And now the photos...

BABY JORDAN

DAVID

HOME VISIT

FAMILY PHOTO!

MY FRIEND JENNY X

ZALIKA

DROWNED RAT! SO COLD!

BEAUTIFUL BABY!

Sometimes I think that I have so many stories to tell that I could write a book.....

Sometimes I think that I have so many stories to tell that I could write a book.  Then at other times I just sit down at my computer to blog and don’t even know what to write.  Tonight I am not even sure what to share with you- my brain is frazzled.  Perhaps it is after the boys deep theological questions tonight at prayers...I really could have done with ‘Phone a friend!’

First of all I want to thank you all for your prayers, particularly your prayers for safety – the roads are crazy here and I am thankful that I have been kept safe so far.  I had a very wet boda ride on Tuesday morning both to and from a meeting.  Most Ugandans don’t move when it rains, but I had an appointment, and being British I had to honour that appointment.  Well, who knew it was possible to get so cold in Africa – I was literally shivering and went purple and blotchy like I do back home.  I was so thankful that the power was on when I returned and I was able to have a warm shower – it’s the small things in life that matter!  I was also incredibly thankful for the meeting – it was such a blessing and encouragement.  I have started to reach out to other organisations in order to help those that I have come to know and love in the slums.  RUHU is not in a position to help these individuals so I have sought help from elsewhere.  I have to say I am absolutely amazed with the work that Retrack are doing in Uganda.  The people have been so kind and super efficient at dealing with me and communicating with me – which is a welcome change! I thank God for these people and for their willingness to help me provide the likes of Shadiah, Dennis and Mama Esa with opportunities.  I went with one of the Retrack workers into the slums today and we talked with Dennis, Shadiah and Mama Esa – opportunities are there if they want to grasp them – the onus is now on them.  Please pray they would reach out and grab these wonderful opportunities that Retrack is offering.    

   

This week I have been reminded again of just how corrupt certain systems are within Uganda.  So on Wednesday I took David back to the government hospital to have his cast removed.  The doctors were striking on this particular day.  However, they were willing to work upon him if I paid.  They asked for 50000 shillings, which is approximately £12.50.  I don’t agree with bribery...but because the boy had travelled home from boarding school especially.... and we had travelled to the hospital... I paid.  Five minutes later I was demanded another 20000.  When I asked what it was for I was informed it was to remove the cast...to which I replied, “I thought that’s what the 50000 was for.”  No, no, the 50,000 had merely been for the doctor to ask the boy how his arm was and check he was no longer feeling pain!  I had already carried out this ‘consultation’ on the boda, for free, on our way to the hospital!  The money was little for me to pay, but the principle.  I sat on the boda on the way home feeling so sad that people were really sick and were not being worked upon because they could not pay.  A big shout out for the NHS once again – we really don’t know how blessed we are. 

Please continue to remember Wasswa and Alex.  I am encouraging them, whenever I see them, to get into class, but they are facing much opposition and there are many barriers.  Pray they would feel loved and valued within the school. 

I don’t want to go into details but the following children are in need of lots of love and prayers – Fred, Paul and Umaru.  

Right I am going to bed now – let’s hope the bed bugs don’t bite! (have been getting these weird bites at night and one of the kids told me they looked like bed bug bites – it is such a glamorous life that I am living!!!)

Thanks for all your love, support and prayers x

Some photos

Crazy faces at girls' home

Colouring at safe house

Lament letters

Very poignant

The ice cream made them hyper!

Don't panic - she is not my boda driver...just pretending!

My boy, Davis

Life is certainly colourful...there is never a dull moment here!

Hello there, I hope this update finds you all well.  Thanks for your prayers, love and support, as always!

Things have been busy as usual since I last updated you.  There certainly never is a dull moment here in Uganda!

I am so thankful that Zalika has faithfully been coming to school these days.  I think that the major thing that is holding her back with her studies is that she struggles with English...so we have decided that during our times together we will work on this.  Today we were reading ‘The very hungry caterpillar’, which is one of my favourites.  She is a sweet and appreciative girl.  Please pray for her. 

The children in my healing hearts group are starting to open up.  I just hope and pray that these sessions help some of the children, even if it is just in small ways.  During our last few sessions the children have spoken about the pain of losing parents and siblings, the pain of feeling unloved and that their siblings are favoured and the pain associated with living with an alcoholic stepfather.  They wrote poignant lament letters/prayers.  I will share some photographs of these, so that you can be remembering these precious children.

I love the children in the slums so much.  Whilst their situations are dire, they never cease to make me smile and laugh.  Just yesterday one of the street girls was pleating my hair.  Her name is Shadiah, so we were joking that I was in Shadiah’s saloon!  She is a special girl, please pray for her. She is about 17, but has only completed primary 4.  Pray that an opportunity and a door would open for her.

One of my other slum friends, Dennis, is a special boy.  His story is so sad. He is currently about 16/17, but when he was just a small small boy a marching band came through his village.  He was so curious and intrigued by them that he followed them.  He followed them so far that he got lost, and being so small did not know his way back home.  As a result he spent many years on the street.  When he got a bit older he went back home to look for his family, only to discover that his mother had died and his father had moved.  He managed to track his father down just some few years back.  I subtly tried to find out why he hadn’t stayed with his father.  He explained that he was now 16/17 and that he couldn’t depend on his father to support him, so he came back to the slums to look for work.  He appears to have lots of potential and he seems to be  humble, appreciative and hardworking.  He is keen to learn a skill like welding.  Please pray an opportunity comes up for this sweet boy, who ended up on the street, pretty much by accident. 

Another one of my dear street friends is Brian.  I have known Brian for some time now.  Yesterday I felt it was appropriate to broach the subject of his ‘sniffing’.  Sometimes muzungoes come in the slums and without even knowing the children tell them off for sniffing their drugs.  I don’t think this is helpful, but felt I could talk a bit about it with Brian, as we have now formed a relationship.  I explained that I wasn’t judging him, but just wanted to find out a bit more.  He said, ‘Aunty, this petrol...it’s like my jacket.’  I asked him to explain to me what he meant by this and he talked about  when the rain came and he couldn’t cope and when he thought about all the bad things that had happened, it comforts him.  Brian is another boy who has so much potential.  Please join with me in praying for a miracle in Brian’s life. 

Two of the boys at the boys’ home are missing classes constantly, so I am trying to encourage them daily to be in class and fight for them.  This morning I literally had to wake Wasswa up and get him out of bed...the other day I literally had to take his hand and walk him to class (he is about 15 years old!).  I keep telling them that I am doing this because I love them and care about them.  Many of the teachers seem to have given up on them, so it is understandable why they have such attitudes...but I will keep on fighting for them, even if it doesn’t make me popular!  Please pray for Wasswa and Alex.  It is challenging as they are so much older than their classmates and come with lots of ‘baggage’. 

There is never a dull moment that is for sure....and nothing ever goes to plan.  On Saturday evening I was just walking back to our compound, planning on picking my things and then going for fellowship with the kids.  Well the neighbour’s guard dog had other plans!!!  As I walked towards our gate I realised that our neighbour’s gate was open.  Their gate is never open.  I have never seen their dog before.  But there he was, standing there, focused on me, growling and about to pounce.  I did exactly what you tell children not to do. I turned and I ran and I screamed. Who knew I could run so fast or scream so loud? I have never been chased by an animal before, it was terrifying.  I ran into our other neighbour’s compound, hysterical.  They were very sympathetic.  They all wanted to see my leg.  The bite was minimal.  I was not crying because it was sore, I was crying because I was thinking... RABBIES!  So off I went on my boda to get my first shot of rabbies vaccine. And then I sat on my boda, with my vaccine in a little poly bag with some ice, and brought it back to the local clinic.  Is actually like a comedy...I think it must have given the neighbours much to talk and laugh about – the muzungo being chased by the dog!  I don’t want to worry any of you.  The bite was tiny and my vaccines are well under way, so hopefully I won’t start barking like a dog!     

The comedy continues...yesterday I was sitting at the boys’ home under the tree, just waiting on my boda.  All of a sudden I felt this deluge of warm water running down my back.  I jumped up.  Guess what it was?  Rabbit pee!  So the boys keep their rabbits in the tree, in a hutch, so they don’t get eaten by wild animals.  But the rabbits had strategically stuck their bottoms out of the hutch and fired their pee right down my back.  Rabbit pee is somewhat pungent!  I will know in future not to sit under that tree. 

Well on that disgusting note I will leave you to picture the scene and the smell – not pleasant!

Photos from this week

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 

This week's pictures...

The kids now have their nets up! PTL!

This is actually a boy! Only in Africa!

My little friend Patricia

Safe house kids loving the laptop with all its wee videos

Someone stole my hat and glasses!

My little monkey!

Brendah and me!