Voyage to the Heart of Uganda

By Tim Blythe,

Tim’s log, Stardate 300614.  We will soon be leaving Uganda and heading for home where luxury will await us.  Life will soon be normal again…..or not!

During this visit, I have seen great pride in the people of Uganda.  For example:

1. The football field at Wakiso.
2. The pride of representing your school. 
3. Kids showing off their classroom and where they sleep.
4. People give you a firm handshake and a hug.
5. They wash their vehicles even though they will get dirty very quickly due to the roads.
6. The food stands carefully organize the food for the best presentation possible.

I have also witnessed the kids here get to play the game they love.  Without Fields of Dreams Uganda, they would not be playing these games. They would only be kicking around a banana leaf ball.  But now they are playing tournament games, they have uniforms, boots and real footballs.  I have seen kids from the Central area (New Kabaale Busega) travel from there to play against a team (Laroo) in the North area (Gulu) which is a six hour trip.  Yes, this means they actually traveled to play in the tournament and spent two nights in Gulu.  Think about that!  Kids here go to school then back home and then back to school again.  A child here would not even know kids from a school nearby.  I think about back home and how many of our kids have friends that go to different schools!  These kids don’t get that chance….but with football and Field of Dreams Uganda it is a reality.

To hear both the children of Gulu and New Kabaale sing praises of each other is beautiful music.  A lot of bad myths were shattered this past weekend.  If you don’t know the kids from your own area, you sure don’t know the kids up North.  The teams from the North were disappointed that the girls from New Kabaale Busega did not come up and play.  Maybe next year this will happen.

This has been a wonderful trip and a true joy for me to be a part of this team, but where do I go from here?  Can I possibly forget these kids and how much help they need?  I pray I do not.  Maybe next year you will feel the urge to come and feel and see the blessings this place has to offer.  

Time to sign off from Uganda and catch the plane home.  I am excited to see my family again, but this place will always have a special place in my heart.

Good night from Uganda.