Day 2 and 3 - Luweero

Written by Andrew Mc Dowell

I'll try to be brief but trying to cover 2 very hectic days in one post is some task. Especially when you're this tired.

On Friday, after a very long bus ride through rural Uganda. Along dirt tracks which i dont think i can describe using the limitations of the English language. We eventually arrived at Kiwoko Primary School to the warmest possible welcome. The children poured from the classes and within minutes we were set upon by around 500 children. The children rushed to greet us by shaking and holding our hands (a sign of friendship). The children sang songs to welcome us to their school and danced. The school was a Fields of Life school and showed huge improvements over the non FOL school, but still i was shocked by just how little the teachers had to work with and the yet the good level of teaching the children received.

Alongside the Love for Life programmes, we performed an open air puppet show for the kids. We visited a family that lived beside the school and gave them sweets, teddies and clothing. They had so little and to see the parents putting the knitted outfits on the children and the children holding the teddies knitted by friends before we left would have melted the hardest heart.

We left the school to visit Kiwoko Hospital and got a tour along which we met a man who had a badly broken leg after a road accident and had no friends or family and no means of payment. The money was donated by ourselves to his treatment. The hospital though basic by our standards was very good by Ugandan standards.

We stayed overnight at Luweero with various members of the animal kingdom. Which Natalie did not enjoy. Enough said - the screams from some of the team were heard all the way back to Kampala.

Next day we went to Shammah Secondary School and got a tour which brought us through the schoos labs. Mainly provided by Irish schools. The library is also provided mainly by Irish schools as well. The Prinicpal, Daniel has done a tremendous job and the school is an example of what can be achieved in difficult circumstances.

We then went to the service at the associated church where we preformed both programmes with adults and children. It was a privelege to be able to pray for the folk in the little community and to have them pray for us.

We then went to Ruth's parents house where they run the Jesus Cares Project which looks after children with HIV/AIDS. As soon as i stepped off the bus a small girl stepped over to me and hugged me and said something in Lugandan. Even though I couldn't understand what she said it really affected me. We played with kids and then performed the program to the kids. Dickie and Keith noticed a wee girl with a tumour on her face. Both Tracy and I helped to feed the younger members of the Jesus Cares Project. They where some of the cutest most adorable children in the world. We then handed out bracelets and lollies. One of older children stole a bracelet from a younger one. The child started to cry and we gave out another bracelet to the child.

Sorry about any bad spelling.

Until next time! Andrew.