This is my now. Kelly in Uganda xXx

This week has been and gone like a rash! Seriously....so fast. I feel angry at myself becasue i have not written in my journal since last Sunday. I was doing it everyday! Grrr.....Why!?!?

This week has been slighty different from the others. The whole school are doing exams so i have only been teaching once a day and the rest of the day i am marking exams. Its hard work. I unfortunaltely have got the short straw in this as i have the biggest class and the oldest class. Their work is therfore in bulk and the answers are in detail. I have been trying to mark as many as i can a day, they are doing 3 exams everyday, 90 children, about 6 pages each exam. Beautiful!! Thats about 260 exams in my class each day. Well....the first day i was only able to get done about 70. I felt awful but now i am beggining to understand the marking scheme and i have been doing around 200 each day and taking the rest home to finish.

Wednesday i woke up with a fever, Helen our housekeeper was sure i had Malaria. Ali was also ill. I was lying down feeling so useless. I then was coughing, i had a headache. My body was cold annd i was shivering and then literally 2 minutes later i was sweating! I hated it. I was trying to mark and Helen ran to get me and Ali medicine.
Me and Ali were like this most of the day. I have been taking my Malaria tablets consistently but have been bit 6 times now. O well....i didnt have Malaria so i got over it. I still had a fever but i decided to go into school. With no electricity, no water or food in the house...there was nothing to do! That evening was the bible study. I wanted to go but instead i decided to stay and get rest.

Thursday i marked and then went home to play with the street children. There are some beautiful babies that i have fallen in love with. They are all so dirty and smelly though. The children always carry the babies on their backs and when we get home from school, there are tonnes of them sitting waiting for us. There is one particular child i love. Her name is MukisaRenitta. She is adorable, she laughs and laughs and giggles and although i am picking up a few words they are saying now, there is a language barrier but me and Renitta can get on so well because we just sit and laugh! Literally for hours. I have been teaching her the numbers and letters and i have teaching her and her brothers and sisters simple english through some pathetic drawings.

This week, i have had about 8 letters from parents of children in my class, children and street children asking for money, school fees and sponsership. Its so hard turning children down and i have been praying about it all. Funnily enough there is a teacher at school that asked us all for money to sanctify their marriage. I know that she talks about us badly and she has sat infront of me in a lesson talking to another teacher about me, i know also that she lies to us about things but i really believe God has encouraged me to give to her a small amount of money towards her wedding! Crazy i know, i can't even put into words. Like i know that God doesn't want me to give to some of the children who want school fees but i know God wants me to give to this lady. Anyways, yesterday i was being constantly sick in the morning and then in between lessons, perhaps it was something i ate, perhaps it was something to do with my fever but i feel so much better now. Our water and electricity has come back . Hopefully it will stay for a while as a week without it, im being honest here, was hard! Real hard!

The computers i use never allow me to put pictures on, its horrid. I want to show you this place! Its incredible.

The situ with the team, is a bit better. We are all getting on so well, we are all crazy which i LOVE! Yay! This week we have read the bible together once. Yay again! And Last night was amazing i just have to tell you. I am sorry if the email is so long!

Every Friday at the church is this 2 hour slot for prayer. We didn't know what it would be like or how it would go but.....Nobody wanted to go with me but i begged Aveline. I am so glad she came because when we got there we were told to sit anywhere and begin to pray. I suddenly thought, what? We are praying for two hours straight on our own. I don't think i have ever done that. I thought that i would start thinking about other things or....you know. It was awesome! So awesome! I have never felt so close to God in my life. I love the Lord! He is helping me to draw near to him and become close through something that sounds so simple.

I sat next to aveline and began to pray. Everyone was dotted around the church praying out loud to God. I started to pray out loud, meaning every word, putting everything i had onto God, thanking him, talking to him like he was here in person. I really felt his presence and i couldnt stop praying. It is so easy to talk to god, and i was surprised in a way! I loved it, i prayed so hard and i was brought to tears at how i had never been able to talk to him like this before. Why hadn't i ever spoke to God this way? I promised God i would do it again soon. I will!

Today we are going to church to 'join the worship group'. Bit nervous as they want us all to sing etc. Can you also pray because the pastor has asked me to do a cermon......yes you read this right. On the 2nd, to the youth. Also on Sunday, the church want me to sing as the worship leader says i have a voice like an angel! hahaha......

Email 2

Hiii my fellow English freinds!

Hmmm...I never seem to know where to start but i will jump right in.

Church on Sunday was crazy but i loved it, long which was hard but i was able to stay awake unlike Ali! Haha! The worship was another world and the amount of children was amazing, seriously hundreds and hundreds and they just kept coming! In the evening we went to the youth service which takes place. It was something that was new in the church and there only were about 20 of us there. There was a a part for drama, discussion and scripture. The discussion was on the stragest thing, i will not write on here but....it was a very honest and open discussion. I have learnt that Uganda is so honest.

Anyways...Monday was when it all really began. I sat down with some of the teachers and they asked me what i wanted to teach and all that jazz....i said, half a lesson of science the next day. So on Tuesday morning, i got up and went to school. I was planning to prepare that morning as my lesson was at 10. It was 8. My teacher stood up and greeted me, and announced to the class to get their science books out as i was teaching science. JOY! THe teacher said she was popping out, she gave me the text book and a peice of chalk and EVACUATED THE BUIDING!!! Seriously, i nearly had a heart attack as i looked up and 92 children starred at me with the biggest smiles, some shouting stickers and others saying teacher Mutzungu. I quickly prayed and found myself at hte end of the lesson feeling much better and relaxed, thanking God for getting me through that nightmare which turned out to be awesome. Then as i sat marking ALL the childrens books, i looked at the time. The teacher should have been with me 15 minutes ago. Another lesson had started!?!? A child walked up to me and asked if they should get their english books out. I decided that because the teacher was not here, i would start. Not knowing what they were being taught or their level of understanding. I took the chalk adn began to write exercises on the bored and started to have one to ones with them, trying to learn their names and find out a bit more about them. THey think i am hilarious as i keep saying CHOP CHOP when they are being slow. I then get CHOP CHOP chanted back at me and giggles. I love my class so much, already there are favourites though...oops! THere are some difficult children too and chlidren that are constantly disruptive and some that walk around provoking others for fights. I think i have got a hard class, but they are beginning to realise i will not tolerate bad behaviour and those who are good, i reward.

It is really sad though, the children get cained alot. I mean alot alot. It is just their culture but i do wonder how it Christians caining the children can chow Gods love!! Surely there is another way of punishing?

Anyway, the teacher didnt come back for another 2 hours, meaning my first experience of teaching was an obstacle course, but i think it did help me to get out my confort zone and get stuck in. Maybe that is what i needed but i do strongly believe i would of failed terribley and ran out the room crying if God hadn't of pulled me through and given me the things to say and do. You really do have to put your whole trust in God! Its a great thing though.

I think this week has been real tough with the team. We have had a few small disagreements which caused a tad bit of tension at the time. Things are fine now but it all began on Tuesday night. I was reading my bible in my room and i started to pray. I prayed that our team would become more unified as since we have got to Uganda, whenever i have asked us all to get together and pray, everyone said they were too tired or not in the mood. It was the same towards doing devotions etc. If i am honest, i began to feel anger building up inside about this. It got worse when every night everyone decided to play cards instead. I started to feel alone and i felt out of place if i am honest. I didn't know what to do. I think the team noticed it, which didn't help. I kept my anger inside for many days so on Tuesday night when i heard everyone laughing in the other room, I shut my bible, went in the other room and sat down next to everone ... as they played cards. Ali, Hannah, Aveline and an American couple were there and they asked me if i was okay. I just suddenly felt i couldnt keep it in anymore and asked them if i could share something. They all looked at me and i began saying how i wanted Jesus at the centre of this Gap year, the only purpose of me being here was God and i felt that i was confused why we hadn't spent time with God together. Still, people began to say how there is not enough time in the day, everyone is busy and there is some much to do and when we get home we are all tired. I said it is true but it is the most important thing. There was no more comments really so i went to bed.

In the evening of Wednesday, we then we sitting eating in the evening and Aveline said how she wanted to do something perhaps once a day because she had felt guilty etc about not having GOd at number 1. We all agreed that we would pray or do a devotions once a day. We sat and prayed there and then and it was great. I knew God was happy. We have prayed again once together but it is an improvement so please pray that i will carry on spending time with God personally and that as a team i wcan carry on encouraging meeting as a team with God as it is so difficult and i don't want to sound too pushy or cause tension. Grrrr....hard

Anyways.... this week has been awesome and i have been teaching two or three lessons a day and P.E. I have also been playing with all the street children and trying to help clean a few wounds etc (with gloves Dad) and i am enjoying going to the hostel where the orphans live etc. The children are so appreciative of company and God is persistantly teaching me things everyday!

I love Uganda and through the times i feel like crying i find myself laughing and i don't know why. I know i laugh alot anyway but serioulsy. I am being taught to rejoice in times of trouble.

Mum adn Dad email me or call me, my phone will be in use next week i think. WIll let you know.
How are things at home mum?
Please send me some Minstrels.....I am craving! Praying for everyone and Hayes Lane etc.
Love you
Will email either Wed or Sat and i will send pics....i promise!
Mwah
xxx

Oh my days.......where on earthdo i begin. I am in an internet cafe in Kampala, about an hour away from Kyebando (Chebando) .... i will not go into the journey here this morning! One word - crazy! Just sitting here in front of this computer gives me a mixture of fellings, excitement and weird. Where do i begin? From the beggining is probably best.

Tuesday we all met at the airport from 3 o'clock, the plane journey was nice, it took 9 hours and we have movies andtelevision to watch. Unfortunatley the food made us all ill when we arrived. The small square window overlooking the clouds slowly cleared, showing such beauty. Africa is so green. The view was awesome!! It finally hit me!!!!! I was in Africa, all this waiting and i was about to arrive. It was now wednesday, this was it! The plane got close to the ground and then it came to a halt. As we walked off the plane, about a hundred African men and women stood starring. This is where our journey began. Whispers and looks. Everything was different, i suddenly felt alone. The team i am with, Hannah (18), Alistair (18) and Aveline (18) all went quiet. I have never felt this way. Out of everyonbody, i was thoroughly searched! The swiped detectors over my body and a woman had to search in my clothes! Why me!!!! Hehe...the team laughed as there were constnd beeps and buzzing noises. It had to be me!? We retrieved our bags and walked to the exit to meet Stephen Jotta, the director of the school i will be teaching at. To our surprise it was not Stephen Jotta but about 8 people. Strangers holding a Smile sign. They took our bags and i secretly felt unconfortable, thinking maybe they are tricking us, but we thanked God as we approached the school minibus where we all crammed in. Squish!! The journey was absolutley crazy. We were all so tired and Hannah was snoring on my lap. I was so shocked at the surroundings that i could not sleep. It was 8.30 in the morning. Not just the language and the people are different but i think this is where my culture shock began. Everything was different. I expected this but when it infront of you, its like a smack round your face.

I began to feel God working in me, changing me already. The people shouted and chanted 'Muzungu', meaning white person through the windows and the people constantly starred. We later that day arrived at the house. Helen the housekeeper, she is so lovely. We all were like lost sheep. I really was praying hard through the whole day. I felt shattered and my body and mind were finding it hard to cope already.
We sat down together and shared our feelings and were relieved to feel that everyone felt the same. Hannah cried and was sick from the food, Aveline then was sick and i began to feel better, i made everyone hug and then we slept for the rest of the afternoon and evening to find ourselves waking up about 10am on the Thursday.

Thursday was independence day. The children were not at school and we had a day of rest. Children piled up outside the doors and windows. I could not believe my sight infact, when i woke up to find 6 children climbing up the window bars whispering morning muzungu. This day was just a day of getting to know the area and then buying lots of drinks. We played outside the house for a bit with the children as we got a bit creeped out with their constant watching eyes.

Friday, we were invited to Botanical gardens in Entebbe. These are beautiful gardens with monkeys and where Gods creation grabs your attention at every angle. I was so pleased to go here and the monkeys were literally jumping all around us. I saw some scary GIGANTIC spiders and some amazing birds. I climbed an absolutely gronormousive ......big tree and got bitten badly by beastly (oh my gosh sized ants!!) ants. I think they had pioson in because my hand went blue and in the night i had to cut the bites open and squeeze out the sting and the liquid. I am now officially a big girl as i did not cry! I only did it because i convinced myseld that i was going to die as i waslying under my mosquito net in so much pain. To my surprise i am now better, just a bit sore. I was able to capture some fantastic pictures that i hope to put on the computer next time.
When we returned to the house later that evening we all found ourselves feeling so much better and more confortable. I just think we were under a lot of shock of the way people live over here and the poverty, the change and difference in our lives. In the evening when we arrived home, i found a little girl about 2 years old on our door step crying. She was with perhaps her sister. Her sister was pointing to her foot. Noone really knew why she was crying but it became clear when she took her hand away that she had a really bad infection on her foot and toes. Everyone looked at me and asked what we do. I suddenly panicked and wondered how i would ever cope being a nurse if i could not look at something like that. Sounds bad but, i knew how to help but i was scared and i was too worried about whether i would catch something. I woke up, out of my own world and realised i was being selfish and i walked inside. I got out some rubber gloves and our team’s mighty first aid kit. I sat her on my knee, so little, so vulnerable and i treated her foot and then bandaged it up. People for the village sat and watched and i suddenly felt like God was teaching, guiding and putting his hand on this little girl. I went inside and i stepped in my room, a tear rolled down my face. It suddenly hit me that i was a selfish and ungreatful person, a person that has been brought up in a country that is so materialistic, so wrapped up in appearence and i felt so ashamed.

We have just heard from the head master at the school what classes we will be teaching and what subjects!
Hannah is teaching p1
Alistair is teaching p2
Aveline is teaching p3
I am teaching p4

p1 is the youngest and i have the oldest. We start on Monday. Communication is very hard here. Alot of older people speak English a bit but most people struggle or only know a little. The kids only know a cretain amount of phrases. I am glad i have got older students because they are the children who i think know a little more but on the downside they have the biggest class. I will start off teaching English, religious education and Maths, then maybe some more but they do not have many subjects. This will be an experience, i am becoming more worried about but o well,i will just have a go!

So far, i have been cooking every night. My team have unfortuntley one meal only they are pro at....beans on toast. I have been cooking lots of African meals and a bit of Spag hear and there, mum you will be proud! Last night was amazing and i am learning how to make Chapatis,aparently, i am a natural. Shouldn't brag. My punctuation and spelling is probably as bad as my grammer now, there is so much to say and feel i have missed so much, but right now i feel iam going to faint. Need some fluids! I hope you are all well. I have been praying and thinking of everyone from church. Look after eachother.

PRAY
Please pray mainly that we will adapt more to the african culture, that the shock will fade and we will stay well.
Please pray that as we start the school next week, we will use every oppurtunity for God's glory and in his name.
Please also pray we will continue to get along as a team and cope with the annoying accents (only joking)
Please also

Mum and dad....i found your hidden letter amongst my bits and your post - it dad. Thank you, hope you got my will! Thought i would write one for a laugh and just in case but it is serious but geeky i know. I will email again in a week or so. with more to tell you and about school, please forward to everone as i have only sent it to you

love you
kelly
xxxxxxx

I am so excited, i have 6 days until i go to Uganda.....countdown!

Saturday was my auction on promises fundraising event at my church.
I sold tickets for £10 and over 60 people came!
It ws such a great evening and people have been so kind and generous!
The evening went something like this:

7pm....arrival, drinks and buying and viewing homemade produce
(cards, cakes and candles etc) that people have donated

7.45pm....meal time, a sit down meal in the church. Very tasty (thanks mum) and well nice gateux for desert. I had some amazing friends help serve and welcome that evening!
It was quality!

8.20ish pm....Smile International gap year DVD and my presentation about the work i will be doing in Africa

8.45pm....auction begins! (50 x promises that people have promised - e.g. 4 weeks worth of iring, babysitting, dog walking, hair cuts, a beautiful photo framed etc)

9.10pm....interval...coffe and tea (and mints)

9.25pm....back to the auction

9.45ish pm....thankyou and count....then bye's

Thanks so many awesome friends and some genorosity and laughs, we were able to raise £1664 on the auction alone and around £600-£700 ish on tickets (still being counted)

I can't thank people enough for being such good friends, for the support and encouragement!

I will miss everyone alot!

Thank you all again!

Kelly
xxx

It is the evening of the night before i leave for Uganda. It is weird but it still hasn't
clicked properly yet. I think it only will when i am sitting on the plane crying! LOL! (laugh out loud). I am really excited still though.

Saturday i went to a womens conference. It was great! Then in the evening i went to see TAKEN at the cinema with Cheryl and Hamish...family friends i adore and my parents. The meal i had was lovely too.

Yesterday i went church in the morning, Cheryl and Hamish's for lunch....so scrummy and lots of time to talk to see some other great church friends. In the evening i went to church again. GREAT service from Stuart. The after church was at ours and was lovely to spend a bit longer with people before i had to say my final goodbyes to people. Although it still feels like i will see them again next week!

Then today was great to, got up at 10...oops, then got a few things sorted and then went for lunch with Fiona, my big sister....well, not by blood. We went to Pizza Hut, it was lovely! Now, i hope to spend the evening with my Mum and Dad....maybe even Amy if i'm lucky! Who know's!

Tomorrow is going to be a rush and will be crzy, i can tell....got lots more to do!!

Aghhhh!
Write soon....maybe next tim will be in Africa! Scary!!!

xXx