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Paul off to Uganda
Paul Martin, who lives in Poyntzpass, and a
member of our congregation, is off to the East African country- Uganda -
one of the poorest in the world - on 6th January. He will be there for two
weeks and he is travelling as one of a 16-strong party from Northern
Ireland. He is the only local; most of the others are from north and south
Down or County Antrim.
He is going to Uganda as a member of a Fields of Life 'Ignite Team'. Once
in Uganda the team will travel to Lira in the north of the country for the
official opening of Oyam Progressive Primary School, a venture funded by
the Ignite Team.
Paul explained, "The school is in an area that has suffered at the hands
of a rebel group calling itself 'The Lord's Resistance Army'. The rebels
have abducted children, forcing them to kill or be killed. And the girls
are forced into abusive relationships with so-called captains in their
army."
The second of the Northern Ireland group's two weeks will see them based
at King's Primary School on the road between the cities of Entebbe and
Kampala. Already a lot of renovation work has been done here but with
youngsters due to come to the school in February it has to be painted and
made ready for the influx. "In bad need of a facelift," is Paul's
description.
The Fields of Life volunteers will also be visiting children orphaned by
AIDS and now being looked after by a local charity. Explaining the
goals of the organisations short-visit teams Paul said, "Groups like the
one I'm going with go for a two-week period to do specific jobs. These
include building, painting, carpentry, electrical work, health education,
teacher training and ministering to adults and children in association
with local churches.
"As a Christian organisation, Fields of Life is committed to changing
lives and building sustainable communities in East Africa through teaching
the Christian faith and by providing quality education, health care and
income-generating projects." |
