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A Trip to Uganda – Rays of Grace
Lion Janie Covington Treasurer Dallas Dalcliff-Wynnewood
I've been asked: How did it go? And my answer is simple: Everything that could have gone wrong DIDN'T. First was a storm predicted for Denver the day I would have flown in...so my niece (Tami Hoffman) called and I went on Tuesday night instead...leaving Wednesday a day to sit by her fireplace and watch the snow blow in sideways . First problem averted. Thursday, Tami needed to go to her office and complete a couple of items before she left town. When we got to downtown Denver, the power was out...The building had generator power which let us into her office, so we walked up six flights of stairs...she got her paperwork and we started to walk back down the six flights of stairway -- NOW the sirens were going off with announcements to evacuate. So we drove to the door of the parking floor and found it was computer operated. Firemen came when called, but said "sorry". Maintenance men carried my two 50 pound suitcases to the ground floor and we called Uber. Electricity was okay at the UPS office in the suburbs...so we laughed at the devil and she got her work done before we met Dave (her husband) for lunch. (and asked him to go get her car on Monday)
Tami had been supporting two boys through a World Vision support program for several years when she went through cancer treatment which is now in complete remission. In thankfulness for her "cure", she and her husband went to Africa to see "her boys". She fell in love with the country and started a foundation. The Hoffman Family Foundation built the school - RAYS OF GRACE in Jinja, Uganda. From the beginning, I was fascinated by her reports so Tom and I were sending small checks each month to help. This year, finances allowed me to make the trip and Lionism gave me the idea to furnish glasses and use the Spot Vision (see attached photo) to check eyes. To find a Leo Club of Ophthalmology students was an extra blessing.
Roses and smiles, laughter, singing and dancing. What a welcome to RAYS OF GRACE SCHOOL, we checked into The Heaven. Tami calls it her heaven and when I looked out my bedroom window at the sunrise over the Nile, I simply agreed. Stepping out onto the porch to this view and the monkeys playing in the nearby trees a perfect place for morning devotions and to plan the day. A short walk to breakfast outside with of view of the rapids on the Nile and early morning fishermen. Most of our meals were outside. I tried every food I was offered. All were okay, however, the fruit was outstanding and I am still starting my days with Uganda Tea.
Then we met Lion Rev. Richard Kayaga Gonza and the JINJA LIONS CLUB. The Lions of Jinja sponsor a LEO Club at the University of Ophthalmology. When they came to the school we didn't have to screen the kids. There were seven Ophthalmology students who were there two days with one of their teachers (a LION). Although my equipment was newer than they were used to, it didn't take them long to google information, work with my minimum introduction and be ready to go. They screened over 400 students plus all the faculty and even the construction crew from the future soccer field. Grateful that not many needed glasses, they kept the 500 pair of glasses I had
delivered for eye clinics to be done later. Special thanks to District 2E-2 TLERC for the glasses and to DALCLIFF WYNNEWOOD for paying extra luggage charges.
We went to the Source of the Nile, the Equator and ate fish on the shores of Lake Victoria. We feed some very large birds, shopped in the African Market and the Mall. We visited Samantha, Moma Samousa, The Daughters of Charity and I was able to hold and cuddle so many babies. Again, smiles and love all around. (Continued page 20)
VOLUME 29 ISSUE 11 / MAY 2019
PAGE 17