August, September

August was a busy month for us, as we were living in Uganda, out of suitcases, in what was our new home, buying a washing machine, waiting for the work permit, buying school uniform in readiness for the first day of school (August 24th), the boys spent a few days at Summer Camp at the ARA (American Recreation Association), next door to where we live, driving a new (to us) automatic car, learning our way around Kampala, learning to cope with the traffic of Kampala and developing nerves of steel for driving on the road! What can I say? It was a busy time.

Although I had hoped to buy furniture and get well settled in readiness for the arrival of our personal belongings, we didn't do much of this. Without the work permit we were a bit timid to appear to be too comfortable in case we were put right out of the country. So, now that is still an ongoing thing. Trying to get the house more so that it feels homely. We were able to borrow MAF housing items which helped us so much, but now I need to spend some time returning the last of their things, eg. curtains, and so I need to either make my own fit, or get some new ones from somewhere. Aaaaahh!

September saw the children choosing their clubs, and that was a big excitement for them - there was so much to choose from. Joshua was asked to swim with the school team, his year group were doing a 'Production' at Christmas, with all rehearsals after school on a Wednesday, and he really wanted to take football and own his very own first pair of real football boots. So after an even longer day of school than what he was used to in Dodoma (with school starting at 8.00am, finishing at 3.00pm) he then spent another hour at school doing a club. After the first week or two of clubs the children were soooo tired. Benjamin took 'Taekwondo' and Craft Club. Esther is too young for clubs. So she has just been getting used to the idea of school, long days without Mummy and going there every day. This was a big adjustment at the beginning, and Tues and Thurs she only stayed 'till 12.00 noon. That really helped her get used to the energy and concentration that was required of her.

The Big Move

Our moving date was delayed one week as we lived in hope of a work permit for Glenn to arrive. Little did we know that we would be in Uganda about 2 months without a work permit. In fact, we had to drive to the Kenyan border and stay overnight, driving back to Kampala, re-entering the country and gaining another 2 months of a Visa. Exhausting journey, but good to know that we were legal for another 8 weeks. During this time, our work permit did arrive. So we now have a work permit for 2 years, for Uganda. Then we will need to apply for another one.

Our truck couldn't leave until after the work permit arrived, so we waited for another month before our things came from Tanzania. What joy the children had when their toys arrived from Dodoma. It was like an early Christmas for them!

PILATES

We are still ongoing with our pilates class in Dodoma. It's lot of fun and good exercise too.


This is our pilates teacher, Kathryn.






Our class is run from 7.00pm to 8.00pm, so it's usually a quick bite to eat and then off to Pilates on a Thursday evening.




Does it look easy? It's not, believe me!





No age restrictions. One of our number is 68 years old and can put most of us to shame!




But a fun way to spend an evening.



Place - well, its run in the Library at the school that the children go to.

We've been busy! Look at our sofa.

As part of our preparations for Uganda, we decided to have our sofa and chair covered here by the fundi's that we've used before. These are the guys that cover the seats of all the MAF aircraft, when that job needs to be done, so they are pretty goo dat their job. They also now make leather shoes, by hand, as part of a little co-operative. This seems to be going well for them, and just at the time we asked them to begin the job for us they were given a grant from the government so that they could get on with their co-operative with some funding. We were delighted for them. So, the above picture is of the sofa and chair before we started any work with it. You can see, I hope, that it was fairly well used and loved before having a little bit of a face lift. See below for the various stages of the face lift.

We were pleased with their work.

However, below you will be able to see that our lovely old sofa also needed some repairs done to the wheels. We have asked Dad to bring some when they come over to visit from Northern Ireland. There were about 3 castors that had parts missing. They still sort of function across the floor, making a nasty scraping sound, but we hope to remedy that soon.

Dad has got some oldish wheels from NI, that are not broken and will hopefully work well when attached to the old chairs.

This sofa was a gift from a friend in the UK and came out in a container from the UK. It might have come from a charity shop, but we've have been so glad of it and delighted with it too. thanks again Dorothy!

What do you all think of the outcome?

Nursery - what an experience!

We have been blessed to be able to spend a few days at a nursery in Dodoma, where Esther has had a few days to get used to a lot of children in one place. Although she is a very sociable child, she has not had much experience in sitting with other children or in listening to the teacher, and interacting is a fairly new thing too - when there are so many children, and when she doesn't know many of them either.

Playing doctors with her friend Anna, and a few other new friends.

We were invited to help out at their Sports Day, and that proved to
be a lot of fun.

Sports Day

Filling up the bucket - what a game!

It's time for the Teddy Bear's Picnic. A tiring but fun filled day.

Party at SEMA Nursery

We were invited over to the nursery to join with 2 American guests who had been visiting for a week. They were living here at MAF, and the lady, Pastor Laura Guy was teaching a seminar each evening at the church out at N'gon'ghona. She and her husband Cliff had a great week, being involved in a number of different activities. They were up for anything and it was their first experience of Africa. Well done you guys!


This is the nursery where Julie Anne teaches (as a volunteer) each Monday, some English through Bible stories, songs and Nursery rhymes. We have been involved here since we came to work in Tanzania, 6 years ago. Kathryn Cole was the matron at that time, but when she and Michael left MAF Tanzania and returned to the UK, I became matron. The Boys Brigade gave us some money from their Anchor Boys, and we spent it on little tables and chairs, so that the children would be able to sit and draw and play at tables and chairs of suitable heights. Prior to this, they sat on benches. Thanks Moneymore BB.

The party was to thank them for coming and to say 'Farewell'. The children sang a couple of songs for them, and Laura had some gifts to leave with them after talking to them and praying for them too.
It was a lovely party, and Laura and Cliff were given some clothes as a farewell gift.

We shared some food and drinks with the children, teachers and parents.

This was a part of a Sabbatical for Laura - and not a lot of rest.
We trust they will return to their home church refreshed, and be able to share God's blessing that they have felt in their lives, with their people back in Living Water Christian Church, Missouri in the Kansas City area.


We took this picture after all the talking, singing and eating and drinking was done and all gifts were given.

Other birthdays in May and June

A very good friend of ours, Claire, celebrated a birthday in May, so we had an excuse to find a baby sitter and go out for a meal with some friends, and no children. It was fun, and we brought some of the group back afterwards for coffee and birthday cake, followed by a game of pictionary - which was great craic!

Claire is in the middle - the birthday girl!



Many snaps taken on the night!





Great pizza at this Italian pizzreia. Worth a trip for sure! And it's right here in Dodoma!


Aleah's Birthday Party
Esther was also at a birthday party. Aleah, a little friend of hers who lives on our compound, had her third birthday party, and she had a pussy cat theme. What fun for little girls!


After some lovely delicate face painting, the cats were ready.


What gorgeous pussy cats there were at the party.


When they started creeping around the room, they came across another cute little kittie - Soraya, who you can't really see in the picture below.

More fun shots from the party.



Cute kitty cats!

What a fun time they all had!

Esther had a great time at the party with her friends.

Ian's Birthday Party


Ian, our programme manager celebrated his 65th birthday in June too. He also went to the pizzeria (like Claire) and then he returned to our house for some birthday cake and a dvd. A good evening!