What Else Could Possibly Happen?

 We're back! The team, freshly recovered from Covid, set out for Muko High School around 9 am. Staff at the school worked as a team to continue checking students in with ⅓ term's tuition, 12 kg beans, and a ream of paper. An exam was given to students but they were not allowed to participate if they had not paid according to policy.

Dave spent real quality time with Rev Philip, our Head Teacher, talking about finances and scholarships. Both are extremely excited about the potential at MHS in talent, scholarship, and budget. 

Karen spent her time with Keneth our MUSIC teacher. What a blessed relief it is to be together in person. The understanding is so much more immediate than Zoom. We are very lucky to have Keneth as our teacher.

Dave and Karen met with approximately 80 Honor Scholars in the MHS Chapel along with Rev. Philip and Judith. All four of us spoke to the children as parents would advise their own. If you would like to be a part of sending an academically inclined student to remain in school, contact :
Karen Viele ksmov3@gmail.com Karen is setting a goal for 25 more scholarships for January 2023. 

$25 per month sends one student to school, $50 sends two! The Honor Scholars story is that MHS has identified brilliant students who come from situations of extreme poverty and neglect whose only hope is to remain at school. (A few children stay at the school over the breaks because their home is so unhealthy for them) A girl might be pressed into an unwanted early marriage. A handicapped student may be unable to survive without education if they are unable to do manual labor. Please think about helping these deserving, darling kids.

Christopher drove Sue and Guma up the Ikamiro trail to see a perma-garden training. She was also excited to be here in person to observe a practical application.  A perma-garden was developed from scratch!

Sue and Guma visited the Ikamiro Clinic and met the midwife, Angel. Then they traveled to James Karamisi's home to pay six months rent for ACT's new social business: Act Community Hardware Store soon to be located near the Muko marketplace. After that they came down the mountain and Sue took pictures of the new location for the store.

YOU WON'T BELIEVE THIS! (Hence, our title tonight!) On the way back from Muko to Kabale a motorcycle traveling in the wrong lane ran into the van. Guma, Sue, Dave and Karen were all witnesses- the driver of the motorcycle knocked off Christopher's side mirror, both motorcycle passengers went flying. All of us in the van screamed as glass from the mirror flew through the open window. Luckily, Karen filled the first row of seats with violins and violas for the Murole Preparatory school visit tomorrow so the glass hit no one inside the van. Our friend, Norman, (Director of Murole and Mayor of Rubanda) came to help us. Police were called and subsequently another call went out for Traffic Police as we drew a large crowd, all arguing over who was at fault. Judith also traveled to the accident site with her baby to take care of us. "This is Uganda!", she said.

After about two hours of waiting by the side of the road watching the deliberations of the various police officers, our friends intervening for us, and locals gathering to insert their opinions, we were all told we must travel to the clinic to find out the status of one of the motorcycle victims who had apparently sustained a compound fracture of the leg. Everyone went back to the MHS area to the nearby clinic. The team waited in the van while everyone else went inside the clinic. When the crowd emerged, we were told we must all proceed to the POLICE STATION. The parade once again commenced. The Commanding Officer at the police station eventually told us the van would be impounded overnight for an investigation. Staff from the High School heard about our dilemma and, with Reverend Philip, traveled to counsel and console us! Reverend Joshua, our Arch Deacon, loaned us his car and driver so Christopher could drive it back to Kabale and pick us up in the morning. Our friend, Norman, sent a car from the Ministry of Health Department and his excellent driver, Elias, drove us back to the Cephas Inn where our faithful friends at the Cephas Inn hurried dinner along for us. We had left Muko at around 4:30 pm and arrived at the Cephas after 9 pm. 

We are too tired to add pictures tonight! Look for more tomorrow! Miss you all and plan on seeing you very soon!