A few photos from this week

 Crazy faces in the slums

 Laila and Mercy from Katwe

 Monica and her children

Visiting boarding

The three months always go by quickly...

The three months always go by quickly and I find myself frantically rushing around towards the end of my trips trying to see people and do things. Two weeks today I will be home!

Since I last updated you I have done a fair bit of visiting. Kids in boarding school, a couple of widows and their children, the babies home, the ruhu boys home, school, hospital with Fred , slums....

I am currently sitting in Cafe Javas, using their Internet, whilst waiting on a friend. I just glanced down at my shoes and feet... They are filthy as I have just come straight from the slums. The slums become a mud bath when it rains. I don't even want to think about what I was walking in this morning... But I praise God that I didn't slip into the open sewers. I am currently surrounded by business men having meetings and well off Ugandans enjoying lunch. It is a million miles from Katwe... Whilst only five minutes up the road.

Please pray for the people that I met with when I go in the slums. Their situations are somewhat dire and it is often hard to know what to say. My way of coping whilst I am here is by not allowing myself to process too much....but this morning I felt a lump in my throat for sure and had to stop myself from crying. We went to visit the slum girls.... They were sitting drinking, smoking and sniffing whilst their filthy, malnourished babies wandered around. We spent time chatting with them and telling them that they are important and loved... But it is understandable that they have no hope as their situations are so dire.

One of the youths, Rebecca, explained that she was sniffing today to take away the pain and forget. Just last Thursday she lost her seven month year old and buried her on Saturday. My heart was breaking for her as she shared this. I hugged her and tried to whisper some words of comfort.... But what can you say to ease such pain? Please just lift her up in prayer....

I know in my heart that God can take things that are a mess and make them into something beautiful.... Let's pray that is the case for the lives of these girls and their babies.

Many of the people I meet in the slums don't seem ready to embrace change... But there are two particular girls that seem to have so much potential. I think I mentioned them last week... Mercy and Laila. Mercy was much better today and has recovered from her bad cough that I mentioned last week. When I look at these girls I see two beautiful people... But their lives are far from beautiful. Please pray for breakthrough and opportunities for them.

The girls were asking me all about my family today. They were shocked that I was 27 and didn't have any children, let alone a husband or a boyfriend! Because in comparison to them I am ancient! They wanted to see a picture of my family and know everyone's names and ages.... Including mama and tatta's ages! I won't tell you what their response was and who they thought looked older! But as I sat in this little shack in the slums I was struck how blessed I am to have such a loving family... Something which many people are missing. I am so thankful for them!

I am also so thankful for those of you who are reading this... for your love and support.

Xxx

Pictures from another week in this crazy country that is Uganda

Dennis is doing well

 Birthday boy Kennedy

 Drawing fruits on paper plates.... A novelty for sure! They probably think I am a crazy muzungo

 Inspired by our story we balanced our plates on our heads

 Liddy doesn't like the rainy season

 The beautiful Joan from ruhu

 The teacher's beautiful three year old

Can you imagine having to deal with your own toddler and 40 odd p1s?! 

Luckily he is well behaved

 Visiting ruhu kids in boarding

 Visiting the elderly in the village

We were learning about God's love

What have I been up to since I last blogged?

To be perfectly honest with you unless I look at my diary and see what I have been up to I couldn't tell you. My brain is like a sieve these days! But I have my diary here so I am good to go.

I went to check on Fred last Thursday after blogging. He is currently sick with typhoid so we took him to the clinic to receive some treatment. There is always some drama with him and it is often hard to know how best to help. So let's pray for wisdom!

With regards to wisdom I certainly need some when it comes to my language learning! Luganda is proving to be a big challenge.... But I am trying!

I continue to enjoy spending time at the local school. It has been such a blessing to have been put in contact with them. Thanks Ber McGrath! We have been continuing to enjoy story books, arty activities and fruit! One of the stories I read last week was all about different fruits.... Handa's Surprise. Thanks for the recommendation Anne MacFarlane! We enjoyed some pineapple and some grapes last week. For many children it was their first time to taste grapes!

I have also been continuing on with my healing hearts clubs at the local school. I think I mentioned little George last week. I do worry about this boy and would appreciate your prayers for him. He was upset the other day and came to chat with me individually. That very morning his step mother had told him that he was no good at washing the dishes and that he should not bother to come back home! What do you say to that?! I encouraged him that he was special and loved and suggested that his step mama was maybe stressed and worried about other things and didn't really mean what she said. I assured him that even though life at home wasn't great.... Life on the street is worse... And I got him to promise me he would go home after school... But sometimes it is so hard to know what to say! Please pray for this precious boy.

It was a joy to spend Saturday evening with my parents' sponsor boy and my friend's sponsor boy. It was Kennedy's 21st birthday so we went out for a birthday meal together. He was so appreciative and grateful... He said he had never celebrated his birthday with anyone before. Can you imagine reaching 21 and never having celebrated your birthday? I could of cried. I had no joy finding a birthday card in all the supermarkets I visited.... So he got a Christmas card instead. Don't ask me why but I had a vast array of Christmas cards to choose from... But no birthday cards! Kennedy was delighted though and said it was like celebrating two in one, because he hadn't received any Christmas cards. Please pray for these dear boys and their studies at university. They are so much fun and always make me laugh...but they do have their challenges!

On Tuesday I went to the village with Kathy to visit some elderly people and deliver food parcels and bits and bobs. An elderly lady called Ruth was so excited by her bag of simple food that she danced for us. I didn't even think she would have been able to stand well... But boy could she dance! We also met a man in his 80s who was busy fixing his bycicle. I asked in shock if he was going to ride it. I was told yes... That he couldn't walk well so he cycled, lol! The highlight of the day was taking a mattress deep into the Bush for a man in his 90s. He was so delighted when he realised we had brought it for him and just kept saying, 'wa wa, wa'... Equivalent to wow I guess! These elderly people are somehow neglected... But let's pray they would know they are precious to God and not a forgotten about people.

This morning I was in Katwe slum again... It was a joy to spend time with Laila and Mercy.... Two of the teenage girls who I have met several times before. I visited the shelter where they sleep, sat with them, painted their nails and assured them that I loved them... Before taking them to clinic for some treatment.... Mercy has an awful cough just now and Laila has tooth ache. But their pain runs much deeper than this. The work that YWAM do is wonderful.... Telling these young people about God's love. But I feel a tremendous burden in my heart just now to do more for them. This is a big potential as Kathy's organisation hope to set up a community centre in the Katwe area. Please pray about this. If it is the Lord's will it will come to pass.

It was nice to go back to Dori's English class for the Sudanese refugees this afternoon. I never know whether I am a help or a hindrance in these classes.... The ladies just laugh at me! I think it's because my Scottish pronunciation is quite different from Dori's American accent. But I guess if I am making the ladies smile and laugh that is something!

Checked on Dennis this evening. He is doing well and enjoying the apprenticeship. Praise God. There are just some small things that need to be addressed with the boss regarding accountability and money! The joys!

I hope this update finds you all well and as always thank you for everything, your prayers, your support and your love x

Another week... Another batch of photos

 Angel

 Baby moses

Dennis at the workshop

 Family photo

 Family photo

 Katwe

Lion masks

 Lion masks

Lion masks

 Nail painting

My friends today in Katwe...mercy and okello

 More nail painting

 Seruwagi Isaac and Kyamagero Fortunate.... Isaac's beautiful children

 The p1s

 The p1s

 Young mums and babies in Katwe

Zalika and baby ruth

Another week...

I am so thankful that it is nearing the end of the week and that I am feeling so much better than I was at the start. Praise the Lord. The bilharzia /snail fever surfaced again but that's me finished my medication now so let's pray these little snails don't return!

Despite lying low on Sunday I have managed to still operate this week... just at a slower pace.

On Friday I enjoyed a visit to the village with Isaac and his family to see his mother. It is always a blessing to spend time with them as they are so good to me.

On Saturday I checked in with Zalika, Dennis and Brendah(my aunt and uncle's sponsor). So it was a sociable day. Considering Dennis had only been at the welding workshop for a matter of days he was coping remarkably well. Let's pray this continues. I hope to check in with him again tomorrow to encourage him.

On Sunday I lay low the whole day which is not like me, but the medication for the bilharzia doesn't seem to like me so much. I thank my mum, dad and sister for their encouragement and love when I was feeling at my lowest. Maama even offered to come out - bless her. I could not ask for a more supportive and loving family, even though we are miles apart. The photos that lottie and Jamie send me daily with the Facebook filters always make me chuckle!

Healing hearts is well under way at the local primary school. I have two groups. Please pray for two children in particular... Victoria and George.  Both very British names!  They do have Ugandan ones too... Which I probably can't spell! These two children really opened up to me, individually after the sessions. Victoria sobbed as she told me about the death of her father and her siblings and begged to come and stay with me. George told me how his stepmother treats him badly and he feels unloved. It is a privilege that these children feel able to confide in me, but it is also such a challenge. I assured them that I would share their stories with my friends so we could all pray and remember them together.

Despite feeling rough on Tuesday morning I made it to Katwe slum to spend time with the teenage girls and their babies. These girls have experienced so much and it is hard to know how best to support them. But I just pray that by spending time with them, chatting and painting their nails that they would know they are loved.

This morning I was back in Katwe slum and had the privilege of sitting and chatting with three teenagers, named Okello, Mercy and Joseph. Please pray for Mercy in particular, a thirteen year old year girl, who prostitutes herself daily, 25p a go. Is heartbreaking. Pray she would know she is worth so much more. She was delighted, bless her, when I offered to paint her nails for her. But this is not going to save her. She needs so much more.

This afternoon I have another luganda lesson. Please pray that some of it would stick. I long to be able to understand and communicate more with people.... But appreciate this will take a long time!!!

I am also going to go and check on Fred this afternoon. Life is a continual challenge for him. I pray that I would be patient and loving with him.

Thank you once again to everyone back home for their continual prayers, love and support... I could do nothing without it, so you are very much part of it.


xxx

This weeks photos

 Delicate Resian Shadia and her lovely family

 Delicate Resian Shadia.... Your beautiful brothers

 Dennis's jjajja

 Dennis... At the workshop.... Ready to start welding

 I squatted down to talk to this little one in the slums and she seemed to think I made a good chair

 My guard dog.... Just chilling

 My little friends on Easter Sunday. The one in the red shorts is nicknamed professor

 Shuchran smiled today

Sooo happy to find Simon in the slums

Good evening from Kampala, from me and my dog!

Good evening from Kampala. I hope this email finds you all well and that you had a nice Easter.

I am currently sitting outside my little house and Liddy the guard dog is cuddled up under my chair.  She is probably miffed that I am sitting on the chair and that she isn’t!  The other day I came back to find her lying on the chair outside my house sunbathing.  She is a wee cutie...but it’s ok Harley, don’t worry I won’t bring her home!

Last Saturday I had a nice day visiting my friend Sharron and her family, in the village, close to the Tanzanian border.  It was lovely to see them all again.  They couldn’t be more hospitable and welcoming.  The amount of gifts they gave me is always slightly embarrassing, but at the same time so sweet and humbling that people with little can be so generous.  I came home with handmade mats, baskets and decorations, sugar cane, passion fruits, eggs and bananas...Thank you so much to all of you who kindly give towards Sharron’s brothers’ school fees.  Shadrach and Shafic are both enjoying school and are incredibly thankful.  Thank you also to Uncle Jim who kindly gave towards Shafic’s eye operation.  He has undergone three operations now, following an accident at school involving a fork!  But we praise God that he did not lose his eye and is no longer in pain.  Had you all been here, I would have shared my fruits and eggs with you, as a thank you.  Watch out though – baskets may be coming your way!

It would appear that Easter celebrations are quite big here in Uganda.  Everyone kept asking me how I was going to celebrate my day.  I was blessed to visit Mama Sara and her family.  I talked a lot about this family during my last trip.  They were the family who lost their father, just after he was released from prison.  Two of the girls were in my healing hearts group and the mama attends the savings group.  It was lovely to be able to treat them to some cake, soda and ice cream.  I don’t think I have ever seen such a small child consume so much ice cream.  Baby Shuchran just kept eating and eating and eating.  It was lovely to get some smiles from him on Easter Sunday.  This was a first.  He used to always fear me – the muzungo.

YWAM Kampala has been so incredibly kind and welcoming towards me.  It is such a blessing.  On Tuesday I went with them to Katwe Slum to do outreach. I have taken a long time without going in the slums and I have been missing it so much.   Katwe slum is not my usual slum but I was soooo blessed to meet children that I know from Kisenyi slum.  Upon reaching the area for the outreach, Simon, a boy who I have known for years, came running up to me, calling ‘Auntie Ruth’.  I love this boy so much, so it was good to know that he is alive and smiling, despite all his difficulties! The youth that we met with and spoke with were incredibly open.  It was a privilege to spend time with them and pray for them.  Katwe is different from Kisenyi, many of the issues and challenges are the same...but there are also differences.  I was struck by the number of young girls/teenagers that were around and engaged with us.  I even had the privilege of crawling – yes I literally had to crawl! - into a make shift shack to pray with two young prostitutes that were exhausted after their night’s work.  I could do little for these girls and the reality is heartbreaking...but I was able to encourage them that they are special and loved.  Let’s pray that sticks with them – Mary and Mercy.  Is strange to think these girls are so much younger than me, yet have experienced far far more of life and its pain.

I was also able to join YWAM again this morning for an outreach program in a local school.  ‘Guess How Much I Love you’ was shared again, as I tried to explain to the children how special and loved they are.  I was mortified after my part, when one of the team members from India said...’You can tell you are a teacher.’  I honestly don’t think I am that ‘teachery’, I am not sure I ever ‘mastered’ it – but they seemed to think so – bless them.  

The local school continue to be so lovely and welcoming.  The children enjoyed listening to Rod Campbell’s story, Dear Zoo, this week.  Next week we are going to be making lion masks.  I am not sure if this is a good idea or not with 40 odd primary ones, but time will tell!

Yesterday was a really significant day.  I went to the village with Uncle David from African Hearts Community Organisation, to pick up Dennis.  I talked about Dennis a lot during my last trip.  He was the boy in the slums that I was championing.  The one who said he wanted 2018 to be the year of change.  Around January he had been resettled in the village with his family.  But the village is remote and he was idle.  The fear was that he would return to the streets if we didn’t find something meaningful and purposeful for him to do.  I praise God that we were able to bring him back to Kampala yesterday to start an apprenticeship in welding.  In many ways this is just the start of his journey.  Please pray for him.  Let’s also pray for his mentor/trainer, that he would treat Dennis well and do the things he has agreed to do – it’s hard to know who you can trust!  When I told Dennis that people back home were praying for him and had offered to help me support him financially, he was incredibly thankful and said to pass on his thanks and his greetings – so thank you.  

I am continuing on with my Luganda lessons but it is tough going.  Today I was learning about ‘exceptions to the rule’ – why have rules when you have so many exceptions – not sure I will ever grasp it!?  However on the way home from my lesson I stopped at the local shop and was encouraged greatly.  They were so impressed by my Luganda, one lady even told me (in English I might add) that my Luganda was better than hers.  I responded in Luganda –‘Oh goodness, you are lying!’   To which she responded, ‘I am not lying, I come from a different part of Uganda and I don’t know Luganda well’.  We laughed together.  How ironic is that – to be told by a Ugandan that your Luganda is better than theirs!  

Am blogging tonight rather than tomorrow, as I am off to the village with Isaac, his wife and the children to visit their Jjajja (grandmother).  Let’s pray the village is not as wet as it was yesterday.  I have to say it was like an extreme sport on the boda yesterday on the muddy roads.  At least I got to practice my Luganda though as I told the driver to go slowly, as I feared falling down – “Mpaula mpaula Sebo, ntya!”

Thank you once again for everything.  Much love xxx

This week's photos

 My friend Beatrice made me a bag

 Another Beatrice drew a butterfly

 Class busy at work drawing butterflies

 Happy Easter from me and Moses

 Issac (my boda driver's) family

 Issac's wee boy

 Lunchtime at babies home

 Lwanga Davis - my sponsor boy

My braided hair