15 Bucks

The global rise in food costs are effecting us all. The food we buy for our patients continue to be more expensive. Also, the feed for chickens and goats rises. Joy Children’s Centre in Masaka, Uganda is a large farm of nearly 400 goats. They will need to scale back to 150 to stay afloat. There ministry has helped train many community members in Masaka, financed orphan’s school fees year after year and has been instrumental in shaping goat programs like ours across Uganda. In their effort to keep their farm at a managable level, they have offered to donate 15 male goats to our project in Bundibugyo. They are high grade males, just the thing our program could use to make selective breeding of an African dairy breed more attainable.

Lamech will upgrade the truck to the largest size and the males will come with the 54 females on July 8^th. The caretakers of the female goats will receive them on July 10^th. The bucks will remain on our farm. Then Lamech will identify villages with little access to buck services. Next, he’ll find the caretakers of female dairy goats who have proven their mettle over the years in those places. Lamech will train them in buck keeping for two days. We can provide some materials for the buck pen, like roofing and nails, while they provide the local materials. When their shelters are ready, we can distribute the males hopefully by the end of July.

We are grateful to David & Jacqui Dowdy for their continued input into the Matiti Project and for this generous donation!

Field Exchange: The Emergency Nutrition Network Magazine

Stephanie Jilcott published an article on some of the BundiNutrition agricultural projects. Catch it here: http://www.ennonline.net/fex/

Demonstration Garden

Pauline has worked diligently on designing the demonstration garden. The last phase is the orchard section where she will plant guavas and citrus trees. Trees for goat fodder line the pathways and are strategically placed throughout. They were chosen for their deep roots and nutrition value for goats. Jackson uses cutting daily of legumes and bulk plants.

Human food is also well placed. Cooking bananas-a staple food in Bundibugyo- as well as beans are grown throughout. Pauline brings community groups through the garden to show them how to make the best of their small plots, increasing yields through natural fertilizers and nitrogen fixing trees.
The beans and bananas are being sold and revenue is put back into the maintance of the garden. As the garden matures, it moves toward financial self-sustainablity.

Feathers

The chicks are growing. Their yellow fuzz is being replaced by white feathers and they are in constant motion. Cozying up to the warm charcoal pot is still a favorite activity.

The current chick count is 206. I was told that when we ordered 200, you get 8 free because they expect some losses. Basija is doing a great job keeping the chicks healthy and happy. Pauline has given 2 rounds of vaccinations.

Preemies and their struggles

Today is mixed with joy and sadness. Premature babies have a difficult road no matter where they are born. In Bundibugyo, there is no NICU to aid them in their struggle. Two nights ago, my neighbor gave birth to a baby boy who was just over 2 lbs. She has lost other children and great hopes were placed on his survival. Despite the special isolation room in the peadiatric ward and formula to feed him since his jaws weren't strong enough to suck, he died in the night. The grave behind their house is small and fresh. We sit and mourn with them.

As I was dropping of more formula to the Health Center today, Jennifer directed me to another child. He was also born premature, of similar weight. He was in the hospital for a while and health staff had to revive him frequently as his life kept slipping away. He was supplemented with formula while he gained strength to suck. He had been released and is now back at the hospital because he is sick, but he is not starving. He looks great and we rejoice with that family.

We must rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn, and trust God's faithful hand in the midst of it all.