And the photos

A busy wee week!

Good evening all from Uganda.  A few wee updates from this week.  Firstly thanks to everyone for their love, prayers and support.

Things have been busy busy since I got here.

It has been lovely seeing old faces and new faces at Kathy’s Shelter.  I got straight to work on Tuesday telling Bible stories and stick, stick, sticking here, there and everywhere – posters, alphabet charts, number lines – I can’t seem to help myself... is obviously my teacher-ness!

On Valentine’s Day I also had the honour of sharing one of my favourite stories with the children at the Shelter – ‘Guess How Much I Love you’ and telling the children how important and special they all are to God.  I was them able to give them each a Valentine’s gift – courtesy of my sister and I’s mammoth TY Beanie Baby Collection, from back in the day!  I was worried that I may get stopped and searched when flying, as a potential drug mule, as 30 odd cuddly toys probably looks a bit suspicious! But praise the Lord I didn’t and the kids were super excited by them.

On Valentine’s Day I also took two sponsor boys – (young men) out for dinner and gifted them used laptops to help them with their university studies – massive thanks to Catriona and Anna for these donations.  Also massive thanks to Uncle Jim, we are rapidly getting through your sweetie selection!

It was a privilege to meet the ladies that Kathy works with in the slums on Wednesday and be introduced to their Sisterhood Soap Project.  I can also say their soap is super, have been trying it out this week!

I have also popped in to visit the children at RUHU, both the boys’ home and the girls’ home to fellowship with them.  These children hold such a dear place in my heart, so it was a real blessing to see them again. I bumped into one of my former ‘Healing Hearts’ pupils – she asked me if we were going to have our ‘club’ again this time, which touched my heart, as she had obviously enjoyed it, but also pained my heart as it won’t be possible – but I will definitely go back and visit this dear girl personally. 

It has been a blessing to be back in the slums again and see old street dwelling friends. They have demolished loads of the slums since I was here in December, so  I was worried about children that I personally know and love. Is always a joy to be reunited with them and know they are alive but also so sad to think the months and years have passed and they are still there, living such chaotic lives.  But I have seen lives transformed many times before, so there is always hope!

I had the privilege today of visiting Dennis, the boy I worked with and advocated for, who was on the streets during my last trip.  He is currently living at his family home and it was a blessing to visit him today – but his situation is still very much up in the air!  In some ways the journey has just begun.

I was also blessed today to catch up with one of my Ugandan friends, Jenny – she is such a blessing to have.  Likewise I am so thankful for Uncle Isaac, my longstanding boda driver – if it wasn’t for friends like this I don’t know how I would function!

Finally, a little update on Shaban – the boy with the bad foot – he can now walk and do a hobbly run thing, he laughs often and has the most beautiful smile.  Beauty from ashes!

Thank you to everyone for everything – we are doing this together x

Beauty for ashes

January 22^nd 2018 – I am sitting inside with multiple layers of clothing on and a warm cup of coffee, looking outside at the snow covered ground.  What a contrast to the last three months I spent in Uganda, where I was permanently dripping in sweat and covered in dust, guzzling down cold water by the litre!

It has been such a blessing having time these last few months to spend with family and friends, catch up on mundane things such as doctor and dentist appointments, reflect and feedback on my last trip and prepare for my upcoming trip in February...

Whilst my September to December trip had many challenges, it also had numerous blessings and I am so grateful for my recent trip.  I learnt much during this trip.  When I am away I generally don’t process very much. I just GO, GO, GO! But now that I am home I can reflect a little bit more.

Last night I was just thinking and preparing a Children’s Talk for this coming Sunday for our friends’ church.  I was reminded of the verses in Isaiah 61, which talk about God bringing beauty out of ashes.  I met and came to love numerous individuals during my last trip that are a testimony to this – they have been in broken places, been in the ashes and God is making their stories into something truly beautiful.  Many of them are still in the ‘ashes’, but we have hope that God will use their pain to write a beautiful story.  I honestly believe this is true for all of us too, God can use our pain, brokenness and tragedies to do beautiful things.  So if you are in the ‘ashes’ just now please be encouraged!

Regarding my upcoming trip – February through to May – I just want to update you on a few things as many new doors have been opened up.  During my last trip I had the honour of visiting a lovely American Lady called Kathy Houk.  She has been in Uganda for some time and has set up an organisation known as Desana Giving.  Desana is the name of an Amazonian tribe.  Their core belief is to pass on blessings and bless others.  Similarly, the work of this organisation is all about blessing others, so they can pass on blessings in turn and keep the blessings flowing!  The work that she does is very similar to the work I have been involved with previously – namely rescuing and rehabilitating street children, amongst many other things!  I could not have been more welcomed when I went to visit her shelter for ex-street boys.  The work she does is similar to the work of RUHU, but on a much smaller scale.  The maximum number of children that she has at any one time is 25.  The children stay at the shelter for a maximum of three months, where they receive love, food, education, counselling, Bible teaching...and so much more.  After the three months the social workers then work to resettle these children with their families.  Where this is not possible a permanent foster family will be found to look after the child.  I was so impressed by the work of Desana Giving and I am blessed to be returning to volunteer with them in February.  I will of course visit the children of RUHU, because I have come to know and love them dearly over the years, but I will not be volunteering with them this time.  I am not sure what the next three months will look like...I hope to do some teaching at the shelter, namely in Geography and Science (I have been busy downloading, cutting and laminating in anticipation!), I also hope to use some more of the Trauma Healing resources with the children...and generally just help Kathy out with whatever needs done!  

I will keep you updated on my blog - the address is still the same because I didn’t want to lose all my previous posts, but it’s actually Ruth at Desana, rather than RUHU!

 ruthatruhu.blogspot.co.uk

If you would like to read a little bit more about Kathy’s organisation – Desana Giving – please do so at desanagiving.org

Finally, after this lengthy post I would like to thank everyone for their love, support, prayers and their financial gifts – If it wasn’t for your love I wouldn’t be able to do all of this.  I am no one special, I am just doing my bit and your role is just as important as mine, if not more so at times!

So when I say ‘Thank you’, I truly do mean it.

Much love, Ruthie x

What a blessing to meet the wonderful Kathy Houk!

Lwanga Davis - a beautiful testimony of Beauty for Ashes!

What a blessing to spend time with family over Christmas!

                                

Final update for this trip - Sun 10th Dec

Quick update before I leave Uganda on Tuesday...
Firstly I want to thank everyone for their love, support and prayers during these last three months.
I am so thankful that I have been kept safe and well.
It is always bitter sweet saying goodbye...I am so excited to see my family but will be sad to say goodbye to all the children. The tears have started already...but will be followed by happy ones as I am reunited with my lovely family...God willing on Wednesday morning, if flights go according to plan
I don't feel like writing much so let me just leave you with some photos...
Thanks again for all the love and prayers. . . Love from Ruth xxx 

Update and prayer request Sat 9th Dec

Please pray for this precious little boy Shaban...I just found him in the slums this morning (Sat 9 Dec). His foot had been run over by a taxi/mini bus. He has been admitted to clinic and will stay there for a month. What breaks my heart more than the foot, is that he is all alone. Please pray for him. I apologise for the grotty photo....but this is the reality of street life. 

And the photos...

A quick wee update...

Just a quick wee update this week, as I am running about as much as ever trying to fit things in before I come home...

Last night I had a meal with the sponsor ‘boys’ for two of my friends from back home.  They were very appreciative of their ‘last supper’ and we enjoyed our time together.  I am so thankful for them – they always make me laugh! Please pray for Moses and Kennedy though as they face some challenges. 

I had the opportunity on Thursday to go with one of my Ugandan friends, Betty, to visit her family.  This was such a blessing and we have many funny stories to tell from this day...including being asked by a complete stranger in the taxi about my bowel movements!

I enjoyed visiting Zalika at her home this week to do some English with her, though finding her house is always a challenge.  Every time I get lost. They live next to the swamp but every time I take a wrong turning and nearly end up in the swamp!

I continue to love my little healing hearts group.  I will be sorry to say goodbye to them as we have become close.  I am so thankful for the wonderful material that I have been using and just pray it is touching their lives in small ways. 

I continue to frequent the dentist and the clinics – I think they may go bankrupt when I come home!

Please continue to remember Dennis in the slums.  We spent some time together on Wednesday.  I am pursuing a different organisation currently, one which Dennis feels more comfortable with, to see if there are any openings and opportunities with them.  Dennis said to me on Wednesday that he felt in his heart that next year, 2018, was going to be a year of change.  Let’s pray this comes to pass.

I had the pleasure of visiting a lovely American lady yesterday and seeing some of the work that she is involved in.  She has a small shelter for street boys in a nearby town.  She asked me to prepare a wee lesson on Scotland for the boys, so I went all out and put my tartan leggings on!  The concept of kilts caused much hilarity!  It was such an encouraging and refreshing visit.     

Today’s activities have included; killing a cockroach using a child’s shoe, transferring a rabbit from A to B (holding it by the ears) and a marriage proposal from a random Boda driver...every day holds something new!

Thanks for your love, support and prayers x