rothwellsmission: May 2014

BLOG NO 5 – 17TH MAY 2014

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake themselves

Isaiah 42 : 16

We have referred to this verse a number of times this week as we pray for the changes being considered for next term by Charles and the teachers. They may seem minor changes to us but they are massive for them.

First is the change being made to the timetabling to address the fact that on some days teachers can be without students or students can be without teachers.

The biggest leap forward is the decision (after a little persuasion) to stream Senior 1 and Senior 4, making 2 classes for each year of 60 rather 120. And yes we realise that still seems enormous by UK standards but is a giant step for a Ugandan school.

Incorporating these changes and changing the timetable using a large table and some post-it notes (courtesy of Stan) you can appreciate is quite a challenge, so please pray for the two DOS's (Directors of Study) Jimmy and Patrick as they tackle this.

School has been quiet since the end of term although The Rock and The Bridge have been busy. The Rock is still open for the community to receive treatment and The Bridge for a holiday club, ably assisted by Peter, the gap-year student who has been staying with us. Before the end of term Peter also did 'tag' rugby sessions, played his cello in church, prepared and presented some 'Activate' lessons and helped with prayer groups and English Literature revision, so we think we kept him fairly busy!

He left us this week to go white water rafting on the Nile before going back to the UK so the house is now devoid of cello music, which was rather soothing (he was pretty good thankfully!).

Just because it's been quiet we have still managed to keep busy – Stan has been knee deep (not literally, thankfully) in concerns about cess pits and incinerator (you really don't want to know the details!).

We also went to visit the old school site for the first time and it made us realise how far the school (and now The Bridge and The Rock) has come in such a short time.

And then of course there are are our trips to immigration. One day we feel we should write a book about our experiences but suffice to say we have now made four journeys into Kampala (90 minutes there and 90 back on a good day) to collect our volunteer work permits on the day stipulated by immigration.

Each time we have been passed through Rooms 5, 2, 6 and 5a, moved on by a pointed finger raised from the phone (texting, not business), computer (on Facebook) and paper (newspaper that is, not our permits) .

On our penultimate visit we got to the stage of paying for the permits and handing in our passports and told to return in 5 working days, yippee, the home stretch – or so we thought. We noticed that there was a public holiday in the middle of the '5 working days' period so decided to go back on the Tuesday rather than the Monday – clever eh! No.....

On returning to Room 5 (as instructed) she looked through her shoe box of passports (oh yes, pretty high tech at immigration) and said they were not ready, come back Thursday, or talk to Room 2!

Went to Room 2 where we were told not to come back Thursday, they wouldn't be ready!

HOWEVER … we are no longer worried because she told us to come back next Tuesday, they would be ready because she was giving us her word. Will let you know...in the meantime we are officially illegal aliens as our visas expired last Wednesday, but we were assured it will be fine as we have a little scrap of paper they gave us saying 'file number 1780, two permits' (no names!) that we can show the police, so that's ok then.

(Prior to this Jerry had made two trips on our behalf to do the 'preliminaries', so we can't complain too much!)

And that is the shortened version of Sue and Stan go to immigration......could be a new Enid Blyton?

The good news is we are now driving ourselves when we need to go to Kampala, Charles is lending us his car and has decided we don't need to hire a driver any more as we have got used to Ugandan drivers and know our way around Kampala.....I THINK this is good news!

We also have some changes to think about and discuss as things we have been asked by the students to do next term include book club, film club, extra English and Bible studies (at the school), Adult Education classes (at The Bridge), and in addition we will continue with our Activate classes, tennis, cricket and badminton!

Things we have heard recently that you don't often hear in the UK.......

Good morning Mohammed, how are both of your wives
(From a guard at the shopping mall in Kampala – with a big smile) – Good morning sir, do you have anything nice in your pocket for me?
I have put a chameleon in your sink because I know you like them
I need 5000 shillings to go and buy some mango medicine for your tree
You are now living in a house of bat (he thought they were nesting in our eaves!)
May the blessings of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you (in an invoice from a drug company)
Don't go too near, that's a nest of killer bees in your door
Mind that mongoose in the middle of the road
Look out, a cow just stepped off the roundabout

Things that have made us think.........

The reason small babies have their ears pierced is because babies may be stolen by witch doctors to be used as sacrifices, but they will only take perfect ones, those with pierced ears are deemed 'not perfect' and so will not be taken.
(In response to requests by students at The Rock to be circumcised) – if I am circumcised I cannot catch HIV/Aids.

It is ok to give babies soda (Coke, Fanta etc) as their teeth won't rot and they fall out anyway.

(The last two have prompted the planning of health talks by The Rock)

Thank you for your prayers, we have remained safe despite a few security hiccups and term starts on Monday, so please pray for the safe return of the students. This is always a worrying time for Charles and his team as they know many of the students will find it difficult to get away as some will have been put to work, promised in marriage or even married off by now. And of course finding the school fees continues to be a worry for many of the families.

We thought you may like to see some photos we have taken on our route on our last few journeys to Kampala.

UPDATE....

Although we wrote this a few days ago we are now only just attempting to send it, so a couple of bits of latest news.

Firstly, praise the Lord, we got our volunteer work permits from immigration so are now here legally.

Secondly, we have just heard that the clinical officer at The Rock, Hafswa, has been involved in a boda boda accident and has injuries to her chest and leg. We have no more information at the moment but can you please pray for her. She is holding her introduction and marriage on June 22^nd so please pray that this will still be able to go ahead.

With love and thanks Sue and Stan x