Kisaakye and some birthdays!

Last week we went to a village called Kayunga to work with Kisaakye Rehabilitation Centre. One of the Smile volunteers, Charles, also works with this charity that helps disabled children.

Monday - Travelling

On Monday we all piled into the car, surrounded ourselves with luggage and aid and headed off to the village. The journey was only about two hours and we were welcomed by lots of children who had come to see what was going on. We stayed in the centre which has no electricity or running water. In the girls' room we came up with genius techniques of hanging our mosquito nets up involving string, a pair of knickers and a light on a rope.

hanging up our nets

We went down to the bore hole to collect water and yes, the jerry cans were just as heavy as we'd remembered! Anna and Kathryn volunteered to be our chefs on the first night and we had rice and vegetables for dinner. Once it got dark, there was only so much we could do by candlelight so we ended up getting quite a few early nights over the week!

Tuesday - Mt Zion School

We arrived at the school in the morning and were shown round all the classes. Mt Zion school accepts both deaf and hearing children as well as children with disabilities such as muscular dystrophy and epilepsy. Susie and I ended up in the nursery section, Susie in Baby Class and me in Top Class. That morning I helped to teach a numeracy lesson on counting. I drew some triangles on the board and asked the children what they saw, to which they responded 'samosas'!
Before lunch we gave out aid. The school had noted the children who had been coming to school bare foot so firstly we went round and gave out shoes! I loved doing this and the children were so grateful. Then afterwards we gave out school equipment to all of the children like pens, pencils and toys to the younger ones. The children were so excited by this and it was lots of fun! We also gave out some tshirts to all the teachers who had been so welcoming to us.

Presenting aid to Mt Zion's Headteacher

Giving shoes to a girl in P1

The teachers with their new tshirts

Shoes for a girl in Baby Class

Wednesday - Home visits and Susie's birthday!

On Wednesday morning we went with Emma, a volunteer at Kisaakye Rehabilitation, to go and visit some children in their homes. The first boy we went to see was 12 year old Kato who has cerebral palsy and epilepsy. We found him lying on a mattress in a small, dark house. He was hungry as his mother had gone to work in the fields and could not feed him until the afternoon when she returned. Sadly, Kato had picked up the habit of biting his hand when he got hungry which has caused paralysis in his hand. Emma found some cassava and the girls helped to sit him up and feed him. I gave him a tshirt that I had been sent in the post and we prayed for him and left a nutrition pack. The home visits that Kisaakye Rehab carry out are so vital to ensure that the children are being properly cared for.

Anna and Kathryn helping to feed Kato

Secondly, we went to visit a five year old boy named Abdul. He also has cerebral palsy and two weeks ago, spent some time in hospital. In hospital, they put a feeding tube down his throat but this has caused some damage. Now he is home, he cannot eat without being sick immediately afterwards and has survived the past two weeks on just milk. He was so very tiny and every breath seemed to take all the energy in his body. It was heartbreaking to hear how the mother and grandmother have been struggling to care for him and can't take him to hospital again as it's just too expensive.

Emma and Abdul

We asked Emma how much the hospital fees would be for Abdul and he said around 40,000 Ugandan shillings, or £10. We all fell silent as we tried to comprehend the injustice we were witnessing. £10 could save this little boy from starving and yet in the UK we could spend that without thinking twice. We offered support to the family and are waiting to hear how Abdul is doing. Please keep him in your prayers. 

We then went to visit a one year old boy named Aamedi with hydrocephalus. Emma was teaching his parents how to hold him and support his head and neck and I was able to hold him for a short time. We prayed for God's provision for this family as Aamedi's parents try to find the money to take him to hospital so a tube can be fitted that will drain the fluid in from head. 

Aamedi

Aamedi's cute little smile after we gave him a new hat! (and his father)

The work that Kisaakye Rehabilitation does in this community is amazing and so vital to these children's lives. It's not always possible for these families to bring their children to the centre and so by visiting their homes they can still check up on the children and advise their parents on how to care for them with their various disabilities.

After a morning of work, we had some time off to celebrate Susie's 19th birthday! We got bodas down to Kalagala Falls which appeared out of nowhere are were so beautiful! We sat and ate lunch next to them and made sure Susie's got her traditional birthday soaking!

However when it was time to leave, we got caught in a rain storm, so Susie wasn't the only one soaked through! We walked for about 40 minutes back to the main road, followed at various points by groups of giggling children!

When we got back to the house we had dinner followed by 'birthday pineapple' for Susie! She did the honours by cutting it up - with a penknife I might add!

Birthday Pineapple

Thursday - Drop-in Clinic

Every Thursday Kisaakye Rehabilitation opens it's doors to children and young people who are suffering with a disability. The first girl we worked with had paralysis in her left hand due, caused by contracting malaria. They were encouraging her to use her hand and fingers by moving marbles and beans into pots.

I ended up working with a boy named Stuart who has cerebral palsy. They did some stretches with him before putting him into a frame that made him stand up straight. He kept his head to one side, so our job was to make lots of interesting sounds and movements to encourage him to turn his head and look at us! 

Stuart and his mother

Putting shoes on Stuart's feet so he could stand in the frame

Trying to encourage Stuart to turn his head

Friday - Mt Zion School

Our last day was spent back at school. Me and Susie swapped classes so I was in Baby Class where I drew out 40 odd cups in the children's books for them to colour in! The children in baby class are very young and were particularly intrigued by these funny looking white people!

"number one!"

At lunch time, the Top Class teacher asked if she could do my hair...

In the afternoon, the school had their elections for head prefects. When the new head boy and girl were announced, the children went crazy! They were dancing and jumping and cheering and hugging, it was so lovely to watch. It had been rainining earlier on in the day and all the activity led to lots of very muddy toes!

Mud!

Celebrating the new head boy

We all really enjoyed our week in Kayunga and it was nice to spend some time living away from all the technologies and luxuries we are used to. Collecting water from the bore hole is a daily reality for many people and I don't think I will ever take my kitchen tap for granted ever again! If you would like to find out more about the work of Kisaakye Rehabilition, this is their facebook page... www.facebook.com/kisaakye.rehabilitation

As you may or may not know, I celebrated my 19th birthday on Sunday 23rd. We went off to church in the morning and then got a boda boda home as a treat! Susie and I had then organised a joint birthday BBQ so we had some people from church round as well as some of Smile's volunteers. We had a really great afternoon and a mix between a Ugandan and British barbeque! We've made some amazing friends out here and it was so lovely to spend some time celebrating with them. (and in case you're wondering - yes they did get me soaked!)

Thank you to everyone back home who sent me post or messages, I really value your love and support.

God Bless x

Michael

On Thursday we went for community outreach in the slums. I was in a group with Moses and Kathryn and we went round to visit more new families. As we were chatting, we spotted a little boy who was watching us. He was just wearing a pair of shorts that were much too big for him and as soon as Moses asked his name he ran away. The other children with us told us his name was Michael so we called after him and went to visit his home. 
I took my shoes off and stepped through the curtain. Their home was made up of just one room that was the same size as our bathroom back at the house. On one side was a mattress, occupied by Michael's mother who is suffering with malaria. Next to her lay a tiny baby who has suspected measles, her name was Eva. She briefly opened her big eyes to look at me before drifting back to sleep, her small chest slowly rising and falling. On the opposite side of the room was a small charcoal stove and some pots and pans. Above me hung their wardrobe of clothes. This was it. I sat down on the floor, deeply humbled by what surrounded me. 
But before I knew it, Michael mistook me for a climbing frame and was sat on one of my shoulders before collapsing into my lap and a fit of giggles. I can honestly say that I have never met a 3-year-old with more energy. I immediately warmed to this little boy.
We sat a prayed for the healing of Michael's mother and baby Eva and then said goodbye to the family. Michael followed us round for the rest of our time there that afternoon and we invited him to children's club the next day.
On Friday we turned up to children's club and we were glad to see Michael come along for his first time. During our story of Elijah and Baal I needed to find some children to help me act out the fire. Michael, in his hyperactivity, was my first volunteer and I crowned him with a fire headband!

Our usual routine for kids club is to give out the biscuits at the end before sending the children home, or it turns into a bit of a riot. I waited til last to give Michael his biscuits so that I could take him to one side and give him a tshirt.

Moses then pointed out the box of shoes at the back of the church so I searched through that to try and find some that would fit his little feet. I found a black plimsole, but when I tried to put it on his foot he wiggled away from me and ran off. I kept searching and found a pair of pink converse and with a bit of persuasion we got them on his feet. He loved them!

I had a protein chocolate bar in my bag and decided to give that to Michael too. However when I handed it to him he batted it away. Maybe he didn't understand what it was. Moses then asked me to take Michael back home as I'd been to his house the day before. I once again offered him the protein bar and he took it... before throwing it into the ditch. As I watched it sink into the mud I was reminded of something.

God pours his blessings down upon me and has a plan set out for me yet I react in different ways. Sometimes, like with the tshirt, I will happily accept what God is giving or telling me. I am comfortable with it, it's nothing out of the ordinary and I willingly receive. However sometimes I'm a bit more reluctant. When I was trying to find shoes to fit Michael, he wasn't so keen. He ran away and scrunched up his feet before we talked him in to trying them on, and I'm like that too. Okay God, is this really what you want for me? I'm not sure I can do that. Uganda? For 9 months? I couldn't do that. I make excuses, I run away from God's will until I eventually realise that this is what is best for me. And as always, God was right from the start, I love what he has done in my life. Why didn't I listen to him from the start?

Unfortunately, I also react in the 'protein bar' manner. God says to me, this is my will for your life, and I say, no. No way. I bat the ideas away, throw them into the mud, I can't do that. I won't do that. And I can imagine God feeling the same as I did with Michael, "but I'm doing this to help you!". All I need to do is unwrap and delve into the plans and visions God has for me and I will discover the treasure inside! 

I'm sorry if this is cheesy or cliche, but these children teach me something (or more likely, God teaches me through these children) everyday and I'd love to share the blessings of these children with you. 

Please continue to pray for Michael, his mother, and baby Eva. Pray for God's provision in their lives and for the rest of the children and families in the slum. 

We are off to the village this week to work in a school for disabled children. Please pray for this too.

Thank you!

God Bless x

a few highlights..

Sorry! I know it's been a long time... "you've been lost" as they would say out here... so, where to start?
On Thursday we went into the slums to do a bit of community outreach. We were aware that we often visited the same families so we went with the intention of meeting some new people and going to new homes. I was in a group with Nic, Kathryn and Jon. We met and prayed with lots of new people. I always love this time as we can get to know the families of the children who cling to our arms and encourage them. This Thursday in particular involved a lot of piggybacks and running down hills. The children are so full of love and joy and I've learnt many lessons from them. They are not rich in the way the world views wealth, but they have an abundance of love and faith in our God and their riches will be overflowing in Heaven. 
In that community I have adopted a little shadow who doesn't leave my side while we are there. Her name is Juliana and she is incredibly beautiful and very very cheeky! She's the one on my back in the photo below. Last week I gave her a bracelet from my wrist and she gave me her ring - a ring pull from a carton of juice. These kids know how to steal my heart! 

Piggybacks!

Praying with a family

Yes, this is four children sitting on my lap at once!

This is Esther. I remember meeting her on one of our first visits to the slum. On her back is her younger sister Alice. I'm not sure I've ever seen Esther without her sister. She carries her round day in day out, cuddling her when she cries and feeding her. I can't imagine a young girl of Esther's age in England having the responsibility of caring for her baby sister. It's not unusual to find children caring for their younger siblings as their parents often go out to work and childcare is not really an option. Unfortunately, Alice is scared of white skin, but I often offer to hold the baby for a while so the older sibling can have a break (and I'm not complaining!). They should be able to run and play and laugh without the worry of a little brother or sister attached to their back. I guess it's just a challenge to see such a young child having such adult responsibilities. 

Early on Monday morning we were back off to the hospital. We had noticed last week that the children's ward could do with livening up so we took some pictures down to stick on the walls. Kathryn also gave out some bracelets to the children.

We saw a very poorly baby who was suffering with malaria. He was attached to an oxygen tank that towered over him and his breathing was very fast. We prayed with the mother for healing and a swift recovery. We also visited the pre-natal ward where we met a lady who was having contractions. During our prayer - she left to go and have her baby! It was very exciting!


On Tuesday and Wednesday we went to a new school called Ruth Mother Care. It only caters up to P2 and has two very lovely teachers, Teacher Ruth and Teacher Monica. Susie, Anna and I went to observe nursery class for the first half of the day and Kathryn and Jon were in P1 and P2. At break time we led some games with the children and introduced them to 'mingo mingo'! After break we took a lesson. Some of the children are too young to write so I took them outside and tried to do some phonics and letters with them - they spoke as much English as I speak Luganda!! At the end of the day we gave out toys and soap as a 'thank you for letting us visit your school'. I really enjoyed the day and we went back on the Wednesday where we taught some more lessons. We are looking into making this school another one of our Smile projects and I hope we can go back to teach there again.

The school building

Baby Class

Clearly engaged in our lesson!

Wednesday - teaching the sound "a"

These are just some of my highlights from the past week or so. We're off to the slums now so I will end there!
Thank you for all your prayers and messages of support.
God Bless x