By: Pat Warneke

It's Friday, and the days we spent in Gulu are still swirling around in my head. It is my second trip to Uganda, but my first visit to Gulu. I had seen all the photos from previous trips and knew that the children there had suffered greatly from the insurgency of Joseph Koney.  The reality of the horrible war has left wounds and scars that have forever changed the faces of those left behind. I saw something beautiful in the faces of the children and staff at the 5 partner schools in Gulu that was not there in the photos.  I saw little glimpses of HOPE that are rising, smiles that were not there previously, and some JOY in their singing and dancing. I was honored to be a tiny part of what FODU is doing through the amazing staff that gives to these children.

Today,back in Kampala we visited with the children and staff at one of FODU's newest partner schools. Humble United Methodist School is the smallest partner school. With an active scouting troop we were greeted with the singing of the Ugandan National Anthem and then the United States National Anthem. I was proud to be present for the singing of both.  Most impressive was when the children's choir knew all the words to ours.  Children received their very first football uniforms, socks and cleats.  They can now show up at tomorrow's tournament feeling very sharp!

The Girl Empowerment workshops went well and the girls and school staff were  excited to receive their hygiene kits.  A huge burden is lifted when a father knows he does not have to provide sanitary products for a full year or when the young girls realize that they can stay in school and not have to be concerned about what product or substitute product she will need to FIND to protect her during menstruation.

The best part of my day came later when we returned to our quarters to find Hanifah and Rose waiting with their merchandise for Ekisa Design. These two beautiful creative women are responsible for most of the merchandise sold through Ekisa Design.  It is special to reconnect with each of them. It was even cooler when one of our team shared with them that she wanted to sell some of their products through her non profit back in Indiana.  God is so good at orchestrating  our lives. 

Please pray for renewed health for one of our team members who fell ill today. 

God bless. . . . . Pat

A Day of Rest

By: Ben Keffer


Often when I was young and hiked the woods around my house I would dream of adventure on the plains of Africa. Fighting lions, running from crocodiles, riding zebras and getting home before nightfall so mom would not get mad. So here I am as an adult, finally in Africa, doing things I could not have imagined as a child. Of course, on our one day of rest we chose to wake up at 6 a.m. and head to Murchison Falls National Park and the 10 year old boy walking through those Ohio woods with just his imagination that is buried in my distant memories could not have been happier.

Driving through the park as an adult was not as I imagined as a child , I fought no lions and road no zebras. Instead what I experienced were a million examples of the artistry and majesty of our creator God. Each giraffe was a brilliantly placed brushstroke, every elephant a symphony, all perfectly orchestrated by God. I observed as nature absent from man functioned perfectly as it had been perfectly created and began to wonder what my place is in this world. I thought of my time spent in schools with the youth of Uganda and I could not help but see so clearly that we as humans are the broken piece of this world.

However, even while these thoughts swirled through my mind, I was still filled with a sense of hope. Because God, the creator of this world can heal our broken hearts and fill them with hope and he can use our hands to heal the brokenness in countless others that we will come into contact with as our time in Africa continues. 

Shining Light

By: Abbie Pinnegar

Imagine being a shining light in the midst of darkness. You can't see, but the world around you feels the radiance of your spirit and the joy in your heart. Don't you wish you could be that light? The children with vision impairment at Gulu High School are that light. They shared their hearts in song, creating one of the most beautiful sounds I have ever heard. They are humble and gracious, qualities that are hard to emulate. I admire their courage and strength, their passion for learning, and their desire to reach their dreams despite their visual limitations. The compassion the other students showed in helping the children navigate the campus was also quite touching. While we were only at Gulu High School for a few hours, it was amazing to celebrate the partnership that has been formed between the school and FoDU, as the school has agreed to provide twenty full-ride scholarships to campuses associated with FoDU. This means that twenty children will no longer have to worry about the fees that frequently keep them from attending secondary school.

Later this morning, we were greeted with sounds of jubilation and laughter. Welcome ceremonies commenced and a traditional courtship dance was performed. The energy and moves these kids have are astounding. If I could dance even a third of how well these kids dance, you might not mock me ;D. The children really got to shine today, participating in a debate and quiz tournament. Man are those kids smart! Shortly after, team members presented information regarding the use of hygiene kits. Screams of happiness were heard as each item was pulled from the bag. Something as simple as "knickers" (aka underwear) and soap provide such joy to these children. I was so blessed to listen to these precious sounds of happiness. We also had some time to play with the children. Seeing their smiles and hearing their laughter was the absolute best part of my day. 

Each day I am continually reminded I am the one being blessed. These are incredible kids who have so much life in the midst of so little. May I never forget the impact these children are having in my life. Please continue to pray for these children and search your heart for how you can become involved in reaching the children of Uganda.

Broken Anew

By: Michael Warneke

As the Executive Director for Fields of Dreams Uganda it is easy to fall into routine here in Uganda after so many trips to the Pearl of Africa. However, today was one of those days with the children at our partner schools that I will not soon forget. Not many of our team expected today to top or match our incredible day yesterday, and I think we can all agree that we have a renewed passion and purpose for why we are here in Uganda.

Our day started at Laroo Primary School. This is a very barren campus with around 800 students, around 40 of which our hearing impaired. It is a campus that needs a lot of assistance, and it is easy to get overwhelmed by the needs while present with this beautiful mass of children. We had the honor of listening to many speeches, dances, songs, and more speeches, as Northern Uganda is a very formal place. The children both blessed and impressed us, as many songs and speeches were performed by the hearing impaired children. Living in a developing nation, children with disabilities are the last to be catered to in the education system, and there is still much ignorance in Uganda that deaf students are also "dumb" and unteachable. It was inspiring to communicate with so many of the teachers, students, and community members about the future of this vulnerable population, with the knowledge that we are all dreaming together for a promising future.

I first walked on the grounds of Laroo in November of 2013, and we were informed of all of the challenges that they were facing. One of the main issues was they lacked electricity and a fence, and because of this, many of there students have been attacked at night. For the hearing impaired students who live on this campus, their communication ends when the sun goes down. Not anymore!!! Today, we had the joy of being an answered prayer to this community by bringing electricity to their campus. I cannot thank the Pendergrass family enough amongst many others that have decided to help change the course of these children's lives through your gifts and assistance. Laroo will not be the same when I return in June, and I am excited to hear about all of the positive changes that have taken place through this effort.

The girls at Laroo were just as eager to receive the kits as our other partner school as this is a such a huge burden removed from their life. These simple hygiene kits bring a sense of dignity and pride to their lives that they may have never felt before.

Following our wonderful visit at Laroo we loaded our van down with more hygiene supplies and had the honor of visiting with the staff and children at Bungatira Primary as well. And this is the campus where I literally had my heart broken. Two brave girls shared with us their stories and the difficulties they have faced. One young girl talked of her father not being able to afford school fees, and so an early marriage was arranged at the age of 12. It is not uncommon thinking in Uganda for a girl to be believed ready for marriage after her period arrives. Parents struggling to pay school fees, simply see marriage as a better option free from the burden of trying to cover the education fees for their daughters. By God's grace this girl is back at school through the interventions of our education advocate, Florence Ngamita.

Following this heartbreaking tale, we all got to hear another student talk about the continual rejection of family members, that have sent her all across Central/East Africa as she never seemed to be wanted by anyone, and her schooling was too much of a burden on her family relations. She was sent away by herself to an uncle at the age of 2 on a bus, and was then immediately rejected when the police were finally able to find this relative, and cast aside as unwanted. She too has found a home at Bungatira and Fields of Dreams Uganda through Florence our incredible education advocate.

One of the saddest parts of both of these stories, in which I did no justice at all in telling, is that their school fees equate to roughly 7 or 8 U.S. Dollars every three months. To a family or child living in crippling poverty that is often a monumental task, but to us living in the western world that is equivalent to an extra value meal at McDonalds. We are literally allowing young girls to be married off as children over a Quarter Pounder Meal. I don't know if I will sleep tonight trying to make sense of the senseless.

Yesterday at Pageya Primary School a representative from the PTA thanked our organization for giving the children "hooks instead of fish." He could plainly see through the work, efforts, and programming of Fields of Dreams Uganda that lives were being empowered, uplifted, and directed toward a path that does not end with a scared little girl as someone's wife.

As I often travel and speak about our work, it is hard for me to put into words the positive impact our work is having in Uganda. Lives are literally being saved from horrific endings, and dreams are within reach for these beautiful children. You can't really know how important this work is until you live it, breathe it, smell it, and look it in the face. We need you to be a part of the positive change that is happening here in Gulu. I don't want to look another child in the eyes and tell them that a meal in America is more important than their future education. Please consider helping us continue this great work by getting involved with a monthly donation, $25 dollars a month could literally help us keep around 35 kids in Gulu in school and away from an ending that none of us wants to believe is a reality. 

http://www.fieldsofdreamsuganda.org/#!donate2/cvw2

By: Nicole Moore

As the team walked through the neighborhood streets of Gulu tonight, to and from dinner, a conversation between a few of us really resonated in my core.  "You know it's crazy to think that just 15 years ago we couldn't do this," I said to someone, referring to walking back to our hotel in the dark. "You couldn't even do this 5 years ago," someone responded. We were referring to the horrific violence that had taken place on these very streets in just our recent past. "In fact, if you didn't know the history of this place, you'd never know just walking through town and greeting people" someone responded.

Today was just an all-around incredible, emotional day, for all of us I think.  We visited two primary schools in Gulu.  We were greeted by music and dancing and skits and songs.  Teachers and parents spoke with pride and excitement over their students.  The kids were a bit more standoffish than what we experienced with the schools in Kampala, and understandably so.  For years they lived in a nightmare.  But today, the children of those that experienced the nightmare, showed us what hope looked like. And it was incredible. 

After sessions of formalities and performances, we had the opportunity to pull aside the adolescent girls and put on the programs we had created for them.  Abbie and Naomi did a wonderful skit about forgiveness.  They had the girls write down a a hurt or fear on a piece of paper and we all threw them into a burn bucket and lit a match of hope to burn away the hardships they carried with them.  They taught the girls a song about forgiveness.  Pat and Hollie spoke about Being Bravely You and passed out a beautiful card with song lyrics on it.  And Alexis and I had a conversation with the girls about inner beauty and self esteem.  We asked the group of girls two questions, not knowing what type of response we would get. "What is something you love the most about yourself?" and "What is the hardest thing about being a girl?"  Their answers to what they loved most about themselves warmed my heart.  Many of the girls answered with things that brought them joy, while some mentioned physical characteristics. The answers to the latter questions took my breath away at times.  Many of the answers having to do with dealing with sexual violence.   I found myself praying through the whole thing for the right and best way to respond to what these girls were sharing with us.  

Following our group presentations we moved into talking to the girls about why we were there...to pass out hygiene kits.  They nurses of the group presented the kits and the instructions for using the contents.  One of my favorite moments of the day was seeing the girls squeal with excitement that they were getting three brand new pairs of underwear!  You would have thought they were getting gold!

As we passed out all the kits, I kept wishing these girls could know how much this experience means to me.  I have always had a heart for girls.  My personal mission statement is: “I will live as though I have a thousand daughters, even though I have none, because every girl is my daughter and when she sees me, or engages with me, she's looking to me for how to live. So I will live, I will smile, I will laugh, I will speak, and I will love as though her heart and soul depend on it.”  Today I truly got to live out my mission statement.  I am so grateful for the opportunity to be here with Fields of Dreams Uganda.  I am grateful to the teachers and staff that keep these beautiful children safe and inspired.  And I am so grateful to the amazing girls of Gulu, for being strong and brave and sharing a bit of their lives with us today.  Mine is forever changed.
With a grateful heart,
Nicole Moore

Empowering Ugandan Girls

By: Tyler Irick

Yesterday we began our day in downtown Kampala. The downtown area is a beast that you really can't comprehend without physically seeing it with your own eyes. But I'll do it my best to conceptualize it. The entire country of Uganda is close to the size of Oregon and inhabits close to 35 million with Kampala having four million alone. In any large city the downtown area is very populated. And with all of these people here there are not really any street regulations. No street signs, no street lights, no lane restrictions, etc. But as chaotic as this sounds it works like a clock work. Our driver Frank the Tank drives like a stallion. He makes any Nascar driver look like a fifteen year old kid that just received their learners permit. Once Frank got us to the market to buy our equipment half of our group left the van to go to the store. 

Once we were there we bought our stuff but unfortunately it wasn't that easy. The vendor didn't have all of the product that we needed because it was kept in another building. We also had to wait for our truck so we could load up and wait for our remaining products to be delivered to us. Since we were in Uganda we abide by Ugandan time. (Which I've learned is never on time) So we waited for three hours for the rest of our products. Once most of it was delivered we decided we needed to leave so we still had time to go to Wakiso. So we grabbed enough to make one hundred kits, and as they say, "When in Uganda do as the Ugandans!" So me and my good friend Ben picked up two soap boxes and carried them on our heads. And if i had a dollar for everytime I heard, "HAHA Funny Mzungu, they act like Ugandans," our job here would be much easier. (Mzungu is the Bantu word for white person) We then loaded up in our van, made another stop and went back to the Apricot house where we are staying to fix our kits. 

After getting the kits together we then left for Wakiso which is one of the schools we work with in Kampala. On our arrival to the school we received the best welcome I have ever received; 250 children singing and dancing because the "Muzungus are here!!' Once we began walking to them they gave us hugs and screams of cheer and held our hands as we walked to the schools. Immediately I saw a young boy wearing a deflated soccer ball on his head as a hat. And thought, "That's my kind of kid, we're going to be friends!" He came up to me very quickly and held my hand and began talking with me and asking me questions and I asked him questions. His name is Solomon and he is ten years old and his favorite class in school is physics. He was the sweetest little guy. And I can't wait to go back and see my new little friend compete in our football tournament! (Soccer) 

We then went into their class room and Mike and Uncle Jonathan had us introduce ourselves and once we got to who I was Mike asked the kids who remembered Auntie Dot and all of the kids raised their hands. He then proceeded to tell them that I was going to be marrying her and everyone erupted with cheers and clapping in excitement for the great news! I truly believe that just goes to show how not only beautiful of a person Dorothy is but also these kids. They remember us the exact way we remember them and are excited to see us when we're here. 

We then listened to a skit performed by four young girls about how having a monthly cycle keeps them from being able to go to school. They also expressed how Afripads gives them a sense of empowerment because they no longer are forced to miss school. It was then proceeded by a speech performed by one of the girls expressing how much Afripads helps and how thankful they are for the dreams teams. It was an incredible moment that is forever embedded in my mind. After these events the boys went outside so we could show the girls how to use the pads. Once upon receiving these gifts the girls lit up with excitement like I have never seen before. And just seeing the raw emotion and gratitude is something that I am still taken aback by. We then played with the children for a little bit before we had to leave. Unfortunately I could not find my friend Solomon again, but these two boys that could not speak English came to me and were attached at my hip. They both wanted me to hold them and wouldn't let me put them down and they were constantly taking my sunglasses and having me chase them to get them back! After this we left and went back to our lodging. 

This trip has shown me that you can only know true happiness after you've been through true despair. These children and people have gone through more as a society than I can even begin to grasp and still, they are the most kind, gentle, and loving people I have ever had the honor to meet. And I am so thankful to be allowed in there presence, because they are teaching me what it means to know true happiness.

Returning to the Pearl of Africa

By: Alexis Blythe-Meece

We arrived in Uganda late last night. We arrived at night so I was kind of disappointed that I did not get to see the beauty of Uganda from the view of a window seat in an airplane. However, upon our arrival we were welcomed by Jonathan Ssebambulide the national director of Fields of Dreams Uganda and his wonderful wife Josephine of whom I spent time with on my previous trip to Uganda.  The Ssebambulide family just radiates kindness and I had tears of joy seeing Josephine.  She gave each team member beautiful flowers and once again made me question how a person can be so kind to others truly all of the time. 

We woke up this morning groggy on just a few hours of rest, after a restless 24 hours of travel. The thing I've learned about Uganda is I do not feel exhaustion like I do at home in Kentucky. I believe I am so astounded and in awe of my surroundings that I do not notice the sheer exhaustion my body is facing. We started off our morning with a trip into downtown Kampala to what I'm told is the largest street market in Africa. We made the trip to obtain the supplies used to fill our hygiene kits that we came to distribute. One thing I really enjoy about Fields of Dreams Uganda is that the materials made for the hygiene kits were made and purchased in Uganda and can help stimulate the local economy. This turned out to be quite the adventure. Half the team went on what was supposed to be a quick trip to obtain the supplies and the other half stayed in the van. This turned into a much longer process than hoped but we worked it out. We took the supplies back to the Apricot House and packaged the hygiene kits. 

We then took off for Wakiso school. After a nice and bumpy ride we had finally arrived at the school. It is Saturday but as many of these children are orphaned, they also live on the grounds as well and are cared for by the wonderful staff. Before we could even begin to pull into the campus we saw the large group of staff and children waiting for us and singing their beautiful songs. One child began doing handstands out of excitement. When we finally got up to them many reached their hands out and said constantly, "Thank you for coming to us!" Many of the children grabbed our hands and asked us many questions and began telling us their name. 

We were welcomed by a skit that several of the young ladies performed to show the purpose and importance of these hygiene kits. The skit was well rehearsed and perfect! At the end a young girl began speaking so very eloquently I stood in pure amazement. She was speaking about feminine hygiene with such dignity. This was also happening with her male peers and male staff. She showed tremendous courage and we all were impressed with her. We later had a speech from staff from AfriPads, the organization that makes the pads placed in their hygiene kits for girls to use on their monthly cycles. She taught the girls how to use their kits and take care of themselves. We then were able to distribute the kits. 

During this time I was stopped by a young lady named Resya. She questioned my interest in football (soccer) and was amazed that I knew squat about it. She showed me her bed, her suitcase with everything she owned, the school's goats, the clinic and even her teachers. Resya shared with me that she was orphaned at the age of four and after walking the streets for weeks, and walking two hours each way to school she was taken in by the school as a permanent resident. Resya shared with me her anxieties and her desire to be a doctor. She also challenged me to a game of football which I intend to take her up on later this week. I told her she might be overwhelmed with my lack of skills and she got a good laugh out of this. Working with the foster system in America and witnessing its many flaws everyday and then coming to a place like Uganda where children are just taken in by families, communities, and schools it can really put things into perspective. That is what has drawn me back to the pearl of Africa. The generosity and kindness of these communities is something that unfortunately does not feel normal living in America. I continue to be amazed by the kindness, colors and culture of Uganda. I believe in the future of these children and specifically the fact that these young girls deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. They deserve to feel clean and valued as a worthy human being. I'm so happy to be back to this beautiful place.