Somtimes Miracles Do Happen

 It’s a hard life in the mission field!!!! 

Last weekend a group of us (with Dr Corrie, Denise and Gideon) decided to go for a bit of relaxation at the Sheraton Hotel in Kampala. To most people this would be a thrill – but Malcolm and water do not mix at the best of time, so he remained on dry land.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We don’t want to make too many unsubtantiated claims, other than the camera cannot lie!!! As you can see at one point Gideon decided that he would join Malcolm in the dry by walking on the water. Quite a feat (or is that feet?)

 

To keep with the miracle theme on the way home we spotted a woman carrying what was probably her bed (we would call it a mat) on her head.

 

And then there was the market by the road side.

 

Irene has made her presence felt here – we are just waiting to find Lord Malcolm’s University to complete the set.

 

This weeks bugs are a group of butterflies (is that a flutter of butterflies, or a butter of flutterbies?). For some reason they were attracted to a neighbours garden

 

This week’s proverb from the BBC Africa web-site is from Kenya  “To pick something up from under a bed, you must bend down” 

PS Malcolm swimming – Now that would be a miracle!

A Long and Difficult Journey

Our last few days visiting Kisoro allowed Irene to meet the staff at the Diocese Vocational Training Centre where she used to work. Amos, the Principal, updated her on developments including an increase in the number of students and the acceptance of the Centre as an examination centre. She was also pleased to meet Evasta who had been one of Irene’s first computer students but is now sponsored by our Chesham church on work experience as the Centre’s administrator

 

Potter’s Village Child Crisis Centre received a new baby referred from the local Hospital. Sadly her mother had tried to illegally abort her late-term baby who had survived the traumatic experience. However, the hospital does not have the facilities to care for the 1 kg premature baby, so had sent it to Potter’s Village for care.

 

And then it was our turn for a long and difficult journey. The safest way to travel back to Kiwoko is by Post Office Bus. It is amazing how tiring it can be sitting on a bus all day. The total journey is about 350 miles, or 14 hours door to door.

 

Back at the hospital there was time to take a photo of as many of the 375 hospital staff as were available. This inevitably meant that most of the nurses and doctors were caring for patients at the time. However, a good selection were available together with the support staff such as cooks, cleaners, security and grounds staff.

 

This weeks bug is a preying mantis that decided to drop in for a visit, no doubt looking for her mate.

 

 This week's proverb from the BBC Africa web-site is from Somalia: "Don't set out on a journey using someone else's donkey”

 

 

Old Friends and New

 

We are on our travels again.

On Thursday Joseph, the hospital’s Finance Manager, took Malcolm to Kampala to meet the various financial organisations that he will have contact with, such as the Hospital’s banks (to discuss making him a cheque signatory) the Income Tax and National Insurance Offices and the external auditors. In particular the local branch of Equity bank Max, the manager, gave Malcolm a warm welcome, and tried to persuade him to open a bank account. She and her staff posed for a photo with Joseph – this seemed only fair as they had taken Malcolm’s photo as part of authenticating him as a cheque signatory.

It was a full day of meetings and tiring for Malcolm – Irene also came, and spent the day by the pool at the local leisure centre.

One reason for going to Kampala was also to meet Jenny Green from Potter’s Village who was also visiting Kampala. Because we needed to get to Kisoro to pick up their possessions left in Potter’s Village store, we managed to hitch a lift with her.

In Kisoro we were able to visit old friends and to see how Potter’s Village Crisis Centre for children had developed in the last 7 months. In particular the Medical Centre and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is now fully operational, receiving patients referred from the Town Hospital, and in particular new babies which need the special care the local hospital is not able to provide. The Medical Centre uses both specialist incubators with oxygen feeds, and, for stronger babies, insulated ‘ice cream’ boxes. In Uganda it is vital to use whatever is locally available as high-tech facilities that we take for granted in Britain are not always available.

 

Another project initiated by a new volunteer, Sue Hughes, is to make strong specialist furniture for disabled children from recycled cardboard boxes and glue – a bit like papier mache. A special chair had just been finished by the Potters Village craftsman, Leonard, for Doreen, a 2 year old child with cerebral palsy. This chair enabled her to sit up for the first time on her own unaided and to view the world as any normal child.
 

This weeks bug is a pretty white moth that decided to cling onto the mosquito netting on our front door.

 

 This weeks proverb from the BBC Africa web-site is from Ethiopia: 

"Do not blame God for creating the tiger - just be thankful He didn't give it wings"

Give us this day our Daily Bread, corn flakes, coffee………….

We are settling into Kiwoko.

 

One of our daily needs is shopping. Kiwoko, being a small village, sells a limited range of items. The busiest day is Saturday, market day. Last week Malcolm accompanied Denise and Natasha to buy some vegetables and to have a look around.

 

For more serious shopping Malcolm leaves it to Irene. On Friday she went with Denise (the bosses wife) on the 50 mile journey to Kampala. There she found coffee shops, restaurants, a hairdresser, clothes shops and western style Supermarkets. She was particularly pleased to find the reduced price section for bargains

 

Security is taken seriously in Kampala. Cars are checked for bombs, and may be searched when you drive into shopping mall car parks. And even in the wc toilet rolls are protected from opportunity thieves - one sheet or two, madam?

There are an interesting range of bugs around the hospital. This one was spotted on the wall of our house.

 

 This week’s proverb from the BBC Africa web-site is Swahili “Better to stumble with the foot than with the tongue”

 

Champions!

It’s been a champion week.

 

We have recovered from our journey and Malcolm has recovered from some minor bug we must have brought with us.

 

However, it may not have been a typical week here.

 

On Tuesday the Bishop of Lowero visited the hospital. This was an opportunity for the various choirs from Nursing and Laboratory Training schools to entertain us. Champion!

 

Wednesday was a bank holiday. It was also a sad day for the hospital as the Personnel Manager, Asiimwe, and Karren his wife said farewell to friends as they move jobs to Kampala. However, on a warm afternoon there was time for a few silly party games, lots of food and speeches.. Champion.

 

We are beginning to appreciate some of the wild-life. This week the largest butterfly we’ve ever seen landed at Malcolm’s feet, unfortunately injured. However it must be a champion amongst butterfly species.

 

To finish the week the Hospital held its first ever quiz night for staff. As usual there was a mix of rounds including ‘media’ (Ugandan pop stars and tv personalities). Somehow our team won by half a point!!!! The photo might give a clue as to why. However, we were confused by one of the questions which apparently came from a Ugandan radio and was something like. “What is the likelihood of you dying tomorrow?”  Answer “50:50”. Oh dear. Lets hope that's not true

 

“We are the Champions”.

 

And we almost forgot. We have also been working.



The following is a link to a video about the work of the hospital.
 

http://www.kiwokohospital.org/gallery/videos.php

 

This week’s proverb from the BBC Africa web-site is from South Sudan "Pretend you are dead and you will see who really loves you"