Our day in photos

Saturdays are very busy in Uganda because we have the Saturday program with the sponsored kids. Today we went to Namugoga CDC (just over 100 kids there) to take part in their program. So we were up early (after a late night and hearing the wonders of the Ugandan symphony - for those who don't know that means the sounds of car horns beeping, music and karoke from the bar next door, the Muslim prayer call, and various birds cawing at all hours).

Once we got there we had some short devotion time with the teachers and then joined the children for their praise and worship and devotion time. I taught them a new song they had never heard before (King Jesus is All). This is a little out of my comfort zone. I love to sing...in a group. And this was teaching them a new song they had never heard and doing it acapella.

We then broke into the classes. We were split into three groups. The teachers taught the main lesson and then we shared after that. And then it was time for games and crafts. My dad was in charge of playing games with the kids. My mom did the craft, which was making crowns out of paper lunch sacs that said, "Jesus is my King." The kids had a hard time working with scissors because they've not had much practice. So my mom ended up cutting around 70 crowns that the kids decorated and put on their heads.

I brought face painting crayons and drew hearts, smiley faces, crosses, flowers, and rainbows on the kids hands.

And when they ran out of hands to color, they wanted them on their faces.

Some of them were tricky. I would draw on their hand and then I think they would go and wash them, come back, and ask for another, because sometimes I would touch a hand that was cold and damp. But it didn't matter. They had so much fun.

I was taking some photos of the kids while standing under a tree when this little bugger fell into my shirt.

That sent me a dancing (Denise, can I get an Amen!). And you know how it is when a bug is crawling all over you. Even when it's gone you still think it's there and it makes you itch.

We enjoyed a lot of laughs with the kids. They are quite entertaining. This is Solomy. She's sponsored by our friend Denise. She was full of it today. She kept mimicking everything my dad did. She made all the same faces he made. Tried to whistle like him. And he even taught her how to say, "Okie dokie!"

After the program was finished, we were so close to Upendo it would've been a shame not to go, so we made a surprise visit before heading back for dinner. I just love those kids more than I could ever say.

And now we're ready for a good night's rest!

- Aly