Hello lovely friends and supporters. Since my last update, Mission Rwentobo trustees have been working hard to support Hope Community Clinic in Rwentobo and here is a summary of what we have been doing:

• Thanks to a donation which formed part of a legacy left to Tonbridge Baptist Church, we have been able to enlist the support of a professional Christian charities fundraiser, Sarah Squire.  She has been helping us to draft an effective "case for support" for potential individual supporters, as well as for possible trust funds. During August, we will be working on these so that trust applications can be sent out by early September.
• Four of the trustees were able to join a ZOOM meeting with representatives from the clinic, Kisiizi Hospital and World Shine Ministries, during which the annual report and plans for the future were discussed. A summary of the annual report can be found in the link below. You will see how much the use of the clinic has increased and why there is an urgent need for an extra clinical officer.
• We have been planning visits to Uganda over the next few months.  Benson, our trustee who lives  in Glasgow, left mid July to visit Uganda with his family for a few weeks and he will take the opportunity to meet our World Shine partners and visit the clinic.  Josephine Magoola left Tonbridge with her two children as soon as the schools broke up and Arthur will be joining them for a few weeks in August.  They plan to visit Kisiizi Hospital and Hope Clinic for a couple of days while they are there.  Mick and I plan to spend most of September in Uganda and will be visiting Kisiizi Hospital for 5 days and the clinic for one week. While at Kisiizi, we will attend Nurse Martha's graduation ceremony and the celebrations of the 25th anniversary of the Kisiizi School of Nursing. Whilst in Rwentobo, we will be joining a management team meeting in person, helping with interior decoration of the clinic and observing and assisting (in my case as a nurse) with some of the clinical duties.  Mick will concentrate on photos and videos to share on our return.

Annual report June 2022 to July 2023

‍There are only 9 days to go until I take on the challenge, along with friends from the Paddle Cabin, to complete the 29km Medway Canoe Trail on our SUPs (stand-up paddleboards). This involves carrying our boards around 9 locks en route and paddling from early morning to mid to late afternoon. It is a beautiful route but will be very tiring so any encouragement that you can give us would be much appreciated.  The target is to raise £1,000 in order to recruit the much needed second clinical officer and pay the salary for the first three months.  The following is the link to my Just Giving page. Debbie's Just Giving page

Looking to the future, this photo was taken at Rushooka Health Centre, a catholic centre which has offered support with the more complex deliveries when maternity care is extended at the clinic. They would be able to send an ambulance and have facilities for cesarean section if required. As this is much closer than Kisiizi hospital and not up a mountain road, Kisiizi have agreed that it would be a much better option. Prayer requests going forward:

• For the clinic team as they deal with increasing numbers of patients with a very small staff team.  Kato Julius has been praised as an excellent team leader but he needs support ASAP.
• That our target of £1,000 for a new clinical officer will be met so that his/ her salary can be covered for at least 3 months.
• For a strategy and funds to enable the clinic to provide full maternity care by the end of the year.
• Give thanks that God is already making a way where there appeared to be now way.  He has done it before and he will do it again!

Thank you and God bless,Debbie Burke, on behalf of the trustees of Mission Rwentobo.