Our work ahead

I wanted to take just a few minutes and let you know what is ahead for this trip to Uganda.

First off, I would like to introduce Lloyd Lowry.  Lloyd is a technology consultant with almost forty years of experience. He was the Chief Information Officer with the Oregon Department of Corrections, and has held IT leadership positions with a number of other agencies at the federal, state, county and city levels. Lloyd has also worked in technology sales and for a small development firm. He has taught students at the college, high school and elementary levels.

Lloyd has been a speaker at regional and national technology conferences and has also served on a number of professional organizations. Lloyd now works as an independent consultant specializing in strategic and business operations. He is committed to becoming a more dedicated Christ follower and serves his local church in children’s and men’s ministries. He has participated in short-term missions trips to Mexico, Dominican Republic and Haiti, as well as in ministries serving the poor and imprisoned in Salem, Oregon.  Now, Lloyd is joining in this work in Uganda!

We will be working with several different organizations while we are there:

Africa Renewal Ministries:  We will be assisting with strategic organization and IT planning for ARM.  We will be spending quite a bit of time in Ggaba working with the ARM Leadership Team as well as the IT and Communications sections of the ministry.  We are also blessed to be traveling to Kacungwa (you know we just HAD to go there!!!) and assisting with some existing computer problems as well as planning for future work in setting up computer training labs in the school as well as connecting the Kacungwa Child Development Program (CDP) office to the headquarters in Ggaba.  One of the visions is that this will serve as a model for other ARM CDP locations around Uganda.  In addition, we will be assessing the needs and opportunity to establish the computer and network connections for the medical clinic being built there.  In addition to Kacungwa, we will also visit the Muleete CDP and Clinic location also located in Mubende.  A vision that ARM leadership has is that one day, schools in Uganda will be able to connect over the internet and participate with schools in the US virtually.  Also, those letters that are now taking about 3 months to receive from “our” children will be able to be sent almost immediately from the CDP office in the village.

Renewal Health Network:  In discussions with Dr. Martin from ARM’s Renewal Health Network and Wentz Medical Centre, there are many needs for the clinic ranging from needs for a new accounting system to clinic management software and electronic medical records.  We will be looking at ways to interconnect the clinics currently managed by the RHN program and also discussing future possibilities including telemedicine systems (allows remote communication, diagnostic tests and viewing of patients by a doctor in a central location).

Africa Renewal University:  ARU has recently received accreditation as a public university and seeking to begin a bachelors degree program.  They are needing to double the size of their computer lab, get an alternative power source and install a system to produce clean, drinkable water.  In addition, we will be discussing opportunities to enhance their technology certificate and diploma programs.  The importance and “big picture” importance of this is that we are looking for ways to establish a technology training program at the secondary schools which will prepare students for a career in the technology field, and also prepare the students with the desire and ability to go on to University for an advanced degree.  It is an important part of the vision to create a program that integrates the learning into an outcome that enables young people to thrive and achieve in an advanced career field!  (NOTE:  THIS is VERY exciting!!!)

Transform African Ministries:  Most of you know Pastor Alex from Transform African Ministries and his wife Faith.  Along with Pastor Peter Kasiviru from ARM, is one of the reasons Canby Christian Church was lead to mission, ministry and partnership in Uganda.  Last year, we were blessed to visit Ps Alex at Luzira Community Church.  We were all blessed to worship with the people of Luzira and also to teach the children in school.  We will be assisting Alex with strategic planning work for the ministry, developing a technology plan and “dreaming” about possibilities to reach the middle-class people in Luzira.  We are not sure what all Alex has in store, but knowing him and his understanding of the value of technology and developing and more modern church, we can only imagine!  We will also be assisting with setting up a church membership database and connecting projectors to their computer to enhance the experience in their brand new church location and facility.

Mags Computers: A few months ago, I was introduced to a young man, John Mugowa, who has a small computer consulting company.  We anticipate working with John to help develop his business, looking at some opportunities and getting his assistance with technical help while we are there.  John was featured on a video that is well worth spending 30 minutes to watch.  It features John and a Kenyan man named Daniel.  You can find the video HERE.

New Hope Uganda:  When Debbie & I moved to Colorado Springs, we started attending Mountain Springs Church.  As I began to inquire about the church’s involvement in international missions, I learned that the worship pastor, Josiah Dangers, is a missionary’s kid and was raised in Uganda.  In fact, his father is there still serving as director for a ministry north of Kampala called New Hope Uganda.  From their website:

New Hope Uganda was founded on a belief that God wanted family for the thousands of orphaned children in Uganda’s Luwero Triangle following the bloody reigns of Idi Amin and Milton Obote. Jay Dangers and his wife Vicki moved their young family to Uganda in 1986. The Dangers were soon joined by Jonnes Bakimi and, to use a common Ugandan phrase, “slowly by slowly” a dream became reality. Director Jay Dangers and Ministry Coordinator Jonnes Bakimi still lead New Hope today but little else is the same as it was 24 years ago.

Today, New Hope Uganda brings the Fatherhood of God to hundreds of orphaned, fatherless, and abandoned children and reaches out to surrounding communities through its four ministries: Kasana Children’s Center, Kobwin Children’s Center, Musana Camps, and 107.8 Musana FM radio.

We will be working with New Hope Uganda to establish a computer training center and establish a technology training program also.  In addition to computers, we will work with partners to set up an alternative power source as the power in this region is very unreliable.  In addition, Lloyd is going to spend a few extra days at NHU teaching the children, meeting people and getting a little more in-depth understanding of the people and the ministry there (I’m sure by now, he’ll be more than happy to get away from me for a little while also!)

Quality Health for All: In Northern Uganda, students at Gulu University Medical School are wanting to start a Christ-centered medical organization.  I have been working with the students there for the past 4 months or so in planning and crafting organizational documents.  Obura James Ochidi was featured on a blog post on the Canby Christian Church blog several months ago – you should read it if you haven’t already done so (link HERE).  Recently a team from the QHFA team traveled on a 2-day medical mission to Kacungwa.  You can find some pictures of that trip HERE (note: this is a Facebook photo album).  We are looking to take the next steps in formalizing the organization and will be meeting with a number of key people in Northern Uganda to discuss the strategy.  Also, they are planning a project to send 50 final year medical students across all of Northern Uganda for 2 months performing medical services in clinics and villages.  We estimate that the cost for that will be about $50,000, mostly for medicines, and are seeking funding partners for that project.  It has also been a huge blessing that this group has been able to work with Dr. Martin and the ARM Renewal Health Network and jointly conducted the clinic in Kacungwa.  I will travel North from our time with New Hope Uganda to Gulu and then, Lord willing, will meet up again with Lloyd to return home.  Otherwise, I may be wandering somewhere in sub-Saharan Africa for a while!

We will be in Uganda for a total of 3 weeks and as you can see, we have about 3 years worth of work to do in those 3 weeks.  In the past year, I have been blessed to meet some amazing people in Uganda who I hope to have time to visit there also.  I’ve been invited to homes, church and to join families for meals while I am there.  It will be a most exciting time I am sure!

Well, I hope this gives you some idea of the scope and type of work we will be doing in Uganda next month.  Stay tuned . . .