Sunday – Had to abandon my duties this morning as it was so so hot and no shade anywhere. We did about 50 nets but then I got the boys to bring me home and they carried on without me. They’ve just got back. At least it gave me a chance to catch up with you, and I’m not lonely with all the goats, chickens and other critters for company! They occupy the best place around for connecting to the internet!!

Sunday 4.15 pm – I’m having a rest on my bed trying to summon up some energy for our last big delivery of nets.
I had quite an emotional couple of hours earlier with the family. We were sat in the only bit of shade talking old times and laughing so much as is usual for us. It was an ideal time to give them the gifts I had for them. Photobooks full of memories! We have shared so much, not always good, in fact quite a few tears from time to time, but we have always worked together to overcome problems. We remembered the earliest days when mum Monica wasn’t here as she had been chased away from the home by uncles who wanted the land after her husband Christopher died, leaving the children to fend for themselves. The first photo in each of their books is the one taken when my family and I had come to Uganda for my friend Moureen’s wedding and Alex the eldest of the brothers who I had met at the children’s home had been invited too. He asked if we would visit his home and that was the start! The smallest child in the photo is Paul, that tall handsome guy who’s just left uni as a medic!
Each photo in each book was poured over with recollections coming thick and fast. We sat there for over two hours. I couldn’t have chosen a better gift.
Afterwards mum held my hand, head tipped towards mine and through the boys told me of her love and gratitude for me, my family and friends who have helped her family. She believes we will always be family and that we will be together again one day. Each of the boys followed with words of what our relationship has meant to them, even Mike who struggles with his English but makes up for it with his wonderful smile.
They joked that they weren’t going to let me go home to Dad Norman and that now my name is Namugele I belonged here!
Sorry Norman! 😘

I’m lying under my mosquito net writing this, thinking just what a lucky person I am! I can hear the party atmosphere continuing, not understanding a word of what is being said but it doesn’t seem to matter. I’m going to miss these wonderful people and this wonderful country! X

Saturday morning 2nd March 11 am. Peter and I have just arrived in Kasozi, a village further inland and the home of the Kasenke family, Mike, Bosco, Paul and Emma I have often mentioned, who have all received or are still receiving our sponsorship as did their two old brothers. It was so good to see them all as four years is a long time. They had all organised time off work to be with ‘MumG’ as they know it will be my last trip to Uganda, I feel very loved and honoured. Mike has a job in a hospital, doing cleaning and various other chores, Bosco, as a trained experienced nurse is establishing his own clinic also doing basic dentistry, and Paul is working part time as he looks for a permanent position in clinical medicine and community health. Emma is in Senior 2 and will be studying for his O levels soon. I hope to visit him at school on Monday. I’m really proud of them all. None of them have had it easy but all have made the most of what has been offered. As many of you are new to my Uganda 🇺🇬 story I’ll tell you more about this family at a future date, it’s quite complicated!

It’s so nice being back in Kasozi and I was almost bowled over by Mum Monica as we arrived. I spotted Paul’s smile too, even though he was busy bent over the charcoal stove cooking lunch, and he now has a little goaty beard! A hot meal for lunch even though it’s hotter here than Nawanyago! I’m melting! There’s been the odd rumble of thunder but no sign of rain yet, the area hasn’t had the rain we’ve experienced at Innocents. So hot, hot, hot!
Mum Monica is very sociable, friends are arriving all the time and as is tradition in Uganda, she gives them a little to eat. Bosco arrived on a boda boda with Christopher and alongside another boda with an enormous sack of matoki and other food items. We’re not going to starve! Juliet one of the ‘sisters’ has a little boy called Jeremiah and along with Christopher, they love the toy cars I bought out. Thanks to those who donated them. I smiled at the hat Juliet was wearing, a pair of red and white football shorts! 🤣

Emma, a very disabled man, came to visit as soon as he heard I was there. I was pleased to see he has now been issued with a disability trike. In the past he dragged himself along with his arms, permanently covered in dust. But, always had, has, a big smile. Actually the banter that was going on between the boys and him was joyful to witness. Only wish I could have understood it! Twenty years and still cannot speak a word of the local languages!

We’ll be doing our first net delivery later this afternoon. I can’t say I’m looking forward to it! I’m dripping with sweat already and I’m sat in the coolest place around!

8.30pm – I forget this home only has solar lights in the ‘courtyard’! Before we went out to deliver first nets, I hadn’t thought to prepare myself for bathing or my bedroom in general, and it was pitch black! Now where did I put my torch!!

The sun was already setting by the time we were halfway through the deliveries. I walked the length of the delivery area as I hadn’t had enough exercise recently. Peter followed on with the vehicle and nets.
We delivered over 80 of the 200 allocated for this village. Never ever enough but Paul has been round with the LC Chairman to see which families were most in need. I also gave out children’s clothes and shoes some I bought from charity shops in Poynton but many donated by Adele whose family have been donating items since Kobe was very young and he and his mum bought a set of underpants when it was noticed many children have none. I’ve tried to take photos of the children with their new clothes, usually pulled over their own! Thanks for all your contributions.

I really needed to bathe when we got home so Paul set me up behind the house with a bowl to stand in, a bucket of rainwater taken from the giant butt, a plastic cup to pour and a chair “to help you mum, please don’t fall”. I provided my own soap! So under the African sky I bathed in rainwater and became refreshed!!😘
Mum and all the boys look after me so well but Paul was especially keen to make sure I was ok. He gave me his bed, put clean though rather torn and holy sheets on, fastened my net so no mosquito would dare try to enter, closed my window and warned me not to open it as there were many mosquitos 🦟 🦟🦟🦟🦟🦟🦟🦟🦟🦟🦟🦟🦟

As we waited out the front for supper Mum brought me a cover for my legs and indicated the mosquitoes are biting! Christopher crawled out, well I assumed it was Christopher as he was completely covered. He knows the routine!
I was almost asleep by the time supper was served at 9.30 though it had been cooking since we set out on the delivery round. The Nile I drank with it sent me into a blissful nights sleep! 😴

Friday 1st March, afternoon – I’m resting!Had a hard but really enjoyable morning at Godfrey’s mums home and community in Kitayundwa on the outskirts of Kamuli. She’s hilarious and in her late 80’s and very fit. We had hardly pulled up when she opened the car door and threw herself on me for a hug!

She guided me out of the car and excitedly took me to meet the people she lives with and those sat on mats waiting for us to arrive with nets. Then she announced I was her daughter and renamed me Namugele, her daughter! Her name is Peruth.

Godfrey couldn’t make it but Peter enjoyed seeing his Dada (grandmother) and other relatives, and Innocent came to do the official handover of nets and record keeping.
Chairs and tables were hurriedly laid out in a circle under the trees along with flasks of hot water, tea leaves and sugar, and my favourite, still hot delicious g-nuts!

But before I was allowed to sit down I was taken by Peruth, her arm around me all the time, into ‘my home’, after all I am her daughter! She sat me on ‘my bed’, put some of ‘my g-nuts’ in my hands, showed me the contents of ‘my cupboards’, pointed out ‘my clothes’ then took me to see ‘my bathroom’ (with a western style loo!), ‘my children’s’ bedrooms and then ‘my comfy sitting room’. All the time she was bursting with joyous enthusiasm which was lovely! 🤣
We eventually got back outside for tea, tea with the most delicious flavour. Just a couple of pinched in my cup with some hot water, wonderful. I did ask her what the tea leaves were but I was not sure of her answer. Maybe if Godfrey is reading this he’ll let me know. I’d love to take some home to UK with me.
Gradually people arrived from far and wide in the village, the word has been spread around by the Chairman of the Council. Peruth indicated to her home helpers to give refreshments to some who I think might have walked the furthest and had young children. They got drinks and plates of boiled ‘Irish’ (potatoes) probably grown in her garden. The atmosphere was happy and relaxed and I think Peruth also had something to do with the orderly fashion those waiting lined up!

We were served with lunch of matoki and freshly ground g-nut sauce 😋, then just before leaving Peruth presented me with a simple bouquet of plants I had seen gathering, a lovely gesture though I doubted they would survive the long hot 🥵 car journey home to Nawanyago. Lastly she started singing happy birthday to me! Peter laughed and explained it was the birthday of Namugele! I’m now officially a member of their clan 🤗!
Love to you all from from Namugele! 🥰

What a delightful lady she was. I never stopped smiling! 😊

1st March 2024

Tuesday 9.30
To save me going from home to home in the heat Ibrahim suggested we have the rest of the families come into school to collect the nets. Good idea says me……..
I’m at the school now and it’s absolute chaos! The parents have come but there’s no organisation about bringing the children out of the classes a few at a time and it’s now raining! It’s all too exciting for everyone I think! 🤣
Gradually the veranda, or shade as they call it here, filled up, almost to sitting on each other’s lap full, to avoid the heavy rain!
We had a small corner of it, often getting wet ourselves. Innocent made his way through the parents checking who was who, how many were in each family , how many beds they had. Peter collected nets from the vehicle being very careful not to slip in the slimy clay mud. Judith separated the net bundles and as Innocent called number of nets they were given to that family. I had the easy job of giving out the names of sponsors, so I was mostly sat down and dry!!

By the time we had finished the children in the nursery classes were making their way home, on their own, young as they are!

Many of these nets were gifted by members of Poynton Golden Memories where I am a volunteer. Thank you 🙏

The last photos in this group were actually taken on our way to the school that morning. We had stopped to get tyre pressures increased. Next to the Beauty Store was a double door with a phone number above and a pressure machine in front. Peter called and within a few minutes we were ready to leave.
The few minutes we waited though was beneficial as Peter spotted a chameleon walking between the bushes!

29/02/2024 As some of you might know, I enjoy singing and being to various singing groups including Singzest. We have a concert soon after I return so I’ve been practicing! Little Gerry often comes and joins me and I get lots of smiles from people around, it’s lovely.
I’m also going to choir practice with the, St Aloysius Youth Choir! Innocent started the choir three weeks ago to encourage the youth to get involved in the community. They sounded pretty good to me already. I was able to join in a little.
They would like me to teach them a song so I’m attempting one written by the pianist at Singzest called We are humanity. Wish me luck!
We also gave them mosquito nets, and these were bought with the money donated by Singzest. X