Our last night here...

Our second week was great. I tried to get onto another build but there wasn't one available. Joan went on safari with the Canadians we built with.


I'll upload pics when I'm back - internet cafe is VERY SLOW.

Tuesday - Bulrushes for the 3rd time - laundry folding, feeding, playing and cuddling as usual.
Wednesday at Viva - both of which I mentioned last time.

Thursday we were excited to address the end-of-term assembly of Suubi Village's Hope High School. The head Boy and Girl led it  (very competently) and I joined in with one song and led the regular student band and assembly in worship. Afterwards I shared my testimony (entitled "all that glitters is not gold" - without Jesus as the centre even those with enviable opportunities in life can follow things that appear to deliver satisfaction but are counterfeits of the blessings God wants to give us - and ultimately ruin us) and then Nikki shared from her heart (one girl Nikki noticed was visibly touched). She shared that they each have purpose - that wherever they've come from, that God has not forgotten them and has a good plan for them. She explained that we were so grateful for their warm welcome and that we would leave Suubi such blessed people because of them. Nikki rocks. She has such a heart for the children here and was moved during her sharing at the opportunity to encourage them all.

They're a really spirited bunch (not like British school assemblies I was used to) - according to Nikki the assembly was much more American in style. As it was the end of term a few children were able to present skits, a poem and awards for rugby/basketball/ect player of the year, best student, most sensible/cleanest/etc teacher and other fun awards that all the students gave their judgements on loudly with a great deal of laughing!

The headmaster finally stood and said that they'd not let us go unless I sang a song with my guitar. Having not played a six-string (in leading worship) for 2 years I was wracking my brains "Think quick Julesy - what on earth can you remember!!!" I ended up singing a song which fitted with my testimony. I sung as best I could the song which had a chorus "Mercy Mercy, Mercy Mercy. All the love you give to me..." only then realising there were quite a few girls called Mercy who were now being pushed and laughed with...

That was a highlight we'll not forget  quickly- we all had such fun.

OK, I have to mention for the record: Nikki, Ruby and Olivia all tried "offals" (cow stomach and small intestine) in a gravy. Annette, the guest house housekeeper prepared some at Nikki's request (bought from the supermarket - NOT the market we went to I will add) and brought it to our dinner table. I bottled it and, you know what? I don't feel like I've missed out! Moses our host really loves them...hmmm.

Nikki's thoughts about returning home:

"I don't think I can express all that we've seen, felt and experienced.

"I've mixed feelings about returning home - I feel there's still work for us to be done here. We've been so hands on - Bbira and the kindergarten, facepainting, playing and serving the babies at the Bulrushes, meeting the ladies of Living Hope, addressing the assembly of Suubi's High School; and of course the relationship we've built with Mama Miriam and her family...

"I am sure I'll return home looking at the way we live in the UK differently. Though I am looking forward to getting into a bed without a mosquito net and waking up without that hot sticky feeling!"

We spent some personal time on safari - this had been suggested to us by more than one set of friends with experience of missions with families. It was the right thing to do and we were able to reflect on our time here well and for our children to kick back and relax and have some treat family time rather than being constantly in the midst of new dramatic experiences.

The way to safari was mostly a good true tarmac road. We left at 5.15am in the dark. On our way Murchison Falls National Park we joined a marram (mud and stones) road once we passed Masindi. Soon afterwards we overtook a truck packed with people clutching onto the load bed with their goods, on the way to market. Then we noticed the MANY people carrying all sorts of agricultural produce (often on heads or back of push-bikes) walking by the sides of the mud road for many kilometers - even up to 15k to get to set out their stalls to earn less than a pound per day for their labour.

Even as we left Kampala in the dark early hours we saw the ladies, legs straight and bent double with handless besom brooms sweeping the red dust from the sides of the roads, and rubbish into heaps. One other surprise (though I don't know why it should be) was that many people were out jogging before the sun came up, mixing with the few stragglers staggering home after the Saturday eve/Sunday morning clubs closed).

We'll have many more reflections on our time here and perhaps I'll post them. Thank you to all of you who've been interested in our time in Watoto, Uganda - Nikki was surprised at the number who've followed our trip here.

Thank you so much to all who've given to our costs of coming, to those who've donated to the build project or to our relaxing family time. Thank you for your constant prayers - at the time of writing there have been no serious  bouts of Ugandan hip-shake!

You have ALL made such a difference:
in our lives;
in our children's lives and their futures;
in the lives of those those we've served and touched this trip - the children, Mama's and the kindergarten teacher especially;
in the lives of those children from tragic backgrounds who'll walk the climb to their school safely everyday for years to come;
to those we'll all now be inspired to help in the future;
and those we'll continue to keep in our hearts and prayers.

Sincerely... we're so very grateful.

Thank you

Jules, Nicole, Hope, Olivia, Ruby and Samuel Clarke, and Joan Bailey.
x

Diary update...

We've been here over a week now. As funds from Justgiving have not been received in time we'll not be building all that our fundraising has provided for - they cannot buy raw materials with a promise...so we finished our build last Friday. The remainder of the balance will go towards other pathways and go towards a shipping container that they fill full of food supplies like rice for the families - a rudimentary food distribution centre - Suubi village needs one. Thank you so much to all who have given so generously - know that your gifts are really making a difference in the lives of the people we meet. And it isn't because it's us here - anyone would make a difference coming...you up for it next year?

The weekend saw a trip to Watoto's Bbira children's village where again Samuel became the centre of attention due to his blond hair and age. Many of the children here come straight from the Bulrushes and therefore have not seen mzungu babies so the children appear, pointing at Samuel declaring "mzungu!" Then proceeds much running of their hands through his hair - he is really great with it but after a time he shrinks away into my arms. Later he said "they likin' me" so he's not traumatised!

We're going back this Saturday to facepaint and play which will be lovely. We have been blessed that everyone has been appreciative of us coming. There is with short-term mission the dilemma - is it better to go or to give the money it would cost to go - however we are sure that our trip has made an impact just by being with them. They're blessed because they understand that we have given a summer vacation, brought our children and made sacrifices to be with them. Moses our host, a 22yr old Makerere University IT student has been really appreciative of me explaining Evernote, Dropbox and Twitter for example - exposure to modernity and tools that most Africans do not experience.

Nikki has also returned to the kindergarten to facepaint there too.

We have also as mentioned being able to "love on" Mama Miriam and her family - something she has seen other families experience. And a note of interest - our house number is 11, hers is 111 and Nikki's room number is also 11....!

Mama Miriam has just lost her father this week too. When I say father I should say she ran away from her Muslim family when she was 13 to avoid a forced marriage. So this was a father figure who helped her and cared for her. We have been able to visit and comfort her - she is now travelling to Nairobi to bury him having been granted a small amount from Watoto.

We've been quite sheltered whilst we've been here - guesthouse, bus, Watoto and back - so we asked Moses to take us to a typical market which we experienced on Monday. Such smells and sights - Nikki haggled for a pair of sneakers and we bought some peanut/seaseme puree (peanut butter tasting stuff) and some pure unfiltered honey - seriously sweet!

It was very dirty and we loved it. We saw meat counters (sorry, what is refridgeration?) with piles of intestines next to slabs of meat (and not an insignificant number of flies).

We have also visited Living Hope - a small production facility in Kampala - that cares for vulnerable women with HIV - they sew placemats, table runners, dolls and make all kinds of jewellery. The women were lovely, helping our girls get involved. There are over 2100 women in Kampala and Gulu who are being restored. Some in Gulu, who fled the LRA were re-captured and facially mutilated - their lips were cut off so they could not speak of the LRA location, or their ears or noses. Gradually, each of these mutilated women are undergoing cosmetic surgery so they are able to return to society.

We attended church at Watoto West this Sunday - not far from Suubi Village. We had a great time and during the service - I was able to pray with a lady behind me fro healing. After the service she approached me - whilst she was studying medicine at Oxford she attended St Aldates! So I mentioned the Friends of St Aldates and have her details - small small world...

We then proceeded to Suubi to Mama's house for our traditional lunch...where Nikki, having been prompted 3 times during devotions washed Miriam's feet - something our host agreed would be very good. Miriam was blessed - but more of that directly from Nikki when we return....

That eve we attended the Ndere Centre and enjoyed an evening of Traditional Ugandan dance - the children were very well behaved even though it lasted for 3 hours! The owner of the centre played a part in the film the Last King of Scotland.

Today we spent time at Viva's Africa HQ, met Isobelle and spent the day with Mim (who came to Kampala for 6 months and has now stayed for 4 years!) and her team and visited 3 local projects - Saanyu Babies home (a pic of the laundry is below), The Open Door a project that looks after 30 street kids and an independent project at Mengo Hospital, an OT and special needs facility. This was great to do - for future missions opportunities but also to see how the majority of projects here exist - Watoto is very different from these. Let's hope I can help Watoto network with Viva more closely...