Ali's Travels: New Clothes and Amusement Parks

So exciting news that one of the boxes of clothes arrived from work meant that I have had a wonderful week being like Father Christmas giving lots of the children new clothes and shoes and their delight in an absolute pleasure to see in fact as always it reduces me to tears, the people here are so grateful for everything and anything you do for them. Below you will find a few pictures of some of the children who have benefited from new things. One of my favourites who I have pictured here is a little girl called Lorda who I believe I have mentioned before, she received a pair of little Reebock trainers which flash on the bottom when you walk, her little face was an absolute picutre, the following day, as she does everyday now, she belted towards me when she saw me with her new school uniform, courtesy of me!!, and shouted teacher teacher look, shoes... For a little girl who hardly uttered a word a month ago it just made me so proud of her - bless her little cotton socks - not that she has any!!! You will also see a picture of one of the thank you notes the children wrote for me after being given some new things for her and her sister!!

This week I also decided it would be nice to take a few of the children who board at the school on a day out!! I chose 4 girls and asked permission from the headmaster to take them to an amusement park called Wonderworld! This would be pretty common place for most children in the UK, but most of these kids have hardly left the school or village they grew up in so this created massive excitement. The girls told me they were too excited to sleep and kept asking each other what the time was. Throughout the day they went on rides, had soda, ice cream and a slap up lunch of sausage and chips - which the mainly packed up in a box to take back to share with their friends at school. The excitement and delight in their eyes was enough to nake me want to do it for all the kids. At the end of the day when they'd slept the whole way back in the car one of then said, Teacher Ali, I will never forget this day, thank you and god bless you. How big was the lump in my throat!! 50 pounds well spent.

We also went on a community outreach day where I visited Justine - the little girl I sponsor - family again, I bought them 2 mattresses and 3 blankets - again the gratitude is overwhelming. We also visited 3 other families to assess their situations and the only word I can think of is shocking!! A family of 7 living in a rough shack with no toilet facilities and a bedroom which looked like something out of Charles Dickens times -but worse. The children quite literally are clothes in rags, I am hoping the second box of clothes from work arrives soon so that I can give a few more out before I leave. The month I have been here has flown by and I am already planning to come back in June so that I can see the children again and plus I have promised a few of them I will take them to wonderworld when I come back and they remind me of this fact every day!!Anyway off now to take the boda boda - motorcycle and local taxi home from Kampala but not before I've been to the supermarket to stock up on salt and vinegar crisps and biscuits - rice and beans is beginning to wear a bit thin now!! Take care everyone!! A xx

Look at my new shoes... Puffla aged 2!

A whole new outfit for Jonathan aged 4!

How smart are we in our new dresses!! Nakato, 5 and Lighton 6!

A thank you note from one of the kids, it reads, Dear Teacher Alison, How a you to today! I love you so much, thank you to give me shoes and clothes!!