Day 2 Thurs 15th

The emotional roller coaster journey begins. I woke (haha) this morning not looking forward to this day at all. Much of the night was spent planning and reliving conversations and listening to African sounds. I was due to upgrade websites and fill in grant requests today. Last night I met a film-maker making a documentary about Benedicta for Al- Jazheera. Her conversation was not what a tired charity worker needed on little sleep. One of the things I've learned over our many years here is that, there are many people who are full of great ideas but not so good when it comes to application. Some folk believe that if they shout loud enough and throw a little money at the situ then over night Africa's problem's will be fixed. What Africa needs is strategy and commitment to help it gain freedom from oppression of its rulers and the debt and grip of eternal gratitude that aid seems to be happy to hold it in. I felt tummy/tired unwell already and didn't fancy a day of disappointment and frustration, so we left for meetings and the like without any plan but fearing the worst yet again. I've been here so many times you'd think I'd be immune. Unfortunately I live out the frustration each time and never seem to learn the lesson.

We left late in our lethargy and reluctance to get battered again and began at 9:30. All my expectations were dashed and I'm now up for it. What an uplifting day. I am now settled and ready for the challenge of these three weeks. 

Whilst repairing the computer I discovered a letter written to me in January and deleted without being sent by the previous administrator. If it had been sent it would have made our trip at Easter much easier. Bennie had written for help with the new rules for orphanages and requested our help in caring for the children under the revised position of her children who we have loved over several years. The letter was a full description of her latest predicament and the intention to send the official document for me to read and respond to. 

Bennie can sometimes be the most frustrating person. She is certainly a very stubborn and headstrong woman. But she has one quality which outstrips all others and for this I love her to bits. She loves people and does whatever is within her power to serve others. She has a beautiful heart. She has just returned from the north of Uganda where she has been training women to make crafts to sell. These women currently earn 1000 shillings per month and she feels that this is truly an injustice so at her own cost she travelled to their place to try to empower them. Let's put that in context. In a country with no social security net, where the women are caring for young children and are trapped in their sItuation, their work earns them the monthly total of 1000 shillings they are being served by a woman who has very little herself barring a big heart. 1000 shillings is.............. 25p. 

25p A MONTH. There is something very wrong with this world. I was clearing an old rucksack earlier today with presents that we brought for the children and in the bottom was about a pound in loose change. Just odd scraps from my busy busy life that forces me to discard change at the bottom of a bag as i dont have time to sort it. These pennies have lived in the bottom of my old Bag for years. Change that I had never bothered to clear because i have so much anyway. My throw away change is 4 month's money to some families in this world. How obscene is that? Bennie helps because they need it. 

Whilst I was busy repairing computers and printers I sent Sim to do some real exciting stuff. Bennie is a recycler supreme. Sim threw away 7 years of off-cuts and waste bits that might have come in useful. He went to clear her food debts. A kind store owner had allowed her to build a tab over several months because of her work with the children - £70. Dug a trench to allow rain water to irrigate the garden, played with the children and was generally a very productive and very helpful associate. He got drowned in an African rainstorm, was covered in mud, and smells after the rubbish clearance. I sat in the dry playing with computers - nothing new there then. 

A really productive and busy day. Oh and I nearly forgot we also did some training in colour matching to help the sale of some superb palm leaf bags to the western market.