As I prepare to return to the UK for my first ‘furlough’ and to be reunited with my wife (who had to leave a few weeks ago)and family, I am surprised at some of the thoughts I am having.
I am actually worrying about driving on UK roads! Me!!
I am concerned that people will be disinterested in what we have been doing and will find stories of Uganda boring. I will have little else to talk about.
I am worried about culture shock. I was away in Iran 4 months (this gap has been 5½ months) and found it hard upon my return, but I consider Uganda my home now and I think that trying to cope with the culture and conversation of the UK may be challenging.
I am worried about being able to afford living in the UK as our support will not go up to match the increased cost of living.
I am concerned that we may not find anyone else to help support us and the work that we are doing.
I am concerned that I am worrying too much …..!!
(Photos from top: Napier Grass (Elephant Grass) stems ready for planting; with poughed land
ready in background; buying the calliandra at the National Forestry Centre, Mukono; Jusef planting the grass; shoebills)
I am actually worrying about driving on UK roads! Me!!
I am concerned that people will be disinterested in what we have been doing and will find stories of Uganda boring. I will have little else to talk about.
I am worried about culture shock. I was away in Iran 4 months (this gap has been 5½ months) and found it hard upon my return, but I consider Uganda my home now and I think that trying to cope with the culture and conversation of the UK may be challenging.
I am worried about being able to afford living in the UK as our support will not go up to match the increased cost of living.
I am concerned that we may not find anyone else to help support us and the work that we are doing.
I am concerned that I am worrying too much …..!!
(Photos from top: Napier Grass (Elephant Grass) stems ready for planting; with poughed land
ready in background; buying the calliandra at the National Forestry Centre, Mukono; Jusef planting the grass; shoebills) As the photos show, the last few weeks have been so encouraging. Activity has been intense on site and it is transformed. Yesterday was an historic one; we planted our first crop, albeit just Napier (‘Elephant’) Grass. This is one of the three elements of our forage for pigs and cattle. The other two plants that will be intercropped will be calliandra and mucuna, which are rich leguminous forage plants which will help provide the most rich and healthy diet possible for our animals. The three grow together and can be cut and grow 
back again endlessly. I really can’t wait.
Today, Saturday 19th May, I watched as the land was being prepared for the first house to be built; unfortunately two small trees have to be taken out but we have replacements – orange and mango. We have had very heavy rain all week and the site is still drying out from intense flooding. This is exactly what Uganda needed but it has delayed work and made getting the estate road preparation impossible.
As usual today I woke up to the sound of the two ‘Sacred Ibises’ perched on the chimney behind me shrieking in harmony at 6.30am. It is the most raucous, noisy sound in the animal world. Why are they called Sacred?! (I think I have asked you this question before). This
week working on the site has meant that I have seen loads of new birds and a tiny yellow tree frog with black spots. Today I went with my sister and her family to Entebbe Zoo and was enthralled by the three Shoebills there. They have to be the weirdest birds in the world! They look prehistoric and completely mad; they stand so seriously, often on one leg, like scientists or mad professors, and slowly lower their heads to the ground shaking them side to side as if to say, “These humans just don’t understand the depths of true knowledge; does ego posit itself?”. Then in unison they snap their beaks together like huge castanets in a laborious dance of the ages. It’s hard not to giggle.
We continue to meet others working in Uganda amongst orphans and children in need, or in the medical field. Each time we find our project ‘design’ and concept being welcomed and greeted with zest and enthusiasm; we realise increasingly that God truly has helped us to get it right thus far. Being groundbreakers, pioneers and innovators is tricky stuff, believe me! Generally we are the first to ever go down this road and of course we haven’t done anything very tangible yet! But we spend huge amounts of time ‘dry-running’ the plans together, and checking out with experts and local people the ‘fit’ of our ideas. I know I have said this before as well, but the last thing that is needed here is simple ideas. The reasons behind poverty, orphan living and lack of opportunity are many and varied (as my history teacher used to say). The solution has to be one that seeks to address a whole string of problems otherwise all that is happening is that the problem is being ‘shifted downstream’. Kids need education, and then vocational training, but they also need a disciplined life that fits with existing culture, and a change of mindset to one where they think in a new way. Ugandans, as with most people in the developing world, are taught ‘by wrote’ here and are not encouraged to solve problems, challenge data, think laterally, find successful strategies, plan for the more distant future, look at resources and how they match expectations, etc etc. The result in the leadership and management of the country is mind-blowingly awful. If we fail to address this within Cherish Uganda then we will have totally failed. Ugandans cannot continue to be spat out at the end of an education process full of knowledge but almost incapable of using it to make a difference.
I am disappointed that I seem unable to convince friends back home of the need out here and to trust me that they can invest in Uganda a way that will bring eternal rewards and huge change for fairly paltry sums. Then I remember how many times I probably walked away from similar appeals. I am seriously trying to raise the £10,000 needed to build the piggery, and a further £20,000 to build each further house for 8 children. I was able to get one (wonderful) person to contribute to Grace’s last year of education, but it still fell short of what was needed, and Sandy and I felt that we had to respond ourselves. But living here teaches me that it is better to give than receive and I was never really happy with the wealth that we had (comparatively speaking). The imbalances in the world are hideous and obscene. Pornographic. What is it that we in the West think that there is left to find in our search for ‘self–fulfilment and self-realisation’? Navel gazing is a good description. But there are signs that more
and more people are fed up with the lifestyle of consumerism …..
I am sounding self-righteous. In my heart I know that I am still addicted to things and that I struggle to get over thoughts that are ungracious about Ugandans and so on. I hope that this summer as I return I might find a seam of grace to tap into so that what I share enlightens and releases and doesn’t bind-up and bore.
back again endlessly. I really can’t wait.Today, Saturday 19th May, I watched as the land was being prepared for the first house to be built; unfortunately two small trees have to be taken out but we have replacements – orange and mango. We have had very heavy rain all week and the site is still drying out from intense flooding. This is exactly what Uganda needed but it has delayed work and made getting the estate road preparation impossible.
As usual today I woke up to the sound of the two ‘Sacred Ibises’ perched on the chimney behind me shrieking in harmony at 6.30am. It is the most raucous, noisy sound in the animal world. Why are they called Sacred?! (I think I have asked you this question before). This
week working on the site has meant that I have seen loads of new birds and a tiny yellow tree frog with black spots. Today I went with my sister and her family to Entebbe Zoo and was enthralled by the three Shoebills there. They have to be the weirdest birds in the world! They look prehistoric and completely mad; they stand so seriously, often on one leg, like scientists or mad professors, and slowly lower their heads to the ground shaking them side to side as if to say, “These humans just don’t understand the depths of true knowledge; does ego posit itself?”. Then in unison they snap their beaks together like huge castanets in a laborious dance of the ages. It’s hard not to giggle.We continue to meet others working in Uganda amongst orphans and children in need, or in the medical field. Each time we find our project ‘design’ and concept being welcomed and greeted with zest and enthusiasm; we realise increasingly that God truly has helped us to get it right thus far. Being groundbreakers, pioneers and innovators is tricky stuff, believe me! Generally we are the first to ever go down this road and of course we haven’t done anything very tangible yet! But we spend huge amounts of time ‘dry-running’ the plans together, and checking out with experts and local people the ‘fit’ of our ideas. I know I have said this before as well, but the last thing that is needed here is simple ideas. The reasons behind poverty, orphan living and lack of opportunity are many and varied (as my history teacher used to say). The solution has to be one that seeks to address a whole string of problems otherwise all that is happening is that the problem is being ‘shifted downstream’. Kids need education, and then vocational training, but they also need a disciplined life that fits with existing culture, and a change of mindset to one where they think in a new way. Ugandans, as with most people in the developing world, are taught ‘by wrote’ here and are not encouraged to solve problems, challenge data, think laterally, find successful strategies, plan for the more distant future, look at resources and how they match expectations, etc etc. The result in the leadership and management of the country is mind-blowingly awful. If we fail to address this within Cherish Uganda then we will have totally failed. Ugandans cannot continue to be spat out at the end of an education process full of knowledge but almost incapable of using it to make a difference.
I am disappointed that I seem unable to convince friends back home of the need out here and to trust me that they can invest in Uganda a way that will bring eternal rewards and huge change for fairly paltry sums. Then I remember how many times I probably walked away from similar appeals. I am seriously trying to raise the £10,000 needed to build the piggery, and a further £20,000 to build each further house for 8 children. I was able to get one (wonderful) person to contribute to Grace’s last year of education, but it still fell short of what was needed, and Sandy and I felt that we had to respond ourselves. But living here teaches me that it is better to give than receive and I was never really happy with the wealth that we had (comparatively speaking). The imbalances in the world are hideous and obscene. Pornographic. What is it that we in the West think that there is left to find in our search for ‘self–fulfilment and self-realisation’? Navel gazing is a good description. But there are signs that more
and more people are fed up with the lifestyle of consumerism …..I am sounding self-righteous. In my heart I know that I am still addicted to things and that I struggle to get over thoughts that are ungracious about Ugandans and so on. I hope that this summer as I return I might find a seam of grace to tap into so that what I share enlightens and releases and doesn’t bind-up and bore.
(Photos: the land just after ploughing: giving Kigo prison manurte freedom - inmates looking on; manure enjoying freedom - on the land; matooke holes ready 
for manure and planting)
for manure and planting)
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