Steve Gaskin, from Norwich Central Baptist Church has been teaching maths this summer in one of the poorest areas of Uganda. During his trip he distributed water purification devices and was able to help a girl who had been abandoned by her family.
Steve is director of Right Angle Events in Norwich. This is his seventh consecutive mission trip, having worked in Latvia and Bulgaria in the past. The trip to Uganda was arranged through Mission Direct, a company that offers opportunities for individuals to travel to developing countries to assist with hospitals, teaching and building.
Steve raised £1,500 of sponsorship which went directly into a disabled school to help with building and teaching resources. Steve preached at the local parish church in Rukungiri and delivered a sermon on the wedding at Cana; praying for Christian marriages and the miracle of life.
Most importantly, Steve found a life saving device which helped prevent water borne diseases. The devices are called Life Straws. They enable individuals, families and villages to harvest contaminated water and easily convert it into purified water. The individual life straws cost just £18.00 each, a small price to pay to save a life. The straws were handed over to a local water charity Mission 4 Water.
During the trip, Steve and his colleagues found a young woman called Anita, aged 13, whom had been “locked-away” in very primitive accommodation. Anita suffers from spina bifida. Her so called bedroom was in a very sorry state and smelt strongly of urine and faeces. Her father had long since abandoned her.
Within 24 hours sufficient monies had been raised to a secure a more comfortable future. Steve said “Working in Africa is a real life changer. I cannot wait to go back”
Pictured top: Steve alongside teachers at Equator Uganda school. Below: Anita in her previous living conditions and Steve with Anita
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