Mission Trip Update 3/23/20
Originally, the Raise The Roof Academy mission team to Uganda had been scheduled to gather tonight in at Forest Hills United Methodist Church in Brentwood for our second monthly team training.
Needless to say, that did not happen. What happened was this:
We met by videoconferencing.
Here’s the update: The trip has not been called off yet, but they also have avoided buying the airline tickets. It is possible that the trip will be postponed. If the trip is postponed, there may be a couple of options — for example, a fall trip for those who can make it in the fall, while others might wait until next year.
“I think by May we should know whether we’re winning, or this thing is winning,” said Rev. David Ssebulime, co-founder of RTRA.
In order for the trip to happen, travel has to be safe and unrestricted not only on the U.S. end and the Uganda end, but also in Europe, since you have to change planes in either Brussels or Amsterdam when flying from the U.S. to Uganda.
Uganda had its first reported case of COVID-19 over the weekend, and schools and large public gatherings have been closed. Of course, in any country in the developing world there may be an issue with diagnosis and testing. In America, there are about 295 patients to every doctor. In Uganda as a whole, there are 25,725 patients to every doctor. There’s no specific figure for the district where RTRA is located, but in one of it’s adjoining districts, there are 75,000 patients to every doctor.
Just as in the U.S., there are many of RTRA’s students who depend on the school for nutritious food. Just as here in Bedford County, RTRA is working to try to deliver food to the children that won’t be in school to get it.
Marlene and David Ssebulime, the founders of RTRA, said that the impact of COVID-19 on Uganda will mean the mission team’s visit, and the work of RTRA in general, will be even more needed and impactful.
“Your choice to make this trip is a good thing,” said David Ssebulime, a native of Uganda who now pastors Hillcrest United Methodist Church in Nashville in addition to his work with RTRA.
In the meantime, instead of meeting in person every month, we will hold videoconferencing sessions every two weeks.
The Ssebulimes promised they won’t take us to Uganda until and unless they feel safe doing so. But there will be a trip, sooner or later, and I plan to be on it.
I covet your prayers for me, the team, RTRA and the people of the surrounding community.
