Thursday 11th – Saturday 13th June 2009

Thursday we went for a visit to the lake to get a little break from life in Kabale.

Thursday is the day we usually look after Pastor Edward’s daughter, Favour, you thought she would have been a bit more excited about going to see the lake, but as a 2.5yr old, drawing is more important:

Friday  I spent some time at the drop-in centre.  There have been a few going ons with the boys there lately.  Some have been struggling with the change that is involved with going to school and have stopped.   As such, a few others are now being given a chance.  One boy was told by another that the Mzungus (white people) will not be able to help you, but the boy told one of the local workers that the Mzungus don’t think he can do it, but that he was going to prove that he could go to school and was going to make it work.  We are also looking at trying to get some mechanical training for one of the older boys that is not interested in school.  There is also still need to get some accommodation going for them as some need supervision beyond what family or relatives give and some are not at school only because they still sleep on the streets.  There is one boy that has improved a lot in his general behaviour and presentation so Pam asked him if he had somewhere to stay now as he was always coming already clean.  He simply replied – Do you think that I can sleep straight on the ground, every night I get a clean box and lie it out before going to sleep on it.  The fact that he has changed so much whilst still living and sleeping on the streets shows that he is wanting a better life then he has.

Saturday we had our usual music lessons, except Kathryn had a staff meeting with the teachers.  In the evening we had dinner at Pam and Eddie’s as on Monday we travel to Kampala to drop Eddie off at the airport as he’s going back to England for a five week visit.  While we are there we are picking up some volunteers from Canada who will be staying in Kabale for 6 months, working with Victory Community Care Services.  So next week my posts will be delayed a little, but at least this time I have an excuse!!

Wednesday 10th June 2009

We just had a birthday, but with 40 children that is getting close to one a week.  Today was Akanyijuka Moses’ birthday. 

Tuesday 2nd – Tuesday 9th June 2009

This was a normal sort of week, but we did have Esther and Hazel Lawson visit from Kampala.  As usual the children were very excited to see them.  We also had some friends that we made from around town come and visit (they are from England and are here working in the teachers’ college and a few other places).  Not too many details sorry about this week, but some photos instead:

Monday, Kathryn also had the joy of going to her first of many board meetings as now she is a member of the VCCS Board. Lucky her I say!

Monday 1st June 2009 – Party Time

Today it was Kobusheshe’s birthday and boy was he happy about it – if only you could have seen him run out of class to his house for the cake!!! Here is what usually takes place when we celebrate birthdays:

Step 1: Everyone gets a little bit excited in anticipation of a cake that Kathryn has made:

Step 2: The formal part where we sing happy birthday and have the cake cutting ceremony:

Step 3: The best part – everyone gets to eat some cake – in what ever way they desire:

Some slam it down fast

Some take little by little:

Most just enjoy it:

But Kobusheshe, we are yet to discover how he eats it!

Step 4: Everyone gets happy and waits for the next birthday to come along:

Monday 25th to Sunday 31st May 2009

I can’t recall too much that happened in this week, but it was Mama Stella’s birthday on Monday and so on Wednesday Kathryn brought some pikelets to celebrate with the ladies at her usual Wednesday fellowship with them.

We also had a visitor – Susanna.  Susanna is visiting from America for a couple of months, she is volunteering at a secondary school in town, Trinity College, and contacted us to ask if she could come and visit.  As it turns out she has some spare time and is volunteering with us also to help teach English once a week with all three of our school classes.  She also brought some clothes that she was given, from America, which were well received by the children.

Friday 22nd May 2009 – A Girls Afternoon

Today I (Kathryn) took all the Akanyijuka girls along with two mamas and Aunty Judy (our sub matron) for a girls afternoon of fun at the White Horse Inn.  We managed to cram everyone in the van for the short drive – 22 girls and 4 women.  Yes, it was squishy but no one seemed to mind as we sang all the way there.

White Horse Inn is classed as the “fancy” joint in Kabale as this is where the president stays when he comes to town.  But our reason for going there was because they have a huge garden and grassed area out the back along with kids swings and plenty of room to run wild.  So off we went in expectation of a fun afternoon and indeed, fun it was.  The girls could not believe their eyes when we went through to the back and they saw how much room there was to run around – they are used to limited space at Akanyijuka.

I will let the photos do the rest of the talking about the afternoon.

 

Monday 18th to Friday 22nd May 2009

Late posts again sorry.  Life in Uganda is like this: carrying on from the entire weekend we had no power on Monday, then Tuesday through to Thursday we had no internet available – power was only intermittently out.  Then on Friday because the power was on and off all week, water stopped.

But on the brighter side of things, Monday was Samuel’s birthday:

 

It was the last week of school holidays so we took the chance to visit Akanyijuka as much as possible, with a highlight for the girls on Friday, when Kathryn took them for an afternoon at White Horse Inn to play on the swings and run on the big grassed area.

Saturday 16th & Sunday 17th May 2009

5 am and Hazel was on the road to Kampala, a friend of ours was heading there in a car to meet someone at the airport so they offered her a lift.  Saturday we had a garden on the upside of the house planted with potatoes and did some other general gardening.  Then late in the afternoon there was the usual music practice.  Things go slowly, but I think we are getting better with some good signs in the drum practice, the children are starting to understand how to read drum music, which will help them to be able to move on by themselves at their own pace.  They are starting to get different patterns, but once they are confident there is definite work needed on technique.  Guitar is coming slowly also, with chords and finger exercises starting to come together.  Kathryn’s keyboard students are also coming along slowly but are starting to get into the swing of reading and playing music.

Both Saturday and Sunday we were blessed by our internet provider with no internet connection at all – bonus!

Thursday 14th and Friday 15th May 2009

Thursday and Friday were spent at the drop-in centre in the mornings and Akanyijuka in the afternoons so Hazel could spend as much time as possible with the children at both places.  Friday we also gave Hazel her first ‘African’ meal by having lunch at Akanyijuka and then quickly after that we visited a few places where some of the children came from. 

Thursday the children sang at a local conference in town.  It is always fun trying to transport them in our car!  The children sang really well considering their initial facial reactions at seeing how big the audience was.  Friday happened to be Gift’s birthday so we celebrated with cake as usual, and then Hazel gave out balloons and lollies she had brought with her.

Here is some of the children’s work with the camera:

Wednesday 13th May 2009

We unfortunately had to travel to the lake again today.  Hazel was exhausted after her trip from Kampala yesterday, so we thought she might just need a restful day at the lake.  The trouble that one needs to go to when visitors are here!  Haha.  In the afternoon we popped down to Akanyijuka to drop some vegetables etc, and Hazel got to meet the children and staff.

Today also happened to be a day of competitions, first the big hair comp:

Then the who has the most ‘power’ comp: