Hansens in Uganda: Paige and Dan Visit Africa

We have had a delightful 8 days with our oldest daughter Paige and her husband Dan. After our daughter Megan's visit earlier this year, Paige and Dan have been planning a vacation for mid November. But with the Ebola outbreak, it was questionable whether they would come or not. When it looked like Uganda could have a potential case, we told them to look long and hard at coming. When authorities told the public that what Uganda thought a possible case turned out to be a false alarm, the kids decided to come. Many of their friends and co-workers told them that if they came they better stay away for the 21 day incubation period after their return. But they came and we had a blast.

The first couple of days we helped the mission with Zone Conferences for a few hours and shopped at a couple of souvenir shops while they recouped from jet lag. On Friday we took them to the source of the Nile for a ride on an African long boat and saw some beautiful birds, monitor lizards and monkeys. Saturday was busy with the four of us helping the humanitarian couple and Susan Apondi Mwanga's NGO remove jiggers(a parasite) from village children's feet. Dan helped carry water from a distant water source. Susan and Paige washed the feet and hands of many affected children and I escorted the kids one by one to the nurses doing the surgery. You would not believe how bad most of these kids were. This little worm, the size of a grain of rice, embeds and creates a very sore area that itches and hurts. The eggs and larva come from the dirt floors in the huts the kids live in. They have no shoes, some no underpants, and they have these jiggers everywhere but mostly in their feet. I could not see Paige and Sue washing their dirty little feet and not think of the Savior. It was a great experience. This is Sue's and my third time working in the villages doing jiggers.

Monday, we drove up to the Murchison Falls National Game Reserve to the Paraa Resort where we went on two game drives and spent Tuesday on a boat traveling up river to see the falls, which was spectacular. Wednesday we drove through the top of the park on a road from Paraa on the West of the Park to Chobe Resort on the East side. Believe me when I say this was not a road but a trail. There were some areas in the lowlands where the grass was 10 feet tall and there was no road visible. We were traveling with another couple also in a 4WD who led the way. It was a frightening 75 miles but we made it with no problems. Both resorts were spectacular.

In all, we had a great time and Paige and Dan had an adventure of a lifetime. We did get some wonderful pictures...here is a sample:

The Marabou Stork is an ugly scavenger that is everywhere along the Nile and Lake Victoria

The White Ibis

Cormorant at the source of the Nile at Lake Victoria

Paige washing the feet of a village child

Paige was so good with these kids. They knew what was coming and she calmed them down.

Saturday afternoon Sue and Paige sponsored a Young Women activity where the girls were given headbands and necklaces from Paige's Young Women in Boise, Idaho. They also were taught how to make clip in flowers for their hair or clothes.

After the girls completed the project, we ate Sloppy Joes and had drinks. These girls very seldom get to do these kind of activities.

This Lioness is out of focus but she was so secluded that the camera focused on the grass and not her.

I love sunset shots and this was a good one

Poachers are always trying to capture game in the park for meat or tusks. Giraffes are not good for either but this one has been crippled on its back right leg by a trap. We told the ranger that this animal was in big trouble and very crippled with the wire around its leg.