Monday, July 24

Off by 8 to meet the Missionaries of the Poor.  These are the Brothers who care for the disabled and elderly around the world and here have taken in many orphans and paid their school fees.  They were founded in Jamaica and came to Uganda in 2017.  We met Brother Rupert from Haiti who was delighted to speak French with Marie and Erika.  There are 70 men living at the Monastery and we saw their kitchen, gardens, and animals – rabbits, pigs, chickens, geese.  Also saw the aquaponics which is a system to grow plants in water with nutrients from fish in tanks underneath.

My Rotary Club – Kelowna Sunrise was introduced to the Brothers when a member visited the boys’ home for the disabled, elderly, and orphans and wanted to help with the cost of food.  They had acquired some land so our club used a Rotary Grant to provide fencing, a walk-behind tractor, a pump, and irrigation equipment for the Brothers to grow some of the food.

The Brothers now have a home for girls, a home for unwed mothers who are cared for by 15 Sisters and as well provide lunch to 125 students from a local school.  They feed over 600 people each day so having the farm helps.

We were able to see the tractor and visit the farm to see the progress that has been made over the past 2 years.  They have changed this barren land and now grow corn, bananas, and other fruits and vegetables as well as have pigs, a cow, ducks, and a fish pond.  For me it was wonderful to see what they have achieved in 2 years.

Because it is our second last day here we spent the usual hours in the van driving in the Kampala traffic jams and bumpy roads just so we will be sure to remember it.

Another great day and we finished off with the experience of eating Jackfruit – interesting texture and taste.  Now everyone is busy packing up as we head home tomorrow evening.  The 36 hours flying time will give us lots of time to mull over all that we have seen and done in the past 3 weeks.