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