Saturday 28th June to Monday 30th June 2008

Saturday we headed off on a slow trip down the bumpy road to Kampala, so that we can meet the team coming from our home church in Australia.  I think the trip was the longest we have ever had so far; the road seems to get worse every time we go.  Fortunately they have commenced road works, though by the look of things, it will be a long time before they are finished.  We booked into our usual accommodation place, went out for dinner and called it a night.

Sunday morning we did a few things in Kampala and then met up with Peace and Edward to head to the airport to meet the team.  We were a bit early, but Peace had not been to Entebbe before so we went to see the beach, a stretch of around 200m of very chunky sand.  Then went to the airport and went upstairs so we could watch the team’s plane come in.  To our surprise the plane actually came in early, though the team seemed to be the last to come out.  It was a funny feeling as we met them coming out of customs as there were a few faces I did not recognise, but it was great to see some other Aussies and catch up with the few that we did know well.  There was only one small problem, Angela, who was coming from Kenya, as she had met up with some friends, was not with the team.  She was meant to be arriving one hour before the rest of the team, but had been held up due to her baggage not arriving.  After ringing around we found her number for Kenya and found out that she was coming tomorrow.

We headed back to Kampala with the rest of the team to spend the night before sending them off to Kabale in a hired minivan.  We all stayed at their accommodation to make heading off in the morning easier.  Phil stayed with myself and Edward and Peace in Kampala to wait for Angela, as the minivan was only just big enough and Kathryn travelled with the team to help them feel at ease on the trip.  I believe they had as pleasant a trip as the road could offer.  We on the other hand headed to the markets as expected to buy some chickens.  The plan was to purchase our one day old chickens and head to Kabale, catching the team up on the way, as they would be stopping more frequently for things such as photos at the equator, etc. But now we had bought our chickens by 10 am, but had to wait around until Angela’s flight came in, so we left Entebbe at around 2 pm and set straight off towards home.  Sharing the driving with Edward and only stopping for short toilet breaks, we made it to Kabale at 10 pm and spent a couple of hours preparing the chickens to settle in.

It was a long weekend but the team all made it safely and happily to Kabale.  I think that for some it has already been a real eye opening experience to see how other people in other areas of the world live.  We are all looking forward to the next week, the team, us and the staff and children of Akanyijuka!

Wednesday 25th to Friday 27th June 2008

These days were spent chasing up things for the new children we took in on Monday, and preparing for the team coming next week.  I wrote this post many days after they happened so I can’t remember specifics sorry.

Tuesday 24th June 2008

The joys of medicine in Uganda.  Kathryn had the joy of taking Gilbert to the dentist.  She took him to a private place because it is not as long a wait to be seen.  That being said it was not until three or more hours later that she was finished.  Twenty minutes for consultation and tooth extraction, the rest was waiting time.  I on the other hand though I did not have to wait as long, had the joy of taking all the new children for AIDS tests.  There was one who did not cry, but the rest were very actively resistive to the idea.  When we were leaving Janette did not want to get back in the car with me in it also, if Sylivia was not there to coax her in then I don’t know what I would have done.  Luckily for me in the afternoon she seemed a bit happier with me and was up to the shaking my hand style friendship.

Monday 23rd June 2008

Yet again the day we take in children is busy as can be, I had breakfast and then was able to eat again when we got home in time to prepare for dinner.  It got extra busy as we had one child to take to the hospital for a check up, a regular check up for one of the children we have who has HIV.  Then there was another that had symptoms of malaria, but fortunately for her it was only the flu.  But amidst all the crazy things that always happen on days like today, we did manage to have a great day as we now have an additional three children; Kirabo Janette, Dismus Mwerigwa and Brian Bob.  That’s correct  Brian Bob, not 100% sure that is what he was named, but that is what the people who were looking after him knew him as.

Sometimes you just know you have made the right decision about certain children that you choose to take in and today was no exception.  Though little Dismus was crying for a long time when his grandmother dropped him off, by the time I was back in the afternoon he was as happy as everyone else.  But the real big confirmation for me today was when the lady who dropped off Brian, asked for the clothes that he came dressed in, back.  He had not come with any possessions whatsoever, not even one piece of clothing to his name.  The lady had asked for the clothes back as they had to borrow them from someone else so he could look good when he came to Akanyijuka.  That being said they were way too big for him and very much in need of a wash.

Here are some before and after shots.  The first taken when I went to visit, and the second this afternoon at Akanyijuka after we took them in:

Janette

                      

Dismus

                      

Brian

                      

See my photo site for more photos of the new children.  I have also posted two new profiles of Justine and Vastine there.

davesphotos

Saturday 21st & Sunday 22nd June 2008

It is under one week now until we leave to meet a team coming from our home church in Brisbane Australia.  When the team is here we will be busy so Saturday I went with Pamellah and stocked up on bulk items that I will not be able to help with while the team is here.  After this I went with Pastor Edward looking at more children that people want us to take in.  We have now come to a decision of three more children whom we will take in on Monday.

On Sunday afternoon we attended the last day of a conference that Pastor Frank has been holding this weekend and we then joined some of the other speakers for dinner at Pam and Eddie’s place.  After that we took them for an evening visit to Akanyijuka and I think they were happy with what we are doing.

Here are a few photos of the children that we took in last Monday, showing how they are settling into Akanyijuka.

Deborah:

Mildred (preferably known as Mid):

And last but not least, Onesimus:

Just like the rest, they like to try and cram in for a photo:

 

Thursday 19th & Friday 20th June 2008

Pam and Eddie Ward had taken this week off to have a holiday.  They have had visitors staying for six weeks and are a bit tired, they needed a break so they took a week off from the drop-in.  Kathryn and I took them to the lake to help them and us to relax.  I had planned to be there for lunch and then come home, but being Uganda our drinks took up to three hours to be delivered.  Even the lunch, which sometimes you wonder if they had remembered, was brought before the drinks today.  We had ordered hot chocolates and african coffees which were all made on milk.  Because they did not have milk they sent for it, us thinking that it would be just down the road or something.  We did not know that it was coming from Kabale and that the person bringing it would take three hours.  Not to worry though we enjoyed the extra time there.

Friday was a school day for Kathryn, but for me, I had more opportunity to take it easy, only doing a few things to help prepare for new children on Monday.  Here are a few photos of how the girls’ hairs have come out this time.  As their hair is getting longer the hairdresser is able to do more things with it.

 

 

Wednesday 18th June 2008

Today felt like two days in one.  Before lunch I ran around accomplishing as much as I should have for the whole day, only to have to set out after lunch on what seemed to be an endless journey around Southern Uganda looking for children with a lady that had given information to Pastor Edward.  Unfortunately Edward was not available today so I was at the disposal of a lady that was determined to show me two children that were either miles down dirt roads (almost to Rwandan border by dirt road) or miles into the hills.  This of course was unexpected and put me about two hours behind in another appointment with another lady to visit other children. 

It was good though to get to see them, though it did not feel good at the time, and on the way home I was driving through a part of Kabale that is occupied by people that have no funds.  I said to Kathryn later that this part of town was basically the housing place of hundreds of children whose only hope for getting an education was through an Aid agency of some sort.  Even those with both parents struggle to get any children into school, and if they manage to get one or two in, then the others are used to help get by and to keep the ones in school, there.

In Australia there are ‘rough’ areas where poorer people seem to live, but at least they have food to eat and can get education for their children, but not here.  I was reminded though of the other day when I went through there with Pastor Edward and we bumped into some of the boys from the drop-in centre who are now sponsored into school.  They were having lunch at a local food joint that sponsors money helps pay for also, and they looked so great.  To have seen them before in the state when they first came to the drop-in and now to look at them.  They are completely different, they now appear as any other school boy would.  There was even one boy that I seemed to recognise from somewhere but could not figure where.  He too was actually one from the drop-in that I had only seen a handful of times.

I suppose I have to put today down as a day of mixed events and emotions.

Photo of the day goes to one little fellow that Pastor Edward did not want for us to take into Akanyijuka:

Johanan Isban – Edward and Peace’s little boy!

Tuesday 17th June 2008

The girls have been having their hair redone lately so I took the chance to try and catch some of them with their hair out.

 

We have been inundated with a lot of requests to take different children in lately so Pastor Edward and I went around to try and sort out the ones that are in the most need to get ready for another intake in the next week or so.  The Matrons are more than ready for more children, even though we just took three in on Monday.  So the next intake options are either next week or after about three weeks later as we have a team visiting from Australia and would have to wait until they leave.  We will see how the new children settle in and make a decision some time soon. 

We also visited the Mushroom Training and Resource Centre to look into the possibility of growing mushrooms for the purposes of food and support for Akanyijuka.  We also looked into our options with getting chickens, and have tentatively decided to purchase some young ones from Kampala when we are meeting the incoming team and brooding them ourselves.  It will either be a great decision or a disaster!!  Will be fun driving back with chickens in the back, Edward said they usually get taken on the bus when they are being brought to Kabale.

Ohh and here’s one last fuzzy hair shot!

 

Monday 16th June, this is what it’s about!!

  

It was a busy day with the usual unexpected curve balls, but now there are three more in the camp of Akanyijuka.  Deborah, Onesimus and Mildred (aka Mid).

Check out my photo page for the latest photos of them.  davesphotos

Saturday 14th & Sunday 15th June 2008

Saturday we did a big shop for Akanyijuka groceries and the last items needed for the new children coming on Monday.  I had hassled the furniture place to get them to deliver the furniture and they promised it will be delivered today.  And believe it or not it was delivered at 7:30 pm.  The only problem was that it was still in pieces, varnished and all.  They said they would come on Monday to put them together!!

Sunday was a good day because Peace and Edward dedicated their baby and we ended up at their place for a celebration dinner.   It was a great time to get together and enjoy a nice relaxing time.  All week we work together in a business like fashion, but it is great to just sit and enjoy time together with friends.  Here’s a photo of Johanan, the boy of the moment, enjoying himself – perhaps?