Kayaking the Nile on a sunny afternoon!

Today was our day off with the opportunity to choose how we wanted to use the time. 12 of us decided to go on a kayaking expedition on the Nile! We were driven to our starting point along the worst roads most of us had ever experienced, and arrived at the beautiful setting for our adventure. We were given buoyancy aids, paddles and paired up before clambering into double kayaks and setting of upstream. We saw loads of different birds, including egrets, grey kites, pied kingfishers, black ibis and cormorants but we were reliably informed that the nearest crocodiles were about 100km away! Our guides were excellent and it was lovely to be able to chat to them as we went along and learn about their lives, ambitions and hopes for the future, as well as the wildlife. It was quite hard going at times and the current was relatively strong in some points, a number of the team needed a helping hand or paddle to get them back in course (some more than once but then they were rather taken with one particular guide!). We were able to pause and relax on the kayaks in a number of coves with refreshments provided. What a feeling it was to be gliding along the Nile.... never to be forgotten. The journey back to base was much quicker as it was down stream. Our 2hr trip had turned into 3 1/2hrs but that's Uganda time. It was an amazing experience, many of the group overcame real anxieties about being on the water but every single participant had a wonderful time. We have created special memories that will last a lifetime.

The rest of the team went into Jinja Town for shopping or to meet up with friends made during previous visits and ex students from NVI. The leadership team spent time sorting out mobile phones, which seems incredibly beurocratic, and planning for the next few days of our visit. It was great to gather together in the garden after dinner to hear of everyone's exploits. This wonderful, vibrant part of the world has so much to offer, we are so privileged to be here.

Bubbles, balloons and books!

A few of us were privileged enough to go and visit the nursery at NVI. We were met with smiles, from staff and children alike. The nursery has children from 3-6 years old. It is one room with an outdoor space that the children can play in.

During our short visit, we were able to play and interact with the children. We came laden with bubbles which caused much amusement for the kids as they tried to catch each one! Balloons were blown up and offered out for the children to play with. They were also given some knitted dolls and teddies which they held onto very tightly.

We did lots of singing games, including teaching them the Hokey Cokey which they found very funny. It was then their turn to teach us! We learnt a little partner routine which consisted of lots of jumping, twisting and bouncing, which in the Ugandan sun left some of us more red-faced than others!

Paint no rest for the wicked!

Over the last 2 days we grabbed our rollers and paintbrushes and started work on freshening up the Medical Centre. We started with two layers of an undercoat and finished with a final coat of cream paint. There was a lot of standing on tables, shuffling around each other and wiping paint from our faces while singing along to tunes.

The Medical Centre is run by one nurse called Edith.  She is responsible for the medical needs of over a thousand students!  The centre is split into a girls room and boys room, drop toilet with a sink, storeroom and office.

We can’t wait to see the rooms finished but must patiently wait until Monday as there is no fun in watching paint dry!

Team One have arrived!

We are really pleased to say that Team One have safely arrived after a long but enjoyable journey with so much to see along the way. We are now getting into the swing of things at the aptly named Hotel Paradise in Jinja. It’s been lovely getting to know each other - we are twenty strong with a nice mix of ages with some repeat returners and some having their first Ugandaid experience.

We are on Day Three and we were given a wonderful tour of all of the student facilities and each department at Nile Vocational Institute (NVI) where we will be doing the majority of our work. It was fantastic to meet staff and students and we were given a really warm welcome by everyone. After our tour and a delicious lunch made by the catering students just as we were beginning to feel like we were on holiday enjoying the sunshine and beautiful surroundings our hard work began…

Wifi has been a little bit temperamental so please bear with us for any delays in updates and photos!

Uganda February 2023 - Blog

Two teams will be visiting Uganda this February. 20 people will set off on 13th February, for two weeks. Then from 27th February a team for 22 people will be in Jinja.

Preparations are pretty much done and we have a comprehensive plan of activity for the two groups. Enthusiasm is running high, and there is much excitement about being at Nile Vocational Institute again with teams after three years.

Geoff's shoes...the final chapter

After the original somewhat unusual consultation, Yunusu was left to work on his creation. On Friday last week, I returned to the workshop not sure what to expect but really hopeful that I would not be disappointed.  Yunusu's smiling face greeted me and he pointed to a pair of black shoes on his workbench,highly polished in a very Ugandan style with long pointed toes. I tried them on, not wanting to show disappointment if they didn't fit. Imagine my surprise when they did actually feel quite comfortable and only pinched in a couple of places. So, off I went to the sports field to face the mirth of the rest of the team, which was duly forthcoming. The next appearance was at the Sunday service, when climbing  the steps of the stage  was an interesting experience, with the length of the pointed toes being a concern, but thankfully accomplished without public embarrassment. But, the smile on Yunusu's face as I returned to my seat, made me realise that his confidence in his ability far outweighed my initial doubts.

They are now in my wardrobe awaiting next year's trip to Uganda!!!! Thanks Yunusu for a job well done.

Geoff’s disclaimer: I don’t normally wear my trousers this length - this was purely for demonstration purposes!

Sports Day and Village Life

Working with locals on eye health and sustainable products & crops, and some of the sights along the journey

The official ugandaid induction for new intake students; sportsday (yes that is a flaming hoop they are jumping through!), the annual football & netball matches - ugandaid V NVI; & presentation of a new football kit, courtesy of broadheath central football club.

And they came bearing gifts....

On Saturday morning a group of us set off to deliver gifts to the schools who had welcomed us during the week. We had all been asked to suggest ways we could bless those we had come into contact with and ideas for the schools included exercise books, pencils, chalk etc. Emily and Linda also came up with the idea of mattresses for the two dormitories at Masese; for the vulnerable children that Headteacher Christine was keeping at school for their own safety. So, we loaded one of the minibuses with boxes of resources for the schools and 20 mattresses, there was only just room for Steve and the 4 of us as well!

First stop Masese, only we didn’t make it! The minibus had done really well for the two weeks of our stay, especially given the state of the roads and the weight it been carrying! But the near side front tyre could take no more and blew as we turned to go up the final steep hill to the school. Although there was a spare wheel in the back, there were no tools to change it and none could be found among the locals. A phone call back to base ensured help was on it’s way but as we were on African time, who knew how long that would take!

Dylan & David decided to walk up to the school to at least let them know we were on our way. On arrival they were greeted by one of the teachers who liked the idea of getting some of the children to carry our offerings up to the school. They came back down the hill followed by a huge number of young people, all eager to help. They made short work of unloading the gear and carrying it on their heads back to school. There was tangible excitement among them, especially those who said they were sleeping at the school and couldn’t wait to try the new mattresses. We were welcomed like visiting dignitaries by the staff and children who were quite overwhelmed by what they were being given. Emily, Linda & David were talking to the staff, but where was Dylan? Like the Pied Piper he had attracted half the school and, swamped by children, had taken off for a look around. When we finally left and made it back down the hill to the minibus, Steve was still waiting for the rescue team. Another phone call and we realised it was going to be a long wait!

Dylan, being a teacher to the core, took the opportunity to do some maths with the young children who had gathered around us (Saturday school is only for the older children). Some of them were fascinated by Emily’s hair and spent a long time trying to plait and style it for her. Eventually, after almost 2 hours, the cavalry arrived (Phil, Laurie and Moussa). We took their minibus to continue the deliveries, while they changed the wheel…Never easy with makeshift tools on the side of a potholed hill! The final distributions were gratefully received by the Headteacher’s of the other schools. These were quick in-and-out visits as the second minibus had started playing up and we wanted to make sure we made it back! We did, and well-deserved cold drinks were the order of the day.

Our quick visit to a few schools had turned into quite a long adventure but had again emphasised some of the huge differences between our lives and those of the people we were surrounded by. The donations to the schools cost relatively little in our terms but made such a difference to these incredibly impoverished Ugandan settings. Coming from the UK culture of extravagance and perceived entitlement, we really should appreciate how blessed we are. However, yet again those we met were, as always, happy and smiling and eager and excited to spend time with us. We could certainly learn a lot about relationships. In the UK we are known to be cash rich but time poor. Does that make us happy?… perhaps we think it does, but compared to the genuine happiness in the Ugandan’s we met, the answer would be definitely no.

What a Day!

Today I had the privilege of being invited by Betty from Gospel Cross International to a meeting with Sylvia the director of Hospice Jinja. They’ve been working together over the past year with Gospel Cross mobilising communities (talking to village chairman and church leaders to ask them to encourage their women to come forward for cancer screening) and the Hospice staff have undertaken the screening. During the meeting the two organisations agreed to draw up a memorandum of understanding, the hospice will promote the work Gospel. Cross are doing through their website and support access to funding for Gospel Cross volunteer work. So good to see God working amongst his people and this can save lives for many Ugandan women.

Slum Schools

Two schools visits for us today. This morning to Walukuba East Primary and this afternoon to Masese Primary. Both within the main slum area of Jinja.

When we arrived a Walukuba, having met Headtecher Alice last week, she was happy for us to wander unaccompanied around the school. It was quite sobering to be met with slogans painted on the walls about abstaining from pre-martial sex and having sex for gifts, these are primary aged children. 

After a wander through the play areas at break time it was time to teach. I don't think either of us was prepared for what was come. we were both placed in P4 classes with 90 in mine and 99 in Dylan's! The teacher stayed with Dylan but mine disappeared for a while and was then in and out on her phone. We were there to lead a lesson on letter writing to children at Walukuba's partner school, Bowden CE Primary in Manchester (Dylan's  School). We had established during our earlier wanderings that the children were not used to free creative writing at all. Everything is copied from the board, identical in each book, even if the child cannot read what they are writing. So our plan was to model writing a letter and our thinking processes, leaving them with a frame to write their own and personalise it for themselves. This worked to a degree but with 90+ children, who were all on task, it was hard physically to move around the classroom to provide support. I asked the teacher about the range of ages and abilities in the class. They were aged 8-15 with some late starters and some 'slow learners' (her words). She then shouted for them to stand up to identify them to me, humiliating them in front of all the others. This was heartbreaking. She turned her back on them and I smiled at them, gave them a thumbs up and motioned for them to sit down. I stopped asking questions but a little bit later went to both to look at their letters praising them for their work. This was a teacher with the whipping sticks prominently displayed in the classroom. Very different to any other classes we have been in but I understand from those more experienced than I, that this kind of thing is common in Uganda. 

Dylan's experienced similar difficulties with supporting the class with the letter writing task given the number of children in a space designed for far less. 

The children were very engaged in the process and excited about the possibility of a new friend in the UK. We left with a pile of letters which, when answered will bring joy to the writers in both countries.

In the afternoon 7 of us travelled to Masese Primary school. It is on a hill overlooking the slum. The children are mainly from the Karamojong tribe in the North, and are shunned by many other groups in Uganda. There the Headteacher and Deputy showed the main UgandAid group around the school while Dylan and I were taken to different classes to lead sessions. We had to quickly think on our feet as the letters had already been written by the children and we ended up with a Q&A session on similarities and differences between the  UK and Uganda. The children asked some amazing questions ranging from the weather, our families and friends, the food and what lessons do the children learn? To; can you take me back with you? and do the teachers have sticks in the UK? Showing once again some of the major major problems in this society.

The Headteacher ended the tour at the dormitories for vulnerable children. 26 are currently living full time at the school. This is an arrangement that Headteacher Christine has instigated to ensure those most at risk from sexual exploitation or other abuse, remain safe. She outlined some horrendous stories of the abuse of children who were 'saved' by the school. 

At the end of our time at the school we collected Dylan (who was still going strong!!). He had moved on to talking about Ireland, so had much to say!

On Thursday we visited Spire Road Primary, who have a department catering for partially-sighted and blind children. It was fantastic to see these children included in mainstream lessons with the rest of the children, although their braille machines looked particularly dated.

Our overwhelming impression of these schools, who are all very different yet similar in many ways, is the genuine enthusiasm,  motivation and interest of the children. 

We have received an amazing welcome everywhere. It will be very hard to go back to the UK and face classes of 30 children, some of whom don't  want to be there. As well as meetings with school leaders who always have numerous complaints about the system, funding etc. Having witnessed settings that could not be further from the immensly privileged position we come from, it will be a challenge not to remind them that they really should be grateful for the opportunities and wealth of resources they have!

Hospice Jinja Second Day

Wendy and I were sent on different routes today. Wendy mainly saw young children and adults with HIV, and I saw mainly adult patients with a variety of cancers and HIV/Aids.

The family that touched my heart was the one pictured in this photo. Fred is 52 yrs old and was a new patient referee by the local village hospice volunteer. He has advanced submandibular cancer causing pain, weakness, inability to eat and he was struggling to swallow fluids. They have 8 children; 6 little ones ranging from around 2 to 9. Fred has been recommended palliative radiotherapy to ease his pain and help his quality of life, but he has not taken this up. When Esther, the hospice Jinja nurse, tried to find out why (apart from the usual being unable to pay for it), Freds wife carried in their 9 year old son with cerebral palsy. We then understood. Fred could not go to hospital because he’d need his wife with him to nurse and feed him (as is the case in Ugandan hospitals), however their 9 year old needs his mum at home. Their son cannot sit unsupported, he has contracted limbs and no equipment to help him or his mum. What an amazing woman caring for her family in such challenging circumstances. Please pray for them.

NVI Nursery

Today, (Wednesday) we visited NVI nursery. We had another opportunity to take a class. Completely different style of teaching from back home; lots of repetition and singing rhymes. We had the opportunity to teach them phonics, and Doreen the top class teacher showed us how clever they were. When we sang our English songs she recorded us to recreate with the children later. They had a lovely time, as did we. Sarah was amazing at engaging them in nursery rhymes with actions. We left after whipping them up in a frenzy with Eddie's lollies, bubbles and balloons. I’m not sure who was more exhausted at lunch, us or them. 

The class moto is

"I am the leader, others will follow" 

The need to be assertive and push yourself forward is something that stood out.

Macedonia Vision Africa

Our visit to MVA (Macedonia Vision Africa) was wonderful. It was great to meet Christine and her baby Rose, that I have heard so much about. We delivered gifts from back home and had lunch with them before having a tour of the facilities and hearing their plans and vision. Hearing about the slum families, their income and meeting the children was a massive eye opener. Such poverty is hard to take in and I found myself taking a walk away to let the tears fall. You feel so helpless and want to do so much more in the little time we are here. Just before we left the teens came back from school and started rehearsing for church the next day. Beautiful singing, joy and passion in their hearts for our amazing all giving God. Thanking him for the prayers he answers. It really was immensely humbling.

Yunisu's family home - another perspective

We set off from Jinja around 2pm to visit Yunisu and his family at their village. Yunisu is a long term friend of UgandAid, who have supported him and his family for some years (See previous blogs for more info).

When I had been told that I was able to visit a village, I had no idea what to expect. All I knew is that it would not be like the village I grew up in in Lancashire - Green Haworth if you’re interested near Accrington- or the villages of North Cheshire with its quaint t-shops.

Going anywhere in Uganda is always interesting, with cars, trucks, taxis and Boda - Boda (motorbike taxis) on the roads, but going down the road to Yunisu’s village could be categorised as extreme off road driving! It was like going into the heart of Delamere Forest, the roads are sandy tracks with large channels cutting across it formed by water from the heavy rain. Either side of the track had the usual assortment of tiny wooden shacks and buildings, including a table of cow intestines and flies next to the door of a butchers. We must have travelled for a further 20 mins passing huts and a few schools along the way - a large grassy area which had a makeshift climbing frame for the children which they shared with some cattle. It was a bumpy ride - Steve is a Master driver - and as the houses got further and further apart, we arrived at Yunisu’s.

We were greeted by his niece, Florence, a bright eyed 9 year old, and his mother and father. Their nephew aged 6, two further nieces 10 and 14, their mum Feraday, a nephew John, were all gathered (along with a turkey and chickens). 

Greetings are very important in Uganda so we took gifts with us of rice, sugar, soap and chocolate; the children were overjoyed with 2 pens and post it notes. There was no evidence of toys apart from a water bottle with string round it and a picture of John in chalk drawn by one of the little ones. So very different to how we would have spent our Saturdays with the array of entertainment we have back in the UK. Their house is tiny, 4 adults and 4 children/teens sharing the space with Yunisu in a separate block with a damaged door following a burglary last year. The house is a simple wooden frame house with clay soil pushed in and dried, the kitchen is a lean to of corrugated iron.  Feraday was cooking some food which I think was Matoke - a savoury plantain dish cooked in banana leaves. I asked if I could go into the kitchen where she was cooking on an open fire. The heat was about 40 degrees and there was smoke as well,  

hats off to her!! 

We found that they bury their dead in the garden, a short distance from the house. I asked if I could pay my respects to his eldest brother. I followed him as he led the way on his crutches across the uneven ground of his back yard. No beautiful landscaping here. It was very moving and it felt right him being there.

We left after about 40 mins not wanting to overwhelm them. We felt very humbled by the family and especially their commitment to each other as family. I’m sure I haven’t done this justice as it is really hard to put into words the assault on your senses and emotions. But I will leave you with this!

Yunisu, a disabled polio sufferer is supporting his family of 5 adults and 4 children, aided by the generous supporters of UgandAid. They gave us a parting gift of a rug made from leaves which would have taken 3 weeks to make - Christine Booth, a long term friend of the family was in tears.

Day 9 – the first of the schools visits

We thought we were getting accustomed to the heat in Uganda, but the humidity and intense heat really hit a number of us today – perhaps something to do with the day off yesterday – but doubtful!  After morning devotions and breakfast, we met in the garden to sort gift bags out for distribution to the new UGANDAID students on Friday, while 6 of us prepared to visit St Moses Day and Boarding School opposite NVI, which is twinning with Chudleigh CofE Primary School in Devon.  This is the start of 3 days teaching in schools that I have been most looking forward to…

Upon arrival, we were ushered towards the three nursery classes, who treated us to songs and dancing, before we gave out some teddies to the children and resources for the classes.  Leaving temporarily, ten of us returned in the afternoon for a school assembly, afterwards dispersing into classrooms to teach and observe lessons.  We taught letter writing to the eldest classes, and while we were prepared for a very low level of interaction, we were delighted with their participation, enthusiasm and overall comprehension and engagement, despite the initial reluctance amongst the older boys to get stuck into writing – some things are no different to the UK!  Some of us were spoilt (and in some classes the children were spoilt!) with some singing and dancing too.  We have some really interesting letters to bring back to Chudleigh, which will hopefully be the start of a fantastic reciprocal friendship between the two schools. 

Before we returned to the hotel, David had a meeting with Principle Edison from NVI to set up a link with Teign School in Devon. He was very enthusiastic about the possibilities that could come from the partnership and we look forward to hearing about how it develops in the future.   

As I sit here writing on the hotel balcony before dinner, the sweet sound of the first choir practice is rising from the garden below – NVI are in for a treat at next Sunday’s Service!

Day 8 - The Day Off!

Today was the much anticipated day off... Nine of us went kayaking, followed by lunch at the Jinja Sailing Club. For keen bird spotters, these few hours were a delight. In the first ten minutes we had seen more kingfishers than in our combined lifetimes! There were also cormorants, snake birds, pelicans, an ibis, an eagle and lots of kites circling above us throughout the few hours on Lake Victoria. We certainly didn't expect to see a gang of otters chasing a female across the river either! Paddling over the bubbling source of the Nile was an experience to remember... only 4258miles north along the longest river in the world to the mouth in Egypt! 
During lunch there was a spectacle like none I've witnessed before: literally thousands of bats flying erratically, only feet above us, appearing translucent with the midday sun shining through them from above. 
Afterwards some of us went into Jinja shopping, which again was an experience like no other; the sights, sounds and smells of the indoor market being a highlight!  Quite a few of us lost our ‘borda borda’ virginity too - returning to the hotel like true locals!
While some of us took the whole day off, a few went back to NVI to put the finishing touches on the classrooms, others went with the Jinja Hospice team to local communities to register new patients, and some went with their sponsored students to visit their families and experience some more of village life.
Finally, everyone convened for dinner at a local diner to finish off another fantastic day in Uganda!  

Yunisu's family home

On Saturday afternoon a group of 5 of us travelled to visit Yunusu at his home in Msenge. The journey took about 30 minutes along very rough and potholed dirt tracks, through villages with very poor, small homes. The closer to Msenge we got, some, like Yunusu's, were surrounded by small plots of land which provides their food. This is very much a subsistence lifestyle. When we arrived at the home we found a very basic mud structure with a couple of rooms and a kitchen shelter attached at the back. Next door was a small brick built house which is where Yunusu sleeps. The family were all there to greet us, 10 in all living in the two buildings including Yunusu's parents, sister, her 2 children and 3 cousins. They were waiting in the garden surrounded by lush vegetation, (avocado, coffee, pawpaw and much more) and inhabited by a variety of chickens and turkeys. If they don't produce it, they can't eat it. 

The overwhelming sensation was that of a close family with great love for each other. Yunusu is a truly amazing man. Life has thrown many significant challenges at him, but he has faced them with real strength of character and such a positive attitude. He is determined to provide for his family and to bring them out of poverty. 

Many in the UK in his situation would be heavily reliant on the welfare state, family and friends. However this is Uganda. If Yunusu doesn't help himself there is no national programme of support. 

They love he has for his family is sacrificial and he places their needs above his own. He suffers but does not complain. He works very hard and has plans to increase his income in various ways to provide a better life for those he loves. Yunusu's parents are now quite elderly but mumma got up and did a welcome dance for us. She obviously loves and respects UgandAid and is thankful for all that has been done to support her son. 

We were invited to sit on the benches while they sat on the floor. Nothing was too much for them. Once again it was humbling to spend time with people, who by western standards have nothing, yet value the visit of a group of white people so highly.

This short visit had  a significant impact on all of us. I would challenge anyone to spend even a short amount of time with the most vulnerable people in this country and not come way with a changed perspective on the equality of life in this world. 

Issac's Family

Issac is a former NVI student, sponsored by Geoff and Julie, who has gone on to further education thanks to the opportunity given to him by UgandAid. His parents are both HIV positive and are struggling, however, they still take care of the others less fortunate than them in the village. They are an example of strength and generosity to Issac and the rest of the family.

A small group of us were invited to visit Issac’s family and home. The village is in

Masese, a slum area 30min drive from Jinja; the roads are dirt tracks with large holes and no signposts, which made it a dramatic journey.

We received an ecstatic welcome. Issac’s mother and neighbour ran out with okukuba endulu (similar to red Indian hollo). Their home is a brick build house among mud hut out houses. It is small, with one living area, a kitchen and one bedroom for a family of 8. We all sat within the living room, with a group of intrigued children looking through the door listening quietly.

As traditional in Uganda, we brought presents of soap, sugar, salt, and pineapple. We were not expecting anything in return as we were just so grateful of the invitation and welcome we received. However, for a family that has nearly nothing, they brought us a large bunch of bananas, bottles of water and of soda! We were all so humbled by this.

Again, it is traditional for everyone to introduce themselves. When it was Issac’s time to speak, he told us about his and his families difficulties in the past, and how much Geoff and Julie’s sponsorship had helped them. It was a very emotional story. We also heard from Issac’s, mother, father and brothers, who had equally emotional stories of how thankful they are for Issac’s education which will help the whole family. It was clear how much love Geoff, Julie and Issac’s family have for each other -  Geoff and Julies’ wedding photo was hung on their wall. A few of the team also received presents which brought us to tears. They made us feel like part of their family and the community, repeating that we are welcome to come back and see them.

After group photos of everyone where taken, it was time to leave; with many handshakes, hugs, and okukuba endulu! The bumpy journey back was even more adventurous – we got the van stuck and some of the local community ran over to push us out. We got home still overwhelmed and blessed by the day.

Hospice Jinja

Wendy and I spent the day with the Hospice Jinja team. The day started at 8am and ended at 7pm. We started with team devotions, a discussion about patients seen on the Friday before, and then carried out some teaching with the team in the form of a quiz.

One team went to the north of the Burgosa region for 3 days. Wendy and I went out with another team to Inganga, about an hour from Jinja on the road to Kenya. 

We visited a health centre, hospital and then 8 patients - all within very rural communities. Even the 4x4 we were in struggled with some of the dirt tracks we traversed.

We met Christopher and his wife (one of our patients); he had been diagnosed late, as most Ugandans are, with prostate cancer and was paralysed from a spinal cord compression. He welcomed us with such a big smile and was thrilled we’d visited with the team. He had pain from waist to toe. The team didn’t have the right drugs to give him but we managed to find something that would help. We met three men in total, all diagnosed late with prostate cancer and spinal cord compression, meaning they were bed bound and being cared for by their families. 

We saw a 36 year old woman who has 3 daughters, the youngest being only 1year old. She has HIV & AIDs and anaemia. I couldn’t bear to take a photo of her because she was so emaciated. We provided iron tablets and the team will follow her up in 2 weeks.

We visited Namassi who’d had surgery to her face for maxilla cancer, but it had reoccurred and was distorting her face causing her pain, and was also finding it hard to eat. As well as painkillers the hospice provided her with some porridge. Her young grandchildren were fascinated at the Musungos visiting!

We’re back out again tomorrow for another day on the road with the team.

Day 7 - Sunday Service and Games Galore!

Thinking we had seen a lot of the differences Uganda had to offer already, Sunday threw up a whole new experience altogether: Sunday Service! Being raised a Catholic, where church is very much a ‘sedate’ affair and participation is limited to call and repeat style prayers; stand, sit, kneel in unison; with a few formal hymns thrown in to ‘liven’ things up a little – a 50 minute service sometimes feels like an eternity first thing on a Sunday morning.  This was quite the antithesis!  As we arrived we could hear a chorus of gospel music coming from the hall, and upon entering, there were hundreds of people singing, sitting, swaying, arms in the air, dancing the isles, and another 30 or so on stage, all of whom appeared completely lost in the moment.  It took everything to not just freeze at the door, turn and run away – this was so out of my comfort zone!  

As we were ushered to our seats, I quickly sat down and decided to take in as much as possible – literally anything goes here; the formality and rigidity of Mass being a world away, which I guess is half true!  The song we arrived to seemed to go on for an eternity, another 15 minutes at least I reckon, although it is hard to be accurate with timings as the clock got stuck on 9:35 for ‘God knows how long’! We were then welcomed by the pastor, who invited us all on stage to introduce ourselves one by one, which wasn’t as intimidating as it may sound, as the congregation were so welcoming and gave each one of us such a warm response.  The service then proceeded with various choirs, dance groups and a visiting pastor, who spoke for over an hour, with anecdotes that would make any Bazungu’s (foreigner) jaw hit the floor – from children being preyed upon at school and his father’s battle with AIDS, to life as the son of Idi Amin’s bodyguard and how that all came crashing down and his subsequent journey to finding Jesus.  All in all, the service went on for over 3 hours, but it was a whirlwind in comparison to a normal Sunday Mass.

After a pizza buffet for lunch (could this day get any better!?) we headed to the source of the Nile, where an afternoon of games was planned with the 150 or so UGANDAID students.  Without a doubt, this will be an afternoon I remember forever.  To witness the initial shyness and reluctance in the students to participate in these strange games (Ladders, Fishes in the Sea, Egg & Spoon races, Rock-Paper-Scissors Relay, Splat etc.), transform into sheer competitiveness and hysteria, I can only describe as a joy!  After a soda, cake and ice-cream, we then had the chance to mix informally:  I was on a personal quest to find students sponsored by Bowdon Church School, and some sponsored by individual teachers too.  I loved hearing about their progress and aspirations for their futures, and they seemed to enjoy hearing about my family and life back in the UK and Ireland.  During a discussion about gymnastics and my efforts to teach cartwheels during PE lessons, an impromptu showcase began from a select number of the gym squad at NVI – risk assessments and safety procedures eat your heart out – this was not a display for the faint-hearted – and I believe there is even more to come on sports day next Friday!

Meeting these students, hearing their personal accounts of life at NVI and how sponsorship has utterly changed their outlook and aspirations, and their families, would move even the most sceptical doubter as to the impact a relatively small charity like UGANDAID can have.  This has truly been an eye-opening, life-changing experience for me – and while I miss my family greatly, my only fear is that as each day draws to a close, the flight home gets a day closer!