Days 10 and 11

So, how has your day been today? Normally my day is very run of the mill. Most things that happen I am expecting to happen. When the unusual occurs it is really not that unusual.
Yesterday, for example, was exactly as we were expecting it. Fairly relaxed, doing some work on the creation of a set of quality standards for the African Prisons Project - sounds like any normal day at Fair Havens really. Audit, statistics, problem solving, risk assessment - my life!

Apart from the current protests about price rises, Uganda is normally a very peaceful country. It has a real beauty about it. The people are happy and friendly. It's safe.

Today, we set off to go to the Joy Hospice in Mbale near to Jinja. The first 15 minutes of the journey were great ...........
Firstly, we heard people shouting, then vehicles racing in the opposite direction, people running and pouring water over their faces, shots sounding - a tear gas attack had happened in the road literally 10 cars in front of us. Robert, our driver, swung the car around and drove so fast out of the area that we were pinned to our seats.
So, determined not to be put off by a bit of warfare, we decided to try another route .......... same thing again! Another route ........... same thing, more tear gas, more shots. Four times, we tried to get out of Kampala but to no avail.
Our poor driver, desperate not to let us down tried every route he could think of. Although at one point I do believe Christopher was quite excited at the prospect of being tear gassed!! Sad boy - obviously doesn't have enough excitement in his life!
We have driven through slums high in the hills, where women were earning tiny amounts of money by breaking up stones from the quarries. Children had no clothes. People living in mud and cow dung houses, with only a tin roof and a curtain for a door. The smells were awful. There were roads that I wouldn't have risked taking my 4x4 down, yet we drove down them in a small toyota corolla (bit bumpy). Needless to say, we eventually had to make the decision to go back to Kampala
We are very lucky - God has kept us safe today and has shown us how fortunate we are to live where we do. That we have nice, safe homes, clothes and plenty to eat. That we have good jobs / school and lovely people to work with. Wonderful friends. We are so fortunate, we don't deserve to complain about anything and we shall certainly think twice before we do in the future. Whilst we are doing this blog (back at APP house), there is smoke rising in the distance and sirens have started sounding, so it may all be getting closer. Oh well - time to close the windows!!!!

Lots of love

Catherine and Christopher xx

Sorry no piccies today - had to keep the camera safely hidden!