Forestview Uganda 2020

An update

The teacher worships began yesterday (Tuesday) and let me just say that we brought some incredible teachers. Paul and Bobbi worked with the teachers yesterday. I can’t say enough about how important these two are both here and at home. Their students have been blessed to have them and I have enjoyed their teaching styles! While they were hard at work Michelle and I travelled to Lugazi to visit a few of the sponsored children there. We had the privilege of being able to visit two homes, the home of Michelle’s fathers sponsored child, Isaac, and the home of the Price’s sponsored child, Rogers. We were blessed by them and I am trying to get Michelle to post more about this 😉

Those who weren’t teaching, or with us in Lugazi, travelled with the WASH (Water and Sanitation Hygiene) Program in a small village near where we are staying. It is the same village that I was able to go to with the UK team two years ago. Everyone thought that the program was amazing and I was so happy that they brought back the message that the village is thriving 😁❤️

The afternoon was spent on a farm visit where people got to learn how the agricultural community here is working together to make their farms run more smoothly and more profitable for everyone. They have an organized coop program that each farmer contributes money to so that if one farmer sees hard times they can help each other physically and financially.

The evening was spent playing games-very loud card games with lots of laughter and even tears from the laughter 😂

Today (Wednesday) began with teaching of phonics to the primary classes by me. I felt very unprepared as I did not have knowledge of what the teachers were currently doing here in their classrooms. Again, I will sing the praises of Bobbi who stepped in the help me and, together, we managed to provide the teachers with information that they could take away and use in their classrooms. It was a good morning with us learning from them and them learning from us – working together to help children ❤️ . At the same time we were with the primary teachers Gord had the upper primary and secondary school teachers trying his hardest to explain the teenage mind. He was giving them tools to work with teenagers and knowledge that although they all go through challenges and they may all be different challenges at different times the teenagers really need the teachers to be available to listen. The children can disappear so easily here.

Rob taught a two hour drama workshop. His workshops are fantastic. Full of energy and interesting ideas, concepts and most importantly laughing. Rob asked the teachers “how many ears do we have we have” (and someone thought he said “how many years do you have” so he answered 32 🤣) Two ears and one mouth – do more listening than talking…..and he also stated the fact that we never stop learning and part of our learning as teachers comes from our students. Rob can get them to participate so easily and they are learning so much. This workshop was followed by an hour lunch break and then Henry C was up to teach time management. This is something that the Ugandan’s need. I think arriving on time to most things here is difficult as the transportation and roads are not always reliable. Henry did a great job getting them to see how much time is wasted each week and that it might be more beneficial to stop doing somethings and decide which task needs more attention. The teachers really appreciate everyone coming to talk with them and teach them and said that they are learning so much from everyone’s lessons.

The rest of the team that wasn’t teaching today went on home visits and managed to get 2 visits in before the torrential downpour and needed to return back to the guest house. We will save the rest of our home visits for tomorrow.

It’s time to play games. We will blog again soon ❤️

Hello everyone. This is my third trip to Uganda and each trip has been a little different each with their own highs and lows. We visited Kiyindi again today. We had a tour of the health clinic and although some things have not changed we received information regarding family planning that were encouraging. Family planning now has its own building beside the clinic and an organization meets with local people to advise them on what is available to prevent more children. Another thing that the women are, mostly, responsible for because, most, men don’t want to take responsibility. They have the pill (in pill form), monthly injections of the pill, and iud’s. It is available for those who will take advantage of it. It is a small step but it is a step in the right direction.

After leaving the clinic we went to Kiyindi school, visited a few sponsored children, the students performed a cultural dance for us and we did 6 more home visits to see children who need sponsors. The students performing the cultural dance was fantabulous. The girls dancing and singing in traditional dress and the boys playing the drums. We have been on 15 home visits since we arrived and we thank God for the 12 out of 15 that have been sponsored. Yay 😁

We returned to the guest house around 6pm and we all sat around to chat and listen about our next steps. We are being made aware of what is happening back home and Corrie is looking after everything from the Canada side. We know that this trip and our return are both in the hands of God. We are trusting that it will all unfold as God has planned it…..

We finished our evening off with all of us in the guest house sitting around the table listening to familiar voices from home. We watched John and Gail’s sermon from Sunday and we are all encouraged and feel the love over here in Uganda. Thank you for your message and thank you for all your prayers. I want you to know that we are still enjoying our time and the Ugandan people. We are continuing with all things scheduled, the workshops start tomorrow morning and those who aren’t helping with workshops are taking part in the WASH program. We love you and miss you all and cannot wait to have our feet back on Canadian soil. ❤️

Hello from Uganda, Forestview Family!

See these beautiful little faces below? These are some of the children who welcome the team with sheer joy, each day that we are here.  How we wish you were with us to experience not only the beauty of Uganda, but the love that these people pour out on us.  I look at the church in Buikwe as an extension of Forestview, and in the best sense, we are family – God’s family.  

So many of you have a sponsored child, and that child’s life has changed forever.  Parents are so grateful that their child will have the chance in life that many never will.  We extend their prayers of thanks to you on their behalf.  Together, we’ve made a big good dent in the number of children who need to go to school, receive medical care and two meals a day.  But we can always do more!

If you don’t have a sponsored child, here’s your chance!  When we left Canada we knew that there were 116 children in the immediate area without a sponsor.  As we can’t help but fall in love with them, a few of our team have “adopted” a few more on top of the others our families sponsor (and wish we could take them all on!)  Wouldn’t it be great if we left no child behind?

We have experienced family members back home who have coordinated new sponsors with their co-workers for example, and now several more of them have committed to sponsor a child!  You don’t have to be here to make a difference.  You can join us from home as we do the Lord’s work together. 

If you haven’t yet, please consider sponsoring one of the 100 plus children still hoping for a miracle! Contact any member on the Uganda Team or mark.corriveau@yahoo.ca if you’d like to sponsor a boy or girl for only $41.00/month, and we can hand-pick a child just for you!  We promise, it will change a life forever – including your own.

We encourage you to check out International Needs Canada on-line for more information on this great organization doing God’s work in many countries around the world.

May God bless and keep you safe!

Team Uganda 2020

We have been very busy today visiting Kiyendi School, visiting several families who have children that need sponsoring, and ended the day at the secondary school where Rob Green led 143 kids through a drama workshop that was full of energy and fun for kids as well as for us. What a great experience – teaching and exercise and fun.

Tomorrow we visit Jinja for a more relaxing time. We need to pick up some supplies – paint and lightbulbs. We will be painting one of the classrooms in Buikwe this coming week.

It has been very busy so far.

The reports we are getting from friends and family in Canada, as well as the news outlets, does not seem like reality here in Uganda. Of course they are aware of the outbreak but no cases here so far. Differing worlds we are experiencing between our small family here and back home. It is strange indeed.

We are keeping tabs with International Needs Canada and our airline in case there are some developments that might change our trip.

We pray for our families and friends we have left behind and we ask for prayers for our team to stay healthy, safe, strong and engaged in our mission.

Two more children – twins Joy and Moses were sponsored today through our team! That’s three so far.

The day started off as any day usually does, in any country anywhere….we showered, we drank coffee, and we prayed before eating a delicious breakfast……After breakfast we made our way to the elementary school to meet up with Augustine for a tour. As school is in session here we got the opportunity to spend time in the classrooms and say hello to some of our Forestview families sponsored children. When I exited one of the classrooms my sponsored child, Christine, ran up to me, said my name and gave me a big hug…..this is one of the many reasons why I love coming here. The reason is not that I don’t get this reaction at home it’s why she is so happy to see me, because I am able to share my blessings to bless her and her family. It’s thankfulness. The cost is so little and the reward is so great. We were able, in the afternoon, to visit the homes of 4 sponsored children. The first home we visited was a family Mark, Henry and myself have sponsored children , Rebecca, Daphne and Christine. We were welcomed with open arms by her mother Jackie, Jackie shared her story, and we left with full hearts and a tray full of bananas. These families with very little would give their last anything freely. With no bitterness in their hearts. It wasn’t a gift given because she HAD to, she was overjoyed to be able to give us something they were in more need of then we were….another family we visited, Mark and Susan’s girl, Daisy, gave us a huge basket of avocados. The basket that the avocados were in was a basket she had weaved herself (which Mark got to keep). We visited with Henry and Val’s girl Henrietta – this family was so resourceful! Mom is a math teacher and in her spare time a seamstress….The last family we visited was Gail Bruneau’s child and this is the ending I didn’t love. We were informed that the child’s mom is HIV positive. This began my emotional roller coaster but, I did manage to hold it together until we got back to the house and we started telling others about our day…..Sponsoring a child is such a blessing, not only for the child, but more so the sponsor. I am continually overwhelmed by the generous hearts of the people we meet ❤️

We have made it safe and sound to Buikwe. All went smoothly and everyone is well.

We are in our first full day on the ground and have completed a few tasks already.

We will be visiting some homes this afternoon here in the Buikwe area.

Signing off for now, just wanted to let you know we got here.

Blessings

Mark

We leave tomorrow morning on an incredible journey to the pearl of Africa. I know it’s a scary time to travel but I know that God will be with us. I am looking forward to greeting old friends and making new ones. For those of my fellow team members whose first time this is for you going to Uganda it will be a life-changing experience. The people of Uganda are very warm and welcoming and you will feel like family in no time. You may even cry when you leave Uganda. But the greatest thing is that you can go back again someday. You will be an experienced team member. You may know others who would like to go too.
We will get through the long journey there and we will witness the joy that our fellow brothers and sisters have in Christ. We will learn from them and will be better for having met them.
See you all soon.

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I’m honoured to be going on this Mission Trip with this great group of people.

Looking forward to travelling, serving and working alongside each of these friends over the next 2 weeks.

How good is our God! Soooo good!

I received an email early this afternoon from a member of our church who would like to sponsor a child in Uganda. She’s asking that we find a child for them to sponsor.

It is not an easy thing to do – select a child out of 116 that will now have a better opportunity than many. It is an honour, it is a pleasure but it is bittersweet.

Thank you all who are sponsoring children whether through International Needs or some other organization – it does not really matter.

Bless you all

Through the International Needs global organization, children around the world are being sponsored . When we visit Uganda, it is quite easy to see the difference between a child who is sponsored, which includes attending a Christian school, two meals per school day, a uniform, school supplies and medical attention, compared to a child who is not sponsored and cannot afford to attend school consistently if ever.

Sponsoring a child not only helps the child, it helps the whole family because now there is one less child in the family to feed, and hopefully more for other children in that family.

We leave this Tuesday for Uganda. We have a list of 116 children in the 2 main areas we visit – Buikwe and Kiyendi – who need to be sponsored. It would be wonderful if anyone reading this blog would let one of us know that you want to sponsor one (or more) of the children on this list – we would be happy to visit that child while we are there and tell them a little about their sponsors in Canada.

You can email any one of us on the team to make this happen.

Please pray for the spiritual and physical health of our team as we depart during one of the most uncertain times in this world.

When we signed up for this, we of course had no indication that there would be something called Covid-19. We were aware of course, of the possibility of Ebola, which is always a concern, but thankfully no issues in that regard where we are travelling.