Appreciation Meal

On Friday night after our last day on the building site, the team were taken out to an appreciation meal for the building work we’d done.



We went to a place called Mamba Point, an Italian restaurant up on a hill in the city of Kampala. It was beautifully decorated and we all dressed up as best we could so it was quite a smart evening in comparison to the dirt and muck of the week. Kathryn (from the Canadian office), Craig (CompassionArt) and Jane & Alan (CEO of Watoto) joined us for dinner where we were given small gifts of woven baskets as thanks. I was a little disappointed not to be sitting near Craig as he would have been fascinating to talk to. He collated the reflections of the songwriters for the CompassionArt book from which some of the proceeds go to Watoto. Money from the CD goes to Watoto as well, which I happen to think is a brilliant album. It was still a lovely evening in spite of this and I enjoyed the opportunity to sit down in the open air for dinner, even if liberally sprayed to avoid mosquitoes!

Build - Day 5 (last day)

The day started normally except for a slight detour enroute to the supermarket for “sodas” and biscuits for our dedication party later on. After we arrived on site, we heard two songs from the builders and then we sang twice. Quite a few of the guys were on a different site today and we didn’t get to say goodbye to them which was a real shame. They weren’t needed on our site because there was so little to do so I can understand them not wanting to lose a working day, but it would have been nice to know the night before!



We worked for about three hours and I managed to slap a bit of mortar down, place a few bricks and almost fall off the scaffolding (Chas rescued me) before it was time for the dedication at midday. A man called Craig from CompassionArt had arrived on site to observe the work being done, so he was able to see our finished product and hear all that was said.



I got a bit emotional thinking about the fact that this was the last day on the site. We all laid hands on the building, dedicating it to God and asking for blessing on those who will dwell there… I cried again! It is amazing to think what we’ve accomplished in just a week. We were told that there are a total of 115 confirmed teams coming to build this year alone which is just phenomenal… the project surely is being blessed by God! A few people spoke, Moses the foreman and one of the men from KPC, all thanking us for our work and telling us how much of an impact it would have on the community. Not only for those who will live in the house, but for the builders who need our money to stay employed.



After the dedication and a few photos, we treated the builders to refreshments, with music from the minivan to add to the party atmosphere. Some local village children (not Watoto kids) came and danced with us and we celebrated for some time before the builders had to go back to work and we left for the day.



One year ago, this was all the beginnings of an idea… a “what if?” Now here I am, praise the Lord! I don’t look forward to returning home, life seems dull and cold in the UK. I know this will be just another travel story all too soon but I hope the memories of this trip stay sharp and last a lifetime.

Build - Day 4

It’s getting harder and harder to get out of bed at 5.30am, thankfully tomorrow is the last time this week.

Martin, Gretl and myself were the only ones going to the building site today. Chas and Ope went into the KPC Office and of course Janet and Peter are yet to come back from Mbale. We were greeted at the site with some tragic news from Fred, that a Suubi boy was killed on the road yesterday in a bicycle accident, most likely a hit and run. It seemed to really affect Fred and he kept busy helping out a lot on the site, mostly brick laying.

We started off the working day with a couple of songs from the locals, followed by a prayer and then finally proper introductions of all the workers. We had to correct a few names we had misheard (like Frank instead of Fra!) but it was good to finally know who everyone was. Gretl and I weren’t needed up on the scaffolding, there were enough people doing brick work. We did move a lot of bricks during the course of the morning though, so weren’t sitting around doing nothing all day!



There were times when there literally was nothing we could be doing and I felt guilty sitting about when others were working. The break was nice though and I got to sit and chat with Gretl for a while.



We had an early finish, lunchtime came and we were done. Martin, Gretl and I went back to the guesthouse with Chas (who’d been driven out to the site from the office unnecessarily because we were finishing as he arrived) and then the three of us decided to find a hotel whose pool we could use. We tried the Sheraton, the Serena and the Imperial Royale but didn’t swim after all that. The pools were either not very nice or in the case of the Serena, too expensive for just a couple of hours. We did end up stopping at the Serena though so Martin could have a haircut and Gretl, Fred, the driver and I waited by the pool and sipped non-alcoholic cocktails in the sun.



There were seven of us once more at dinner tonight and with everyone talking at once about their various activities over the last few days, I couldn’t cope for long and retired early to my room. Ope came in and we chatted for a bit. We are experiencing a lot of the same emotions over the trip so it was good to be able to share them together. Have I said before how grateful I am for her company?

Build - Day 3

The day started off cool and cloudy again and we got to the site around our usual time. We were reduced in numbers today as Peter and Janet had an early start to Mbale and won’t be back until tomorrow evening.

We’d barely moved a few bricks after a song and prayer with the workmen, when the rain came down again. We sat in the hut for ages and then had just commenced work once more when we were sent on a break. I think it’s not that they believe we need a break, but an opportunity to get some stuff done without us in the way! We used the opportunity to do a tour of the developing Suubi 2 village, looking at houses elsewhere that were in various stages of completion. Moses, our foreman, took us all over the site showing us various houses and explaining how each of them were to be completed. It was fascinating watching the bricks being made and I marvelled at the strength of the men working the machine – it is incredibly hard work!


We went straight to lunch after our tour so I barely worked all morning it seemed, but we made up for it in the afternoon. I helped lay bricks on the kitchen wall with a guy called Frank and there was only room for two because of the space. It was nice not being crowded and I appreciated the chance to get on and do some work at a reasonable speed. By the end of the afternoon, I was even allowed to move the horizontal string used as a guide to keep the bricks in line. Ok, so he had to adjust it once I’d moved it, but it was only my first time and I still felt it a bit of an honour.

When we went on the tour earlier, we stopped at the hut where lunch was being made for the workmen. The cooks were making what we learnt was their staple diet on site – maize and beans and juice drunk out of plastic bags. One of the young guys hanging around the huts was marvelling at the hair on Chas’s arms as the Ugandan’s have little body hair and there was quite a contrast between the two men. It was quite funny seeing the expression on this young guy’s face!

The journey home was horrendous as the traffic was really bad and yet again I fell asleep in the minibus. I must be working very hard (or the early mornings are wearing me out!). It rained going back to the guesthouse and I even heard thunder before we left the site. The streets were running with red water, in between the houses and filling the channels near the road. It’s astounding how much water was flowing from only a few hours of rain. I guess because the earth is almost like clay, the water isn’t absorbed but just runs down the slopes. It was quite a sight with the streets awash but people carrying on with their day despite the bad weather – no running for cover and sitting it out.

One part of each day that I really enjoy is waving and saying hello to the local children as we drive to and from the village. Their faces light up with huge smiles and they wave enthusiastically when they see us and I often feel a bit like a celebrity. There are very few “white” people around so we are something of a novelty I suppose, although with all the teams that come through this area working with Watoto, I am surprised that we are still so fascinating.

Build - Day 2

We left a little earlier today thanks to better preparation on everyone’s part – the sandwich making went much quicker. The traffic seemed worse however so I am not sure we actually got to the site any earlier. Our first disruption occurred when we got to the end of our street to turn onto the main road and we had to wait until about 40 lean, shirtless young men ran past doing security job training… I was certainly awake after that sight!

Each day on our journey to Suubi 2, we collect ice for the ice box to keep our sandwiches and water cool and today we had another visit from Moses (a lot of people are called Moses!) who first visited us yesterday. He rode up on his bicycle to talk through the minibus window and informed us he is the “champion biker”. He uses his bicycle like a taxi, riding people to where they need to go and is a most friendly chap who is now becoming a part of our daily routine.

It was overcast and cool on the site this morning. Initially I thought the day had the potential to be really hot but by 10am it was pouring with rain. We ended up having to stop work for about 45 minutes until it eased and then we continued on in the drizzle. The clouds did not clear and by lunch I had goose bumps as I’d only worn a sleeveless top. Most of us were cold but some were better prepared than I and had brought sweatshirts with them. At lunch, Fred entertained us with stories of a tribe living in Mbale where Janet & Peter are going to visit their Compassion sponsor child tomorrow. He is quite the story teller and found us a captive audience.

I was in a great mood today and I think it may have been infectious as by the end of the day, Ope & I both had the giggles. Martin & Gretl joined us from time to time and we caught Chas singing on more than one occasion. I found it easier to talk to the workmen and had a few small conversations with the ones I was working closest with. It’s nice being able to work alongside the locals and I was even complimented for being a hard worker.

I feel I am drawing closer to God through this experience as well. During my prayer time last night I was reduced to tears, which was most unexpected. It is great being in a country where God’s name is everywhere, where He is celebrated and having faith is respected.

It was Barack Obama’s inauguration today so whilst he was surrounded by pomp and ceremony, I was writing my journal on a sofa in a guesthouse in Kampala, smelling slightly of insect repellent, sitting with people who I only met 5 days ago but having an experience I wouldn’t swap with him for the world.

First day on the Building Site

We were up early this morning (19th January)... 5:30am! This is much earlier than I would rise on a normal work day but with two girls sharing a bathroom and a 7am departure time, it is necessary. We got into the minibus (which would become our second sleeping spot after our beds) and drove the hour across town to the Suubi 2 village. As we drove, children everywhere would spot the Mzungu (white people) and run up to the edge of the road waving with great big grins on their faces. It was a brilliant way to start the day and I felt a bit like a celebrity.

The building site looked exactly like you might imagine. Lots of buildings all in various stages of completion with our plot ready for us. The foundation had been laid and the corner stones started and we were to do the rest of the brick work in one week. Hats, sunscreen and work boots on, we got a brick laying lesson in five minutes which consisted of mortar (musenyu) down, lay the block, straighten it against the string used to level each course, wait til the course is finished and then fill between the blocks with more mortar. Smooth and then repeat, layer after layer. I call them blocks as they are larger than house bricks, around 12lbs each and we moved hundreds over the course of the week.

The day started off with light rain which kept the temperature nice and cool. It was such a blessing to get this great start to the day. If I'd had to start in the blazing sun, I would have found the work much harder. Our site looked down into the valley over the previously built houses, into the green trees beyond to the hills. Local children from villages around the site would wander through, often with yellow jerry cans on their heads fetching water.



Our breaks were under a wooden shelter, a couple of planks for seats with a table in the middle. Here we ate our sandwiches and freshly cut pineapple & watermelon. We had to keep hydrated with plenty of bottled water and this eventually meant a trip to the toilet which turned out to be not what I expected.



(Read at the following at your own risk) From the outside the toilet was a small, two cubicle brick building that looked as modern as the rest of the buildings on site. Pulling open the rickety door, I found before a rectangular concrete hole in the ground! I've used long drops in Australia and squat toilets in India and this was just a combination of the two but definitely the least civilised of anything I've used before. Just hold your breath, close the door, avoid your shoes, do your business and get out as quick as possible!

After lunch, a guy called Fred came down to the site to say hello (different guy than our host). He is another of the original Watoto children and another success story. He has just completed a Bachelor of International Business... one more reminder of the opportunities given to the orphans from this great organisation.

Most of us slept in the minibus after a hard day putting down bricks or moving them about the site. The cry of "more musenyu" in my ears and the dirt of Uganda in my shoes... what a great start to the working week. We got back to the guesthouse to find Ope, Gretl and I had been moved to bigger more comfortable rooms which was a wonderful blessing!. The shower felt amazing and even with sunburnt legs from the afternoon sun (you should see the sock marks!) I was ready for an early night but very content.

UK team

I think it is time I introduce my team mates on this trip. Firstly there is Chas, the UK director of the Watoto Child Care Ministries. He was our calm voice in the chaos. He's been on a build team before so knew what to expect and was able to organise us (mostly!) to wherever we needed to be on time. I have a lot of respect for the man, we weren't an easy team to handle at times and there were only seven of us. I must confess I regressed quite a bit (who knew the teenager was still inside of me?) but he managed to deal with me and the others with incredible patience.



Also from the Watoto UK office was Ope, my roommate. She is four years younger than me, the youngest on the team, but was a great mate and we had lots of giggles together. She too had been to Uganda before, for the conference in September 2008 so knew what to expect regards to the country itself, but had not built before. I had been a bit worried before I left the UK, that I would not find anyone that I "clicked with" but the Lord took good care of me and provided me with a crazy friend to keep me company. Thank you Father!



Gretl came over for her 50th birthday, to give something back to God. A lover of cane sugar and groundnuts and a blessing to the team with her gentle spirit and ready smile.



Peter and Janet were the oldest on the team, well into their 60's but definitely pulling their weight on the building site. Peter constantly had a song on his lips and when things were good, they were "tickety boo". Janet was amazing, not letting physical impairments (a plastic hip) prevent her mucking in and doing her share. We lost them for a couple of days on site when they went to visit their Compassion sponsor child in Mbale, but they both impressed me with their determination to do their bit.



Martin the solicitor, was ending his sabbatical of three months with the Uganda trip. I am not sure if he regressed with Ope & myself or if he is usually the joker, but he was great to share a giggle with. He was the man who you want on a quiz night, the one with the random facts and the expressive eyebrows (they won't help on a quiz night but sure were entertaining!). He turned out to be the "stirrer" of the team but not maliciously, just to keep us on our toes and develop my quick wit to retort when necessary.



Lastly but most importantly was Fred, our host. As I mentioned earlier, he is one of the first Watoto children and a testiment to the organisation. He knew answers to most of our questions and was very patient with us. He is the great entertainer and certainly had some wonderful stories to share with us of life in Uganda. He was definitely a blessing to us and it was sad to say goodbye to him on our last day - may the Lord grant him the desires of his heart and bless him in all he does.

Kampala Pentecostal Church (KPC)

KPC began in 1984 with 75 people and is the birth place of Watoto Child Care Ministries. It is cell based (around 1,600 in all) with six district churches across Kampala. Our first Sunday in Kampala saw us at KPC Central and I was impressed with what I saw. They run four services back to back on a Sunday morning from 8am to 4pm. The congregation come in one door, worship, listen to the sermon etc. then go out the other door during the last song as the next lot come in.

The service was very well organised, from the choir helping lead the worship to the audio/visual team recording the service and projecting it on the big screen. During the taking up of the offering, a dance troup and rapper came out and entertained us (there were around 1,200 people for the offering bags to be passed around to which takes some time!) and the sermon we heard was the same as the one heard at all the other KPC services across the city. With all this "production", I didn't feel God was lost and really enjoyed worshipping together with such a large number of people. I particulary liked one thing I heard one of the leaders say and that was "God bless you... King size". I certainly feel He is blessing this church and community King size!

Jinja - source of the Nile

Saturday the 17th was our day trip to Jinja - about a 2 hour drive from Kampala and is Uganda's second largest urban centre. We didn't see much of the city itself, we skirted around it and headed out towards the Nile. The source of the Nile is a spring coming up from the ground out of Lake Victoria. You can't see the spring now as the river has been dammed and the only evidence it is there are bubbles breaking the surface.









It was beautiful on the Nile itself, very calm with just a few fishing boats about and resting by the water. Uganda is a bird watchers dream, however I am not studied enough (or interested enough to be honest!) to worry what their names are.

Our next stop after the River Nile was to Bujagali Falls where we were able to see the rapids. We paid two local men 5,000 shillings each to ride down the rapids holding only a jerry can. I know it's something they must do regularly for tourists and it was obvious they knew the best parts to swim through, but I did wonder if it were wise to be encouraging this sort of behaviour.

Lunch was at the Nile Resort, a beautiful hotel down the road from the Falls. I ate my first Tilapia, a local fish which was absolutely gorgeous. I know it doesn't look particularly appealing but it was yum, I assure you!

I'm here ... and it's HOT!

I'm made it to Uganda safely and without any dramas... Praise God! The flight was uneventful, it was easy to get a visa and all our luggage turned up. I can't believe it was only this morning we arrived, it feels like days ago now.

The team and I have just returned from the Bulrushes Babies Home and the babies were really sweet.





















These are children found abandoned at hospitals, police stations and rescued off rubbish dumps. The home is designed to hold 60 children between the ages of 0 - 2 years but there are currently 109 in residence... that's a lot of nappies, changes of clothes, bathing and feeding to do!



The most premature baby they ever had there weighed just 850g and was 5 months early but now he is thriving; they have excellent care for premature babies. I got to hold a few, the most determined I think! Those that could crawl or walk would come to you and try climbing up your legs and into your lap and then they were very difficult to put down. Not because I didn't want to let go but they didn't.



When they started to cry as I walked away, it was heartbreaking but it is obvious they are in great hands so that made it easier. We were told we weren't allowed to take any with us, so unfortunately I had to leave all those gorgeous kids behind. At least I know they have an excellent future ahead of them in the hands of the Watoto Organisation.



The country is much as I expected after having travelled to India in 2005, though there are some subtle differences. The billboards on the sides of the roads are similar to what I'd see in the UK, however I did see one today that said "HIV Positive? Take your medicine daily". Just a reminder of a disease that affects so many out here.

I will leave the rest of my observations from the last 7 hours (has it really only been that long since we arrived?) for another time, and will have to post photos on here (if they will all fit) when I get back. Tomorrow we are off to Jinja where I will get to go on the Nile and see it's source. How exciting!

Away I go!

After a year of thinking and planning, the day has come when I depart for Uganda. Only 9 hours to go and I'll be on the plane and I am nervous and excited at the same time. I started the Malaria tablets yesterday and thankfully there have been no side-effects, so I am off to a good start! I've just been into town and bought my builders gloves so I can lay bricks without breaking a nail and made sure I have enough foreign currency. Now I am finishing packing and ticking off my mental/paper lists to make sure I've got of everything.

I hope to update this a little whilst I am in Kampala - there are internet cafes around I am told, however it depends on whether we have time to get to one that will determine how often I write here. If there isn't much added in the next two weeks, there certainly will be when I get back!

Thanks for all the prayer and support everyone is giving me, it has provided me with extra confidence and anticipation of good things to come. I look forward to sharing news with you shortly.