REPORT AND THANK YOU FROM UGANDA TRIP JAN 2011

Well, I'm back, and it's time to say a hearty THANK YOU to ALL OF YOU WHO SUPPORTED Dr. FRANCIS, Dr ALEX (medical director of Kitgum Hospital, the only Dr in the entire 350 bed facility w/ a catchment of 1/2 million to a million people depending on the way you calculate it, a ROCK of a leader for his community, and a lover of Christ), Fr LEONSYO, and me to help bring compassionate and just healthcare to marginalized, poor, and traumatized Ugandan brothers and sisters living in squalid camps. These brothers and sisters of ours have been forgotten by the their government & the world and aching from the trauma of 23 years of war. The suffering they endure is a result of a war marked by mutilation, kidnapping of children, cultish spiritual brainwashing on the part of the "rebels," and systematic debilitation, emasculation, economic paralysis, and marginalization of an entire tribe and ethnic group (the Acholi people) on the part of their government through their forced relocation to camps with conditions comparable to Nazi concentration camps of WWII. The particular focus of our outreach has been to the people of Puda satellite IDP camp, and the people of the Parrish of Patongo. Fr Leonsyo is a dear friend who is the parrish priest for Patongo, one of the most impoverished and remote areas of all Northern Uganda. He is beloved by all, a tireless spiritual warrior of peace, and a man who is filled with Joy, & yet has the greatest burden of anyone I've ever met in my entire life: the Healing of his people, socially, medically, spiritually, & economically, starting with absolutely ZERO resources.
Each of you has been a partner to me, and more importantly our Acholi brothers and sisters in the quest for Justice, Peace, and Healing. Dr Francis, his dad Dr Alex, and the people of Patongo. First off, to get to know the people you're directly helping, please watch the film War Dance. It is an AMAZING Oscar nominated documentary about a school from Patongo's quest to win a dance contest, and it's very personal. It does a good job of helping the viewer to get to know the Acholi people of the area and their story, their beauty, their suffering, their hopes and dreams. I'd really like you all to get to know the Acholi people and their stories personally, as you've consistently supported my work with them. It does not go into much detail at all about history or the war or the current situation, but I think the most important thing in life is relationships, and this film is a great way to help you get to know the people you help me help through your support. The places you see in that film are mere feet from the medical center that Dr Alex, Francis, Father Leonsyo, I and the people of Patongo dream of opening. As I mentioned in an earlier post, the medical equipment/medicine you all bought was ultimately given to Kitgum Hospital, where Dr Alex--Dr Francis' father--is the medical director of the hospital, and the only physician for about half a million people, aside from a few at a private facility accessible only to the few wealthy enough to afford their services..
The decision to give the supplies to Kitgum was based on many things, primarily, the belief that it is our Calling to help lift up the Acholi people of the region and empower them by helping them to sustainably improve their existing healthcare infrastructure. The equipment will save the hospital money, and will thus increase the funds they can set aside for finishing construction of a medical center at Patongo, a remote, horrendously underserved and impoverished area which is in the catchment of Kitgum Hospital, but is so far as to make any trip there a seriously exhausting, dangerous, and expensive journey. The people of the area are essentially without healthcare for practical purposes.
I visited the site of the future medical center with Dr Alex and am very excited. In fact, most of the structure is already built, and awaits only a few basic (but major) additions before they can start actually supplying and staffing it. For example, they still need to construct a drainage system for the surgical theatre, essential to proper hygiene. Much of the structure still lacks a roof. But the glass is much more than half full as far as I'm concerned, and walking through the facility with Dr Alex, I could see and feel his excitement for how much good this place can do for the huge number of people from Patongo. Ultimately, the antibiotics, drugs and equipment you gave all have been invested in the creation of a facility that will serve a host of camps similar to the one where we were going to do a mobile clinic, and reach tens of thousands of people that are effectively beyond the reach of any decent medical care.
Please feel free to share this email anyone who may be interested. I hope to have more information, including some video, photos, and words from Dr Alex to all of you, thanking you for your help, and describing his dreams for Patongo and why they so desperately need this facility.
Thank you ALL, and BLESS YOU! I look forward to visiting the center next year, when hopefully, it will be open, or at least nearly ready for operation. Please join me in continuing over the years to hope, pray, send positive thoughts, or whatever it is you do, as well as partner with me and the people of Northern Uganda as they strive to Heal and rebuild their communities. Your support, through emails, prayer, constructive criticism, encouragement, and sacrificial financial giving multiply in a way I hope one day all of you will be able to witness with joy and satisfaction.
Peace be with you and all those you love, Nathan Mustain

PS You can always donate at at the link to the right on my blog at http://nathanmustain.blogspot.com/, & I'll send the funds to Francis, Dr Alex, or Leonsyo. You can even specify if you want the money to be used to help Leonsyo build up his ministry and empowerment of his people (he lives in complete poverty and strives to create programs, gardening coops, prayer groups, youth groups, peace dialogues out of thin air), or to Dr's Alex's healthcare facility in Patongo, OR you can even help to support Dr Francis, Dr Alex's family with a contribution, as they constantly strive to support their community & HUGE extended family with incomes below what ANY of us pays for rent monthly. I'll be sending out another brazen appeal for money for more support before you know it:):):)