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Re: Uganda trip and cheerleader daughter

Posted: July 12th, 2010, 8:26 am
by CathyCA
It's tragic. One of the people who was killed was from Raleigh.

Programs like the one that Claire is on are making great strides in helping the people of Uganda. Education and compassion will empower the people of Uganda. (Claire, too!)

Terrorists suck.

When does Claire come home? I know that you can't wait to see her and :ymhug: her.

Re: Uganda trip and cheerleader daughter

Posted: July 12th, 2010, 9:09 am
by devildeac
CathyCA wrote:It's tragic. One of the people who was killed was from Raleigh.

Programs like the one that Claire is on are making great strides in helping the people of Uganda. Education and compassion will empower the people of Uganda. (Claire, too!)

Terrorists suck.

When does Claire come home? I know that you can't wait to see her and :ymhug: her.
Scheduled to return 8/12. No word about returning sooner due to recent events. Thanks.

Re: Uganda trip and cheerleader daughter

Posted: July 12th, 2010, 6:47 pm
by devildeac
Another update:

Dear Parents,



We have heard from a few of you with natural concerns about the safety and well being of your students in Uganda taking part in either our group program in Mbarara or pursuing an independent project in Mityama following the pair of bombings that recently struck Kampala yesterday. All of our students are well.



I am writing to let you know that we have been gathering information over the past 18 hours to help us understand the situation and its potential impact on students. We know that some of you have been in contact with your students, so you have assuredly heard that students are fine and in good spirits. We’ve also been in touch with students either directly or through the on-the-ground coordinator in Mbarara. Dr. Alex Cho, program leader for the Mbarara group, has also been apprised of the situation and is prepared to be supportive as needed.



Earlier today, we discussed the situation with Chris Boroski, the director of Duke’s risk management office, who is our primary liaison with International SOS, the organization that provides local security assessments for DukeEngage sites overseas and, when necessary, direct aid to students and staff in the field. We have received no information from ISOS or other Duke staff in Uganda to indicate that students are in danger at this time at their respective service sites.



Because student safety is paramount, we are instituting immediately some limitations on student travel away from their service sites. Specifically, we have directed students and staff not to travel to Kampala and surrounding areas this weekend, including the tourist area of Jinja. Security checkpoints and roadblocks in and around the capitol have been increased, making travel by car uncertain. Additionally, we are asking DukeEngage participants to avoid high profile and tourist areas in the country and will reassess this as we continue to receive additional information.



We will update you as soon as additional security information becomes available.

Re: Uganda trip and cheerleader daughter

Posted: July 12th, 2010, 6:51 pm
by devildeac

Re: Uganda trip and cheerleader daughter

Posted: July 12th, 2010, 6:59 pm
by OZZIE4DUKE
Well, it sounds like a reasonable, level-headed response to worried parents. You can't avoid all risks or guarantee safety, but they are probably safe to stay there and complete their objectives.

On a side note, the man from Raleigh who was killed in the explosion over there, his brother survived a small plane crashing in Chapel Hill today.

Re: Uganda trip and cheerleader daughter

Posted: July 12th, 2010, 8:04 pm
by DukePA
safety vibes to CD and peace of mind vibes to CD parents, family and friends (that means all of us!)
((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Re: Uganda trip and cheerleader daughter

Posted: July 12th, 2010, 8:06 pm
by lawgrad91
A frightening situation, but it sounds like they are doing everything they can to ensure the safety of the students.

Many prayers for CLD until she's home safely.

Re: Uganda trip and cheerleader daughter

Posted: July 12th, 2010, 8:11 pm
by Ima Facultiwyfe
Level heads are in charge of our sweet Claire and her buddies' safety. Try to rest in the assurance that she's doing something great and something that is making her proud and happy. Gosh! We all think the world of her and the two great parents that produced her. Hope she writes a book when she gets home!
Love, Ima

Re: Uganda trip and cheerleader daughter

Posted: July 15th, 2010, 11:10 pm
by devildeac
Had a Skype call with CD this afternoon and no, she did not commit to unc 8-| . Not much to update. She is making her in-home follow up visits to all the women they worked with on their pre-natal health project the 1st 4-5 weeks and the process is more organized and efficient now. She will do some work the last 1-2 weeks on the sanitary rainwater harvesting project. Tourism travel for the students has been severely curtailed and we also heard today on CNN or FOX that the lunatic fringe somalian terrorist scumbags plan more attacks. Still 28 more days until her return on August 12. Please keep those prayers, thoughts and vibes a-flowing.

Re: Uganda trip and cheerleader daughter

Posted: July 16th, 2010, 12:32 am
by OZZIE4DUKE
Glad she's doing well and is safe. Guess I was wrong in my post to dukediv2012 about CD talking to him before talking to you :D Good daughter!

Re: Uganda trip and cheerleader daughter

Posted: July 16th, 2010, 7:29 am
by TillyGalore
:YMPRAY: :wizard: :YMPRAY: :wizard: :YMPRAY: :wizard: :YMPRAY: :wizard: :YMPRAY: :wizard: :YMPRAY: :wizard: :YMPRAY: :wizard: :YMPRAY: :wizard: :YMPRAY: :wizard: :YMPRAY: :wizard: :YMPRAY: :wizard: :YMPRAY: :wizard: :YMPRAY: :wizard: :YMPRAY: :wizard: :YMPRAY: :wizard: :YMPRAY: :wizard: :YMPRAY: :wizard: :YMPRAY: :wizard: :YMPRAY: :wizard: :YMPRAY: :wizard: :YMPRAY: :wizard: :YMPRAY: :wizard: :YMPRAY: :wizard: :YMPRAY: :wizard: :YMPRAY: :wizard: :YMPRAY: :wizard: :YMPRAY: :wizard: :YMPRAY: :wizard:

That Cheerleader Daughter's last weeks in Uganda are safe.

:ymhug: :ymhug: :ymhug: :ymhug: :ymhug: :ymhug: :ymhug: :ymhug: :ymhug: :ymhug: :ymhug: :ymhug: :ymhug: :ymhug: :ymhug: :ymhug: :ymhug: :ymhug: :ymhug: :ymhug:

To the devildeacs as they await the safe return of Cheerleader Daughter.

Re: Uganda trip and cheerleader daughter

Posted: July 16th, 2010, 8:09 am
by devildeac
OZZIE4DUKE wrote:Glad she's doing well and is safe. Guess I was wrong in my post to dukediv2012 about CD talking to him before talking to you :D Good daughter!
Nah, you're right. She has talked/Skyped/emailed him more than us but we have not considered that a bad thing. It has been reasonable.

Re: Uganda trip and cheerleader daughter

Posted: July 18th, 2010, 8:01 am
by Lavabe
Capital cities are the worst place to be in this part of the world, especially when government stability is questionable.

In Madagascar last year, the US embassy reacted strongly to what happened in the capital city, and ordered an immediate evacuation of all Americans, even though the situation was largely limited to the capital city. Talk about an overreaction... the result was that it ruined Peace Corps, USAID, and many other programs.

I hope that the US Embassy folks in Kampala have a more level-headed approach at evaluating the situation in Uganda.

Re: Uganda trip and cheerleader daughter

Posted: July 18th, 2010, 5:14 pm
by devildeac
Somewhere earlier in this thread it was mentioned that Kampala had one of the 7 or 8 Ba'hai (sp?) temples in the world. This was confirmed last week according to one of the Uganda sites I looked at while reviewing my history and geography of the country.

Re: Uganda trip and cheerleader daughter

Posted: July 18th, 2010, 10:48 pm
by Lavabe
devildeac wrote:Somewhere earlier in this thread it was mentioned that Kampala had one of the 7 or 8 Ba'hai (sp?) temples in the world. This was confirmed last week according to one of the Uganda sites I looked at while reviewing my history and geography of the country.
To clarify, there are many centers, that are commonly in our vernacular referred to as temples. For example, check out the listing for Georgia:
http://www.patheos.com/directory/temple/GA/t_Bahai
However, we use the word TEMPLE differently from the official language of the faith. The faith recognizes only a few dedicated structures that are called TEMPLES. The North American continent one is in Illinois.

Re: Uganda trip and cheerleader daughter

Posted: July 18th, 2010, 11:48 pm
by DukieInKansas
Adding prayers and vibes and hugs from Kansas that CD remains safe and that Mr. & Mrs. DD can sleep at night while awaiting her safe return on 8/12.

Re: Uganda trip and cheerleader daughter

Posted: July 29th, 2010, 10:12 pm
by devildeac
Well, I've tried countless times to copy and paste the most recent update from Claire in Uganda but keep getting SQL error messages. I've tried dividing the email into 2 parts thinking it might be too long to send as a single post (always the PW :D ) and I even tried sending it to myself as a PM and I can receive it, but still can't copy and paste the frakking thing on this thread. So, here's the summary: she has been very busy with follow up in-home visits from the family planning portion of her trip and has worked a few days on the sanitary rainwater collection project. The travel ban has been lifted and she will take a weekend trip to another national forest this weekend, spend most of next week compiling data and writing about her work, go to Jinja, near Kampala, and take a boat ride on the Nile and the leave Uganda on 8/11 to return to Raleigh on 8/12. I am so X( I can't get her email to CTN as a post because she makes it sound soooo much more interesting and comprehensive than I can. I'll bet she puts a ton of pix on FB when she returns so stay tuned. :D

Oh, and BTW, she says, "Go :duke: :duke: ."

Re: Uganda trip and cheerleader daughter

Posted: July 29th, 2010, 10:14 pm
by lawgrad91
devildeac wrote:Well, I've tried countless times to copy and paste the most recent update from Claire in Uganda but keep getting SQL error messages. I've tried dividing the email into 2 parts thinking it might be too long to send as a single post (always the PW :D ) and I even tried sending it to myself as a PM and I can receive it, but still can't copy and paste the frakking thing on this thread. So, here's the summary: she has been very busy with follow up in-home visits from the family planning portion of her trip and has worked a few days on the sanitary rainwater collection project. The travel ban has been lifted and she will take a weekend trip to another national forest this weekend, spend most of next week compiling data and writing about her work, go to Jinja, near Kampala, and take a boat ride on the Nile and the leave Uganda on 8/11 to return to Raleigh on 8/12. I am so X( I can't get her email to CTN as a post because she makes it sound soooo much more interesting and comprehensive than I can. I'll bet she puts a ton of pix on FB when she returns so stay tuned. :D

Oh, and BTW, she says, "Go :duke: :duke: ."
Thanks for the update on CLD. It sounds like she is accomplishing good things. I know you can't wait til she gets home.

Re: Uganda trip and cheerleader daughter

Posted: July 29th, 2010, 10:18 pm
by captmojo
She gets a :happy-bouncyblue: :happy-bouncyblue: :happy-bouncyblue: from me for the last line alone.
devildeac wrote:
Oh, and BTW, she says, "Go :duke: :duke: ."
Oh Hell...another :happy-bouncyblue:

Re: Uganda trip and cheerleader daughter

Posted: July 29th, 2010, 10:20 pm
by CathyCA
devildeac wrote:Well, I've tried countless times to copy and paste the most recent update from Claire in Uganda but keep getting SQL error messages. I've tried dividing the email into 2 parts thinking it might be too long to send as a single post (always the PW :D ) and I even tried sending it to myself as a PM and I can receive it, but still can't copy and paste the frakking thing on this thread. So, here's the summary: she has been very busy with follow up in-home visits from the family planning portion of her trip and has worked a few days on the sanitary rainwater collection project. The travel ban has been lifted and she will take a weekend trip to another national forest this weekend, spend most of next week compiling data and writing about her work, go to Jinja, near Kampala, and take a boat ride on the Nile and the leave Uganda on 8/11 to return to Raleigh on 8/12. I am so X( I can't get her email to CTN as a post because she makes it sound soooo much more interesting and comprehensive than I can. I'll bet she puts a ton of pix on FB when she returns so stay tuned. :D

Oh, and BTW, she says, "Go :duke: :duke: ."
Cool! I can't wait to see her pictures.