Friday 17th October

(posted Sat 18th)

Friday started with Pancakes with syrup and sugar for breakfast which the group appreciated. Our driver, Godfrey, was late this morning after confusion over where to meet Paul. Although we were soon on our way to the first village of the day Bbira.

At first the children were very shy but then they began to play with us. Joe was doing ‘cartwheels’ and the children then replicated. Later we walked into a classroom and they were singing a song with the lyrics ‘We are saved, happy and loved’

The group noted that en route there was lots of poverty and yet the children we saw at the village realised what an opportunity they had been given by being given an education and a hope for the future.

Lunch was a disaster- Ian forgot to tell the Young People they had to make their sandwiches at breakfast! He then said it was an ‘African Experience’, before relenting and buying some bits for sandwiches to be made.

We then went to Suubi Village (Suubi means Hope in Lugandan). At this village there was a vocational education centre where Young People can learn how to use mechanics, carpentry and metal work. This village is where the last group to come out from Homewood in October 2012, built foundations for a church which is now complete and used by the locals

After this we met a group of children who had just finished school and we spent some time playing with them

The Group also went to the goat farm at Suubi. The goats are given cows milk and the goat milk is fed to the babies. The farm produces approximately 100 litres a day and any left over milk is made into yoghurt for some of the older children.

We then went back to the village and met a British man who is teaching in the village. He retired with his wife to Uganda and now teaches practical maths to children in Suubi village.

We arrived back to the guest house to rest before another good dinner with fresh local Avocado, Pineapple and Butternut Squash. After dinner a selection of craft items and clothes made locally were made available for us to purchase and several of the group brought some souvenirs.

In the ongoing competition to find the most unusual thing being transported on the back of a bike todays entry was a metal gate!