Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Monday, May 28, 2012
Q. How do you make a grown man cry?
A. You take him on mission trip to Uganda.
We made it back home last week and there hasn't been a day since that thoughts haven't wondered to the children we met while in Uganda. I have written three concluding blog posts but no of them have completely captured my thoughts, so I have neglected my blog.
I have heard from many of you that you enjoyed following along during the trip. For that, I thank you.
As for some profound words that would convey the feelings and emotions or describe the lessons learned, I'm at a loss. It would take my memoirs or a novel. However, to answer the most popular question, "What was the one thing that you learned on the trip?" That's easy.
There are some really good people in this world, and at the top of the list is Dr. Norberto Benitez. The difference he has made in Kayenje, Uganda is real and tangible. It all started when he and his wife, Anna traveled to see Fr. Lawrence Mulinda's home village. They saw things they could help fix, raised money, engaged the locals, and I got to see and enjoy the results.
The other take away from the trip is that I made a new friend in Tim Shannon and I got to know better the incredible Fr. Lawrence. These things I will cherish. I will also cherish that many of you donated to the MIMA Foundation, because I asked. That is awesome. I can tell you that it will be put to good use.
As for the future, Dr. Benitez and Fr. Lawrence will continue their good work and hopefully I will continue to participate and help as best I can. I would love to go back next year and take anyone who wants to go. Just let me know. I now have Ugandan connections!
Until the next adventure...
We made it back home last week and there hasn't been a day since that thoughts haven't wondered to the children we met while in Uganda. I have written three concluding blog posts but no of them have completely captured my thoughts, so I have neglected my blog.
I have heard from many of you that you enjoyed following along during the trip. For that, I thank you.
As for some profound words that would convey the feelings and emotions or describe the lessons learned, I'm at a loss. It would take my memoirs or a novel. However, to answer the most popular question, "What was the one thing that you learned on the trip?" That's easy.
There are some really good people in this world, and at the top of the list is Dr. Norberto Benitez. The difference he has made in Kayenje, Uganda is real and tangible. It all started when he and his wife, Anna traveled to see Fr. Lawrence Mulinda's home village. They saw things they could help fix, raised money, engaged the locals, and I got to see and enjoy the results.
The other take away from the trip is that I made a new friend in Tim Shannon and I got to know better the incredible Fr. Lawrence. These things I will cherish. I will also cherish that many of you donated to the MIMA Foundation, because I asked. That is awesome. I can tell you that it will be put to good use.
As for the future, Dr. Benitez and Fr. Lawrence will continue their good work and hopefully I will continue to participate and help as best I can. I would love to go back next year and take anyone who wants to go. Just let me know. I now have Ugandan connections!
Until the next adventure...
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Matooke, Matooke, Matooke
Some interesting observations from Uganda:
Matooke is plantains. People grow it everywhere and eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Men are always in long pants and collared shirts. No shorts, no t shirts, period.
Red clay is everywhere. The dirt roads create dust which goes everywhere. When it rains it turns to mud.
Uganda is fertile. Corn and matooke are planted roadside in urban areas and all over the country side. Coffee grows wild. Mango, avocado, jackfruit trees are always within sight.
The climate is mild. Elevations from 2,000 to 3,500 ft., make being on the equator mild. Temps between 55 - 80 degrees.
The driving is crazy! Boda Boda (motorbike taxis) are weaving in and out of traffic. Anything can be carried on a boda boda, we have seen as many as 5 people. We have seen stacks of eggs taller than the rider, sugar cane stacks, and rolled up mattress. You name it, they can figure out a way to get in on the motorbike.
Most Ugandans walk. Every road at any time of day has pedestrians walking on both sides.
Customarily, women and children drop to both knees when greeting. However, we only saw this in the village and not in the city.
Cheap cell phones are everywhere and I think all of Uganda has coverage. The trick is finding electricity to charge the batteries.
While people may not have much of the things money can buy, they are rich in things that matter. People take care of each other in the village. Families are tight and I mean tight. If 4 or 5 people are sitting in front of a house they are sitting on top of each other, not because there is not room, but by choice.
More later...
Matooke is plantains. People grow it everywhere and eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Men are always in long pants and collared shirts. No shorts, no t shirts, period.
Red clay is everywhere. The dirt roads create dust which goes everywhere. When it rains it turns to mud.
Uganda is fertile. Corn and matooke are planted roadside in urban areas and all over the country side. Coffee grows wild. Mango, avocado, jackfruit trees are always within sight.
The climate is mild. Elevations from 2,000 to 3,500 ft., make being on the equator mild. Temps between 55 - 80 degrees.
The driving is crazy! Boda Boda (motorbike taxis) are weaving in and out of traffic. Anything can be carried on a boda boda, we have seen as many as 5 people. We have seen stacks of eggs taller than the rider, sugar cane stacks, and rolled up mattress. You name it, they can figure out a way to get in on the motorbike.
Most Ugandans walk. Every road at any time of day has pedestrians walking on both sides.
Customarily, women and children drop to both knees when greeting. However, we only saw this in the village and not in the city.
Cheap cell phones are everywhere and I think all of Uganda has coverage. The trick is finding electricity to charge the batteries.
While people may not have much of the things money can buy, they are rich in things that matter. People take care of each other in the village. Families are tight and I mean tight. If 4 or 5 people are sitting in front of a house they are sitting on top of each other, not because there is not room, but by choice.
More later...
Day 6 - Sunday
Yesterday, we traveled to a near by village for the opening dedication of a new maternity ward of a clinic. It was funded by a Catholic parish in Clermont, FL and the pastor Msgr. Robert Webster had traveled here for the ceremony. Again it was quite the celebration, it started with Mass outside under tents with over 15 priests in attendance. We were treated like kings once again, however, this time we were not the center of attention which was quite fine.
Interestingly during the presentation of the gifts during Mass a live chicken was carried up and placed at the foot of the altar.
After Mass, all the introductions were done. Protocol is very important and since there was a microphone and generator powered speakers the next 3 hours were spent making speeches. When each of us were introduced, we were asked to stand. When I stood, I waived and said "Webale" which is thank you in Luganda. - It was quite the hit and everyone clapped and laughed.
We met a mzungu (white) girl today from northern California. She was 20 years old and spending her own money and traveling around Africa for 6 months. She was going to be volunteering at the clinic for the next month. A very impressive young lady. Check out her blog at www.tiastrombeck.wordpress.com.
Most of our commitments are now done and we will be traveling back to Seeta, then to Jinja to see the source of the Nile River. On the way we will stop at the Equator for pictures.
Peace
Interestingly during the presentation of the gifts during Mass a live chicken was carried up and placed at the foot of the altar.
After Mass, all the introductions were done. Protocol is very important and since there was a microphone and generator powered speakers the next 3 hours were spent making speeches. When each of us were introduced, we were asked to stand. When I stood, I waived and said "Webale" which is thank you in Luganda. - It was quite the hit and everyone clapped and laughed.
We met a mzungu (white) girl today from northern California. She was 20 years old and spending her own money and traveling around Africa for 6 months. She was going to be volunteering at the clinic for the next month. A very impressive young lady. Check out her blog at www.tiastrombeck.wordpress.com.
Most of our commitments are now done and we will be traveling back to Seeta, then to Jinja to see the source of the Nile River. On the way we will stop at the Equator for pictures.
Peace
Monday, May 14, 2012
Day 5 - Saturday
I am going to describe the celebration in Kayanje, but it was such an overpowering day that my traveling companions will have to forgive me for oversights or omissions.
The day began with Fr. Lawrence saying Mass in the rebuilt church. When we arrived on African time (everything happens in time, just not the time announced to start), people were standing around in their Sunday's finest. Men in western suit and ties (from old British colonial rule), women in fancy colorful dresses with folded pleats around the waist to create a thick belt and to make their bum appear bigger. The shoulders were raised and pointed and the size of the dresses were Victorian. They made quite the statement. Children were dressed in all sorts. Most of the clothes the children wear are mix and match of donated clothing. A little girl was in a dress and old soccer cleats. A little boy looked really sharp in a suit and vest. They do not care what the t-shirt says on the front, just that it is theirs. I had to break out the video camera during Mass to record the choir, they were incredible and only listening can tell that story.
At the end of Mass, a representative from the President of Uganda arrived with military bodyguard. He came to meet with Fr. and Dr. B and took the opportunity to speak to the people in the Church. Dr. B cornered him afterward to ask for electricity to be brought to the village to support the future clinic he wants to build.
We were directed down the hill toward the school. As we came around the corner, the dirt road was lined with hundreds of students, clapping in unison. A welcome banner was stretched across the road. The African dance troupe from the school danced in front of us as they led us toward the makeshift tents that were placed in the clearing. Under the tents, the people all sat in rows of ubiquitous molded plastic chair. Reserved for us and the other dignitaries in the front row was nice living room furniture, chairs and couches, with tables placed in front. We most definitely felt special. In attendance was a Member of Parliament, the commissioner from the Minister of Education's office, the Mayor, the Headmaster, school board, PTA, along with not just the parents but it seemed like everyone within 5 square miles. A microphone attached to generator powered speakers gave the MC the lead to start the celebration.
It was not just a celebration for our arrival, but the new Headmaster, Alfred, had organized a Sports Day for the students. So the agenda included kids singing, speeches, running races, speeches, girls dancing, speeches and did I mention speeches, mostly in the native Lugandan language. I have not met a Ugandan that does not like the microphone. Father later mentioned that everyone is so long winded because they want to seize the opportunity to teach the uneducated villagers. It is a "teachable moment." It seemed to me that politicians and priests are the same around the world - long winded... However, there is clearly no one like Father who can work the crowd like him.
The sports day events pitted two teams against each other. After the running races, they had fun events like filling a coke bottle with water carried by hand from 30 feet away, and races with filled water bottles on their heads. Fun events that would be done at any field day at an elementary school in the U.S. The difference is that the winning team was presented not with a trophy or a dress down day but a GOAT. The team captain picked the goat up over his head and ran back into the group of children as everyone cheered.
It was now time to eat. We were led to a classroom away from the crowd. Upon entering a woman with a pitcher of water and bucket washed our hands. The meal consisted of matooke (plaintains), potatoes, meat with juice wrapped in banana leafs, white and brown rice, and vegetables. The kids were also served casava and beans and matoke.
After the meal, the teachers organized the kids by class. Each teacher was given a new t-shirt, pencil, notebook and donut per student. We had carried the t shirts from the States in 8 50lb duffle bags. The t-shirts were leftover from a misprint from the lung cancer 5k and Monica made arrangements to get them to Dr. B. to say the kids were excied and appreciative would be an understatement. It was organized chaos. I can only imagine the anarchy if we made 500 U.S. children sit in the sun in anticipation of gifts and then hand them a pencil and notebook and t-shirt.
We made it back to Fr. Lawrence's house at dusk. There was a death of an old man in the village that day and the evening was punctuated by occasional wailing cries from the valley. As each visitor to the mourning family's house arrived, the cries would sound and then silence in the hills. Quite an effective way to spread the news.
Tomorrow we visit an near by village. They are have a ceremony to mark the opening of a maternity ward that was built with donations from a Catholic parish in Clermont, FL.
Until then...
The day began with Fr. Lawrence saying Mass in the rebuilt church. When we arrived on African time (everything happens in time, just not the time announced to start), people were standing around in their Sunday's finest. Men in western suit and ties (from old British colonial rule), women in fancy colorful dresses with folded pleats around the waist to create a thick belt and to make their bum appear bigger. The shoulders were raised and pointed and the size of the dresses were Victorian. They made quite the statement. Children were dressed in all sorts. Most of the clothes the children wear are mix and match of donated clothing. A little girl was in a dress and old soccer cleats. A little boy looked really sharp in a suit and vest. They do not care what the t-shirt says on the front, just that it is theirs. I had to break out the video camera during Mass to record the choir, they were incredible and only listening can tell that story.
At the end of Mass, a representative from the President of Uganda arrived with military bodyguard. He came to meet with Fr. and Dr. B and took the opportunity to speak to the people in the Church. Dr. B cornered him afterward to ask for electricity to be brought to the village to support the future clinic he wants to build.
We were directed down the hill toward the school. As we came around the corner, the dirt road was lined with hundreds of students, clapping in unison. A welcome banner was stretched across the road. The African dance troupe from the school danced in front of us as they led us toward the makeshift tents that were placed in the clearing. Under the tents, the people all sat in rows of ubiquitous molded plastic chair. Reserved for us and the other dignitaries in the front row was nice living room furniture, chairs and couches, with tables placed in front. We most definitely felt special. In attendance was a Member of Parliament, the commissioner from the Minister of Education's office, the Mayor, the Headmaster, school board, PTA, along with not just the parents but it seemed like everyone within 5 square miles. A microphone attached to generator powered speakers gave the MC the lead to start the celebration.
It was not just a celebration for our arrival, but the new Headmaster, Alfred, had organized a Sports Day for the students. So the agenda included kids singing, speeches, running races, speeches, girls dancing, speeches and did I mention speeches, mostly in the native Lugandan language. I have not met a Ugandan that does not like the microphone. Father later mentioned that everyone is so long winded because they want to seize the opportunity to teach the uneducated villagers. It is a "teachable moment." It seemed to me that politicians and priests are the same around the world - long winded... However, there is clearly no one like Father who can work the crowd like him.
The sports day events pitted two teams against each other. After the running races, they had fun events like filling a coke bottle with water carried by hand from 30 feet away, and races with filled water bottles on their heads. Fun events that would be done at any field day at an elementary school in the U.S. The difference is that the winning team was presented not with a trophy or a dress down day but a GOAT. The team captain picked the goat up over his head and ran back into the group of children as everyone cheered.
It was now time to eat. We were led to a classroom away from the crowd. Upon entering a woman with a pitcher of water and bucket washed our hands. The meal consisted of matooke (plaintains), potatoes, meat with juice wrapped in banana leafs, white and brown rice, and vegetables. The kids were also served casava and beans and matoke.
After the meal, the teachers organized the kids by class. Each teacher was given a new t-shirt, pencil, notebook and donut per student. We had carried the t shirts from the States in 8 50lb duffle bags. The t-shirts were leftover from a misprint from the lung cancer 5k and Monica made arrangements to get them to Dr. B. to say the kids were excied and appreciative would be an understatement. It was organized chaos. I can only imagine the anarchy if we made 500 U.S. children sit in the sun in anticipation of gifts and then hand them a pencil and notebook and t-shirt.
We made it back to Fr. Lawrence's house at dusk. There was a death of an old man in the village that day and the evening was punctuated by occasional wailing cries from the valley. As each visitor to the mourning family's house arrived, the cries would sound and then silence in the hills. Quite an effective way to spread the news.
Tomorrow we visit an near by village. They are have a ceremony to mark the opening of a maternity ward that was built with donations from a Catholic parish in Clermont, FL.
Until then...
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Day 4 - Friday
This is the craziest day so far and by far!! I was completely taken aback by the outpouring from the community. People of all ages came to greet us and have a grand celebration. By grand, I mean 8 hours Grand!
I don't have the skills to completely describe the experiences of the day. How the people live in small brick houses on the green, fertile rolling hills. The way everyone carries themselves with dignity and how much they smile.
I will have to describe the day a little later to try to capture the feelings, but the day was full of speeches from local dignitaries, children singing, speeches, children participating in races (it was also Sports Day in our honor), more speeches and more speeches.
The story that I am going to tell when I get home is how the locals have taken ownership in the school that MIMA has built. From the PTA to the 16 person school board to the new Headmaster, the community has bought in. They have taken ownership, which is exactly what you hope for when you start each new project in the village.
More to come when I have internet again... Thank you, "webale nyo" for following along.
I don't have the skills to completely describe the experiences of the day. How the people live in small brick houses on the green, fertile rolling hills. The way everyone carries themselves with dignity and how much they smile.
I will have to describe the day a little later to try to capture the feelings, but the day was full of speeches from local dignitaries, children singing, speeches, children participating in races (it was also Sports Day in our honor), more speeches and more speeches.
The story that I am going to tell when I get home is how the locals have taken ownership in the school that MIMA has built. From the PTA to the 16 person school board to the new Headmaster, the community has bought in. They have taken ownership, which is exactly what you hope for when you start each new project in the village.
More to come when I have internet again... Thank you, "webale nyo" for following along.
Day 3
Started with a visit to the Asst. Vicar at the Cathedral in Kampala, we got the first class tour and had lunch at local hotel.
We had some shopping to do before leaving the city for the village of Kayenje. On the boring side, we bought some deep cycle batteries for the solar project, on the fun side, soccer balls and candy to make lots of friends with the children.
The drive to the village was an adventure as the roads changed from paved highway to wide dirt road to single track dirt road we knew we were getting closer. Pulling into the village, we saw the church, new convent, visitor center, and school. Dr. Benitez jumped out of the car in excitement to inspect the progress of the buildings.
The Visitors Center was complete and beautiful. The convent still needs more work, but the progress made Father and Dr. B very happy!
Finished the day at Fr. Lawrence's family home in the village. He has brought civilization to the jungle with a flushing porcelain toilet, solar powered light, and more family members to name. He is the MAN
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Wednesday May 9, 2012 Uganda update
Amazing - It would take me a novel to express all that was experienced this day, but I will try to share the day...
We started our first full day in Uganda with a working breakfast at 8:00 am. The architect, who will draw the plans for a proposed medical clinic, met us at the hotel to review the project with Dr. Benitez and Fr. Lawrence. Then, we headed east down bumpy, muddy roads with women carrying bags on their head, motorbike taxis (pikis) weaving in and out of traffic, individual cows and goats tied up on the side of the road, and through chaotic busy small villages. Everything that you would imagine to see on an African road, we saw. Women drying coffee beans on a blanket were next to butcher shops hanging the sides of meat in the open. Mobile phone kiosks are on every corner. "On every corner" is used loosely as there really are only "main road", so there aren't that many street corners.
Most of the day took place between three different places run by the Little Sisters of St. Francis in the Nkokonjero region. The first stop was the Stella Maris primary school, which is an all girls boarding school. The school was off for holiday, but two full classrooms of 7th graders were there studying extra for the end of year exams. One's performance on end of year exams determines if and where one goes to high school. The girls were excited to see us, asked questions, and all smiles.
The next stop was at the hospital. The hospital has a sonogram machine that had been broken since last July. Dr. Benitez with the support of Rotary Club of Arlington bought the replacement part that was need to fix the machine. Talk about appreciative, they were over the top happy to have the replacement part, which was a computer circuit board - an expensive and difficult to find part. Dr. Benitez also brought many medical supplies and spread it all over the conference room table.
Next was Providence House, a home for disabled children and adults. They hosted us for lunch and put on a show, as the children did a song and dance. We had a big lunch of matoke (green plantains), rice, spinach, tilapia, and small piece of beef. The highlight for the kids is that soda was served. Again, all smiles. It was incredible to see how each of the children took care of each other. The House runs a commercial bakery that bakes bread which is sold wholesale to shop keepers in the area and restaurants. They recently opened a retail shop for the locals. It is here that we bought 600 doughnuts to take with us out to the village for the children. Providence House has also recently added a banana plantation and corn fields to its property through the generosity of U.S. donors. One thing here is that most people farm their own plot of land for their own use. The banana plantation is large enough that the harvest every two weeks enough for the whole the house. Before we left, we met a little girl, who had been hiding from us. She had never seen a white man, "mguzu", and was scared. Sister brought her to us, her apprehension was real. I gave her a bracelet that my children had made and hopefully made a new friend in the process.
Our next stop was completely sighting see trip. We drove to the town of Zynga, a small fishing village on Lake Victoria. We saw the ladies selling the dried fish, shop keepers selling flour, beans, and other dry goods, and the men in a boat building dry dock make the local fishing boats. It is a very busy and vibrant town, with people of all ages, out and about. Children running around having fun and the ever present cow.
The evening was spent visiting at the new diocesan Cathedral. The Bishop was out of town, but the Fr. Richard gave us a tour and ended up hosting us for a dinner of potatoes, cabbage, pork ribs, and the best sweetest pineapple in the world.
Tomorrow, we shop for some supplies, including soccer balls, before heading out to Fr. Lawrence's home village of Kayenje. I am not sure when I will be able to send out another update, but as soon as I can I will.
Until then..
We started our first full day in Uganda with a working breakfast at 8:00 am. The architect, who will draw the plans for a proposed medical clinic, met us at the hotel to review the project with Dr. Benitez and Fr. Lawrence. Then, we headed east down bumpy, muddy roads with women carrying bags on their head, motorbike taxis (pikis) weaving in and out of traffic, individual cows and goats tied up on the side of the road, and through chaotic busy small villages. Everything that you would imagine to see on an African road, we saw. Women drying coffee beans on a blanket were next to butcher shops hanging the sides of meat in the open. Mobile phone kiosks are on every corner. "On every corner" is used loosely as there really are only "main road", so there aren't that many street corners.
Most of the day took place between three different places run by the Little Sisters of St. Francis in the Nkokonjero region. The first stop was the Stella Maris primary school, which is an all girls boarding school. The school was off for holiday, but two full classrooms of 7th graders were there studying extra for the end of year exams. One's performance on end of year exams determines if and where one goes to high school. The girls were excited to see us, asked questions, and all smiles.
The next stop was at the hospital. The hospital has a sonogram machine that had been broken since last July. Dr. Benitez with the support of Rotary Club of Arlington bought the replacement part that was need to fix the machine. Talk about appreciative, they were over the top happy to have the replacement part, which was a computer circuit board - an expensive and difficult to find part. Dr. Benitez also brought many medical supplies and spread it all over the conference room table.
Next was Providence House, a home for disabled children and adults. They hosted us for lunch and put on a show, as the children did a song and dance. We had a big lunch of matoke (green plantains), rice, spinach, tilapia, and small piece of beef. The highlight for the kids is that soda was served. Again, all smiles. It was incredible to see how each of the children took care of each other. The House runs a commercial bakery that bakes bread which is sold wholesale to shop keepers in the area and restaurants. They recently opened a retail shop for the locals. It is here that we bought 600 doughnuts to take with us out to the village for the children. Providence House has also recently added a banana plantation and corn fields to its property through the generosity of U.S. donors. One thing here is that most people farm their own plot of land for their own use. The banana plantation is large enough that the harvest every two weeks enough for the whole the house. Before we left, we met a little girl, who had been hiding from us. She had never seen a white man, "mguzu", and was scared. Sister brought her to us, her apprehension was real. I gave her a bracelet that my children had made and hopefully made a new friend in the process.
Our next stop was completely sighting see trip. We drove to the town of Zynga, a small fishing village on Lake Victoria. We saw the ladies selling the dried fish, shop keepers selling flour, beans, and other dry goods, and the men in a boat building dry dock make the local fishing boats. It is a very busy and vibrant town, with people of all ages, out and about. Children running around having fun and the ever present cow.
The evening was spent visiting at the new diocesan Cathedral. The Bishop was out of town, but the Fr. Richard gave us a tour and ended up hosting us for a dinner of potatoes, cabbage, pork ribs, and the best sweetest pineapple in the world.
Tomorrow, we shop for some supplies, including soccer balls, before heading out to Fr. Lawrence's home village of Kayenje. I am not sure when I will be able to send out another update, but as soon as I can I will.
Until then..
Monday, May 7, 2012
Layover in Philly
Waiting on the flight to Brussels, Belgium, then to Entebbe, Uganda via Kigali, Rwanda. All in all, it will be a 26 hour trip.
Hi Friends and Family,
As many of you know, I am leaving today on my trip to Uganda, Africa. I am traveling with Dr. Norberto Benitez and Father Lawrence Mulinda. We will be traveling to Fr. Lawrence's home village of Kayenje to check on the construction of a new convent. Dr. Benitez has been traveling to Kayenje for about 7 years and through his charity, MIMA Foundation, he and Fr. Lawrence have been making a huge difference in the lives of the villagers. From water wells, to rebuilt church and school, daily hot lunch program for over 500 students, to a microloan program for entrepreneurs, the MIMA Foundation has been busy.
In preparation for the trip, I had been racking my brain and researching the internet to come up with something of value that I could bring to the villagers, some skill or knowledge that I could teach them. I offered Fr. Lawrence some of my ideas and he smiled and told me this: "Sean, this is your first trip to Africa. You do not need to teach them, let them teach you." And a big weight was lifted from my shoulders.
However, I did come up with an idea. Cell phones are cheap and popular, but there is no electricity in the village, so people have to pay someone to take a group of phones into town 10 miles away and pay to have the cell phones charged. So, I have put together a solar panel charging system for cell phones that I will be able to give to the school. The school will then be able to charge to charge and can use the money for the school. "Teach them to fish"
I am moved by the commitment of Dr. Benitez and Fr. Lawrence and would like to help them continue their work. I have set a goal to raise $5,000 for MIMA, please check out the website, watch the video, and if you are able, please consider donating either through the website or by mailing a check made payable to MIMA Foundation and mailed to me at:
310 Pablo Rd.
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082
MIMA Uganda's awesome website:
http://www.themimafoundation.org/africahomepage.html
Also, I will be sending out updates from the trip through a blog. If you would like to get the updates with pics from the trip, please check out:
The last time I asked for Money was for the 26.2 with Donna Breast Cancer run and I asked "TO FEEL THE LOVE"
Now, I am asking you to help me "SPREAD THE LOVE"
Thank you in advance for your generosity,
Sean
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