22nd January, 2017

Dear friends,
Greetings from a very hot Kampala.  Today we saw the first rain since I’ve been back which I thought would cool things down but doesn’t seem to have.  

This week we travelled with the  4 older boys to Mbale to CCP the vocational college where they are returning for their courses.  They seemed a bit miserable to be going back, they have a small room at the hostel and are not so well looked after as at George’s Place.  As we travelled we were aware of the dryness everywhere, the sugarcane and maize had dried up and only cassava was being sold along the roads.  Children were also selling a few scraggy turkeys/chickens, instead of the usual abundance of fresh fruits.  Everywhere was covered with a layer of red dust and many children were collecting water from the rivers or queuing at water stands.  Even the car overheated and we had to stop just outside a village for an hour; some kind people gave us a Jerry can of water and we gave their children new T shirts – so blessings all round. This delayed us and we didn’t arrive at the hotel until about 9.30pm.  Peace and I were exhausted, Bob even more so as he had had a long day driving, collecting Sue from Entebbe before we set off.

”Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord and shun evil.’ Proverbs 3 v 5/7

Shaffick came with us to Mbale as his mother lived not too far from there, so on our way back we went to find her.  She has four other children, her husband deserted her and gives no support, they live in a very small room. She tries to make a living selling tomatoes, she has been unable to send the youngest three children to school. It was so sad, she was obviously very moved to see Shaffick, she had known he was fine as his grandmother had visited us a few months ago. We were unable to find the father.

Brian the new little boy has had malaria and been unwell for a few days, having to attend the clinic for quinine drips twice a day.  They keep trying to feed him posho / matoke which has made him vomit but I have prescribed ‘lucozade’ and water and said he will eat when he’s hungry!  They have very different ideas to me sometimes.

Herbert has left us, the ‘aunt’ (not a relative) came and collected him. Please do pray for him. 

So it’s been a challenging week.  Six of the boys are off to school on Monday all equipped and excited about going.  It will seem very quiet at George’s Place during the days now with only three boys remaining at home for tuition but a good opportunity to get to know the newest ones and to build up stronger relationships with them.  Also I might be able to get more of the paperwork in place! 

With love and prayers for a blessed Sunday

Jane