Rose, Moses, Alex, and Baby Madrik

Entering this small village only 40km from Kampala the church choir could be heard from the makeshift parking lot. As I scanned the premises I saw all the fixings of a wedding; a tent, tables for food, and families all dressed up. My purpose to visit this village on Ugandan Independence day was to describe the details for the Rotary Community Corps, but as I assessed the surroundings I was uncertain if this was the best place for Rotary to focus its energy.
A few hours of singing and praying later I stood gazing at the crowd. I noticed two little babies laying together on a sweater and small child sitting beside them. I went to them because they seemed temporarily alone and appeared that the two were twins. The older sibling didn’t like my presence and gave a strong glare. I brushed away the flies around the children and then walked away. I stood idly by as the mother came back from getting food at the buffet. She picked one of the infants and sat him down beside the plate of food and along side his sibling. The all began to eat. As I watched them my focus shifted to the child that I thought was a twin. The child’s skin was hanging off the bones and his hair was very sparse and very light in color, a sure sign of malnutrition. I just stood there wondering what could be done to help them. I asked President David about them and he told me she was destitute and he proceeded to talk to her for me. I found out that the three children were all brothers, but not twins. They aged 3 months, 1 year, and 2 years. The three month old and the one year old were nearly the same size. Her husband had died in July of a heart condition and had left them with no means of survival and she was living in someone’s kitchen. Later the young mother informed me that she is called Rose and is only 18 years old.
I talked to a few people and explained Rose’s situation and everyone said not to worry that the RCC and the church would help her. I asked them to also get some of the leftovers to give to Rose and the children for later that night and at least one meal for the next day. This was not a solution rather a Band-Aid fix, but in my opinion a much needed one when health is concerned. I continued telling Rotarians and went to talk to a few ladies, one of whom is my namesake, and informed them of Rose’s situation. A young woman appeared and took a seat next to Rose, Esther by name, tugged on my shorts a short while later and asked me to fetch the tissues from her jacket pocket and I noticed the tears rolling down her face. Within 15 minutes from those tears we were sitting in the car with Angel Esther headed back to Kampala with Rose and her babies. Esther is the niece of a very active Ugandan Rotarian, but now resides in California. Rose was overwhelmed with emotion and rested her head on the seatback and fought back tears herself.
The 1.5 hour car ride was comforting to me as I held baby Moses in my arms, but I contemplated Rose’s future. Back in Kampala, Esther stopped at a grocery store to pick up some needed items to bathe and feed the babies and I talked to David. I expressed my concern for Roses future and I asked him to translate for me. Rose, however, understood everything I said. I wanted to let Rose know that I thought her children were beautiful and that I believed that she has done a remarkable job at caring for them all alone. I didn’t want her to think that I had any ill or negative thoughts about her. That I can see that she needed help and that we are here to help her provide for her children. I admire that she has been able to do this much, as a young widow, with three children. My heart is with Rose and her babies. I hope that my next visit to her finds her healthy with three energetic bouncing boys. President David and I are going to see her on the weekend and perhaps offer the help of the Rotary if she is still in need

Today affected me deeply. Seeing this children in such a condition struck a chord in my heart and perhaps you all at home reading this will go on with your day unaffected because maybe you think there is nothing you can do, but for the cost of your dvd player or a tank of gas people in developing countries who are in need could feed their families, immunize their children, and house their family for MONTHS.

Be aware that there are people in the world that need a little extra help sometimes and that their lives could never be compared to one in Canada or U.S.A.

I see the need in these villages and I believe you would to if you visited her. Local rotary clubs are doing all they can do with the resources available to them. If this story has touched your heart or any story that I have or will post affects you please take a stance and email me. Together I believe American and Canadian clubs can team with Ugandan clubs and begin stable, life altering projects that are sustainable. Quick fixes are not something I am at all interested in. If you are not a Rotarian you can still get involved. Money is not all the is needed…students can have a toothbrush drive at school and collect toothbrushes or pencils, pens, notebooks, soap, seeds, etc…

Rotarians….lets work together to create projects that give Uganda villagers their basic human needs…food, shelter, and medicine.