Silas in a skirt!

One of Silas’ friends here in Kampala is Christine - she lives next door, and since completing her O-levels 2 weeks ago, has been around a lot more. She is a lot of fun, and has taken the time to play with Silas which is great for us. Although Silas is doing well and doesn’t seem to get too bored with just his dad and mum around(!), he really does miss the friends he made at New Hope. Afternoons can sometimes seem long as he waits for Joel and Anya to get back from school...so - we are very thankful for Christine ...and any grass skirts that Silas chooses to wear!

Sunday lunchtime is a good time to get together....and people come when there is food on offer - especially students!! For those of us further on in life - do you remember the days craving a home made dinner, which, when it came (as a change from the student staple of beans on toast) was like a taste of heaven? We are hoping to invite young people who have been through New Hope and are now in Kampala studying at university, doing A-levels, or taking vocational courses, to come for a meal every now and again.

A chance to reconnect with their ‘brothers and sisters’ from New Hope, for us to catch up with them, and of course to eat!

One thing that can be lacking for an orphan is the ongoing interest that key adults take in you as you progress through life. Some of the children we live and work with become very self dependent because they are so used to having to make decisions alone, and are not used to having people take a long term interest in how they are doing. This is something that we feel we can offer as ‘parents’ in their lives. It is low key but helps them feel valued and known.

another saturday morning

Our numbers have hugely reduced now that the Investment Year students have finished their final placements and gone back to New Hope.. this saturday even Steve was away - he was also at New Hope to run the 'hand-over'. When one IY finishes those students hand over to the next group - it's a chance to tell stories from the year, eat a meal together, and pass on information to the parents / guardians of the incoming students.

The house here was very quiet anyway...and Joel, Anya and Silas were on cooking the saturday morning pancakes. They are cooking with charcoal on a sigiri as it has become something of a challenge to find gas in Uganda lately. It is one of the items that has doubled in price in the last 8months. Anyway - cooking outside is a lot more exciting!