Yesterday was another day in Kampala, but it would be more focused on Kupona, the TAPP office here in Kampala. TAPP stands for Tumini AIDS Prevention Program, and it supports those women and men who have AIDS and tries to promote the prevention of AIDS. To start the morning off, Nik, Emily, Kelsey, Liz, Caleb, Alex, Michaela, and Janis went on TAPP visits with Josephine. We visited three different women in various situations, but all with AIDS. Zula was new to the TAPP program; she had four children and was abandoned by her husband. Fiona also has four boys and another baby on the way this month (praying for a baby girl!). Judy had three boys, her youngest is HIV positive. All of them have little to no family around them to help, but they find community through the TAPP program.
Shelby and Denise continued to share their knowledge during more IT classes. Deb and Sue helped out in the Children of Promise; helping with any paperwork that they needed. Jim continued repairing the TAPP wall (and completed it!). One of our number was not feeling well, so Greg recuperated for this weekend and is now ready to go!
After lunch, we were treated to a concert by a group of four students going to perform in Germany. They were absolutely wonderful and a blessing to all of us. They sang in three different languages and then did a traditional dance!
Afterwards, some of the group returned to Kupona for a chat sessions with some of the TAPP ladies. They also make learned about a new project TAPP is doing, COFFEE! Look out because all of us will return with some in our luggage!! Those who did not grace TAPP stayed to help in the Children of Promise office or hung out with Primary students who were standing in the yard.
Too soon our time to leave arrived and we piled into the car giving hi-fives along the way (as Alex said whoever invented hi-fives must have been a cool person as many of us gave one to any child who passed). Our van pulled out to carry us to Banana Boat. Little did we know we would end up sitting in the worst traffic Nik has ever known! Eventually after all our waiting (or sleeping), we made it in time for them to reopen the store just for us! We pursued under the time crunch of ten minutes (which turned into 30) we all made our purchases which you will have to wait and see in person.
Several of us also got to meet our sponsor children. Denise and Jim got to spend some time with Denis, and he stayed for lunch. Sue, Michaela, and Alex were able to meet their sponsor child, Patricia. Deb will be meeting hers and her Sunday School group's sponsor this weekend. It was a gift for each of us to meet our children and spend as much time with them as we could learning and sharing.
When we finally made it home, there was a delicious lasagna waiting for us (meat and veggie). Conversations varied from one side of the table to the other as we discussed family or the activities of the day until Nik called us over for devotions. It was a hard day to process and some of us still are. The women we met yesterday live a hard life, but they always have such joy for visitors! This is the true miracle, that these who have so little and such pain can be seen with smiles and hugs for whoever comes no matter what they bring with them! We left in prayer and with heavy hearts.
Today we will travel to Jinja and bless two jjajja houses. We will stay there for the next three nights where we will visit churches and bless another jjajja house, as well as some sight seeing. Until then...
Blessings from Uganda,
Mzungu Bloggers
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