Ruthie in Uganda: March 2018

Friday 30 March 2018

What have I been up to since I last blogged?

- My Ugandan friend, Betty, came over and very kindly braided my hair whilst we chatted and caught up. I think I lasted for about one hour and then I had to remove them, as my head felt like it was going to explode! I don’t know how these Ugandan ladies do it? I think I will leave the hair braiding to them!

- I visited a local government school a few times this week to volunteer. Some of the classes have well over 100 pupils. I asked one of the teachers how many jotters she marked on an average day. She said sometimes 400! Can you imagine?! No wonder she was happy when I offered to help her mark during lunch and at the end of the day. Her comment was, ‘God obviously remembered me today, when he sent you to help me with these books.’ Bless her. The staff have been so welcoming to me. The class of 40 odd P1s enjoyed The Very Hungry Caterpillar this week, along with some colouring in – which was a novelty. The school are also open to me doing some trauma healing with small groups of kids, which is a blessing.

- A trip to Butabika Mental Hospital with Fred. He is making progress so we praise God for that. He is testing my patience however, so please pray I would be loving and kind. I felt like such a grump and a nag with him on Tuesday. Pray I would get the balance between being firm but loving.

- I have enjoyed visiting and helping out in small ways at my friend’s English classes for the South Sudanese Refugees. The ladies are so funny. They have little English but enough to enquire as to whether I was married or not! When I replied no, one of the ladies said she ‘would get for me a husband from her country’. She then went on to say, her husband could marry me and I could be his second wife. I replied....’No, no....it should be one, one!’ They laughed and laughed. I pray in the short time that I have left I would be able to witness to these ladies and show them love, despite the language barriers.

- I had a meeting with YWAM Kampala about potential opportunities to volunteer and minister with them in Katwe – the largest slum in Kampala (as in The Queen of Katwe). They were so willing and welcoming. I will visit Katwe with them this coming week.

- I had a meeting with African Hearts regarding Dennis (the boy I worked closely with in the slums, during my last trip). All being well we will pick him up from his home on Wednesday and he will start his welding apprenticeship. He said he wanted this year to be the year of change. Let’s pray this comes to pass. This is coming at a cost – training, accommodation, food, transport etc – so thank you so much to those of you who gave to me so generously prior to my trip. Your money will help contribute to this venture. I can’t thank you enough!

- I took my mum and dad’s sponsor boy, who is like 22 years old, to get a typhoid immunisation today. It was the funniest thing ever. It would appear that they don’t commonly immunise adults in Uganda. I kid you not we were the only ones there that didn’t have a baby! I couldn’t stop laughing when they asked for his name to fill in the form. It said –‘Baby’s name’. So from now on we will call him Baby Moses!

- I had mentioned in passing to a friend that I would love to learn Luganda. So today I took my first ‘lesson’. I have much learn. Now I sympathise with the Sudanese ladies. Language learning is hard!

- Tomorrow I head to the village to visit a friend. Please pray for safe travels. The roads are crazy here!

Thank you for all your prayers, support and love. Hope you all have a blessed Easter weekend!

Photos will follow...

Friday 23 March 2018

This week's photos

My friend Stuart

Friends in the village

Funny faces at light school

Han is waving to maama

Irene in the village

Joan in boarding with sparky the bear

David in boarding

The Winsa boys

This picture makes me laugh so much.... So much laughter

Visiting an old lady in the village

Visiting technical institute

Zalika's house is complete.... The side on the left never did have a roof... Area for cooking etc..

Another week....another blog...

I hope this update finds you all well.

This week has been a bit different, as I have been busying myself with different things.

On Saturday we went back to Kayunga district to visit friends of Desana, deep in the bush. Two of the board members for Desana were over from the states, so it was good to meet them and chat on the long car journey – as well as nap! It was lovely to see the people in the small settlement again. One of the girls who I mentioned from my last visit, Irene, proudly handed me a bag of avocadoes. I offered to buy them from here, but she was adamant that they should be a gift. It is so humbling when people who have so little materially want to give and share. We can learn so much from them.

On Sunday I went to visit some of the old RUHU kids in boarding school. They were so appreciative and we laughed so much together. They are such a sweet group of kids. On Sunday I also went to visit Zalika’s family. The house is now completely finished and Sunday was moving in day – so it was very appropriate that I had taken cake, ice cream and soda to celebrate.

On Monday I visited three different boarding schools to pass on my love to old RUHU kids and encourage them with some goodie bags. I am thankful that all of these schools allowed me to enter and spend a few minutes with the kids – some of these schools are so hard to get into and have the most ridiculous rules! I have some stories to tell when I get back.

On Monday I was also able to visit the savings group that my friend Brian and I set up during my last trip. It is encouraging to know that this group of around 12 people are meeting weekly to save money, have a bible study and learn some lessons in business.

On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Uncle Isaac and I continued to visit RUHU kids in various boarding schools. I feel like we have covered a fair few miles on the boda this week. But praise God for keeping us safe. The three boys at Winsa Primary could not have been sweeter and the Head teacher could not have been nicer. I said to the boys that I wasn’t sure if the stuff that I had packed in their goodie bags was what they required...but one of the boys, Rama, said the bags were simply a miracle! Bless him. When I offered to pray for them before leaving, the boys were insistent that they pray for me. These boys are so sweet, I thank God for them.

I was able to spend time with the Sweazy’s beautiful children on Wednesday afternoon. We had fun making masks together, and like the boys at the shelter, they too then proceeded to run around the compound pretending to be superheroes. I got some lovely cuddles during the prayer meeting on Wednesday evening, at their house, from their lovely daughter Ava who sat on my knee. This family are such a blessing to me.

Yesterday I had the privilege of attending an English class for south Sudanese refugees. This was lead by a lovely American Lady, Dory, who is a member of the Sweazy’s church. It was fascinating and the ladies could not have been more welcoming. At the end of the class, one of the older ladies hugged me and said that I was her daughter. Bless her. So I now have a South Sudanese mama as well.

Thank you so much to all of you who are faithfully continuing to remember me. Thank you also to those of you who gave me financial gifts before I left – your money has been used this week to buy numerous loaves of bread, packets of biscuits, bars of soap, bags of sugar, bottles of juice and bits and bobs for the kids in boarding. It has also contributed towards petrol money as we have travelled a fair bit this week visiting all these different kids. Thank you!

I feel I ramble and ramble, I would love to hear your news from home also and know if there is anything I can be praying for, for you guys.

Ruthie x

Friday 16 March 2018

Photos from another week here on planet Uganda!

Believe it or not.... It's a scorpion

Boarding school visits

Crazy faces with Zede

Encouraging the children that they are all important and all winners

Love this little boy, in a dress, so much

Poppy feeling sad that she wasn't getting any cake

Thank you for letting me cuddle your beautiful baby today Becca Kiwala.

Time for soda and cake

Trevor, Kasim and maama Trevor

A little update on things...

Last Sunday I was able to visit some of the RUHU kids in boarding schools. They appreciate these visits so much, as they can feel quite isolated when in boarding. They proudly showed me round their classrooms, introduced me to their teachers and sold me some of their ‘creations’ – they had been learning different cookery skills. Chips, cake and ‘deep fried cabbage things’ were all on offer. The kids were hungry and had no money to buy their ‘creations’, so I happily bought for each of them – it meant I got off the hook when it came to trying them! I had to record my name on a certain piece of paper and when the child recording asked for my name, one of the RUHU boys, who I have known for years, Trevor, said to his friend...”Just write her name as Maama Trevor.” How sweet. I love these children so much. Please pray for them as they face many challenges at school.

At the shelter this week, we enjoyed making sock puppets. The children were very creative, we had spiderman, snakes and a scorpion. Though some of them couldn’t understand that they were only getting one sock and persistently asked me for another. They clearly wanted to wear their artwork on their feet – I guess that’s what socks were made for and they probably thought I was a crazy ‘white woman’ getting them to decorate one sock and wear it on their hand!

We also enjoyed cake and soda at the shelter this week, just to celebrate being alive and well! With so much sickness and death around you in Africa, I am constantly reminded each day to give thanks for being safe and well. I had a close encounter on Wednesday night with a thief when travelling home from town on the boda. I am so thankful to God for Uncle Isaac and I am just so sorry that he had to suffer a punch in the face, as a result of trying to protect me! God protected us both that night, nothing was stolen, no bones were broken – just a bruised bottom! So I am incredibly thankful and also incredibly thankful for your prayers for safety. I do not tell you these stories to scare you, but rather to show that your prayers are being answered and that the God Lord is keeping me safe!

So much ‘stuff’ is going on just now at the Shelter. Please , please lift up the precious children before the Lord and ask him to keep them safe and let them know they are loved.

Thank you as always for your prayers, they mean so much to me x