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Update 46
Inspiring Visitors
We've written a long one this time, hope you enjoy it!
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SUMMARY
___________________________________
* A MUSHY MOMENT
* INSPIRING VISITORS
* UGANDA
* HEARING THE ENTHUSIASM FIRSTHAND!
* LIVING IN A TROPICAL PARADISE
___________________________________
___________________________________
A MUSHY MOMENT
___________________________________
We've been writing these 'Matt-Ad updates' for 2 and a half years now – at some times more frequently than at others, but we were reflecting recently on how much we love having a huge group of people to send our news to. Some of you on this list are relatives, or very old friends, others were just fortunate (?!) enough to be on Matt's address database when we first set up our mailing list. It's delighted and surprised us over the period that we've been writing to you to hear back from so many who, perhaps, we may otherwise have lost contact with. It seems pleasantly ironic that it's in being so far away that we've had an excuse to stay so closely in touch with so many friends! We love it! And THANK YOU for so graciously taking the time to read our news. It makes us feel very connected to a great 'body' of family and friends.
___________________________________
INSPIRING VISITORS
___________________________________
“We feel like we've known you for 4 years but this is the first time we've met!” This was the exclamation of a Ugandan guy who visited recently with 3 of his staff. They work for one of the organisations that has received two shipments from us in the past – a children's centre in Uganda – and indeed, it feels like all of our team do know them well, as we've had a great deal of correspondence to and fro with them regarding their shipments. Adelaide spent a few hours with them at the end of last week, interviewing them and chatting about the work they do. Take a look at some of the stories and info they shared:
___________________________________
UGANDA
___________________________________
As the sun sets on Kitgum, in Northern Uganda, tens of thousands of children, some of them as young as 2 and 3, begin to fill the roads leading into town. They are known as the 'night commuters'. They walk up to four or five kilometres away, to find shelter, sleeping under verandas, on the balconies of shops, or in empty churches. These are cold, hungry nights, spent without their parents. But they are better than the terror that waits for them each night back in the village. Villages in this part of Uganda are regularly raided by the rebel army, part of Uganda’s ongoing civil war in the north. The attacks are always bloody. Children are often forced to kill their parents or other children. They may have their ears and lips cut off, as a threat to any who would ‘talk’. Children who are taken, some just six years old, are traded to neighbouring countries for ammunition, used as slaves in the rebel force or forced to become soldiers. We recently heard a first-hand report of these ‘night commuters’ and the horrors facing children in northern Uganda. Four Ugandan staff from a children’s centre caring for 3,000 kids visited Hong Kong, and took the time to speak to us about their work. They shared with us, not only the despair facing the many children they work with, but also the beautiful hope and new life being given to each of the children through their work. We’ve sent two containers of goods to this group during the past three years. Our four Ugandan visitors were bubbling with joy and enthusiasm as they spoke of how these goods had transformed the lives of the children in their care. Many of the children have seen parents die of AIDS, friends kidnapped or neighbours tortured by rebels and they live in constant fear of being kidnapped themselves.
___________________________________
HEARING THE ENTHUSIASM FIRSTHAND!
___________________________________
One of our containers included a brand new set of playground equipment, worth US$20,000. “If you could only see the children’s joy,” said one of the Ugandan visitors, “whatever misery they’ve experienced, they forget it when they’re playing.” Also in the container were school desks and chairs - just enough for the seventh grade class of the orphanage’s school. Other children simply do without chairs. “We keep the desks and chairs for the higher classes,” said another of the staff members, “it’s an incentive for the kids to finish their education when they know that if they reach grade seven, they won’t be sitting on the floor!” Educating the children is a serious matter. Without encouragement, many of these kids wouldn't bother with school, having only known war and disruption their entire lives. All that talk about 'night commuters' and kidnapping was not just hearsay for these four guys. After they had given a short presentation to our team, feeding back their thanks and stories, one of them mentioned quietly to us that he himself had been kidnapped by the rebels as a child. Who knows what horrible things he'd experienced, yet he has chosen to remain in that area and work to create hope and a better life for the kids that came after him.
___________________________________
LIVING IN A TROPICAL PARADISE
___________________________________
“Please keep this door closed. It keeps out frogs, mosquitoes and rain, and keeps the cool air in.” This little sign on the door of our administration office tells its own story. The rainy season is well and truly upon us and it's the time of year when Hong Kong's creatures come out to play! Earlier in the summer we had a cacophony of cicadas screaming outside our offices. They seem to have exhausted their life cycle, however, and now we have different creepy-crawlies to contend with. The other day we found the tiniest little gecko in our kitchen sink. House geckos are common for most of the year and are about the size of your middle finger. Usually we'll see one or two of these bigger ones scurrying away along the walls inside when we arrive home and turn on the light. This little guy in the sink, though, was only about two centimetres long! The last one takes the cake, though: It was a decent-sized blond, hairy monkey, looking quite at home up on the roof of our medical goods processing department. He eventually hopped off the roof and into a tree...but it's not the first time he's been sighted. Take a look at the cheeky visitor here: http://www.matt-ad.com/photos/monkey.jpg http://www.matt-ad.com/photos/monkey2.jpg That's all for now. Till next time! Matt & Ad
___________________________________
SUMMARY
___________________________________
* A MUSHY MOMENT
* INSPIRING VISITORS
* UGANDA
* HEARING THE ENTHUSIASM FIRSTHAND!
* LIVING IN A TROPICAL PARADISE
___________________________________
___________________________________
A MUSHY MOMENT
___________________________________
We've been writing these 'Matt-Ad updates' for 2 and a half years now – at some times more frequently than at others, but we were reflecting recently on how much we love having a huge group of people to send our news to. Some of you on this list are relatives, or very old friends, others were just fortunate (?!) enough to be on Matt's address database when we first set up our mailing list. It's delighted and surprised us over the period that we've been writing to you to hear back from so many who, perhaps, we may otherwise have lost contact with. It seems pleasantly ironic that it's in being so far away that we've had an excuse to stay so closely in touch with so many friends! We love it! And THANK YOU for so graciously taking the time to read our news. It makes us feel very connected to a great 'body' of family and friends.
___________________________________
INSPIRING VISITORS
___________________________________
“We feel like we've known you for 4 years but this is the first time we've met!” This was the exclamation of a Ugandan guy who visited recently with 3 of his staff. They work for one of the organisations that has received two shipments from us in the past – a children's centre in Uganda – and indeed, it feels like all of our team do know them well, as we've had a great deal of correspondence to and fro with them regarding their shipments. Adelaide spent a few hours with them at the end of last week, interviewing them and chatting about the work they do. Take a look at some of the stories and info they shared:
___________________________________
UGANDA
___________________________________
As the sun sets on Kitgum, in Northern Uganda, tens of thousands of children, some of them as young as 2 and 3, begin to fill the roads leading into town. They are known as the 'night commuters'. They walk up to four or five kilometres away, to find shelter, sleeping under verandas, on the balconies of shops, or in empty churches. These are cold, hungry nights, spent without their parents. But they are better than the terror that waits for them each night back in the village. Villages in this part of Uganda are regularly raided by the rebel army, part of Uganda’s ongoing civil war in the north. The attacks are always bloody. Children are often forced to kill their parents or other children. They may have their ears and lips cut off, as a threat to any who would ‘talk’. Children who are taken, some just six years old, are traded to neighbouring countries for ammunition, used as slaves in the rebel force or forced to become soldiers. We recently heard a first-hand report of these ‘night commuters’ and the horrors facing children in northern Uganda. Four Ugandan staff from a children’s centre caring for 3,000 kids visited Hong Kong, and took the time to speak to us about their work. They shared with us, not only the despair facing the many children they work with, but also the beautiful hope and new life being given to each of the children through their work. We’ve sent two containers of goods to this group during the past three years. Our four Ugandan visitors were bubbling with joy and enthusiasm as they spoke of how these goods had transformed the lives of the children in their care. Many of the children have seen parents die of AIDS, friends kidnapped or neighbours tortured by rebels and they live in constant fear of being kidnapped themselves.
___________________________________
HEARING THE ENTHUSIASM FIRSTHAND!
___________________________________
One of our containers included a brand new set of playground equipment, worth US$20,000. “If you could only see the children’s joy,” said one of the Ugandan visitors, “whatever misery they’ve experienced, they forget it when they’re playing.” Also in the container were school desks and chairs - just enough for the seventh grade class of the orphanage’s school. Other children simply do without chairs. “We keep the desks and chairs for the higher classes,” said another of the staff members, “it’s an incentive for the kids to finish their education when they know that if they reach grade seven, they won’t be sitting on the floor!” Educating the children is a serious matter. Without encouragement, many of these kids wouldn't bother with school, having only known war and disruption their entire lives. All that talk about 'night commuters' and kidnapping was not just hearsay for these four guys. After they had given a short presentation to our team, feeding back their thanks and stories, one of them mentioned quietly to us that he himself had been kidnapped by the rebels as a child. Who knows what horrible things he'd experienced, yet he has chosen to remain in that area and work to create hope and a better life for the kids that came after him.
___________________________________
LIVING IN A TROPICAL PARADISE
___________________________________
“Please keep this door closed. It keeps out frogs, mosquitoes and rain, and keeps the cool air in.” This little sign on the door of our administration office tells its own story. The rainy season is well and truly upon us and it's the time of year when Hong Kong's creatures come out to play! Earlier in the summer we had a cacophony of cicadas screaming outside our offices. They seem to have exhausted their life cycle, however, and now we have different creepy-crawlies to contend with. The other day we found the tiniest little gecko in our kitchen sink. House geckos are common for most of the year and are about the size of your middle finger. Usually we'll see one or two of these bigger ones scurrying away along the walls inside when we arrive home and turn on the light. This little guy in the sink, though, was only about two centimetres long! The last one takes the cake, though: It was a decent-sized blond, hairy monkey, looking quite at home up on the roof of our medical goods processing department. He eventually hopped off the roof and into a tree...but it's not the first time he's been sighted. Take a look at the cheeky visitor here: http://www.matt-ad.com/photos/monkey.jpg http://www.matt-ad.com/photos/monkey2.jpg That's all for now. Till next time! Matt & Ad