We need help!

As my earlier post said we are trying to get into our new location before February comes around.  We have bitten the bullet and we are making the move.  Tomorrow, Wednesday 27th January, we are moving two families into our new site at Bubaare, followed by the remaining three families by Saturday.  As I have said earlier, things will be tough for a while, probably more perceived as a long time for the staff though.  We also have run out of money. 

I don’t like to put out appeals for help, especially for money, but I am going to.  I am simply going to ask if you think what is happening at Akanyijuka is good and you have ever wanted to help out, then now is the time, we need it more than ever.  That’s it.  You can help with something specific or simply where it is most needed.  Contact us for details on how you can get your help here.

January Birthdays

I haven’t posted many photos lately, due to my digital SLR camera fatality and the crazy building business.  However, here are photos of our January birthdays; Prudence:

Michael:

Junior:

and Isaac Jordan Owamani:

Oh, and let’s not forget ‘Mummy Pam’ also:

First Class Hospital (aka Hospital Horrors!!!)

After a long day, Kathryn & I were eating out at a local restaurant when we were informed that someone was at the front door to see us.  I was thinking it might be a teacher applying for a position at our school as we had asked people to look out for teachers for us.  It was however one of the boys from the drop-in, Patrick.  Patrick is working as a mechanical apprentice and tonight had an accident at work.  Someway or another, probably due to the high levels of workplace health and safety, came into battle with a corrugated iron sheet.  Unfortunately his leg had come out second best, where he had received a rather gruesome gash on the side of his calf muscle.  As Kathryn said, there were bits and pieces of his leg showing that shouldn’t have been showing!  So, we picked up Pam Ward and went to the hospital, where the realities of life for people in third world countries were even more revealed to us.

On arrival we went to the registration area of the hospital, where everyone goes when first arriving at the hospital for treatment, we were greeted by no one.  We were informed that the doctor had gone to supper, more likely the shift change did not work out; i.e. one doctor was surprisingly late and the other was yet to arrive.  In the hour or so that we were waiting we had the pleasure of witnessing the arrival of another patient who was in a wheel chair.  This new patient was literally almost unrecognisable and obviously in great pain.  There were a couple of security guards and nurses that came by from time to time and got a little upset with him for some reason.  Pam had brought a big bandage with her to use for Patrick, most likely needed as the hospital probably didn’t have anything too appropriate for him.  She used this to at least wrap around the new patient’s head to try and stop some bleeding - no one else was too concerned about the poor fellow’s likelihood of bleeding to death.

As we were all still waiting for some kind of attention one of the people who we thought was a security guard, who was in fact a police officer said that the patient was actually a victim of mob justice and that the police had saved his life.  At this juncture he simply said something like “I’ve done my job, why am I still here, see you later” and he was off, leaving mob justice victim to simply extend himself out on the floor, wriggling, trying to find a place to rest his head on the concrete floor in a position whereby he did not have a wound of some sort.  All of which was a vain attempt to alleviate some of his pain.

Eventually after heading to town to get some panadol and a sugar drink for Patrick, our mob justice friend was finally ushered off to the Ward for attention.  Patrick was soon also taken away to the operating theatre, where it appears that a couple of nurses did an A grade job from “Frankenstein’s School Of Medicine” of patching up Patrick’s leg.  At least he was happy and his usual self, plus a limp, the next day when we saw him.

Word of advice to the beginner, don’t go doing something silly like needing to go to hospital when you are on your exotic holiday!!

Building goes on!

Since my last post I have been pretty much doing one thing only, trying to organise to get the building at our new site finished. Our building money that was sent mid last year ran out around Christmas, so we have been building with money that various people have kindly donated.  Northside Christian College in Brisbane basically paid for one roof to go on one of the duplexes and other friends of ours donated to put door and window frames on one house. This money also has long gone, so we are now building with extra running expenses money that had built up over time.

For various reasons we are not able to run the school where we are currently located, so we are trying to get to the new site by Feb 1st. Not sure if this is possible but we are giving it our best shot. We might just be able to get there, the conditions will not be ideal, but once we are in we can improve things as we go, rather than spending money on rent at our current location.

We still have some work to do and only two weeks to do it in so let me get back to it!!!

Christmas & New Years 2009/2010

Wow, what a busy but fun time we had this year. Everything was non stop for this period until 2010 actually came around.  The week leading up to Christmas was the flat out, non stop period, but was also full of fun.  Well actually Saturday was when the oven actually started on overload, I was making cookies for 70+ people.  After that Kathryn took over on the Monday with her cupcakes.  This was all in preparation for Tuesday afternoon when we had a Christmas party at our house for Akanyijuka. 

The bake house (Don’t be distracted by Kathryn’s baking there and miss my cookies in the top left – thank you!!):

The props room:

The props (meant to be a pinata):

All the children, mothers, staff and a few others that have helped out throughout the year, came up for an afternoon of food and fun.  I didn’t get a chance to get many photos as I was busy with Kathryn running around trying to make things go smoothly. 

We played egg and spoon races, sack races and of course we destroyed the pinata.  All in all it was a great day – the children had been talking about it since before school finished so they were over the moon when it finally came.  Our home church in Brisbane, Australia (Oasis Christian Centre) had donated money to buy new shoes for the children so they all received a new pair of shoes for Christmas.

Wednesday then saw a Christmas lunch for our last day at the work site before Christmas.  We had a simple meat dish with potatoes and some rice and some local sauces, but the workers were so excited to eat such a meal, when they also knew they would be eating meat again over the next couple of days.  It was great to be able to thank them in this simple way and also an insight to how the majority of the rest of the world live.  For us in the west it is not unusual to think about eating meat whenever we feel like it, but for many here it is not the same.  I was talking to our site cook and she was saying that they save for most of the year so that they can have a big feast of meat at Christmas.  Also the workers expressed thanks for us being such good employers, where we didn’t do anything special for them except pay them when we were supposed to etc.  But for them it is unusual to find consistent work where the employer will be good for money when it is supposed to be payed.  But it was good to have a break over the Christmas weekend from building.

Thursday was a Christmas party for Immanuel Drop-in centre.  Since Tyler and Michelle left Kathryn has become involved in the drop-in centre a bit more by taking over the running of the education program which is aimed at trying to get the children used to schooling etc.  So it is good to see that the boys are getting more excited to see Kathryn there than me.  I haven’t had much chance to get along since we started building so I usually get a Davidee or two when I arrive, but the boys get excited when Teacher Kathrynee shows up these days. So, back to the party, the boys, in their excitement, had shown up early and got a bit excited and crazy by the time all the food was prepared, but a great time was had by all.  The local supermarket had donated 10 chickens for the boys so they were all excited to be eating chicken and beef and finishing off with cake.

Friday – Christmas day was spent having lunch and the afternoon with the Wards.  Finally a chance to chill out and enjoy company of friends/family (our Ugandan family).  Saturday was back to the oven for Kathryn, she had two cakes to bake and then we went to Akanyijuka to celebrate two birthdays that were on the 24th and 25th.  I had taken my camera and was going to take photos as usual and all I would get out of my camera was an attempt to take a photo and ‘err’ on the display.  So from now on no more good photos, back to the basic point and shoot until we get back to Australia for me to get my camera looked at.  Fortunately we had the old point and shoot in the bag also so here are the birthday photos:

The next week was again filled with building. Duplex No.2

Duplex No3.

Trying to get all three in one shot:

Finally after the fireworks for New Years we had two full days of practically doing nothing.  Except for Saturday afternoon.  Around lunch time we had a call from a local tour company about some people from the U.K. coming to town and wanting to see our project.  It was good that they contacted us, they are trying to get into promoting eco-tourism and catering for people wanting to see different projects etc.  We, of course, were given no details about the ‘team’ or anything, not even when they were wanting to come and visit etc.  All we were told was to call at 4:30 and that they were staying at a certain hotel.  It turned out to be two sisters, Karen and Nicky. They were having a brief stop for the night and leaving first thing in the morning, and were taking the time to see any aid type project in the area.  They were lovely and seemed to really enjoy visiting the children.  We ended up having dinner with them and got to talk a little about us and them etc.  Thanks for the visit ladies, and we hope the rest of your trip ended up being great! I forgot to get photos  – guess I’m not feeling too enthused after my camera died the other day.

Photos from December 2009 Part 1

Friday 18th Dec 2009

Getting ready for Christmas - when there are 40 children to buy for it is not an easy task, especially when everything else you do seems to be busier than usual.  Oh well, it will be worth it to see how excited they will be.  We did a little clothes shopping, Ugandan style, plenty of wheeling and dealing and sorting through what seems like an endless pile of clothes from times past.

Our home church, Oasis in Brisbane has very generously raised some money so the children in all their related orphanages can receive a pair of brand new shoes for Christmas.  For our children it will be their first brand new pair of shoes ever.  Usually our budget only allows for second hand ones from the market – which is where most people get their shoes anyway.  

My computer has just come back on line after going African for a bit.  A reboot of Windows seems to have done the trick.  So that is why my posts have come a little late.

The Building Goes On!

Here are the three duplexes we are starting with as at 15th Dec 2009 – Duplex No.1:

Duplex No.2:

Duplex N0.3:

Building has been going very well and we have been progressing at a good pace.  We are getting ready for a break over the Christmas/New Year period after which we will come back and get back into things.  The only problem is that we will only have enough money to keep going for a couple of weeks.  We are not sure exactly how far we will get but we will go as far as possible and then take it step by step until we get to a stage where we can move in.  We will decide what is essential and what can wait until after we move in.  People back home are working on obtaining more funds, but it’s not the best time of the year for it.

Akanyijuka’s First Wedding!!

We had our first wedding today, that is our relief matron got married today.  And one of our girls was the flower girl.  I managed to get a few snaps, but nothing very good as they had someone else doing the photos and I was taking it easy.  Kathryn got video, but of course we can’t put that up because of internet speeds.

Favour (Peace & Edward’s daughter), dressed for the occasion:

Daphne, No.1 flower girl:

The Bride, sorry for the bad photo:

Happy Days