Education and Business

GOD IS GOOD.....ALL THE TIME....GOD IS GOOD

Here are some notes about life here in Uganda this past 4 ½ years.

Unlike my life in CA, here I have been led into helping individuals move on in their education or business. Here are the biggest things that have been facilitated, and many friends have made it possible.

Peter – completed his O level education, received a certificate and then finished a year of tailoring training at a local university. He is, in this past year, a real Christian (as opposed to saying he was). He now seeks spiritual wisdom from me (how funny is that?) instead of asking for money, help with fixing all the problems life brings his way, etc.

Stephen – completed a 2 year diploma in Community Development. He did this while working full time, attending school nights and week ends and had a 2 month internship in his home area in western Uganda.

He still works at EMI and recently was promoted to supervisor for all the local staff. He and Harriet experienced the death of their first child, Comfort, in this past year and the birth of a second daughter, Consolate. Their son, Blessou, is 2 now and running all over the place.

Ruth – completed her 3 year degree in Public Administration and hopes to go on for her master's degree in a year or two. She attended Saturdays and Sundays and had 2 one month internships, which she had to find for herself.

She had a baby last year also and is considering marrying the father, Isaac, who seems very interested and willing. But her first marriage was such a disaster, she is being very cautious. In the meantime, she in now in a 2 month training course which may lead to a really good job for her.

Ali – he first completed driver's training for a car and received his driver's permit. He began English classes with a tutor, later switching to Adult Education classes at a local university. He took and passed his O level exam this past November, the first person of his generation in his family to do so.

When Ali had been to school at the University for 2 days, he came to work and told me this amazing thing: He had had a dream in the night a few years before of walking around a campus and going in to a classroom building. He knew he would never have a chance to further his education, so dismissed the dream as just fantasy. He had only finished P7 when the war broke out and never was able to go back to school after that. When he arrived at Makerere University, it was EXACTLY like what he had seen in his dream, years before. God is just amazing how he lets us know little hints of what is to come.

Wilson – bought two hectacres of hillside land and tools to begin coffee farming near the home of his parents in western Uganda. He has also gotten married in this past year and wants to expand his business by marketing some of his coffee directly.

Nasser – I bought 2 motorcycles and then sold them to Nasser so he could develop his boda boda business. His goal is to save money and buy a car to hire out as a taxi. Then his girlfriend will marry him. She thinks a boda driver isn't responsible enough to be a husband. She and their daughter, Rhona, live just across the street from me.

This last week Nasser sold his main boda and bought a new one. He knows that at the end of this year he will get more for the new boda than he would have for the older one. He is saving regularly now and keeps track of all his business expenses and plans.

Hassan – With a loan he purchased his first car to hire out (a private taxi). He is now working full time for an organization and does the hire work on the side. He later bought a new car on his own. Good thing he has steady work, for he has 5 kids to put thru school, and there are 2 sets of twins! School fees will be big expenses for him.

About a year ago I told God that I was done with paying for school fees, as people still couldn't get good paying jobs after investing all that time and effort, He decided I wasn't done and told me to sponsor Eric and Miriam in their accounting certificate courses!! And if that wasn't enough He nudged me into promising Rachel that she could start this next August, for a certificate or a degree. What is God thinking??!!! I guess he knows where all the resources will come from as well as the plans He has for each one of these dear ones.

Good enough, schooling costs here are no where near as expensive as in the States. One year at the university for Ruth was about $1700. Ali's transportation to and from his home to school and back was more than the school fees, books and materials, with the full 2 years costing about $1800, as he went 5 days a week, 12 months a year for the 2 years. The small business starts are more in the range of $500 to $1500 and are more time limited.