TAN: Ugandan Extreme Home MakeOver
By Judy Lynch; The Afro News Surrey :Some of you may recognize Laura-Lynn Tyler Thompson as the inspirational co-host of the national TV series ‘The Daily with Mark and Laura-Lynn’, where she has conducted over 1,000 on-air interviews with well-known celebrities, authors, politicians and artists. Many would, however, be surprised to know that this blonde white woman is a native-born Ugandan.
Laura-Lynn was born in Uganda, East Africa to missionary parents, Velma and David Freeman. She thrived in her home in the rural town of Masaka. However, when Laura-Lynn was 8 years old, the family’s time in Africa came to an abrupt and frightening end.
Just three months earlier, her father had witnessed the brutal killing of the mayor of Masaka, who had been dragged through town on the back of a pick-up truck by the army, and then had his throat publicly slit as a warning to anyone who might stand against the regime of the ruthless dictator, President Idi Amin. . Her father was the only white man in the crowd, along with a few Asians. Her family’s deportation order soon followed. Before they could leave, Idi Amin’s army picked up her father late one night, finally releasing him two days later. They escaped Uganda and everything Laura Lynn knew as normal changed overnight.
Years passed and after much hard work and persistance, Laura-Lynn’s life led her into a career as a national television show host on “The Daily with Mark and Laura-Lynn”. Being a “people-person”, Laura-Lynn loved her job interviewing celebrities like Dog the Bounty Hunter, Henry Winkler and Josh Duhamel.
In 2009, after a strange turn of events, her entire family (all 11 of them including spouses and children) decided to return to Uganda. She was unprepared for the impact this trip would have upon her. Her visit would breathe such a fire in her soul that it would change the course of her life.
Once back on Ugandan soil, Laura-Lynn was overcome with emotion. She returned to her childhood home and held the hands of those who had held her as a baby. She realized that her heart was irrevocably tied to this great land and its people.
When Laura-Lynn returned to Canada, she could not get Uganda off her mind, yearning to give back to the land of her birth. This eventually led to the idea of building a home for a needy woman. In spite of her excitement, fear gripped her heart – she was not a fund raiser. How should she proceed?
Things began to fall into place. She shared her vision with a friend, named Ruth Moody, who had lost her husband to cancer. Ruth not only encouraged Laura-Lynn, but decided to accompany her and promised to pay her airfare and hotels. Laura-Lynn was overwhelmed by this generous offer!
It would be another 7 months until Laura-Lynn and Ruth would fly off together. Meanwhile, time ticked on and the dull anxiety in her stomach grew with each passing week. Ruth had already paid her ticket, leaving Laura-Lynn no option to quit. But how would she raise the required funds?
She finally decided to do a live studio audience taping. She invited some significant people whom she had interviewed over the last 10 years to do a night of inspirational speaking. It was a magical evening of laughter, tears and wisdom. The fund raiser yielded about $10,000 from 180 beautiful Canadians. She was elated and so grateful.
This led to her next emotional meltdown and logistical challenge – ”Who would build the house?”. One “divine” connection she had made was with the Vice-President of Uganda, Professor Gilbert Bukenya and his Private Secretary, Joseph Lukwago, during their timely visit to Vancouver in October of 2009. Joseph and her became fast friends and spoke many times over the next few months.
On the very day that she needed true answers, Laura-Lynn received an email from Joseph. As if he were reading her mind, he made an impassioned plea to allow His Excellency, Vice President, Gilbert Bukenya to choose a very destitute woman from his home town and to use his own builders to complete the house. It was a miraculous offer and she breathed a sigh of relief and a prayer of thanks.
TAN: Laura-Lynn With Key in Front The of the House
The woman the VP chose was a beautiful 60 year old grandmother, named Maria, with three children under her care. She lived in desperate circumstances, with no running water or electricity, struggling to raise the children on her own with no support. When the rains came, her entire mud home would flood. Maria had cried out to God year after year to be helped, to be seen, to be rescued. Meanwhile, in response to her prayers, by an uncanny miracle, a blonde Ugandan girl was becoming part of the master plan to meet Maria’s needs. As Laura-Lynn considered this, she was floored at the love of God for one insignificant woman, and felt renewed hope at the reassurance that He also sees her.
On her way to Uganda, in her naivete, Laura-Lynn originally felt that the purpose of the trip was to help her grow, get over her fears and stretch her out of her comfort zone. She envisioned throwing a fund raiser, increasing her personal skills, and offering Canadians an opportunity to give from their abundance. All of that happened….and more. In the end Laura-Lynn realized it wasn’t about her, but about Maria…alone in the jungle, needing a miracle. If she didn’t do it…then who would have done it? Laura-Lynn has returned home, radically changed by the goodness that can change a life, swept away by the power of love and captivated by this thing called compassion.
Laura-Lynn says that the fears that once engulfed her are gone. She cannot turn her back now, but is determined to press on. Her next fund raiser is scheduled for October 2nd with Canuck’s Coach Ryan Walter and broadcaster Tony Parsons as her keynote speakers. Laura-Lynn plans to return to Uganda in November to build a village that will also promote skills training to help overcome poverty. She presses on towards the call she has felt, to do her part to finish the course that has been laid before her.
What originally was intended to be a Ugandan extreme home makeover for an African woman in need, turned out to also be an extreme soul makeover for another.
If you would like more information about Laura-Lynn’s October fund-raiser, go to: www.ugandaextremehomemakeover.com
Laura-Lynn Tyler
