A hard working, happy day!

Oh I forgot to tell you about the party bags yesterday!!!   Well, after the school fair a few weeks ago there were lots and lots of bits and pieces left over so I asked Julie, who heads up the PTA, if I could take some of them to Uganda - she said yes!! So having added a few sweets to the mix, on Saturday morning before we left we made up 70 party bags full of small gifts and goodness anticipating that we'd give them away in Uganda. Whilst in the remote village yesterday we did just that. The children were bemused and simply held their bags! They needed encouraging to look inside and take out what was in there. They gradually got the idea and began to investigate and then play with the contents. It was lovely. Its so apparent these children expect nothing.

Anyway, that was yesterday. Today.....after yet another bad night, (I'm sure someone shot one of the birds last night!) we got up. I opened the curtains and a lizard landed on me!!!

We headed back to the orphanage this morning to decorate the bedroom. We worked hard, rubbing down then painting. We were working in a tight space amongst the bunks. Once the new paint had dried we stencilled stars and planets, fairy castles and unicorns. The stencils had been left after the school fair and I popped them in my suitcase wondering if they could be used. they were perfect. This was more like it. It was a fab day of working hard, working together, and working with a common purpose. Job done. The girls were thrilled and danced with excitement. This room is still grim but less so. At one point when I was painting behind a door, I accidently painted a cockroach! He didn't seem to mind?!  John gets 'top man' of the day award for staying in the toilet (think hole in the ground used by 20 + children) long enough to rub down and paint!! He is to be applauded!

We had chicken for lunch, we chose which ones and then watched them be beheaded and bled before being cooked! Oh my!!

The girls at the orphanage work so hard!! They helped prepare food and they worked on the straw bag manufacture.  Later on they sang to us, songs of appreciation and of determination to work hard in order to succeed in life. We have a lot to learn from these children. We handed out more party bags and enjoyed sharing the contents with the children - we gave what we could to onlookers from nearby who were watching us. The hardest thing is you can't give to every child.  At the end of the afternoon, Margaret, a new comer to Kiwi, sat on my lap and fell asleep. As I rocked this beautiful 3 year old, I held her tight and considered that she would never again be held by her mum or dad......

 Never have I been so glad of a shower, even the pathetic trickle that is this one!! It was so good to wash away the dust and dirt of the day and get ready for our night out at Khana Khazana - Indian restaurant. It was fun and delicious.  I thought of Mr Cox and the curries he has cooked for me to raise funds for this trip, and the fabulous Christmas cake, thank you Mr Cox for helping to make this possible, I raised a glass to you tonight!!

Tomorrow.........African church. I'm hoping for gospel singing and Oh Happy Day!!!

XX