The End!!

Just wanted to finish the blog with what we got up to on our last few days. Apologies to those who tried to leave messages, I needed to change the settings, it's too late but i've done it now, so sorry about that!
On Thurdsay morning we headed off for our final visit to the street children. Today along with the Drumbo team, we cooked up about half a cow on the bar-be-que for the street children. Things got a bit rough among the street kids nad a few fights broke out, however Tony, the Ugandan in charge of them restored order. This was our final work as a team and it was hard driving away from the street children at the end. Time for leisure in the afternoon and some of us heading back to the craft fair and others to a hotel for swimming. In the evening we went to a chinese for a meal with the Drumbo team.
Packing on Friday but a few of us headed out to the Abaana guesthouse to hang curtains beofre we left for the airport. After 27 longs hours we arrived at Ballyrashane around 2.00 on Saturday. The trip was an amazing experience which we have all learned so much from, and after the year of planning it is hard to believe it is over. Thank-you all for taking an interest in reading waht we have been up to. Dougie.

Photos!

I'll update with with how we got on in our final few days soon, but for now my photos are available online for you all to see the story of our trip at;-

www.picasaweb.google.com/play442

Home!!

Back home safe and sound!!

I'll update the blog tomorrow when I'm talking a bit more sense as I haven't slept for 2 days!! Travelling went well until we got to Heathrow, where we had to use all of our patience but we're all back in one piece.

The Final Push!!

It's hard to believe it's Wednesday evening already but so much is packed into our days that it seems to fly towards bedtime before we know it. So what have we been up to since Saturday?

The weekend was pretty relaxing and it was good to get a bit of rest. We went to Church on Sunday at 8 and it lasted for 2 hours! But the praise was great and it was again a wonderful experience. The rest of the day was quiet but then on Monday morning it was back to the school for a couple more days building. The children in the school were finishing off their exams so everyone was involved in the building and we got a lot of work done. A couple of the ladies Hazel and Ida were helping with a health clinic on Tuesday and thoses of us who have sponsored children at the school got a chance to visit thier home. The depth of poverty in these families is staggering.

Today the team were spilt in a few different directions. Ronnie, Robinson and Alwyn went off to put curtain poles up in the new Abaana Guesthouse. Jackie and hazel were at another health clinic, and the rest of us went for our final visit to Christ the King Primary School to hold a sports day. Everyone enjoyed it and it was very emotional as we left in the bus.

This may well be my last update, unless I come across a Pc tomorrow, until God willing, we get home when I'll upload all my pictures, but until then here are a few more pictures and I hope it's stopped raining at home!!!

Week 2 begins!

So here we are on Saturday 11th August now more than half way through our trip and we are back in the internet cafe we were in last saturday. So here is an update of what we have been up to since my last post. On Thursday morning the group were split into three. Some of the ladies continued to make curtains for the new Abaana guesthouse, several of the team visited the Ugandan University of Agriculture to see how farming operates in Uganda and the rest of us went back to the site of the new school. On Thursday afternoon the team went to work with street children for a couple of hours in preparation for Friday.

On the Friday morning the team held a medical clinic for street children at a local football pitch and our resident medics Hazel, Ida and Jackie helped dress many wounds. The street children meet at the playing fields each Friday were they receive a meal. Then on Friday afternoon we all headed off by boat to visit the first school Abaana built Matthew Cardwell and those whose had sponsored children in this school got to visit their homes. This school is in a really remote area and the families were very very poor but the children were so pleased to see us it was very humbling.

Forgot to say that during this time six of our team members - Johnny, Norman, Willard, Ross, Stevie and Allison had all left for home as they were only here for a week and I'm pleased to report they are safely home.

Sorry no photo's for mow but hopefully I can upload a few on Fiona's pc later. Hope all's well at home ,everyone here have been well. Until next time...

Wednesday!

Hello everyone in Northern Ireland, greetings grom sunny Uganda. We are all well and our work at the school is progressing ahead of schedule. The greeting we received at the school on Monday morning and indeed every morning is very special and will live with us all for years to come. Some os us ,inclding myself and Jeffrey have been learning many new building skills and more including Norman and Ronnie have been learning their new childrens skills playing with the kids. The team are all getting on really well which is great and each night one of the team members has been taking devotions which is also a blessing to us all.

Sometimes on the site it has been really hot and we have struggled but kept going, Dr Stewart puts her Doctor's hat on when she feels she needs to!!

Some of the ladies Diana Ida Gwen and Hazel have been making curtains for the new abaana guesthouse which is lovely.

I hope to be able to update this later in the week thanks to Fiona but what strikes us most here is the staggering poverty around us, the people all have very little to absolutely nothing, yet everyone waves and the kids always have a smile on their faces, but it is their enthusiasm for worshipping God that really has put us to shame. All week and especailly at the church on Sunday the praise and worship to God has astounded us.

Thanks for posting your messages I will pass them on. Tomorrow the farmers are going to see around a local farm and then in the afternoon we are all going to work with the street children, which will be difficult to face. Until then, here are a couple of photos---

Stormy!!

Hello everyone at home i've only got a couple of mins.
We are now here safe and well, took a long time with a lot of delays but we got here last night. The guesthouse is great but as I write this in a local shopping centre it is pelting down with rain and thunder is crashing above me!!! We were at a market this morning, which was an experience!! We went to get money changed and watched as Robinson and Norman tried a bit of bartering, which failed miserably, but we feel rich now with ugandan money!!But at least Rachel got a new bag so it was worth it!

It was a total culture shock to me as the bus took us through the city yesterday, much much different to what I'd expected. Everyone was out on the streets cooking food and the driving is to say the least interesting.

We got here with a few hitches, the stay on the floor of Dubai airport was unforgettable and when we arrived here in Uganda, we had problems getting the bags of equipment and supplies through. Scott got all of it throughy in the end apart from some medical supplies. Also, Stevies suitcase did not arrive so I've had to lend him all my northern ireland tops because he refused to wear my chelsea ones!!! At the moment we are all in a shopping centre, Laura is downstaris in the supermarket with Rachel and Jackie buying biscuits for some reason.

Tomorrow church is at 8.00 am we are going to the international church and then we are going away for the day after that. Everyone is well, Gwen was a bit sick while travelling yesterday but she is fine today. I must go as Moses, the bus driver is picking us up at 2.30 Don't know when I'll get to a computer again but when I do I'll bring my camera in and get a few pictures uploaded and even if it 's a few days I'll write stuff down to update you all.
Hope all is well back home in our wee country.