My Diary:
I'm afraid my diary is just a little out of date but it gives you some idea of the sort of things I have been up to in the past...
Monday 14th September 2009
Just found out I'm on the Abaana Christmas Team - amazing! Very very excited. Mad panic over fundraising as I'm returning to uni next week and need to get started before then!
Wednesday 23rd September 2009
Tonight I held a Curry banquet fundraiser at The Star of Bengal in Bangor. Thank you so much to everyone who came or supported the event, I managed to raise around £230. Special thanks go to Jay and all the team at The Star of Bengal for the delicious food and their hospitality and support.
Friday 23rd October 2009
Am home for the weekend for a Team day - a chance to meet all the people I'm going to Uganda with this Christmas. Also paid in a lot of money to Abaana, bringing my total to £983.10 which is utterly incredible! Most of this is just from donations, so thank you so so much to everyone who has supported me in this way. This would be impossible without you.
Saturday 24th October 2009
Met my team today! Everyone seems lovely and it's a very diverse team - I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone more. It was wonderful to chat about Uganda and begin to prepare ourselves for going. We talked about general things such as culture, health care and what we're likely to experience, and then a bit more specifically about what our programme will entail - spending time on the streets with the boys (possibly with a drop in medical clinic) and running a programme for the rehabilitated boys in the afternoons. We came up with a few ideas of how to make Christmas day special for these boys, and now I'm really excited
Thursday 5th November 2009
Fundraising is all a go! Am holding a bun sale on Saturday night at my college in Durham, and so my friends and I will be busy baking all day today! Next week I also have a sponsored silence planned which I know my housemates are eagerly anticipating, because I'm sure you're all aware of how much I talk… so far I've raised £90 from this - thanks to everyone who has sponsored me so far. If you haven't sponsored me yet, please do! It's for a good cause and is worth it for the novelty of watching me be silent…
Saturday 7th November 2009
The bun sale was a success! I managed to raise £77.45, meaning that we sold over 140 cakes. To everyone who bought cake or donated some, thank you so very much. I’m just that little bit closer to my target now
Saturday 14th November 2009
Yesterday’s sponsored silence was interesting. I spent some of my day with my sign language class which was great, but after trying in vain to get my housemates to understand me, I definitely appreciate how hard it must be for Deaf people to communicate with those who don’t sign! However, I managed! Everyone seems to be very willing to pay me to be quiet, because I’ve raised a grand total of £443.60! Unbelievable. Thank you all so much, I’m nearly at my target!
Sunday 22nd November 2009
After many generous donations, I can now officially say I am going to Uganda, having achieved my target! I am completely overwhelmed by the generous support of everyone – this would not have been possible without you. Please keep my team and I in your prayers as we prepare to head out at Christmas! Thank you all so much.
Thursday 17th December 2009
Paid in my final amount to Abaana, collected my hoody and having arrived home from University yesterday, am now preparing to pack - I leave on Saturday! I am incredibly excited about going back out there to serve these street children at Christmas time and cannot wait :D Again, thank you all so much for your generosity and support, and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy new year!
Friday 25th December
We spoke to Hazel on the phone today and she says that she is having a wonderful time. Temperatures are around 30°C and the turkey that was running around earlier should now be ready for dinner - Dad.
Friday 8th January 2010
Hello everybody! I am just home from Uganda, 5 hours late after a slight nightmare with delayed flights. I have had an absolutely fantastic three weeks - the boys are incredible and it was very hard to leave them. A longer report will follow soon, but to summarise, we spent our mornings on the streets serving the boys, playing frisbee and football, running a medical clinic, chatting to them, feeding them and giving a short talk and testimony to them all. Then each afternoon we travelled to the New Life rehabilitation homes where we run a programme of sports and crafts etc and Bible studies in small groups, as well as chatting to the boys.
We spent our entire Christmas day with the boys dancing, celebrating, eating and sharing presents; and for New year's Day we threw a HUGE party on the streets for the street boys, with plenty of games, food, laughter, rain and presents - each boy received a new pair of shoes and a bag of sweets! Visiting Kabale was also incredible, despite a few interesting travel experiences - it was great to finally meet Faith and her family and to spend some time celebrating God's goodness with them.
Thank you all so much for your support - please keep praying for these boys and for the work of Abaana. I have had an incredible time and it would not have been possible without you all!