Still Holiday time!

The team from Northern Ireland are here for a second week to help at a fun day for the Hospital’s ‘Afaayo’ (He Cares) Club. This is a regular time for children and young people who live with the challenge of being HIV+, usually because they acquired the virus at birth.

 However, there was more work for them to do. To raise funds to pay the fees for those who cannot afford to pay for treatment or need assistance to buy food there was a sale of items brought here by visitors and left (including a suit, 2 jackets and ties Malcolm no longer has a use for). The team became willing stall holders and almost 2,000,000  Ugandan shillings was raised (about £380). This is a great help to the 20 million shillings needed per year to support this assistance.

The team left on Thursday. They presented bags of toys to help with the Hospital’s clubs for children.

 

They also presented a banner which had been made by one of Rory’s patients when he was a GP in Ireland.

 

So next week – Malcolm really must get down and do some proper work! We are still waiting!

Deja Vu?

English Service at Kisoro Cathedral

It seems like we've been here before.

Over the years there have been several photos in our blogs of coaches that we were travelling on, which had broken done, often because of a puncture. To continue the trend here is a picture of the coach Malcolm travelled on this week from Kisoro to Kampala.

Anyone have a jack?

 Malcolm had completed his 5 day task of ‘Examining’ the accounts of Potters Village Crisis Centre for children. He had a good time with the Director and her doctor husband (Sue and Mike) who manage the home and run the Paediatric medical centre. 

Ruth, Rebecca, Mike, Rosie and Sue relaxing at Sunday Lunch

The Crisis Centre opened as a 30 bed residential home for orphaned and abandoned babies about 9 years ago but has recently opened a medical centre and baby care unit open to children from the local community and referrals from the hospital. The medical work has quickly grown with 21 inpatients whilst Malcolm was there.

Staff with  babies that they care for

A new, and abandoned baby

 

The journey from Kisoro to Kiwoko via Kampala took about 13 hours in total, with 10 hours (including break down) on one of the more reliable coach services. When at last he arrived at Kiwoko Hospital, once again Malcolm was made very welcome, and would like to say he got straight down to work.

 

However……………………………. it is the Children’s Holiday Club week (Ekisa, which is Lugandan for Grace) and he could not resist turning up to take photos of the fun the children were having. The theme was ‘Pauls Journeys’. Children of hospital staff and some from the community had 3 days of fun, singing, playing games and learning about Jesus.

Ekisa Club sing along a song

 One of the activities was to make a bracelet out of loom bands 

Hard at work making bracelets

(editors note. We can’t quite remember where loom bands come up in the New Testament – although we are certain there would have been looms (for weaving) in Paul’s time which he may have used as a tent maker??????)

Children at Ekisa Holiday Club

 

So next week – Malcolm really ought to get down and do some work! We shall see if he succeeds