Expect the Unexpected!

Before we moved to Uganda, when we were  just in the preparation stage, we were given a prophetic word from a friend that we should expect the unexpected. This has been true over and over again here. This has definitely been true of our journey into school life. Back at school in the UK, I remember a colleague asking me if I would get a teaching job in Uganda. I answered very strongly that no I wouldn't be and had no intention of working in a school. I also was fully expecting to be homeschooling the girls for at least the first year. Well things aren't always as you expect and I am now working in an international school (2 days a week) and the girls are attending the school 3 days a week.
It has been a beautiful journey and has God's blessing all over it! The first few months homeschooling went really well and the girls loved having so much time to play and enjoyed the schooling part, but it soon became obvious that they were desparate for friends of their own age and something more.  School fees for international schools here are really high so God seemed to have it all sorted that I could work for a couple of days at the school (which I love doing) in exchange for school fees. The school we found has just 60 kids in it from 3 - 11 and the largest class has only 15 children in it. In Ava's class of 12, there are 10 different nationalities, making it truly international. Mayah has settled in really well and loves her teacher and classmates and the small setting suits her down to the ground. It is such a joy to hear her chat so happily about school and to be so settled there. She even gets to do ballet as an after school club! Ava also loves school and participates in all activities with enthusiasm!. She has made some really strong friendships.

The other totally unexpected part of all this is my role in the school. I am overseeing the early years class (3 - 5's)! My experience in teaching has mainly been with 9-11 year olds. However, God's grace has totally been on me and I have really enjoyed this new challenge, especially having the opportunity to shape how the early years class operates. Working with an amazing Ugandan teacher and lovely Dutch lady has also been a joy.
Before we came, we felt really strongly that God would take good care of our children, that he wouldn't call us to work here and then abandon our girls. I am so excited to be able to testify to God's goodness that he really has taken care of the girls. It has been a journey with some homesickness and tears, but they have now developed strong friendships with 3 or 4 children each, are loving school, generally are enjoying life and will openly talk about how they are happy living here.
I am sure there will be many more trials to come but I trust God that he will continue to look after our girls and fill their lives with blessing.

The must-have, miracle tree Moringa

Anyone who has spoken to me recently has probably heard me mention something about this special tree.

There's a lot that can be said about it, but to be brief, here are some pictures and a few words to give an idea as to why this tree now has a special place in my heart.

Let me introduce my personal (2 and a half month old) tree. They grow really quickly and in poor soils and as my mission is to replicate what is going on in the slums in mini-tests, this one is growing in a large water bottle. 

 So, what's so special about this tree? Well, there is almost too much to say. It has so many nutritional benefits, here are just a few:

It's used around the world and grows very well in the tropics - basically it grows in just about all of the countries where malnutrition is a problem. Handy eh? Also very handy is the fact that after doing some research and wanting to find a Moringa expert locally, it just so happens that one lives next door! He even helps publish book about the tree.

I'm not saying it definitely does all of the things below, but sometimes the wisdom of generations past can know best.

My plan is to trial growing Moringa in the slum communities, on roof tops in pots, in old jerry cans and water bottles. One great bloke called Fred is very keen on trying out some new ideas and so I'll be putting some pictures up soon of his home in the slum with pots on top and around the sides. I want to go slowly and carefully though, as the government tried to popularise Moringa a few years back and sold the idea as a get-rich-quick crop, but there was no market for it as people were not aware of it's many benefits. That's where we'll start - with telling people why it's so good.

If you want more info and a bit of hard evidence to back up some of these claims, try this site out.

Oh, and you can use the seeds to purify water too.....