COVID-19 has wreaked havoc all around the globe, and Uganda is no exception. Thankfully, we have not had any infections among our Ddembe families, but we have faced a host of challenges due to the restrictions and procedures in response to the virus. Uganda’s governmental lockdown does seem to have helped stem the spread of the virus, but some of the strict measures put in place have also had a significant negative impact on the poorest and most vulnerable. Travel restrictions and home confinements have made working, or even gathering food, nearly impossible for those living in the villages.
Only single-occupancy vehicles, like boda-bodas (small motorcycles) or tuk-tuks have been allowed on the roads. The impact of this restriction on Ddembe has been that we could only acquire the food and supplies that Moses could attain within walking distance and carry himself. This was sufficient for Ddembe House but not for the care of our widows or families out in the villages.
With the inability to use our regular vehicle, and with no end in site to the lockdown, we had to figure out another way to get to our families, despite the legal restrictions. The solution: a tuk-tuk. (For our western friends, think “3-wheeler with a cargo bed.”)
This was a big investment and unexpected expense for Ddembe—$5000 at short notice for the tuk-tuk and initial food supplies—but we knew it was necessary to provide for our families. We are asking for your help to bear this burden so that no other area of Ddembe may be hindered. Your gift helps Ddembe as a whole and contributes to its continued ministry even in the face of a global pandemic.
This difficult year has affected us all. As it draws to a close, we celebrate what God has done at Ddembe despite the hardships. As we look towards 2021 we expect even greater things! You can be a part of that future today through your gift! It might just be a tuk-tuk, or as we now call it, our “food-tuk,” but it’s also a symbol: Ddembe is about meeting needs so that those within may find rest, and then find the love, hope, and freedom found in Christ. Won’t you help us do that? If so, please click on the DONATE button above and select “Tuk-Tuk” in the Sub-Fund menu.ion
