"Rise and Shine" - Consider sponsorship

The photo is of the sun rising over Europe on our journey home. We hope the symbol of hope that is sunrise will be a reality for Bajja Community School ....the school motto is "Rise and Shine.

We now intend to focus on developing the sponsorship programme - this is the best way now for the schools stability and the childrens' future security. Many children were taken on by team members either before of during our trip - and special relationships were built up.

The cost is just £14 a month or 18 Euro. The child's fees are paid, a uniform, books etc and lunch provided. The child is also monitored by Fields of Life. The sponsor gets a letter at intervals. This also ensures the financial security of the school.

Please consider this programme - leave a comment with an email address if you would like further information.

We are now home and now thank God for the wonderful, life enriching time in Uganda. We deeply appreciate the support and prayers of all our families and friends. We thank God for keeping us safe and well. Most of all we thank him for the wonderful people of Bajja. May they indeed have our help to "Rise and Shine"

The Mini Company

We are excited by the setting up of a Mini Company in Bajja amongst the women who did the craft work. They will meet once a week and in conjunction with Alice, one of the teachers, will supply crafts for sale in Ireland. the Christmas market is the target and team members and associates (volunteers please) will voluntarily man stalls in locations in Sligo and the west. All proceeds will be ploughed back into the community.

Seed funding has been donated to provide start up materials. Rachael in the Kampala fields of Life Office will liaise with Alice and with Averil and Yvonne in Sligo. Crafts were also bought in Uganda for sale in Ireland (again generosity enabled this to be done) - these were samples which could be used to test the market at home.

The photo shows discussions at Shalom Guest House with Rachel on the way through kampala to the airport. Contact was also made with a similar micro finance company in Bangor.

Connor the Goat...photo gallery

Conor, the goat, is escorted by Keith to meet members of the Team. Our most unique gift from the community - and in person from Moses the Moslem who gave the land both for the school and for the football pitch!








Best friends! Emma's slogan became "long live Conor" - she was not impressed with the thought that we had to eat him!




















Escape!!! Reprieve!! It wasn't Conor that we ate at the feast - but he had to come with us on the last day. With much scrambling and grunting he was pinned on the bus by Adam - the closet goat herder in the team.








Conor got excited at this point!










Final destination - the hospital....left tied to a pole. ...

What can you do with a male goat?

We hope the patients in the hospital appreciated him!

The Final Party

The school and community pulled out all the stops for us - the school choir entertained us with many songs and dances - they are so short of uniforms that as different pupils were due to sing / dance they swopped clothes and uniforms. The drums we had got the school well justified their purchase as the lads treated us to a real African drumming experience.






Rhoda and one of the teachers spoke and did "MC". The parents put on a play which dramatised the challenges change had brought to a community that could bew suspicious of change.









Kennedy came from the Fields of Life office (see the photo).
The school director and a representative of the mayor as well as Rhoda spoke
















The Sligo team were invited to speak - ably done by Charles. Ruth introduced the various team members as they presented the gifts of the team - in paricular sports equipment, gas lamps, the drums and an Irish flag.

Averil and Richard read the letter from Sligo County Council before presenting the Sligo Flag. Adam later raised the Sligo Flag.











Yvonne and Emma presented the banner made by Yvonne which reflected the theme that God has the whole world in his hands - including Ireland and Uganda - we each will pray for one another.
The Grammar Banner was presented by Zoe. Liz and Sister Teresa presented a Children's Bible signed by each team member before leading us all in prayers of blessing.





The local women worked hard from the previous evening preparing the food on the only kitchen available for the present - an open fire.











The food was fantastic - some of us understood we ate Connor the goat (more in another post!) There was also chicken, matoke, rice, bean sauce and more - some resorted to fingers in place of forks. Joy couldn't stop smiling - and Norman couldn't stop eating - Michael just enjoyed it all!

The generosity of the community was overwhelming - the whole event (which began at noon and ended at about 4 p.m) was truly memorable. We are so appreciate of the effort they put into making the day so special.

The day ended with a small gift to each child in the school and then goodbyes were said. There were few dry eyes.

One of the most speical things said was by Albert ( a teacher) "Thank you for bringing smiles to the peoples faces" - what a privilege.

The Big Match

What a day last Thursday was! It began with the match of all matches on the new football pitch. The result was 2:4 (it seems right that the locals won the first match - or that is how our "lads" comforted themselves). Julia was the pride of the pack when she scored the first Sligo goal - good on you girl!

From Kampala...on the way home

We are in the Fields of Life Guest House - (Shalom) for a quick stop before heading to Entebbe. All are well, thank God, and looking forward to a bit of rest at the zoo near Entebbee or at the swimming pool before heading for the flight at 10 p.m.

Yesterday's celebration was amazing - but tears were shed as we left the school. Keep logging on next week when more photos will be added.

Meantime all at home we are really looking forward to seeing you very soon!

Final times!

The foot ball pitch is ready for the match tomorrow . the flag poles are erected, the school is painted. The work with the children and women is coming to an end - now the new school song "Rise and Shine" (which is the school motto) has been taught. All is ready for the big party tomorrow.

Rhoda and the community have a programme for us from noon till late afternoon. kenney from head office will come and the parents, the mayor and other local dignitaries will be present at a community celebration of song, dance, speeches - and even the Sligo team will perform. The Sligo flag will be raised and the banners, new set of drums, sport equipment and other bits and pieces will be presented. We reckon it will be a day unlike anything in our experience!

Friday we leave Masaka in the morning and via stops at a Drum shop and the Equator (for Michaels coffee) we will go to Entebbe to fly at 10 p.m. We hope to chiil out 20 minuites from the airport at a Zoo or a pool - depending on individual choice. The the overnight marathon via Amsterdam

We will be broken hearted to leave the community - but looking forward to seeing our families once more. Thank God all of us are still well and safe.

We hope the rain has stopped - and that the conference in Sligo is going well

Hospice Mobile Unit Update and more

Michael and Sr. Teresa had the pleasure of spending a dey with Sr. Carla Simmonds who is Consultant for Hospice Mobile Home Care in masaka district and surrounds. Sr. carla supervises 21 mobile care teams who go daily to various centres. Sr carla also receives referrals from these mobile centres and the hospitals, whom she visits (in her medical capacity) in their own homes.

tjhe Hospice Mobile Home Care Team takes care of patients sufferring from terminal cancers and terminal HIV / AIDS.

During our experience we visited 4 patients covering a radius of 80-1-- kms in their own homes and had the privilege of meeting their families. thgs took us from 8 a.m. -7 p.m. on a very hot day. This was a very "touching" experience to see the wonderful work being carried out in the very basic humble conditions of the patients own homes. What was striking to both of us was the unlimited time given to each patient despite the long distances travelled by the teams and atrocious road conditions. The team consisted of a staff nurse (Rose) who was local to the area and Richard the driver. It is very difficult to put into words the full extent of the huge impact of this work on the patients and their families. The day was a real privilege forSr. Teresa and Michael to experience.

Later that evening Sr. Carla and a colleague Sr. Maura joined us at our acommodation to meet the whole team. Liz and Ruth following discussiona (and a quick visit to the hopsital earlier in the day) decided to give Sr, Carla The Catakysts money in support of the "Grannies in Masaka" pilot project (an offshoot of "Grannies in Africa). The money will go towards the many medical extingencies not covered by the pilot project.

Photo Gallery

Team Work - getting the patterns ready for those pots!

Getting started Volleyball

Patrick - the best bus driver in Uganda

Card Making

African Sunset

Snake charmer! -OK it was dead!

Why is he laughing? what will happen when his mother sees this?

Arriving with a basket full of delicious small sweet bananas! HM

Where's that massive tree stump? - lots of help from locals today -including the parents committee. But o boy it was hot!

Just add salt!

What's his handicap??

Remember those pots???
These pictures tell the story of how well the session wnt with the women - we are all relaxing with one another - and the presents are overwhelming. the women drift in and are dressed in the best dresses. Keith our F. of L. guide is invaluable as a interpreter and Rhoda the headmistress as an adviser.

Tomorrow one of the women is going to show us how to make baskets Ugandan style.

Our Spiritual Dimension

Fields of Life teams usually take the opportunity to share times of prayer and encouragement and ours is no exception - both as a team and in work with the children.

As an inter-church group we have a pastoral input fro Theresa - a Mercy Sister - and from Canon Liz a Church of ireland Rector. We start with prayer for our safety and our work on the bus and finish afte the team meet to discuss and de-brief with scripture, reflection and prayer.

Liz and Ruth take classes each morning with action choruses, Bible verses and quizzes. Please pray that God's Spirit will use these times to sow seeds of faith in these wonderful children. Liz also linked the pots craft work with a short input today with the women.

We know that New Wine begins in Sligo today and we especially ask for the Prayer Team to remember our team and its mission. We will pray that God's blessing will be on all the families in Yeats Village and all attending.

Weekend Update

Well the Golden girls were glad to welcome the gang back from kampala and to hear all the news. The weekend was greatly enjoyed. Those who went to Jinja had a ball on the quods - Emma gave David a good run for his money. They also had a slap up lunch and visited the source of the Nile. A mistimed photo opportunity let to some financial discussion with the authorities - but top guide Keith and driver, Patrick, got the fine reduced!

The others got a Taxi bus and headed north to the hospital where Ken Finch and his wife are based where they were treated like royalty. They were really impressed with the work being done by the hospital and by manner in hich so much is achieved with so little.

After church and lunch a visit to the Fields of Life Offices and the return to Masakea - with a stop at the drum shop to get a set for the school in Bajja - but no coffee at the Equator for Michael!

Meantime the Golden girls had "done" the markets, checked the cafes and zapped out as befitted their senior position!

There was a little tiredness this morning until we got going but all are well and safe - thanks for your prayers.

Preparation for the womens' group in Monday - the plan is to paint pots and decorate them. Rare craic was had on Friday when the women went potty ion the market bartering to see who could get the best price for 10 pots - most got them for 1,500 schillings each - 75cent!!

"Perfect Harmony" - The team now have their very own group. The girls have been a hit with the womens' group and the children. The rest of the team are also rather impressed!!

First Assembly in the newly painted part of the school

Keith and Charles in the Hardware store

Daddy buying melons for the gang!

IKEA - watch out

Bringing the shopping stall home!

Before the storm

Meat -Masaka style

"We don't need TV - this is MUCH more fun!"

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!!

Well fed Rhode Island Reds

Spot the fake!!

A first photo from Liz!!! And the camera never lies!

Les 3 Amigos!!!

Cooking ---- this is done traditionally now but soon as the pictures show the school will have their new kitchens..... funded by the Sligo Fields of Life. In the foreground a Fields of Life worker is erecting flagpoles - from which the Sligo Flag will fly from next Thursday - this is the day when we will have our special ceremony with the local dignitaries and make our presentations - including the plaque.