I wrote about my first day in Uganda, now I am going on 17 years and it is hard to write on everything that has taken place during all this time.  I live in the village of Kamonkoli helping children in child sponsorship and in a small orphanage. 

I have been through many trials here and seen more than one should probably see as a missionary.  Delivered babies in the bush with nothing but a bottle of water a thread from my dress to tie off the cord.  Had many children named after me now as well.  Have seen many children die because of the hardships that are here. 

The first week I was here I was touched so much by the children and their need for love and care that I could not go back to America and do nothing, I could not settle.  After one year I returned and have stayed here ever since.

Presently there are 191 children in the child sponsorship program and not all of them are children, many are in University now and some in vocational training institutes, others are still in nursery.  There are 28 living in the small orphanage and fourteen of these are living in my home.  The youngest in my home is Sabrina, who is seven years old and the oldest is Sarah, who is now 24 and helps me so much. 

Each child is different with a different story.  All of them deserve the love they were not getting before.  I feel blessed to have the chance to help these children and to love them.  None of them are spoiled, all need love and care.

I want to begin this blog by sharing a few of the most memorable stories that I have.  One to share, and two to raise funds to continue helping the children.

I will begin with the story of Dick, a little orphan boy who was growing up with his Grandfather, whose name is Cyrus.  Dick was six years old when I first met him and so full of life.  We had started a papyrus church here in Kamonkoli with the Presbyterian and Dick started coming to the Sunday School.  We also started a Saturday Sunday School, which is now our AWANA ministry.  Dick also came on Saturdays.

Dick was such a wonderful little boy and he always played with my six year old, David Lunguba (who is now 22 years and at Makerere University).  They use to run and climb mango trees and tell stories.  They could really tell stories about taking care of cattle.  One Saturday during prayer time, Dick came forward and accepted Christ.  I began to get to know him better and really loved that little boy.  He told me how his parents died and how he ended up with his Grandfather.  He told me with tears streaming down his face.  He had been through an awful lot for a little boy of six years.  He wanted to go to school and he believed that Mummie Katherine was going to help him to go to school. 

One day I had to take a trip to Kampala, which was always difficult.  It was an eight hour trip by taxi van piled with people, windows open and lots of dust.  I had to travel to Kampala whenever I needed money, just to make a phone call from the post office - calling America collect through AT&T.  You see, there were no phones any where around here.  It would take two to three weeks for a wire to get to Uganda - so I had to make sure that I gave it plenty of time.  I did not have money to stay in hotels so I stayed with Harriet, the girl who escorted me to the village the very first day and we stayed in the slums of Kampala.  We had lots of roaches and even rats swimming in the toilet!  Terrible place, but many people lived there.

This time when I went, Dick was bitten by a dog that had rabbies.  Here in Uganda no one had treatment for rabbies.  I was gone for about five days and when I returned I found him suffering in horrible pain and dying.  He was crying, mummie - if you had been here I know I would have been okay.  There had been no way to call me or let me know.  I was stricken with grief.  When he died I never forgot him and I still remember him well unto this day sixteen years later.