 acres which consists of the building with the café kitchen, sewing room, gift shop and patio. There’s also a primary and secondary school, bee keeping apiary, soccer field, offices, and 3 completed circles of homes and half of the 4^th circle. The efficiency, layout and execution of Otino Waa is incredible from the water pumps to the ecosanitation to the vocational training school. I was amazed at how the way of life at Otino Waa is true to the native Ugandan culture. The members of each house share in the cooking, cleaning and washing. The children are even given a monthly allowance with which they purchase their basic needs like toothpaste and soap from the Otino Waa store; this teaches them the reality of life and how to save and budget their money for when they leave Otino Waa.