Families and Communities Move Forward

The top three photos represent our visit to Ngupta this morning.  This is a village about 2-3 miles off the main   highway.  This is one of the new villages Care for Life is starting their program.  The spiritual leader of the commuinity in the white shirt was going to make an offering to the deceased ancestors of the village to get their blessing on the upcoming participation in the Care for Life program.  His father was the spiritual leader and recently died so he was a rookie performing the ceremony.  The ladies on the mat with him coached him and helped him complete the ceremony.  He offered rice, bread, chicken, Fanta orange, Beer, and another beverage.  He placed them on banana leaves that had lit candles and incense on each side.  The ceremony was a success which will mean and great partnership with Care for Life Family Preservation Program.
The remaining photos were taken that afternoon in the Village Casa Banana.  This village is just finishing up the Care for Life program.  There was a village celebration to honor their success with the program.  There is always singing and dancing.  The internet is slow here.  I will soon post some video of the dancing and singing.  We were able to compress one and put it on You Tube and I will put the link on my next blog.  In the society here in Africa the women are the strong ones.  They take care of the families, feed and care for the children and do just about everything else.  Rewards were given for those who achieved their goals.  Eighty percent of the families in Casa Banana now have and use well constructed latrines.  They have increased literacy, built tamburas or dish/pot racks and have strengthened and rebuilt many of their homes.  The children have been taught abstinence as a way to prevent HIV.  I was pleased to give the first award of Chairs to a woman who had successfully completed all of her goals.  Many people selected cement.  Hundreds of bags were given to families who completed goals.  The women carried these 50kg bags on top of their heads while carrying a baby (over 110lbs).  Some selected pieces of tin for their roofs.  This village will continue on following and building upon the principles they were taught by  Care for Life making thier lives healthier and happier.