Friday 8th June 2007

I am now settling into English life again and missing the team and the school children that I had the privilege of teaching.  Tomorrow I am travelling to London for a debriefing session with Crosslinks and the team which takes place on Monday.  I am looking forward to this because it gives us an opportunity to discuss our time out there and what we have learned.  I thought it would be good to share with you from my journal of some of the experiences I encountered.  This one is from our first day in school:

"You are very welcome" was the phrase heard throughout the day.  It was school day today.  First visit alone with team member Jack to the school we will be working in for the next three months.  I woke feeling quite nervous but excited to be at last getting involved.  We were warmly welcomed by all.  There were a few lessons going on but we expect more kids to join as the week goes on.  Didn't get to teach a lesson but got to see how it should be done which was cool.  Was very tired and found it hard to keep my eyes open when we were being told information.  Note-to-self get a good nights sleep!  Everything finished quite quickly.  They sent the kids home at lunch time because they had to food to give them.  So we were told we could go.  Robert the Deputy Head suggested we got a motorbike taxi into town otherwise we would have to walk.  It was very tempting but after a phone call with Giles our leader we opted to walk.  However, walking through town to the taxi rank turned into an adventure all of its own.  We'd been walking for about ten minutes when it started to trickle with rain, which ultimately turned into an absolute downpour on all sides.  As soon as this happened it turned into chaos!  Robert who was taking us via foot shouted "Run!" and proceeded to leg it in a certain direction.  I followed and in turn Jack per sued us up an orange hill, now slippery 'cos of the torrent to the shelter of a building.  After calming ones self down and catching ones breath, I looked out onto the before crazed street with Africans running everywhere and anywhere to shelter themselves and found stillness.  It was like this part of the world was waiting for something amazing to come from the sky, but it was just rain to me.  Amazing, how everything can suddenly stop at an act from Mother Nature.  Once the rain let up it was time to move again and we eventually got to the taxi rank and boarded a taxi full of people.  Jack mentioned how the minivan taxis are like buses back home, no one talks to anyone even though we're sitting in each others pockets! 

Look at the pictures and you will see the school and all the lovely children who I had the pleasure of teaching and being part of their lives for four months.
Love Abi x

Tuesday 22nd May 2007

Dear Friends and family

We have all arrived safe and around back in England and are adjusting to the colder weather! Thank you for your support in prayer for the whole 4 months that we were in Uganda. Praise God for everything we've done and learnt!

Now we are home we continue to pray for the projects we were involved with; for the schools, that the bible clubs we've set up and been involved in would continue, so children keep learning about Jesus. We pray for the Street kids ministry on Sunday mornings and Friday nights, that Calvary chapel would be a good continued support for Paul, Andrew and Chief who run the project. And that the street children will be encouraged to keep coming to Sunday morning bible studies to learn about God.

Thank God for the great friendships made in the team and great leadership from Giles and Katie.  Prayers for the team would be appreciated as we settle back into Western life, that we would continue to support each other through that . That we would remember everything we have learnt in Uganda and have opportunities to put these into practice. That we would be goodChristian witnesses to our non Christian friends and family; focussing on Christ as our example. Please pray that all team members will get stuck straight back into churches at home, finding places to serve the church
family.

Please pray for Giles as he goes back to work and for Katie that she would find a new job. And as we look to life beyond Uganda prayers would be appreciated for the rest of the team heading of to university, that when we are there we would continue to grow in our relationship with God and live distinctively there.

And please pray for Kit who is no very well at the moment, following a bug he caught out in Uganda which seems to have reappeared.

Thank God for the great experience and opportunities we’ve had out in Uganda.

God Bless
The Uganda Smile Team 2007
Abi Alice Dan Ele Giles Jack John Katie Kit Lucy and Tom

Wednesday 9th May 2007

Sadly, my time here in Uganda is very nearly at an end.  A week on Friday I will be leaving Uganda on my long journey home to arrive at Heathrow early Saturday morning.  However, before then we are going to Mersants Falls and then the girls are going to a cottage for a 'girly holiday'.  We have just come back from an amazing Safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park.  Check the pictures of the animals they were just amazing!  We got to sit on top of the bus and the animals got really close.  An elephant as big as a house ran out of the bush as we were passing and nearly knocked the van, that's how close!  It was so cool!

I had another day at the babies home and held new baby twins.  One of them was called Philis and her head was the size of my fist.  She was absolutely gorgeous! 

I feel I have learned so much through my experience here and I will be defenitely coming back a different person and not just because I have a different accent! (Remember I am living with all Southerners!!)  Our Bible studies and prayer meetings have helped me to grow in my faith and I find the Bible so challenging.  So when I come home I will want to share how exciting the Gospel is and what Jesus has done for me and look forward to doing assemblies and seaking to groups at church.  I also can't wait to put on a pair of jeans and eat Mum's cooking again! 

I will sign off now and speak to you again before I actually come home.
Love Abi x

Monday 30th April 2007
 
Thought you might like to hear what has been written by one of our leaders about the whole team...

And so it is, the rainy season arrives in Uganda; but despite the tans fading and the cloudy skies above, the team remains on good form, and as enthusiastic as ever. For a month that started with great April Fool plans, scuppered by further intermittent internet access, April has been a productive, yet, at times, emotional, month for the team.

April has been a month where life at school has come to a close. The last lessons were taught, the final games were played and fond farewells were exchanged with teachers and pupils alike. It was a sad day for us all, but fortunately we knew that we would shortly be returning for another few days at each of our schools, as, although the official term was over and our role as classroom teachers was through, the fun of Holiday Club had not yet begun!

We had decided to base our Holiday Club around the story of Jonah, adapting sports, crafts, and music & drama to reflect the messages given in the morning and afternoon talks, all over-enthusiastically introduced by the Deep Sea Duo ‘Jumping Jack’ and ‘Diving Dan’! The talks, the Jonah drama, the ‘special discovery groups’ and dances, all seemed to go ‘swimmingly’, with a number of children becoming Christians having accepted the gospel for the first time!

So although things have come to a close (twice!) in the schools, we have still been having a number of new and exciting experiences! All this reckless energy for Holiday Club had to come from somewhere after all…

Easter weekend. A three hour boat ride from Entebbe, via a quick stop on a fake white beach, took us to Banda Island, and our home for the next few days. The island, situated in the middle of the bilharzia-infected Lake Victoria, and run by an eccentric 50-year old, bearded, drug addict who disliked people, turned out to be the perfect location for a few days of rest (apart from those times spent avoiding the hordes of ants that shared the island with us!)! Some good times were spent rowing in boats with holes in, using windsurf boards with no sails, and eating popcorn by the bonfire we built lake-side…! It really was as surreal as it sounds!

Anyway, the other headlines for April include highlights such as the arrival and slaughter of a third hen; the eating of the other hens’ eggs and other treats such as grasshoppers; the purchasing of Ugandan football shirts and African crafts from fantastic local markets; a visit from the Prince of Buganda; an afternoon in the studios of Radio One Uganda; and much much more besides…

And so it is that we head into a few days of rest, eagerly anticipating our safari expedition next week and more adventures around the currently unexplored areas of the diverse and exciting country that Uganda has already proved itself to be…

P.S – see if you can find the Holiday Club memory verse within the text…!

Will be seeing you very soon,

Lots of love Abi x

Friday 20th April 2007

Had my last day in school today, very sad, found it really hard to say goodbye. All my kids were saying "When are you coming back?" It really sad because my baby class had no idea I was leaving so they will probably expect me back next term. It was the first of the two days of holiday club at kids corner yesterday and it kicked off really well. I got to do Drama with my P5 class and they were the best! (You can see what I mean from the pictures.) They loved it so much and they made me so proud, it was good to have a load of fun with them before we had to go. Today was spent similar to yesterday doing drama with the P6 and 7 members and a really beautiful girl called Madina 14 yrs old told me she gave her life to Christ and was very happy!  I was so excited I am going to announce it at tea tonight. I nearly burst into tears. Of course I did cry when the 'Speeches' were being said. Giles gave a few words then the deputy Teacher Robert gave a thank you to me and Jack for all our hard work and said how grateful they were that we chose to come and be part of their school, but sad because it was just for one term. Then they asked us if we wanted to say anything. I left it to Jack giving him the "If I even try to speak I'm gonna burst into tears" face and he gave thanks on behalf of us both.

Thank you Sunday School at St. John's for the big bar of chocolate and the Easter card signed by the church which came the other day. It was a lovely surprise!

Sunday 15th April 2007

Hi to everyone,
I am so enjoying my time here in this beautiful country.  For the next two weeks we will be running a holiday club in all the schools we have been involved in and you can read our group prayer letter below.  These photographs are of me with some of the children I have been teaching.  In one I am listening to Joanna read and the other is of Patience and Joanna.  They are great kids and love learning.

‘Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain’ 1 Corinthians 15:58

Holiday Club

At the moment we are all looking forward and working hard towards Holiday club which begins tomorrow at Glory for Education school! So prayers would be much appreciated for that and the talks on Jonah.

• Thank God for this great opportunity to spread his word to a large number of kids.
• Please pray that we would all have energy and strength to do our individual tasks preparing today and carrying it all out over the next two weeks. That we would; ‘fully give ourselves to the work of the Lord’.
• Please pray that lots of kids will come along, bringing friends etc with them.
• Please pray for the speakers; Kit, John, Tom and Lucy that they would prepare good talks on Jonah that the children would relate to and understand. That God would give them the wisdom to know how to speak to the children. 
• Pray that lots of children will be reached and that God will change their hearts and strengthen their faith in him.

Schools

We have now come to the end of our teaching period, and sadly have to say goodbye to all the teachers and children we have got to know. We have a few specific people from each school which we continue to pray for and would like your prayers for also:

Treasured Kids:

1. Teacher Peesa Isaac, who is a recent Muslim convert, that his faith in the true God is firm and grows.
2. Patience, a girl in P4, that she will keep being able to afford school fees, and for her sister Parvine who attempted suicide earlier this week.

Kiti:

1. Teacher Haqueim; he is a Muslim teacher who is interested in Christianity and has been given ‘two ways to live’ to read. We pray that he would understand the gospel message and come to know Jesus.
2. Dick and Arnold in P6. who are both attending bible college. We pray that they will learn a lot there which will encourage their faith.

Children’s corner:

1. Teacher Robert who is the deputy head, thank God for his faith and please pray that God gives him strength and wisdom to continue good Christian teaching to the children in the school.
2. Please pray for Joey in baby class who has a bad limp. Also Faizal a Muslim and Kennedy in P7 both of whom have shown interest in Christianity and ‘two ways to live’ in Jack’s R.E classes.

Glory For Education:

1. Teacher James, that his faith in God is real, that he really understands the gospel.
2. Vera a girl who lives opposite the school, praise God for her love and passion for God, that this keeps strong and is evident to those around her. Especially her non Christian parents and younger sisters. They that would all come to have a strong faith in God.

Street Kids

• Thank God for the 8 professions of faith in Church today after a study on 1 Peter 3.
• Please also praise God for Andrew, Chief and Paul, who are the men from Calvary Chapel who run the street kids program, and they commitment to it. Please pray that God would give them strength to continue in service.
• Pray for all the street kids and their problems with drugs, and that they may come to church bible studies regularly, hear God’s word and believe it. Especially for Abdulla and DJ Fanta.

Thank you for all your prayers and support.
The Uganda Smile Team 2007
Abi Alice Dan Ele Giles Jack John Katie Kit Lucy Tom

Thanks again for your prayers
Love Abi x

Thursday 12th April 2007

We are now well settled into Calvary chapel, and are getting involved with the street kids bible study on Sunday Mornings. Please pray for our talk preparations that we would be able to explain the gospel so they’d understand and relate it to their lives. The boys are also serving on Friday nights, going out onto the streets to talk to the boys, sharing the gospel in their own environment. Please pray for their safety and that the street kids would be receptive and encouraged. Jonnie is also serving in the main church choir, please pray that he has stamina to do this and encourages others/is encouraged by it.
 
On Thursday evening we have our prayer meeting and it gives us the opportunity to pray for you too.  We also study the bible together each evening and I am learning so much from these studies.
 
Love and prayers Abi x

Wednesday 4th April 2007

Mulymutya, (How are you all?) Greetings from Uganda.
 
We are well into our second month here in Uganda; time in schools has been encouraging thanks for prayers so far. We are entering our final couple of teaching weeks so would appreciate prayers for strength and enthusiasm until the end.
 
Holiday Clubs:
Currently we are looking forward to starting Holiday clubs in the four schools over the Easter break. We plan to spend two days in each school, having a series of four talks on Jonah. Intermingled with music, crafts, sports and drama, so it should be a fun, action packed and constructive few weeks. Please pray for preparations for this, that the team works well together, getting things done swiftly, focusing on teaching and relating back to the bible.

Each team member has been assigned two different areas, please pray for the following:

• Ele: Chief supervisor - Organisational skills, control and wisdom to lead and hold things together.
• Dan and Jack: MCs - Energy, creativity, preparation, ability to keep attention and keep things moving.
• John, Kit, Lucy, Tom: The Speakers - preparation, time, wisdom, good communication, confidence and understanding.
• Alice: Crafts - creativity, linking back to talks, resources, energy.
• Abi: Music and drama- creativity, imagination, relating to the focus talk of the day, enthusiasm, resources.
• Giles and Jack: Sport - evangelism through sport, space, control of kids.

Please pray that the holiday would run smoothly, that we would be able to keep the children’s focus and maintain discipline. Also that what we do will make a difference, that the kids would be receptive and understanding of what we teach and that some would be saved. Also that we would be able to provide everything needed; resources and food, keeping to our budget.
 
Thanks for your prayers,
 
Love Abi x

Thursday 29th March 2007

Things in school are going well. However, Jack and I have now been introduced to Posho and beans (how we've successfully avoided this so far I do not know).  Normally we would take a packed lunch but one of our teachers has a child at Dan and Lucy's school and she saw them eating and I guess enjoying the schools posho and beans. This, I presume lead her to wonder why on earth do Abi and Jack not eat our food?  So the next day we were asked "Why do you not eat our food, do you not like our food we offer you?"  Ouch!  So we are now eating the schools posho and beans everyday for lunch for the rest, of what will seem like our lives.  Great! yum yum!  Take a look at the picture and see what you think.

That a side teaching is great. One of the teachers cottoned on to the fact I can draw if I copy from a book. I have so far drawn the digestive system, some science experiment with a light bulb, the whole alphabet with things like A for apple and C for cat. I've recently been asked to teach baby, middle and top class which is the very little kids in primary years 1, 2 and 3. This I love coz the kids are so cute and they enjoy singing songs and doing the alphabet. P5 is the class I spend the most time with (year 5) and I have just about learned all their names. Solomon is my favourite because he looks like Mike out of Monsters Inc and I just have to look at him and I laugh.  Here is a photo of him pulling a face.

The team has started speaking with African accents because we find this helps the kids understand us. So now my accent is all screwed up. Living with 10 people form down South hasn't helped either. I shock myself sometimes when I say "I'm going to the
bathroom", instead of the usual "Im goin t' loo."
 
Thank you all for your prayers, lots of love Abi x

Tuesday 20th March 2007

Hi everyone,
I have now fully recovered from my sickness and getting back to teaching in the school.  Hope you like the picture of me with some of the children.  I went to the Babies Home after waiting weeks and weeks and loved it.  I held a two week old baby no bigger than my two hands.  I fed it, burped it and of course changed the nappy.  I know now how to do a terry nappy, how cool am I!  There are lots of litle toddlers and when you pick them up they just don't want to be put down so you end up with about four kids entertaining themselves around you!  I can't wait to go next week and I am going to really enjoy that.  Please pray for them as they are all orphans and many of the parents will have died young with Aids.

Hope you are all well and enjoying my blogg.  I received a massive Galaxy chocolate bar from my friend Rachel which was a lovely treat.

Until next time,
Love Abi

Tuesday 13th March 2007

Last night I spent 3 hours at the hospital with some kind of food poisoning.  We had all been out for a meal on Sunday night and the rest of that night I was very unwell.  I didn't pick up during the day so I had to go to hospital.  I had become dehydrated because I couldn't keep anything down.  I got very near to having needles stuck in me and a drip up but I managed to drink and keep down some fluid.  I am now back at the house but feeling very weary and taking things slowly. 

I haven't been into school this week and I have missed the children.  Fortunately all this happened after I had been white water rafting because that was amazing and wouldn't have wanted to miss it.

Please pray that I will soon recover from this and be back to school soon.  I thought you might like to see this picture of me with Lucy, Elle and Dan.  We were in the middle of a bad thunderstorm which made us do weird things!

Love Abi x 

Monday 5th March 2007

Hi, I am still enjoying working here in Uganda.  I go into school each day with Jack another member of the team.  Please pray for us as we take the assembly on Wednesdays at 11am (your time 8am) that the children will understand and respond to the message being taught.  We also run a Bible Club on Monday lunch time and pray the children will continue to come to that. 

As well as work we also have some time at the weekends to do other things and this picture is of us at the equator.  Our next trip is white water rafting-please pray for my Mum and Dad!

Love to all
Abi x

Tuesday 20th February 2007

I am beginning to settle in more and finding African culture fascinating.  From Monday to Thursday I am teaching in Children's Corner School which I am still finding challenging because there are no lesson plans to follow and very few books to work from.  I teach RS and English and some of the younger children are only just learning English so I find the language barrier difficult.  The children love the fact that I have blonde hair and keep staring at me!  They are so gorgeous and very well mannered.  Please pray that I can find ways of making the lesson interesting with very little to work with. On Friday we are looking at a project to do with the whole team.  We have a few ideas in mind but will let you know more later. 

Hope you are well and thanks again for your prayers.
Love Abi

Friday 9th February 2007

Today we visited a local hospital and a babies home for abandoned children which was extremely difficult but we hope to get stuck in and help on our day off which at present is Friday. In the babies home they just want volunteers to hold the babies and feed/change them. So am looking forward to that.

Must dash as we've been invited to a Ugandan wedding which is defo gonna be a treat.  If anybody wants to write (because receiving post here is way cool) then the address is:

Abi Donald at Crosslinks
Shalom guest house
Po Box 886
Tank Hill Road
Muyenga
Kampala
Uganda
East Africa

Thanks for your prayers.
God Bless
Lots of love
Abi x

Thursday 8th February 2007

Am now teaching in schools which is amazing. Finding teaching mint but struggling with the language barrier. We get to school at 9:30 and they say, "You teach now...p4" and its like "What shall I teach them?" They reply "Anything" so its random but loving it!

Going to visit a hospital and orphanage tomorrow which should be pretty intense, but will be good to see where we can help.

Please keep praying.

Love Abi x

Sunday 4th February 2007

We have had electricity everyday so far, although yesterday afternoon and this morning we didn't because there was a power cut. Apparently these occur a lot. We have someone that cooks for us. She's called Rachel and she has two girls who help her. We have had so far... fish and chips, bangers and mash, and a lot of pineapple. It's African night every Saturday. HAHA It's ironic but cool. Starting in the schools tomorrow so please pray. Otherwise having a fab time still.

Love Abi x

Wednesday 31st January 2007

Arrived safe and found the guest house in mint condition with lots of supplies. Mossie net, towels and even a double bed all for me! So as you can imagine we're living in absolute comfort! The rooms are really nice even when on the first night I saw a cockroach (which was huge!) I still couldn't believe how fortunate we've been on landing in such a beautiful area.

Have visited all 4 schools that we will be split into to work in. Two in some really rural areas so hoping I get one of them because it will be good to experience the slums and mud huts which some of the children live in, and school will mean so much more to them. So very excited to get started. It all kicks off Monday.

Africa of course is amazing with absolute poverty living next door to big brick houses which is really weird to see! Driving in Uganda is also bizarre! It’s always crazy busy with motorbike taxis carrying up to three people weaving in and out of buses and cars.

The people here are SO friendly! Its really nice to see. Have learned some basic Lugandan which is what's spoken here so trying to keep that up. The kids are most gorgeous with their beautiful smiles and warm greetings. Although today I experienced the kids begging and it really upset me. You can't give them anything because there are so many. They run along the side of the van we're in, which always has the windows down coz of the heat and they hold there hands out to you. They are very young children no more than 4 and 5 years old.

A Big Thank You

Thank you to all who sponsored me during my 24 hour fast. A total of £187 was raised, also thank you to all who supported the coffee morning where another £65 was raised, making a grand total of £252.

I was so grateful to receive this money which really helped me to raise the £3,000 I needed for my trip to Africa to work with disadvantaged children in schools and hospitals and in the local church.

Wednesday 24th January 2007

Hi guys!

Well, with only a few days to go I’ve been really busy packing! But found some spare time to write a little bit about what I’m doing in Uganda. So here we go…

To the left is a map of Africa. Uganda is to the right under the big arrow. The capital of Uganda is Kampala and that is where I will be living these next four months.

Below is the Shalom guest house that I will be living in. There are 11 people going in total, five boys and four girls.

The boys Kit, Jack, Dan, Tom and Giles will share one part of the house and the girls, Katie, Lucy, Ele, Alice and me will share another part.

I will be updating as often as I can with my progress kinda like a diary so log on to hear more and see some exciting pictures of Africa.

The next time I write I will be in Uganda whoohoo!

Speak soon

Abi x