Happy New Year from Congo!

We spent New Year's Eve bouncing (literally) in the back of a truck from Gulu to a town called Paidha on the border of Congo. The journey took 9 hours, but the team (Kaben Kramer, myself, and 6 of the Young Men Drilling team of Restore Water) held tough, arriving at 1:00AM. I chased the truck on my Honda 250 dirt bike (Roxanne- the double Soul Safarian is still going strong!) Kaben's got a bruised tailbone, but you won't find him whining... he's been grinning the whole time- he lives for this kind of mission. Kaben is a water engineer from California, who arrived last week with his wife Jenn to lend a hand and some expertise to Restore Water's team. Jenn is connecting with the women leading Purse of Hope, and pouring into the girls' lives. It's a blessing to have them with us, and they're planning to move back here permanently in May!

Back to Paidha... the water situation is the worst I've seen, with people walking great distances to gather from dirty streams. The few wells that we have seen are either broken, contaminated, or locked with owners insisting on payment for water. After scouting for a half day around the area (including a quick walk into Congo), we selected our first drilling site, around 200 ft from the stream, on the downhill slope of one of the hills near town. The distance from the stream, and the lack of nearby latrines provides the best chances we've seen thus far from having a clean source of water. Here's a quick video of Kaben near one of the dirty streams:

We hit rock with the 6" auger at 15 feet depth yesterday, and battled it for the afternoon, calling it quits at dusk. Today we managed to dig around the rock with the 2" auger, and then proceed down with the 5" auger, to 25 feet, where we were thrilled to hit water!

The people of Paidha have been so overwhelmingly welcoming... and surprised to see Muzungus (white people), as it's extremely rare for whites to reach this town- we haven't seen a single one since leaving Gulu. It's been fun playing with the little kids who come up running and yelling (mundu, mundu! - the local word for white person). You get every possible reaction you can imagine, from standing stunned and dropping things, to smiling with delight and running up to shake hands, laughing with friends nearby at the rare sight. The babies and young ones are especially fun, usually either bursting out in fearful tears, or staring wide-eyed with wonder and smiles. They're learning quite a bit about us too... like what a sunburn is!

We're praying for these two wells, that we might have success, and perhaps pave the way for much needed attention to clean water in this area. The truth is, in our journey from Gulu we passed nearly 200 kilometers of places with great need for water, which has been overwhelming and daunting for Kaben and I. Such immense need... but we're looking for strength, and grateful for each step...

Do you guys believe in Lions?

We sure had a blast hanging out with John's folks, Dave and Janet Niemeyer, during their recent visit here to Uganda. The Niemeyers were kind enough to let me tag along on their adventures, which included an amazing safari through Murchison Falls National Park. It was absolutely gorgeous as we made our way though mud, muck, sand, grasslands, and bogs... and we were fortunate enough to see giraffe, warthogs, gazelle, monkeys, water buffalo, countless birds, and even a leopard and lion. The Niemeyers shot the following pictures from our Land Cruiser (in addition to that picture of the lion, which was resting after having killed a gazelle that we saw nearby):

I'm heading back up to Gulu tomorrow on my (Shane's really) recently fixed Honda XLR200. Just a small tweak to the fuel/air mixture in the carburetor and she'll be good to go...

It'll be nice to have wheels again around Gulu. The wells in Attiak were completed successfully, so we'll be scouting out the next project to complete before Christmas. Speaking of Christmas, we've been trying to play as much Christmas music as possible to get in the spirit! (Otherwise, with the weather we have around here, you'd never know it's mid December!)

Much love from Uganda~

B.

Drilling wells in Attiak

I'm writing to you from a closet, plugged into solar power at the Catholic Mission in Attiak, Uganda. Restore Water team (comprised of 6 students and a teacher) and I are here, in hot, dusty Attiak near the border with Sudan, drilling wells for Sister Rosemary. She's one of the most amazing people I've had the honor of knowing. (Click on her name to see a deeply moving CNN's Heroes video of her story). She's been a wonderful friend to John and I, and we live just down the road from her tailoring center that can be seen in the video.

Water4, (you should click on the video at that link) another incredible organization working to improve access to clean water around the world, came to Gulu in May last year with Adrian Peterson, Tommy Harris, Mark Clayton, Roy Williams, and friends with Pros for Africa. Water4 taught us a new system of inexpensively drilling wells, drilled the first well on our new land for Restore Academy, and donated a complete set of tools which we are continuing to use to bring clean water to friends and the local community.

The Pros also held a sports clinic with the students of Restore Academy, a day they won't soon forget! We joined the Pros, Water4, and Sister Rosemary for many of these joint activities which occurred during their trip last year. We're blessed to have such an amazing community, and look forward to their return next March!

Back to Attiak... I'm still sweating in the closet... I learned when I was first here in 2008 that you simply have to let yourself sweat and stink. I nearly drove myself crazy with anxiety at first, as sweating in the States usually means something is wrong (either the air conditioning isn’t working, or you’re wearing too many clothes!). I’m just getting ready to head back to the well, have to bring the guys some oil for the pulleys, but I wanted to pass along a little piece I wrote this morning:

The dust billowed forth as the pickup jostled along the potholed road to Attiak yesterday, pipes and poles bouncing along, red marking rag flapping in the wind. The Young Men Drilling Team of Restore Water, grinning with eagerness, made their way north to strike water once more.

The journey began eight months ago, as the men from Water4 made their way to Gulu and into our lives. A promising new chapter was opened that day, in this redemptive story being lived out in Northern Uganda. Years of war and unspeakable violence have beset this land and its people for decades, and yet hope shines forth in God's providence. You can see it in their faces, hear it in the laughter of children, feel it in the cool cleansing water pouring forth from this healing land.

I awoke this morning to the glimmer of the day’s first light, and the sound of the boys rustling on their dusty clothes. Without a thought of breakfast, we made our way to the drilling site. We stomped the tall grass, offered up prayer, and turned our heads heavenward as the tripod and our hopes rose to meet God’s glowing dawn sky.

We’re at 9 feet now, and the 5” auger has been pulling up full loads of yellow-brown clay. I wish you were with us to hear the squeaking of the pulleys, the clicking of the sailing winch, the laughter of the boys as they yell out “Telu! Telu!” (Pull! Pull!)

Back in Uganda...

TO SEE THE VIDEO IN BETTER QUALITY, CLICK HERE

More to come soon...

Autumn Days~

The leaves are bursting with red, orange and gold, and the morning air is turning crisp~ Autumn has arrived in all its splendor, my first since 2007. It's been delightful~ bro's comforting soups, football with friends, and that faint smell of smoke in the air from wood stoves finding flame once more. The homes are warm and cozy, and the mountains resplendent in their white winter coats.

Despite the rain on Saturday morning, my Aunt Debbie and I squeezed one more riding day out of the season, as we rolled along the Sandy River Gorge up the Historic Highway to Crown Point.

I've been managing to keep pretty busy working odd jobs, enjoying the season and bouncing around with family and friends. I've also gotten to do a bit of house and dog sitting; my running buddy Lucy:

Fall in the northwest... a familiar comfort~

Wait what? A year went by?!!!

Well it's been more than a year since may last post... not that I'm a procrastinator or anything...

I've decided to begin writing again, to share some of the incredible events of the last year. The truth is I've intended to, but haven't been disciplined enough to actually sit down and reflect...it's time to blog.

Thinking of walking through the events of the last year chronologically, I've decided instead to give a bit of an overview, and then just fire off posts of events as I remember them- perhaps a little life lesson here, or funny anecdote there, a story about almost being trampled by elephants in the jungle during a 4000 mile motorcycle Soul Safari... that sort of thing... so the posts may be a little sporadic and random, but hopefully organic :) Please feel free to share thoughts and comments, as the fun part's sharing the journey and reflections!

Brief Recap:

Sigh, deep breath... ready to read a novel? Me neither, so I'll keep it short... promise :) (tangent: Every time I use an emoticon I hear Lance Armstrong's voice in my head saying, "men over 30 should not use emoticons" :0

The plane lifted off in September, the warm northwest summer still aglow. A stop in Chicago to meet up with Kristen, the founder of Purse of Hope, then off to Uganda...

It's absolutely impossible to express the love, pain, joy, and redemption I experienced during the establishment of Purse of Hope in Uganda over the last year. It's really best you just check out the Purse of Hope Facebook page, where hundreds of people are cheering the girls on, offering support, and keeping up to speed with the awesome photos, videos, and news updates. You'll want to laugh, cry, and maybe even dance... :)

So let's just start with that... a beautiful story...

Back in the Game

For the last 7 months, my world has seemed to "revolve around my heal"...(pun intended)

...and after dozens of doctor and physical therapy appointments, and countless hours in the gym, the pool, on the bike, and most recently jogging on the treadmill (albeit slowly and painfully)...

it works again!

Thanks to the steadfast support of my family, friends, Dr.s, PTs, and the folks at Restore, my recovery has resulted in, (Dr.'s words) "as positive an outcome as I could have hoped for." Thanks guys.

Nana and I enjoying a lunch in Cascade Locks

4th of July with Dad's and Lani's fams~

And now for a crazy story... THE OMEN...

So one of the ways I've kept busy these last few months (other than all that PT activity) has been pet-sitting for family and friends. (As I'm sure you can relate if you've ever experienced a chapter of incapacitation or joblessness- word of your availability gets around quickly!) I actually really enjoyed it, as I'm a softy for furry little friends...

Hangin' at Dan and Molly's with Freddy and Stan the Man

But I had the strangest experience while cleaning out the litter box of Dad and Lani's cat a few months back. I glanced down to find this curious omen:


So I took a closer look......


and I nearly fell over laughing! I was looking at liquid proof that God has a sense of humor- as indeed, the end of my last chapter in Africa was a bit of a pisser!


But...ever the optimist...I decided to assume that perhaps this omen was not only humorous, but also auspicious...


And, lo and behold, the last couple months have seen a myriad of circumstances coalesce into an invitation to return to Africa.

For months, I've been offering little bits of help and expertise to my friend Kristen Hendricks, who started an organization called Purse of Hope, as she has been seeking funding and partnership to begin a home for vulnerable girls in Gulu.

Kristen Hendricks during a visit last fall to Gulu

It has been Kristen's dream and passion to fight against human trafficking, and to care for vulnerable girls who either have been, or are at risk of being caught up this tragic occurrence. Her efforts are bearing fruit, and her dream is taking off, as a passionate and generous group of people from Total Attorneys in Chicago has come alongside in partnership and financial support. Kristen has offered me the position of Uganda Country Director for Purse of Hope, which I have gratefully accepted.

So....I'm off to Uganda again! I'm absolutely stoked to see everyone over there again, and in addition to heading up Purse of Hope, I'll be living and working with John Niemeyer in the same house we were in before, and helping to support him in any way I can as he directs Restore International.

Along with the girl's home in Gulu, we are also working with Robinah Sarah to establish a drop in center in Kampala. She is one of the absolutely amazing group of people we have on the ground in Uganda, to whom we owe a huge debt of gratitude. We are incredibly thankful for the groundwork laid by John Niemeyer, Kristen Vogel, and Pauline Amony. It's an honor to be working with them.

I'll be taking off for Chicago on September 1st to join up with Kristen, and meet the team from Total Attorneys. Two days later, we take to the skies for Africa...