A new journey to the children has begun and I find myself writing this blog update from Red Chilli Hideaway in Kampala, a favorite place to stay when in the city.
All in all, getting here from Vancouver, Canada was about a 25 hour journey, through 10 time zones, over two night flights, that had me arrive in fair shape on Wednesday, Sept 26th. Right on time, and in powerful pouring rain, we pulled up to the terminal in Entebbe at 7:45am, about an hour and a half south of Kampala the capital city of Uganda. My ankles had blossomed quite fully into a most hearty pair of “kankles” (swollen, but not painful) by the time we landed, and have begun their return to normal after the great big sleep I had last evening! Another day of rest and I think I’ll be quite good to go once
again, as I plan to carry on and make my way to Mbale tomorrow, Friday.
In my “hit the ground running so you aren’t tempted to sleep the day away” efforts, I arranged for a special hire to drive me along with Issac, his wife, Sylvia, and little baby, Chloe, some 3 hours north along the Kampala-Gulu road, to a bee keeping operation that he is running with several others, in the village of Wampiti.
Slight sidebar.. LITA is about to roll out news about a very exciting collaboration we are beginning with another not-for-profit from Canada that is all about bee keeping. So, a large part of this journey, and indeed the reason I have come at this exact time, has to do with this honey of a partnership in the works! More on this, soon!
While on the Wampiti road trip, I also had the
wonderful opportunity to meet Isaac’s father and mother on a quick visit to their compound which is nearby the community land we visited where several active hives are being kept.
Isaac’s parents, continuing on from generations of bee keepers, are wonderful stewards of the land. The trees on their property are so large, no one ever having succumbed to the tremendous temptation to cut them down for fuel. There are many crops growing and amazing huge orange trees fit to burst with ripening fruit.
Isaac’s parents were so very gracious, it was delightful to meet them and to make a promise to visit them again in the near future to share a meal. A very important part of Ugandan culture, it is such a welcoming and generous offer that is very
often extended especially when one meets people in the village. Isaac said they wanted to gift to me a hen, how beautiful is that.. but they understood I was not in the position to accept such an honor at that exact moment, so were happy when I assured them I will return another day to break bread together.
And so it is we’re off on another Ugandan journey. Thank you for joining along as I make my way around the next several months that I am expecting to be here. Thank you for being with me in heart as we greet once again the orphaned children we know, and extend our hands and hearts to those who are waiting upon us, and those we have yet to meet, bringing our special brand of LITA Love and empowerment wherever we are guided to be. I am so grateful that we are together and that you are here with me. Thank you, one and all!
Blessings in Love, Cath xox
On behalf of all of us at Love Is The Answer, I wish to thank with deep gratitude and appreciation, Mr. Zach Silverman, of http://www.silvermanmortgage.com/ who graciously and generously sponsored a new Canon camera for LITA ( this was it’s very first picture! ) AND, with whom we will be collaborating to raise much needed funds for orphaned children needing our empowerment and Loving care. Thanks so much Zach, looking so forward to working with you and your team ~ Be Blessed ~