see you Teacher Grace!

 Blessed Word Children's Club
Last Friday we had our last kids club at the lovely Blessed Word of Life Church. All five of us gappers, plus Moses and Nic were there to say farewell. We started with lots of songs and games and I even led a song in Luganda! 

Setting up before the children arrived

Singing

Playing 'under over'

We sat the children down and explained to them that we were going back to England and showed them a world map so they could see Uganda and England. Some of the children then did little performances for us - singing and dancing - one of the boys who comes every week sung us a goodbye song and burst into tears! Then we cut the cake and shared it round as well as some biscuits and bananas.

Group photo

Cake!

Afterwards we had a little bit of time just playing with the children. Bubbles and balloons and cuddles! Then we gave each child a bracelet as a goodbye present (some of which had been sent to me by 1st Northampton Girls' Brigade - thank you!). Some of the older girls started crying when it was time for us to leave which tugged on our heart strings for sure! The children at Blessed Word are so lovely and we will certainly miss them. 

Us with some of the Blessed guys

Farewell Party
On Saturday afternoon we had a party at the Smile House for all our friends and the people that we've been working with over these months. I love the parties here at the house as it's always a lovely day full of music and laughter - and food! Towards the end of the party they made each of us give a short speech before we had cake! I have made such wonderful friends out here and can't even imagine how much I'm going to miss them all. 

Hassan

Anna and I showing Hassan how to do the 'Essex pose'

Jon

Teacher Monica and Teacher Ruth from RMC

Bosco

Equator Trip
After church on Sunday we headed for the Equator! 2 hours and 7000 shillings later we arrived in the Southern hemisphere! It was good to see a bit more of the country and do something a bit more touristy!

Equator selfie 

Retail Therapy

On Monday morning we went to visit one of the widows, Susan. She makes jewellery for a living and we went round to buy some presents for our loved ones back home. The four of us girls were in absolute heaven when she brought out bags and bags of necklaces and bracelets! Jon was not so interested! It was great to get some gifts to take home and also support one of the widows we have come to know and love. The rest of the day was spent in Kampala at the craft markets!

beads, beads and more beads!

 Ruth Mother Care
On Tuesday we went to school for a farewell presentation. My Girls' Brigade company back at home had raised money to buy sports equipment for the school and so we were able to use that. We showed the children and teachers how to use the various things; beanbags, eggs and spoons, dice and balls! It was lots of fun and the children really enjoyed the races and games, Teacher Ruth was also eager to have a go! We saved the best til last with the parachute. The children were so excited by it and we had to keep an eye on lots of baby class members as they kept running underneath! As it's dry season here, the excitement of the children + the parachute = a lot of dust being whipped up!!

Teacher Ruth balancing a beanbag on her head for the race!

Beanbag races with middle class

Egg and spoon race with top class

Parachute fun

After break, the children put on a performance for us. They sang to us and performed some dance routines which was so lovely. It included a song that said goodbye to each of us individually. We have really fallen in love with this school and I wish we could stay and work there!

On Wednesday we went to the zoo with Ruth Mother Care.

Photos will follow!

Tomorrow we have the last children's club at FBC and I think it's going to break my heart!

Isaiah 43

This week, this chapter has popped up several times. On Monday at the hospital, a patient's sister read it to us, then at LT Warriors, one of the guys read it to end the session. It also came up in devotions, so I think God is trying to remind me of something! I thought I would share it with you...

"Israel, the Lord who created you says,

"Do not be afraid - I will save you,

I have called you by name - you are mine.

When you pass through deep waters, I will be with you;

your troubles will not overwhelm you.

When you pass through fire, you will not be burnt;

the hard trials that come will not hurt you.

For I am the Lord your God, the holy God of Israel, who saves you...

you are precious to me and I love you and give you honour.

Do not be afraid - I am with you!" 

Isaiah 43: 1-5

I also had a look at the Message version...

But now, God’s Message,

    the God who made you in the first place, Jacob,
    the One who got you started, Israel:
“Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you.
    I’ve called your name. You’re mine.
When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you.
    When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down.
When you’re between a rock and a hard place,
    it won’t be a dead end—
Because I am God, your personal God,
    The Holy of Israel, your Savior.
I paid a huge price for you:
    all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in!
That’s how much you mean to me!
    That’s how much I love you!
I’d sell off the whole world to get you back,
    trade the creation just for you.

I think this is pretty apt for me at the moment and a lot of my family and friends back home. God encourages us, He will not leave us.

(can't believe i'm saying this...) The Beginning of the End...

1st June
We kicked off June with a little lady's birthday. Berindah is the daughter of one of the local volunteers and she was turning 3! We gave her a little dress which she was so excited about and showed it off with her 'model walk' round the house! We love being her honorary Aunties and Uncle. 

3rd June

It was Martyrs Day here in Uganda so we all got a much needed day off. Susie, Anna, Kathryn, Olivia and I went into Kampala for a touch of retail therapy. The four of us girls then went to Cafe Javas for (very, very, very) big slices of cake! It was nice to spend some time together where we weren't thinking about work. It made me realise how grateful I was for my team and how God has blessed us with such close friendships.

 5th June
Thursday brought along community outreach. We love this time of the week. This Thursday we had chosen some families to bless with aid so we split into two groups and went to their homes. I was with Nic, Kathryn and Anna and we firstly visited Fatumah, Hadijah and Letifa. Fatumah and Hadijah are two little girls who come along to children's club every week and are so full of smiles and giggles. Letifa was born only a month or two ago and she's very tiny! They had their cousin, Gaddafi, staying with them. We gave them each a new pair of shoes and a tshirt. We thank God that he gave us this opportunity. 

We were due to visit Michael, Evas and Vicky's family next. As we were walking towards their house all the children started telling us that they weren't there anymore. We asked around and found out that their Mum had taken them to the village. I was sad to hear this as Michael has a special little place in my heart (I wrote a blog about him previously) but I know it's for his best interest. Please hold this family in your prayers as they are going through a tough time. 

4th, 10th, 11th June

School! We are thoroughly enjoying our time at Ruth Mother Care and can't bear to think that we only have 4 days left there. Susie and I are still working in Nursery class and are making our way through the phonics. Over these two weeks we have tackled 'z' 'q' 'v' 'x' 'ch' and 'sh'... with some interesting results! We are only there two days a week but we can always see evidence that Teacher Monica and Ruth are revising what we have done during the rest of the week and using the phonics in other lessons. I still get bemused when one of the children brings me their work and they've filled the gap of "_ _ eep" with "xr" instead of "sh". Just HOW did you get that answer? The A-Z of animals is as popular as ever (as you can see with the photo of Teacher Susannah). We're now working out what to prioritise in our last four days at the school :(

12th June

We had picked out a few more families to bless this week. Susie and I went with Moses to visit George and Innocent to give them some new shoes. We then went to see Tina who has become my little shadow over the past few months! Her mum is 8 months pregnant so we pray for her safety in her final month and delivery! We love spending time in the FBC community.

 We may be in another continent, but that didn't stop us from supporting England last night in the World Cup! Due to the time difference, the match didnt start until 1am here and we eventually went to bed just after 3! Unfortunately, England were beaten by Italy which made getting up at 7am for church that bit more difficult! 

I cannot believe how quickly the last few months have flown by. It absolutely breaks my heart to think about leaving this wonderful country. 2 weeks of work left... can we go back to October?

Devotions - John 21:1-14

John 21

Jesus appears to seven followers (v 1-14)

This chapter begs a question – why have the disciples gone back to fishing after Jesus has commissioned them? We would expect them to be going out and spreading the Good News, as Jesus had told them to do, but instead they have gone back to how they were before they met Jesus. However, we also have to take into consideration the fact that the disciples have just been on a roller-coaster of emotion. Jesus, not only their best friend, but their Lord and Saviour was sentenced to a horrific death on the cross, before he rose again three days later. Casual. The disciples were probably all a bit dazed, a bit overwhelmed and unable to decide what to do next. It’s understandable that they chose to return to somewhere familiar where they could reflect on what had just happened. They head back to the lake and Peter decides that he is going to go fishing, and the others follow. Everyone has to eat after all! And this is where Jesus appears to them. This is a reflection of his character.  When we are confused or stuck or overwhelmed, God comes and meets us where we are. We don’t have to put on an act or change into our Sunday best to encounter Jesus. He finds us, just as we are. It says on one commentary I read “Here is the simple truth, that when we are uncertain what to do we should simply do our duty and God will guide.”

The disciples have, up until this point, been largely unsuccessful at catching any fish. When Jesus appears, he calls to them “throw your net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some”. This isn't a suggestion or an idea, it’s a promise. Throw your net to the other side and you will find fish. Jesus continues to make promises to us today. Follow me and I will lead you through my plan. Find refuge in me and I will give you peace. Apologise for what you've done wrong and I will forgive you. Jesus always fulfills his word and it always works out for our good.

The disciples decide to obey what Jesus has told them. They catch so many fish they can barely haul the net back into the boat. When the disciples worked alone, relying only on human strength, they came back empty handed and discouraged. But when they listened to Jesus, they received abundantly, their nets full to bursting. Their work was fruitful beyond what they could imagine. This points to a very important lesson of being a follower of Jesus – without Him, we can do nothing. Earlier in chapter 15:5, Jesus tells the people “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing”. We should seek God’s guidance in everything we do and carry out his work. The idea that without God, we can do nothing, might be taken a tad negatively. So if I try something alone, it will be rubbish? But remember Jesus’ promise in Matthew 19:26 “with God all things are possible.” If we work alongside God we will be able to do so much more and he will reveal things to us that we never would have discovered alone. With the promise of fruitful labour and endless possibility – why would we choose not to work with Him? Following God’s plan seems so much more exciting than remaining within our human limitations.

When the disciples reach the shore, there is already fish cooking on hot coals and bread for them to eat. Jesus has prepared breakfast for them, showing us the character of God. He is not just a big, powerful God who orders us around and shoots down lightning bolts. He is so much more, he is caring and servant-hearted (remember when he got down and washed his disciples’ feet?). He is also our provider, all we have has been given to us by God. If he cares for the birds that are worth no more than a penny, we can be sure that he cares for us abundantly. His provision is always enough. Another quote about the passage I like is “Jesus now appears to another partial gathering of the group, an appearance that reveals the same key characteristics as we manifested throughout the ministry, namely his lordship, his servant hood, his character as gracious giver of abundance and his love. He has met his disciples at a point of failure and revealed himself as the awesome Lord of creation who cares for them.” (Bible Gateway)

May Highlights

11th May

On the Sunday afternoon, the dance group at church held their annual concert. I am the newest member of the 'LT Warriors' and Anna and Kathryn also go. I was only in two dances and therefore took on the role as backstage runner! I basically ran around the whole church for about three hours, looking for dance groups and youth leaders and presenters and sound desk guys and the LT Warriors themselves! All good fun! The concert went really well and the guys are such talented dancers. We have made such great friendships within LT and are so grateful for the fellowship we can share with them.

20th May

We've come to love Tuesdays and Wednesdays as it means we go to school! Ruth Mother Care is such a lovely school and we've built up such a relationship with them. The children are truly are joy to teach. 

I spend both days in Nursery class and we're still working on phonics and blending sounds to make words. The children are very good at remembering all the actions which is encouraging!

This is Kembabazi and her younger brother Patric. Kembabazi is in Top Class and is very bright. She has surprisingly good English and always calls the other children up on speaking Luganda, "Teacher! This one is speaking vernacular!". Patric is in Baby Class and is only 2 and a half! Whenever I ask for a volunteer to come up and write on the blackboard, he always wanders over and tries to join in. When Patric first joined the school he was a bit wary of us and our white skin, but now he's settled he happily gives us cuddles and beaming smiles.

Before the children broke up for Easter Holidays, we gave out school cardigans and new shoes (I'm pretty sure I blogged about it). It's so nice seeing all of them coming to school in their new things and their feet can now stay dry when it rains!

Talking of rain... On our way home we usually walk for about 20 minutes before getting a boda boda. Anna and KJ got the accelerator-junkie boda driver and so sped off home, Jon following on a second boda. Susie and I were at the back, only about two minutes behind. We weren't far from home when it started to rain. Now Uganda does not do rain by halves, when it rains, it RAINS. The Heavens opened and we just got soaked! At one point I couldn't even open my eyes from the amount of water pouring down my face. We couldn't stop laughing!

 23rd May

My favourite time of the week. Children's club at FBC! There were so many children this week that we took them outside for games and songs. The Hokey Kokey was so much fun and attracted a bit of an audience! I also got to show off my new luganda after I had learnt "I love you Jesus, deep down in my heart".

The story this week was of Barnabas, the blind man healed by Jesus. This month I am in charge of big class's story so I got some of them blindfolded and asked them to guess the object. They were much too good at it! Every week we learn a new memory verse and the children are a lot better at remembering them than me, even though they are learning it in their second language!

Girls with their colouring sheets

27th & 28th May

RMC. Tuesday started with phonics in Nursery Class. This lesson always finishes with the A-Z of animals pop-up book as the children adore it! We look up the letters we have been working on and see what animal is behind the window. You should hear how they squeal when the animal pops out! I always ask them to pick a few letters at the end and it's always interesting when they choose 'u' as the picture is a 'unicornfish'?!

After break, Susie led an art lesson! We did texture rubbing - where you put the paper over an interesting pattern, like a tree or bricks and use a crayon to imprint it on the paper. That wasn't a very good explanation but I'm hoping you know what I'm referring to. 

The children don't usually do activities like this but I think they really enjoyed it. They were super proud of their work anyway!

At lunchtime I sat down on a tree stump outside as the children were playing. Teacher Monica then told all the children to go and get their chairs as I was going to tell them a story! Ok! I went for Goldilocks and the Three Bears, which ended up being translated as the three birds... but they got the general idea.

It was a day of stories as I then told Nursery Class the story of Moses, complete with actions!

Today we are off to children's club. Please pray for the two clubs and the teams. I have been ill over the last couple of days so please pray for healing, I'm feeling much better today so praise God for that. 

Please continue to pray for the children we work with. A lot of them come from families living in poverty and only eat one or two meals a day. 

I will leave you with this photo of my wonderful Tina. This is what happens when you leave your sticker sheet out on the side at kids club!!