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By Victoria Kateme

Growing up in large Ugandan families, we were nurtured by many mothers. A good number of them were family members, and the other half were older women in the village who cared for us as well as our own mothers would. Not a lot has changed for the younger children that RIBHO reaches with a meal or two.

“I am happy to have a mother figure”, says Ambrose an eleven year old boy primary five. The end of this year he would be moving along to primary six, but with COVID-19 school is still suspended in all of Uganda and is likely to remain that way for the rest of the year.

Ambrose was born with pediatric HIV and he also has a hearing impairment. After the death of his mother who passed on when Ambrose was three years old, he was given to the full care of his beloved father. Although the father does not have a stable job, for a while now, they have done relatively well. The father has done a great job of making life comfortable for his son Ambrose, until this March, when COVID-19 brought work to a standstill for so many people like Ambrose’s father.

Through RIBHO’s feeding program, Ambrose not only has access to nutritious foods, he has also found a “mother figure” as he says, in one of the female volunteers assigned to him as to this boy to help him boost his immunity, but also the female volunteer social worker assigned to him. “She reminds me of my mother. She listens to me, and shows mw love. She also says inspiring messages to me. I thank God for her”, says Ambrose with a large smile.

During the June home visit, we found Ambrose at home alone. His father was out looking for work. For our usual prayer time at the end of the visit, Ambrose hoped that God would heal him and enable him to hear properly. You see, it is very difficult for him to hear everything we say, which frustrates him. For those patient enough to carry on a conversation with him, Ambrose rewards with a happy facial expression of both joy and relief.

When a watchful neighbor pooped around to see who was visiting with Ambrose, we identified ourselves as RIBHO volunteers. Nonetheless, she asked Ambrose directly, “Who are these people?” to which he replied, happily, “The mothers have come.” His simple but full matter of fact statement speaks volumes, especially when it comes from such an innocent loving and brave child.

If you are like me, you have probably been surprised at the many responses COVID-19 has evoked in you. Perhaps you have seen similar or different responses in others.

On the inside and outside, we go around in circles that often have lament, cursing, fright, trembling, … and then hope, laughter, catching up with family and longtime friends, praying, fasting, … and we dial back to 0 …and on and on …

I am concluding that’s it’s okay not to be okay, for as long as we maintain some sight of hope. Just a little bit of it, every day.

With everything down and almost running out (if not already run out) this coronavirus lockdown continues to shake our individual and global lives. Here in our rural Uganda communities, the sting of bitter paralyzing days is beginning to set in and affect everything. Not to be negative. We are learning that calling things out by name helps us better deal with what we are able to name.

People are still off the streets, the usual Sundays gatherings are no more, learning institutions are still closed, shopping malls and restaurants all not functioning, public transport means no more …, and no where close to returning to normal as we had hoped the President would announce in his last address to the country.

In the last few weeks we have scripted messages of hope for ourselves and others.  As lazy and self-serving as it may sound, we are letting people know that taking care of themselves is now the first line of protection against this cononavirus. For us who are still blessed to live in low risk communities, our major issues will likely continue to be concern about having enough food and mental health.

As self-absorbing as it might sound, some days your best job and service to humanity will be taking great care of yourself. Please do just that.

So, a question to you friends, what measures have you put in place to ensure your safety, as well as that of your loved ones and neighbors?

Please share your tips with us, and if you have yet to figure these measures out, we are more than happy to make some helpful suggestions.

Stay well…

Emmanuel Kasomba

It seems to me that our world seemingly finds itself in greater need than are resources. If you have been tasked with the ministry of giving, like me, perhaps you find yourself a bit overwhelmed, and very aware that your tiny COVID-19 response is so small, and almost too embarrassing to give to those whose needs are so much greater than all your best efforts to supply.

Even worse, perhaps some of you have experienced what I have. You have presented 1 kilogram of sugar to a family of 6 that needs so much more than your meager gift, and they in frantic despair have pointed out the obvious to you, “Madame, I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but how do you expect me to feed my family on just this?”

And you go away with mixed feelings. Should you continue to make this very small gift available, or feel ashamed and embarrassed that you have so little to give, and unable to meet a need so vast?

Well, this morning as I pray for all the people that I wish I could bless with so much, I am grateful for the witness of the Holy Spirit, that calms me and reminds me to submit my smallest gift to God, and look to Him to use it to present more than I ever can. Beyond sweetening tea, and giving that much needed energy to a hungry body, I pray that God would add His value and unfailing fragrance of hope, peace and love to a small gift that demonstrating expressed care and concern. Long after the sugared tea has been digested and wasted, I pray that the warm feeling of hope will linger much longer in each fearful heart.

And so I sing on, because I too have experienced these mixed feelings – as often I come to God’s table, asking for more, demanding for more even, before I express gratitude for what He has already done for me. It’s not that I do not appreciate my Fathers expressed love and care for me. It’s that I am too over burdened by the fear and doubt concerning tomorrow needs, my gaze, transfixed on tomorrow’s giants, skips over today’s supply placed in my hands now.

But my Father knows and sees all this, and loves me deeply still in this experience of my mine – needing to believe and hope on Him, whose unfailing love is already much greater than ever a need I can present Him with.

Soon enough, soon enough, His Spirit will teach my heart, to praise and thank Him as I ought. Soon enough!

For today, I thankfully acknowledge this:

“Weak is the effort of my heart, And cold my warmest thought;
But when I see Thee as Thou art, I’ll praise Thee as I ought.”  

Are you a minister today? More overwhelmed by lack than the awareness of God’s surplus to provide for the needs of those you serve and the world over? Be encouraged. Keep serving. Do not grow weary of expressing love, care and concern. There is a much greater force at work behind each phone call you make, each small need you help meet – soon enough, soon enough … Loves great tide building up now, will steadies us all, to keep fear away, to sooth tired hearts and minds, to cause us to sing yet another happy chorus.

As it is, you haven’t been called to do all. You have been called to BE all.

I pray you will enjoy and medicate on the words of this hymn, and be strengthened to BE in Christ Jesus.

How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds | John Newton

How sweet the name of Jesus sounds,
In a believer’s ear!
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear.

It makes the wounded spirit whole
And calms the troubled breast;
’Tis manna to the hungry soul,
And to the weary, rest.

Dear Name! the Rock on which I build,
My Shield and Hiding Place,
My never-failing Treas’ry filled
With boundless stores of grace!

Jesus! my Shepherd, Husband, Friend,
My Prophet, Priest, and King;
My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,
Accept the praise I bring.

Weak is the effort of my heart,
And cold my warmest thought;
But when I see Thee as Thou art,
I’ll praise Thee as I ought.

Till then I would Thy love proclaim
With every fleeting breath,
And may the music of Thy name
Refresh my soul in death.

Shalom!

Dr. Pam

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For me, volunteering with RIBHO has provided a much needed outlet of my desire to so do something to help others … which I find, helps me the most in return.

Does your community have organizations that are offering safe ways for you to express the love and care I know you feel inside?

How about the numerous online serving opportunities we are hearing about? Are you able to be part of these service opportunities? I hope so. Perhaps you have no clue where, how and with whom to begin. Keep seeking, listening and looking.

At RIBHO we have had numerous opportunities to contribute to efforts in helping each other and our community members to stay above the waters. This has been done through using the seemingly small resources available in practical ways.

I have taken all the COVID-19 training courses that RIBHO has offered. I can’t tell you how much I have surely appreciate setting my eyes on those course notes, and then later sharing this wise information with others.

A few weeks ago RIBHO sponsored our community partners, providing them with resources for making face masks using kitengi fabric material that is 100% cotton as recommended by the Health practitioners. I was blessed to work with one of the recipient tailors of this initiative. She had this to say about this project.

“It was a great pleasure and opportunity to spearhead the making of masks. It was something I had never thought about but when RIBHO brought the opportunity and chose to work with me, I got the chance to learn a new skill since I was given the guidelines of making the recommended type of masks.” – Pastor Naume Biribawa.

She is a pastor, professional tailor and a RIBHO volunteer who was empowered by the organization to take on this activity. This activity was very timely, as only a few days later, the government made it mandatory for everyone to put on a face mask when going out in public places.

You see what I mean? Engaging in these prevention activities has been very rewarding for me. If you haven’t already (and I know most of you have or are on the verge of), please take on a safe volunteering opportunity, and when you do, perhaps you can share it with us. We can always use more motivation!

Emmanuel Kasomba

In our rural communities, a bar of soap can often make a difference between life and death. This is not an exaggeration, especially now, with scientific news stating that this coronavirus can stubbornly stay alive on a surface for 72 hours (or was it 48 hours?).

In our poorest communities, as many of 600 infants will die from diarrhea, often resulting from poor hand hygiene. So you can see why I have a whole different appreciation for hand washing and a bar of soap for those who can’t always afford one.

So anyways, I was really happy to participate in handing out RIBHO’s free bars of soap to various people in the community, to empower them properly wash their hands. In such difficult times when some people’s probability of missing the next meal is more than a half, will they be able to buy soap? Thankfully, for those within reach of our project services, the answer doesn’t always have to be no.

With RIBHO’s hand washing good initiative, a good number of beneficiaries have been able to keep safe. Many of these individuals were identified by the various partner local churches, who reach out to the targeted group of people in most need of the soap. … and not just one piece of soap, but half  a bar (that is at least 3-4 pieces of soap).

With such practical love, and sharing coupled with prayers, it was wonderful to see some of these families cut off a piece of soap and share it with their neighbors. After all, their children play and get sick together. Still, love over a bar of soap goes a long ways of many hand washings.

Have you shared anything with anyone outside of your family and friends during this COVID time? if you haven’t already, or have done it again in the last 7 days, do it again, and please share your thrill of sharing with us.

Please stay well. Stay safe. …

Emmanuel Kasomba

By Dr. Pamela Mukaire

“Yes staying home will save me and my children from COVID-19 but not from the fits of my husband on my body and my children’s small faces.”

This is the story of a woman who has endured abuse for years. As she tells her story, she speaks of how her husband’s going to work has given her and the children a break from his abuse these past 7 years. A sweet man she says, but one who does not do well with anxiety. Now in the face on no income, three children and a wife to feed, curfews and no place to go, she finds herself “jailed” with a loved one unable to work through the mounting anxiety, … taking it all out on her and the children.

Women in abusive situations do an incredibly good job using a variety of methods in seeking assistance, halting or minimizing the abuse inflicted upon them and their children. In countries like Uganda, where court orders of protection do not do much, an abusive partners going to work, and the abused being able to get out of the house a few hours each day (for the children too – going to school), can be the only temporary relief. With COVID-19 in place, everyone is at home – the abused are having to stay in the same house with their abuser 24/7.

“When will this end?”, she asks. “When do you think COVID-19 will end?”

In Vienna Virginia, we are still able to take small walks here and there – get out of the house and take an exercise and mental health breather. As I did my routine walk today I prayed for this colleague of mine in Uganda, and thought of the women, children and men in America who may be kept safe at home from COVID-19 but not abuse.

I found myself singing that familiar song from Psalm 61: 1 “when my heart is overwhelmed hear my heart and attend unto my prayer. Lead me to the rock that’s higher than I.”

And would you know it, my walk got me past a very happy family, playing music and barbecuing, with a child in her mother lap. It is heart warming to know that some families are bonding during this time.

For those that are struggling, we have prayed for you, hope you find the courage to seek the help and support you need safely outside your home. As I pray for my colleague, Psalm 59: 9 and 17 “O my Strength, I watch for you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God. God will go before me.”

In a time when our mental, social, financial, social, and physical strength fizzles, I am so glad that God is our Strength, and the One who has promised to go on ahead of us and ensure that tomorrow is a better day. It is a blessed thing to lean on a sure hope!

Ms. Brenda – Youth Leader, Kyamagwa Project Site

The explosive innovation in technology has undoubtedly led to major developments towards the use of information technologies, … and we are not too far behind.  Late last year, amidst preparations to launch online training opportunities for our community members and partners, we identified technology challenges and opportunities for improving the health services they deliver to the communities we serve. 

We called on our support circle of friends and they responded with such generosity. Thanks to our friends, now our staff, local leaders and youth can keep up with receiving and delivering vital health information to continue solving the global and local health problems of our time.

We have designed a number of training courses to advance a broad range of health goals, particularly healthy lifestyles behavior promotion, chronic disease prevention, and NOW, the emerging COVID-19 and related emergency preparedness. In a time when most everyone has turned to the World Wide Web, these laptop gifts and Dr. Mukaire’s February trip to our project sites couldn’t have been timelier.

While print materials are still very popular with our rural projects, the pressure to use online technologies is upon us like never before.

Thanks to our friends, we are a whole lot better prepared to engage online than we were in January of this year. We continue to be expectant and are confident that much good will come from their generous gifts.

Thank you friends!