Saturday 28 October 2017
Latest update from Ruth - 25th October
Things have been busy as always but all is well. I
can't thank you all enough for your prayers, love and support.
Thank you for praying for Zalika, our school
refuser. She is now back in class. Am trying to do what I can to
support and encourage her...but the p5 syllabus is beyond me...this
week we were learning about bacterial and yeast reproduction! I hope
I can encourage her with prayers, hugs and love.
Some of our daycare children lost their father
this past week. It is a tragic story. Their dad had been in prison
these last five years, unjustly so I believe. He had only been
released for a matter of weeks and then he was killed in a road
accident....he didn't even make it home to see his family. Some
things we can't understand and sometimes we just need to sit and cry
with others. This is exactly what I did. Please pray for maama Sarah
and her five beautiful children.
Normally when our kids are sick I take them to
private clinics/hospitals....but last week I took one of our boys to
a government hospital. The situation here is so sad. There are
literally people lying there dying because they can't afford
treatment. And then the hospital has the cheek to take the dead body
and charge the family to release it from the mortuary for burial. I
know we complain about the NHS but we really are so blessed.
One of our boys this week was sent home from
boarding school super sick...measles, pneumonia and malaria. When I
found him he was convulsing and I had to send boys to run and get a
Boda so we could rush him to clinic. He has now been discharged and
is recovering slowly. I do not cope well in crisis situations but I
thank God he took care of us.
Whilst this all seems very serious, every day the
children make me laugh and smile....in addition to driving me to
despair! There certainly is a time to laugh and a time to cry!
Some funny moments from this past week...
One day I arrived at boys home and found one of
our boys, Meddie, not in school. I asked him if he was sick. He said
no. I asked him if he had been sent home because of fees (which is a
huge problem just now). He said no. He then took of the beanie hat he
was wearing and I couldn't stop laughing. He had gone to get his head
shaved the previous night and the power had gone off....so he had the
most interesting of hair cuts I have ever seen!
The girls at girls home continue to teach me
Luganda and laugh at me. I am never sure whether they are teaching me
inappropriate phrases or not....but we always laugh together! This
week they were teaching me to say...'Don’t touch my bottom!' I hope
I will never have to use this phrase!
Thanks once again for all your love and prayers
and support....and for reading this, I hope I didn't bore you. Love
Ruth xxxx
Friday 13 October 2017
This week's pictures...
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| The kids now have their nets up! PTL! |
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| This is actually a boy! Only in Africa! |
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| My little friend Patricia |
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| Safe house kids loving the laptop with all its wee videos |
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| Someone stole my hat and glasses! |
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| My little monkey! |
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| Brendah and me! |
Another busy week in Uganda!
I hope this blog finds you all well. Thank you once again for your prayers, love and support, which are sustaining me.
It has been another busy week since I last blogged, so I will try to summarise significant bits so I don't bore you!
I have enjoyed spending some time this week with my aunt and uncle's sponsor Brendah. Last saturday she had her visitation day at boarding school. It was lovely to spend some time with her and encourage her before she sits her O levels. Today there was a lovely service at her school to pray for and bless the children before they sit their exams. It was a very special service....at times I hadn't a clue what was going on....like when the kids brought in a live chicken and a big branch of green bananas and presented them to the priest. Those of you who know me well will know that I don't particularly like live chickens, but thankfully he kept his distance!
On Monday it was independance day. I had a lovely morning with Isaac's family and then spent some time with the kids at safe house. They seemed to enjoy the cake/soda and enjoyed dancing and singing to the songs on my laptop. Lottie and Jamie love 'Walking Walking' - it was a big hit here too!
On Monday afternoon we held our first savings group at the local church, for the maamas and aunties of our daycare kids. The meeting was due to start at 2pm. 2pm came and went and we had no one. I was feeling a bit discouraged to be honest. However, by 3;30pm we were good to go with 12 members! This was really encouraging. I thank my friend Brian for facilitating this group and I pray it would be a good way to reach out to the families of our kids, in practical and spiritual ways.
During my last trip I mentioned Fred often, as he took up much of my time. On Tuesday I went with him for areview meeting at the mental hospital/institute. He has made some progress but still has a long journey to go on. I am so thankful for the doctor that we met with. My previous experiences at this institution have not been pleasant, but amidst the horrendous-ness of this place, this doctor showed some kindness and compassion - which was encouraging!
We had some visitors in our compound on Tuesday when I returned from the hospital - 2 monkeys! This was a first, have never seen them before and haven't seen them since. It's small things like this that remind you that you are in a foreign land!
So I left my monkey friends and headed into the slums with one of the RUHU social workers. She is now my slum friend, now that our boys are back in school. We had a great time on Tuesday. We spent much time talking with people and praying with people. I meet lots of people that I have never met before and will possibly never meet again. One of the most interesting interactions was probably with this older woman and a group of older boys/young men. They asked me to pray for them and went down on bended knees in the dirt. They told me after that I was different from the other muzungus and that they could tell that I had the power of Christ in me. I don't know whether they were drunk or not - but this was encouraging all the same and I was able to point them towards God.
Shortly after I was offered some 'weed' by a passer by - I declined needless to say!
On Thusday I was speaking with a young girl in slums, called Jackie. She is probably about 12. It breaks my heart when I think about all the children on the street but my heart aches particularly for these young girls, as they are so so vulnerable. Jackie has good English and was not off her head on drugs, like many of the kids, so we were able to ahve a good conversation. I asked her whereabouts she slept and she pointed over to the shipping containers and said that she climbed up on top of them to sleep, but that it was cold up there. She seems a sensible girl, full of potential. Please pray for her. My heart breaks for her. As an organisation RUHU are not in a position just now to take in any more kids, so please pray for her.
Please continue to remember my little healing hearts group. I hope that the little I can do reminds these kids of their worth and value.
This afternoon I was asked by one of the social workers to go with him to try and convince a school refuser to come back to school. He had been previously and had had no joy. After chatting and praying with this little P5 girl, in addition to taking juice and biscuits as a bribe!, she agreed to come back to school on Monday. Please pray that she comes and wasn't just saying this to please us. She is struggling academically and this is why she doesn't want to come to school, so I have offered that when I have time i will sit in class with her and give her some support - that's if I understand the work of course - some of the stuff they teach is way beyond me!
Right....I haven't proof read....even though I always tell my kids to, but am going to post this quickly whilst I have power and internet. Will deal with photos after, if power allows.
Thanks again for everything. Couldn't do what I do, if it wasn't for your love and prayers xxx
I have only had two trips to the clinic this week - which is encouraging! The children in boys home and girls home are now sleeping under mosquito nets - I bought and hung them this week, with the help of maama Faith. It was not a pretty sight as I clambered up on the bunk beds, dirty and dripping in sweat! But they have their nets now. Let's pray they sleep under them and they help us fight the mosquitoes and the malaria!
It has been another busy week since I last blogged, so I will try to summarise significant bits so I don't bore you!
I have enjoyed spending some time this week with my aunt and uncle's sponsor Brendah. Last saturday she had her visitation day at boarding school. It was lovely to spend some time with her and encourage her before she sits her O levels. Today there was a lovely service at her school to pray for and bless the children before they sit their exams. It was a very special service....at times I hadn't a clue what was going on....like when the kids brought in a live chicken and a big branch of green bananas and presented them to the priest. Those of you who know me well will know that I don't particularly like live chickens, but thankfully he kept his distance!
On Monday it was independance day. I had a lovely morning with Isaac's family and then spent some time with the kids at safe house. They seemed to enjoy the cake/soda and enjoyed dancing and singing to the songs on my laptop. Lottie and Jamie love 'Walking Walking' - it was a big hit here too!
On Monday afternoon we held our first savings group at the local church, for the maamas and aunties of our daycare kids. The meeting was due to start at 2pm. 2pm came and went and we had no one. I was feeling a bit discouraged to be honest. However, by 3;30pm we were good to go with 12 members! This was really encouraging. I thank my friend Brian for facilitating this group and I pray it would be a good way to reach out to the families of our kids, in practical and spiritual ways.
During my last trip I mentioned Fred often, as he took up much of my time. On Tuesday I went with him for areview meeting at the mental hospital/institute. He has made some progress but still has a long journey to go on. I am so thankful for the doctor that we met with. My previous experiences at this institution have not been pleasant, but amidst the horrendous-ness of this place, this doctor showed some kindness and compassion - which was encouraging!
We had some visitors in our compound on Tuesday when I returned from the hospital - 2 monkeys! This was a first, have never seen them before and haven't seen them since. It's small things like this that remind you that you are in a foreign land!
So I left my monkey friends and headed into the slums with one of the RUHU social workers. She is now my slum friend, now that our boys are back in school. We had a great time on Tuesday. We spent much time talking with people and praying with people. I meet lots of people that I have never met before and will possibly never meet again. One of the most interesting interactions was probably with this older woman and a group of older boys/young men. They asked me to pray for them and went down on bended knees in the dirt. They told me after that I was different from the other muzungus and that they could tell that I had the power of Christ in me. I don't know whether they were drunk or not - but this was encouraging all the same and I was able to point them towards God.
Shortly after I was offered some 'weed' by a passer by - I declined needless to say!
On Thusday I was speaking with a young girl in slums, called Jackie. She is probably about 12. It breaks my heart when I think about all the children on the street but my heart aches particularly for these young girls, as they are so so vulnerable. Jackie has good English and was not off her head on drugs, like many of the kids, so we were able to ahve a good conversation. I asked her whereabouts she slept and she pointed over to the shipping containers and said that she climbed up on top of them to sleep, but that it was cold up there. She seems a sensible girl, full of potential. Please pray for her. My heart breaks for her. As an organisation RUHU are not in a position just now to take in any more kids, so please pray for her.
Please continue to remember my little healing hearts group. I hope that the little I can do reminds these kids of their worth and value.
This afternoon I was asked by one of the social workers to go with him to try and convince a school refuser to come back to school. He had been previously and had had no joy. After chatting and praying with this little P5 girl, in addition to taking juice and biscuits as a bribe!, she agreed to come back to school on Monday. Please pray that she comes and wasn't just saying this to please us. She is struggling academically and this is why she doesn't want to come to school, so I have offered that when I have time i will sit in class with her and give her some support - that's if I understand the work of course - some of the stuff they teach is way beyond me!
Right....I haven't proof read....even though I always tell my kids to, but am going to post this quickly whilst I have power and internet. Will deal with photos after, if power allows.
Thanks again for everything. Couldn't do what I do, if it wasn't for your love and prayers xxx
I have only had two trips to the clinic this week - which is encouraging! The children in boys home and girls home are now sleeping under mosquito nets - I bought and hung them this week, with the help of maama Faith. It was not a pretty sight as I clambered up on the bunk beds, dirty and dripping in sweat! But they have their nets now. Let's pray they sleep under them and they help us fight the mosquitoes and the malaria!
Saturday 7 October 2017
Update 6th October
Still having major laptop and blog issues so will just post a
little update here with some pictures.
Another busy week. I am currently in town waiting to meet my best friend's sponsor boy. He is not a wee boy now, he has actually finished school. I instructed him that we would meet at 1pm muzungo time, not African time, so we will see.
Am thankful for your prayers and love. I am feeling somewhat better than last week. I visited the surgery again and got some new tablets this week. I actually feel like a junkie as I have been popping so many pills since I came! But thankful I am improving.
Trauma healing is continuing to go well. These are always very special moments during my week. One of my girls, Lillian, is so sweet and appreciative. She keeps bringing me gifts, like bracelets and hair clips. I don't know where she is getting them from and probably best not to ask!
Checked on my sponsor boy, Davis, this week. He is settling in well to his new school. Thankful for this.
More trips to clinic this week with the kids. Soon I think I will be able to take blood, remove teeth and insert IV lines by myself! A surreal experience at the clinic this week. The child that was having her blood taken was terrified. I told her it was best not to look but she insisted. Just as the doctor inserted the needle the power went off and we were plunged into darkness! That made sure she didn't look. Was like a comedy as the nurse got out his mobile phone to find the torch and I was then on torch duty for the rest of the procedure!
Returned a couple of boys to school this week, which is always encouraging!
It is actually now half nine in the evening and I am just finishing this post. Whilst in this lovely café for lunch with sponsor boys (they turned up on time btw)my rucksack was stolen. This gave me a terrible fright, as my mum and dad will testify to, as I phoned them in tears. But the reality is that I am safe and well and the things in the bag were just things. I thank God I am safe and I also thank my lovely friends, Wanda Sweazy, Natasha Sweazy and Charlton Sweazy for their love this evening. They have had a tough few weeks, but they could not have been kinder to me. Their wee boy asked me where I was going to sleep tonight and I replied, hopefully my own room - if we could break in or find a spare key. Their sweet little daughter offered to share her bed with me, bless her. And I also thank God for Seruwagi Isaac, my dear friend and boda driver, for driving me for free when I was penniless!
There is never a dull moment here a crazy ride home in the dark. I had to get off the boda and get pulled up a steep, steep embankment by two random Ugandan men in the dark as the boda got heaved up by several others!
Thanks again for your love and prayers. It means so much. Whilst today was tough there is so much to be thankful for, it is all relative.
Love from Ruth xxxx
Another busy week. I am currently in town waiting to meet my best friend's sponsor boy. He is not a wee boy now, he has actually finished school. I instructed him that we would meet at 1pm muzungo time, not African time, so we will see.
Am thankful for your prayers and love. I am feeling somewhat better than last week. I visited the surgery again and got some new tablets this week. I actually feel like a junkie as I have been popping so many pills since I came! But thankful I am improving.
Trauma healing is continuing to go well. These are always very special moments during my week. One of my girls, Lillian, is so sweet and appreciative. She keeps bringing me gifts, like bracelets and hair clips. I don't know where she is getting them from and probably best not to ask!
Checked on my sponsor boy, Davis, this week. He is settling in well to his new school. Thankful for this.
More trips to clinic this week with the kids. Soon I think I will be able to take blood, remove teeth and insert IV lines by myself! A surreal experience at the clinic this week. The child that was having her blood taken was terrified. I told her it was best not to look but she insisted. Just as the doctor inserted the needle the power went off and we were plunged into darkness! That made sure she didn't look. Was like a comedy as the nurse got out his mobile phone to find the torch and I was then on torch duty for the rest of the procedure!
Returned a couple of boys to school this week, which is always encouraging!
It is actually now half nine in the evening and I am just finishing this post. Whilst in this lovely café for lunch with sponsor boys (they turned up on time btw)my rucksack was stolen. This gave me a terrible fright, as my mum and dad will testify to, as I phoned them in tears. But the reality is that I am safe and well and the things in the bag were just things. I thank God I am safe and I also thank my lovely friends, Wanda Sweazy, Natasha Sweazy and Charlton Sweazy for their love this evening. They have had a tough few weeks, but they could not have been kinder to me. Their wee boy asked me where I was going to sleep tonight and I replied, hopefully my own room - if we could break in or find a spare key. Their sweet little daughter offered to share her bed with me, bless her. And I also thank God for Seruwagi Isaac, my dear friend and boda driver, for driving me for free when I was penniless!
There is never a dull moment here a crazy ride home in the dark. I had to get off the boda and get pulled up a steep, steep embankment by two random Ugandan men in the dark as the boda got heaved up by several others!
Thanks again for your love and prayers. It means so much. Whilst today was tough there is so much to be thankful for, it is all relative.
Love from Ruth xxxx
Sunday 1 October 2017
Firstly, thanks for your love and prayers. Since blogging last week I have been unwell again. This time a UTI. Have finished my medicine for my bilharzia though! Am thankful I have access to medical care when sick, as many Ugandans cannot even afford basic medicines. Please pray I would get stronger each day so I can serve effectively, please.
This week we had a meeting at the school for the parents and guardians of the daycare kids. They seemed to respond well to the idea of being involved in the proposed saving group. So am very thankful for that.
Lots more trips to clinics with the kids this week...such a massive issue....drinking unboiled water, not sleeping under nets....so frustrating, please pray for patience!
My sponsor boy Davis eventually got to school on Friday....it has only taken since May to coordinate...but he is now there! Praise the lord! Though I will miss having him around.
Have enjoyed fellowshipping with the kids in the evenings. They are an inspiration and I can learn much from them. They always make me smile and laugh. I thank God for them.
Thanks everyone for your support and love. It means the world to me and the children.
Love from Ruth xxx
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| Visiting my aunt & uncle's sponsor child Brendah |
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| Agnes returning to school after malaria |
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| Befriending a goat |
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| David the night before he started school |
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| Baby Jordan feeling ill but he still managed to enjoy an ice cream |
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| My Little Healing Hearts Club busy at work |
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| Lillian - member of my trauama healing group |
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