Valentines day - a day of love, happiness and friendship, with a dash of longing. This week has basically been V-day everyday. I have had an incredible week of love, friendship and giggles, which thankfully distracted me from home - and made me love here even more.
Monday might have been really tough but it turns out it was just the sunrise to an awesome week.
Tuesday dawned with an awesome session at the primary school. - like they read off the board, put their hands up and gave some really great answers on the UN convention of the rights of a child. It was totally awesome. Team work then came together as we successfully planned sessions for the rest of the week with barely any disagreements, which was fab.
Wednesday was the B-DAY of V-DAY week and it was amazing. I was awoken with presents, cards and messages from home, to then be greeted with a surprise cake and candle by baby Ella. We continued the morning with music and more pressies with darling Joe too. Later on we trundled into Iganga with Tara and Peter with the expectation that no one else would have been able to get there but wow I was wrong. The total surprise of Namumgarwe already there with chocolate and necklaces, as well as a lot of hugs was totally amazing. Next came Stan and Diana, then people just kept coming, some travelling from the most rural spots of Jinja for up to 5 hours!!! It was such a surprise and I was so touched. The afternoon progressed to dancing in the rain with Radya, dancing in the bar with the dancing crew from training and a few cheeky treats, it was so nice to catch up with everybody. Divya, Emma and Christine also sent a recording of Happy Birthday which was adorable. Ella and I ended the day with Inbetweeners and chocolate - what a perfect day.
So Thursday dawned with an unfortunate wave of ill health, so I trundled off to Iganga while Ella and Juliet went to teach compost and organic pesticides to the local youth group. In the market I was greeted by videos of me dancing the day before which was another celebrity moment haha. Tara and I spent the afternoon putting up posters and spreading the word on the football event. We felt like the Pied Piper as we had to hide out in her room as 200 children followed us down the street shouting and cheering. Afterwards I headed back to watch a football match between Nakalama parish and Busei parish where I got talking to some of the youth and afterwards the team. Definitely getting a lot of fist pumps and respect now, who thought interviewing Manchester United for a dissertation would be so helpful here ha.
So with Friday came even more blessings. We awoke early to teach the lower stream at the senior school which was awesome. Despite the laddy nature of the football boys in the class, the fist pumps and request for photos was mixed with really interesting discussions on having sex with only girls you love, the dangers of illegal abortion and cheers for condoms. We even taught them "use a condom if you can't abstain.... Be faithful" song which was pretty amazing. It was such an inspiring lesson and definitely made up "for can you teach me how to impregnate you.." Ha. The session with the higher stream was much more challenging but we still got across that using a condom is a lot easier than dying from an illegal abortion, being imprisoned or being forced into early marriage. For the afternoon we took to the advice center and started publicising condoms and demonstrations, though it is illegal to give them it schoolchildren here!!! We even got approached by some of the youth asking to work with us as translators or helping run sessions which was great.
A group even came to ask the football this morning at 6:30 to play as a team which is amazing to see how little can cause a smile here. So all in all this week has been awesome - full of love, loving and friendship. So while I might be missing loved ones at home on a week of B-DAY and V-DAY, thanks to the amazing people here, both with ICS and in the community - it hasn't felt like D-DAY. So I will get back to planning, budgeting and chatting to our awesome parish chief now, but let's hope this week coming is just as awesome.
Ps thanks for all the prayers last week - keep them coming but if you want to pray for Joe's Dad to get better that would be amazing, as well as for the kids to still be so receptive and for me to feel 100% again as want to get out there and do more and more! Oh and random fact for the day - everything here is spelt American.
Lots of love and thanks again for all the support. E x
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