rothwellsmission: February 2014

Along unfamiliar paths I will guide them

Isaiah 42:16

What a diverse, sometimes surreal and always interesting few days...

First first - Church weekend away with Kampala International Church

We had attended this church once, so unlike our weekends away with St Andrew's we knew hardly anyone, although made to feel very welcome.

The speaker was David Stroud from Christchurch London, who have partnered with KIC in the past and are great friends of the pastor and his wife. They brought a whole group of people from their church, including their worship band.

Great weekend of fellowship, many of the people we met are long term missionaries, working for NGO's or running businesses here, so lots of useful information soaked up by us and many friendships made.

We hope to get the opportunity to attend the church when we get in to Kampala every few weeks, but happy in the meantime to attend WTA church here, run by the students, which is also amazing – will try and get the small video on the blog this week.

Second first - Village Health Team

Our Health Centre (The Rock) had invited those working in the villages surrounding Wobulenzi and Luwero (we are between the two) to come and see the facility and what we could offer. There are 25 villages, and 18 of the VHT's attended, which we are delighted about.

The meeting was chaired by Hafswa, our clinical officer (we would call her a doctor, the only difference between her and a doctor is that she can't do surgery).

All of the health visitors agreed that it is a wonderful facility, the rates are very low, (we had explained that we are here to serve, not to make a profit, and just need to cover the expenses), and they will be recommending their clients to use it.

We are having a 'Grand Official Opening' for The Rock on 5^th March when there will be a team from 'Dentaid' here doing free dental work. The Rock will also be offering free HIV testing and family planning service, so expecting a busy day.

Third first - Sport surprises

The surprise is that this section features Sue as well as Stan. Stan has started to coach some cricket (with appropriate 'Boycottisms' about line and length), to some of the first years, a sport not often played in Uganda. Elspeth said her Dad would have been so delighted to know that at last Uganda was playing a 'civilised' sport, (the Uganda favourite is most definitely football).

Whilst having a conversation with the PE teacher, Madam Juliet, (we are all Madam or Master here), she asked Sue if she knew of tennis, she told her she did, as a spectator. Before she knew it she had agreed to give tennis lessons, another sport Uganda does not play. The tennis started yesterday, very simply, as she is working her way up to trying to explain the rules, once she has looked them up! (Thank goodness for Google, fortunately got a week to find a window when the internet will work!).

Fourth first – Official photographer for the immunisation clinic

Sue spent the morning at the first immunisation clinic, to be held every Tuesday, taking photographs of children and babies (and a bigger boy) most of whom where crying (understandably!). Next photographer duty is to be the ante-natal clinic and the next birth – these will probably not be posted on the blog!

Fifth first – our first 'team visit' request

David Stroud was brought here yesterday for a visit by the pastor of KIC and his wife on their return from Murchison Falls Game Reserve, which fortunately means they have to pass Wobulenzi Town Academy. We provided tea and cake, and more importantly a flush toilet. They are keen to bring a team out to stay here in the volunteers house and work in the school, the primary care centre and the health centre, so they could be our first official guests!

Sixth first – Management Team meeting

Joy – they try to keep to one hour!

Seventh first – 'Activate' on our own

First sessions this week on our own – we were certainly more nervous than the students. The Activate sessions, which cover the whole school over a three day period are the only ones not rigid in their requirements, so pretty much anything goes. We can use them to cover a particular topic that comes up during the week (next week it will be water as there has been an issue this week with the bore hole), with a spiritual input.

This week we used sun cream on everyone's hands to illustrate protection from the sun, (leading on to covering yourself in the protection of the Lord).

What amazes us is the class sizes which are regularly in the 80's and 90's, and students from far afield are still turning up to register. (The maximum is 100 in each year group, 600 in the school).

Eighth first – the shock of the school day

We had not quite appreciated the importance of education and thus the length of the school day – check this out particularly those of you still at school......

Get up at 4am to do prep until 7am - at their own request
Breakfast (porridge) at 7am
Lessons (with one break) until 1.10pm
Lunch (posho and beans)
Lessons until 5pm
Free time between 5 and 6 (which is when we do cricket, tennis and football)
Dinner (posho and beans)
Chores - sweeping the yard, getting water from the bore hole, washing clothing, cleaning the latrines
Prep until 9pm, bed at 10pm

Things to learn and remember....

They are trouser, not trousers
They are knicker, not knickers
SMS not text
biscuits are pronounced biscwits
There is no Ugandan word for please, so don't be offended when you are asked 'give me a pen'
Every meeting of every person you see must start with a 'three-way' Ugandan handshake – clasped in the usual way, clasped up and clasped down – hence the reason for walking the route around school very slowly
You WILL get covered in red dust a few times a day – get over it
It is not quiet in the jungle – the evening gets louder and louder with bird and animal noises (some of which we are learning to identify), and as for the morning – the dawn chorus at 6.30am is ear-splitting.

Prayer points

We have been told by some parents that a nearby school has been suggesting to people WTA are full and are no longer accepting students. This is clearly not true and Director Charles has retaliated by announcing on local radio (which is listened to by a lot of people) that we are indeed still accepting students. He also said that he considers this a compliment as the other school is not very good and is scared that what WTA are offering is better and our fees are lower. We would appreciate prayer that the students continue to come.
For the Senior 4 year who had been told by the government not to return to school until the 24^th as their results had been 'delayed'. They have now been told they are still delayed, and to come on the 3^rd. Pray that they get their results and are able to return soon.
For the students who are struggling still to find their fees – many of the girls are being told to stay at home and be married off and are fighting against that to continue their education.
For next week's Activate sessions – we are starting to plan them today.

And finally.... some of you asked for an address – we now have one – we would love to hear from you.

Dugdale/Rothwell

PO Box 20159

Nakawa

Kampala

Uganda

Photos below, have given up on video, connection not strong enough.

Love and blessings

Sue and Stan

Children from a local primary school at The Bridge

baby Grace having her first immunisation

brother Martin trying to escape - he's had one before!

tetanus booster

Stan and Jerry trying to photograph the sunset

football shirts drying after training

Stan's first snake encounter

we have a very talented basketball player with size 15 feet - we can't track down any trainers - any ideas?

Leave...go to the land I will show you. Genesis 12 : 1
I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. Isaiah 48 : 17

Hello everyone

First chance to update you all due to power/internet down and just lots going on!

We realise that to tell you everything would mean that this blog would go on and on for pages so will try and give you a brief (as possible) flavour of our first 9 days and a few photos. Also don't miss the short video from today's church service at the school which is arranged by and carried out by the students – amazing, joyous and very humbling.

We spent our first week in Kampala being shown around by Elspeth and Jerry Dugdale and Michele and Phil Ball from ServeDirect. We had guided tours of the shops, markets, hospitals and (important from Stan's point of view) where to get the best cappuccino!

Sitting in the garden at the Dugdale's, high above the hills of Kampala, we saw Maribou storks, black kites and plantain birds, whose call is exactly that of a monkey. Growing in the garden are banana palms and a tree laden with pomegranates, we needed no reminder that we were no longer in Churchdown!

Saturday was our first visit to Wobulenzi Town Academy, cross country on some very bumpy roads heading north through tiny townships where people were milking goats, tending their crops and walking up and down with water containers from a standpipe often a long way away with babies tied on their backs.

The school was very quiet, term was due to start on Monday. Although we had seen photos and video we were still not prepared for this amazing build in the middle of the bush. Even though the conditions are what we in the UK would regard as basic we understand that the resources and conditions far surpass many of the other schools in the area and what has been achieved here in such a short time can only be the hand of God – dormitories, classrooms, examination hall, teachers houses, toilets and shower blocks, chemistry lab, library plus 'The Bridge' primary resource centre and 'The Rock' health centre – and now of course our new home, the volunteers house.

On returning on Monday we found a very different atmosphere. The students had started to return, the day pupils first and then gradually during the day the boarders. Many had to travel long distances from the north and had to wait at the side of the road until a bus with space stopped, often some hours later or in some cases overnight. Over the week more and more have come and it is humbling to see what they bring – a small box of personal possessions, their school fee (a minimal amount but often the reason for further delay until it can be found), and their 'requirements', two brooms to help with the cleaning, a mattress, a set of uniform, a contribution of two rolls of 'TP', bowl for washing clothes and self and a medical form which they then take to 'The Rock' for checking over and registration (some turn up already suffering with malaria and TB).

By the end of this week pupils were still arriving and the classrooms and dormitories are slowly filling with smiling faces. We are starting to get to know some of the teachers and Charles the Director, an amazing man who is guided by God in all he does, and have been able to talk to some of the students and are trying desperately to remember

names. We have also had the opportunity of dropping in to 'The Bridge' where we met a delightful group of local children.

This morning we were formally introduced at the church service they hold every week, planned and carried out by the students. The joy in their worship was awesome to see, and the sermon, also by a student, was riveting. It is clear, even though we have only been here for a few days, that this is a very special place and we are blessed to be able to be a part of it.

Thank you to those of you who have sent us encouraging messages and are praying for

us, we feel so at peace here knowing that.

Can we ask for your prayers this week for the students still to return. We understand some are in the care of relatives who are trying (with the girls) to marry them off and get a cash dowry rather than let them return to school, and the boys can be of more use in the fields and looking after the cattle, so often these students have to take on small jobs to put together their 'requirements' and will not return until they have it. There is a 'hardship' fund for those who find it impossible, but most of the students are so determined to come back they find a way. Please pray for their safety on the journey back, often a difficult and perilous journey, and that the students God wants here will be able to return.

Also – the first immunisation clinic is to be held at 'The Rock' on Tuesday. It has been well advertised locally via the children who attend 'The Bridge' so we are praying that mothers will come, so please pray for that also.

And now – a few photos.

PS - video wouldn't download - will try again next time!

With love

Sue and Stan xx