The last evening of camp was great - we just had to dance! Tim stepped up as our team's candidate in the Aunties 'n' Uncles vs the children dance fight....And the winner was?
The children.
By a long way and not after a fair few hoots from the children at Tim's "rhythmical" shape throwing...
But the day had a more serious side.
The morning comprised a visit to Mercy Ministries where Moses, the assistant manager introduced us to the project where they look after 120 children in what is comparably a nice compound. Many of the children of secondary school age board during school terms and travel to their relatives (if they have them) during school breaks.
There were fewer children here today - approx. 25 who don't have sany relatives alive. The morning was really quite relaxed and the whole team went, children and all, with no problems.
Nicole and Tim spent some time with Mama Margaret the house mother who sleeps in quite a large room with the younger children. She was very grateful we came and listened. It has really struck all of us that everyone we meet, young and old just want to talk and spend time with us - to be listened to and understood and to ask questions of us. Margaret soaked up a lingering embrace from Nicole as Tim held her hand - she really needed someone to share her struggles with - who else is there for her to do this with?
Ellie highlighted at least one child who was low on the height to weight ratio and Moses was intrigued and is going to keep an eye on this child - but I learned that teenagers often have growth spurts without gaining the weight to balance this.
Each of the projects we've been to have been left with the height record of the children - like the ones we have on our door frames as children growing up - but this was a roll of paper together with a measuring tape attached to the wall that they can store and use 6 months later.
Their weight and temperature were measured and marked on their individual record sheet that Viva provided.
Norbert from Viva is one amazing gentleman. I hope to have a post about him but we'll see if we have time...He has been our VIVA host - he has a wonderful heart for the children and has some incredibly innovative ideas that would be a great benefit to Africa (sorry - if I told you about them here I'd have to kill you).
We had 4 medical stations:
1. Norbert manned the registration as he was the best placed to obtain names spelt correctly and to ask the children if they knew their DOB or if not what their ages were.
2. A weighing station
3. A height station and
4. A temperature station.
5. Sticker and lollipop station.
After all the children were tested we stickered them so we knew we'd seen them (good in principle and worked but for a few instances in the MYDEL project where dominant males chose to "collect" stickers from others and stick them on the inside of their shirts - children are the same everywhere!)
On Wednesday when we first went to the Viva offices in Namirembe, right opposite the Cathedral, we were met by Mim Friday. She came to Uganda for a 6 month stay and is still here 4 years later. This is Viva Africa's office from where they co-ordinate 6 networks for Harare (Zimbabwe), Cape Town (SA), Kisumu (Kenya) and another I missed during the meeting!
First the team were introduced to the power of the network. Viva forms 2 networks in Uganda - the CARNAC network which pulls together the large international NGOs like World Vision, Compassion, UNICEF etc and CRaNe which is a more local network for smaller NGOs and Community-Based Organisations. There are 190 projects in the CRaNe network - of which 70 however are committed and engage with Viva on a monthly basis.
Our team have discovered first hand that amongst the poverty and desperate need there are passionate, dedicated men and women (with a strength of character I can't begin to describe) rescuing, housing and tending to children at risk - there is such beauty amongst the ashes. Viva works to map where these projects are, create a network and then disseminate support, training, quality improvement and more to equip these projects with the knowledge, planning, strategies they need to reach their dreams. Emotive language I know - but that's exactly what I've discovered on each visited to these projects, speaking to those who started and continue to run them.
More can be said of the first 2 projects we visited...tomorrow or Sunday but...
There was another incident Friday that's worth mentioning. The 2 American's we're travelling with sponsor a child in Watoto and today there were many tears as the girl discovered this week, after being ill, that she is HIV+. As a group we embraced and prayed for her with many tears. I don't know what her future is going to be like as there is still such stigma connected with it - I hope she can continue to be cared for within Watoto.
It came a s a bit of a shock to us all, especially as it came directly after Mama Myriam had presented us with gifts.
We have spent a great deal of time with here again this year. As I said in a previous post we wanted to invest in the relationships we started last year. She has welcomed us daily as have spent the days at Suubi - we've really cherished lunch and supper times with our children playing freely outside.
She had thought of everyone.
And as last year it was very difficult to say good bye to Myriam and her family - we got on the bus after some fun at the dance night. One of the younger girls called Fortunate found it very hard and I just held her. We count ourselves VERY blessed to know this family and each individual. Each member has such a past and yet are so loving and generous. Mercy and Shamim helped me to learn the Ugandan songs for the worship on Thursday evening - I hope we'll see them on Sunday for the Festival of Hope at Watoto West - after which we'll be on our way home on Monday. James, as he did last year, knelt before me as I was sitting in a lounge chair as is customary when children enter the room, honouring their parents. the whole team have fallen in love with them.
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