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Solar Light for Africa Comes to Misika
In its eighth year, the "Solar Light for Africa'' Project returns to Kasese, this time to install solar panels on one hundred homes in the little village of Kapoko, in Misika Parish. (Misika is the home of the South Rwenzori Diocesan Secretary, the Reverend Canon Nason Baluku.) It is situated up in the hills of the Rwenzori Mountains, some ten kilometers from Kasese. It is quite lovely there. The following are views taken around the small Kapoko Trading Centre, where the commissioning took place.In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. Gen 1:1--3.And of course, the Light of the World came into the world in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ. It can be said that light may be deemed as of paramount importance to God!
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| The view surrounding the small village of Kapoko, in Misika Parish. The small houses dotted about the hillsides are where the young people were installing solar panels. | |
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| When we first arrived, the youth were already there, receiving instructions, and there were also many people who had come to watch the ceremony, and just see what was going on. | |
Some History
In 1997, Bishop Hathaway met Bishop Masereka in Georgia on a fund raising trip to raise money for the Mustard Seed Babies' Home in Hoima, who challenged Bishop Hathaway saying, "If you are going to put lights in that orphanage, I too have orphanages, hospitals, schools, clinics and homes in my diocese which also have no light." He asked him, "Why stop there?" He was so persistent that Bishop Hathaway had him call his son Alden and together they put together the idea for "Solar Light for Africa." This was the beginning, and each summer the bishop and a team of young people come from the United States and meet up with an equal member of African youth, who then go into communities to install solar panels on hospitals, clinics, orphanages, schools and homes. They have made trips to Tanzania, Rwanda, and Uganda. Several years ago, a solar powered pump was installed in one village, to provide clean drinking water, cutting the rate of illness in the village drastically. For more history, and interesting information on this project, visit their web site at http://www.solarlightforafrica.org/Home.htm.Free Clinic
When we arrived, the free clinic was well "in session.'' Dr. Bob Whittier, an ENT specialist from Tallahassee, Florida, and two dentists - Dr. Peter Smith from Bufort, South Carolina and Dr. Kurt Hawn from Leesburg, Virginia - along with the help of several nurses, saw many patients. Dr. Hawn's wife, Renee, a Physical Therapist also helped. 
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 As the day wore on, the numbers of those waiting to see either dentist or doctor increased. (R) Traveling with the Solar team each year is Mrs. Penina Mbabazi, or "Mama Penny" as she is affectionately known to the team members. (She is secretary/assistant to the First Lady, Janet Museveni (who is also one of the MPs representing Ntungamu district.). The woman standing to her right is Aida Mbabazi, the Community Coordinator at Kagando Hospital in Kisinga and also the incoming President of the South Rwenzori Mothers' Union. | 
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| (L--R:) Bishop William Rukirande, Bishop Jackson Nzerebende Tembo, Bishop Alden Hathaway and Bishop Zebedee Masereka; all but Bishop Nzerebende have retired. | 
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| The pavilion for the invited speakers and guests. Behind this people were selling cassava, fruits and vegetables. Plans are to develop a real market here. | 
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| The dentist removing some teeth from a little girl who has eaten too much sugar cane. | 
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| Long lines of people waiting to see either the doctor or one of the dentists | 
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Entertainment
| We were entertained by a local troupe of dancers on native drums - round drums with animal skins on either end, and a an instrument of wood, beaten with wooden mallets, and which resembled a xylophone. |
| Songs were sung by a group of women from Misika Parish, and also by a choir of youth from Kihara Primary School. |
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Let There Be Light!
The young people had received instructions on the process of installation, and you can see several of them working on the first unit.
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| The young man on the roof called out, "Hit the switch!" | 
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| Before the switch is hit, the bulb is off. | 
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| Following hitting switch, The bulb is on ! | 
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| Congratulations were given all around. (Left to right) Local Council 3 Chairman of Rukoki Subcounty; Local Council 1 Chairman of Kapoko village; Bishop Jackson Nzerebende Tembo; Bishop William Rukirande (Retired), Local Council 5 Chairman, Rev. Canon Julius Kithaghenda (Kasese District), Bishop Alden Hathaway (Retired), and Rev. Canon Cornelius Maate, Archdeacon of the Kasese Archdeaconry. | 
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After several days of working in Misika, it was time for the young people to depart for home. But before they left Kasese, a big farewell dinner was held at Bishop Nzerebende's house. Here is a photo of the entire team. They did a wonderful job, and we thoroughly enjoyed having them with us in Kasese.
