A sneaky Pic of me with Hope Family

This is Mary, she is the oldest.  She is lovely and I enjoy hearing her talk and being silly with me:)  Amazed we got this picture, she didn't want to sit still for it at all!

Yummy Chips

Look what I made:

Made some what were going to be wedges but the potatoes were small, so ended up being more like chips. Reminded me of my Dad's home-made chips that he makes! Just another 6 months till I get to taste my dad's chips again. Though mine this evening were impressive!!!

Life in Africa...

Today, I experienced being bitten by one of those 'nasty' ants.  By this I mean one of the ones that bites you and REFUSES to let go, you can shake your foot as much as you like and that little ant will not give it up!  A good flick to it is what is needed!  

Other than that, only could it be here that I walk past someone's compound, only to see a kid sitting in a wheel barrow having a jolly good time looking at a book - I thought it was rather sweet!  Should have got a picture, but alas I failed:(

The other thing I saw (which was a while ago now) and wish I had my camera on me, was when I walked past the school at break time, and there were 10 kids (and yes I DID count!) all on the see-saw  having an amazing time!
Ofcourse for Health and Safety reasons I wouldn't recommend it, but I never knew that so many people or children couldn't fit on one see-saw!

That's all the sight-seeing things for now!  Just a taster of my life over here for you all:)

Collection of Pics of Life here!

Jenga crazy fun!  With Hayley, Aimee, Chris and me (L-R)

A typical meal time

Left-Right Aunties Mackenzie, Faith, Betty, and me!
Watching and commentating on an Institute Volley ball match

09/08/12 The day Mackenzie and I got drenched
to the bone walking over to secondary site!

Random Pics

26/08/12 Making yummy pancakes
 for tea on Sunday:)

Our beloved Pit Latrine:)

Enjoying eating Matooke a typical Ugandan dish!
(Unripe cooked banana's with a lovel g-nut sauce on top!)

Candle Wax Art

25/08/12 Every house has a friendly gecko!

Teeth cleaning set-up preparation
Toothbrush, toothpaste, cup of water & flannel

Pit Latrine adventures stories 22/9/12

Hi to all of youJ 

I hope to continue to add more pictures as and when I can.  Pics tend to take a good half hour or so to load each one majority of the time!  But, I do love how the pics tell a bit of the story of life out here.

I have now been here almost 3 months now, so only 9 months like the length of a pregnancy left till I return!  Who's planning my return party?!lol.  Sometimes I still can’t believe I am actually here in Africa.  Dealing with each day and it’s challenges that come my way.  I am surviving the HOT weather, just!  Sorry to all of you England people, who have had a rotten summer, wish I could send you some of our sun and heat! 

Battling the bugs, which reminds me the other day I went to use the sweep/broom to remove cockroach from ones pit latrine...first time I tried just went further down the door, I then got it and flicked it with the broom....and then couldn’t find it crawling around anywhere???!!!  My only conclusion is that I’d managed to flick it and send it flying over the top of the wall that blocks off our latrine area!  I never saw it again...hoping it plummeted to its death, but who knows! 

We have had x2 snake episodes in our pit latrine areas yesterday!  One, while trying to capture to kill it, on our pit latrine roof, ended up falling right down the hole (no one thought to remember to maybe recover the hole in the process, then it wouldn’t have fallen down the pit!!!).  So we now have a snake down there, hoping that it shouldn’t be able to climb up the huge drop!

Second Snake later on that day (apparently they tend to travel in two’s!?!), was on the latrine door somehow, that one was got and killedJ  However, I have not plucked up the courage to go in our block of latrines yet! 

I hope to continue to do smaller updates every so often, keep you all in the loop!

God Bless

Lv Rachel

Caterpillar - spiky!!!

Got the caterpillars spikes in my right little finger - accidentally touched a caterpillar that was on my bag!  

Here's what the beasts look like ->

Jigger and Caterpillars 18th-19th August 2012 Pictures

Jigger in the foot! -see the black thing in amongst what looks like                               

a blister-that is the JiggerL  White stuff is it’s egg sacks I think. 

Jigger and Caterpillars 18^th-19^th August 2012

I had my first Jigger incident (for those of you who haven’t heard).  I hope to get pictures up about it, but do google it if you dare!  Ewwwee it was horrid, I was NOT impressed.  But the lovely Aunty Betty did the surgery on my foot with the help of a safety pin...and ‘dug’ that nasty Jigger out of my right little toe!  The following day to this, I ended up having an encounter with a nasty caterpillar!  They are like a cactus, they have lots of small thin spikes and if you touch them, stick right into you.  It was my right little finger!  My right side was having a bit of a hard time that weekend.  Will try and find a pic for you of such a caterpillar.  I spent WEEKS continuing to use pair of tweezers to get more out from under my skin!  The Caterpillar incident threw me over the edge that week, I had had enough by that point!  Thank God, my toe has healed up well, and is almost now back to normal.  No added trouble of infection that I was concerned about.  Another lesson in trusting God in one’s health and where we are in Africa and the difference in medical care out here compared to back at home.  

Pictures of Caterpillar and Jigger to come!!!

                                                  

House Sitting - FUN! 12/08/12

House Sitting at Auntie Jill's :)  

Lovely to have a teapot, tea-cosy and lots of tea:)  I made full use of these in my week of house-sitting:)

At the crafts Market:)

Hayley manages to convince the shop owner to give up her dress she was wearing and sell it!  

The dress bought is the one she is wearing, in the picture!  What a crazy funny experience that was!

Continued Shopping expedition

Ice-cream with a funny name!  Almost our response to having found some Ice-cream to eat as a treat! 

Such a BIG spoon my friend!

11/08/12 Our First adventure out to Kampala -shopping!

It was an early start to the day...and a very long day too!!!

Pizza at the food court - Garden City:) Yum yum yum!

                       

                                         ME with a small little wee shopping trolley (or cart for you Americans!).

10/08/12

Me and Mackenzie off to Secondary site for the night to stay with Valerie and a group of us to eat togther and enjoy the joy of having the use of a kitchen! 

 Fun times:) 

My Special Birthday designed seat for me:) 

My crazy cool housemate - Mackenzie!

A beautiful Sunset:)  The photo doesn't do it justice though!

Me on the crazy scary swing!

Sometimes on a Sunday evening we have a lovely pizza made by 'Wonderful' one of the IY students:)  Yum yum!

Chameleon - cool eh???!!!  I wasn't sticking it on my head though!

Pit Latrine Humour - Oh yes!!!

Here is Ode to my house-mate Mackenzie who wrote this on her blog about the steps it takes to go to the Pit Latrine!  She described it sooooo well that I HAD to share it with you all too:)  

"The whole pit latrine process is a piece of work on its own. First, you have to get your key, your toilet paper, flashlight, and walk a ways to get to it. (Note: You will need your flashlight regardless of whether or not it is night or day) When you get to the latrine you then have to grab the broom, unlock the door, and prepare for cockroaches the size of the palm of your hand. Once you’ve swept up all the cockroaches, killed all the spiders, and double checked for snakes you can then remove the “hole” cover. Place the hole cover outside of the stall because if you lose your balance it’ll hurt when you land on it. (I’ve got a beautiful red mark on my right hip currently) Before closing the stall, be sure to turn on the “torch” or else it becomes a dark scary place and you’ll be lucky if you make it into the hole. After you finish your business be sure and put the hole cover back on or else flies will make it their new home and the trip to the pit latrine becomes a whole new adventure. Also, do not forget to lock your pit latrine on your way out or it becomes a public latrine and trust me…not a pretty place.

Thankfully, I only share a pit latrine with my two other housemates and we three girls like to keep it tidy. We’ve even debated whether or not to put candles in it. (We’ve currently decided against it. Candles suggest comfort and relaxation, none of which is in the definition of the word pit latrine.)

With all that being said, pit latrines are a “get in and get out” kind of place."

So, you all now know more clearly the 'fun' we have at every latrine visit!!!

Hi guys,

Sorry it’s been a while since I blogged.  Hope you are all well?  Since my last update many things have happened!  I celebrated my first birthday in Africa, Uganda!  It was an amazing day – even when I was in lectures till 4pm!  My housemates were great and sorted out trying to make my favourite desert – custard, from scratch!  Not quite the same as Birds powder custard – but hopefully my mother shall send me some so that I can educate the Americans of how custard ‘should’ taste and be.  Also, to my surprise my friends in my class bought me a ‘kettle’ – best present ever!  I couldn’t believe my eyes!  It’s amazing what you appreciate when you don’t have something!  Of course, it depends on the electricity being on. 

My birthday cards I got this week, think they may have been sitting around a bit as people at reception were unsure who I was!  But now they know!  Thank you those of you who were super organised in sending a card – I applaud you all.  Well done!

I managed to fall off the concrete path round the side of our house – I will stick a picture on here, so you can see what the house I am in looks like!  So, I fell, by slipping on some water on the concrete and slipped right off the side onto the grass and hurting my ankle (the morning of my birthday-what a delight!).  Thankfully I didn’t damage it badly, though it has hurt for a few days.

The pit latrine is a process!  My housemate tells me I have a pit latrine posture (standing holding tightly to a bunch of my skirt –related to the fear of the latrine time!) before even entering in and looking all around for bugs etc.  I repeat for those of you who haven’t heard me say – it is a ‘get in, get out’ experience – no sitting, or rather squatting around in there!

Lectures have continued to be very challenging indeed.  A week ago we looked into counselling (what is good or bad counsel – and we counselling people ALL the time!) and just the small topic and thing of ‘the Glory of God’!   Kinda blows your mind, which has continued into this week, as well as looking at the Father Heart of God throughout the whole Bible! 

We had the sad news of a baby boy that was at Hope family (baby house) died last week and was only 4 months old.  It wasn’t expected although the baby had been ill and was undergoing investigations.  Keep in prayer the boys Father and the people who took care of baby Dissan here at New Hope (Stu and Sarah who were taking care of him in their own house and Kate who helped care for him too). 

It’s funny having been here 5weeks now and have got sooo into the habit of in the process of introducing myself and people asking where I am from, that yesterday a visiting English-man asked me where I was from and my first response was automatic ‘England’!!! 

Enjoy a British gathering this week for tea time, and it was lovely:) Nice to meet more Brits – who are here visiting.

I also got told yesterday at my family group by one of the girls that they thought I was American – she thinks I have American Eyes???!!!!  Not sure what that means, but thought it was amusing!  I’m trying to get the children in the family group to help me to learn some more Laganda!  We had much laughter over saying ‘water’ in Laganda – as it sounds the same as another word that means something completely different! So, if you say it slightly wrong...you’re NOT asking for water, but Faeces! 

Hope you are enjoying the pictures on the blog?!  I will try and keep it up as much as possible!

Love and hugs,

God Bless You

Rae 

The amazing cans of DOOM!!!  Couldn't live here without it!  Shame you don't have it in England!

This is me in the field at the ready and harvesting Maize (corn/sweetcorn)!  Thank God no snakes seen....but I did come across a frog...! picture to come at some point!

See the hut in the distance?  Ok, so it took a good half an hour walk in the hot hot and did I say HOT sun, to find the latrine in the field whilst harvesting Maize!  Boy, that was harder work than harvesting!!!  

Do you see the green Frog??? Sorry it's not bigger.  So I picked up some corn and felt this wet thing on part of my hand, and a little scream came out, wondered what on earth it was (was not expecting this!) and there it was- green frog!  Not sure who was the most scared at that point?!

This is our outdoor shower - note the bowl and cup in which to complete the procedure of having a 'shower'!

This my house/hut for the 5months here at the Institute!  Note to the very right of the house is the outdoor shower!  See the step cement all round the house, so I slipped off one of the highest points and fell off it onto the grass (on the morning of my birthday!).  Ouch!

This is how we wash our clothes, wash our clothes, wash our clothes, this is how we wash our clothes, down in Africa!

 Browns veranda:)

Silas's Spider - that I was warned about.  My first contact with a spider in Africa!!!!

 This was my luxury accommodation at the Browns house for a couple of days before I went to Kasana!

Ahhh the beauty of a toilet!

I have been in Uganda for 9 days now and at New Hope Uganda for a just about a week!  Class started on Monday and we have all been sharing our testimonies and journeys God has had us on to get us to here!  Been great to hear others stories and it has been emotional too.  Everyone shared for a good 30 minutes or more!  I did it, and wasn't too nervous.
Thursday and Friday we had the lectures start and have been looking at world views and how that is affected by mostly our experiences.  Looking how we value different things depending on our culture.


Class has been great.  God has already been challenging me this week in just our two classes of lectures so far, and there have been some really hard-hitting questions thrown out to think about and answer.  


Making good friendships quickly,both with other westerners and Ugandans.  I have x2 house mates.  We have a lot of Americans in our class, but that's ok coz I like Americans and they are so funny!  We compare our terminology and saying quite a bit each finding each others strange and hilarious too.


I (and others) are still battling the pit latrine visits!  Cockroaches and poisonous caterpillers are not my idea of fun!  So you have to Psyche yourself up for going and go when you can wait no longer!!!  It actually takes and drains a lot of ones energy.


Today had to be the record for amount of times screamed in morning lectures and in one day.  Be it nasty flies near me or something.  I was extra extra  jumpy today for some reason and to add to it - someone creeping up on me and going 'boo' in my ear!


Anyways time for sleep, busy day tomorrow - got the first lady of Uganda coming and New Hope annual thanks giving to God day of all that New Hope is and has been.


I do hope to get some pics loaded soon!


love and hugs


Rachel

Hi all, so I am here.  Arrived safely, flights were good and wait in Dubai ok.  Had cchat with guy on plane, and then a female and guy as waited at dubai for connecting flight!  Interesting conversations!    On 2nd flight, mishap as it was coming into land...managed to spill (very sleep deprived by the way!!!) my cup of water all over me - looked like I had wet myself!  What a time to have done it, no time for it to dry (29mins till landing).  Had to be ushered to bathroom to try and change! Sooooo embarrassing!


Had great time with the Browns for a couple of days, resting and meeting the teenagers they work with.  Lovely time.  Then Kathryn brought me to Kasana to the Institute, where I unpacked in my new 'house' and started to settle in.  I was the first one to arrive, so that was a little weird.


Have met a few others later on who are also doing the course, so was great to spend some time with them and getting to know people already - so it's not a lot of people all at once - I have a chance of remembering people's names, when it's bit by bit!  Last night had a child sitting on my knee and then realised he had wee'd on me!  Plus I'm convinced he thinks i'm 'aunty no-no'  as he kept on being told off - 'no' for touching/poking me at tea time!  Gorgeous boy though,plus his older sister and brother.


Just having a few teething problems, i.e. learning to use the right key on the door = it opens and locks easier than trying to use the wrong key!


Saturday - bugs galore day!  From Spiders, to weird 2-flys/wasp things? Not forgetting the spiky caterpillar (that just shared my first outside shower stall experience (seriously no roof!) with basins of water  and a trusty cup!  
Although sunny, there has been rain on and off too (not rainy season yet!).


Course starts on Monday.  Looking forward to it:)  See how things are going to be!  


Will attach photo's soon:)  lv Rachel