Dear all.
How are things?
I am once again sitting in the internet cafe - the kids are all sleeping.
I am in good health - I have a few massive bites on my feet which I seemed to have reacted too and they are quite swollen and very itchy! The food here is good - not exceptional - I think the difference between western food and 'Ugandan' food is not to please the palette but merely as a means to survive - I'm not complaining though - ill just come back more appreciative of the variety of food that we have in the UK/western world.
There is a bought of Ghardia (sp?) going around.
I arrived to recieve the news from one of the volunteers that baby Sandra had passed away. You may well remember me talking about her - she was so tiny for her age and never seemed to grow. The Ugandan workers here say that she had had enough and just decided that now was a good time to go. I know that she suffered a lot in her short life and that she was very poorly, perhaps indeed it is for the best as she has gone to be with our heavenly Father in a place that knows no suffering.
I dont know but the kids seem different from last year either that or last year I was walking round in rose-tinted spectacles! They all look so thin. Some of them resemble the Ethiopian or Somalian kids you often see on the news. They have big swollen bellies and stick thin legs and arms and heads which look far to big for their little bodies. Many of them seem so sad and lifeless. For example, I dont know how many of you have seen the photo of Dwayne and me, but at the moment he barely smiles and just sits there staring into space. His big brown eyes look so sad and hopeless. It upsets me so much to see the children like this, yet I know that life for them here at the orphanage is far better than what many would other wise have on the streets.
I have spent a lot of time sitting and playng with Dwayne, Philip and George.
Im very pleased to say that Dwayne is being adopted by a lovely American family who I met a couple of days ago. It pains me to never see him again but he is going to a loving and caring family where he will grow into a healthy young man and be given great opportunities to fulfill his potential. There are about four American families here at the moment waiting to hear the judges verdict on thier case and grant them full guardianship so that they can take them home. The final hearing will be in Friday, so please keep these families and children in your prayers and grant the Judge wisdom to realise that these adoptions are in the childs best interests.
I had my first cold shower the other day! Even when its hot outside I cant stand cold showers but I guess I'm going to have to get used to it! I also shared my shower with a gecko on the wall and I could hear bats flapping about in the space between the ceiling and the roof. Yesterday, I went to the toilet at night and I took my torch because there was no power - but I saw this thing jump out from the corner - and lo and behold it was a ginormous frog! I must also get into the habit of checking the toilet before I sit down lest there be any unwelcome creatures in there!
Life in Africa seems very slow moving! If someone tells you to meet them at 11am they will in fact arrive at 2pm of you're lucky!
Friday, 29 June 2007
Saturday, 23 June 2007
less than 24hrs till departure time!
Well, this time tomorrow I will be well on my way to Uganda! I'm not so stressed anymore, I think I've got most things sorted. The house is nice and clean, and my bedroom is ready for me to come back to.
I'm sort of getting excited! It's dawning on me how long 6 months actually is! It seems like ages, but I suppose time flies when you're having fun, and come the end of 6 months I'll be wishing I could stay for 6 more months!
I'm very excited about seeing Dwayne, Junior and Jesse from my last visit and wonder how much they have changed.
Well, like I've said before I will try to update my blog regularly to let you all know how I'm getting on and how the project is developing.
Please feel free to write me emails - I'm starting to sound really desperate - but its hard being in a foreign country so far away from friends and any news from home is welcome. Anyway, Ill stop harassing you all now!
I'm sort of getting excited! It's dawning on me how long 6 months actually is! It seems like ages, but I suppose time flies when you're having fun, and come the end of 6 months I'll be wishing I could stay for 6 more months!
I'm very excited about seeing Dwayne, Junior and Jesse from my last visit and wonder how much they have changed.
Well, like I've said before I will try to update my blog regularly to let you all know how I'm getting on and how the project is developing.
Please feel free to write me emails - I'm starting to sound really desperate - but its hard being in a foreign country so far away from friends and any news from home is welcome. Anyway, Ill stop harassing you all now!
Wednesday, 20 June 2007
Monday, 18 June 2007
pre-departure report 4 Hazels Footprint Trust
Its difficult to express the array of emotions I'm going through at the moment: fear, excitment, worry and happiness. I seem to have a permanent knot in my stomach and sleep doesnt come easily when there's so much to think about! However, I realise what a fantastic opportunity this is for me both personally and professionally and I wouldnt swap it for the world.
I am currently working as a nursery practitioner at Loughborough Campus Nursery. I have been given the opportunity to volunteer for 6 months at ABC Uganda. The orphanage where I will be based houses over 64 children aged from newborns to 6 years old. Many of the children who came to the home are orphaned when their parents die due to AIDS, birth complications or other factors. Some are abandoned in the hospital after birth. Others are found abandoned at taxi stops, in latrines, or on the street. Some of the children themselves have HIV or TB. Alot of the babies that arrive are premature and need a lot of initial care to nurse them to health and strength.
During my time there I am hoping to set-up a pre-school programme and some kind of structure to get the kids playing and making the most of their childhood! I hope to introduce a routine to promote play (and learning for the older/pre-school/school age kids). I will use my knowledge and skills I have learnt through the Childcare and Education Diploma Course and also the experiences I have gained working at Loughborough Campus Nursery.
My main apprehension about this trip is how I will cope living in a completely different environment. I travelled to Uganda last year for three weeks where I volunteered at ABC, so I am aware more or less of some of the difficulties I will be faced with. From all my travelling and living abroad I have never suffered from culture shock and I may undoubtedly suffer from it this time.
I know that I am going to get so attached to these kids and the hardest thing for me is going to be when my 6 months is up - it's going to be so hard to tear myself away from these little bundles of joy. I would love to take these kids home with me or even adopt one - however the whole adoption process is a whole lot more complicated than Madonna makes it out to be!!
One word of advice - be prepared early! I have found so many things to do in the last 2 weeks - purchasing insurance, getting a visa card (as that's all that can be used in Uganda), shopping for various important items. Within 7 days of leaving my tooth has become very painful - try getting a dentist appointment in 5 working days!!
As my departure draws closer I am getting more and more excited about the opportunities ahead of me and all the great things I will be able to do. I'm going with an open mind and am excited about all the new things I will learn and about the people I will meet.
Now for the thankyous:
Thanks to 'Changemakers' group who did a fab job in organising the Funday where we raised a staggering £540, thankyou for all your support and helping make this opportunity possible. Thankyou to 'Starfish' for your help on the day and by the way I loved the human fruit machine - so clever! A big thankyou to all those that came to the Family Funday too - we had a great turnout.
Thanks to all those at Loughborough Campus Nursery who sponsored me to climb Crib Goch! Thankyou all for your support and encouragment. I will miss you all - but I'm sure the feeling isn't mutual! lol
Thanks to all my family and friends for supporting me both financially and personally - you all believe in me - and I thank you for that :)
A massive thankyou has to go to Hazel Footprints Trust who have granted me £500!! This money is like an answer to prayers and will help make such a difference to the lives of these kids.
Thankyou to Weanie Wear, Nottingham who donated a massive box full of clothes for preemies - these will be an incredible blessing to the preemies who now have something that fits!
LET THE ADVENTURE BEGIN!!
I am currently working as a nursery practitioner at Loughborough Campus Nursery. I have been given the opportunity to volunteer for 6 months at ABC Uganda. The orphanage where I will be based houses over 64 children aged from newborns to 6 years old. Many of the children who came to the home are orphaned when their parents die due to AIDS, birth complications or other factors. Some are abandoned in the hospital after birth. Others are found abandoned at taxi stops, in latrines, or on the street. Some of the children themselves have HIV or TB. Alot of the babies that arrive are premature and need a lot of initial care to nurse them to health and strength.
During my time there I am hoping to set-up a pre-school programme and some kind of structure to get the kids playing and making the most of their childhood! I hope to introduce a routine to promote play (and learning for the older/pre-school/school age kids). I will use my knowledge and skills I have learnt through the Childcare and Education Diploma Course and also the experiences I have gained working at Loughborough Campus Nursery.
My main apprehension about this trip is how I will cope living in a completely different environment. I travelled to Uganda last year for three weeks where I volunteered at ABC, so I am aware more or less of some of the difficulties I will be faced with. From all my travelling and living abroad I have never suffered from culture shock and I may undoubtedly suffer from it this time.
I know that I am going to get so attached to these kids and the hardest thing for me is going to be when my 6 months is up - it's going to be so hard to tear myself away from these little bundles of joy. I would love to take these kids home with me or even adopt one - however the whole adoption process is a whole lot more complicated than Madonna makes it out to be!!
One word of advice - be prepared early! I have found so many things to do in the last 2 weeks - purchasing insurance, getting a visa card (as that's all that can be used in Uganda), shopping for various important items. Within 7 days of leaving my tooth has become very painful - try getting a dentist appointment in 5 working days!!
As my departure draws closer I am getting more and more excited about the opportunities ahead of me and all the great things I will be able to do. I'm going with an open mind and am excited about all the new things I will learn and about the people I will meet.
Now for the thankyous:
Thanks to 'Changemakers' group who did a fab job in organising the Funday where we raised a staggering £540, thankyou for all your support and helping make this opportunity possible. Thankyou to 'Starfish' for your help on the day and by the way I loved the human fruit machine - so clever! A big thankyou to all those that came to the Family Funday too - we had a great turnout.
Thanks to all those at Loughborough Campus Nursery who sponsored me to climb Crib Goch! Thankyou all for your support and encouragment. I will miss you all - but I'm sure the feeling isn't mutual! lol
Thanks to all my family and friends for supporting me both financially and personally - you all believe in me - and I thank you for that :)
A massive thankyou has to go to Hazel Footprints Trust who have granted me £500!! This money is like an answer to prayers and will help make such a difference to the lives of these kids.
Thankyou to Weanie Wear, Nottingham who donated a massive box full of clothes for preemies - these will be an incredible blessing to the preemies who now have something that fits!
LET THE ADVENTURE BEGIN!!
Wednesday, 13 June 2007
Sunday 9th June -- FAMILY FUNDAY @ SKOFE
There were lots of things to do inc. bouncy castles, face painting, cake stall, cafe, and games - hook-a-duck, beat the goalie; and a raffle with some great prizes to be won.
We had a great turnout - about 150 people! not quite sure how much money was raised yet - but I will keep you posted.
Tuesday, 5 June 2007
Monday, 4 June 2007
countdown - 3 weeks to go!
Well - its just 3 weeks to go till departure day!
I've been asked to write a report for HFT about how I am feeling right now - pre-departure time - and I think its safe to say that I'm pretty excited yet the most prevalent emotion right know is one of angst and worry.
Will everything work out? Will I forget something? Will I have enough money?
The answer to all these questions is - WHO KNOWS!
I suppose in hindsight none of these fears will matter because I will be having such a good time! I do enjoy being adventurous and living life on the edge so I suppose 'the not knowing' adds to all the excitement.
Well so far I have completed my sponsored climb and raised about £160 from that - many thanks to all those who sponsored me.
£146 was raised at a church cake sale - which is an incredible sum - wasn't expecting that at all - a huge thanks to everyone for their generosity and to all those who baked cakes.
Fantastic news - I received a £500 grant from Hazel's Footprints Trust - £500 that's just phenomenal! that money will make such a difference.
I also have £210 raised from a previous event on world AIDS day.
The Family Fun Day will be taking place on 9th June 10-2pm, I'm hoping for a great turnout and hope that lots more funds will be raised to go towards the project. Anyway, I will try to keep you updated on how things go with that.
I still need money so if you've got some spare - lol :)
I've had most of my jabs so far, just need Hep A again. I'm waiting to hear from my doctor about what to do regarding malaria tablets. I told her I was not happy taking the ones I took last time as the side-effects were very unpleasant - to say the least!
Ill try to keep you informed of new developments and I will definitely try to put something in before I leave.
Take care,
Isabelle
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