Educational

This will be my final blog for my Uganda trip. I've had an absolute amazing time, and I'm so glad I didn't turn this opportunity down!

There's not much to report on as I've been busy with school and playing with the kids since my last update. I've been trying my best not to get attached to the kids back at the community but me and Louise spent the whole day yesterday playing and reading stories and just enjoying their company. I've got teary eyed a couple of times when I realise that they have no one to say 'I love you' to, and they have no one to say it to them. They have no one to tuck them up in bed at time, no person to call their mum or dad.... It's really heart-breaking because they just don't know what that is..

The kids at the secondary school ask me if I have a family, and when I say yes they are all so shocked. I showed them a photo of Heather, my younger sister and also my dog and my mum, (I had these on my phone) and they all sighed in disbelief, telling me to tell them (Heather and mum) that they want to be your pen-pals and your friends. They don't know what it is to have these things and I feel guilty talking about it to them. They enjoy looking at the photos on my phone and letting me take their photos, they love it actually. They all pose and laugh and look so happy..

I never realised how much I take for granted in my life, and I have learned alot by coming here. The nurse/catechesis teacher who we have got to know a bit better than the other teachers invited us to her house for lunch today. I was shocked to say the least. Two rooms, 1.5m by 1.5m for each. One was the kitchen with a tiny gas stove and some basins, the other her bedroom: a tiny mattress in the corner, a little altar with candles and rosary beads, and then some RE books. It was so humbling of her to invite us and make us all she had and I'll never forget it. The most important thing being, that these people have God in their lives, and God in abundance. They eat, sleep, think God and are so happy and count themselves so lucky for what they have. It could only make me feel greedy and selfish, but, in another sense, so blessed for my life and the opportunities I have had in this life!

So I fly home tomorrow evening and arrive home on Wednesday..

As I said, I've had an amazing time here. Everything about it: the people, the culture, the music, the weather, the kids, the lack of things too.. It's just been amazing!!

I hope you've enjoyed reading as much as I've enjoyed writing. Sorry for the lack of photos. I'll have them all up on my http://public.fotki.com/vexred9irl website as soon as I'm home so don't forget to check them out!

God Bless, Claire (Cheryl) xx

Good morrow!

The last couple of days have been busy hanging about with Fr. John and meeting loads of new people. We went to the high school yesterday to meet the teachers and chat about the subjects we'll be teaching. I'll be doing Religion, English, Geography and Art, and sports after school (every day-I'm gony be well fit!) The teachers are lovely as are the kids. We start teaching on Monday. Today we're going to the primary school which we'll be in Tuesday and Thursday. We're going there today to chat to the teachers.

I finally got an email back from my lecturers, they said that if I stay til the end of Oct I'd fail the assessment and have to resit it next year, so I've asked about staying an extra week 'cause then I'd get an extra week of teaching and also get to a conference Fr Bash is doing up in Jinja. But, if the lecturers reply and say I could still fail, then I'll be home in a week and a half. I'm really sad about this because I'm loving this experience sooo so much. Everything about everything is just perfect and I don't want to leave and miss out on the further work and development I could be part of for the foundation we're starting up and for the communities, orphans and schools. But, as I always say, I'll leave it in God's hands, and if I'm meant to come home, then it's up to Him. I just know I want to continue helping the foundation when I'm home. Get supplies sent out to schools and fundraise - anything to help these people. Then if I can come back next year I will, because I really feel called to do this work - since I was in 5th year at High School I've wanted to do this missionary work, and right now I'm doing it - I still can't believe I'm in Uganda! So God willing I can continue with it, whether at home or abroad!

Sorry for that big rant!!

I don't think we'll be up to much for the weekend 'cause Fr Bash left last night for USA and Bosnia, and he won't be back for 3 weeks. He's taken the jeep too, and driving on these roads with a car is a nightmare! We'll maybe just sunbathe in the lovely weather and read over our school books

And gimme some comments people, I feel unloved!!

God Bless xx