Great news amidst a very busy schedule...

Hi again everyone,
Thank you for your prayers and encouragement.
So to cut a very long story FULL of FRUSTRATIONS but also much answered prayer, on sunday we received the great news that Dissan (who we have nicknamed Dizzy) does NOT have cancer but the swelling is due to TB and will be treated by the medicine he is already taking!
I have to confess here that I did faint last wednesday when I was required to hold the poor boy down whilst they dug out their biopsy tissue with over-sized forceps.......

Dizzy Dissan

I could write a whole book on our experiences at Mulago hospital where I am soon to return with Carol BUT I won`t as we are very busy this week, preparing for a visit from Mrs Janet Museveni (the first lady of Uganda.) She is going to be attending our Thanksgiving celebrations on saturday and is stopping first at the clinic to greet all of us in the Special Needs Department.
I am currently working on a display of photos and info but it seems the dust or cockroaches have been at work on my printer cable and it is not being very responsive.....
Thank you once again for your prayers. I am sure God has great plans for little Dizzy`s life whether it be continuing in his Father`s footsteps in a life of cattle keeping or something else.......we will have to wait and see!

Two of my other favourite boys :)

Please Pray for this Precious Poppet!

Dissan is a baby under the care of Hope Family (our home for babies here at Kasana.) Since he came to stay with my good friends the Dendy`s who run Hope family, he has very quickly (in just 2 or 3 weeks,) won a special place in my heart.

I want to ask you to pray for him please as he has a very large lump growing on his neck which has been there since he was a month old. It is continuing to grow and we are monitoring him closely in case it begins to obstruct his airway (something to pray against.)

Stu has gone down with Malaria (please pray also for his quick and full recovery) so tomorrow Sarah and I will be taking Dissan back to Mulago hospital in Kampala to get the results of the biopsy that they did last week. Stu has already been back once to pick them (last Friday) but sadly, as is often the case, it was a wasted trip as the person who was meant to have written the lab report  had not and was nowhere to be seen.

Please pray that tomorrow we will get the correct results and that the Doctor will be able to diagnose what it is and how to best treat it......and that Sarah and I will have patience and grace for the day!

Whatever it is, we know that God is able to heal our precious boy and please pray with us that he will! Please also pray that Dissan`s Dad would continue to take interest in his son; sadly his Mum died when he was just a month old. Dad has other young children at home but has been helping to care for him this last week when he was in the hospital.

I must sign off here and give the boy his milk.......and then enjoy his gorgeous gurgles and smiles!

Thank you for your prayers.

I have me a roof!

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend? I am writing this on a rainy sunday afternoon :)
Just wanted to post a picture of my house that now has roof rafters (well, I think that is what they`re called.....)

I was getting a bit discouraged that nothing had been happening for a few weeks on site. However, the builders had been busy down at the barn constructing the metal pole structures which they carried down early this week.....I was most excited!
As you can see, the land in front is getting a bit overgrown and I hope no snakes are getting any ideas about moving in!
And in case pictures of buildings being constructed aren`t your cup of tea (they are not usually mine!) then here is a very cute picture of my friends Sam and baby Dissan for you to enjoy! Dissan helped me with my office work on wednesday and inspired me to get most of our sponsor letters written.......

Have a fun week everyone, I`m sure I will!

Fetching Water and Other Fun on the Weekend.

I am often asked how I spend my weekends here at Kasana; if I get bored living out in the bush! Well, I do have to confess that sometimes I do escape to Kampala or Entebbe but not because I`m bored here.

A girls day breakfast in Kampala

Weekends at Kasana are never dull.
For the last month or so, our water tower and boreholes have been down and so my regular sunday night job has become the water run.....
I have driven to our secondary site with a car load of jerry cans and a couple of lads from our family group to fetch water for Hassan`s house, my own and others who have seen us going and thown one in!
Today however, we heard that our borehole this side was back on and so Kakande and I went down the barn and started pumping away......

Pumping for Water at the borehole!

A car load of jerry cans

It wasn`t long before I realised that Kakande was MUCH BETTER at this task than I was, so I took on the task of telling him when the jerry cans were full and screwing the lids on!

Weekends here often involve many visitors including some who sleep over......
First it was Honour and Kayesu who decided that they`d like a slumber party with auntie Kate which did not really involve much slumber but plenty of giggling, eating and drinking!

Kayesu & Honour

The week after that was Jafali`s turn to stay. He is one of the babies under the care of the Dendy`s who run Hope Family but they had gone away for the weekend leaving me with this gorgeous bundle of joy!

Jafali

Almost every Sunday, Hassan and Annet (one of the girls from my family group) come over for a chat, bible study, pray and usually a cup of tea and some cake (at which point Kakande usually joins us to!)

Annet in Lake Victoria

Perhaps another time, I will write about my trips to market on a saturday afternoons which is NOT my favourite activity but one that on occasions, can NOT be avoided!

So for those of you who worry about me being bored or even lonely, please don`t....I have plenty of little (and big) people keeping me from either and for that, I am very thankful (most of the time!)

House Pictures

Here are a few photos of my house from the end of last week.....
I went over there with Annet, Judah and John from David family for a photo shoot!

The big window in my bedroom.

My neighbour to be....Bubbly the black lab!

THANK YOU so much to everyone who has given so generously to this house project!

Living an Abundant Life with David Family.

This last week, I went to Musana Camp on the shores of Lake Victoria with the family group I am part of (David.) The journey there was interesting as the roads are more like riverbeds than roads....

However, we made it there safely by Monday lunch time and then began having much fun together!

Playing with the Giant Ball.

Playing Minefields

We played lots of games and also went on treks into the jungle to find a waterfall and also out onto the peninsula......

We also spent time together studying God`s word and discussing things such as whether Jesus meant that we could experience an abundant life in the here and now or whether that is just for the future, when we go to heaven?
In answer to that, I can definately say that God has given me an abundant life. Even when life is not as easy or good as it has been this last week, I always have that peace and joy deep in my heart knowing that He will never leave or forsake me and that because of what Jesus has done for me, I am FREE from all guilt and shame!

Uncle Syd leading devotions on the rocks.

Apart from just the treat of not having to collect water twice a day and cook food for themselves, probably the thing the children enjoyed the most was swimming (or splashing around in the lake!)

Although we had to leave Hassan and Carol back at Kasana due to their ongoing medical problems (bless her, poor Carol was back in the hospital AGAIN!) we were able to go with Kakande who had a WHALE of a time. He almost did become a whale when he went swimming.......but perhaps his favourite part of the whole week was riding around on Uncle Syd`s Quad bike! Since we got back he has been asking us every five minutes when we are going back....

 

Overall, despite the frequent trips I`ve had to pay to the toilet after swallowing lake water,  it was just a wonderful break away for all of us and we really enjoyed just chilling out together and enjoying the beautiful surroundings.

And in case you are worried about my exploding bottom, Hannah seems to have solved it by giving me charcoal to eat (in tablet form!)
She might be needing some after eating chicken on a stick on our way back!

Busy School Holidays

Just before the end of term, a group of us went to the rehab centre in KLA to collect our equipment which was ready apart from needing a few adjustments. Uncle Dan had to tie all the standing frames onto the roof of our van.

Now we are two weeks into our ‘break’ but there is not much resting going on as certain little people have been keeping us on our toes.....

Carol is back in hospital with pneumonia and we have been very grateful for the help she has received from a Paedeatrician from the UK who is at Kiwoko for 6 mths. Please keep Carol in your prayers.....we will be taking her to see an ENT specialist at Mulago hospital in Kampala once she has been discharged.

Allen has been exploding at both ends and sadly she has lost nearly a Kg in the last month. She was treated from Malaria and is now on an antibiotic......we pray that this will kill off whatever is disturbing her tummy!

Allen receives counselling from her parrot about how
mean A.Kate is making her stand up!

Brian is due to go for mini surgery on Tuesday as he once again has a bad wound on his bottom. Right now we don`t think he will have the op as he has come down with Malaria and is not well at all!

Brian with his friends at home.

The special needs team have been doing lots of home visits to check up on the children and encourage the parents/carers....

Uncle Eric at Najib`s home.

Kakande with his Auntie and Uncle Eric.

Ivan with his family at home.

And the house is going up quickly quickly which is very exciting although I keep reminding myself that this is the quick bit....it is the internal work that takes time!

Me in my house :)

On Monday, I am off to Musana camp on the shores of Lake Victoria with David family. We are very excited to get to spend lots of time relaxing and having fun together. Unfortunately Hassan won`t be coming but Kakande will.....he has been coming around early every morning to ask me if it is today we are going for the last 10 days! Next time I will keep my mouth shut!

Better go cook dinner as am having some Doctor`s from Kiwoko hospital over for dinner......I`m not trying to bribe them, honest!