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When I was in Uganda

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In the month since returning from Uganda we have had time to spend with our families, had days out and vacations and enjoyed the last of the summer holidays before school started again. We've also spent time reflecting on the trip. We've shared stories with our friends, we've realised how lucky we are to have days off and have not forgotten how our summer began preparing for our adventure. I'm pretty sure people are getting fed of me starting my sentences with, "When I was in Uganda..." not that that shuts me up! My thoughts are constantly turned to the staff and children I met in Soroti and Abeko. I reminisce about the giggles and faces of awe the adults had when presented with bubbles and pocket money toys. The excited squeals and shy smiles the children gave to us as we sang and played games with them. Most of all I remember seeing the impact the training had had, seeing the adults engaging with the children and understanding that they can make progress, an...
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Conservation, conversation and aviation

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Today was our last day in Uganda. We began with a leisurely breakfast with Patrick, Global Cares manager in Kampala. He was turned out in a bue blazer and shirt ready for church. Patrick is a friendly soul with a wide smile. He questioned us about the work we had been doing in Soroti and requested, like everyone else, that we came back soon. Next time we promised we would visit him at his office. The Kampala office is set in the ground of The Guided Star School.  Ella-Sophia handed over a huge envelope of letters and cards for the many sponsored children who attend there. Patrick told us how it was a very good school and offer great support to the children in Global Care's charge. In this part of Uganda the childen come from the poorest homes and most vunerable livelihoods, many being orphaned or ill. You can share their stories and sponsor a child here https://www.globalcare.org/project/uganda/   We finished our meals and collected our bags then seized a last opportunity...
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I spy with my little eye...

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Today was the beginning of our journey home, a journey that would take 2 and a half days. We were up early and on the road at 7 to drive back to Kampala. It was a very long day with relentless rain and hours sat in traffic jams. We had hoped to take a boat trip across Lake Victoria, visiting the source of the Nile. Unfortunately the rain was so hard it would have made for a miserable and most likey disappointing experience so we heading straight for Kampala instead. We passed Mbale and briefly stopped for a 'pit drop' and petrol refill in Tororo. Tororo sits in the mountains; Charles had agreed to take us a different route back so we could experience the rain forests and what they had to offer. The gas station sat beside a children's home ran by the Salvation Army. As Linzi, Laura and Ella-Sophia are all members of the church they were keen to go and have a look. Two men greeted us at the gate and welcomed us in. As Charles drove in we passed a substantial brightly painted ...
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Again...again... and again!

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Fred had kindly granted us a lie in this morning and we all looked forward to an extra hour in bed. Unfortunately the hotel kitchens hadn't had the memo and began clattering and dropping pans at 5:30am, followed by the gardener at 6am who was strimming the hedges outside of our windows. Nevertheless we enjoyed a more leisurely breakast, greeted by Troy and Mark who talked to us more about their charitable work. When we got to The Ark Fred and David were waiting for us. "How did you sleep?" enquired Fred. "Like a log" replied Collette, again Fred was beside himself giggling having never heard that saying before. We loaded 3 wheelchairs on to the bus roof, Charles strapped them down and we all headed off to Abeko. Abeko is very rural, it is the larger of a group of villages where they have built a community school and residents travel miles by foot, bike or boda boda to bring their children. The road from Soroti took us about an hour... well that is if you can c...
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