Uganda reflections: written under a mango tree

I arrived in Uganda on Saturday and I wrote this sitting under the mango tree at John’s dad’s place in rural Mityana on Tuesday.  No internet up there – hence not posted until today when I am back in Kampala!

Feeling blessed

In just these 4 days I have

-       Had some wonderful long car-ride conversations with John, which we both relish and which are a key part of the planning and catching up processes regarding the various work and family interests that we both have

-       Spent a few hours with the lovely Harriet and Miriam in Acholi Quarters, catching up with them both, and thinking through the various initiatives that are going on there, as well as seeing the end of year school reports for some of the children who are being supported by generous donors through CRED.

-       Spent time reading books, doing jigsaws, and playing games with Patience (now 5 years old), as well as taking her swimming and helping her discover that arm bands can keep you afloat in the water

-       Come with John up to his dad’s place in rural Mityana to see all the progress that has taken place on the Nkuru Business and Vocational Training College – classrooms and computer room completed, kitchen / café halfway built, solar panels installed, toilet block completed so that it feeds into the biodigester to create ‘human poo power’

-       Spent time with potential staff introducing them to the concept of Whole Brain Approach to teaching and learning, and running the training sessions for them. What a joy and a privilege to see just what a buzz of excitement it created amongst them as they ‘got it’, and realised just what a difference this holistic approach to education could make to the learning experience of so many, especially those who have struggled with mainstream education in the past because they don’t fit the required ‘mould’ when it comes to learning styles and preferences

-       Gone for a couple of lovely long rural Uganda runs, through tea plantations, along dirt tracks, with beautiful sunrises and with children calling out ‘mzungu hello’ and ‘mzungu byeee’

How blessed I feel, to be part of this work, to be part of this community, to be able to play my part in changing lives in this little bit of the world. How undeservingly but incredibly gratefully blessed I feel.