..such a long time

..yes we are still here and not been sucked into some black hole or a ugandan version of the bermuda triangle!!...still enjoying living and working in the pearl of africa...theres so much to be grateful for and one of these is the rain, though it came late..it is now here and everything is looking helathy and even my car looks a bit cleaner!!...Investment Year is drawing to a close and the last few weeks/months have been busy with one of the highlights being the opportunity to bless a friend of New Hope who had recently been attacked in her room, so we redecorated for her.....Note the special headwear needed for painting in Uganda!!
..Exam season just finished here with our S4(yr11) children doing their O levels, with them now relieved after a year of reading.....reading....reading...now they can catch up on some sleep, i've really enjoyed teaching the life skills once a week..and should be a great group for Investment Year next year. Four children from Calvary family have just completed their PLE, the end of primary school exam you need to pass to go onto to secondary school, lots of pressure then!! they can at least relax now until the results are due!!
...for those interested here are pigs (Tom, Jason, Daisy), when i tell our Ugandan friends our pigs have names it always gets a laugh!!Joel, Anya & Silas are doing well....amasing to think they are in Yr6, and 3 (where does the time go?) Silas also enjoys joining in school, can be a bit of a distraction i think!!

...chef

Maybe there's more than one chef in the family!..Today has been a good day for rain, which is well needed, and hopefully a few more days...football tournament yesterday, our boys did really well and heart breakingly lost 1:0 in the semi final, with near enough the last kick of the game! i was proud of them as they had already played 4 games in one day to get that far and their commitment and attitude were first rate, even when in the semi, one of the opposition thought it was boxing and started to jab and move like an expert, landing a few punches as he did, my players were very controlled, it was the spectators we struggled with as a few charged on to join the fun!! Who says football doesn't matter!! it seems to wherever you are Uk or Uganda!!

..school trip

do you remember school trips? i can remember one when i was in primary school!! we went to the natural history museum, it was so cool going on a bus and then seeing the dinosaus and the blue whale....what a memory.

This week, before Joel starts year 6 and Anya year 3 ,
we did a Uganda history day, we went to the museum, the independence and commonwealth monuments and finally the kasubi tombs (burial places of the last 4 Kabaka's, kings of Buganda)...it was a fun day which of course also included ice cream!! Joel just said he's favourite bit was the museum and Anya liked the traditional houses at the museum, i liked the tombs...they even had a stuffed leopard which had a pet to one of the kings!!...one of the kings had 84 wives!!...leave you to make any comments, wise cracks!!....
What is scary is that Joel is no to his last year of primary!!

. St George

..Some American friends of ours son, who loves to wrap himself in the cross of St George...
what taste i say!!

...marshmallows,

Marshmallows...don't you love them? well i do...tonight we were going to a fire outside and toast marshmallows...but it is raining, so as we are English we won't let a little rain stop us, so decided to toast them inside over candles!!
The family first had to get used to the taste and consistency of marsmallows and then to toast them without turning them into little squashy pieces of charcoal!!
..fun had by all.....................

leon...

..one of my favourite funny films is 'Leon the pig farmer'...very funny, if you haven't seen it, go and see it, it involves a jewish man and a pig farmer!! honest it will make you chuckle...talking of pigs, we have just bought the kids a piglet each and as a family we are venturing into pig farming...what i know about pig farming....well.....lets see what happens...we now have 2 females and 1 male..so breeding is an option...i think? the kids have already given them names (Daisy,Jason, Tom)the smart ones will have noticed that there are 2 boys names!! I don't think Silas has got the idea of male/female names yet and his pig is named in honour of Thomas the tank engine.


Amasing what you can do with a pile of sand!!

..feeling grotty

Well Kathryn has been away since the 17th and is back very soon...since she has been away we have survived (just!!) think we might have watched more movies and eaten more sweets than normal!! Joel got malaria and had it really bad but is better now even though a little and even i seemed to have picked up a fever which makes me sweat a lot (how nice!!)...
Chris & Jonathan now with us(from derby) for a month and hopefully they will a great experience of Uganda...Came with KLM, via many cities on the way, they left birmingham at 5am and arrived 11.30pm in Entebbe, safe to say they were exhausted...funny how just sitting and eating can do that to you...
All looking forward to wife and mums return.......

..fun in the sun..

....It is so, so gr8 to have friend visiting, Mark, Ben, Ian and Matt have been in Uganda for the last 10 days, and with Joel K as well!
..honest it wasn't all swimming!! but when the opportunity came we took it!!
..the guys did lots of meetings, but always did a great job....We really appreciated spending time with good friends where you can just kick back and relax...and even sitting in a meeting and hearing Mark preach...and being reminded how good he is...
Joel K did so well and enjoyed the open space and being able to shoot arrows all over the place...and yes he managed to get it on the plane...
Over the last few days we laughed so much with the guys, especially around losing weight (talk to ian about how he judges whether he has lost weight!!)...
Thanks chaps for coming...it was so good to see you....

..signs of the times..

In town the other day, sitting in traffic as is often the way...and while passing the time, couldn't resist taking pictures of these signs you would never see in the UK!! Now this is a miracle drug/herb as these arn't the only signs you will see as others promise increase for all parts of the body!! and even some reductions!! The amasing thing it is the same phone number for both gain amd reduction...How does that work??

...meetings

ng
w
.....anybody who knows me, knows i'm not the biggest fan of meetings..and that could be putting it mildly!! But as in most things things are a little different in Africa!! Yes we have meetings but at least we can meet outside under a tree etc...the good thing about this is that constantly through the meeting we are always on the move to keep out the sun...so even though at the beginning of the meeting the circle is nice and big ..you soon know if its a long meeting as by the end the circle is very small and you are nearly sitting on each other laps!! The other one, which also happened yesterday afternoon was you set up outside and everything starts ok..and then out of nowhere the rain comes and its a mad
dash to the nearest shelter!! So sometimes even meetings can be entertaining!!

..sound of music

...yesterday was a very exciting day for us all...New Hope have released our first cd (wonderous love)..it's been along time coming but it has certainly been well worth the wait....Grace and our children have done a fantastic job and i may be biased but it is very good...To launch we had singers from Kampala, one of them being particularly famous (well i was told he was!!)...he was very good and got us all dancing and tapping our feet.....it is available on cd and tape!! and you never know it may be on download very soon!! keep your eye on I tunes...
the internet has improved slightly even though i am typing this 100 metres from my house sitting outside the school trynig to be perfectly still so as to stay online....

..computers..

...Computers don't you love them?.....they can be the best but when they won't do what they are told they can soon become very frustrating..2 weeks ago a team came to make the wireless internet system here better, unfortunately it seemd to suddenly become a whole lot worse and i have not been able to get anywhere near connected for 2 weeks...i am now sitting under the wireless tower and still struggling for it to get connected!!
but i really shouldn't compain as a few years ago you had to go at least 12 miles to make/receive phone calls...so the frustration is all relative..

----------------
Now playing: Madness - One Step Beyond (live)
via FoxyTunes

Waiter, Waiter.....

...you know how it goes, Waiter, Waiter there's a fly in my soup........(feel free to fill in the punchline!). Well the other day one of our girls bought me a whole plate of flying ants and no sign of soup!! The family (Calvary) had got up at 2am and spent the next few hours collecting buckets of these things....you can eat them raw but they are so much better cooked!! I was very appreciative of the gift and can honestly say i didn't eat the whole plate, had a few!!
...enjoy your dinner!!

..life

March 2009


This week we heard the best excuse ever for being late for school, one you will never hear in the UK….”sorry I was late but we think we heard a leopard and we didn’t want to disturb it so we ran home…… quietly, and waited until we were sure it was gone.” How cool is that excuse! Who cares if it is true or not - it was a beauty!!

For the last year Kathryn has taken over the running of the 6-12 year olds children church. This often consists of a group of about 80, outside on the grass, seeking shelter under the nearest trees. It is very enjoyable as well as a challenge due to big numbers, limited (or no) resources, and the language barrier - our Luganda is not great unless you want to keep greeting or else buy tomatoes and onions!! She has built a good team of helpers from our secondary aged children who live here at New Hope. She has also started to visit some of the families of children from the village every other Sunday afternoon.

Chelsea fans get everywhere!

We were introduced to Silas at the new Hope baby House and since then we have always felt a strong connection to the place and the babies there. Silas has too - he will always manage to pray for the baby house even when saying grace. The coordinator of the baby house left recently and until a new one is found, Kathryn is helping to cover some of the roles that need to be covered. This involves spending time up at the baby house with Hope and Blessed (the two ladies who run Hope House on a daily basis), giving some level of spiritual and moral support, making sure that they have the supplies they need and generally trying to be friendly! We appreciate these two ladies and think very highly of them – they constantly serve, and sacrifice for the little babies who are there.

In the early adulthood section which Steve coordinates, the beginning of the year has been a whirlwind and it seems like 5 minutes since the year began! At the beginning of February we always run a youth week for our P7 who have a big exam year. Our theme this year was “Seeking the face of God”. The goal of the week is to experience God as father, set priorities, have fun, get wet and eat food …and to build good relationships with the children. What a week! Exhausting but great fun, impacting for the children and we pray it makes a difference for their year ahead.






Investment year also kicks off at the same time. This year we have 16 young people aged between 17 and 21. Our goal is to invest in them in many ways - for their future, as well as now. The investment year is such a privilege to be involved in as we see the young people change, and gain new skills and confidence.

Throughout the year the young people get the opportunity to learn computer skills, have some driving lessons, handle money wisely, read the bible consistently, and run a small business. At the moment they are all working in different parts of New Hope, teaching, nursing, accountancy, secretarial jobs, receptionists and surveying. Later in the year they will have the opportunity to work in places in other parts of the Country …. and even other East African Countries, in a variety of jobs.
I got my hair braided – it took Aunty Gertrude a whole day and a bit. It really hurt. When we went swimming last w/e I learnt to dive without holding my nose. Every Friday morning we go up to the baby house and I am learning how to get them dressed and bath them….there is a baby called Jeremiah who is really cute. There are 6 babies there at the moment who have been orphaned.

A few weeks ago everyone at New Hope harvested maize…as you can see I was crucial to the whole operation. I am now potty trained and still like beans and rice.
In school I am learning about World War 2…..it is really interesting. Some of my friends and I are making a film on their video camera…..it is called ‘Last of the Ninjas.’ I am counting the days until Joel K comes.........it is going to be so exciting. Two weeks ago I cut my fringe and it is still trying to grow!





Remember – Uganda is a very nice place to visit! You are all welcome…though maybe not all at the same time!

Steve, Kathryn, Joel, Anya and Silas

..sorry i'm late...

..i was often late for school and had a whole book of excuses, sorry the bus was late, alarm clock broke, my brother took my tie, got locked in the house etc...
well an excuse you wouldn't hear is one i heard today at our school here....2 girls arrived late for school and when asked why were they so late, they replied.."on our way to school, we think we stumbled upon a leopard!! we didn't know what to do so we crept back home as quiet as we could so as not to disturb it!! we waited at home until we thought it had gone!!
What an excuse....was it true? who knows, but i hope so because it is such a good one...

(there is a leopard in the picture!!)

...oo aar down at the farm...

...at a farming seminar the other, day....i know..don't ask, farming gods way...all the way from south africa, even though i think started in Zimbabwe...well the plan was to take our investment year to pass on to them new skills and also see what we can take in to the local community and also here at new hope...Uganda is so fruitful or has the potential to be, we have 2 harvests a year!! but generally the yield is not so good...its all about involving God in farming and treating the earth/soil with respect! also doing things with the highest standard, and no ploughing or burning....well we are trying a little 6 x 6 attempt amd we will let you know...maybe it is the start of a whole new career!!

...whew.

..this last week, has been our annual P7 week...this is a week of youth activities for our top end of primary school (yr 7 in UK)..Their year is huge as they have big exams at the end of the yeat (PLE) which they have to pass to go to secondary school and therefore lots of pressure, and so a week of building relationships, having fun, seeing what God thinks about them seems like a good idea....and so armed with lots of games involving water, string, food and team work we set off on the week...during the week we also repaired someones house, dug in a garden and constructed a temporary shelter as well as some line dancing, footy, wide games and movies (raid on entebbe), gr8 fun and pretty exhausting...but we survived...