GREAT NEWS & THANK YOU!

Dear Friends

Since I wrote the previous newsletter on 28^th September when I was asking for your support to finish the latrines so that the children of Nakakabala can look forward to going back to school, I have raised another £500 made up from a donation from the Hazel Grove Rotary Club after I gave a talk to them, and kind individuals. Tennis club friends, friendly neighbours and friends further afield. So THANK YOU to you all! This was enough to pay for the corrugated metal roofs which have now been put on! Also the slope up to the latrines for the disabled students has been put in place. See the photos below. So only another £600 needed so that we can buy and install the doors and complete the finishing touches, plaster and paint etc. so the latrines will be ready in time for the new school year in February. The family made me laugh when they suggested I ‘commission’ the latrines while I am with them this time! Not sure how I do that!!!

I have been invited into Lower Park School here in Poynton on Monday to take part in their Harvest festival and to supervise a coin trail around the corridors in aid of their friends in Uganda, which is sure to help towards the latrines. Also I think my choir friends might donate towards the cause too when I sing with them on Tuesday. In addition to these I have a mum from Vernon Primary calling this evening to do some Christmas shopping from the items I bring back from Uganda so hopefully she will find what she is looking for! You are welcome to come and browse too! Just message me on here.

Are you able to help me in some way please? I hope you don’t mind me asking you once again!

I have booked my flights to Uganda leaving next Thursday 20^th October and returning on 8^th November. So coming up very soon and only a short trip this time as there aren’t the children at St James to teach. Also I cannot stay at St James as his family say James is not reliable – keeps disappearing and doing things out of character which is very worrying! I fear the sickness, Toxoplasmosis, has left him with a form of mental illness, maybe the start of dementia. I will spend as much time with James as I can to assess his mental health as much as I am able as I have no medical knowledge. In my last blog I spoke about James having gone back to part time teaching but I’m afraid there is bad news on that too as he had a fall and has injured his knee and elbow. Poor James!

During my stay I will be working with the family and Schools Management Committee to put plans in place for the future of a St James without James, which is so sad. We also need to help promote the school again as the local people have become very superstitious of the school because of James’ sickness. So many adults still lack the education and understanding about mental illness or in fact any illness. For instance I have a young friend, only 25, who has epileptic-like fits and when one occurs most local people run away from him so he gets terribly injured, and even believe their food will be poisoned if his attack happens near their cooking pots!

I hope having me visit St James will give the locals confidence in the school again and start registering their children for the new year. Only time will tell. All I can do is to go on supporting St James by completing the latrines so that the District Education Officer passes the school as fit to open again in February.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Love and best wishes to you from me and from all those children who have been helping for the last eight years since we started to build St James!

I am also selling my Happy St James Christmas cards once again if you would like to purchase some packs. I will give you the information in the following blog.