Today we travelled back to Kampala, where we started out this trip. It was a long drive, but we were able to spend time in the Word and in prayer as a group and then some time singing worship songs together on the bus. Spending our time that way as we drove through this beautiful land was amazing. It truely is a beautiful country.
We had one stop on the way back, at a farm. It was started 13 years ago and has expanded into something wonderful. The woman who runs it explained the whole system to us. They have only 3.7 acres, but have used it in such impressive ways. She explained to us the cycle of how the animal waste is used to improve the soil which grows the crops, whose peels are fed to the animals who create the waste, and so on. It is a non-ending cycle and they are using it well. This farm has 2 purposes: one is to actually farm and sell, but the other is to train farmers from across the country. People come to learn how to used the land and what they have to make the most of what is available to them. They do not waste anything at all. With such small land they have done so much!
We toured the farm, which was fascinating. We saw the pigs, cows, goats, and chickens. They explained how the floors are slanted so that they can easily collect the waste to use in the soil. That whole drain system was shown to us and we were all amazed at how they do that so effectively. They we saw the land and how they have dug into the ground to collect water for irrigation. They plant onions by certain plants because the smell keeps the bugs away. The leaves of one of the plants is left in water for a week and then poured on plants to fertilize them. All kinds of things like that happen so that they do not need to use chemicals of any sort. Everything is purely from the ground and the farm. They also have a fish farm going, and bee hives.
We then got to see the building where they dry and package fruit which is exported to other countries. It was very fun to see that and we got to taste the dried mangoes, bananas, pineapple, and some others. Then we regrouped and the First Lady gave a small speech to the woman who owns the farm and all the people who work there. It was wonderful to hear her encourage this project and what is happenning through it. The first lady expressed how proud she was of this operation and how it is making a real difference in the lives of people accross the country. People who have land and don't know how to use it beneficially are coming to learn how they can be effective and make the most of what they have. It was such an encouraging and exciting thing to see this project and how it works!
We had dinner at the State Lodge in the district we were in. The first lady hosted us again and it was so beautiful. We are all so humbled by these experiences. She thanked us again for coming here to see and to learn about her country and her people. Again we were all just so impressed with her love for the Lord and her people and her desire to help them improve their lives. And that it is not just a desire but something she is working very hard to make happen. It's been so inspiring, and we are starting to talk amongst ourselves about what we can do when we get back, and how we are going to apply what we are learning and seeing.
We're back in Kampala now, at the hotel we started at. It's nice to be back somewhere we've been before-it's comforting in a foreign country to be somewhere familiar. Thank you for the comments you've posted on this blog. We love reading them at our nightly debriefing meetings. It's good to be reminded of the support and encouragement at home. May God bless you all as you live for him on the other side of his world. :)
