European Travel

Hi everyone.

Soon after I left Uganda my laptop and Camera died, so all the photos I was hoping to upload can't be uploaded.

As for my European travel, well it has been great but It's been overshadowed by how much I miss my babies, the nannies, the volunteers and pretty much everyone in Uganda.

Thanks again to everyone who read this and supported me, this no doubt will be the first of many trips to Africa. I am now returning home and looking for work with Aid agencies and NGOs because this entire trip changed my focus and built in me a passion for developing nations.

Signing out
- Felicity
xox

So long... farewell...

Well my time here in Uganda is coming to an end.
my blogs, whilst sporadic and frenzied will have shown you a little of what I did here, but words and pictures don’t go anywhere near close enough to capturing what I have felt, seen, smelt and heard and the empty space that is starting to make it’s presence felt in me, as I prepare to leave in two days.

I know this trip has changed me, it’s so clichéd but so true. I guess clichés are just that - over quoted truths that loose impact over time. Nonetheless this trip has changed things in me, and essentially Uganda and her people have captured my heart (I know more clichés - so shot me)

I am currently reviewing my whole life, including occupation, location and life plans, and to do this I need to remove myself from this place, clear my head and see if it’s possible that I am just on some kind of emotional high? It wouldn’t be the first time.

Anyway I will miss my babies incredibly, and will no doubt cry for the next ONE HUNDRED days. I will miss the Nannies who do a beautiful job of loving and serving their needy and never appeased babies day in and day out. I will miss Annie and Nicola who work tirelessly without the support network of close family and friends from back home around them to help them through their massive undertaking. I will miss the Watoto Staff, team hosts included who brightened my time here, with their ridiculous sense of humour. I will miss the absurd taxi and boda boda drivers who seem to do nothing but drive and fall in love. I will miss the village kids and particularly my ex-babies home toddlers and Jennifer my sponsor child.

But I will be back. That is almost certain. I am sure only premature death will stop me.

Thank you so much to everyone who supported me along the way – particularly those who supported me in prayer, well wishes and financial contributions – without you – this would have been impossible. I am serious – but sorry for the clichés.

I will probably continue to upload some more pictures of my time here – but for now – adious amigos.

Mum - by popular demand

Apparantly I am no longer wanted on this blog - as everyone wants to see mum and her favourite babies - so I will give in - JUST THIS ONCE.... so here are some photos of mum and her babies, and of course some of me - so you don't forget who this really is all about.

Mum has been working hard, but getting tired and emotional really easily. I guess she hasn't worked a job in over a decade - and this is certainly quite a demanding one. She works with the babies aged 3 - 8 months, in two different rooms, and she's started to pick a few favourites, or maybe they picked her - who knows.

Above: Safina - Mum's favourite. - having a giggle

Above: Mum changing Emmanuel - it turned out to be a nasty experience.

Above: Mum with the very cheeky Daisy

Above: Mum with Finn - something is clearly amusing her - and not so much him.

Above: Mum feeing Amalie

Now to remind you who this blog is really about - here are photos of me..


Above: me and my baby - Abdul

Above: me and fat jack having cuddles. This kid is fatter than kids twice his age.

Above: Abdul at his 3rd birthday party

Above: feeding time.

I will update again soon - but for now - bye bye

Mum, Night Shift, Sleepovers and the Village encore

So two weeks Mum arrived amidst a crazy time at the babies home. I have lost count of how many sick babies we have had, but there have been a few close calls, where we were sure we’d loose a baby or two.

Here are some snaps of mum – she’s doing well and trying to adjust to the busy days and sleepless nights.

Nightshifts

Because of the amount of sick babies we’ve had and the extra workload this creates, Laura and I had to do a lot of nightshifts, and I suppose pictures speak better than words

Above - This is me working with John, tube feeding him and changing him... a few nights after this photo he had a seizure and took a turn for the worst and has since spent all his time in hospital fighting for his life. He may survive but with brain damage. :( pray for him.

Above: Is Elana - who was very sick but is doing well now.

Above: Emmanuel was also very very sick - here he is being tube fed hourly to stop him dehydrating. He is now doing better.

This is Laura sleeping on the floor in between feeds - it was so exhausting.

Village Visit
More of our kids moved to the village, it’s sad to see them go, and things are much quieter without them, but they love their new homes and new mums so that is more important. Laura and I went to visit them during Laura’s last week, here are some picture….

Above: Nicola (runs Babies home with Annie) and the next lot of kids to move to the village.

Above: Peter and Arnold find brooms at the village and attempt to clean.

Above: Laura with David and Keith at their new home.

Above: Laura with Julian, and me with my sponsor child Jennifer.
Above: Jennifer and I

Sleepover
We also had two of our favourite kids sleep the night with us at our house – I had a peaceful nights rest (which I needed – having worked the three previous nights on night shift) but Laura was up all night with her little rascal. Enjoy the pictures…

Above: Abdul and I playing on the couch

Above: Laura and Andrew

Above: Abdul about to have dinner - he has to be covered in towels, because he often throws everything he eats back up (because his father fed him acid and this has messed up his insides.)

Above: Laura - trying to catch a few minutes of sleep - but Andrew has other ideas...

SICK BABIES

Sorry for the delay in posting – we’ve been so hectic lately.
I moved house and have had a pretty busy social life too, which hasn’t helped.

So anyway right now we have about FIFTEEN babies sick or critically ill, so our days have been filled with taking the babies to and from surgery to see the doctor, or looking after Annie’s kids at night while she rushes to Surgery to save dying babies like Zeke and Grace.

The doctors aren’t entirely sure what the babies have, only that some weren’t given much chance at living.

It’s been emotional and tiring and draining and yet so rewarding when they start feeling better again.

On top of this have been trips to the village with the toddlers who are about to move there. We had a fun car ride to the village where they all fell asleep, and they met up with all of their buddies who moved from the babies home in march.

On the way back from one of the village trips we picked up another new baby and Laura and I took her home for the night and did shifts to wake up and feed her two hourly. She has a sixteen year old drug addict mother who has neglected her, but she is so cute and she’s settling in well now.

Anyway I will leave you with some photos....

This is me and baby zeke before he got very sick. When he came in he was less than ONE KILO, and he was doing so well and now he may die - but let's pray he doesn't.

Laura with Keith, Solomon, and me with mia.... having fun on the grass....

This is Izzy - ain't she cute.

This is Enoch - he was a sickly little baby not long ago and now look - he's a chubber

THis is Sam

Izzy drinking... Izzy once finished....
me feeding the babies...6 at a time... I am ready to give birth to multiple babies... I think I can handle it.

This is my darling JOY

Another trip to the Village

Laura and I made another trip to the village to visit the Toddlers who graduated from the babies home to their new homes in the village at Bbira.

Our Toddlers are getting bigger and fatter and they look great, although they are often running around without any pants.

The mums of the toddlers have now been given more children, so they have a household consisting of a couple of toddlers and a couple of older children.

One of these children is Jennifer, she is 8 years old and was orphaned this year, she loves taking my camera and taking photos and teaching me Luganda... I love spending time with all the kids, we have a lot of fun, but I particularly love Jennifer.
She has a lot of spunk and a lot of energy and I really connect with her.

So I went to the Watoto offices to find out if I can sponsor her long term and it turns out I can and I am so excited about that. I am unsure how I will afford it in the short term (as in before I return home and get a real job) but Its great to have met the person I will be sponsoring....
Here are some photos.

Jennifer and I

All the kids
Tia wanting cuddles (She was a baby from the babies home)

Staying until end of 2008

I have been thinking and praying about staying on in Uganda until the end of 2008.
I don't necessarily have the means, but I want to make the most of this amazing opportunity, and I want to work with these children for as long as I can.

Every day is hard work, and I get sick a lot, and very tired, but somehow everyday I wake up excited about the day. I love the kids and I love being able to have the priviledge to take the place of a parent in their life, to love them and hold them and do my best to fill the deep void that is left by being orphaned.

If you want I need support in the following ways:
* Stay in contact with me, write me on here or facebook or email - it makes home feel so much closer than it is.
* Pray for me - there is potential for illness and accidents here that I wish to avoid, and it's always nice to know people are praying for you. Pray for the kids as well, many are sick, or have concerns - and then there are the financial needs of the organisation, so pray for them to be met too.
* Donate to myself or to Watoto or to just about anything in this world that does something to help those less fortunate than us - which is just about everyone - CAUSE WE ARE SOOOO LUCKY!! - You just don't know how lucky we are....
* If you feel extra special enthusiastic - send me a little package in the mail (contact me for the address) with maybe some lollies or a letter or something funny to cheer me, or something cool for the kids?!? Nothing big, it's just so much fun to recieve mail. YAY.

Ok in the meantime thanks to everyone for their support - and some of you have been absolutely amazing in the support you've given me - you know who you are - I love you so much, thanks heaps.

I will have more updates soon.

JOY

Recently a little girl came to us abandoned at a local landmark, she was scared, wouldn’t take milk or solids, and began to loose weight quickly. She wanted to sleep all the time and seemed to have little desire to fight for herself.
Nicole and Annie recommended carrying her for a few days to see if that helped… so for 3-4 days I carried her in a pouch everywhere I went at work, and even a few times when I went out.
It was so much fun, that I probably got more out of it than she did.
She was running high temperatures, and we were worries she had TB, but after a few trips to the doctor, and some cold medication, she’s picked up and doing well.
She’s started smiling, taking milk and even a few mouthfuls of solids.

I’ve stopped carrying her (as much) but I miss her cuddles and now the nannies call me Joy’s Mummy when they can’t remember my name (They call me Freaky when they can remember my name because that is how they pronounce Flick…)

This is Joy looking very happy...

Eli, The Village and Afternoon Baths

Because I said I would - here are some random photos.

First is ELI - he came to us weighing ONE KILO... He was so tiny, but at least a month has passed and he is doing well, but here's what he looked like when he arrived..

Also I promised photos from my visits to the village to see the toddlers who moved on... so here goes...

Below - Laura and her bare bottomed boys.... no nappies like at the babies home

Below: John still loves to steal my glasses and he still loves me...

Dorica and I with the houses in the background

Below: Innocent and Scottie with me. The mummy made me a Chai tea, and if you know me you know I can't stomach milk, particularly hot milk.... but I did it, eeeek

Below Is Julian with his new mummy - she is wonerful and he loves her - hes just not impressed that Laura - the other love of his life is leaving.

Below: Innocent and I - having cuddles.

Now for the cutest thing - afternoon baths on a hot day.... photos speak for themselves.

Peace out.