Adjusting to Life in Africa

So it is day 3 in Africa, Uganda and I am slowly adjusting to everyday life here.  After growing up and living in Australia, I dont think I could ever get fully used to the sights, sounds and smells of Africa.  It's so true-you've really got to see it to believe it.... 

Incredible heartbreaking love one minute & heart wretching anguish the next. My senses are becoming so alert as God is revealing so much of His heart for humanity to me.

I have been trying to keep in contact with friends and family, but it is so hard because of the time difference.  

The problem is that Australia is 7 hours ahead of us here, so when I am getting up in the morning it is around 1 pm in the afternoon in Australia.

Then when we are doing our daytime stuff all our friends and family are sleeping in bed.  There is a short window of time, but our itinerary has been pretty hectic.  

Facebook is a really easy way to see what we have been up to.  

The guest house here is really nice, and we have 3 house hosts, Doreen, Alice and Dorice  who wash and iron our clothes and cook us yummy meals.

We also have a driver named Isaac and Colin who go with us everywhere and follows our itinerary.  So we are very Safe. This is Colin...... and Dooreen and Alice...

 

We drove up to Suubi Watoto village, it was 45 mins away from were we are staying but took us 2 hours in the traffic coming back.  This village is amazing it has a school and lots of houses for the house mums who care for 8 children each.  Each of the students have the opportunity to do home ec, wood working, mechanics, and all the same subjects we do in Australia..  We saw a group of year 12's graduation ceremony full of dreams and and their  whole life ahead of them.  Thats what its all about when the babies come to Watoto.  TO< RESCUE< RAISE< AND< REBUILD for a better future.

Year 12's Graduating....

The village is up high on a mountain and has spectacular 360 views, quite breathtaking.  This particular village was actually built for Watoto so is totally perfect for their needs and in good conditions.. (the other buildings were bought and modified).  The staff there were sooo friendly and dedicated.  Its amazing to watch these women in action.  Truly a serving heart.. A job at Watoto would be classed as a great long term job because they are so well looked after and they know it!  The staff have a HUGE heart.. Some are also a house mums...

People here only get paid $100 per month and the "rich" people get paid around $500-$800 per month, and petrol is still around the same as in Australia... I just don't understand how people survive.  I guess thats why there are so many abandoned babies, people just cant afford it.  People who are Poor in Australia would totally millionaires here.  At least in Australia we have medicare and family allowance, there is nothing like that here.  We are well looked after by our Government in Australia, even though sometimes we don't think so.

It has been quite sad on many occasions,  just cant believe how some of these babies are.. They are not like babies in Australia who are robust and fat and happy. These babies were mostly malnourished when they came to Watoto.  So so sad.   Some had not  been touched or hugged for weeks after being left abandoned.  Some are found days after birth with the placenta still attached.   When they turn 2 they go into a home with brothers and sisters and a mum

.  There are many male teachers and pastor's in the children's lives who influence them and direct them.  Each village has "cluster" of houses and each cluster has a head mother that takes care of all the disputes and then if she cant resolve it she goes to the pastor of that village who will then resolve it.   

They are teaching the children and women how to be self-sufficiant.  Some of these methods include making jewellery ect, peanut butter, goats milk ( they are starting a goats farm at Subbi).  Also carpentry and metal work.  All the furniture like cots, rocking chairs and tables are made in Watoto.  Also the metal windows and wooden doors for each house.  

It is a truly amazing system that works. 

The sights sounds and smells here are indescribable.  I just cant believe that people live like this when there is so much wealth in the world.  Its truly sad.  This country has hundreds and hundreds of NGO's which is Non-Government  Organisations full of orphanages etc.  Thats why we see quite a lot of  white people here or 'Mzunges' as everyone is all calling us.  This means white person in Ugandan!  So many people come from around the world to volunteer.  There are many long term volunteers to who stay for months or even up to a year.  I am part of a global team which has 8 of us in it.  This is the last team for the year.  Our team consists of Sandy from Canada, Melissa USA, Carol from New Zealand, and the rest from Australia - Cassani, Georgia, Kay, Anneliese and me!  We are all getting along great and has been lots of fun hearing every one's unique stories and how they came to be at Watoto.  Here is our team...

                                                                                                                                     

Today we took 17 of the babies for a walk down to the shops.  It was very hot and so hard to cross the road with all the traffic.

The traffic here in unbelievable.  I would have to call it organised chaos.  The travel agent told us that the biggest fatalities/injuries of tourists in countries like Uganda is being hit  by traffic.  I thought that was funny but now that I am here I totally get it!  People just create lanes where there are none and there are mopeds everywhere.  Our travel insurance doesn't cover us for driving them!!! It is unbelievable, we have seen whole families travelling on the back of one.. seriously we have! with babies too!  Trying to get a photo but nearly impossible.  Here is one of a women dressed beautifully.  It doesn't look right! 

People pay the owner of the moped to drive them around.  There are also mini buses that are taxis.   They are everywhere.  We saw a sign on the door that says "licensed for up to 14 people".  There are never 14, always many many many more!  One great thing that I like about all the buses is that they have big signs above the windscreens on them saying "God is Great" or Jehovah Jirah!" (Meaning God Provides).. Love it, because God does provide in the midst of their circumstances!