When there is no social security

Issues come, issues go and fortunately God sustains us. This week is a bit like we are back into the swing of life here and people have found us. There are so many needs amongst those we know and love as well as others who come seeking help. So many are not just after a hand out, they are prepared to work but what work. Sometimes it is like someone taps you on the shoulder and says help this one, your heart is moved and you know that this person really needs your help. Other times, it is like should we or not, how do we handle this problem.
This week we have had these sorts of situations happening daily. For example, a lady came and wanted some work. She came with three children who I would have thought were about 8,10  and 12 maximum and very thin. With some interpretation I was able to ascertain that it was two days since they had eaten. Being the astute one(?) I thought it better to give them food and then they could come back the next day to do the work, so I did that. They did return, first thing the next morning, first workers on site and were so happy to have eaten such lovely beans. They took turns to slash the grass and I found out that the children were all older and their growth presumably had been stunted by malnutrition. Their legs were so thin. They were able to get it done by lunchtime and we were happy that they could share the great food that our cook prepared for the workers, before being paid and leaving. Help given but for how long?
We are very determined that we do not want to be people that make people dependent on us or have a spirit of poverty that means that they will always be in poverty but how do you change things. Another lady came to register children and had been sent by a lady at YWAM who we trust. She has five children, her husband died when she was pregnant with the last one. She was seeking sponsored places at the school for two of the children. Thanks to the generosity of people we were able to do so and to see those children in their new uniform was fantastic!  Sorry, unfortunately in teaching the bursar to use the little camera, she managed to delete the photos of them so I will need to take others. This family survives by being fed by the lady at YWAM and the generosity of others. Tonight she came seeking help in the form of foods they had not eaten since morning and the little one year old  was crying for food, and of course had no understanding why there was none. Fortunately we have a  big bag of posho and beans for the workers and so it is eaten into when people come like this. This  lady is desperate for any work that we could give her.
The list goes on, and at times we have to say no. This is so hard. We know that technically we have  the money to give but feel that "no" is the right thing to say (notably this is never no to some posho and beans), this too leaves one thinking, questioning, was that the right decision? What are the  consequences? We try to be in the place where we can listen to the still small voice and know, we  pray that we don't make mistakes, especially where lives are at risk. It is so much easier to say no to  the can shaker raising money for a good cause outside the supermarket.
We are so thankful for people who are supporting the work here. The payment of school fees is such  a huge concern for people and to be able to give assistance is such a significant thing. Life is so  different without social security. You can want to work as much as you like but if there are no jobs  what do you do?

So much to say

The school buildings as of 15th January

A week full of emotion, work, fun, sadness, uncertainty, travel, heat and sweat. That probably sums it up, each day is filled with trying to get things finished for the school to start, dealing with issues related to people and their problems and seeking wisdom and understanding to confront each issue with. The school buildings continue to grow and get more of a finished appearance, and  hopefully each day we are getting closer to being ready.

Had the chance to talk to a radio program producer, and presenter. I think I was meant to be impressed, pity I am not into celebrities much and definitely not of the type that I don't even know but there you go. Should have taken my photo with him to show all! He does want to be Facebook friends he said so maybe... In fact that was about advertising the school on the radio which is now happening. He actually does shows about family and relationship issues so he is not a bad person to know.

Hopebuilders team - named the "Strong Team" - at their farewell

Mark, our son, has been here and left Saturday, he was great fun to have around and we loved it. He was

Mark with us in front of the offices just before leaving

with a Hopebuilders team building at the village. Now he knows all the children and some of them by name. I think he is going to miss them and we are going to miss him. Thanks to his help Ron was ale to get spouting on part of the school roof, we plan to harvest as much rain as possible and this will be the only supply for the toilet block. Together they were also able to work with the team on getting the roof trusses made for House 8 at the village. This is always exciting as finishing houses means children can come into them,which means children are literally rescued from really bad circumstances. The reason that had been delayed and was possible was that the long awaited container was released and opened up. This also has given us a classroom full of chairs from Romsey
Primary School, thanks so much Jo. They will be the chairs for one classroom, planning this week to get chair bags made for all the classes!

The container at last - being moved into position

We have moved into one office and will be moving into the rest of the offices early this week, with glass going into the windows probably this week too. Two classrooms are nearly finished with windows and furniture and blackboard. We need to be able to take pictures in order to get the school registered. Electricity should come early this week with the hole for the post being dug yesterday and promises of them being back Monday or Tuesday. Then just connecting to the box will be needed. The toilet block is ready to be roofed and the kitchen foundation has been dug, presumably it will be laid Monday. There has been some work done removing some stumps too so that means that the grounds are beginning to take shape, a little

Florence in her new office

more work needed but it shouldn't be too hard. It is very hot but also very wet here so that makes growing quick and easy.


Each day has seen many people come to the school. Unfortunately most have been looking for employment but we are confident that soon enrolments will take off. It is just a matter of the right people getting to know about it and if we start with a few that won't be a problem. At this stage we can say we will start with at least 30 I think.

Toilet block with fancy airholes - roof coming soon

The school uniform is looking great with badges now attached, I will have pictures for the next blogpost. Unfortunately the jumpers and socks will be a Few weeks more before they are ready. The sports tshirts have printing on the back and front and look great too. Amazing how easy some things are to get done.

Schools coming along and the odd thing or two

Teacher Moses

This week has seen a lot of progress with the school. The classrooms are nearly ready for classes with two of them having the floors finished off. Beautiful smooth concrete floors. The offices have been painted today and so we will move desks in tomorrow morning for the registration of students. The toilet block is moving well with the ring beam nearly ready and more done on the septic tank. Windows and doors are in the offices and glass will go in this week. Lots of work. It is great to see the building going up. The builders are truly proud of their work and the school that is being built. They are also able to have employment that is paid. This is so significant. As we use local people to do local work we are making a difference in the lives not only of the children for the school but in thrives of many in the community. If only we could employ more!

On the front verandah speaking to job applicant, Florence in background

On the student and teacher side it has been an interesting week. We have had the two teachers in who we had already agreed upon. They are both young, enthusiastic and lovely people. We are hoping that they will prove to be great teachers for the school. This week has seen a bit of training for them with time spent talking about the philosophy of the school in depth,doing teaching exercises, talking about different methodologies and generally getting the team to be a team. The two teachers are Moses and Aidha as shown here. The new bursar is Florence who you will have seen on the blog if you have been following but can be seen in the background of one of the pictures. She is lovely and professional in her approach and we hope will be a real asset.

Teacher Aidha

At the moment we are still praying for the right third teacher, so please join with us in this. It seems important to have an experienced teacher who is confident and will exude this for parents and others to see.

We were not inundated with enrolments which might see a disappointment since we had a registration date but we are not feeling that way. Instead, we are confident that this week will see many new enrolments and are not concerned in this front. It is God's school and He will fill it appropriately. Interest has already come from further afield than we had expected with a couple of ladies definitely looking at enrolling their children from Jinja town which is about 20 minutes away when you drive straight in a car! Hopefully we will also be able to meet much closer needs.

Lots of things fill each day and so many of them one wants to share and then because I don't write straight away time goes on and they are forgotten. It was fun to pick up receipt books, completed in a little over a day,with school logo etc and numbered,costing the grand sum of $2 a book of 100! Anyone need anything done for me to bring back? It would of course be supporting local people! The uniforms are looking good, though the badge for them has not been done yet, I did not get on to it as soon as I might have unfortunately but Monday they will be ready. Again, amazing to see a screen print done so quickly.

First enrolment in sports uniform

Then, of course there are the things of life here in Uganda. Sometimes I think about it and many times I simply cannot think too much about the realities. We had this afternoon at the village a lovely little service of remembrance for Bert who died and was on Ron and Mark's first team. Thinking about the building of the village, and visiting House of Peace Nakaseeta yesterday remind you of the vulnerability of children, that without these places where would they be, or would they be? This too was brought home with a visit from a guy who though a business university graduate was helping build Suubi House while looking for work in 2011. He became a friend and was impacted significantly by us, though we are unsure why except for the grace of God. He lives and works in Kampala and came over the weekend. His mother is sick in hospital, he has not been paid for November and December though working both those months, so he came to seek assistance from people including his step sister. Unfortunately these attempts had failed and his mother is getting sicker and no further treatment happens without payment! He came so humbly to us and asked for assistance, saying he would leave his academic transcripts as security, probably the most valuable thing he has! Desperation and despair were the things that stood out, he knew we could probably help him but he didn't want to have to ask. Of course it was possible to help with a bill that was about $100. The impact on me was extreme, of course I prayed with him, knowing God can heal and believing in that for his mother. Being able to pay/loan money that would make such a difference and for him to feel so so so grateful to me,for something really in terms of his gratitude so small.

Employment is a big issue in my mind at the moment. With the school starting many are coming to seek employment, they offer to do anything, they simply want work. You want to find employment for everyone but that of course is not possible. On a bright note it is lovely to think that by having our washing done and our house cleaned we are able to pay the lady enough to pay her rent for the month! That makes a difference.

We have been really overwhelmed by the way our local friends are wanting this school to be a success. The way to advertise is to put up posters (A4 sheet stating info about the school) around. Two builders came most concerned and have taken the to put up. They are also taking application forms to people they know. One lady has spent nearly two days moving around telling people about the school and making sure they had application forms if they needed them! It is such a feeling of team, we feel indebted to them but can see how this is something that they can do as part of the process. We are so thankful, our hearts are very full. We are so blessed to be here, to be able to help, to be loved by so many and to be able to share in peoples' lives in such meaningful ways. We look forward to more of what God has for us.

Action stations

After a fantastic Christmas shared with all our immediate family, Mum and Dad and brother and sister-in-law we had Boxing Day to make sure we were ready and then off on 28th December. Our family is so precious to us and we love spending time with them all. We managed a weekend away before Christmas that was very special and a great opportunity to see the little grandchildren for extended time. We do intend feel very blessed. Leaving is difficult but knowing we are going to a place we love and where we know there is so much for us to do and be makes it easier for us.

Fortunately, airlines send out email reminders about flights because our flight was earlier than we had thought - usually we leave in the late evening but this time it was 7 pm. All worked well, with tidying up our stuff at home and still managing to have a little time to catch close friends, and families. No need to catch up with Mark, he headed off to Uganda Boxing Day due to an unexpected vacancy arising in a team. <Great opportunity for him to return as he has been before and to see what we are up to in Uganda. Another blessing as he was available to go and was ideal for what the team needed.> The trip over was uneventful, no exciting conversations, no dramas (cases came in 0.3kg under weight each!), no sickness; just lots of sleeping, watching of movies and a 2 hour delay in Dubai on the plane to make sure it worked properly - which obviously it fortunately did!


We were picked up at the airport by Richard a local driver who we can rely on and who drives really well. We were able to have dinner with the team which was lovely as see our friends at Suubi House and then share devotions with the children at the village. As usual they welcomed us warmly and it was so nice to come and have this as the first thing we did with them. Our house (on the school land) is wonderful. It is a two bedroom home with a big kitchen/dining/lounge room. It also has a little alcove for a desk just off the main room so that we can keep our papers neatly away. We already had a bed set up so it was only a matter of putting on sheets and off to sleep. We had a good night though we did wake early. Overall, the jet lag hasn’t been too dramatic and we now believe we are sleeping better than when we left home!

The whole project is progressing really well, our house was much the same as we left it which was to be expected, though there are now nice entry stairs at the front of the house. We do really love the view of Lake Victoria and appreciate the lovely breeze that blows through. The school building (housing the 4 classrooms and the offices) now has a roof, and each of the classrooms has floors. The ceilings in the offices are nearly completed. There may in the future be ceilings in the classrooms but at this point in time we will wait for more finance for that as it is not essential. The toilet block is looking very impressive at the lower end of the block of land with great facilities and apparently has been modeled on the council planned ones. I’m pleased there is a separate staff toilet, I managed to avoid going to the toilet at school when teaching here! The septic tank (not something one normally talks about) is a massive thing and very impressive. It is a huge hole that then has a brick structure build in and then it will be plastered – the plastering inside is still to go. The best part of the trip to the toilet block though is being able to look back up the site to the school building; it is a ‘good look’ as you can see from the photograph. At present metal window frames are being placed in the windows and there is a new entry door at the front of the offices.


We have had some good opportunities to join with the team which are doing a great job at the village. They are definitely a team of hard workers and full of initiative. It was fun to see the wheelbarrow that had the tyre held on with a screwdriver, some wire and a couple of other things! Mark, recognised the time saving value of using his father's ute to transport bricks (and children as a reward for their labour) up from the lower end of the village to the top. Joining with the team for devotions was lovely, the children are so talented and move so easily from one song to another, with different people leading and everyone knowing the words even the little ones most of the time.

New Year's eve was a bit of a disappointment for me, after a lovely time with the children, team and mothers at the village we came home. Neither of those were the disappointment, it was that I was so tired I couldn't keep my eyes open and headed to bed very early. I had hoped for a lovely time of talking, praying and seeing the new year in with Ron in the place that the year is all about. However, I was in the place, Ron did the praying, and I did the sleeping.

Tomorrow we will be meeting with the two new teachers for the school and so that will be exciting for us. We are also still on the look out for the right third teacher. Thursday starts the registration of pupils for the school. Well, I will close now, add some photos and be much more interesting next time!!

Finishing off at this stage

Without this man, Robert - none of it would have been possible. This is the view from the buildings.

Well, we are now homeward bound, or should I say traveling to our other home. It has been a hectic four weeks but one that just reinforces our sense of God's call on our lives to Uganda. It amazed us how quickly we were able to fit back in, and our only regret is not having had time to spent with people and a few people we did not catch up with.

Ron with some of the village children

Sewing kits from Sew Blessed for the children involved in learning to sew.

So, where are we up to? It was a frantic last few days in some ways and we were able to interview a number of other prospective teachers. We always know that you cannot anticipate what will occur

Florence the new bursar - our first employee

on any day and this was especially true in our last days. A great example is when I was waiting for the sign writer to come and had to answer the gate about four times, each time to someone I did not know but they wanted to see me. This included a prospective teacher! We had been feeling it would be good to have a male teacher and so who should come but one who seems like he might be a goer! This was Wednesday, our last full day. It started with another interview with someone who exuded love for children, love of God and passion for teaching. We have been unable to catch her referee yet so the appointment is not confirmed. We also interviewed another lady from our church who we thought would be ideal but

New bathroom - just needed cleaning!

discovered that personality wise she would be terrific, great faith but her giftings were definitely in a different area, no worries we believe the interview was meant to be. As mentioned the  sign writer came and hopefully the sign outside the school will be up in the next day or two. We confirmed the appointment of the bursar, she has the phone with the school number. So, we have two teachers we think will be good and a bursar, with other  possible teachers and the registration process under way. We met

The lounge room from the kitchen before moving in.

the inspector of schools and for the sake of registration and starting point it looks like I will be the head teacher! Application forms have been printed and are given to the appropriate people for distribution. On Wednesday we moved into our new house! Yes, we made it and it is just so lovely. We awoke and looked out through the sitting room on the beautiful view. We had lovely cold showers, and have all the stuff ready. There are still a few things, the solar hot water is ready to go but needs to have something built for it to go on, a little bit of floor needs the Lino tiles put down, the solar electricity needs to be fixed, case of putting the power to the wrong place, no problem just lack of experience. We will have other power but it had not been connected yet, the electrical surveyor was meant to come Wednesday but there was no sign of him before we left, never mind. 

The school buildings are moving well with the walls all up to ring beam, the latest photo I have is from Tuesday. Tuesday we had the opportunity to celebrate with the workers on the building. I love the fact that things can be organized quickly.

Where the school building was up to on Tuesday

We had always intended to have a dinner on Tuesday but I had not done what was needed, ringing Lucy as it turned out! So, Tuesday I got on to her, she came on boda, took some money, bought the supplies and the cooked a fantastic dinner of rice, chips, sensational pork and chicken and cabbage on two

Our wonderful workers enjoying a great dinner and new work uniform

charcoal stoves and a fire for what ended up being 18 people, because of course there are always a few extras. It was a lovely time and we we able to give them all a new fluoro top. This time orange in keeping with the school colours! Time of sharing faith and vision with them and appreciating the work and each other. 

Wednesday night in order not to disrupt the children too much with school and the little ones, as well as the fact that we will be back soon, we avoided the big farewell. Instead we had dinner at home and then took ice creams down to the village to share with the children and to have devotions with them. Of course it was lovely, we so treasure these times with the children and really do love them so much. It was lovely too that Pastor George from Abundant alive came and shared with us. We were given lots of precious notes for us and some for others to take home. So nice that it is not long until we see them again with our tickets booked for 28th December.

Books bought with money donated by Year 7 and 8 students at MECS

The new sports uniform, a skirt for girls with shorts attached underneath!

 Sorry, for delay in postings we have been busy being parents, children and grandparents as well as friends and today teachers, since we got back.

Time is running out!

We now only have four working days! Oh dear, it seems that we have been doing our best to get through everything but still time is not there. It has been a good week with lots happening and some very good things as well as the usual trickier situations, nevermind. So, since I last chatted what have we been up to? There has been a trip to Kampala, meeting with a women's group, another different one, writing up the spreadsheet, trying to organize electricity, building stuff etc. now for some details.
Some things are just not meant to be easy. We decided it would be easier to put the electricity in my, Anne's, name. So, I was meant to meet the electrician in town about 11 o'clock in the morning.Well, after doing some other things I was ready to go, but he came to us. We needed more than the letter from the LC1 it seemed, so away we went. First to find the LC1, managed to go through the little village and nearly got to the place and we were able to ask for directions. But, of course no one home! Thankfully, the phone number was on some documentation and we were able to make contact and she was able to come and meet us. After sharing condolences since her husband had only recently died we were able to move on. Off to the school to find the neighbor because the power was to come from her pole. However, despite seeing her the in the morning earlier she had moved to her other place of work. We managed to get in there, sign in with the visitors book, negotiate our way around and found her. Then, off to the electricity office. Oh, you can't do that in the name of the school, it is not registered(pity you cannot get registered until you have the classrooms set up!) So, new form needed, 50000 shillings, just to change the name on the form! However, the land is in the name of Hopebuilders Uganda, so where is the stamp! Thoughts of a desperate rush home before the office closed for lunch but it was averted as it seemed we would not be able to get the stamp. Drop the electrician at his place of work, and back into town. Even managed to find the welder to pick up a window, got the stamps for the school and home again! Yes, I was exhausted! Ron just smiled, he knew the frustrations from last year! However, I now feel an accomplished Ugandan driver (maybe).

On Wednesday we made a trip to Kampala mainly to meet with the maths consultant for the new secondary curriculum. However, prior to leaving Robert felt it would be good for Ron to give it a go with some officials in town. So, before our 8 o'clock departure I had typed and printed a couple of letters. Think I got the better end of the deal as Ron had to do the visiting of the people. His visit proved interesting! One, he was told the person was in a meeting, and they didn't know when he would be back, what a surprise! The other, after being fobbed off, he was sent to someone who in his words finally listened. This person listened to the whole story of the donations and that people from Australia were being asked to pay to give stuff to people here. I think it was such a relieve that someone would finally listen. Unfortunately, despite being told he would investigate the revaluing of the container to date we have not heard anything. However, where there is life there is hope and so we pray for its release. I had a very different time. It was great to meet with this lady and to talk about the proposed curriculum changes. The reforms for the Ugandan secondary curriculum is a huge amount of work and things are progressing. When I get a chance I look forward to working through the proposed scope and sequence and the ideas presented. I can see that there may well be a significant part I can play in this area and the experience from last year is very helpful as well as the years of textbook writing. So, it is lovely to see how God works in our lives putting different things in place. In Kampala we also got to do a little shopping for our new house, some electrical stuff and some essentials like vanilla beans to take home! I even managed to score a free coffee at a supermarket. The trip home was less than fun with some crazy drivers doing life threatening things, I am so grateful having Ron being such a safe and competent driver.
On the school front there has been some progress. We have interviewed a number of teachers at this stage and even have another one at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning! We are confident with the bursar and need to meet up with her again. The forms have had another mark of approval and we are nearly organized with the fee structure. Just a brochure and a sign for the front. As mentioned earlier we have the stamps. The sports uniform just needs a Tshirt, so I have the name of places to go for that. We have a tailor to make the uniforms so we can get her into action soon making standard sizes so that there is not the pressure at the start of the year. All this assuming of course that students are on their way!
I have spent time going through all the expenditures. We are so fortunate to have our friend Robert K doing such a great job with the building, he has kept great records of all the monies and today we converted all of it into a spreadsheet, now I know why I am not an accountant, it is so much more fun to talk to a class! Now, I just need to put them all together and do all the calculations. So far so good though as according to the budget we are doing well.
Ron too has been busy, he has done some time at the building site and the new house build

Receiving a gift, the lady on the right was my interpreter

ing wonderful kitchen benches and supervising the tiling of the bathroom. In addition he has organized the solar system for the house with solar hot water and solar back up power. The house is presently being painted, there is the solar to be installed, some plumbing to be done and the kitchen bench to be tiled and sink installed. We should be able to move our stuff in there before we go!
Other things that we have had the privilege of doing are many but one significant one for me was talking to a group if ladies in Njeru yesterday. It was a bit wet and so they were slower coming but this lovely
group of ladies meets each Thursday and is called Women of Hope and they are really taking on that name. A interesting mix of ladies with a few older, lots mid twenties to mid thirties, some HIV positive, maybe half, and some Christian and some Muslim.

Great to be able to share the love of God with them. It was fun to be there that day as on the first Thursday of the month they exchange gifts. People had taken great care to wrap up a mug or plate or something else and then a name is drawn and gifts are given. Unfortunately I did not know and so gave only a hug with

The ladies group

a present promised. The excitement was so good,the women in their poverty shared gifts, so special and also so fun. Screams of joy and happiness were shared. Ron arrived back having been doing some solar shopping and they insisted on being introduced,they even sang and danced for him! So much fun, love being shared despite what I know to be desperate circumstances, I look forward to visiting with them again. Interestingly my interpreter was a lovely Muslim lady.

Mama Florence excitingly receiving her quilt

Then this afternoon, thanks to the immense hard work of friends and people who are part of the Sew Blessed group out of our church in Australia, we with Anne-Marie were able to give out quilts to the children and mothers in the new houses. It was such a pleasure. The children knew that others in the village had quilts and starting from the littlest as she was handed her quilt she went to put it carefully on her bed. One young girl came to me about three times and

Sheer happiness

thanked me so much. She is a little older and one wonders whether she has ever had anything to call her own like that. The mothers too were so happy and obviously really appreciated them. It is a privilege to be the bearer of gifts for others and we do not take it for granted.

Life is full and fun

It is amazing to see the days fly by with so much filling our moments, hours and days. So many people we have not yet caught up with and yet so many we have been reacquainted with.  Since last writing it is hard to think of all the things that have happened. We are finalizing things on the house and looking forward to seeing it completed before we leave. It is a lovely house that we are sure will have been blessed times within. I suspect we have learnt a lot of lessons fromSuubi  House, not least having a good plumber!
It is hard to remember the details of the days as they blend together but we have been able to get the application form and requirements form ready. I will go over then tomorrow with the director of the preschool who knows about these things and is keen to be able to give them out. Registration day, returning of the forms is not until we get back here.  We have been able to find equipment left here and do some sorting out too, both for the school and the village. For those interested the quilts have not been given to the new houses so there will be photos coming in a couple of days of the giving of those. That will be exciting. The new sports uniform is looking good but since I did not give the tailor the white for the binding, we have a sample with gold. I have to source good tshirts (note to self to ask the preschool director). In fact there are so many notes to self but it is keeping me in line, since Ron is too busy to! I have been able to buy some readers for the the classes with money raised by Year 7 and 8s at MECS when they were doing Special Week about world issues. I have coved then contact and have also 'commissioned' one of the girls at the village to write a story and another friend's brothers who is an artist to come up with pictures, hopefully this will be the start of books from this area. I hope to find older people in the community to give us stories to make up readers, so that culture is maintained. It is so fun knowing so many people and being able to work hand in hand with them.
We need to visit some more schools to get more ideas so that we can plan the classroom furniture and it can be built while we are away. It is such a short time in some ways that we will be away and yet we are so looking forward to holding, cuddling and loving our grandchildren, and of course seeing our wonderful Aussie friends.
Yesterday was a nice day with a later start since we decided to go to the 10 o'clock service instead of the 8. Then into town for a lovely lunch. We unexpectedly saw some other Aussies at the cafe which might have been more of a surprise for them than us, bit interesting! We were disappointed that only one was interested in talking. We were able to look forward to what still needs to be done and also relax. This was good because of course on arrival home Ron had a call to collect some stuff, I had an unexpected visitor and needed to go and pray for a little boy. Please pray for Michael, he is a little boy with a tormented past and can be overcome spiritually to the point of wanting to die. It is so sad,and due to abuse and not being wanted by his father. We are praying for the love of God to impact him deeply and for him to be set free. Then, home to others visitors, then some more, the off to the village for our time there. I think no matter the stresses and strains of the week, it is so lovely to spend time with the children and then together to share in devotions, certainly we really look forward to it. Home again and the were celebrations happening for Blessing having her third birthday!
Today has been full as well. I spent time dealing with the receipts etc and preparing the talk more fully for the afternoon. Then, it was time to compose some letters with Robert K for the registration of the school, and the release of the container. Ron was busy chasing a window needing to have a size change and working on the benches for the kitchen. After a quick lunch he headed to do a bit more prior to visits to the local chair people. I headed off to Njeru and caught up with Judith who with her husband has a ministry there. I took her to a place where she meets with ladies. It was fun and strange to sit and listen for quite a lot of the time as they spoke together while waiting for more to come. Somehow the scene was special, situated under a big mango tree, ladies all sitting in the shade with a big oval nearby and ladies coming out from the other side and walking over, then others coming from other directions. Such an informal and yet organized get together. Sme of these things are so hard to write about because so much is in the atmosphere. It was great to share some thoughts with them, understand some of their pain and to hopefully show them God's love. There was probably about 60 ladies, nearly half of them HIV positive, most widows but of a large variety of ages including a week old baby! Many of these ladies are Muslim but looking for love and acceptance. Such a privilege and so humbling. I cannot possibly understand the difficulties of their lives and yet I get to talk to them. It was great to hear them talk too amongst themselves and so often forgiveness was mentioned (I even know this word but would not dare to spell). Then, we dropped a lady home to a place that has been donated to help the ministry by an elderly man. Then, Judith felt it wise to go a different way home,so I practiced my four wheel driving! The things I do here that I would never dream of doing in Australia! Home in time to go out again. Yes, a visit to the RDO, I think that is right. Anyway, he is the person who meets with the president when he is in town. With a car full we went to meet with him and present the letters to try to get the container released. It has been here since February and needs to be released without Hopebuilders needing to pay huge taxes as the goods we donated. Anyway, seems the president is not coming tomorrow as he is addressing the nation for the Jubilee of independence, so it will be the vice-president who will be asked. If that fails, the president is meant to be in town on Monday so it will be another try then! Maybe we could have a cup of tea with the president! We were invited after the meeting to go to the LC3s place anytime, just give him a ring! Life is so surreal. Tea at 8 after Ron dropped the workers home, then another trip out to deal with getting the electricity on at the new house and school. Home at last and now it is time for bed! Hope you know there is a responsibility if you have got this far through, since there are not even any pictures that you have top ray!