Trips and Team Changes

Sorry I haven't blogged for a few weeks! We have been continuing our routine (as I wrote in the last post) and it has been going well. A few new things have happened which I will catch you up on.

Last weekend Kathryn, Ken, Innocent and I took a trip to the equator which is only a two hour drive away from the Smile centre. Explains why it is so hot all the time! We had a nice day out and visited lots of shops with local crafts and gifts in them, which I enjoyed a lot as I am a shopper at heart! We also ate at a cafe called AidChild where all of their profits go to orphans with AIDS. And of course we took some photos...

Me, Ken and Kathryn

On both sides of the world!

Another new thing, this week a container of aid has arrived from the UK which has all been unloaded and is waiting to be sorted so we can distribute clothes, school supplies and other items to the people supported by Smile Charity Uganda. This includes school children, people in the slums and women at the sewing centre.

Also, we have had a new arrival and a great addition to the team! Tasha arrived from the UK on Saturday night and has been working with us gappers this week at Ruth Mother Care and in the slums.

Collecting Tasha from Entebbe Airport

She is here for 3 weeks and has some brilliant ideas for the work here. She has brought a lot of practical lessons to do at Ruth Mother Care, for example on Tuesday we did a lesson on plants with the older children (Primary 1-3) and they have all been able to make their own plant pot which they loved. The hope is the children will see them grow in a few weeks, but unfortunately it is the start of the wet season so there is too much water and no sun for them! Tasha also brought some rulers which the children could personalise, and then they could keep their own ruler which was a lovely gift for them. Most children don't have anything of their own so we feel this was a really good idea to teach them about looking after their belongings and also a nice gesture to make them all feel special, and proud of their ruler.

Tasha teaching at RMC

Tasha helping the children with their pots

Me helping with the plant pots

Kathryn helping with the plant pots

The finished pots

Primary 3 colouring their rulers

The children with their rulers

There's a mixture of emotions this week as it is Tasha's first week but also Ken's last week :'( Ken flys home tomorrow! Even typing that is crazy. Wow. He will be so missed by everyone here, especially Kathryn and I as we have been a little family of 3 for the last 6 months. He had his last day at Ruth Mother Care this week where we gave them the text books we have been fundraising for which was so lovely to do before he leaves. I will make a separate blog post next week for Ken's departure. 

If you could remember him in your prayers as he returns home and re-adjusts to life in the UK that would be great, thank you. And thank you all for keeping me and the team in your prayers, I can't say enough how lovely it is to have such a supportive church family behind me. 

Much Love to you all, and God Bless.