So, this is Dan, sneaking in the last bit of the trip. For those that don't know, I got here on the 3rd Dec to join Beki in her last 2 weeks. Well, it's been good to share the experience, and to have an insight. I think I've become a lot more relaxed with the way of living, for example not covering myself with insect repellant every time I leave the house, wear long sleeved shirts or big hats that almost cover your whole face. It's been a privilege to be involved in helping with teaching the computers, see the kids graduate, visit people - including a 3 day trip to Lugazi, and doing a fair bit of preaching. Being here without the team obviously has its differences, I think preaching is a big one, as I usually have the other guys to rely on. But it's been a good challenge, and I've really felt the empowering of the Holy Spirit - thank you for praying. The scriptures that people gave have been really encouraging.
It's been really weird being here in the heat in December, particulary wishing people a Merry Christmas! It's the last two days now, today with a trip to Kampala, and tomorrow just visiting the childrens' ministry led by baby Charles, and maybe a few other peeps.
There we are, maybe I've got the last word :p hehe. See you all soon.
15 December 2008
01 December 2008
Photos
There are now 4 albums on facebook of my photos, so please click/type these links to find them.
The first is
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=40656&l=f4381&id=503957996
The second is
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=43351&l=f7582&id=503957996
The third is
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=44739&l=acfdf&id=503957996
The fourth is
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=48254&l=ced30&id=503957996
Lots of love
Beki x
The first is
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=40656&l=f4381&id=503957996
The second is
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=43351&l=f7582&id=503957996
The third is
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=44739&l=acfdf&id=503957996
The fourth is
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=48254&l=ced30&id=503957996
Lots of love
Beki x
Computer lessons begin!
So I know its been like…forever! Please forgive me? Here’s a quick summary of my last few weeks since the Rat episode (euuughhhh….)
10th November – starting this week Judah and me invited the P7 children who had completed their exams to have free computer lessons at the school!. Out of a possible 18 children, 8 of them came back every day in the morning and we spent about 2 hours each day teaching them the basics of what a computer is, and an introduction to word processing. At the same time I was continuing with my normal lessons with the younger classes, and we also made the same computer lessons available after school for the teachers. So all in all it was a crazy weekday schedule, but we had a great time and the kids and teachers were all very grateful for being able to even touch a computer for the first time, let alone learn how to use it for free. We had two computers, so you can imagine the patience and sharing skills that were learnt! At the weekend I went with Judah – Emmanuel’s second son – to visit a new church plant in a place called Mukono, about 30 minutes East of Bweyogerere towards Jinja. It was called New Day church and was led by a Pastor Moses, who is actually working in a fairly important business organisation in Kampala. Although the church is not directly under Emmanuel’s oversight, it is under a friend of his called James who had started around 200 churches in the last 40 years! There was a real sense of the early church of Acts in this place, because it had only been around for about 8 months and really need every shilling it could collect for even the most basic things. For example when we were there they were preparing for their monthly overnight prayer meeting and needed 20,000 shillings (about 6 quid) to buy paraffin for the lamps. One by one the congregation of about 30 people stood up and promised to contribute 500, or 1,000 or 2,000, and bit by bit they made it up to the money they needed! Also, they have 7 people praying and fasting each week for two meals a day from Monday thru to Sunday. On the Sunday morning they were saying thanku to the ppl that had prayed the previous week, and assigning another group to pray for the following week. This is really the backbone of the church and they way that they continue and pray for growth, so we were really encouraged.
17th November – this week was exam week at school, and was truly manic for us! I had to supervise the exams for the subjects I had taken and take the papers home to mark (which is certainly not a menial task, so thank God for willing helpers of William Judah & Norah!). During the day we were also doing the P7 lessons and also staying late after school with the teachers, so by Friday I was well and truly shattered! On Friday I went to the first part of the overnight prayer meeting (which they have every week!) at Emmanuel’s church, and I was really pleased to get a call about 12 midnight from Dan who had me on the phone to the church at the Uganda night! It was short and the network was bad but I had a funny feeling of being at home and in Uganda at the same time, and actually went back into the prayer meeting really missing home. On the Saturday I went to a very silly and happy 3rd birthday party on Jovan, who was the son of Milly the Bursar at the school. Me and Norah went together and spent the afternoon blowing bubbles and eating cake with a load of kids, and had a lot of good fun! On the Sunday I went with Judah again and Baby Charles (the children’s worker from Emmanuel’s church, hence his nickname) to Lugazi Pentecostal Church. This is the church where Emmanuel first was involved and before he started his own ministry, and was a young evangelist with the pastor there – Tom and his wife Edith. It was a big church, maybe 250 people, and they met in a primary school where Judah and Sam used to go. We really enjoyed the service and there were loads of young people there that Judah knew so it was nice to be introduced to them. We spent the afternoon with Tom and Edith, who have all hands full with so many areas of ministry. They run a church, a secondary school, a clinic, a child sponsorship program in partnership with compassion, and they have just started a vocational training school for young people without school qualifications! On top of this, Tom has lost all his brothers and sisters to AIDS so they have 18 children in their house, only 6 of which are their own biologically, and of course they have to pay school fees and everything else as well as give them their time. I was so impressed with this couple, they are so sincerely selfless and giving, and even just spending a few hours in their home they couldn’t have done more for us! We also went to their evening service, where there are less people but much more free worship and sharing time, which reminded me a lot of our church at home.
21st Nov – this week the kids had mostly gone home as their exams had finished, but we made computer lessons available through the day for any who wanted to come, and had a fantastic turnout. We have had a good 40 kids every day, and continued with the teachers lessons in the afternoons. It has been a real challenge to negotiate with 7 year olds why they have to sit 10 to a computer and take turns, but they have really appreciated it. And with the older ones (10 or 12) we have been able to give them more detailed knowledge of the theory and basic computer knowledge, as well as teaching them to use Paint and Word. The teachers completed their third weekly progress test on Friday and they have to wait until next week when we will issue certificates based on their performance. This gives an element of official-ness to the lessons, although they obviously won’t qualify in anything apart from basic computer literacy. They are certainly competitive, even if they aren’t as quick at learning as the kids and they ask so many more questions! Its been really great that people are so enthusiastic and grateful, and has made me realise how privileged I have been to be brought up with computers in every classroom and learning basic things from a very young age. Its really a shortage skills here, at least at schools like this one, and they keep reminding us how much it would have cost them to take a proper course for the same skills.
So thank you very much for letting me come and to Judah of course for helping teach!
10th November – starting this week Judah and me invited the P7 children who had completed their exams to have free computer lessons at the school!. Out of a possible 18 children, 8 of them came back every day in the morning and we spent about 2 hours each day teaching them the basics of what a computer is, and an introduction to word processing. At the same time I was continuing with my normal lessons with the younger classes, and we also made the same computer lessons available after school for the teachers. So all in all it was a crazy weekday schedule, but we had a great time and the kids and teachers were all very grateful for being able to even touch a computer for the first time, let alone learn how to use it for free. We had two computers, so you can imagine the patience and sharing skills that were learnt! At the weekend I went with Judah – Emmanuel’s second son – to visit a new church plant in a place called Mukono, about 30 minutes East of Bweyogerere towards Jinja. It was called New Day church and was led by a Pastor Moses, who is actually working in a fairly important business organisation in Kampala. Although the church is not directly under Emmanuel’s oversight, it is under a friend of his called James who had started around 200 churches in the last 40 years! There was a real sense of the early church of Acts in this place, because it had only been around for about 8 months and really need every shilling it could collect for even the most basic things. For example when we were there they were preparing for their monthly overnight prayer meeting and needed 20,000 shillings (about 6 quid) to buy paraffin for the lamps. One by one the congregation of about 30 people stood up and promised to contribute 500, or 1,000 or 2,000, and bit by bit they made it up to the money they needed! Also, they have 7 people praying and fasting each week for two meals a day from Monday thru to Sunday. On the Sunday morning they were saying thanku to the ppl that had prayed the previous week, and assigning another group to pray for the following week. This is really the backbone of the church and they way that they continue and pray for growth, so we were really encouraged.
17th November – this week was exam week at school, and was truly manic for us! I had to supervise the exams for the subjects I had taken and take the papers home to mark (which is certainly not a menial task, so thank God for willing helpers of William Judah & Norah!). During the day we were also doing the P7 lessons and also staying late after school with the teachers, so by Friday I was well and truly shattered! On Friday I went to the first part of the overnight prayer meeting (which they have every week!) at Emmanuel’s church, and I was really pleased to get a call about 12 midnight from Dan who had me on the phone to the church at the Uganda night! It was short and the network was bad but I had a funny feeling of being at home and in Uganda at the same time, and actually went back into the prayer meeting really missing home. On the Saturday I went to a very silly and happy 3rd birthday party on Jovan, who was the son of Milly the Bursar at the school. Me and Norah went together and spent the afternoon blowing bubbles and eating cake with a load of kids, and had a lot of good fun! On the Sunday I went with Judah again and Baby Charles (the children’s worker from Emmanuel’s church, hence his nickname) to Lugazi Pentecostal Church. This is the church where Emmanuel first was involved and before he started his own ministry, and was a young evangelist with the pastor there – Tom and his wife Edith. It was a big church, maybe 250 people, and they met in a primary school where Judah and Sam used to go. We really enjoyed the service and there were loads of young people there that Judah knew so it was nice to be introduced to them. We spent the afternoon with Tom and Edith, who have all hands full with so many areas of ministry. They run a church, a secondary school, a clinic, a child sponsorship program in partnership with compassion, and they have just started a vocational training school for young people without school qualifications! On top of this, Tom has lost all his brothers and sisters to AIDS so they have 18 children in their house, only 6 of which are their own biologically, and of course they have to pay school fees and everything else as well as give them their time. I was so impressed with this couple, they are so sincerely selfless and giving, and even just spending a few hours in their home they couldn’t have done more for us! We also went to their evening service, where there are less people but much more free worship and sharing time, which reminded me a lot of our church at home.
21st Nov – this week the kids had mostly gone home as their exams had finished, but we made computer lessons available through the day for any who wanted to come, and had a fantastic turnout. We have had a good 40 kids every day, and continued with the teachers lessons in the afternoons. It has been a real challenge to negotiate with 7 year olds why they have to sit 10 to a computer and take turns, but they have really appreciated it. And with the older ones (10 or 12) we have been able to give them more detailed knowledge of the theory and basic computer knowledge, as well as teaching them to use Paint and Word. The teachers completed their third weekly progress test on Friday and they have to wait until next week when we will issue certificates based on their performance. This gives an element of official-ness to the lessons, although they obviously won’t qualify in anything apart from basic computer literacy. They are certainly competitive, even if they aren’t as quick at learning as the kids and they ask so many more questions! Its been really great that people are so enthusiastic and grateful, and has made me realise how privileged I have been to be brought up with computers in every classroom and learning basic things from a very young age. Its really a shortage skills here, at least at schools like this one, and they keep reminding us how much it would have cost them to take a proper course for the same skills.
So thank you very much for letting me come and to Judah of course for helping teach!
11 November 2008
Lunch hour fellowship
Something that I realised Ihaven't mentioned yet, is the fact that every day at school i am involved with leading a lunch hour praise and worship session with the preach, and with two other teachers help to lead bible studies and prayers
It's amazing that even in a church run school there are many kids that aren't born again and who come from non-Christian families, even muslim families, who are coming to God and worshipping and praying everyday. Many of them have given some really powerful testimonies and prayed for eachother about awful things like bereavements and abuse, and its has been a real privelege to help them.
Either me or one of the other two teachers share something from the bible every day and usually the kids themselves lead worship with drums and spontaneous singing which is the best! Its interesting that many of the kids who are come the ones who either work really hard in class, for example Mephi who is a son of David Baraza who is an elder at the church, or they are the ones who are really difficult and disruptive who suddenly disclose something about their home situation. Either way I love to see kids learning science one minute and then lost in worship the next. It has taught me a lot about having high expectations of kids, to see them really grow in God.
Keep praying for this school!
It's amazing that even in a church run school there are many kids that aren't born again and who come from non-Christian families, even muslim families, who are coming to God and worshipping and praying everyday. Many of them have given some really powerful testimonies and prayed for eachother about awful things like bereavements and abuse, and its has been a real privelege to help them.
Either me or one of the other two teachers share something from the bible every day and usually the kids themselves lead worship with drums and spontaneous singing which is the best! Its interesting that many of the kids who are come the ones who either work really hard in class, for example Mephi who is a son of David Baraza who is an elder at the church, or they are the ones who are really difficult and disruptive who suddenly disclose something about their home situation. Either way I love to see kids learning science one minute and then lost in worship the next. It has taught me a lot about having high expectations of kids, to see them really grow in God.
Keep praying for this school!
The Rat
It’s not often that a small furry flea infested disease-spreading rodent can cause so much hilarity and pure fun – but this one did.
One day we were all sitting in the lounge eating dinner when William suddenly turns to me and says quite matter-of-factly “you ought to shut your bedroom door (which is just off of the lounge diner bit). I thought yea fair enough mosquitoes etc might get in. But he says “there’s a rat in here”. And O My Goodness I HATE rats! Especially if you’re in a country when its customary to take your shoes off at the door and you don’t wear socks with flipflops. I was glad I was sitting on my feet in the armchair! Eventually it transpoires that this thing has been around for three or four days (!) and that they are “sorting it”. I assumed that this meant they were gonna poison it, especially when Florence appeared with some and then promptly retreated to her room again after dinner.
So we are clearing up and I’m standing in the kitchen with Judah when Norah comes in with her heaviest black shoes and William follows closely behind with his. Seeing my apparent confusion, Judah kindly informs me that they are gonna kill it.
Well. I have never seen chaos erupt more instantly than it did just then, as simultaneously Pastor Azariah (from Ishongororo in the West who has been staying for a few days) and William yanked the sofa from the wall, Sam came running in with a football and threw it to the ground with all the strength he could muster, Norah remembered that she wasn’t wearing any shoes either and ran and screamed her way into the kitchen with us, and all available shoes and footballs started being pelted to the floor like a meteorite attack!
Me, still in me I-hate-anything-that-is-wild-and-brushes-past-my-feet mode suddenly realized that as Sam William and Azariah continued throwing the armchairs from one side of the room to the other, the rat was slowly but surely zigzagging its way towards me! This is when I joined Norah in the squealing and laughing and jumping around on any available furniture.
BANG! BANG! BANG! Shoes were still being hurled to the lino and I was sure that rat was determined to find a mzungo rat to nibble on before it died. At one point Norah and me ran back out into the kitchen to find Judah still calmly standing there arms crossed and leaning his Mr Cool shoulder against the wall as if nothing was happening…apart from now he was somehow perched on the lid of a little green bucket. Not nervous of the rat at all of course, just, well perching, not allowing his street cred to be compromised by the others who were still running around sliding furniture and lobbing things at anything that looked like it could be a rat. At one point poor Jaja (Emmanuel’s mum) tried to come in the back door, and as much as she’s a very alert and able 76 yr old, she took a while to be convinced by the many shouting voices that they couldn’t move the coffee table from in front of the door just at that very moment.
BANG! Just as that little thing thought it was gonna sneak into my room under the door that wasn’t quite blocked up with a table cloth, William’s aim got the better of it and it met a loud but immediate end with the help of a big heavy man’s shoe. It took a while for the squealing and giggling to subside from Norah and me, while Judah made sure not to descend from his safe spot on the bucket in too much of a hurry. But as soon as Sam put his hand into a carrier bag and proudly carried the thing out by its tail, the drama was all over.
Apart from the slightly wonky furniture, a teary-eyed couple of girls and a tired but male-ego satisfied few men, you might never know anything had happened. In fact Florence was plesently suprised when she heard about the whole thing the next day. Another experience for the books for me though!
One day we were all sitting in the lounge eating dinner when William suddenly turns to me and says quite matter-of-factly “you ought to shut your bedroom door (which is just off of the lounge diner bit). I thought yea fair enough mosquitoes etc might get in. But he says “there’s a rat in here”. And O My Goodness I HATE rats! Especially if you’re in a country when its customary to take your shoes off at the door and you don’t wear socks with flipflops. I was glad I was sitting on my feet in the armchair! Eventually it transpoires that this thing has been around for three or four days (!) and that they are “sorting it”. I assumed that this meant they were gonna poison it, especially when Florence appeared with some and then promptly retreated to her room again after dinner.
So we are clearing up and I’m standing in the kitchen with Judah when Norah comes in with her heaviest black shoes and William follows closely behind with his. Seeing my apparent confusion, Judah kindly informs me that they are gonna kill it.
Well. I have never seen chaos erupt more instantly than it did just then, as simultaneously Pastor Azariah (from Ishongororo in the West who has been staying for a few days) and William yanked the sofa from the wall, Sam came running in with a football and threw it to the ground with all the strength he could muster, Norah remembered that she wasn’t wearing any shoes either and ran and screamed her way into the kitchen with us, and all available shoes and footballs started being pelted to the floor like a meteorite attack!
Me, still in me I-hate-anything-that-is-wild-and-brushes-past-my-feet mode suddenly realized that as Sam William and Azariah continued throwing the armchairs from one side of the room to the other, the rat was slowly but surely zigzagging its way towards me! This is when I joined Norah in the squealing and laughing and jumping around on any available furniture.
BANG! BANG! BANG! Shoes were still being hurled to the lino and I was sure that rat was determined to find a mzungo rat to nibble on before it died. At one point Norah and me ran back out into the kitchen to find Judah still calmly standing there arms crossed and leaning his Mr Cool shoulder against the wall as if nothing was happening…apart from now he was somehow perched on the lid of a little green bucket. Not nervous of the rat at all of course, just, well perching, not allowing his street cred to be compromised by the others who were still running around sliding furniture and lobbing things at anything that looked like it could be a rat. At one point poor Jaja (Emmanuel’s mum) tried to come in the back door, and as much as she’s a very alert and able 76 yr old, she took a while to be convinced by the many shouting voices that they couldn’t move the coffee table from in front of the door just at that very moment.
BANG! Just as that little thing thought it was gonna sneak into my room under the door that wasn’t quite blocked up with a table cloth, William’s aim got the better of it and it met a loud but immediate end with the help of a big heavy man’s shoe. It took a while for the squealing and giggling to subside from Norah and me, while Judah made sure not to descend from his safe spot on the bucket in too much of a hurry. But as soon as Sam put his hand into a carrier bag and proudly carried the thing out by its tail, the drama was all over.
Apart from the slightly wonky furniture, a teary-eyed couple of girls and a tired but male-ego satisfied few men, you might never know anything had happened. In fact Florence was plesently suprised when she heard about the whole thing the next day. Another experience for the books for me though!
06 November 2008
Bweyogerere Multipurpose Primary School
So you'll notice that I'm spending a bit more time on here now I don't have Mari to talk to! I thought I would write a bit more about what I am doing at the school day to day.
Every morning at 7.10am I start the day with taking a lesson in reading with P2 (aged between 7 and 10. This has been the most challenging but rewarding responsibility they have given me, because some of those kids really were bad at reading! They learnt mostly by reading a story from the board as a class, and then doing a few comprehension questions about it, but I noticed very quickly that there were a few strong and confident readers in the class who everyone else followed when they read aloud, and there were many who just copied the answers from their friends when they were writing, so in terms of actually understanding what they were saying we weren't getting very far. Of course its all in English which is at least their second if not third language if they have a different local language to l'ugandan, so I haven't had it easy with these kids! I have been trying to utlise the few reading books that Millie the bursa had kept in her office, and allocate one to each kids until they completed it, but with 27 kids and only me in the room its so hard to get to hear them all read. Lately i've been pairing them up higher with lower abilities so they can read to eachother, but there are still maybe 4 who either hate me, can't understand a word of English, or just simply have never learnt the basics of reading. So we have fun! But on the plus side, this is the class i've really got to know the best and have learnt their names properly. They know my rules and they (mostly) respect them when they might hope that another teacher won't notice if they run out to the toilet, they know I will make them sweep a room or stay in at break if they do that. Also they have learnt that I won't cane them, and i think that's started to work to my advantage because they want to be my friend rather than just hate me. Even those of really low abilities want me to help them one on one rather than just disturbing the class like they used to.
So as well as P2 every morning for an hour and a half, I have been taking P3 and P4 RE most days, as well as helping with revision lessons for P5 and P6. It's not been so easy to take lessons with the older ones, as much as I had wanted to, because their teachers are... well just there and more committed than the younger ones I think. They appreciated my help in their lessons but they haven't just signed over whole subjects to me like P2 3 and 4 have. I have enjoyed getting to know those kids though, and even have been going into the Nursery every now and then to sing silly songs or do drawing or something that doesn't involve much English skills!
PE is a whole other experience, because what they do is take the whole of nursery (about 50) plus all of P1 and p2 outside with the 5 teachers to play big circle games or sing silly action songs. It is hilarious trying to control about 80 kids while they're really hypo cos they got to go outside, and when any bat and ball equipment that the school has is nowhere near sufficient so it just sits in the cupboard most of the time. I have helped with these lessons once and it was a disaster, so most of the time I just sit and watch as a bit of crowd control!
P7 have just completed their end of primary exams and spent two days of them at another local school where there are better exam facilities. They sat Social Studies (geography and history), Maths, English and Science papers. Most of them are aged 12-14 but obviously there is a range because you have to pass end of year exams every year to go up to the next class, which of course not all of them do and they have to repeat. And actually not all of them start school aged 4, some of them can even be 7 before they come to nursery if their parents don't have the money. The results come out on 24th January, in time for the beginning of term in Feb. If they pass they can go to secondary school, if their parents have the money. If they don't they will have a pretty good grounding in English and other basic skills but will prob just go back to their villaged to dig or work with their parents for a few more years until they can get a job.
On Weds eve (last night)they had a party and it was really nice to be invited and be a part of their farewell do. They worked allll day buying food and cooking it over wood fires, and they were cleaning the church to make it look nice, all of their own accord, but under the strict leadership of David the head boy! That guy is a teacher in a pupils body, and is the sort of kid who can never accept being wrong or getting 99% at anything, he will always argue his corner until he comes out on top. They say he is the next president of Uganda and i think i agree! We ate and all the teachers got up one by one to thank the kids and offer them a few more last words of advice. Some of the kids got up to say thank you too which was lovely, and the evening finished with a bit of good old silly dancing with boys on one side of the room and girls on the other! They were really good hearted and excitable, and I felt like although I haven't taught these kids much I have got to know a few of them.
So the P7s have gone, officially, but they will be back at 9am on Monday morning and Judah and I will be giving a few hours a day of free computer lessons, because the school now has 2 computers (!). The rest of the kids have the whole of next week before they have a few days of end of year exams, but after that they will all be offered basic computer lessons while I am still here. I'm not sure how exactly it will work, I might end up taking them a few at a time down to the internet cafe here, but we will see! its all fun though, and I am really enjoying teaching. I am starting to seriously wonder about it as a career, but I know that in Uganda it will be totally different kettle of fish to the UK so we will have to decide later.
Tr Beki signing out!
Every morning at 7.10am I start the day with taking a lesson in reading with P2 (aged between 7 and 10. This has been the most challenging but rewarding responsibility they have given me, because some of those kids really were bad at reading! They learnt mostly by reading a story from the board as a class, and then doing a few comprehension questions about it, but I noticed very quickly that there were a few strong and confident readers in the class who everyone else followed when they read aloud, and there were many who just copied the answers from their friends when they were writing, so in terms of actually understanding what they were saying we weren't getting very far. Of course its all in English which is at least their second if not third language if they have a different local language to l'ugandan, so I haven't had it easy with these kids! I have been trying to utlise the few reading books that Millie the bursa had kept in her office, and allocate one to each kids until they completed it, but with 27 kids and only me in the room its so hard to get to hear them all read. Lately i've been pairing them up higher with lower abilities so they can read to eachother, but there are still maybe 4 who either hate me, can't understand a word of English, or just simply have never learnt the basics of reading. So we have fun! But on the plus side, this is the class i've really got to know the best and have learnt their names properly. They know my rules and they (mostly) respect them when they might hope that another teacher won't notice if they run out to the toilet, they know I will make them sweep a room or stay in at break if they do that. Also they have learnt that I won't cane them, and i think that's started to work to my advantage because they want to be my friend rather than just hate me. Even those of really low abilities want me to help them one on one rather than just disturbing the class like they used to.
So as well as P2 every morning for an hour and a half, I have been taking P3 and P4 RE most days, as well as helping with revision lessons for P5 and P6. It's not been so easy to take lessons with the older ones, as much as I had wanted to, because their teachers are... well just there and more committed than the younger ones I think. They appreciated my help in their lessons but they haven't just signed over whole subjects to me like P2 3 and 4 have. I have enjoyed getting to know those kids though, and even have been going into the Nursery every now and then to sing silly songs or do drawing or something that doesn't involve much English skills!
PE is a whole other experience, because what they do is take the whole of nursery (about 50) plus all of P1 and p2 outside with the 5 teachers to play big circle games or sing silly action songs. It is hilarious trying to control about 80 kids while they're really hypo cos they got to go outside, and when any bat and ball equipment that the school has is nowhere near sufficient so it just sits in the cupboard most of the time. I have helped with these lessons once and it was a disaster, so most of the time I just sit and watch as a bit of crowd control!
P7 have just completed their end of primary exams and spent two days of them at another local school where there are better exam facilities. They sat Social Studies (geography and history), Maths, English and Science papers. Most of them are aged 12-14 but obviously there is a range because you have to pass end of year exams every year to go up to the next class, which of course not all of them do and they have to repeat. And actually not all of them start school aged 4, some of them can even be 7 before they come to nursery if their parents don't have the money. The results come out on 24th January, in time for the beginning of term in Feb. If they pass they can go to secondary school, if their parents have the money. If they don't they will have a pretty good grounding in English and other basic skills but will prob just go back to their villaged to dig or work with their parents for a few more years until they can get a job.
On Weds eve (last night)they had a party and it was really nice to be invited and be a part of their farewell do. They worked allll day buying food and cooking it over wood fires, and they were cleaning the church to make it look nice, all of their own accord, but under the strict leadership of David the head boy! That guy is a teacher in a pupils body, and is the sort of kid who can never accept being wrong or getting 99% at anything, he will always argue his corner until he comes out on top. They say he is the next president of Uganda and i think i agree! We ate and all the teachers got up one by one to thank the kids and offer them a few more last words of advice. Some of the kids got up to say thank you too which was lovely, and the evening finished with a bit of good old silly dancing with boys on one side of the room and girls on the other! They were really good hearted and excitable, and I felt like although I haven't taught these kids much I have got to know a few of them.
So the P7s have gone, officially, but they will be back at 9am on Monday morning and Judah and I will be giving a few hours a day of free computer lessons, because the school now has 2 computers (!). The rest of the kids have the whole of next week before they have a few days of end of year exams, but after that they will all be offered basic computer lessons while I am still here. I'm not sure how exactly it will work, I might end up taking them a few at a time down to the internet cafe here, but we will see! its all fun though, and I am really enjoying teaching. I am starting to seriously wonder about it as a career, but I know that in Uganda it will be totally different kettle of fish to the UK so we will have to decide later.
Tr Beki signing out!
Bonny's mum - a death in Uganda
Now don't panic, nothing terrible has happened to anyone we know, but this was really moving for me.
On Tuesday at school one of the teachers told me at lunch time that one of the boys, Bonny, in P5 had lost his mum, which explains why he wasn't at school. He is only 13 and his mum was only 34, and she died of diabetes. I couldn't believe it and my heart really went out to this young man because I have got to know him quite well. he is a bit of a lad and thinks he is about 21 sometimes, but he is godly and really committed to coming to the lunchtime worship we have and is always the one to remember what we learny yesterday or offer to read the bible aloud. I couldn't imagine how he must be feeling, and i was just sharing those thoughts with the other teacher, when people started gathering around us. I didn't know what was going on, and then she started asking whether I was going to go to the house with them. I figured a few of the teachers would go around the corner to visit Bonny and maybe give a card or something. So I said I would go.
But people kept gathering, and I realised that someone was having a little collection. They said that it's customary to pay a "condolence fee" from the classmates, and of course his friends from other classes all chipped in. From about 50 odd kids they collected 2,000 shs, which is equivalent to about 4.00. What amazed me even more, was that as the teachers started walking down the road, all of these friends of Bonny's followed us! can you imagine a great stream of kids in the middle of the heat of the day, just walking walking walking, and it was just a bit further than I thought it would be. I was thinking what on earth is going on here, how are we all gonna fit in this poor guys house, and with a grieving family how awkward could this be!?
I needn't of worried. This is how they do things in Uganda. When we got the the house, which was about the size of my garden shed, we found that they had rigged up a tarpaulin outside the front and brought out a few chairs for people. We the teachers sat here and all the kids mingled around and tried to stay out of the sun. When a lady appeared out of the house they all dropped to their knees as a sign of respect and exchanged a greeting in complete unison. They lady turned out to be the mother of Bonny's mum, and was just sitting silently weeping for a long while. Nobody really spoke, but it was a funny feeling of solidarity and sympathy rather than hysterical greiving. It seemed as if it was just accepted that people die and its tough, but we know how you feel because we've been there. The teacher (Gladys) who knew Bonny best talked to his nan for a while, and after about 20mins Bonny appeared from a few doors down where he had been. He was quiet but looked pleased to see people, and I honestly couldn't tell if he had been crying or not. He greeted is friends with the same unison greeting which broke the silence a bit because they all had a little giggle about the formality of it when he was one of them. Gladys continued to speak to him a bit, and then we all prayed for him briefly and tried to say a few words about God still loving him and being with him, but it was nothing flowerly just simple.
I was really just watching the whole thing in awe. I couldn't believe how tough Bonny and his nan seemed, and even when his younger sisters and older brothers came out to greet us they didn't sho much anxiety, just quiet sadness. And the most important thing that struck me is that sense of "we're sorry, we know how you feel, and its rubbish isn't it". Nobody tried to dress anything up or down, they just simply came to sit with their friend for a little while and show their love for him. And seriously, the oldest of these kids must be only 14 and the youngest down to about 7, but they were just so natural about the whole ordeal. It made me wonder how many times they had done this, or been the one in that position themselves. One the way back Bonny walked with us a little way and hung back with a few of his friends. Those boys can be so silly and normal 12 and 13 year olds in class, but at that moment they seemed far and away more mature than me and just chatted with their mate about what had happened.
Bonny was back at school today, having buried his mum the following day, and now has his aunt staying at his house with them. I don't know where his dad is or if he is still alive, but the boy didn't seem much worse for wear today. In fact, if you hadn't known what had just happened, you could be forgiven for thinking it was just another normal school day for a school boy. I still can't get over the fact that a 34year old mum of 4 can die of diabetes and nobody question the fact that no medicine was available. Had she lived in England, Bonny would still have a mum.
On Tuesday at school one of the teachers told me at lunch time that one of the boys, Bonny, in P5 had lost his mum, which explains why he wasn't at school. He is only 13 and his mum was only 34, and she died of diabetes. I couldn't believe it and my heart really went out to this young man because I have got to know him quite well. he is a bit of a lad and thinks he is about 21 sometimes, but he is godly and really committed to coming to the lunchtime worship we have and is always the one to remember what we learny yesterday or offer to read the bible aloud. I couldn't imagine how he must be feeling, and i was just sharing those thoughts with the other teacher, when people started gathering around us. I didn't know what was going on, and then she started asking whether I was going to go to the house with them. I figured a few of the teachers would go around the corner to visit Bonny and maybe give a card or something. So I said I would go.
But people kept gathering, and I realised that someone was having a little collection. They said that it's customary to pay a "condolence fee" from the classmates, and of course his friends from other classes all chipped in. From about 50 odd kids they collected 2,000 shs, which is equivalent to about 4.00. What amazed me even more, was that as the teachers started walking down the road, all of these friends of Bonny's followed us! can you imagine a great stream of kids in the middle of the heat of the day, just walking walking walking, and it was just a bit further than I thought it would be. I was thinking what on earth is going on here, how are we all gonna fit in this poor guys house, and with a grieving family how awkward could this be!?
I needn't of worried. This is how they do things in Uganda. When we got the the house, which was about the size of my garden shed, we found that they had rigged up a tarpaulin outside the front and brought out a few chairs for people. We the teachers sat here and all the kids mingled around and tried to stay out of the sun. When a lady appeared out of the house they all dropped to their knees as a sign of respect and exchanged a greeting in complete unison. They lady turned out to be the mother of Bonny's mum, and was just sitting silently weeping for a long while. Nobody really spoke, but it was a funny feeling of solidarity and sympathy rather than hysterical greiving. It seemed as if it was just accepted that people die and its tough, but we know how you feel because we've been there. The teacher (Gladys) who knew Bonny best talked to his nan for a while, and after about 20mins Bonny appeared from a few doors down where he had been. He was quiet but looked pleased to see people, and I honestly couldn't tell if he had been crying or not. He greeted is friends with the same unison greeting which broke the silence a bit because they all had a little giggle about the formality of it when he was one of them. Gladys continued to speak to him a bit, and then we all prayed for him briefly and tried to say a few words about God still loving him and being with him, but it was nothing flowerly just simple.
I was really just watching the whole thing in awe. I couldn't believe how tough Bonny and his nan seemed, and even when his younger sisters and older brothers came out to greet us they didn't sho much anxiety, just quiet sadness. And the most important thing that struck me is that sense of "we're sorry, we know how you feel, and its rubbish isn't it". Nobody tried to dress anything up or down, they just simply came to sit with their friend for a little while and show their love for him. And seriously, the oldest of these kids must be only 14 and the youngest down to about 7, but they were just so natural about the whole ordeal. It made me wonder how many times they had done this, or been the one in that position themselves. One the way back Bonny walked with us a little way and hung back with a few of his friends. Those boys can be so silly and normal 12 and 13 year olds in class, but at that moment they seemed far and away more mature than me and just chatted with their mate about what had happened.
Bonny was back at school today, having buried his mum the following day, and now has his aunt staying at his house with them. I don't know where his dad is or if he is still alive, but the boy didn't seem much worse for wear today. In fact, if you hadn't known what had just happened, you could be forgiven for thinking it was just another normal school day for a school boy. I still can't get over the fact that a 34year old mum of 4 can die of diabetes and nobody question the fact that no medicine was available. Had she lived in England, Bonny would still have a mum.
Coming and going
well last week was a jolly eventful week I can tell you!
After we returned from Bugiri, a couple of young teachers from London came to stay with Emmanuel and Florence thru a charity called Impact Charities in the UK. They had come to run some teacher training sessions at the school and they were going to spend their days observing and making suggestions and helping the teachers where they could. I think it's fair to say that Mari and I were a little apprehensive about what these new people would be like and how they would deal with the teachers and kids, but honestly Bronnie and Sarah are two of the nicest people you will ever meet! They stayed for 5 days and ran 4 two-hour training sessions for the teachers on things like lesson planning, classroom management and literacy teaching. The school was literally changed overnight and they helped in such a humble way. Its difficult sometimes to make suggestions without being overpowering and still allowing for cultural differences, but these girls really bonded with the teachers and some of the kids. They made suggestions about discipline and activities for starters and finishers in the lessons, and even the teachers were having a great time testing out new ideas in the seminars! At the end of the four days I had learnt so much about teaching, and I know they didn't come for my benefit but as one of the 'staff' who completed the course (and even got a certificate!) I know that my classes are better off. They were so right about the fact that if you make it fun then you enjoy it more, the kids enjoy it more and actually they dont learn any less! They biggest thing I have learnt is to focus attention and rewarding kids who are really trying and being quiet rather than constantly struggling with the disruptive ones. The good thing about being a Mzungu is that most of them want to be your friend, so you have a lot of power over them if you say that 'you have been stubborn and made me sad. I dont like it when people fight in my class :(' haha. So we were shattered and Sarah and me actually were quite ill by Friday so I had to take the day off school to sleep, but it was definately effective and a wonderful example of the whole 'give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime' scenario.
So it was really good to have some more girls in the house to chat to and hang out with, as well as Willy and Sam. Judah also came back halfway through last week because he has finished his O levels (GCSEs - their school year runs from Feb to Nov) so there were a bit of a gang of us at times! Judah is Emmanuel's 2nd son and now 18 and quite a young man, in fact in many ways he's becoming a mini-me of Pastor Emmanuel and i noticed a lot of things he said and did exactly like him! He's got a vision to do his A levels in the UK but obviously costs and visas are a little if not massively difficult, so please pray for him. He's the kind of guy who just says things and believes for them though, and somehow it will happen.
Of course the other massive event of last week was that Mama Mari had to leave us, and I am sure that that had a lot to do with the fact that I felt a bit dodge on Friday cos I was sick the day that Dad Paul and Helen left aswell. It was emotional to say goodbye for all of us and she must only have been half a mile down the road when people were sitting talking about how they missed her what a lot of good she had done. It's certainly weird being the only one left here from Sheppey but strangely ok because I am so well looked after and feeling very settled. I'm only sorry that all of you can't come over here and we could all live here together!
The last coming and going of last week was that on Friday afternoon Norah, Pr Emmanuel's youngest, came home from school aswell. She is 17 and both her and Judah have been doing their exams (because Judah was sick and had to retake a year at one point). She is equally becoming quite a young lady although not really a copy of Florence, she's still a bit of a teenager. A great carload of us went to collect her (by the way its a boarding school, but not far away, maybe only 30mins drive) including and met her straight out of her last exam which brought back some memories for me! Bronnie and Sarah left on Friday night so the girly presence in the house was depleted but still strong because now I have Norah to chat to. I have put some pics up on facebook, and the latest album can be found at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=44739&l=acfdf&id=503957996
Lots of love, Beki x
After we returned from Bugiri, a couple of young teachers from London came to stay with Emmanuel and Florence thru a charity called Impact Charities in the UK. They had come to run some teacher training sessions at the school and they were going to spend their days observing and making suggestions and helping the teachers where they could. I think it's fair to say that Mari and I were a little apprehensive about what these new people would be like and how they would deal with the teachers and kids, but honestly Bronnie and Sarah are two of the nicest people you will ever meet! They stayed for 5 days and ran 4 two-hour training sessions for the teachers on things like lesson planning, classroom management and literacy teaching. The school was literally changed overnight and they helped in such a humble way. Its difficult sometimes to make suggestions without being overpowering and still allowing for cultural differences, but these girls really bonded with the teachers and some of the kids. They made suggestions about discipline and activities for starters and finishers in the lessons, and even the teachers were having a great time testing out new ideas in the seminars! At the end of the four days I had learnt so much about teaching, and I know they didn't come for my benefit but as one of the 'staff' who completed the course (and even got a certificate!) I know that my classes are better off. They were so right about the fact that if you make it fun then you enjoy it more, the kids enjoy it more and actually they dont learn any less! They biggest thing I have learnt is to focus attention and rewarding kids who are really trying and being quiet rather than constantly struggling with the disruptive ones. The good thing about being a Mzungu is that most of them want to be your friend, so you have a lot of power over them if you say that 'you have been stubborn and made me sad. I dont like it when people fight in my class :(' haha. So we were shattered and Sarah and me actually were quite ill by Friday so I had to take the day off school to sleep, but it was definately effective and a wonderful example of the whole 'give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime' scenario.
So it was really good to have some more girls in the house to chat to and hang out with, as well as Willy and Sam. Judah also came back halfway through last week because he has finished his O levels (GCSEs - their school year runs from Feb to Nov) so there were a bit of a gang of us at times! Judah is Emmanuel's 2nd son and now 18 and quite a young man, in fact in many ways he's becoming a mini-me of Pastor Emmanuel and i noticed a lot of things he said and did exactly like him! He's got a vision to do his A levels in the UK but obviously costs and visas are a little if not massively difficult, so please pray for him. He's the kind of guy who just says things and believes for them though, and somehow it will happen.
Of course the other massive event of last week was that Mama Mari had to leave us, and I am sure that that had a lot to do with the fact that I felt a bit dodge on Friday cos I was sick the day that Dad Paul and Helen left aswell. It was emotional to say goodbye for all of us and she must only have been half a mile down the road when people were sitting talking about how they missed her what a lot of good she had done. It's certainly weird being the only one left here from Sheppey but strangely ok because I am so well looked after and feeling very settled. I'm only sorry that all of you can't come over here and we could all live here together!
The last coming and going of last week was that on Friday afternoon Norah, Pr Emmanuel's youngest, came home from school aswell. She is 17 and both her and Judah have been doing their exams (because Judah was sick and had to retake a year at one point). She is equally becoming quite a young lady although not really a copy of Florence, she's still a bit of a teenager. A great carload of us went to collect her (by the way its a boarding school, but not far away, maybe only 30mins drive) including and met her straight out of her last exam which brought back some memories for me! Bronnie and Sarah left on Friday night so the girly presence in the house was depleted but still strong because now I have Norah to chat to. I have put some pics up on facebook, and the latest album can be found at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=44739&l=acfdf&id=503957996
Lots of love, Beki x
05 November 2008
Travelling Blogger Mari
Hi Folks, this is being written in retrospi..... retrospet..... retro (oh heck, don't use words you can't spell) well... looking backwards then.
Beki has told you a bit about our weekend at the village of Bugiri. We met Pastor Joshua briefly at the Pastor's Meal during the Team visit early in September. Joshua is in his 30's and has only been married since January this year - he said he delayed in marrying because he was busy with the Lord's work. His wife, Eunice, was kept busy in the kitchen area helping to prepare meals, not only for us, but also visiting Pastors and the lunch provided for the children when we ministrered to them on the Saturday. Every now and then we would see her hurrying past, fetching and carrying pots or food. They made a lovely couple and were deeply committed to each other.
On of the church elders and his wife Jennifer, opened their home to us. We were given their bedroom, and still have no idea where they slept. Our room had been prepared by Sister Rush - a real 'servant'. She had been brought up as a Catholic and within days of her marriage had accepted Jesus and was "Born Again". Unfortunately, her husband deserted her because she would not give up her new faith. She decided that she would dedicate her life to serving God and His people. If you can imagine a combination of Martha and Mary from the Bible, you would have some idea of the makings of Sister Rush. Our beds were made, mosquito nets in place, hot water and towel for washing, and a hot cup of tea shortly after we arrived. She served all our meals, laying them out on a large wooden table which was also in our room. She slep on a mattress at the foot of our beds, which brough to mind Ruth in the Bible who slept at the feet of her master - Boaz.
As Beki has explained, we were kept BUSY!!! But, the people were so grateful and joyous to have us there, that it made our efforts seem so worthwhile. On Saturday evening, as we sat around the oil lamp and one by one the believers told us their personal story of salvation, we were drawn into their lives. Darkness surrounded us, stars seemed near enough to touch, we could barely see each other, but as that single lamp burned, it brought to mind the light of Jesus shining in the darkness and their testimonies brough light into our lives. It is one of those special memories that will warm my heart when I am sitting in my rocking chair and can only travel in my mind.
They were so reluctant to let us go and we were to reluctant to leave, that saying 'goodbye' was very painful. We pray, as they do, that Community Church will return to their village - as one visiting Pastor said "I feel that I have only had half the meal".
The remainder of that last week, I spent trying to tie-up loose ends. I visited the orphans as many times as I could to complete their individual "profiles" to distributie to their sponsors. This has proved to be a mamouth task (please be patient). Firstly, it is difficult to get information when the children have come from different villages and towns and there are few relatives to approach. Of course, like all kids they have their own little personalities and I tried to get to know them and their ways. Speaking with the boys was the easiest - they settled on their bunks, listened carefully as I spoke to each one, sometimes encouraging the shy ones, or adding comments - they took it all very seriously. The girls, well, they were a different 'kettle of fish'. I started repairing their uniforms, partly because some badly needed repairing and also it gave me the opportunity to chat to them. They kept up a constant string of questions..... Sister Mari.... what is so and so like? Sister Mari...... do you have any children? What is his name? Why have you only got one child? Sister Mari...... is it cold in UK? Sister Mari.... why is your skin so soft? On and On and accompanied by one or other of them touching my skin or hair. They also watched closely as I tried to thread a needle in near darkness, unpicked white stitching on bottle green material and replaced it, scratched around for numberless buttons etc. In between times they pushed and shoved to be the ones sitting closest to me, or had little scirmishes about who's dress should be repaired next..... But it helped me to understand them better, the attention seekers, who badly need to be shown love, the helpful ones, the naughty ones - you can travel the world over, but kids are much of a muchness wherever they come from and whatever their colour. It was a privilege to be with "your" kids.
I left a small donation with Florence who will try to get a tailor to take all their uniforms over the Christmas holiday and get them repaired.
I visited Elder James and his wife (Ruth) at the orphanage at Lugazi. There are many needs there, which I hope to highlight on the Ugandan evening.
As Pastor Emi was ill, he arranged for me to go with his son Judah to visit the 'slum' - hereafter called the "shanty town". You may remember that we had a collection just before last Christmas to raise money to provide Christmas meals there. It was one of the most challenging things I did. They reckon over 800 people live in this small area. Most of the houses are only 10ft x 8ft and there are at least 5 people living in each (i.e. adults and kids). There is only about 18 inches between the houses, and maze-like passages leading you from one part to another. The houses are made of a mixture of mud, corrugated iron, wood, tarpaulin etc. I only saw one fresh water pipe, where many people were waiting to fill their jeri-cans. Some of the men were quite confrontational to me, asking who I was, and why I was there (being white didn't help). However, once I had introduced myself, and talked for a while they calmed down. Pastor Edward who has a church and school nearby helped me to visit the area (most of the kids who attend his school come from this area). The biggest problem is that they have NO TOILETS at all on the site. There has recently been a cholera outbreak and the kids are often sick with different diseases, not helped by the fact that there is an enormous rubbish tip nearby. The people I did manage to speak to remembered the Christmas meal, and thanked us for it. I hope to keep in contact with Pastor Edward and his wife.
Think thats it for me now.... thanks for reading this, I hope you have found it interesting. Mari
Beki has told you a bit about our weekend at the village of Bugiri. We met Pastor Joshua briefly at the Pastor's Meal during the Team visit early in September. Joshua is in his 30's and has only been married since January this year - he said he delayed in marrying because he was busy with the Lord's work. His wife, Eunice, was kept busy in the kitchen area helping to prepare meals, not only for us, but also visiting Pastors and the lunch provided for the children when we ministrered to them on the Saturday. Every now and then we would see her hurrying past, fetching and carrying pots or food. They made a lovely couple and were deeply committed to each other.
On of the church elders and his wife Jennifer, opened their home to us. We were given their bedroom, and still have no idea where they slept. Our room had been prepared by Sister Rush - a real 'servant'. She had been brought up as a Catholic and within days of her marriage had accepted Jesus and was "Born Again". Unfortunately, her husband deserted her because she would not give up her new faith. She decided that she would dedicate her life to serving God and His people. If you can imagine a combination of Martha and Mary from the Bible, you would have some idea of the makings of Sister Rush. Our beds were made, mosquito nets in place, hot water and towel for washing, and a hot cup of tea shortly after we arrived. She served all our meals, laying them out on a large wooden table which was also in our room. She slep on a mattress at the foot of our beds, which brough to mind Ruth in the Bible who slept at the feet of her master - Boaz.
As Beki has explained, we were kept BUSY!!! But, the people were so grateful and joyous to have us there, that it made our efforts seem so worthwhile. On Saturday evening, as we sat around the oil lamp and one by one the believers told us their personal story of salvation, we were drawn into their lives. Darkness surrounded us, stars seemed near enough to touch, we could barely see each other, but as that single lamp burned, it brought to mind the light of Jesus shining in the darkness and their testimonies brough light into our lives. It is one of those special memories that will warm my heart when I am sitting in my rocking chair and can only travel in my mind.
They were so reluctant to let us go and we were to reluctant to leave, that saying 'goodbye' was very painful. We pray, as they do, that Community Church will return to their village - as one visiting Pastor said "I feel that I have only had half the meal".
The remainder of that last week, I spent trying to tie-up loose ends. I visited the orphans as many times as I could to complete their individual "profiles" to distributie to their sponsors. This has proved to be a mamouth task (please be patient). Firstly, it is difficult to get information when the children have come from different villages and towns and there are few relatives to approach. Of course, like all kids they have their own little personalities and I tried to get to know them and their ways. Speaking with the boys was the easiest - they settled on their bunks, listened carefully as I spoke to each one, sometimes encouraging the shy ones, or adding comments - they took it all very seriously. The girls, well, they were a different 'kettle of fish'. I started repairing their uniforms, partly because some badly needed repairing and also it gave me the opportunity to chat to them. They kept up a constant string of questions..... Sister Mari.... what is so and so like? Sister Mari...... do you have any children? What is his name? Why have you only got one child? Sister Mari...... is it cold in UK? Sister Mari.... why is your skin so soft? On and On and accompanied by one or other of them touching my skin or hair. They also watched closely as I tried to thread a needle in near darkness, unpicked white stitching on bottle green material and replaced it, scratched around for numberless buttons etc. In between times they pushed and shoved to be the ones sitting closest to me, or had little scirmishes about who's dress should be repaired next..... But it helped me to understand them better, the attention seekers, who badly need to be shown love, the helpful ones, the naughty ones - you can travel the world over, but kids are much of a muchness wherever they come from and whatever their colour. It was a privilege to be with "your" kids.
I left a small donation with Florence who will try to get a tailor to take all their uniforms over the Christmas holiday and get them repaired.
I visited Elder James and his wife (Ruth) at the orphanage at Lugazi. There are many needs there, which I hope to highlight on the Ugandan evening.
As Pastor Emi was ill, he arranged for me to go with his son Judah to visit the 'slum' - hereafter called the "shanty town". You may remember that we had a collection just before last Christmas to raise money to provide Christmas meals there. It was one of the most challenging things I did. They reckon over 800 people live in this small area. Most of the houses are only 10ft x 8ft and there are at least 5 people living in each (i.e. adults and kids). There is only about 18 inches between the houses, and maze-like passages leading you from one part to another. The houses are made of a mixture of mud, corrugated iron, wood, tarpaulin etc. I only saw one fresh water pipe, where many people were waiting to fill their jeri-cans. Some of the men were quite confrontational to me, asking who I was, and why I was there (being white didn't help). However, once I had introduced myself, and talked for a while they calmed down. Pastor Edward who has a church and school nearby helped me to visit the area (most of the kids who attend his school come from this area). The biggest problem is that they have NO TOILETS at all on the site. There has recently been a cholera outbreak and the kids are often sick with different diseases, not helped by the fact that there is an enormous rubbish tip nearby. The people I did manage to speak to remembered the Christmas meal, and thanked us for it. I hope to keep in contact with Pastor Edward and his wife.
Think thats it for me now.... thanks for reading this, I hope you have found it interesting. Mari
01 November 2008
Bugiri
Fri 24th Oct - Sun 26th Oct (yes I know it was ages ago!) we got on a taxi bus and travelled about 4 hours west of Bweyogerere with two ladies from Emmanuel's church to Bugiri. After a slightly squished transport experience, we landed on a road and walked about 20 minutes out into the bush to a compound of huts which were among various compounds of huts. These two ladies (Rebecca and Mrs Grace, both wives of elders) promptly left us and travelled with Baby Becky (about 1yr) a little further to another church where they were going to do marriage seminars. Mari and I were left in the care of Pr Joshua and his Elder George for 3 wonderful days. At first of course we didn't know where we were or who anybody was, but we very quickly felt right at home and were trying to figure out whether it would be easier to fit most people we had met into our suitcases to take home or build a mud hut for ourselves and stay there!
There was a general church meeting on the Friday night, a kids day on the Saturday, another church meeting Saturday early evening, and another church meeting Sunday. The thing I remember most is spending Saturday evening sitting with about 20 people around a paraffin lamp outside sharing testimonies and stories about God together. You can't describe those kind of experiences to people.
TBC... with details...
There was a general church meeting on the Friday night, a kids day on the Saturday, another church meeting Saturday early evening, and another church meeting Sunday. The thing I remember most is spending Saturday evening sitting with about 20 people around a paraffin lamp outside sharing testimonies and stories about God together. You can't describe those kind of experiences to people.
TBC... with details...
22 October 2008
Travelling Blogger Mari
Hi All, Sorry about the big gap in my reporting, but been a little bit busy. Generally speaking my weekly programme falls into Monday (if I am not away on a trip) catch up with washing, sort out Bible Studies for the coming week, and generally help around the house if needed. Sometimes I go into Kampala with Emi and I get a chance to use really good internet facilities with a fast connection. I am usually there 2 hours catching up, the journey takes about one hour each way, and sometimes Emi and I have to meet with various Pastors about this or that, so much of the day is gone.
Tuesday, sometimes into Kampala if I haven't managed to do it on Monday, then in the evening I usually go with Emi to the Bweyogerere Bible Study Group, where usually I have done the lesson. We get back home about 8.30 p.m. and by the time the meal is served and eaten, prayer and worship with the family, it is time to fall into bed! Recently on Wednesday I have been travelling to the village of Butinindi to help the nurse with mini-medical missions. The village is about and hour or more in the car. The road can be really bad if it rains - and it usually does. A few weeks ago we went there in a hired taxi (normal saloon car). There was Flo, the Nurse, and me and the driver Fred. About half way there, the main road became a large mud-pat and the driver had a terrrible job just keeping the car out of the ditch. We managed to visit quite a few of the old people and treat kids and ladies along the way. The return journey was even more scarey, but Fred got us through. Butinindi is the village where Flo and Emi have a small plot of land and they grow food there to feed the whole of Bweyogerere School as well as various poor families. Flo goes there most Fridays to collect all the food in the pick-up truck. They also have a house there and occasionally Flo stays the night - she loves being close to the land and having the quiet of the village, if only for a short while.
The next week we went there with 2 nurses, Flo, me and Fred - bit of a crush in the car! We ministered to 130 people, and could have been there still if we had not had to get out of there before the rain! Once we got passed the worse part of the little village road, the driver said to me - Can you drive?...... Yep!...... ok come and drive, I'm tired!!! But I don't have the right Driving Licence. Fred looks dazed...... "but this is Uganda!!!". Oh well, it was a challenge, so off we went, and we got some really funny looks that a Mzungu was driving 4 Ugandans. I drove for about 45 minutes and didn't crash his car, so he was pleased.
Yesterday, I made the journey again in the pick-up truck with Henry the driver for the school. There are only 2 seats and an area to carry vegetables etc. in the rear of the vehicle. The weather didn't look promising so we knew we would have to be quick. We managed the last part of the really narrow village road, until we came across a large lorry blocking the road. The driver advised us to leave the vehicle there and go on foot. Which we did, fortunately not too far, but very muddy. We got to Wilson's house, the elderly man who has a nasty ulcer on his foot. Unfortunately the dressing the nurse did the previous week had come off and it was open to all the dirt etc. I managed to redress it and bandage it firmly. There was another old man with a similar injury on his lower leg. A local man offered to take us to his house, but as we set off, the rain came pouring down and Henry and I were soaked to the skin before we reached the vehicle. We decided we could not chance going further to set off back to the main road, with the vehicle skidding and sliding and finally coming to a halt by a mini-river of water and a deep rut. There was nothing for it, I had to get out and push. Within seconds, I can covered with mud from head to foot as the back wheels spun around in a vain effort to move the car. I then stepped into the little 'river' which went over the top of my boots (knew they would come in handy!). After a while we got it out only to come up against the lorry which had moved its position! Again we laboured while the lorry driver sat in his cab looking on. Finally 3 young men came to our rescue and we virtually lifted it up onto the bank and guided it passed the Lorry. I returned home about one and half hours later. When Florence opened the door, she was totally speachless.... my clothes are still lying in a basin waiting to be washed and I am wondering.... is it easier to through them away? What do you think folks?
Thursday, its either Kampala for emailing, or sorting things out at home. Also Bible Study as I usually go to Sonde Church in the evening to lead their meeting. Not a lot of people come, but those that do seem to have got a lot out of it, and anyway, it gives me the chance to see my grandaughter - Marie - who kindly did a poo all over me last week!!
The last few weekends I have been away from Friday to either Sunday or Monday. I think Beki has told you a little about our visit to Soroti and the camp where the people lived after the flooding last year. Originally there were about 400 people, but around 200 had returned to their own places. The remaining people have built mud houses and burned it into a little township. The Pastor - Samuel - was an older man (well, probably a bit younger than me!). About 80 people came to the church to meet us. They are great worshippers (even without drums). I got some film footage which I hope will be good. Beki and I both spoke, with Pastor Francis translating. We had a meal with Pastor Samuel and his wife and family afterwards. Everyone was so grateful for the assistance we sent last year.
I HAVE A HORRIBLE FEELING I HAVE ALREADY TOLD YOU ALL THIS, IF I HAVE FORGIVE ME.
Sunday we attended Pastor Francis Church. We both spoke. There were some other Mzungu's there. A family from USA, a young couple with 2 little daughters (5 and 3 years) and the lady was pregnant. They have already been in Soroti about 1 year and intend to stay for about 5 years. From time to time they go back to the USA, as they will soon for the delivery of their baby, and they hope to return about a month later. The man helps disciple Pastors in the surrounding area and does a lot of work with the blind, of which there seems to be a higher than average amount, he also does the Sunday School. I believe the lady is involved in widows projects etc. Apparently there are over 200,000 widows in that area! Seems unbelievable. The lady we stayed with (also a widow around 35 years) does a lot to mobilise them, organising conferences, bible study, prayer meetings, etc. She has also got a "slot" on the local radio.
Pastor Francis and his wife Maggie, were lovely people, they have 2 sets of twins and a single child born in between. We went to their house on the first night for our evening meal.
The journey to and fro was a bit of a nightmare. Going wasn't too bad as Beki, Baby Charles and me sat on a 3 seater. On the way back Beki and I had to share with a lady, who was next to me..... well almost sitting on my lap most of the time, and what with her 2 chickens under my seat, I hardly moved for about 4 hours and was stiff as a board when we came to our destination..... ho hum..... all in a day's work!
RWANDA -
I had a few pre-conceived notions of what it may be like there, but none of them were vaguely near the reality. We set off last Friday around 6 a.m. as we were worried about getting through the traffic in Kampala, which is a nightmare by about 7 a.m. Consequently we got to the bus station too early - well, better than missing the coach which was due to leave around 8.30 a.m. Pastor Emi and Isaiah, dumped their bags by me and Flo and said to each other, "lets have a cup of tea" and left us standing there! Flo and I looked at each other and she said.... "Marie, men are very difficult, that is why I am waiting for Jesus to come back!" (and so say all of us!!!) An Asian company does the run to Rwanda and they left on time. Well the next 10 hours are a blur, mainly because we were travelling at speeds exceeding 80 mph. He made a few brief stops for people to jump off for the loo and if they were lucky by something to eat (I didn't get off). The palava at the border has to be experienced to be believed. We had to get off the bus, leaving our main luggage, and queue up to get our passports checked and stamped. Some people ended up in the wrong line, so there was a lot of pushing and shoving - We then had to walk across the border - about 50 yards. Then go into the other sides passport office etc. etc. When we returned to the bus all the bags are on the ground and we each have to open our bag and they check for who knows what, but mainly for plastic bags (or cavera, as they are called here). They are NOT allowed into Rwanda. People returned to the bus with all their worldly goods in paper bags.... fortunately we had already heard about this and had not packed any. Think about it.... what do you do with a wet flannel, or toothbrush, or dirty shoes??
Another 2/3 hours and we reached Kigali (Chigali). Pastor Joseph was there to meet us. He had taken 2 days off work and borrowed a car so that he could host us properly. I had already been impressed by the tarmac roads everywhere, the place was so clean you could have ate your dinner off the pavement. There were surprisingly few people around compared to Uganda where the population seems to have "exploded" literally. There were proper "pavements" unknown in Uganda except in Kampala. We had a meal at his home. His wife, Dorothy, was a gem. If you read Proverbs - The good women, think its in the last chapter, you will have some idea of what she was like. The food was good and plentiful, they went to a lot of trouble. We were lodging in a sort-of convent place, run by Catholic nuns. It was very clean and quite, so a real refuge after that long journey. We had our breakfast there each day, but our other meals with Pastor Joseph's family. He had 4 children - 3 boys and a girl - but one boy was killed in a car crash. All the children were involved in the church, were so respectful and helping around the home, it was so lovely to see them. The oldest boy seemed to run the worship group and plays the keyboard and sings. Their girl - Mercy - was in the choir and can also do a pretty mean Rwandan traditional dance (more about that later). About lunch time on Saturday we visited a church that Pastor Isaiah encourages. The choir sang and each of us brought a little greeting - but I was "sort-of" the main speaker. I spoke about shining for Jesus and as the church was set on a hill (of which Rwanda has many) the point was not lost on them. Pastor Joseph then took us to the Genocide Memorial, which I couldn't go into here, I still feel so emotional about it, but perhaps when I return, I can share it with those who are interested. After about an hour, I came upon Joseph standing quietly staring into space. I asked him if he had brought many visitors there. He said "many". I said it must be very upsetting and emotional for him.... and all he said was "we lost all of our families". After that I just couldn't stay there any longer. Florence had already gone out to sit in the gardens, where the remains of many of the victims are buried. We felt it was best to call it a day. In all the time we were there, I only saw about 3 people over the age of 40 years. Apparently the average age is about 15 years.
On Sunday we went to Joseph's church for the morning and evening service, both lasting around 3 hours, with lunch in between. There were choirs, preaching, speaking, more details on my return. One very interesting thing. There was a man there who I can only describe as a tribal "wise man". He was traditionally dressed and had his hair cut in a tribal style (I have a photo). He sung a song (in Rwandees) and narrated a poem, both of which he wrote just to welcome us. He was a fascinating character. Later 6 or 8 of the younger girls did some traditional dancing and suddenly pulled Emi and me out the front.... well we did our best, that tribal man really knew how to dance and I just copied him as best I could. Florence was "spitting feathers" that she had not recorded it!!! ME - I'm glad!!
We travelled back early on Monday morning. We were on the coach about 10 hours including the time at the border - and I had to pay about 25 pounds to re-enter Uganda - cheek! When we go to Kampala, we hired a private taxi as the traffic was so bad, but still ended up in 2 hours of traffic jams. So all in all we were on the go about 14 hours during which time, neither Flo nor I went to the loo (mainly because they hardly stopped), and we travelled on a boiled egg, 1 bottle of water apiece, and a coke. By the time we reached home, I could hardly stand, my body was shaking so much, I had to lie down and have a cup of sweet tea, kindly made by Beki. Well, folks, think thats about enough from me...... off to Bugiri tomorrow until Sunday, hope to update early next week. Mari, reporting from Uganda
Tuesday, sometimes into Kampala if I haven't managed to do it on Monday, then in the evening I usually go with Emi to the Bweyogerere Bible Study Group, where usually I have done the lesson. We get back home about 8.30 p.m. and by the time the meal is served and eaten, prayer and worship with the family, it is time to fall into bed! Recently on Wednesday I have been travelling to the village of Butinindi to help the nurse with mini-medical missions. The village is about and hour or more in the car. The road can be really bad if it rains - and it usually does. A few weeks ago we went there in a hired taxi (normal saloon car). There was Flo, the Nurse, and me and the driver Fred. About half way there, the main road became a large mud-pat and the driver had a terrrible job just keeping the car out of the ditch. We managed to visit quite a few of the old people and treat kids and ladies along the way. The return journey was even more scarey, but Fred got us through. Butinindi is the village where Flo and Emi have a small plot of land and they grow food there to feed the whole of Bweyogerere School as well as various poor families. Flo goes there most Fridays to collect all the food in the pick-up truck. They also have a house there and occasionally Flo stays the night - she loves being close to the land and having the quiet of the village, if only for a short while.
The next week we went there with 2 nurses, Flo, me and Fred - bit of a crush in the car! We ministered to 130 people, and could have been there still if we had not had to get out of there before the rain! Once we got passed the worse part of the little village road, the driver said to me - Can you drive?...... Yep!...... ok come and drive, I'm tired!!! But I don't have the right Driving Licence. Fred looks dazed...... "but this is Uganda!!!". Oh well, it was a challenge, so off we went, and we got some really funny looks that a Mzungu was driving 4 Ugandans. I drove for about 45 minutes and didn't crash his car, so he was pleased.
Yesterday, I made the journey again in the pick-up truck with Henry the driver for the school. There are only 2 seats and an area to carry vegetables etc. in the rear of the vehicle. The weather didn't look promising so we knew we would have to be quick. We managed the last part of the really narrow village road, until we came across a large lorry blocking the road. The driver advised us to leave the vehicle there and go on foot. Which we did, fortunately not too far, but very muddy. We got to Wilson's house, the elderly man who has a nasty ulcer on his foot. Unfortunately the dressing the nurse did the previous week had come off and it was open to all the dirt etc. I managed to redress it and bandage it firmly. There was another old man with a similar injury on his lower leg. A local man offered to take us to his house, but as we set off, the rain came pouring down and Henry and I were soaked to the skin before we reached the vehicle. We decided we could not chance going further to set off back to the main road, with the vehicle skidding and sliding and finally coming to a halt by a mini-river of water and a deep rut. There was nothing for it, I had to get out and push. Within seconds, I can covered with mud from head to foot as the back wheels spun around in a vain effort to move the car. I then stepped into the little 'river' which went over the top of my boots (knew they would come in handy!). After a while we got it out only to come up against the lorry which had moved its position! Again we laboured while the lorry driver sat in his cab looking on. Finally 3 young men came to our rescue and we virtually lifted it up onto the bank and guided it passed the Lorry. I returned home about one and half hours later. When Florence opened the door, she was totally speachless.... my clothes are still lying in a basin waiting to be washed and I am wondering.... is it easier to through them away? What do you think folks?
Thursday, its either Kampala for emailing, or sorting things out at home. Also Bible Study as I usually go to Sonde Church in the evening to lead their meeting. Not a lot of people come, but those that do seem to have got a lot out of it, and anyway, it gives me the chance to see my grandaughter - Marie - who kindly did a poo all over me last week!!
The last few weekends I have been away from Friday to either Sunday or Monday. I think Beki has told you a little about our visit to Soroti and the camp where the people lived after the flooding last year. Originally there were about 400 people, but around 200 had returned to their own places. The remaining people have built mud houses and burned it into a little township. The Pastor - Samuel - was an older man (well, probably a bit younger than me!). About 80 people came to the church to meet us. They are great worshippers (even without drums). I got some film footage which I hope will be good. Beki and I both spoke, with Pastor Francis translating. We had a meal with Pastor Samuel and his wife and family afterwards. Everyone was so grateful for the assistance we sent last year.
I HAVE A HORRIBLE FEELING I HAVE ALREADY TOLD YOU ALL THIS, IF I HAVE FORGIVE ME.
Sunday we attended Pastor Francis Church. We both spoke. There were some other Mzungu's there. A family from USA, a young couple with 2 little daughters (5 and 3 years) and the lady was pregnant. They have already been in Soroti about 1 year and intend to stay for about 5 years. From time to time they go back to the USA, as they will soon for the delivery of their baby, and they hope to return about a month later. The man helps disciple Pastors in the surrounding area and does a lot of work with the blind, of which there seems to be a higher than average amount, he also does the Sunday School. I believe the lady is involved in widows projects etc. Apparently there are over 200,000 widows in that area! Seems unbelievable. The lady we stayed with (also a widow around 35 years) does a lot to mobilise them, organising conferences, bible study, prayer meetings, etc. She has also got a "slot" on the local radio.
Pastor Francis and his wife Maggie, were lovely people, they have 2 sets of twins and a single child born in between. We went to their house on the first night for our evening meal.
The journey to and fro was a bit of a nightmare. Going wasn't too bad as Beki, Baby Charles and me sat on a 3 seater. On the way back Beki and I had to share with a lady, who was next to me..... well almost sitting on my lap most of the time, and what with her 2 chickens under my seat, I hardly moved for about 4 hours and was stiff as a board when we came to our destination..... ho hum..... all in a day's work!
RWANDA -
I had a few pre-conceived notions of what it may be like there, but none of them were vaguely near the reality. We set off last Friday around 6 a.m. as we were worried about getting through the traffic in Kampala, which is a nightmare by about 7 a.m. Consequently we got to the bus station too early - well, better than missing the coach which was due to leave around 8.30 a.m. Pastor Emi and Isaiah, dumped their bags by me and Flo and said to each other, "lets have a cup of tea" and left us standing there! Flo and I looked at each other and she said.... "Marie, men are very difficult, that is why I am waiting for Jesus to come back!" (and so say all of us!!!) An Asian company does the run to Rwanda and they left on time. Well the next 10 hours are a blur, mainly because we were travelling at speeds exceeding 80 mph. He made a few brief stops for people to jump off for the loo and if they were lucky by something to eat (I didn't get off). The palava at the border has to be experienced to be believed. We had to get off the bus, leaving our main luggage, and queue up to get our passports checked and stamped. Some people ended up in the wrong line, so there was a lot of pushing and shoving - We then had to walk across the border - about 50 yards. Then go into the other sides passport office etc. etc. When we returned to the bus all the bags are on the ground and we each have to open our bag and they check for who knows what, but mainly for plastic bags (or cavera, as they are called here). They are NOT allowed into Rwanda. People returned to the bus with all their worldly goods in paper bags.... fortunately we had already heard about this and had not packed any. Think about it.... what do you do with a wet flannel, or toothbrush, or dirty shoes??
Another 2/3 hours and we reached Kigali (Chigali). Pastor Joseph was there to meet us. He had taken 2 days off work and borrowed a car so that he could host us properly. I had already been impressed by the tarmac roads everywhere, the place was so clean you could have ate your dinner off the pavement. There were surprisingly few people around compared to Uganda where the population seems to have "exploded" literally. There were proper "pavements" unknown in Uganda except in Kampala. We had a meal at his home. His wife, Dorothy, was a gem. If you read Proverbs - The good women, think its in the last chapter, you will have some idea of what she was like. The food was good and plentiful, they went to a lot of trouble. We were lodging in a sort-of convent place, run by Catholic nuns. It was very clean and quite, so a real refuge after that long journey. We had our breakfast there each day, but our other meals with Pastor Joseph's family. He had 4 children - 3 boys and a girl - but one boy was killed in a car crash. All the children were involved in the church, were so respectful and helping around the home, it was so lovely to see them. The oldest boy seemed to run the worship group and plays the keyboard and sings. Their girl - Mercy - was in the choir and can also do a pretty mean Rwandan traditional dance (more about that later). About lunch time on Saturday we visited a church that Pastor Isaiah encourages. The choir sang and each of us brought a little greeting - but I was "sort-of" the main speaker. I spoke about shining for Jesus and as the church was set on a hill (of which Rwanda has many) the point was not lost on them. Pastor Joseph then took us to the Genocide Memorial, which I couldn't go into here, I still feel so emotional about it, but perhaps when I return, I can share it with those who are interested. After about an hour, I came upon Joseph standing quietly staring into space. I asked him if he had brought many visitors there. He said "many". I said it must be very upsetting and emotional for him.... and all he said was "we lost all of our families". After that I just couldn't stay there any longer. Florence had already gone out to sit in the gardens, where the remains of many of the victims are buried. We felt it was best to call it a day. In all the time we were there, I only saw about 3 people over the age of 40 years. Apparently the average age is about 15 years.
On Sunday we went to Joseph's church for the morning and evening service, both lasting around 3 hours, with lunch in between. There were choirs, preaching, speaking, more details on my return. One very interesting thing. There was a man there who I can only describe as a tribal "wise man". He was traditionally dressed and had his hair cut in a tribal style (I have a photo). He sung a song (in Rwandees) and narrated a poem, both of which he wrote just to welcome us. He was a fascinating character. Later 6 or 8 of the younger girls did some traditional dancing and suddenly pulled Emi and me out the front.... well we did our best, that tribal man really knew how to dance and I just copied him as best I could. Florence was "spitting feathers" that she had not recorded it!!! ME - I'm glad!!
We travelled back early on Monday morning. We were on the coach about 10 hours including the time at the border - and I had to pay about 25 pounds to re-enter Uganda - cheek! When we go to Kampala, we hired a private taxi as the traffic was so bad, but still ended up in 2 hours of traffic jams. So all in all we were on the go about 14 hours during which time, neither Flo nor I went to the loo (mainly because they hardly stopped), and we travelled on a boiled egg, 1 bottle of water apiece, and a coke. By the time we reached home, I could hardly stand, my body was shaking so much, I had to lie down and have a cup of sweet tea, kindly made by Beki. Well, folks, think thats about enough from me...... off to Bugiri tomorrow until Sunday, hope to update early next week. Mari, reporting from Uganda
18 October 2008
Tea
I thought this point deserved a special post because I know tea is so close to the hearts of some people I know!
Tea in Uganda is warm milk with tea leaves in. Most people put in at least 3 sugars and Florence will often find some random leaf to stick in it which we've never worked out what kind of herb it is! sometimes they buy milk but its very expensive, and also hard to keep good. This is because it is bought long life in a kind of cardboard container that you rip open so you cant keep it sealed. And also the fridge is turned off overnight, so it wouldnt be any good in there. So generally I have been getting used to black tea, which is actually quite nice, but to my shame I am starting to only like it with 2 or even 3 sugars in it. Something I never thought I would become lol.
HOWEVER today has been a breakthrough! because I have just been to a big shopping centre and found....wait for it... not just twinings tea... not even just twinings fruit tea... but my actual favourite in the whole wide world... cranberry raspberry and elderflower tea!!!!!!!
I didn't miss it, but I am very happy that I found it. It actually made my day lol. What didn't make my day quite so much was that it cost the extortionate equivalent of 2.50 pounds. But there you go, I treated myself, and no more sugar for me :)
Tea in Uganda is warm milk with tea leaves in. Most people put in at least 3 sugars and Florence will often find some random leaf to stick in it which we've never worked out what kind of herb it is! sometimes they buy milk but its very expensive, and also hard to keep good. This is because it is bought long life in a kind of cardboard container that you rip open so you cant keep it sealed. And also the fridge is turned off overnight, so it wouldnt be any good in there. So generally I have been getting used to black tea, which is actually quite nice, but to my shame I am starting to only like it with 2 or even 3 sugars in it. Something I never thought I would become lol.
HOWEVER today has been a breakthrough! because I have just been to a big shopping centre and found....wait for it... not just twinings tea... not even just twinings fruit tea... but my actual favourite in the whole wide world... cranberry raspberry and elderflower tea!!!!!!!
I didn't miss it, but I am very happy that I found it. It actually made my day lol. What didn't make my day quite so much was that it cost the extortionate equivalent of 2.50 pounds. But there you go, I treated myself, and no more sugar for me :)
14 October 2008
I've updated the photos
I hope this doesn't get confusing for you, but it's much easier for me to upload photos only onto facebook and not on both!
There are three albums now, and you will need to type different addresses for them.
The first is
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=40656&l=f4381&id=503957996
The second is
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=43351&l=f7582&id=503957996
The third is
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=44739&l=acfdf&id=503957996
By they way, we are getting used to having titles here! Mari is usually Mama Mari, Sister Mari or Auntie Mari, and I am somewhere between Sister Beki, Teacher Beki and Madam Beki at school! haha
There are three albums now, and you will need to type different addresses for them.
The first is
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=40656&l=f4381&id=503957996
The second is
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=43351&l=f7582&id=503957996
The third is
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=44739&l=acfdf&id=503957996
By they way, we are getting used to having titles here! Mari is usually Mama Mari, Sister Mari or Auntie Mari, and I am somewhere between Sister Beki, Teacher Beki and Madam Beki at school! haha
More things I've learnt in Uganda
- If you run out of fuel, take empty water bottles to a petrol garage they will happily fill a couple for you, as they will carrier bags
- A sign which says 'no stopping' or 'no parking' actually means 'this is a very convenient place to park so please turn it into a car park'
- Oranges are actually green, and so are lemons.
- A car or taxi is never full, regardless of seats available
- Its near impossible to keep using hand sanitising gel
- There is nothing unusual about a hen wandering into a prayer meeting or indeed a primary school lesson, so don't look alarmed.
- Sweet potatoes are grown in fields which are dug up into a million little molehill type lumps
- Shea butter comes from trees
- Post its are worth their weight in gold
- Wet wipes make quite good bandages when a 7 year old child in your class slits their finger sharpening their pencil with a razor blade.
- Health and Safety inspectors are simply unheard of
- Sleep is valuable. Guard it well.
- It is difficult to get people to understand that electricity and batteries are cheaper if you turn things off when you're not using them
- The song "God is so good, he's so good to me" means a million times more when you hear it sung by people who are really suffering. We visited a place in Soroti called Obalanga where a small trading town has become a sprawling mass of mud huts where people have settled in a hurry. Most of them were chased from their villages by the LRA rebels, or Karamajong tribesmen, or catastrophic floods last year, and because of all those things in that one small area there are over 2000 widows.
- Simple buses can overcome the most adverse camber i have ever known on a road, so much that a 5 hour coach journey became the ultimate alton towers experience.
- Riding side saddle on the back of a bordaborda (motorbike taxi) with pineapples, 5l bottles of water and a handbag is not as difficult as it seems when you get used to it.
- A 20l jerrycan full of water can be carried by an 8 year old, often on their head, for goodness knows how far, but I can't hardly lift it.
- Millet is the most disgusting food known to man. They say it is made out of Sogum mixed with casava flour but Mari and I are having a hard time distinguishing it from brown sticky chewing gum with sand in.
- Ugandans are easy to form really good deep friendships with.
- Most, if not all processed food comes from Kenya, which explains why so much of East Africa was affected after the troubles there last Christmas time
- Ugandans can look clean, tidy and presentable when they handwash their clothes and bath in a plastic bowl full of water. We simply cannot.
- A sign which says 'no stopping' or 'no parking' actually means 'this is a very convenient place to park so please turn it into a car park'
- Oranges are actually green, and so are lemons.
- A car or taxi is never full, regardless of seats available
- Its near impossible to keep using hand sanitising gel
- There is nothing unusual about a hen wandering into a prayer meeting or indeed a primary school lesson, so don't look alarmed.
- Sweet potatoes are grown in fields which are dug up into a million little molehill type lumps
- Shea butter comes from trees
- Post its are worth their weight in gold
- Wet wipes make quite good bandages when a 7 year old child in your class slits their finger sharpening their pencil with a razor blade.
- Health and Safety inspectors are simply unheard of
- Sleep is valuable. Guard it well.
- It is difficult to get people to understand that electricity and batteries are cheaper if you turn things off when you're not using them
- The song "God is so good, he's so good to me" means a million times more when you hear it sung by people who are really suffering. We visited a place in Soroti called Obalanga where a small trading town has become a sprawling mass of mud huts where people have settled in a hurry. Most of them were chased from their villages by the LRA rebels, or Karamajong tribesmen, or catastrophic floods last year, and because of all those things in that one small area there are over 2000 widows.
- Simple buses can overcome the most adverse camber i have ever known on a road, so much that a 5 hour coach journey became the ultimate alton towers experience.
- Riding side saddle on the back of a bordaborda (motorbike taxi) with pineapples, 5l bottles of water and a handbag is not as difficult as it seems when you get used to it.
- A 20l jerrycan full of water can be carried by an 8 year old, often on their head, for goodness knows how far, but I can't hardly lift it.
- Millet is the most disgusting food known to man. They say it is made out of Sogum mixed with casava flour but Mari and I are having a hard time distinguishing it from brown sticky chewing gum with sand in.
- Ugandans are easy to form really good deep friendships with.
- Most, if not all processed food comes from Kenya, which explains why so much of East Africa was affected after the troubles there last Christmas time
- Ugandans can look clean, tidy and presentable when they handwash their clothes and bath in a plastic bowl full of water. We simply cannot.
04 October 2008
Blogger Mari...
Hi di Hi, Mari here to talk to you happy campers again! Sorry if I repeat myself, will try not too!
Starting from last Sunday 28th Sept. Beki will have told you she was busy at Bweyogerere Church working with the Youth. Orginally Emi and I were going to a small mud church which is set on a hill through some sugarcane fields just outside the town of Lugazi. He was unable to contact the Pastor (Dan), so at the last minute the arrangements were changed and we went with Elder James (who looks after the orphans) to a church that he has been encouraging. He told us there would be about 30 people there.... ok..... We arrived just after 11 a.m. having travelled a rough village road to the place. I can't spell, or pronounce its name, but in English it means "the place where they kill mosquitos". Don't think they are working hard enough... they are still finding me! Anyway.. on arrival we find a big celebration going on. Their Pastor (Moses) had just graduated from a 3 year Bible College Course. There were 2 tarpaulin shelters put up and we were shown to the best one.... as..... WE were the GUESTS OF HONOUR!! (news to us). Emi told me that they would expect me to speak. Thankfully, I had something ready to share, and as always, when you have God on your side, it is perfect for the situation. A young lad had to hold an unbrella over me and Emi (he was translating) as the heat from the sun was unbearable. There were over 100 people there, and I had such a job trying to stop my hands from shaking. It seemed to go ok, Emi was pleased. They also had speaches, dancers, choirs.... the day wore on. I had drunk my one bottle of water within the first hour, my clothes were sticking to me, and after 4 hours we had given up the will to live. Eventually, the food was served about 4.30 p.m. You know when you think you are starving, and then this mountain of food appears, and suddenly your appetite just disappears? Well it was like that. Then Emi gets a phone call from home that a pastor has been waiting for him since noon. So we had to eat as much as we could manage, make our exit as inconspicuously as possible and get back, which took about one and a half hour.
The man we were to meet was Pastor Isaiah and he visits Rwanda a lot so will accompany Emi, Flo and me when we go on the weekend of 17th - 20th October. Can't tell you how much I am looking forward to that. It will be a days travel both ways and we will have Saturday and Sunday there, probably visiting 3 churches in all. Pray for us.
On Monday it was a day of this and that, can't even remember most of it, but I had my head in my Bible most of the time. Tuesday I helped with the Bible Study at Bweyogerere. I am doing a series about FAITH which I had the basis of from a study that Pastor Paul did some years ago. I altered it a bit to suit the circumstances here. Wednesday, Emi, Beki and I went to see some of the widows. In Emi's church there is a group of about 12. Six of them came along to one lady's house. We had asked them not to prepare a meal (partly because of the expense to them, and partly because of time limits). I shared a few thoughts on the "Aroma of Christ" and how we have to become "living sacrifices" for God to create the same "aroma" that Christ did when he died for us. They gave us tea and popcorn (but not as you know it!). Community Church also gave them a gift of 10,000 Ugandan Shillings each. This is just over 3 pounds, which does not sound a lot, but is equivalent to a weeks wages for some people. We also gave them a little bookmark (these were made by Helen on her computer before we came), they each had a little satin ribbon and a butterfly "sticker" and the words "YOU ARE LOVED". They were happy. I hope to visit them again before I come home.
On Thursday, I worked with Beki at lunch time with the kids at school, which I think I mentioned last time. They did some Ugandan Worship first, then we taught them a song. Then Beki read the story of "Cecil - the lost Sheep" (Helen's creation) and I larked about with a little lamb 'puppet' which the kids loved. Then we gave them all a biscuit before they returned to class. Beki later heard them singing the song we had taught them as they walked about from class to class - JESUS POWER SUPER POWER, SATAN POWER ZERO POWER !! Lizzie and I learnt it in India. Even across cultures and nations - HIS POWER travels! In the evening I went to Sonde Church (Pastor John and Christine). William (Emi's nephew came with me to interpret). It was almost dark when we started out and we took a public transport bus along the main road. Then I had to hide while William negotiated with the borda borda man (if they see me they charge more). It was quite a long journey, up hill and down dale in the twilight. AAAAAAAARGH..... goat in the road..... AAAAAAAAARGH herd of cows.......AAAAAAARGH flock of sheep..... AAAAAAARGH bike with no lights..... AAAAARGH REALLY REALLY BIG LORRY...... CAN YOU SEE, CAN YOU SEE..... OH shut up Mari, just close your eyes and pray! And that was just going there, it was a bit more scarey in the dark. Anyway, re-run the session on FAITH that I did at Bweyogerere and they were happy. Saw my new grandchild (Marie) nearly one month old and really beautiful (must be in the jeans!).
Friday, Beki took the day off from teaching and came to Lugazi with me and Nurse Grace to meet with James Akolo in Lugazi. We had to go on the public bus and then a borda borda to James house then a borda borda to Buyengi, a little village the team visited. The nurse treated about 92 people and we helped to pack up the little envelopes of pills for her. They were happy. At one point Beki and I had to share the same borda borda, which caused a lot of hilarity along the road, with the kids stunned into silence - a few managed a "bye mzungu" before we disappeared. James Akolo was very happy because we also left worming tablets for the whole of his school, and the kids at his church. So because of your kindess, 440 people are free of worms, and we still have 2 schools and one church still to do.
Today, I am with Beki at the internet cafe in Bweyogeredre, which for some reason seems to be able to give us a connection only on Saturday. Later today I will be going to a lady's house for lunch or tea, I'm not sure. Her name is Joyce and she has interpreted for me from time to time. She has also travelled ALONE to evangelise in the Sudan - brave lady.
Tomorrow, Beki will be with the youth at Bweyogerere, I am sharing in the main church and then we are presenting a half day workshop for kids workers in churches. This will be for about 6 - 8 people from different churches that Emi overseas. We are holding it at Florence's house and she is providing lunch. We are making them up a folder each with a notebook, pen, bookmark (thanks to Helen) and possibly some photocopies of some of the resources that Helen and I used in our children's work. They will be able to "cascade" the information down to other workers in their churches. Will say bye bye now
Starting from last Sunday 28th Sept. Beki will have told you she was busy at Bweyogerere Church working with the Youth. Orginally Emi and I were going to a small mud church which is set on a hill through some sugarcane fields just outside the town of Lugazi. He was unable to contact the Pastor (Dan), so at the last minute the arrangements were changed and we went with Elder James (who looks after the orphans) to a church that he has been encouraging. He told us there would be about 30 people there.... ok..... We arrived just after 11 a.m. having travelled a rough village road to the place. I can't spell, or pronounce its name, but in English it means "the place where they kill mosquitos". Don't think they are working hard enough... they are still finding me! Anyway.. on arrival we find a big celebration going on. Their Pastor (Moses) had just graduated from a 3 year Bible College Course. There were 2 tarpaulin shelters put up and we were shown to the best one.... as..... WE were the GUESTS OF HONOUR!! (news to us). Emi told me that they would expect me to speak. Thankfully, I had something ready to share, and as always, when you have God on your side, it is perfect for the situation. A young lad had to hold an unbrella over me and Emi (he was translating) as the heat from the sun was unbearable. There were over 100 people there, and I had such a job trying to stop my hands from shaking. It seemed to go ok, Emi was pleased. They also had speaches, dancers, choirs.... the day wore on. I had drunk my one bottle of water within the first hour, my clothes were sticking to me, and after 4 hours we had given up the will to live. Eventually, the food was served about 4.30 p.m. You know when you think you are starving, and then this mountain of food appears, and suddenly your appetite just disappears? Well it was like that. Then Emi gets a phone call from home that a pastor has been waiting for him since noon. So we had to eat as much as we could manage, make our exit as inconspicuously as possible and get back, which took about one and a half hour.
The man we were to meet was Pastor Isaiah and he visits Rwanda a lot so will accompany Emi, Flo and me when we go on the weekend of 17th - 20th October. Can't tell you how much I am looking forward to that. It will be a days travel both ways and we will have Saturday and Sunday there, probably visiting 3 churches in all. Pray for us.
On Monday it was a day of this and that, can't even remember most of it, but I had my head in my Bible most of the time. Tuesday I helped with the Bible Study at Bweyogerere. I am doing a series about FAITH which I had the basis of from a study that Pastor Paul did some years ago. I altered it a bit to suit the circumstances here. Wednesday, Emi, Beki and I went to see some of the widows. In Emi's church there is a group of about 12. Six of them came along to one lady's house. We had asked them not to prepare a meal (partly because of the expense to them, and partly because of time limits). I shared a few thoughts on the "Aroma of Christ" and how we have to become "living sacrifices" for God to create the same "aroma" that Christ did when he died for us. They gave us tea and popcorn (but not as you know it!). Community Church also gave them a gift of 10,000 Ugandan Shillings each. This is just over 3 pounds, which does not sound a lot, but is equivalent to a weeks wages for some people. We also gave them a little bookmark (these were made by Helen on her computer before we came), they each had a little satin ribbon and a butterfly "sticker" and the words "YOU ARE LOVED". They were happy. I hope to visit them again before I come home.
On Thursday, I worked with Beki at lunch time with the kids at school, which I think I mentioned last time. They did some Ugandan Worship first, then we taught them a song. Then Beki read the story of "Cecil - the lost Sheep" (Helen's creation) and I larked about with a little lamb 'puppet' which the kids loved. Then we gave them all a biscuit before they returned to class. Beki later heard them singing the song we had taught them as they walked about from class to class - JESUS POWER SUPER POWER, SATAN POWER ZERO POWER !! Lizzie and I learnt it in India. Even across cultures and nations - HIS POWER travels! In the evening I went to Sonde Church (Pastor John and Christine). William (Emi's nephew came with me to interpret). It was almost dark when we started out and we took a public transport bus along the main road. Then I had to hide while William negotiated with the borda borda man (if they see me they charge more). It was quite a long journey, up hill and down dale in the twilight. AAAAAAAARGH..... goat in the road..... AAAAAAAAARGH herd of cows.......AAAAAAARGH flock of sheep..... AAAAAAARGH bike with no lights..... AAAAARGH REALLY REALLY BIG LORRY...... CAN YOU SEE, CAN YOU SEE..... OH shut up Mari, just close your eyes and pray! And that was just going there, it was a bit more scarey in the dark. Anyway, re-run the session on FAITH that I did at Bweyogerere and they were happy. Saw my new grandchild (Marie) nearly one month old and really beautiful (must be in the jeans!).
Friday, Beki took the day off from teaching and came to Lugazi with me and Nurse Grace to meet with James Akolo in Lugazi. We had to go on the public bus and then a borda borda to James house then a borda borda to Buyengi, a little village the team visited. The nurse treated about 92 people and we helped to pack up the little envelopes of pills for her. They were happy. At one point Beki and I had to share the same borda borda, which caused a lot of hilarity along the road, with the kids stunned into silence - a few managed a "bye mzungu" before we disappeared. James Akolo was very happy because we also left worming tablets for the whole of his school, and the kids at his church. So because of your kindess, 440 people are free of worms, and we still have 2 schools and one church still to do.
Today, I am with Beki at the internet cafe in Bweyogeredre, which for some reason seems to be able to give us a connection only on Saturday. Later today I will be going to a lady's house for lunch or tea, I'm not sure. Her name is Joyce and she has interpreted for me from time to time. She has also travelled ALONE to evangelise in the Sudan - brave lady.
Tomorrow, Beki will be with the youth at Bweyogerere, I am sharing in the main church and then we are presenting a half day workshop for kids workers in churches. This will be for about 6 - 8 people from different churches that Emi overseas. We are holding it at Florence's house and she is providing lunch. We are making them up a folder each with a notebook, pen, bookmark (thanks to Helen) and possibly some photocopies of some of the resources that Helen and I used in our children's work. They will be able to "cascade" the information down to other workers in their churches. Will say bye bye now
Bweyogerere Multi Purpose Primary School
Something about the school I have been working in... is that it is so incredibly different from English schools! I think mostly it's because it's a church run school, so there aren't restrictions on the morals and Christianity you can teach the children. But also it's not a government run school (it's licensed by the gov. but is effectively private) so things like health and safety regulations, child protection regulations and in fact any other sort of paper work simply doesn't exist! Obviously there are recommendations about things like facilities and fire hazards and everything else, but the attitude here seems to be something like well if you don't follow it and we catch you we will close the school, but if you don't catch you on your own head be it!
Having said that it is a very good school. They have very limited facilities - there are simply 9 classrooms, 5 latrines, and 3 'offices' (a room with a basic desk and a few shelves) - but the kids are really treated like proper school pupils. They have a green and white uniform with a badge on it that says "hold my hand Oh God", and have a time table of 8 40 minutes lessons a day that include maths, English, science, Social Studies (which I think is a combination of Geography, History and PSE), RE, and the younger classes also learn L'ugandan (the local language).
There are 10 teachers plus 2 cooks, a bursa, a matron (a girl called Flora who lives in the Dorms with the girls) and a headmaster. There isn't a class without a teacher so the classes they have given me have been bits and pieces with most classes. I am doing reading lessons with P2 every morning for an hour and a half, then the rest of the day I do RE lessons with P3, P4 and P7 (if P7 aren't in mocks for their end of school exams next month) and also English revision lessons with P5 and P6. I tend to be in the younger classes more which is very difficult because their English isn't so good and although they get basic instructions, to try and figure out who to tell off when two kids are fighting over a pencil or something is another ball game! I'm just about getting my head around their names, but the trouble with P2 is that they really are bad at reading. So to try and teach them to read in what is their 2nd if not third language (if they don't come from this area of Uganda they have another local language) is fairly challenging!
However I have discovered a collection of reading books at different levels in the back of the Bursa's office so am going to start using them with the kids now I am getting an idea of the ones who are better or worse. I think what they mostly need is just to practice reading... so let's see how I can get my head around finding enough time to do that as well!
Please pray for wisdom and strength and for me to get quicker at learning L'ugandan!
xxx
Having said that it is a very good school. They have very limited facilities - there are simply 9 classrooms, 5 latrines, and 3 'offices' (a room with a basic desk and a few shelves) - but the kids are really treated like proper school pupils. They have a green and white uniform with a badge on it that says "hold my hand Oh God", and have a time table of 8 40 minutes lessons a day that include maths, English, science, Social Studies (which I think is a combination of Geography, History and PSE), RE, and the younger classes also learn L'ugandan (the local language).
There are 10 teachers plus 2 cooks, a bursa, a matron (a girl called Flora who lives in the Dorms with the girls) and a headmaster. There isn't a class without a teacher so the classes they have given me have been bits and pieces with most classes. I am doing reading lessons with P2 every morning for an hour and a half, then the rest of the day I do RE lessons with P3, P4 and P7 (if P7 aren't in mocks for their end of school exams next month) and also English revision lessons with P5 and P6. I tend to be in the younger classes more which is very difficult because their English isn't so good and although they get basic instructions, to try and figure out who to tell off when two kids are fighting over a pencil or something is another ball game! I'm just about getting my head around their names, but the trouble with P2 is that they really are bad at reading. So to try and teach them to read in what is their 2nd if not third language (if they don't come from this area of Uganda they have another local language) is fairly challenging!
However I have discovered a collection of reading books at different levels in the back of the Bursa's office so am going to start using them with the kids now I am getting an idea of the ones who are better or worse. I think what they mostly need is just to practice reading... so let's see how I can get my head around finding enough time to do that as well!
Please pray for wisdom and strength and for me to get quicker at learning L'ugandan!
xxx
Things I have noticed about Uganda...
There are some funny things you realise about a country when you live here, but you usually forget to tell people when you get home. These are some of the things we have noticed about Uganda...
- Nothing is useless. In fact everything has about 10 uses and therefore very little is thrown away. Rotten food is fed to the banana trees. Old plastic bottles are very useful for washing your hair. And even old carrier bags make good containers for storing food...
- A bowl of water is amazingly precious. We have discovered that the same water can be used to first wash your hair, then yourself, then your underwear, then your shoes, and finally to flush the porcelain toilets they had installed especially for white visitors!
- I am a mzungu. And there is simply no one who is going to let me forget it! the children still aren't used to me walking past every morning and still shout "bye mzungu!" a million times on the way to and from school. Sweet, but can get a little tiring!
- Doing business in public is like an auction. The Ugandans hail a taxi with the slightest nod of the head, and refuse a boda boda (motorcycle taxi) by simply just blinking at them I think. Its so hard to remember to do the right thing!
- flip flops are the only practical shoes.
- Matoke is actually nice! Florence grows hers in the garden and it is steamed over a charcoal fire for about 2 hours and then mashed so it becomes a bit like mashed parsnip but a bit more bland.
- There are no such things as road signs, road markings, or a highway code. Each man for himself and go!
- People think we are funny because we walk along the road fairly quickly, compared to the average Ugandan who even if he is really late for something, will stroll along as if he is trying to fill the time! Apparently someone saw us and said 'look at that woman, who is chasing her?!'
- It's rude to walk and eat at the same time. You must take time about your food and if you should finish before your host, you have no choice but to help yourself to another plateful of food! We are learning to eat slowly.
- 9am generally can be translated as 12 or even 3pm. Especially with Emmanuel!
I will think of some more another time...!
- Nothing is useless. In fact everything has about 10 uses and therefore very little is thrown away. Rotten food is fed to the banana trees. Old plastic bottles are very useful for washing your hair. And even old carrier bags make good containers for storing food...
- A bowl of water is amazingly precious. We have discovered that the same water can be used to first wash your hair, then yourself, then your underwear, then your shoes, and finally to flush the porcelain toilets they had installed especially for white visitors!
- I am a mzungu. And there is simply no one who is going to let me forget it! the children still aren't used to me walking past every morning and still shout "bye mzungu!" a million times on the way to and from school. Sweet, but can get a little tiring!
- Doing business in public is like an auction. The Ugandans hail a taxi with the slightest nod of the head, and refuse a boda boda (motorcycle taxi) by simply just blinking at them I think. Its so hard to remember to do the right thing!
- flip flops are the only practical shoes.
- Matoke is actually nice! Florence grows hers in the garden and it is steamed over a charcoal fire for about 2 hours and then mashed so it becomes a bit like mashed parsnip but a bit more bland.
- There are no such things as road signs, road markings, or a highway code. Each man for himself and go!
- People think we are funny because we walk along the road fairly quickly, compared to the average Ugandan who even if he is really late for something, will stroll along as if he is trying to fill the time! Apparently someone saw us and said 'look at that woman, who is chasing her?!'
- It's rude to walk and eat at the same time. You must take time about your food and if you should finish before your host, you have no choice but to help yourself to another plateful of food! We are learning to eat slowly.
- 9am generally can be translated as 12 or even 3pm. Especially with Emmanuel!
I will think of some more another time...!
30 September 2008
HELLO SHEPPEY - BLOGGER MARI CALLING
I can't believe I have at last entered the 21st century and have become a "Blogger" wey hey !!!
What have I been up to while Beki has been flogging herself to a frazzle teaching? mmmmm.... Emmanuel (hereafter called Emi) and I have met with a Christian artist called Haggai, and I hope to get a few different things to bring home and sell. You will be pleased to know that the Batiks that we sell on behalf of Emi and his family, are paying for his kid's schooling. It is particularly helping now as Samuel, his oldest, has started at Uni.
Each week I attend Prayer Meetings and Bible Study evenings at Bweyogerere church in the evening, so some of my day has to be spent preparing notes etc. I have also been taken to various churches that Emi oversees and have to speak at them also, so my head is always in my Bible (not a bad thing). One of the brothers in the Church took me out on home visits last Friday, which is quite an adventure as we have to go "footin" (i.e. walking). It is pitch dark by about 6.30 p.m. so you are forever tripping over and its a miracle to return home in one piece. I managed to see one of the Pastors (Joseph) who has been ill for about 10 days.... he was so pleased that we visited and prayed with him and his family... These visits mean so much to them.
Last Saturday we held a small Medical Mission at Bweyogerere Church. A Ugandan Doctor (Frank) works with the Medical Team that come over from International Connections. This was the only day he could spare us and we could not go too far afield, due to transport difficulties. He saw some of the orphans for general small problems. A lot of women and kids from the community also came with malaria and various infections. I worked alongside the Nurse putting the various drugs into little envelopes for them. Beki kindly played with the children to keep them occupied.
Last Friday I went to see the Orphans with Florence. They are now all back from the summer holidays and staying in the dormitories at Bweyogerere. We checked all their bunks to make sure they all had a bed, a mattress, a blanket etc. Afterwards we gave out the letters. Thank you to all of you who did a letter for your sponsored child. Their little faces lit up, they were beaming. The ones that did not get a letter had to be pacified with some biscuits we had left over from the children's ministry when the whole team were here. Also some of the kids are sponsored by a different group, who are actually visiting them at the moment. They look after 10 of the orphans. They are taking them out for a while so, Beki and I have cooked up an idea to help the others feel special. We will go down to the school at lunch time (while the 10 are away with the sponsors) and teach them some songs, play games etc. and of course give out biscuits. It is so difficult to know what is best to do. But I want every one of you to know that those kids really love you, your doing a great job. On Saturday, between patients at the medical mission, they were around Beki and I asking.... what is my sponsor like...... Obviously we gave you all a glowing report! At present, I am working on individual "profiles" for each orphan, with a few details of their backgrounds. These will be forwarded to Paul, then in time, Sue will give them out to you. Please be patient, as I can only get into Kampala a couple of times a week for emailing as the connection there is so much better.
Beki and I have been invited to meet the widows of Bweyogerere Church (there are 12 of them). We will be going to one of their houses and have a little meal then share something from the Bible with them.
HEY..... GREAT NEWS.... I'm a grandmother (again). Pastor John from Sonde and his wife Christine had a new baby girl on the 6th October and they have named her Marie. Obviously I am thrilled. I have also got Reenah Marie who is now about 5 years, she is the daughter of David and Emma Baraza. She was born when I was here for 3 months in 2003, and had a lot of health problems. She has had a couple of operations now and is a lot better. And then there is little Jennifer, who was rescued by Emi's mum from the witchdoctors, who were going to use her as a sacrifice (no.... I am not kidding). She lives with Emi's mum (Jaja) and came to Emi's house with the 2 older girls she lives with. When Beki asked her if she could tell us a story, she said "no but I will sing you a song". She then went right ahead and did it. I love her to bits.
Next week (on Wednesday) we hope to go to the village of Butinindi. Emi and Florence have a small plot of land there where they grow food for the school. Florence has a real burden for the elderly people who live there and, in Flo's words, "they have given up hope". So she wants us to go and tell them that Jesus still has work for them - as far as I know there are not many Christians there, so it is a good opportunity to evangelise.
The weekend of 11th and 12th October. Beki and I hope to be going with Baby Charles (the children's worker) to Soroti. We will visit the people who were effected by the floods last year. You may remember that Community Church raised some money for them. We want to see their Pastor - Francis - and just encourage them a little.
The date has been set for my visit to Rwanda - it will be 17th - 20th October. Emi, Flo, myself and a guy called Pastor Isaiah, will be going. It will take all day to travel their by coach and obviously a day to return. Saturday (18th) I will be visiting 2 churches in Kigali which Pastor Isaiah visits regularly, then on Sunday we will go to visit a church that Emi knows. This is a great opportunity to show the love of God to people who have suffered so much through tribal warfare, especially in Kigali which was the centre of the troubles some years ago when so many Tutsi people were killed by the Hutu tribe. Having said that there was killing on both sides. So many refugees and displaced people. I really cant imagine what it is going to be like. Pray for me. Hope to write some more another time. Mari
What have I been up to while Beki has been flogging herself to a frazzle teaching? mmmmm.... Emmanuel (hereafter called Emi) and I have met with a Christian artist called Haggai, and I hope to get a few different things to bring home and sell. You will be pleased to know that the Batiks that we sell on behalf of Emi and his family, are paying for his kid's schooling. It is particularly helping now as Samuel, his oldest, has started at Uni.
Each week I attend Prayer Meetings and Bible Study evenings at Bweyogerere church in the evening, so some of my day has to be spent preparing notes etc. I have also been taken to various churches that Emi oversees and have to speak at them also, so my head is always in my Bible (not a bad thing). One of the brothers in the Church took me out on home visits last Friday, which is quite an adventure as we have to go "footin" (i.e. walking). It is pitch dark by about 6.30 p.m. so you are forever tripping over and its a miracle to return home in one piece. I managed to see one of the Pastors (Joseph) who has been ill for about 10 days.... he was so pleased that we visited and prayed with him and his family... These visits mean so much to them.
Last Saturday we held a small Medical Mission at Bweyogerere Church. A Ugandan Doctor (Frank) works with the Medical Team that come over from International Connections. This was the only day he could spare us and we could not go too far afield, due to transport difficulties. He saw some of the orphans for general small problems. A lot of women and kids from the community also came with malaria and various infections. I worked alongside the Nurse putting the various drugs into little envelopes for them. Beki kindly played with the children to keep them occupied.
Last Friday I went to see the Orphans with Florence. They are now all back from the summer holidays and staying in the dormitories at Bweyogerere. We checked all their bunks to make sure they all had a bed, a mattress, a blanket etc. Afterwards we gave out the letters. Thank you to all of you who did a letter for your sponsored child. Their little faces lit up, they were beaming. The ones that did not get a letter had to be pacified with some biscuits we had left over from the children's ministry when the whole team were here. Also some of the kids are sponsored by a different group, who are actually visiting them at the moment. They look after 10 of the orphans. They are taking them out for a while so, Beki and I have cooked up an idea to help the others feel special. We will go down to the school at lunch time (while the 10 are away with the sponsors) and teach them some songs, play games etc. and of course give out biscuits. It is so difficult to know what is best to do. But I want every one of you to know that those kids really love you, your doing a great job. On Saturday, between patients at the medical mission, they were around Beki and I asking.... what is my sponsor like...... Obviously we gave you all a glowing report! At present, I am working on individual "profiles" for each orphan, with a few details of their backgrounds. These will be forwarded to Paul, then in time, Sue will give them out to you. Please be patient, as I can only get into Kampala a couple of times a week for emailing as the connection there is so much better.
Beki and I have been invited to meet the widows of Bweyogerere Church (there are 12 of them). We will be going to one of their houses and have a little meal then share something from the Bible with them.
HEY..... GREAT NEWS.... I'm a grandmother (again). Pastor John from Sonde and his wife Christine had a new baby girl on the 6th October and they have named her Marie. Obviously I am thrilled. I have also got Reenah Marie who is now about 5 years, she is the daughter of David and Emma Baraza. She was born when I was here for 3 months in 2003, and had a lot of health problems. She has had a couple of operations now and is a lot better. And then there is little Jennifer, who was rescued by Emi's mum from the witchdoctors, who were going to use her as a sacrifice (no.... I am not kidding). She lives with Emi's mum (Jaja) and came to Emi's house with the 2 older girls she lives with. When Beki asked her if she could tell us a story, she said "no but I will sing you a song". She then went right ahead and did it. I love her to bits.
Next week (on Wednesday) we hope to go to the village of Butinindi. Emi and Florence have a small plot of land there where they grow food for the school. Florence has a real burden for the elderly people who live there and, in Flo's words, "they have given up hope". So she wants us to go and tell them that Jesus still has work for them - as far as I know there are not many Christians there, so it is a good opportunity to evangelise.
The weekend of 11th and 12th October. Beki and I hope to be going with Baby Charles (the children's worker) to Soroti. We will visit the people who were effected by the floods last year. You may remember that Community Church raised some money for them. We want to see their Pastor - Francis - and just encourage them a little.
The date has been set for my visit to Rwanda - it will be 17th - 20th October. Emi, Flo, myself and a guy called Pastor Isaiah, will be going. It will take all day to travel their by coach and obviously a day to return. Saturday (18th) I will be visiting 2 churches in Kigali which Pastor Isaiah visits regularly, then on Sunday we will go to visit a church that Emi knows. This is a great opportunity to show the love of God to people who have suffered so much through tribal warfare, especially in Kigali which was the centre of the troubles some years ago when so many Tutsi people were killed by the Hutu tribe. Having said that there was killing on both sides. So many refugees and displaced people. I really cant imagine what it is going to be like. Pray for me. Hope to write some more another time. Mari
27 September 2008
The Second Week
I worked in the school this week from Tuesday to Wednesday, and Florence (Emmanuel’s wife) who is the Director of the school came in and sorted me out a timetable. I have been given a P2 class (including 7-10 yr olds) for reading each morning, and then a mixture of P3, P4 and P7 RE, and English with P5 and P6.
The first few days were trying actually, and it was hard to get the kids to understand my accent, to figure out exactly what abilities they were and whether the teachers actually wanted me to help or not... but thankfully they do, and they kids want to understand me and after a few days it wasn't so hard to figure them out as i thought! Actually I finished up with a bag of lesson plans, textbooks, syllabusis (syllabi?) and a very high level of respect for teachers who are at that school from 6.30am till 4pm every day and then go back to cook, feed their children, clean their house and plan the next day's lesson - especially when the electricity goes and it's all by candle light!
Time is very short so will let you know more soon but today mari and me went with a doctor to the school and dished out pills and advice to the local ppl. Thanks for your prayers and we miss you all!
The first few days were trying actually, and it was hard to get the kids to understand my accent, to figure out exactly what abilities they were and whether the teachers actually wanted me to help or not... but thankfully they do, and they kids want to understand me and after a few days it wasn't so hard to figure them out as i thought! Actually I finished up with a bag of lesson plans, textbooks, syllabusis (syllabi?) and a very high level of respect for teachers who are at that school from 6.30am till 4pm every day and then go back to cook, feed their children, clean their house and plan the next day's lesson - especially when the electricity goes and it's all by candle light!
Time is very short so will let you know more soon but today mari and me went with a doctor to the school and dished out pills and advice to the local ppl. Thanks for your prayers and we miss you all!
The first real working week!
So yes, I'm afraid this has been a long time coming but it has become real work for us these last two weeks! not that we resent it, but the internet cafe suddenly seems a long way away. and I've recently found out that it's not the done thing for women to move around at night at all, and considering it gets dark at almost exactly 6.30 pm every evening, and the school day runs from 7am till 4pm everyday, that's not very practical! so here's a whirlwind tour of the last two weeks...
The school started back on Mon 15th, and I spent mon-weds of last weeks flitting around watching different teachers teach different lessons at Bweyogerere Primary School. The school has 2 nursery classes and the Primary 1 - 7, which is vaguely all kids up to the equivalent to year 8. But the trouble is a lot of kids dont every start baby class until they are maybe 7 so the ages of the kids in each class is very varied. And of course you have the classic issue of very different abilities in each class, and with no assistant even in the youngest classes that's not very easy! The school is on the same site as Emmanuel's church and there are also dormitories for about 50 kids who board.
Each classroom has a blackboard and desks like those old victorian wooden benches with the chairs attached, and kids are required to bring their own pens, pencils, exercise books and every loo roll and soap to school. That concludes the resources of the school! There are about one textbooks for each of the main subjects for each class, and there are some simple reading books but they are locked away in the office and the teachers have to sign for them. So its interesting...
Another thing I noticed during that week was how their teaching methods are very different. I think mostly because of the lack of things like paints and colouring pens they basically teach by writing on the board, getting the kids to spell and repeat words and then getting them to copy them down. It's all in English (apart from the nursery) and you run the risk of a caning from Teacher Esther if you're caught speaking l'ugandan at all on school grounds!
Then on Thursday 18th Me, Mari and Pastor Emmanuel got on a minibus taxi into Kampala and then boarded a stagecoach type bus to go to the West of Uganda for a few days. The bus was a hilarious if looong and hot experience. For starters although we were scheduled to leave at 9am the drive wouldn't go until his bus was very nearly full. So it was gone 11 by the time we set off! and during that time all the hawkers and sellers of any random thing you can possible think of came on the bus and walked up and down the very narrow aisle trying to sell socks, sodas, sweets, radios, hankies, bread, hairbrushes, chicken kebabs, bags, batteries and well anything you could carry onto a bus to sell! The actual journey took about 8 hours and they didn't stop at all (apart from for very persistant men who went for a short call by the side of the road). The road through Masaka and up to Mbarara was pretty good. It became more and more potholed towards Ibanda and then from Ibanda to Ishongororo we bumped along a dirt road that had been ruined by very recent rain. By this time we were desperate for the loo, fed up with the chav in the seat behind us who had a radio to his ear the whole time, and had numb behind from the not so padded metal seats. But all in all for about 6 pounds single ticket i think we had quite a good deal! And look at that photo of the scenery I took from the bus - it was really lovely.
We staying in a little motel type place in Ishongororo call the Go Down Boys lodge. The accomodation was very basic but comfortable enough and we were met by Boss and a number of people who seemed very pleased to see us! Boss took us to his little restaurant for dinner where his wife Alina (who I think could be the most talented cook in the whole of Uganda) treated us to dinner and tea and lots of good company. They are a lovely family and Alina and Boss absolutely adore eachother, their 4 kids are really hardworking a lot of fun, and they have started their business with hardly anything but a lot of dedication and graft!
The next day we attended the 15 year anniversary celebration of Ishongororo Pentecostal Church of God's Caring Ministries(which was the main reason we went!). The church was started by an old lady who must now be about 80+ in her house, and now the church is a big brick building with a few classrooms outside and is led by Pastor Azariah. He has 6 kids and his wife died about 4 years ago giving birth to the last one. He has now married a lady called Robinah and between them they really love and serve that church. The day went from about 11am till 6pm and there was lots of worship and singing and preaching. Mari and me both shared some things from the Bible, and there were absolutely loads of people there – it was terrifying! They had invited people from each of the 11 churches that had been planted out of Ishongororo, and part of the service was given to pray for all of the leaders of those churches, as well as listing the different things that the churches are involved in, as well as all their various needs and shortages. One thing about the Ugandan people is that whatever little they have they make it work somehow, and even though these guys didn’t have a lot, they have done so much including starting schools and supporting widows. I take my hat off to them!
The only thing about this place – I had a really good time – but the kids were fascinated with us whiteys, and kept surrounding us and prodding us, pulling our hair and just generally staring at us – it was a bit scary! But I did meet up with a girl called Rita who I met last year and had a great long encouraging conversation with her. She has been accepted to do a nursing degree but is about to start a diploma instead because she doesn’t have the fees, but the way she talked wasn’t asking for money but just really grateful for God’s provision for her so far and amazed at so many things like grace and forgiveness. So encouraging, so please remember her in your prayers!
The next day we ate the most fantastic breakfast of chapattis and omlettes and pineapple from Boss and Alina’s and went for a trek through the beautiful (if very muddy and hilly!) countryside nearby. Now Ugandans don’t just walk for fun, so of course we had a purpose in this escapade and that was to see the cows that our church has bought for the church to be used to provide milk to the local needy people including widows. The guy who looks after them (Asaph) also had some chickens, goats a pig, and farmed all sorts of things including coffee, pineapples, matoke and black peas. It was a great walk, but it started chucking it down with rain so on the way back we had to shelter in some poor families house. This was the most hilarious thing because the 10 kids who lived in these two rooms and obviously never seen white people before, and because it was dark in there we were literally surround by all these little white staring eyes and no talking. I can’t say we didn’t feel a little like an eighteenth century missionary explorer! Even the people working in the fields stopped and stood stock still as we walked past, to the point that Emmanuel thought they were scarecrows!
Azariah took us to his house for lunch and we then got in a car (Emmanuel, Mari, me, Boss, Boss’s two girls and the driver – leaving behind Azariah’s 4 kids who wouldn’t quite get in the car with all their luggage for the new term at Bweyogerere school!) and headed about an hour down the road towards Ibanda to Karutusi. This is a tiny village where a Pastor Ephraim leads a church that is one of those planted from Ishongororo. It feels out in the middle of nowhere because it is in the middle of a matoke forest and the road is little more than a slippery mud track. I really don’t know how that driver managed to stop us crashing into every tree we passed because we were sliding around like an ice skater – but we made it! Ephraim and his wife and kids very kindly gave up their mud hut for the two days we stayed with them and looked after us really well. They fed us enormous meals and it was hard not to offend them by refusing 3rd and 4th helpings of everything! The hut is fairly big and has a corrugated iron roof so we were very comfortable really. But there was some sort of prayer meeting at 2am and local cockerels and goats that didn’t go to sleep at all, and even the people got up before 6am to prepare things and chop wood for that days cooking, so we didn’t actually get much sleep! This experience has showed me actually how much I value sleep. I value it a lot. In fact I’m quite lazy really by Ugandan standards. Once I said to some kid they were very hardworking and they didn’t seem to realize there could be any different way of doing things!
So Sunday Emmanuel was actually quite ill so didn’t come to church for ages, and for a while it looked like Mari and me were gonna be the main preachers again! So we did our best but he came after a bit and also said something. The worship at this church was incredible, their drumming and jumping and shouting and waving really put us to shame. I told them all I wish I could fit them in my suitcase to bring them back to our church! The leaders have been encouraging the people to help each other and although they were really poor (they literally didn’t seem to have anything some of them) but they should learn to give still and club together and bless eachother. We knew a bit about that but were totally blown away when at the end of the service they had another collection specifically for Mari and me! How moving and actually upsetting was that experience, I can’t tell you. From around 200 people we got the equivalent of about 6.00, a box of matches and a hankie. It wasn’t much, but for those guys it must have been a massive sacrifice. Goodness me, it’s very hard to take in. But if nothing else I am learning a LOT!
I was pleased to meet up with a lady called Justine who last year had chased me down the road to give me a watch (which was also just about as moving as the collection experience) and had written to me once since. She sat and introduced me to her 4 children and her husband and they took us to see her little shop on the ‘main’ road.
The rest of Sunday was pretty quiet but we spent a bit of time meeting people and getting to know the leaders there a bit more. We slept much better Sunday night and got up about 6am the next morning to walk down to the road and catch a bus back. Justine met us again and gave us some bottles of water, a pineapple, and even tried to give me a woven grass mat as a wedding present for me and Dan! Unfortunately there was no way we could have transported it home because it was massive, but I was so grateful and she had such a good heart, that alone will certainly leave an impression!
The journey home was horrible really, and we took charge of both of Boss’s girls who were travelling back to go to the school here in Bweyogerere for the term. W got one bus to Mbarara, then a minibus taxi (with too many passengers for its license!) to Kampala, then a mad squish through the taxi park in the rain with people and taxis and shouting drivers everywhere, then another minibus taxi back to Bweyogerere. The girls we sooo incredibly well behaved and we didn’t reach home until about 6pm. Very very tired but had a lovely weekend and will remember those people for a long long time!
I have added the photos to the facebook album so you can see all the happenings at: http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=40656&l=f4381&id=503957996
The school started back on Mon 15th, and I spent mon-weds of last weeks flitting around watching different teachers teach different lessons at Bweyogerere Primary School. The school has 2 nursery classes and the Primary 1 - 7, which is vaguely all kids up to the equivalent to year 8. But the trouble is a lot of kids dont every start baby class until they are maybe 7 so the ages of the kids in each class is very varied. And of course you have the classic issue of very different abilities in each class, and with no assistant even in the youngest classes that's not very easy! The school is on the same site as Emmanuel's church and there are also dormitories for about 50 kids who board.
Each classroom has a blackboard and desks like those old victorian wooden benches with the chairs attached, and kids are required to bring their own pens, pencils, exercise books and every loo roll and soap to school. That concludes the resources of the school! There are about one textbooks for each of the main subjects for each class, and there are some simple reading books but they are locked away in the office and the teachers have to sign for them. So its interesting...
Another thing I noticed during that week was how their teaching methods are very different. I think mostly because of the lack of things like paints and colouring pens they basically teach by writing on the board, getting the kids to spell and repeat words and then getting them to copy them down. It's all in English (apart from the nursery) and you run the risk of a caning from Teacher Esther if you're caught speaking l'ugandan at all on school grounds!
Then on Thursday 18th Me, Mari and Pastor Emmanuel got on a minibus taxi into Kampala and then boarded a stagecoach type bus to go to the West of Uganda for a few days. The bus was a hilarious if looong and hot experience. For starters although we were scheduled to leave at 9am the drive wouldn't go until his bus was very nearly full. So it was gone 11 by the time we set off! and during that time all the hawkers and sellers of any random thing you can possible think of came on the bus and walked up and down the very narrow aisle trying to sell socks, sodas, sweets, radios, hankies, bread, hairbrushes, chicken kebabs, bags, batteries and well anything you could carry onto a bus to sell! The actual journey took about 8 hours and they didn't stop at all (apart from for very persistant men who went for a short call by the side of the road). The road through Masaka and up to Mbarara was pretty good. It became more and more potholed towards Ibanda and then from Ibanda to Ishongororo we bumped along a dirt road that had been ruined by very recent rain. By this time we were desperate for the loo, fed up with the chav in the seat behind us who had a radio to his ear the whole time, and had numb behind from the not so padded metal seats. But all in all for about 6 pounds single ticket i think we had quite a good deal! And look at that photo of the scenery I took from the bus - it was really lovely.
We staying in a little motel type place in Ishongororo call the Go Down Boys lodge. The accomodation was very basic but comfortable enough and we were met by Boss and a number of people who seemed very pleased to see us! Boss took us to his little restaurant for dinner where his wife Alina (who I think could be the most talented cook in the whole of Uganda) treated us to dinner and tea and lots of good company. They are a lovely family and Alina and Boss absolutely adore eachother, their 4 kids are really hardworking a lot of fun, and they have started their business with hardly anything but a lot of dedication and graft!
The next day we attended the 15 year anniversary celebration of Ishongororo Pentecostal Church of God's Caring Ministries(which was the main reason we went!). The church was started by an old lady who must now be about 80+ in her house, and now the church is a big brick building with a few classrooms outside and is led by Pastor Azariah. He has 6 kids and his wife died about 4 years ago giving birth to the last one. He has now married a lady called Robinah and between them they really love and serve that church. The day went from about 11am till 6pm and there was lots of worship and singing and preaching. Mari and me both shared some things from the Bible, and there were absolutely loads of people there – it was terrifying! They had invited people from each of the 11 churches that had been planted out of Ishongororo, and part of the service was given to pray for all of the leaders of those churches, as well as listing the different things that the churches are involved in, as well as all their various needs and shortages. One thing about the Ugandan people is that whatever little they have they make it work somehow, and even though these guys didn’t have a lot, they have done so much including starting schools and supporting widows. I take my hat off to them!
The only thing about this place – I had a really good time – but the kids were fascinated with us whiteys, and kept surrounding us and prodding us, pulling our hair and just generally staring at us – it was a bit scary! But I did meet up with a girl called Rita who I met last year and had a great long encouraging conversation with her. She has been accepted to do a nursing degree but is about to start a diploma instead because she doesn’t have the fees, but the way she talked wasn’t asking for money but just really grateful for God’s provision for her so far and amazed at so many things like grace and forgiveness. So encouraging, so please remember her in your prayers!
The next day we ate the most fantastic breakfast of chapattis and omlettes and pineapple from Boss and Alina’s and went for a trek through the beautiful (if very muddy and hilly!) countryside nearby. Now Ugandans don’t just walk for fun, so of course we had a purpose in this escapade and that was to see the cows that our church has bought for the church to be used to provide milk to the local needy people including widows. The guy who looks after them (Asaph) also had some chickens, goats a pig, and farmed all sorts of things including coffee, pineapples, matoke and black peas. It was a great walk, but it started chucking it down with rain so on the way back we had to shelter in some poor families house. This was the most hilarious thing because the 10 kids who lived in these two rooms and obviously never seen white people before, and because it was dark in there we were literally surround by all these little white staring eyes and no talking. I can’t say we didn’t feel a little like an eighteenth century missionary explorer! Even the people working in the fields stopped and stood stock still as we walked past, to the point that Emmanuel thought they were scarecrows!
Azariah took us to his house for lunch and we then got in a car (Emmanuel, Mari, me, Boss, Boss’s two girls and the driver – leaving behind Azariah’s 4 kids who wouldn’t quite get in the car with all their luggage for the new term at Bweyogerere school!) and headed about an hour down the road towards Ibanda to Karutusi. This is a tiny village where a Pastor Ephraim leads a church that is one of those planted from Ishongororo. It feels out in the middle of nowhere because it is in the middle of a matoke forest and the road is little more than a slippery mud track. I really don’t know how that driver managed to stop us crashing into every tree we passed because we were sliding around like an ice skater – but we made it! Ephraim and his wife and kids very kindly gave up their mud hut for the two days we stayed with them and looked after us really well. They fed us enormous meals and it was hard not to offend them by refusing 3rd and 4th helpings of everything! The hut is fairly big and has a corrugated iron roof so we were very comfortable really. But there was some sort of prayer meeting at 2am and local cockerels and goats that didn’t go to sleep at all, and even the people got up before 6am to prepare things and chop wood for that days cooking, so we didn’t actually get much sleep! This experience has showed me actually how much I value sleep. I value it a lot. In fact I’m quite lazy really by Ugandan standards. Once I said to some kid they were very hardworking and they didn’t seem to realize there could be any different way of doing things!
So Sunday Emmanuel was actually quite ill so didn’t come to church for ages, and for a while it looked like Mari and me were gonna be the main preachers again! So we did our best but he came after a bit and also said something. The worship at this church was incredible, their drumming and jumping and shouting and waving really put us to shame. I told them all I wish I could fit them in my suitcase to bring them back to our church! The leaders have been encouraging the people to help each other and although they were really poor (they literally didn’t seem to have anything some of them) but they should learn to give still and club together and bless eachother. We knew a bit about that but were totally blown away when at the end of the service they had another collection specifically for Mari and me! How moving and actually upsetting was that experience, I can’t tell you. From around 200 people we got the equivalent of about 6.00, a box of matches and a hankie. It wasn’t much, but for those guys it must have been a massive sacrifice. Goodness me, it’s very hard to take in. But if nothing else I am learning a LOT!
I was pleased to meet up with a lady called Justine who last year had chased me down the road to give me a watch (which was also just about as moving as the collection experience) and had written to me once since. She sat and introduced me to her 4 children and her husband and they took us to see her little shop on the ‘main’ road.
The rest of Sunday was pretty quiet but we spent a bit of time meeting people and getting to know the leaders there a bit more. We slept much better Sunday night and got up about 6am the next morning to walk down to the road and catch a bus back. Justine met us again and gave us some bottles of water, a pineapple, and even tried to give me a woven grass mat as a wedding present for me and Dan! Unfortunately there was no way we could have transported it home because it was massive, but I was so grateful and she had such a good heart, that alone will certainly leave an impression!
The journey home was horrible really, and we took charge of both of Boss’s girls who were travelling back to go to the school here in Bweyogerere for the term. W got one bus to Mbarara, then a minibus taxi (with too many passengers for its license!) to Kampala, then a mad squish through the taxi park in the rain with people and taxis and shouting drivers everywhere, then another minibus taxi back to Bweyogerere. The girls we sooo incredibly well behaved and we didn’t reach home until about 6pm. Very very tired but had a lovely weekend and will remember those people for a long long time!
I have added the photos to the facebook album so you can see all the happenings at: http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=40656&l=f4381&id=503957996
13 September 2008
Photos!
You will be pleased (I hope!) to know that I have uploaded some pictures onto Facebook, and for those of you who don't have that please click/type in the address http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=40656&l=f4381&id=503957996
Today has been another quiet day - the dull before the storm as Mari said! And we have had time to come down to the internet cafe again so I thought I would take advantage of the time and leave another little note, even if we have hardly done anything!
Tomorrow Emmanuel has asked Mari to speak in church, and asked me to take the "mature youth" (about 13+) out of the meeting for about an hour and a half to lead a bible study type thing. They don't already meet separately as young people so I am going to see what they think about starting something up regularly, as there are about 12 of them or so. But this morning we were basically mostly preparing that. There has been quite a lot of rain over night which we are grateful for because the mains were blocked for a few days, so the only water we have is collected off the roof! And actually you would be suprised how much water it takes to wash clothes by hand, especially when there is me, mari, florence, emmanuel, william, judah and norah all living there!
This afternoon we went around to a neighbours who was having a thanksgiving service as she lost her sister last week. It was really moving because they were all so strong and so focussed on Jesus, I was hoping that they weren't just suppressing the grief but that they really found comfort in God. We ate the biggest meal you have ever seen, adding to the stigma that we have already created that muzungus don't eat a lot!
So next week I am anticipating starting w0rk in Bweyogerere Multipurpose Primary school, which is run by emmanuel and florence. They have asked me to take some RE and English lessons with the older classes (years 5 and 6ish) and also help where they are short of classroom assistants with some of the younger classes. I am hoping that the kids will help me learn a bit of L'ugandan! There is also a nursery teacher called Gladys who is about my age who leads a little bible study group with some kids at lunch time, so I will probably help her at some point. Also on Thursday Mari and me with emmanuel and probably florence will be trekking across to Ishongororo in the west to visit the church there for a few days. The journey will take about 8 -10 hours.
God is really here with us, thank you so much for praying. We are having a really great time and feel so at home!
Today has been another quiet day - the dull before the storm as Mari said! And we have had time to come down to the internet cafe again so I thought I would take advantage of the time and leave another little note, even if we have hardly done anything!
Tomorrow Emmanuel has asked Mari to speak in church, and asked me to take the "mature youth" (about 13+) out of the meeting for about an hour and a half to lead a bible study type thing. They don't already meet separately as young people so I am going to see what they think about starting something up regularly, as there are about 12 of them or so. But this morning we were basically mostly preparing that. There has been quite a lot of rain over night which we are grateful for because the mains were blocked for a few days, so the only water we have is collected off the roof! And actually you would be suprised how much water it takes to wash clothes by hand, especially when there is me, mari, florence, emmanuel, william, judah and norah all living there!
This afternoon we went around to a neighbours who was having a thanksgiving service as she lost her sister last week. It was really moving because they were all so strong and so focussed on Jesus, I was hoping that they weren't just suppressing the grief but that they really found comfort in God. We ate the biggest meal you have ever seen, adding to the stigma that we have already created that muzungus don't eat a lot!
So next week I am anticipating starting w0rk in Bweyogerere Multipurpose Primary school, which is run by emmanuel and florence. They have asked me to take some RE and English lessons with the older classes (years 5 and 6ish) and also help where they are short of classroom assistants with some of the younger classes. I am hoping that the kids will help me learn a bit of L'ugandan! There is also a nursery teacher called Gladys who is about my age who leads a little bible study group with some kids at lunch time, so I will probably help her at some point. Also on Thursday Mari and me with emmanuel and probably florence will be trekking across to Ishongororo in the west to visit the church there for a few days. The journey will take about 8 -10 hours.
God is really here with us, thank you so much for praying. We are having a really great time and feel so at home!
12 September 2008
First few days on our own...
So everyone else has gone home, and Mari and I have had a fairly quiet few days in the real Uganda! No airs and graces, or rushing around on a whirlwind tour of every church in Emmanuel's network that needs a visitor, but more like real life now! I was sick the first day, Mari has been running about organising and rearranging things, and now we are able to finish off some of the church business we started while we were here. We spent Thursday at a tiny wholesale shop in Bweyogerere buying 46 of a few things the sponsored kids (plus the others who also live in the same orphanage but aren't sponsored by us) needs for returning to school next Monday. These were soap for washing, soap for washing clothes, a toothbrush, toothpaste, a pen, a loo roll and a little grass broom which apparently is required! We packed them all up in little bags and tied them up with bookmarks which said "you are loved" on them (thanks Helen!) Then today we trekked over to Lugazi to give them out. They were really pleased and grateful so thank you for all your generosity that made those little gifts possible!
On the way back we did a 90 minute or so detour to see Florences farm which is being looked after by Emmanuel's mum Jar-jar (which means grandmum), and picked her and the three girls in her care up fopr Bweyogerere. She looks after two 10 year old ish grand daughters plus another 5 year old who she rescued from being sacrificed by her parents to a witch doctor last year. Amazing women, still digging and almost 80!
On the way back we did a 90 minute or so detour to see Florences farm which is being looked after by Emmanuel's mum Jar-jar (which means grandmum), and picked her and the three girls in her care up fopr Bweyogerere. She looks after two 10 year old ish grand daughters plus another 5 year old who she rescued from being sacrificed by her parents to a witch doctor last year. Amazing women, still digging and almost 80!
09 September 2008
Sheppey in Uganda, Part 2
OK, so time is short again (11 minutes and counting!) but Emmanuel's son Judah has been kind enough to let me tag along to the internet cafe with him again so I can't complain!
Sat 6th - Today we split into two teams again. Dad Paul and me went to Sonde church, which is one that CCS have funded the building of, and had a great time actually. We were there all day, Paul preached twice, I shared something and Dad preached, and it all came together with a very African rendition of "this is an awesome house of God" because that was similar to what Paul shared. What a moment! They made it sound great, drumming and jumping and whooping. Of all the congregations we have been to, I think it was the church that seemed most similar to home. Mari and Helen ran a ladies day at Bweyogerere church with the help of Florence and shared a lot about the gifts and place of women in the church. Florence has asked Mari to keep sharing that message at different times while she is here because it was so relevant so please keep praying for those ladies!
Sun 7th - We split up again today and poor Mari felt pretty ill so stayed home in bed. Dad and me went with Emmanuel to a tiny village church out in the forests near Lugazi to a church we had never heard of before. They were few - maybe around 30 - and had only just finished building the walls of their own new building, and the roof was made with sticks and random tarpaulin banners they must have found, but it showed so much willing and dedication it was quite moving. Paul and Helen went to a slum church nearer Kampala which also we had never been to before but they had a great time with those people, and much was shared about the need for more children's ministry in the church of Uganda. It seems this is really a need which has been highlighted by Helen and Mari's work here. Something in fact that Emmanuel has suggested Mari and I run training sessions on during the next few months with Sunday school leaders/youth workers from various churches, encouraging them!
Mon 8th - Yesterday we split up again, and I went to support Helen and Mari with their kids work at Sonde, while dad and Paul went ahead of us to the orphanage at Lugazi where we sponsor some kids who go to Emmanuel's primary school in Bweyogerere. There were tons of kids at Sonde and many who werent from church. They loved the bible stories and songs that we taught them, all around the theme of "you are special!" Afterwards we joined the men at Lugazi to see the kids we sponsor, and discuss their needs for returning to school this term. They sung us some lovely songs and we spent some time playing games with them and listening to them. I seemed to make particular friends with some of the senior girls, who are not sponsored by us, but they appreciated visitors nevertheless. Most of the kids sent their love and greetings and thanks to all of you who sponsor them and remembered your names. They particularly love to write to you and receive letters from you so keep it up! it is a fantastic work. Mari is going to work with Florence to put together some histories for the kids so we can know more about their backgrounds and get to know them a bit so that will be great.
Tues 9th - Today Paul and Emmanuel and his son Judah went to see a church in Kampala run by a Pastor Eric who is friends with Emmanuel. They preached and shared lunch with the people under the shelter that had been constructed out of their bedsheets. It is in a slum area and there were many children who came. Paul and Emmanuel were pretty tired - Emmanuel isn't well today and I think Paul is anticipating a long flight home tomorrow. Dad Mari Helen and I went a few hours East to a village near Lake Victoria called Kiyindi. This church is run by a Pastor James (Who is a lot like Colin actually!) and last year they had reached ceiling level of a brick church they had been building. This year they had finished the roof and it is quite an impressive building, although they now need windows and doors. Helen and Mari worked with the kids outside for a while, Dad preached, Mari shared a scripture and Helen and I sang a song and shared something. We felt really at home and were encouraged by all the people there.
Tomorrow is the flight home for the rest of the team, they will be leaving about 6am and will arrive back on Sheppey at about 7pm. Please pray for them as they leave, and for Mari and I as we are left behind. And remember to pray for all the churches we have visited in Uganda and the pastors and their families!
Bye for now xxx
Sat 6th - Today we split into two teams again. Dad Paul and me went to Sonde church, which is one that CCS have funded the building of, and had a great time actually. We were there all day, Paul preached twice, I shared something and Dad preached, and it all came together with a very African rendition of "this is an awesome house of God" because that was similar to what Paul shared. What a moment! They made it sound great, drumming and jumping and whooping. Of all the congregations we have been to, I think it was the church that seemed most similar to home. Mari and Helen ran a ladies day at Bweyogerere church with the help of Florence and shared a lot about the gifts and place of women in the church. Florence has asked Mari to keep sharing that message at different times while she is here because it was so relevant so please keep praying for those ladies!
Sun 7th - We split up again today and poor Mari felt pretty ill so stayed home in bed. Dad and me went with Emmanuel to a tiny village church out in the forests near Lugazi to a church we had never heard of before. They were few - maybe around 30 - and had only just finished building the walls of their own new building, and the roof was made with sticks and random tarpaulin banners they must have found, but it showed so much willing and dedication it was quite moving. Paul and Helen went to a slum church nearer Kampala which also we had never been to before but they had a great time with those people, and much was shared about the need for more children's ministry in the church of Uganda. It seems this is really a need which has been highlighted by Helen and Mari's work here. Something in fact that Emmanuel has suggested Mari and I run training sessions on during the next few months with Sunday school leaders/youth workers from various churches, encouraging them!
Mon 8th - Yesterday we split up again, and I went to support Helen and Mari with their kids work at Sonde, while dad and Paul went ahead of us to the orphanage at Lugazi where we sponsor some kids who go to Emmanuel's primary school in Bweyogerere. There were tons of kids at Sonde and many who werent from church. They loved the bible stories and songs that we taught them, all around the theme of "you are special!" Afterwards we joined the men at Lugazi to see the kids we sponsor, and discuss their needs for returning to school this term. They sung us some lovely songs and we spent some time playing games with them and listening to them. I seemed to make particular friends with some of the senior girls, who are not sponsored by us, but they appreciated visitors nevertheless. Most of the kids sent their love and greetings and thanks to all of you who sponsor them and remembered your names. They particularly love to write to you and receive letters from you so keep it up! it is a fantastic work. Mari is going to work with Florence to put together some histories for the kids so we can know more about their backgrounds and get to know them a bit so that will be great.
Tues 9th - Today Paul and Emmanuel and his son Judah went to see a church in Kampala run by a Pastor Eric who is friends with Emmanuel. They preached and shared lunch with the people under the shelter that had been constructed out of their bedsheets. It is in a slum area and there were many children who came. Paul and Emmanuel were pretty tired - Emmanuel isn't well today and I think Paul is anticipating a long flight home tomorrow. Dad Mari Helen and I went a few hours East to a village near Lake Victoria called Kiyindi. This church is run by a Pastor James (Who is a lot like Colin actually!) and last year they had reached ceiling level of a brick church they had been building. This year they had finished the roof and it is quite an impressive building, although they now need windows and doors. Helen and Mari worked with the kids outside for a while, Dad preached, Mari shared a scripture and Helen and I sang a song and shared something. We felt really at home and were encouraged by all the people there.
Tomorrow is the flight home for the rest of the team, they will be leaving about 6am and will arrive back on Sheppey at about 7pm. Please pray for them as they leave, and for Mari and I as we are left behind. And remember to pray for all the churches we have visited in Uganda and the pastors and their families!
Bye for now xxx
05 September 2008
Sheppey in Uganda 2008 Part 1 …
So I am really please to have been able to get to an internet café to update this blog. Everything is so very spontaneous here it is hard to get organized! We have had a great couple of weeks with the team from church – Mari and Helen have been doing great things with children and Dad and Paul have been ministering to leaders and doing evangelistic preaches. I have generally been mucking in and hanging around having fun!
So in a nutshell (because we only have half an hour) this is what we have been doing for the last week…
Thurs 28th – We flew overnight into Entebbe from Heathrow and for the first time ever we all managed to get at least 3 or 4 hours sleep! It was emotional setting off – thinking that I wasn’t coming back for ages, and it seemed like such a long time… But as soon as we landed I remembered why I had been so excited about coming.
Fri 29th – Florence met us from the airport with Bartolomio the new driver in Emmanuel’s vehicle which has done far more than its fair share of miles on Uganda’s unmade rocky roads. It was so nice to see her again. She is a large smiley lady who laughs about almost everything but works really hard. She is Emmanuel’s administrator as well as his wife really, and has a massive heart for people in need, especially children. We spent the first day resting and Mari and Helen went off to buy lots of things for the children’s work like paper drinks a CD player and biscuits.
Sat 30th – The first day really. Dad, Paul and I ran a day’s youth conference at Emmanuel’s school Bweyogerere Pentecostal Church where he had invited young people from a number of different churches that he oversees. There were probably around 50 or 60 people there, and we ran some discussion groups and had worship and Paul and Dad both preached. Helen and Mari went over to a slum area of Kampala where two guys from the church have started a small school made out of papyrus and wood. It really is a deprived area, and they survive on what little payment they can get from the parents, which is often few and far between. They have about 80% muslim children and many have become Christians as a result of attending that school and surprisingly there has been no opposition from the parents. They are actually just grateful to have somebody willing to educate their children. The ladies had about 150-200 kids turn up for their day, and they taught them songs, stories and played lots of games. They say they ran out of everything but have never had so much fun in their lives!
Sun 31st – We stayed together this morning and attended Bweyogerere church, where Paul preached and the rest of us just shared a greeting. You wouldn’t believe how passionate these people are in worship and how responsive they are to preaching. There is a lot of energy in the room to say the least! Shouting and wooping and dancing, whether they are kids or older people, everyone is involved and they sit there for ages to listen to people share from the Bible. In the afternoon Dad and me went back for the final session of the youth conference and were interrupted bout 5pm with the most almighty storm, you couldn’t here any thing at all! I’ve honestly never seen rain like it, it was so loud and was washing the soil away around the building. All the windows were blowing open and water was flooding in from every corner… it was crazy. But the young people were again responsive and enjoyed discussing what they had heard.
Mon 1st and Tues 2nd – Mari and Helen went the 3 hrs up country to Diikwe today, a little bush village where Hope and her husband Herbert run a school and a church in the most remote place. They had hundreds of village children both days and were absolutely exhausted by the time they came home. I don’t think they had ever seen any thing like those two mad white people jumping around and being crazy. It wasn’t easy for them actually and they were pretty tired, but Hope was so happy to have such an input in her tiny corner of Uganda and they did a great job. Paul and Dad ran a conference for leaders under Emmanuel’s oversight from churches all over the country on these two days and did really well. Paul had prepared four sessions on leadership from Nehemiah and although he ended up just about as tired as Helen and Mari, he did a fantastic job. Emmanuel kept saying what a wonderful thing it was to have all his leaders together, and that they are going to try and do a similar thing in January. In the evening on Tuesday they all came back to Emmanuel's house for dinner and worship and we also had communion in his garden. And where there is no communion wine or grape juice, Coke will always do!
Weds 3rd - Nothing happened today, actually nothing! We were supposed to attend an evangelistic crusade at a local police academy, but at the last minute the Chief of Police of Uganda turned up to speak to all the officers, so we waited around for him to leave but... well he didn't. So the whole thing was called off. So as not to disappoint the church who was running it, we went just for an hour in the evening and worked with about 100 children in one of the school classrooms which they use as their church. It was really hard work as it got dark quickly and there were no electric lights, but I think they were grateful to have us any way. We made a collage of a shepherd and fields with a sheep stuck on by each child, and taught them the story of the lost sheep. The stupid thing is, it doesnt matter how little you do for these guys, they are incredibly excited to just receive you as honoured guests and encourage their church. I guess that's what we are here for really. O yea and we broke down in a traffic jam on the way back - and if you have ever experienced Ugandan driving you never want to be stuck in a traffic jam and pushing a bus between a million crazy mopeds and heavy trucks. Eeekk!
Thurs 4th - Today was a lovely day we spend with James Akolo and his family (our church met this guy while he was studying in the UK a few years ago, and he has a church which has also planted another one in a tiny village). We ate at his house, then drove down a road which had been specially prepared for our visit by the people of this new church plant, that had never had a vehicle or a white person down it before. It was a little like in the middle of nowhere, and at one point we got out and walked for a while. An experience of the real Africa! The church was up on a hill and absolutely packed with people. The walls were made out of mud and it had a corrugated iron roof. People were hanging on our every word as we shared greetings and said about our church's heart for Uganda. Dad and Mari preached and Helen and I sang a couple of songs with James' daughted Deborah. We called for a response at the end, and 7 youngish teenagers came forward to become Christians, which was very encouraging. And also loads of them asked for prayer for healing and stuff. It was quite incredible. It seems that the church never stands still here, no matter how much it is doing there is always another project up its sleeve! Please remember to pray for James and the pastors at this new village (its called Buyenge). Things are really tough there - they are short of water, jobs, good food, and many of the children had worms we think. This might be something we can help with...
Fri 5th - Today was also a wonderful day. We all went together to Kiwale where the church has started a school in the building built with funds from Community Church Sheppey. The congregation was made up on about 90% under 10s and the teacher there - Josephine - did a fantastic job with them. Mari, Helen and I along with Baby Charles (our translator and the youth leader at Bweyogerere church, also one of the guys who started the slum school) did songs and stories with the kids in the morning while dad and Paul took the leaders and a number of students from a Bible school that has just been started in that building. It was a long jounry over bad roads, and it was quite hard to share with very young children, but it has confirmed that probably the biggest need there is for people to look after the kids. Please pray for the other teacher who is very sick with malaria, and they are due to start the new term on the 15th. If she is not well enough that leaves Josephine to run the school on her own....
More to follow soon!
So in a nutshell (because we only have half an hour) this is what we have been doing for the last week…
Thurs 28th – We flew overnight into Entebbe from Heathrow and for the first time ever we all managed to get at least 3 or 4 hours sleep! It was emotional setting off – thinking that I wasn’t coming back for ages, and it seemed like such a long time… But as soon as we landed I remembered why I had been so excited about coming.
Fri 29th – Florence met us from the airport with Bartolomio the new driver in Emmanuel’s vehicle which has done far more than its fair share of miles on Uganda’s unmade rocky roads. It was so nice to see her again. She is a large smiley lady who laughs about almost everything but works really hard. She is Emmanuel’s administrator as well as his wife really, and has a massive heart for people in need, especially children. We spent the first day resting and Mari and Helen went off to buy lots of things for the children’s work like paper drinks a CD player and biscuits.
Sat 30th – The first day really. Dad, Paul and I ran a day’s youth conference at Emmanuel’s school Bweyogerere Pentecostal Church where he had invited young people from a number of different churches that he oversees. There were probably around 50 or 60 people there, and we ran some discussion groups and had worship and Paul and Dad both preached. Helen and Mari went over to a slum area of Kampala where two guys from the church have started a small school made out of papyrus and wood. It really is a deprived area, and they survive on what little payment they can get from the parents, which is often few and far between. They have about 80% muslim children and many have become Christians as a result of attending that school and surprisingly there has been no opposition from the parents. They are actually just grateful to have somebody willing to educate their children. The ladies had about 150-200 kids turn up for their day, and they taught them songs, stories and played lots of games. They say they ran out of everything but have never had so much fun in their lives!
Sun 31st – We stayed together this morning and attended Bweyogerere church, where Paul preached and the rest of us just shared a greeting. You wouldn’t believe how passionate these people are in worship and how responsive they are to preaching. There is a lot of energy in the room to say the least! Shouting and wooping and dancing, whether they are kids or older people, everyone is involved and they sit there for ages to listen to people share from the Bible. In the afternoon Dad and me went back for the final session of the youth conference and were interrupted bout 5pm with the most almighty storm, you couldn’t here any thing at all! I’ve honestly never seen rain like it, it was so loud and was washing the soil away around the building. All the windows were blowing open and water was flooding in from every corner… it was crazy. But the young people were again responsive and enjoyed discussing what they had heard.
Mon 1st and Tues 2nd – Mari and Helen went the 3 hrs up country to Diikwe today, a little bush village where Hope and her husband Herbert run a school and a church in the most remote place. They had hundreds of village children both days and were absolutely exhausted by the time they came home. I don’t think they had ever seen any thing like those two mad white people jumping around and being crazy. It wasn’t easy for them actually and they were pretty tired, but Hope was so happy to have such an input in her tiny corner of Uganda and they did a great job. Paul and Dad ran a conference for leaders under Emmanuel’s oversight from churches all over the country on these two days and did really well. Paul had prepared four sessions on leadership from Nehemiah and although he ended up just about as tired as Helen and Mari, he did a fantastic job. Emmanuel kept saying what a wonderful thing it was to have all his leaders together, and that they are going to try and do a similar thing in January. In the evening on Tuesday they all came back to Emmanuel's house for dinner and worship and we also had communion in his garden. And where there is no communion wine or grape juice, Coke will always do!
Weds 3rd - Nothing happened today, actually nothing! We were supposed to attend an evangelistic crusade at a local police academy, but at the last minute the Chief of Police of Uganda turned up to speak to all the officers, so we waited around for him to leave but... well he didn't. So the whole thing was called off. So as not to disappoint the church who was running it, we went just for an hour in the evening and worked with about 100 children in one of the school classrooms which they use as their church. It was really hard work as it got dark quickly and there were no electric lights, but I think they were grateful to have us any way. We made a collage of a shepherd and fields with a sheep stuck on by each child, and taught them the story of the lost sheep. The stupid thing is, it doesnt matter how little you do for these guys, they are incredibly excited to just receive you as honoured guests and encourage their church. I guess that's what we are here for really. O yea and we broke down in a traffic jam on the way back - and if you have ever experienced Ugandan driving you never want to be stuck in a traffic jam and pushing a bus between a million crazy mopeds and heavy trucks. Eeekk!
Thurs 4th - Today was a lovely day we spend with James Akolo and his family (our church met this guy while he was studying in the UK a few years ago, and he has a church which has also planted another one in a tiny village). We ate at his house, then drove down a road which had been specially prepared for our visit by the people of this new church plant, that had never had a vehicle or a white person down it before. It was a little like in the middle of nowhere, and at one point we got out and walked for a while. An experience of the real Africa! The church was up on a hill and absolutely packed with people. The walls were made out of mud and it had a corrugated iron roof. People were hanging on our every word as we shared greetings and said about our church's heart for Uganda. Dad and Mari preached and Helen and I sang a couple of songs with James' daughted Deborah. We called for a response at the end, and 7 youngish teenagers came forward to become Christians, which was very encouraging. And also loads of them asked for prayer for healing and stuff. It was quite incredible. It seems that the church never stands still here, no matter how much it is doing there is always another project up its sleeve! Please remember to pray for James and the pastors at this new village (its called Buyenge). Things are really tough there - they are short of water, jobs, good food, and many of the children had worms we think. This might be something we can help with...
Fri 5th - Today was also a wonderful day. We all went together to Kiwale where the church has started a school in the building built with funds from Community Church Sheppey. The congregation was made up on about 90% under 10s and the teacher there - Josephine - did a fantastic job with them. Mari, Helen and I along with Baby Charles (our translator and the youth leader at Bweyogerere church, also one of the guys who started the slum school) did songs and stories with the kids in the morning while dad and Paul took the leaders and a number of students from a Bible school that has just been started in that building. It was a long jounry over bad roads, and it was quite hard to share with very young children, but it has confirmed that probably the biggest need there is for people to look after the kids. Please pray for the other teacher who is very sick with malaria, and they are due to start the new term on the 15th. If she is not well enough that leaves Josephine to run the school on her own....
More to follow soon!
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