Johnny Appleseed and I

John Case has taught me so much about apples.  We now have 2,000 trees planted that will produce in the next 24 months. I thought I was learning about apples, my lesson was faith. 

Mr. Case put four children through school with one acre of apples.  One of his children, who is a medical doctor, is now in a seminary in Louisiana to become a diocesan priest. Hmm. 

On the other side of doubt is faith.  Thanks for the apple lesson John.  I got the big picture. 

I think if we follow the beatitudes in Matthew's gospel, we might have the ten commandments covered.

God Isn't Done With Me Yet

A great deal has happened since my last blog.  The poultry operation has been a challenge but very rewarding; we dedicated our Lady of Fatima Chapel on May 13^th, and I laid down my motorcycle in Queen Elizabeth National Park. 

The accident happened on Palm Sunday.  I had a palm on the back of my motorcycle and hours earlier, Father Adrian had blessed my travels.  I walked away with minor scratches, two broken ribs and gratitude to my parents for the strong bones.  Some will think I got lucky; my thoughts are my job is not complete.  God isn’t done with me yet!

Tea Farm

The new chapel was dedicated to our Lady of Fatima on the 102^ND Anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima, May 13^th.  A large crowd attended and the service was inspiring. 

I have worked hard, along with my trusted labourers, in expanding my poultry operation to 1000 birds.  The chicks were to be delivered beginning of May, but that has been delayed.  Turns out, I will be travelling 145 kilometers to pick them up.  That should be interesting! 

Chicken Coop

Life in Uganda has been a life changing experience.  The countryside is beautiful.  The people are kind and welcoming.  God has been good to me.

Bishop Callist Rubaramira

I enjoyed a visit from Damian Kabot of Lay Mission Helpers Association (LMH).  I was grateful for his work ethic and friendship.  It was great having a fellow American to communicate with in person!  He has great vision and sees the big picture of life.  He is a wonderful addition to our LMH family. 

Damian and Sisters

Please consider joining us; the path is rocky, but the journey is both rewarding and easy……..rewarding – yes; easy – Not!  It is a challenge many days, but tackling the challenges is what exhilarates me!

Blessed are the poor in spirit:  for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3)   

A Few Projects

As Project Manager for the Diocese, I am working on several projects.  Financial goals are different for each project. Some projects must provide big-time financial gains for the diocese to thrive and serve the people. The number of God's people we serve keeps growing at a strong rate. At a minimum, we must have income producing projects that keep pace with that growth. Ideally we need to far exceed that target in order to offer more services.

In the USA our tithe from parishioners greatly increases when more people enter God's grace and join our diocese. Here in Uganda, an increase in parish size doesn't increase the funds we have available for service needs.  In many cases, it actually lowers the actual funding per person.  I know this doesn't always make sense in the American way of thinking, but let me share a short story of what I have discovered in my journey into the Kabale villages. 

Here in Uganda, many families are large.   I toured many villages and sometimes they have 7-10 children per household. They farm the land and raise livestock; lots of chickens and goats, the lucky ones have pigs and the really fortunate have cattle. As these families grow they increase the farming area and raise additional livestock.  It is quite enlightening how they welcome each child as a gift from God. The churches are packed full not only on Sundays but at many Masses and events during the week. The happiness in the hearts of these families are simply inspiring to me.  Those with the least appear to be the happiest. I have thought to myself, it is their faith that makes them happy.  What they lack in resources they make up for in joy, family unity, and faith.

Back to finances and my projects, these families tithe what they can, but the amount doesn't go up with each additional gift of God.  Some of these projects must produce more and more income to the diocese.

My projects that need to generate as much income as possible are the following:

Tea Farms

Short term goal -  we need to farm as effectively as possible. This includes proper fertilizer and weeding. This is well under way.

Medium term goal - we need a large commercial truck to pick up tea leaves and bring to Tea Factory. Currently we contract this part out. It costs us 20% of our gross revenue for this service. I believe we can net an additional 10% profit with this truck. I need to define some details including the continual costs of future truck purchases to make sure that projection is correct.

Long term goal  - find funding to have a diocese owned tea plant. Currently we bring these leaves to the factory that is owned by others. 

My vision points to a fully automated solar powered plant that would greatly reduce our carbon footprint. Currently they cut down trees for fuel to dry the tea leaves.   If we could partner with a forward thinking international company or university to design and fund this, what a remarkable gift to all humankind and God's planet.

Capricon Executive Hotel

Capricon Executive Hotel is another income generating project that has had some problems with revenues being too low and expenses being too high. This is my first hands on project, and the tide has clearly turned. This hotel will add additional funds to the Diocese in a few short months. We need your prayers and everything else we have to be effective.

1. We need six months to show real sustainable profits

2. We always need and give God's Prayers

3. Catholic book stores

Catholic Book Centres

We also manage two Catholic Book Centres.  God has given us great gifts. Not all of these gifts are financially related. The diocese is here to serve the faithful and quite frankly everyone.

These bookstores serve the people, they will never and shouldn't make a big profit.  They will make a different type of profit by preaching the Gospel. It is our obligation as a diocese to supply these Christian items: books, rosaries, bibles, crucifixes, etc., and we accept the challenge and pray to break even.

I finished the chicken coop that I wrote about in a previous blog.  I built it in honor of my father and father-in-law.

One other project we are starting on is planting an apple tree orchard.

Stay tuned...

Resilience

This Blog update is inspired by my daddy, Paul, and my father-in-law, Allen.  What amazing examples of resilience they have shown me.

Both of my fathers grew up in an environment much like I live in now, in Uganda. Paul grew up on a farm with very few resources, no indoor plumbing, the food was either planted and raised, foraged or hunted. They wasted nothing, worked hard, and cooked with wood as their source of fuel.  

Allen grew up in a small town.  His father died very young and his sister was killed in a car accident, yet he never waivered or lost faith. I wish I could say the same when Cari, my wife of 30 years, died at age 52. 

I cannot change the past but I can surely follow their lead and redirect the future. Everybody reading this blog can count on it. Thanks for the example men.

I am going to build a chicken coop for 60 chickens in the next 3 weeks.  I sure wish I would have paid more attention to their guidance. Allen's son, Todd, built a house from scratch so I can surely handle a large chicken operation. 

During the past couple of weeks in Uganda, I have toured and studied tea operations.   The Diocese of Kabale has a couple large tea farms.  One task I have been assigned is to maximize profits from these tea farms.  God willing I will be successful. 

While touring the tea farms, Fr. Adrian took me on a drive toward the Congo and I was blessed to see many African animals including water buffalo, hippopotamus, monkeys and tipo, all in their natural habitat.  No zoo here! 

I was also blessed NOT TO SEE lions, elephants, and land gorillas!!! They are very close in proximity to where I live and I will tour them another day.

Everyone says "they were the greatest generation".   I can certainly appreciate now how much they accomplished in such a short time. 

Please stay tuned for future blogs.  The "Paul- Allen Center for Poultry" is under construction.  Cluck, cluck, cluck.

Faith Journey

My newest faith journey has begun. I have arrived on the sacred soil of Uganda, Africa. My new home is located in the fertile mountains of Kabale. I am simply amazed at how green and productive the agriculture is here. All our food comes farm to table. The banana plantations are enormous. Lake Victoria is one of the great wonders of the world, and it produces many fish for the people. Cattle, goats, and chickens are free range raised. Watermelon, pineapple, cabbage and carrots are plentiful.

I walk the mountain roads each morning at day break. I am greeted by many people starting their daily journey.  They inspire me with their kind greetings and work ethic. Their job may be preparing the soil, carrying water back to the village, attending school or working in the city.  They do it with a spirit of gratitude.

Many of the faces are tired from the difficult journey of walking these mountains, yet all greet me.  We greet each other with gracious community and care. They are very present to each other in there communication; it is so genuine and warm. The smiles are so, so real.

Please picture this with me. I was walking the many steep roads this last Sunday morning.  The mountains were overcast and full of a very heavy fog.  I could only see 10-12 feet ahead of me and only two-to-three feet above me. The mountain roads have many trails and small paths that lead to other homes and villages.

I started my journey about 6:00 am.  After walking a few blocks, I saw an elderly woman appear in front of me, stepping out of the fog, dressed in traditional African attire. Her dress was bright yellow and looked amazing with her matching hat.  She greeted me with a warm Ugandan smile. 

My journey went on for an estimated four miles on this route. The same scenario repeated itself hundreds of times. Many people appearing out of the fog dressed to perfection, walking four miles, many much longer, going to Mass at the Cathedral. I was simply amazed to see the Cathedral full for the 7:30 am service.  

I thought I left the richest country in the world.  I was wrong; I landed in it. That Sunday morning, tears came to my eyes. I had seen Christ on the small trails in the mountains of Kabale, and for the first time, I walked along-side Him. God chooses the broken to walk with him. I am and was truly broken. Christ carried me to Kabale. I walked with him on the mountain trails; I will never be the same. I was called to Kabale, I thought, to help fix it. It is simply not broken. I was called to Kabale to fix me. Christ chooses the broken and scarred. He chose me for this mission.

Lake Bunyonyi

 I have been assigned six large projects by Bishop Callist to complete in the next three years. When I was broken I couldn't build a dog house or plant a garden.  Take a good look at these projects three years from now. If I get tired, my guess is, I will be carried, somehow.  I am no longer broken, I will not be broken again. 

Tea Plantation

Please stay tuned to my blog and faith journey. It is going to be a great ride.