A Letter from a Missionary in Uganda
This ministry update letter was sent to us by Alison Barfoot, a missionary partner, on April 9, 2020 and is being shared with her permission.
What the last month looked like…
In the beginning of March, our new Archbishop was enthroned and my job was to coordinate all the arrangements for more than 100 international visitors coming from 15 different countries, including 10 Archbishops from around the world. It was chaotic but I was pleased with the outcome. Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba is a godly man and we are thrilled with his election.
The week of March 8th, things started changing rapidly here. I had headed to Entebbe for four days to bid farewell to the final enthronement visitors and to receive a team of six coming to do a healing mission at St. Francis Chapel. But, while the team of six were in transit from NYC, the Ugandan government imposed a mandatory quarantine for all passengers arriving from the USA (other countries, too). We managed to intercept that team while they were in transit in Nairobi and told them not to come to Uganda, but to turn around and head home. Two days later they were back on flights to the US. I was very relieved for them.
Meanwhile, two friends had gone to the UK for medical treatment. Just when they were about to have surgery, the National Health Service cancelled all elective surgeries in order to deal with COVID-19 patients. I had helped book their tickets. So, now I had to help them re-book their flights back to Uganda, amid lots of airlines canceling international flights. Plus, they would go into 14 days of mandatory quarantine at their own expense upon arrival in Uganda. One arrived in Uganda just hours before the airport shut down. She finally was released from quarantine on Palm Sunday.
Within ten days restrictions were introduced starting with the closure of all schools and churches, and the banning of public gatherings. All borders closed on March 20th and the airport closed down on March 22nd for a minimum of 32 days. Only cargo flights are permitted. All public transportation – buses, vans, taxis, motorcycle taxis – are shut down. No private vehicles are allowed on the road. All stores are closed except food stores, pharmacies, and banks. Walking is the only means of transportation allowed, plus a few bicycles. If you have a regular medical condition that needs attention, may God help you. It may not be possible to get to a clinic. Some women have delivered babies on the side of roads trying to get transportation to a hospital for delivery. There is a curfew from 7 p.m. to 6.30 a.m. every day.
What life currently looks like...
I’m fine. Whatever that means. It’s Day 15 at home alone with no human contact except by phone, Whatsapp, Skype, Zoom (when my internet bandwidth cooperates), and email. I have enough food for, at least, another week. I’m more disoriented than I’d like to admit, and trying to figure out how to structure my days to be more productive. But, the good news is that we’ve had electricity, water, and the internet has worked most of the time. God is good! In the US, my mom is also ok. Her retirement community is on total lockdown. We talk everyday and I order things for her online. She’s frustrated, but we all are.
My role has been to touch base with our partners to make sure they’re ok and thinking through how to recalibrate under the circumstances. I’ve also been a big source of continuity for a new Archbishop (one month old) who has been handed a big leadership task. I’ve been able to support him in writing three Pastoral Letters to the Church and his Easter Message to the nation.
Our ministry partners are also ok, under the circumstances. Gech and his family are actually thriving upcountry. They shifted everyone outside of Nairobi to their upcountry ministry base. The boys are continuing their classes online. We were able to release some funds to Joseph to provide needed food for converts in his ministry. Rose is on the phone all the time with her church partners, coordinating how they’re caring for more than 400 children in the era of “social distancing.” So far, the church has stepped up to provide homes for the children during this season. It’s beautiful to behold!
I’m as disoriented as anyone else, trying to figure out what to do when you can’t plan for the future. I really needed some rest…but, Lord…this was not what I had in mind. Still…scaling back and peeling back layers is what Lent and Holy Week are all about. Coming face-to-face with what’s really inside us – that’s who Jesus loves and that’s who he died for. And, because he lives, we can face tomorrow!
Covid-19 in Uganda...
As of April 9th, there are 53 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Uganda, and no deaths; however, the criteria for testing is not very clear. Uganda is in a better situation than Kenya and Rwanda, at the moment. The Ministry of Health is doing an admirable job with the resources available. What does that mean? Only 10% of healthcare professionals have access to face masks and gloves. Not very many hospitals have oxygen available for patients, let alone ventilators. The message of hand washing, using hand sanitizers, and social distancing has been well communicated throughout the country. Clearly, however, if the virus gets out of control in Uganda, the healthcare system is not in a position to manage a full-scale epidemic. It would be devastating in crowded slum communities.
Image Source: Dai Kurokawa / EPA / The Conversation / The Wire
For now, the biggest impact is the shutdown of the economy. Daily wage-earners are really suffering from not being able to work to earn enough money to buy food for the day. Plus, earlier this week, northern Uganda got a second invasion of locusts. Yes, locusts! They destroy food crops. We have a looming food security crisis in our future.
Alison Barfoot is the Founder of Global Mobilization Ministries (GMM) and its Director of Mission, a ministry she began in 2004. In July 2004, she moved to Uganda on the invitation of Archbishop Henry Orombi to serve as his Assistant for International Relations. She is now serving her third Archbishop – Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba. To support Alison and her work you can give on the GMM website, www.globalmm.org or by sending a contribution by mailed to:
Global Mobilization Ministries
9435 Lorton Market Street, #721
Lorton, VA 22079