Reaching Out

We truly believe that there are no such things as coincidences, only divine appointments.  While house hunting, we met a women named Evelyn Komuntale, and have since become friends.  Evelyn shared with us her testimony and passion that lead her to establish a non-profit organization called Outreach To Africa (OTA) to reach out to the people of Uganda and DR Congo.  Since its inception in 1996, OTA has continued to reach out in various ways and through various projects to meet the physical and spiritual needs of the people.  Evelyn Invited us to visit two of their projects – Paul Devlin Academy Primary School located about an hour drive (7 miles) outside of Ft. Portal and Rwebisengo Medical Center about a three hour drive (45 miles) due west on the border of DR Congo. 

Paul Devlin Primary School

On the first day, we went along with a small medical team to the primary school.  Several of the team members with medical training were visiting as part of a larger short term mission team from the United States serving in another area of Uganda.  One hundred and ninety four children are currently attending the school.  About thirty percent of the students are boarding at the school, the remaining walk every day to school from the surrounding area.  The medical team was tasked with giving basic physical examinations, administering Tetanus booster shots and testing the children for HIV/AIDS.  Small Pox vaccinations were also given to those children who had not already received them.  The medical team had already worked at the school the day before and attended to more than half of the children.  Our goal was to see to the remaining students.  Although we were just tagging along with the medical team, George and I quickly found ways to be useful.  George worked most of the day alongside of some of the team members who were administering the HIV/AIDS tests and recording the results.  Praise the Lord, on this day, all sixty four of the children tested negative for HIV!  I stayed busy filling in where needed and in the afternoon played games with the children.  Having accomplished what we set out to do, we traveled back to Evelyn’s home and shared in a wonderful evening meal together.

Luan cutting pills in half to make proper dose for children. 

Teddy drawing blood for HIV tests.

George managing HIV results.

Yesu says, raise your right hand and turn yourself around!

Doctor Amy attending to a young patient at the clinic.

The next day, we traveled with Evelyn and two of the women from the medical team, Amy and Annette, about three hours west to Rwebisengo Village bordering the DR Congo to visit OTA’s Rwebisengo Medical Clinic.  Rwebisengo has a population of about 30,000.  A large number of them are refugees who ran away from the DRC due to ethnic warfare.  OTA has turned a hotel into a medical center equipped with a laboratory, pharmacy, maternity and private rooms for patients.  They see some 5000 patients and deliver 300 babies annually with only one doctor, one medical assistant, one nurse, one midwife and several other workers who support the administration and physical needs of the clinic.  An amazing amount of work is being accomplished with such little staffing at the clinic.  We were impressed by the cleanliness and organization of the clinic.  Even more impressive was the genuine care and attention

Private patient rooms provided at the clinic.

 by the staff to the needs of the patients.  Since there is no power in the village, the laboratory equipment and testing methods used are designed to be utilized without power.  Amy and Annette, who are both medically trained professionals from the US, brought along medical supplies that had been donated for the clinic and attended to a steady stream of patients during our time there.  Following our visit to the clinic, we had the privilege to visit the home of Evelyn’s uncle located a little ways from the clinic.  We enjoyed a wonderful meal together prepared Congolese style before returning to Ft. Portal.  Our return trip took a little longer than expected as both lanes of the road were closed for some time while construction crews were excavating the mountain side above.  A large front end loader had to be used to remove the huge boulders and rocks that had fallen and blocked our road before we could continue on our journey. 

Patiently waiting for road construction to clear.

We encourage you to learn more about OTA and ways that you can pray and support their ministry by visiting their website at www.outreachtoafrica.org.  May the LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.

In His Grip,

George and Luan