Dawn Peters and a group of eight other Innisfail citizens went to Uganda to share their heart and returned home to tell their tales.
Innisfail citizens Brenda and David Layden, Peters, retired Innisfail Jr/Sr High School principal John Hand, Shirley and Kathy Lentz, Bev Carson, Bruce Stevens and Zane Nicholson travelled to Masaka to serve Ugandans with their skills from March 11 to 25.
Hand worked with local teachers at Kingsland Junior School for five days, observing and talking to the staff extensively.
“I not only worked alongside the teachers, but also put on a half day in-service for staff,” said Hand. “We had taken some school supplies like pens, pencils, erasers and teachers' resources and shared them with the school. It was amazing to see what they could do with their limited resources.”
Travelling to Uganda was a lifelong dream for Peters, an Innisfail Middle School Grade 5 educational assistant.
“When I was young, we had a pastor who had been a missionary to Uganda, and after listening to him talk about his experiences I had a desire to go as well,” said Peters. “When the opportunity came up for a group of us to travel there, I realized this was God's timing, and signed up.”
While in Masaka, Peters worked in Kingsland Junior getting to know the teachers and building relationships with them.
“We planned a craft activity for the children of the school who were aged three to 12, using paint and material,” said Peters. “The children had never seen paint before and that created some interesting reactions. Our craft involved having the students paint their handprints onto the material and they were amazed.”
The attitude of the students impressed her.
“Despite their impoverished surroundings, these kids were cheerful, warm to visitors and receptive to anyone wishing to help,” she added. “Having gone there once, I want to go back again.”
Layden noted that this was not a Rotary trip although her husband's first exposure to Uganda was through Rotary and the village of Masaka was ‘adopted' in 2010. This was her husband's fourth trip to the African country and her third. The couple returned in 2012 to follow up on projects started in the previous visit, and the 2014 trip itinerary also included followup with a couple of new projects.
“It is important that those who donated funds to the projects know that their hard-earned money went to where it was intended,” said Layden. “We know we can't change the world, but we can make a difference one person at a time.”
An Innisfail mother and daughter team also went on the journey. Shirley and Kathy Lentz travelled to Masaka to see first hand a water tank for the community that was purchased by her son in memory of her late husband.
A fundraising effort was held on March 2 at the Innisfail Alliance Church with a goal of $16,000. Close to $70,000 was raised for the community.
“We were all amazed at how much was raised for Masaka,” said Layden.
The Laydens had another reason to go to Masaka. In 2007 they sponsored a child who had no hope and lived in poverty. She added the couple spent much time with their African child on this trip who is now in her last semester of university and has become a confident, determined young woman.
“She wants to see other people helped the same way she was,” added Layden. “We made a difference in her life, and she will do the same for others.”
Farm seeds, animals and fertilizer were donated to a local farm in order to help it become self-sufficient and provide income and food to Ugandans in the Masaka area.
Meanwhile, local community members Stevens, Nicholson, and Carson helped in various agricultural projects.
The trip might be over for the group of nine that travelled to Uganda but interested individuals can come to a slide show presentation at the Innisfail Alliance Church, located at 4804 – 42 Ave., at 3 p.m. on April 27. For more information on the presentation, call the Alliance Church at 403-227-6655.
